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This past Friday, the Attorney General assigned Jay Clayton to head an investigation into political adversaries of Donald Trump and their connections with Jeffrey Epstein. This action came shortly after the president ordered her to initiate the investigation.

In a statement, Bondi highlighted Clayton as “one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors in the country”. She added, “This case will be addressed with speed and honesty to ensure public transparency.”

This development contrasts with a July memo from justice department officials which indicated that documents related to Epstein did not warrant further inquiries. According to the document, investigators “found no proof justifying probes into uncharged individuals”

Trump Calls for Scrutiny of Democrats in the Epstein Case

The announcement coincides with increasing demands from Trump on lawmakers to oppose the public disclosure of Epstein-related documents ahead of an key congressional decision in the coming days. Many Republicans are anticipated to support the disclosure.

Newly public communications from Epstein have brought attention to the president’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 direct the Department of Justice to examine Epstein’s ties with Democrats, specifically naming prominent individuals such as Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman. Interestingly, he also referred to the “Epstein hoax” as a “scam”.

Additional Updates from Friday

• Trump announced he would take legal action against the BBC, despite an apology from the media outlet. Trump said the lawsuit could seek between a billion and $5bn.
• Jeffrey Epstein allegedly guided Steve Bannon during a 2018 media campaign to defend Trump’s policies. Text messages made public detail Epstein’s role in advising the influencer.
• American forces are developing plans for a partitioned Gaza, with a secure area under joint military oversight and a restricted section left in ruins.
• Georgia prosecutor have revived the last remaining criminal case against Trump after appointing a replacement attorney.
• The President changed trade measures by cutting taxes on imported goods like beef, tomatoes, coffee and bananas to address rising costs.
• The two nations reached a deal to reduce tariffs on products from Switzerland from 39% to 15%.

Additional developments featured appeals to protect national parks, objections of an antisemitism watchdog, and a court approval for a settlement in the OxyContin case.