Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly demanded a federal investigation into his predecessor, Bill Clinton, concerning potential criminal connections to the late convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The call for a probe comes after a substantial release of emails from Epstein's estate to congressional investigators.
Trump's Demands for Investigation
Breaking his silence on the matter, Trump used his Truth Social platform on Friday to call upon Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Department of Justice, and the FBI to initiate a formal inquiry. He stated, "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."
The demand for an investigation extends beyond Clinton to include former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, and the financial institution J.P. Morgan Chase. J.P. Morgan Chase previously agreed to a $290 million settlement in 2023 to resolve a class-action lawsuit brought forward by Epstein's victims.
Context of the Email Release and Political Accusations
This development was triggered by the handover of thousands of emails from Epstein's estate to the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday. These documents were not previously in the possession of the U.S. government.
Trump has characterized the efforts to release all Epstein-related documents as a "hoax" orchestrated by the Democratic Party. He accuses them of attempting to shift focus away from the record 43-day government shutdown, which resulted in federal employees being furloughed or working without pay.
In his social media posts, Trump alleged that "Records show that these men, and many others, spent large portions of their life with Epstein, and on his 'Island'." However, the recently released emails include a message from Epstein himself claiming that Clinton had "never ever" been to his private Caribbean island.
Connections, Allegations, and the Aftermath
During Clinton's presidency, Epstein did visit the White House on several occasions and flew on his private plane. It is important to note that Clinton has not been formally accused of any crime related to the Epstein case.
The released correspondence also contains messages discussing Trump. One email from Epstein to his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, noted that Trump "knew about the girls" and had spent "hours" with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims. Maxwell, who is now serving a 20-year sentence for her role in the abuse conspiracy, replied that she had been considering that fact.
The White House has addressed these claims, pointing out that Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, had previously stated Trump "couldn't have been friendlier." Officials have dismissed the email release as a "manufactured hoax." Trump has not faced any criminal charges in connection with Epstein.
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his New York City prison cell in August 2019, with authorities ruling his death a suicide while he awaited federal sex trafficking charges. His criminal history includes a 2008 guilty plea in Florida for procuring a minor for prostitution.
