Trump Calls for Investigation into Epstein's Ties with Clinton
In a significant political development, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday evening that he would request the Department of Justice and the FBI to conduct a thorough investigation into the connections between the late businessman Jeffrey Epstein, who faced sex trafficking charges, and former Democratic President Bill Clinton.
This move by Trump follows the release of a 2019 email attributed to Epstein by Democratic lawmakers, which has raised further questions about Epstein's ties to Trump himself.
However, Trump responded vehemently, calling for an investigation not only into the relationship between Epstein and Clinton but also into Epstein's connections with JPMorgan Chase, former Harvard University President, and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during his trip to Florida, Trump stated:
"I know nothing about the Epstein email... My relationship with him was very bad for many years."
He also accused Democratic opponents of attempting to "distract attention" from the agreement that ended the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, asserting that what he termed the "Epstein hoax" targets Republicans while the scandal, in his view, "only involves Democrats."
On his platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote:
"I will ask Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice, along with our great patriots at the FBI, to investigate the involvement of Jeffrey Epstein and his connections with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, JPMorgan Chase, and others."
He added that records indicate "these men and others spent significant time with Epstein on his private island."
Despite years of scrutiny regarding Clinton's relationship with Epstein, the former president has never been accused of wrongdoing.
Additionally, emails from 2011, recently released and reviewed by AFP, confirm that Clinton "never visited" Epstein's infamous Caribbean island.
For her part, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the department would handle the matter "swiftly and with integrity," noting that New York Attorney General Jay Clayton would lead the investigation.
Clinton's spokesperson, Angel Ureña, confirmed on platform X that the emails demonstrate "Clinton did nothing and was unaware of anything," viewing the current situation as "noise intended to distract from electoral losses and government shutdowns."
In a similar vein, JPMorgan Chase denied Trump's allegations, recalling that it paid $290 million in 2023 to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by Epstein's victims.
The bank stated in a release to AFP:
"We regret any past association with Epstein, but we did not assist him in his crimes, and the government had solid evidence that it did not share with us or other banks."
No comments have been issued by Larry Summers or Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn founder.
It is expected that the U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week on a proposal requiring the White House to release documents related to the case.
Survivors of Epstein's victims have also sent a letter to lawmakers requesting public disclosure of documents, stating: "There is no room for compromise... nor for hiding behind political affiliation."
It is noteworthy that these developments come two days after Trump remained silent on the scandal, which was reignited following the email release that raised questions about his past connections with Epstein.
The late businessman died in his prison cell in 2019, in an incident authorities labeled a suicide prior to his federal trial for sexual exploitation.
