Bondi Announces Probe into Trump Opponents and Jeffrey Epstein Connections
On Friday, the Attorney General appointed Jay Clayton to oversee an inquiry into political adversaries of Donald Trump and their relationships with the late financier. This move came hours after the president directed her to initiate the probe.
During an announcement, the Attorney General commended Jay Clayton as “one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors in the country”. She remarked, “The department will handle this matter promptly and thoroughly to provide clarity for citizens.”
This development appears to contradict a July memo from justice department officials which stated that the Epstein files lacked grounds for additional investigations. According to the document, authorities “lacked sufficient evidence to pursue cases against other parties.”
Trump Demands Scrutiny of Democrats in the Epstein Case
This news comes as increasing demands from Trump on lawmakers to block the public disclosure of files concerning Epstein ahead of an key congressional decision in the coming days. Several lawmakers are expected to back the disclosure.
Recently released emails from Jeffrey Epstein have spotlighted the president’s past involvement with the sex trafficker, revealing information that he was more aware of Epstein’s actions than earlier acknowledged.
That same day, the President announced he would direct the DOJ to investigate Epstein’s ties with Democrats, specifically naming prominent individuals such as Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman. Paradoxically, Trump also described the “Epstein hoax” as a “scam”.
Additional Updates from Friday
- Trump stated he would file a lawsuit against the BBC, despite an apology from the media outlet. He said the lawsuit could seek between a billion and $5bn.
- Jeffrey Epstein allegedly guided former Trump aide Steve Bannon during a pro-Trump effort to defend Trump’s policies. Text messages made public show his role in advising Bannon.
- American forces are planning for a divided Gaza, with a “green zone” under international and Israeli control and a “red zone” unreconstructed.
- Georgia prosecutor have revived the last remaining criminal case against the President after appointing a new lead prosecutor.
- Trump changed tariff policy by cutting duties on imported goods like various food items to address rising costs.
- US and Switzerland reached a trade agreement to lower tariffs on products from Switzerland from a significant decrease.
Other notable events included calls to safeguard public lands, criticism of an antisemitism watchdog, and a court approval for a resolution in the Purdue Pharma lawsuit.
