Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
President Donald Trump said Friday he will direct Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s relationships with prominent Democrats and major financial institutions, escalating a political fight over the late financier’s connections as Congress moves toward forcing new disclosures in the case.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Democrats of reviving what he called the “Epstein hoax” to divert attention from the recently ended 43-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history.
“I will be asking A.G. Pam Bondi, and the Department of Justice, together with our great patriots at the FBI, to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s involvement and relationship with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, J.P. Morgan, Chase, and many other people and institutions,” Trump wrote. He claimed, without evidence, that Democrats were using the controversy as “another Russia, Russia, Russia Scam.”
The announcement comes as the House is set to vote next week on bipartisan legislation requiring the Justice Department to release additional records from its Epstein investigation. Trump opposes the measure and has lashed out at Republicans who support it, prompting Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to call his position a “huge miscalculation.”
Oversight Committee releases emails mentioning Trump
The House Oversight Committee this week released more than 20,000 pages of material it obtained from Epstein’s estate as part of its ongoing review of how federal authorities handled the case.
The documents include emails between Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and journalist Michael Wolff that reference Trump. In a January 2019 message to Wolff, Epstein wrote, “Of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop,” though the context is unclear.
In a 2011 email to Maxwell, Epstein wrote that a victim “spent hours at my house with him,” adding that Trump “has never once been mentioned.” The committee redacted the victim’s name.
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing. He has said he cut ties with Epstein around 2004 after a falling out.
Broader network of contacts under scrutiny
The released records also show Epstein maintained contact with Summers, who served as Treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton and later led the National Economic Council in the Obama administration. Summers has previously said he “deeply regrets” his interactions with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction.
Clinton was subpoenaed by the Oversight Committee in August. His office has said he took four trips on Epstein’s plane in 2002 and 2003 for Clinton Foundation work and that staff and Secret Service personnel were present on every leg.
Major financial institutions have also faced scrutiny. JPMorganChase spokesperson Trish Wexler said Friday that federal authorities failed to disclose damaging information about Epstein to the bank. JPMorgan agreed in 2023 to a $290 million settlement with Epstein’s victims after allegations it overlooked abuse to preserve a lucrative relationship.
Hoffman, a prominent Democratic donor, has said he regretted any interactions with Epstein and last communicated with him in 2015.
DOJ maintains no charges available
Bondi and the FBI have previously concluded there is no evidence to bring charges against additional individuals. In July, the Justice Department said its “exhaustive review” found no “client list” or “credible evidence” of blackmail.
That determination triggered backlash from some of Trump’s supporters, who have pushed for broader disclosures.
Meanwhile, the Oversight Committee continues releasing documents, including flight logs, messages and a 2003 birthday book Maxwell compiled for Epstein that lists Trump and Clinton under a “friends” section. Trump has denied writing a note in the book that appears to bear his signature.
