President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he intends to direct the Department of Justice to examine any links between the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and major Democratic figures, including former President Bill Clinton, as scrutiny intensifies over the president’s own past association with Epstein.
The move follows the recent disclosure of extensive documents by a congressional panel, which have reignited debates about Epstein’s network of influential contacts.
Trump specified that the probe should also target former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, a key Democratic donor.
“Epstein operated in Democratic circles, and this is an issue for them to address, not Republicans,” Trump stated on his social media platform.
“I banned him from my properties years ago and have no involvement. Focus on running the country instead.”
The Justice Department has not yet commented on the president’s directive.
A representative for JPMorgan Chase, which maintained Epstein as a client for over a decade, issued a statement expressing regret over the relationship but denying any facilitation of his criminal activities.
Requests for comment from Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman went unanswered at the time of publication.
Renewed Scrutiny on Trump’s Epstein Ties
Trump and Epstein socialized in elite circles during the 1990s and early 2000s, but the president maintains he severed contact well before Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea to procuring a minor for prostitution in Florida.
Trump has repeatedly rejected any awareness of Epstein’s sex trafficking operations involving minors.
The controversy has persisted, fueled in part by Trump’s promotion of theories suggesting official concealment of Epstein’s connections and the circumstances of his 2019 death in federal custody, ruled a suicide.
Recent document releases by the House Oversight Committee include references to Trump alongside numerous other high-profile individuals.
Despite this, no evidence has emerged implicating Clinton, Summers, or Hoffman in Epstein’s illegal conduct.
Each has previously distanced themselves from Epstein and denied any role in his crimes.
Clinton traveled on Epstein’s aircraft multiple times prior to 2008. Summers received donations from Epstein during his tenure leading Harvard University.
Hoffman has described his interactions with Epstein as strictly business-related.
Epstein’s associates spanned party lines and included international figures, such as Britain’s Prince Andrew, who relinquished royal duties amid the scandal.
Political and Legal Ramifications
Legal experts criticized Trump’s call for targeted investigations as an improper use of executive authority.
“Directing federal probes at specific private citizens for political reasons undermines the independence of law enforcement,” said Patrick J. Cotter, a former federal prosecutor.
A recent poll showed only 40% of Republican voters approving of Trump’s management of Epstein-related matters, compared to overwhelming support for his broader presidency.
The House of Representatives, under Republican leadership, is poised to advance a bill next week mandating full disclosure of all government-held Epstein records.
Passage would require Senate approval and the president’s signature to enforce Justice Department compliance. House Speaker Mike Johnson had initially resisted bringing the measure to a vote.
JPMorgan settled claims with Epstein victims for $290 million in 2023, acknowledging overlooked warning signs about his accounts from 1998 to 2013 without admitting liability.
Trump has previously urged federal actions against various political adversaries, some resulting in charges that independent analysts have labeled as partisan.
The Epstein case continues to highlight tensions over accountability for powerful individuals entangled in one of the most notorious sex trafficking scandals in recent U.S. history.
