The U.S. Justice Department on Friday agreed to President Donald Trump’s request to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s past connections with former Democratic President Bill Clinton and JPMorgan, a move that shifts attention away from renewed scrutiny of Trump’s own relationship with the disgraced financier.
The decision comes just two days after a congressional committee released nearly 20,000 Epstein-related documents, raising fresh questions about Trump’s past interactions with Epstein and intensifying political pressure on the White House.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan and former SEC chair, will lead the newly ordered probe.
The Justice Department’s announcement marks the latest instance in which Trump has publicly pressed federal law enforcement to investigate his perceived political foes.
In recent years, Trump has personally urged prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, moves critics say were driven by political retribution.
Legal experts warned that the latest directive could backfire. Patrick J. Cotter, a former federal prosecutor, called it “outrageously inappropriate” for a president to order investigations into individual citizens.
“That’s not how it’s supposed to work,” he said, noting that courts can dismiss cases deemed “vindictive prosecutions.”
Despite the new probe, a previously undisclosed July memo from the Justice Department and FBI stated there was no credible evidence warranting investigations into additional Epstein associates and no sign of a hidden “client list.”
Clinton, Summers, and Reid Hoffman, all mentioned in the recently released documents, quickly pushed back on Trump’s claims.
Clinton aide Angel Urena said the emails “prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing,” dismissing Trump’s accusations as political theater.
Hoffman urged the president to release all Epstein-related files, calling the investigation into him “political persecution and slander.” Summers did not respond to requests for comment.
JPMorgan, meanwhile, reiterated its regret over its past relationship with Epstein, who was a client from 1998 to 2013. The bank paid $290 million in 2023 to settle claims that it enabled Epstein’s abuse, though it did not admit wrongdoing.
The Justice Department’s shift follows growing pressure on Trump, who has declined to answer questions for days as more Epstein revelations emerge.
Trump insists he severed ties with Epstein years before the financier’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor, and denies any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse.
Yet some of Trump’s own supporters accuse his administration of withholding documents related to the case.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only four in ten Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of the Epstein files, far lower than his overall 90% approval among Republicans.
Next week, the Republican-led House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bipartisan measure requiring the Justice Department to release all remaining Epstein files.
The bill is poised to pass despite repeated attempts by House Speaker Mike Johnson to block it, potentially forcing the Senate, and Trump himself, to decide whether full disclosure moves forward.
Epstein, who died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges, maintained social and professional ties with numerous high-profile figures over decades.
Clinton flew on his private jet multiple times before Epstein’s conviction. Summers received philanthropic contributions from Epstein during his Harvard presidency. Hoffman said his interactions concerned fundraising for MIT.
No credible evidence has surfaced linking any of the men to Epstein’s crimes, and all have denied wrongdoing.
As Clayton begins his investigation, the political ramifications continue to grow.
The renewed focus on Epstein threatens to overshadow Trump’s legislative wins and intensifies divisions within the Republican Party, raising the stakes for the president as he navigates a turbulent path toward the 2026 midterm elections.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
