Attorney General Discloses Probe into Trump Rivals and Jeffrey Epstein Connections
On Friday, the Attorney General appointed Jay Clayton to head an probe into opponents of the President and their relationships with the late financier. This action came hours after the president instructed her to initiate the investigation.
During an announcement, the Attorney General praised Jay Clayton as “a highly skilled and reliable legal expert”. The official remarked, “The department will handle this matter promptly and thoroughly to provide clarity for citizens.”
This action seems to diverge from a recent memorandum from federal authorities which declared that the Epstein files lacked grounds for additional investigations. According to the memo, authorities “found no proof justifying probes into uncharged individuals”
Trump Calls for Focus on Democrats in Epstein Case
The announcement comes as growing demands from the president on congressional Republicans to block the public disclosure of files concerning Epstein before an upcoming House vote next week. Several lawmakers are expected to support the release.
Newly public communications from Epstein have highlighted Trump’s previous connections with the convicted criminal, including information that his knowledge of Epstein’s behavior exceeded prior admissions.
On Friday, Trump declared he would ask the DOJ to investigate connections between Epstein and Democratic figures, specifically naming prominent individuals such as Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman. Interestingly, Trump also referred to the “Epstein hoax” as a “scam”.
Additional Developments from Friday
- Trump announced he would file a lawsuit against the BBC, even after a formal apology from the media outlet. He said the lawsuit could seek between a billion and $5bn.
- Jeffrey Epstein allegedly guided Steve Bannon during a 2018 media campaign to support Trump’s policies. Communications released show his involvement in advising the influencer.
- US military are planning for a divided Gaza, with a secure area under joint military oversight and a “red zone” unreconstructed.
- State officials have reopened the sole ongoing legal case against Trump after appointing a replacement attorney.
- Trump reversed tariff policy by reducing taxes on food imports like various food items to address rising costs.
- The two nations concluded a trade agreement to reduce import taxes on products from Switzerland from 39% to 15%.
Other notable events featured calls to safeguard public lands, objections of an antisemitism watchdog, and a court approval for a settlement in the OxyContin case.
