U.S. President Donald Trump has formally asked the Department of Justice to investigate former President Bill Clinton and several other well-known Democrats over alleged links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The request comes after thousands of newly released emails renewed public interest in Epstein’s connections with political and business leaders, including Trump himself.
Speaking to reporters and posting on social media, Trump said he asked Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI to look into Epstein’s ties with Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, and major financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase. Trump described the situation as a “Democratic problem,” calling the focus on his own connections a politically motivated attack.
Bondi confirmed that U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton has been appointed to lead the investigation and promised that the matter would be handled “with urgency and integrity.”
The conversation intensified after the House Oversight Committee released more than 20,000 pages of emails. A Wall Street Journal review reported that Trump was mentioned in over 1,600 of the 2,324 email threads. Some emails appeared to show Epstein referring to Trump in conversations involving his activities, though Trump has denied any wrongdoing and maintains that his presence in the emails is being misinterpreted.
Democratic lawmakers argue that Trump’s call for an investigation is an attempt to shift attention away from questions about his own past interactions with Epstein. A separate push by Democrats, supported by a few Republicans, aims to force the Justice Department to release all documents related to Epstein’s case. Epstein survivors and the family of Virginia Giuffre have urged Congress to approve full transparency, saying it is necessary for justice and public trust.
Clinton has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal behavior. JPMorgan Chase, also mentioned in the emails, said it regrets any past association with Epstein and denies playing any role in his crimes.
Trump’s request has added new political pressure to an already sensitive issue, raising concerns about presidential influence over federal investigations. The situation continues to unfold as lawmakers and federal agencies face growing demands for accountability and clarity about Epstein’s network and those connected to him.
