AG Bondi assigns SDNY to Epstein–Clinton probe after Trump demand
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she has assigned U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in the Southern District of New York to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged ties to Bill Clinton and other figures named by former President Trump — including Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman and JPMorgan Chase — saying the department will pursue the matter with “urgency and integrity” and that the probe was prompted by “new information.” The move followed Trump’s public demand for probes and has been met with context and pushback: an FBI memo earlier said investigators found no evidence to predicate probes of uncharged third parties, JPMorgan said it ended its relationship with Epstein years earlier and regretted any association, and Bondi declined to give a timeline or say whether document releases would be affected.
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Politics
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Congress/Oversight
📌 Key Facts
- Attorney General Pam Bondi assigned the Epstein-related probe to U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in the Southern District of New York and named him to lead the investigation, calling him one of the country's most capable prosecutors.
- Bondi said the department will pursue the matter with "urgency and integrity," said it will "continue to follow the law with maximum transparency," told reporters the SDNY probe was prompted by "new information," and declined to give a timeline or say whether document releases will be withheld because of the investigation.
- The move follows President Trump urging the DOJ/FBI to investigate Epstein's ties to Democrats and banks; on Truth Social he named Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman and JPMorgan Chase as targets and said the DOJ had released "50,000 pages" of documents.
- Trump framed the issue as partisan — saying "Epstein was a Democrat" and calling it the "Democrats' problem" — and told reporters, "I'm the chief law enforcement officer of the country. I'm allowed to do it."
- A July FBI memo cited by reporting stated investigators "did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties."
- JPMorgan Chase said it regrets any association with Epstein, ended its relationship with him years before his 2019 arrest, noted the government had information it did not share with banks, and the bank previously agreed to pay millions to Epstein's victims.
- Newly surfaced emails publicized by House Oversight Committee Democrats include Epstein's line that "the only dog that hasn't barked is Trump" and allegations that Trump "knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop"; Bill Clinton's deputy chief of staff said the emails "prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing."
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly disagreed with Trump's opposition to releasing DOJ materials, calling his stance a "huge miscalculation."
💡 Insights
The release of Larry Summers' emails with Jeffrey Epstein underscores the ongoing scrutiny of public figures and their associations, highlighting a growing demand for accountability in both personal and professional relationships.
Larry Summers' acknowledgment of his continued correspondence with Epstein and his subsequent apology signal a growing trend among public figures to take responsibility for past actions, reflecting a societal push for transparency and ethical standards.
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📰 Sources (7)
WATCH: Bondi sidesteps questions about Epstein files at press conference
New information:
- At a press conference, AG Pam Bondi said DOJ will 'continue to follow the law with maximum transparency' regarding the Epstein files.
- Bondi declined to give a timeline for additional releases and would not say whether documents will be withheld due to the new SDNY investigation.
- Bondi said the SDNY probe was prompted by 'new information,' without elaborating.
At Trump's urging, Bondi says U.S. will investigate Epstein's ties to political foes
New information:
- FBI July memo is cited stating: “We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”
- Trump told reporters, “I’m the chief law enforcement officer of the country. I’m allowed to do it,” directly addressing his role in ordering investigations.
- Clinton deputy chief of staff Angel Ureña posted on X that the newly surfaced emails “prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing.”
- JPMorgan spokesperson Patricia Wexler added that the government had “damning information” it failed to share with banks; the piece notes JPMorgan previously agreed to pay millions to Epstein’s victims.
- Article reiterates Bondi’s assignment of SDNY U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and lists people Trump named (Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman) and JPMorgan as probe targets.
AG Bondi announces DOJ investigation into Bill Clinton, other Democrats over alleged Epstein ties
New information:
- Bondi’s X post explicitly names SDNY U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the probe and calls him “one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors in the country.”
- Fuller details of President Trump’s Truth Social directive, listing specific targets (Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, JPMorgan Chase) and framing of the investigation.
- Additional context on newly released emails publicized by House Oversight Committee Democrats, including Epstein’s line that “the only dog that hasn’t barked is Trump” and claims that Trump “knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop.”
- Reiteration of JPMorgan’s statement to Fox News that it regretted any association with Epstein and ended the relationship years before his 2019 arrest.
Trump threatens Justice Department probe into Epstein-Clinton relationship
New information:
- Attorney General Pam Bondi assigned the Epstein-related probe to U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton of the Southern District of New York.
- Bondi said the department will pursue the matter with 'urgency and integrity' in a statement posted on X.
- Trump’s Truth Social post specified targets of the inquiry: Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, and JPMorgan Chase, among others.
Greene says Trump's stance on Epstein files is "huge miscalculation"
New information:
- Places Trump’s call for DOJ/FBI probes into context with his earlier post dismissing the focus on Epstein as a 'hoax' and framing it as a Democratic issue.
- Adds Greene’s on‑record disagreement with Trump’s opposition to releasing DOJ materials.
Trump to ask DOJ to investigate Epstein ties to Democrats, banks
New information:
- JPMorgan Chase response: spokesperson Trish Wexler said the government had information about Epstein’s crimes and failed to share it with banks, that JPMorgan regrets any association but did not help him commit crimes, and that the bank ended its relationship with him years before his arrest.
- Additional Trump framing from an earlier post: he said 'Epstein was a Democrat' and called the matter the 'Democrats' problem,' urging focus on Democrats he named rather than on himself.
- Trump’s post referenced that DOJ had released '50,000 pages of documents' related to Epstein (as cited by Trump).