US President Donald Trump on Friday called on the Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate the connections between late alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and former US President Bill Clinton, along with several other high-profile individuals and institutions.
Trump’s statement followed the release of newly subpoenaed emails from Epstein’s estate, documents that have renewed public attention on the financier’s network and revived questions about Trump’s own history with him.
The president insisted that Democrats were “using the Epstein Hoax” to divert attention from their agreement to end the record-setting US government shutdown. He argued that the controversy surrounding Epstein primarily implicated “Democrats, not Republicans,” and said several influential figures must be scrutinized.
“I will be asking A.G. Pam Bondi, and the Department of Justice, together with our great patriots at the FBI, to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s involvement and relationship with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, J.P. Morgan, Chase, and many other people and institutions,” Trump said on Truth Social. He further claimed that “records show that these men, and many others, spent large portions of their life with Epstein, and on his ‘Island.’”
Clinton has long faced public questions about his ties to Epstein, including past flights on his private plane. Although he has not been accused of wrongdoing, his association with Epstein has drawn sustained scrutiny. Emails from 2011 included in the latest trove show Epstein asserting that Clinton had “never ever” visited his private island, frequently alleged to be a hub for the illicit activities in which Epstein was accused of engaging.
There was no immediate response from Clinton, former Harvard president Larry Summers, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, or JPMorgan Chase, the major US bank that agreed last year to pay $290 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Epstein’s victims, who accused the bank of enabling his financial operations for years.
Trump’s remarks ended two days of silence from the White House following the midweek release of the emails. The documents have intensified questions about Epstein’s relationships with powerful individuals across politics, academia and finance. Epstein died in 2019 in a New York federal jail, with authorities ruling his death a suicide before he could stand trial on charges of running a sex-trafficking ring involving underaged girls.
While Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing, his name has surfaced repeatedly in discussions surrounding Epstein’s social circle. Earlier in the year, Trump and some of his allies—including FBI Director Kash Patel—signaled an intent to push for the release of all evidence related to Epstein’s activities. However, a memo from Trump’s Justice Department in July confirmed that Epstein’s death was a suicide and clarified that no “client list” existed, contradicting earlier claims and provoking anger among some of Trump’s strongest supporters.
The controversy escalated again this week with the release of more emails detailing Epstein’s exchanges with friends and associates. Some of the correspondence suggested Trump “knew about the girls” and spent “hours” with Virginia Giuffre, the most recognizable accuser in Epstein’s case. The White House countered this by saying Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, had described Trump as someone who “couldn’t have been friendlier.”
Members of the House of Representatives are expected to vote as early as next week on whether to compel the Justice Department to release its full cache of Epstein-related material. A small but influential bloc of MAGA lawmakers helped pave the way for the vote, raising the possibility of more sensitive disclosures that could touch prominent individuals across multiple countries. Epstein’s connections have long extended from the United States to the United Kingdom, including relationships with figures such as Britain’s former Prince Andrew, further heightening interest in what may emerge.
Despite increasing pressure, Trump urged lawmakers not to focus on pursuing investigations into him personally.
“Don’t waste your time with Trump. I have a Country to run!” he wrote on social media.
What You Should Know
Jeffrey Epstein’s influence stretched across politics, finance and global elites, making his case one of the most controversial scandals in recent history.
Trump’s call for an investigation redirects attention toward Democrats and several powerful institutions, even as newly released emails raise fresh questions about Epstein’s wider circle — including Trump himself.
The situation remains fluid, with Congress poised to seek more information that could shed further light on Epstein’s connections and the individuals who interacted with him over decades.
