Trump Calls for Investigation into Epstein's Ties with Clinton Amid Renewed Controversy
In a significant political development, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he would urge the Department of Justice and the FBI to conduct a thorough investigation into the connections between the late financier and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and former President Bill Clinton.
Trump's request follows the release of a 2019 email attributed to Epstein by Democratic lawmakers, which has raised questions regarding Epstein's associations, including those with Trump himself.
In response, Trump demanded an investigation not only into Epstein's ties to Clinton but also into his connections with JPMorgan Chase, former Harvard University President Larry Summers, and others.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during a trip to Florida, Trump stated:
"I know nothing about Epstein's email... My relationship with him was very bad for many years."
Trump accused Democratic opponents of attempting to divert attention from the resolution of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, labeling the so-called "Epstein hoax" as a tactic to target Republicans while asserting that the scandal primarily involves Democrats.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote:
"I will ask Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice and our great patriots at the FBI to investigate Jeffrey Epstein's involvement and his connections to Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, JPMorgan Chase, and others."
He added that records indicate that "these men and others spent a lot of time with Epstein on his private island."
Despite ongoing scrutiny regarding Clinton's relationship with Epstein, the former president has not faced any allegations of wrongdoing. Additionally, emails from 2011, recently reviewed by AFP, confirm that Clinton "never visited" Epstein's well-known Caribbean island.
U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi stated that the department would handle the investigation "swiftly and with integrity," with New York Attorney General Jay Clayton leading the inquiry.
Clinton's spokesperson, Angel Urena, confirmed on social media platform X that the emails demonstrate that "Clinton did nothing and knew nothing," characterizing the situation as "noise to distract from election losses and government shutdowns."
In the same context, JPMorgan Chase refuted Trump's claims, noting that it paid $290 million in 2023 to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by Epstein's victims.
In a statement to AFP, the bank said:
"We regret any past association with 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 set to vote next week on a proposal requiring the White House to disclose documents related to the Epstein case.
Survivors of Epstein's victims have also sent a letter to lawmakers demanding public disclosure of documents, asserting: "There is no room for compromise... nor to hide behind party affiliation."
These developments follow Trump's previous silence regarding the renewed scandal after the publication of the emails, which raised questions about his past connections with Epstein. Epstein died in his jail cell in 2019, in what authorities have ruled a suicide, prior to his scheduled appearance in federal court on sexual exploitation charges.
