Trump Calls for Investigation into Epstein's Ties with Clinton
In a significant political move, President Donald Trump announced last night that he would ask the Department of Justice and the FBI to initiate a thorough investigation into the connections between the late financier and accused sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and former Democratic President Bill Clinton.
Trump's request follows the release of a 2019 email by Democratic lawmakers, which raises new questions regarding Epstein's ties to Trump himself.
However, the President responded vigorously, calling for an investigation not only into Epstein's relationship with Clinton but also into his connections with JPMorgan Chase and former Harvard University President Larry Summers.
Speaking to reporters on a flight to Florida, Trump stated:
"I know nothing about the Epstein email... My relationship with him was very poor over many years."
He also accused his Democratic opponents of attempting to "distract from the agreement" that ended the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, asserting that the so-called "Epstein conspiracy" is aimed at hurting Republicans, while the scandal, as he described it, "only affects Democrats."
On his platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote:
"I will be asking Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department, along with our great patriots at the FBI, to investigate the involvement of Jeffrey Epstein and his connections to Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, JPMorgan Chase, and others."
He added that records indicate "these men and others spent a lot of time with Epstein and on his private island."
Despite years of scrutiny regarding Clinton's relationship with Epstein, the former President has never been accused of any wrongdoing.
Newly released emails from 2011, reviewed by AFP, confirm that Clinton "never" visited Epstein's infamous Caribbean island.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the department would handle the case "swiftly and fairly," with New York Attorney Jay Clayton leading the investigation.
Clinton's spokesperson, Angel Ureña, confirmed on the platform X that the emails demonstrate that "Clinton did nothing wrong and was unaware of any wrongdoing," labeling the events as "noise meant to distract from electoral losses and government shutdowns."
In this context, JPMorgan Chase rejected Trump's claims, reminding that it paid $290 million in 2023 to settle a class-action lawsuit from Epstein's victims.
In a statement to AFP, the bank said:
"We regret any past connection to Epstein, but we did not assist him in his crimes, and the government had strong evidence that it did not share with us or other banks."
No comments have been made by Larry Summers or Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn.
The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote next week on a proposal that would require the White House to release documents related to the case.
Survivors of Epstein's victims have sent a letter to lawmakers demanding public disclosure of the documents, emphasizing: "There is no room for compromise... and no hiding behind party affiliations."
These developments come two days after Trump remained silent on the scandal, which has reignited following the release of the emails and raised questions about his past connections to Epstein.
The late financier died in custody in 2019, in an incident authorities ruled as suicide prior to his appearance in federal court on charges of sexual exploitation.
