President Donald Trump has requested that the Department of Justice and the FBI investigate ties between Jeffrey Epstein and prominent Democrats, including Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, and Reid Hoffman, as well as institutions like J.P. Morgan Chase.
This action follows the release of new Epstein emails that resurfaced Trump's past association with the disgraced financier. Trump asserted that "all arrows point to the Democrats" and presented the investigation as a way to expose what he termed an "Epstein Hoax" orchestrated by Democrats.
Bill Clinton has stated he had no knowledge of Epstein's crimes, and while he associated with Epstein in the early 2000s, Epstein's emails indicated Clinton was "never on the island." Larry Summers, a former Treasury secretary, is shown in the emails to have corresponded regularly with Epstein, seeking advice on personal relationships. Summers has since expressed regret for his past interactions with Epstein.
Reid Hoffman, a billionaire investor and Democratic donor, had planned multiple trips with Epstein, including visits to his island. Hoffman has also publicly regretted his association with Epstein, stating he likely helped bolster Epstein's reputation.
JPMorgan Chase is included in the request for investigation following substantial settlements it paid out related to its historical dealings with Epstein. The bank has also expressed regret for its association.
The newly released Epstein emails also contain critical remarks about Trump from Epstein himself, contradicting Trump's account of their relationship and his claim of being banned from Mar-a-Lago. Epstein described Trump in negative terms and suggested he held leverage over him.
The White House has previously denied some of the assertions made in the emails regarding Trump's involvement.
