President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he has instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department to investigate convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s connections to multiple high-profile individuals.
The directive comes days after Democrats released thousands of emails from Epstein mentioning Trump by name.
Trump described the move as an effort to counter what he called the “Epstein Hoax,” alleging that Democrats were using the controversy to distract from congressional failures, including the government shutdown.
He claimed the investigation should examine Epstein’s relationships with prominent figures such as Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, and JPMorgan Chase, among others.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said: “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 … many other people and institutions, to determine what was going on with them, and him.”
The announcement marks Trump’s most direct effort to undermine the push by some lawmakers to release all Justice Department files related to Epstein.
Allies and administration officials have expressed concern that Trump’s approach, including repeated denials and social media posts calling the allegations a “Hoax,” may amplify the controversy rather than contain it.
Earlier this week, Trump unsuccessfully tried to persuade Republicans in the House to block a discharge petition that would force a vote on the release of Epstein-related documents.
Even a White House Situation Room meeting with a key GOP lawmaker could not prevent the move from reaching the necessary 218 signatures.
House Oversight Speaker Mike Johnson now plans to schedule a vote on releasing the files next week, signaling that the effort could succeed despite White House resistance.
The emails released so far show Epstein communicating with many influential people, including former Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
Investigators emphasize that corresponding with Epstein does not constitute a crime, and there is no evidence implicating these individuals in his criminal activity.
JPMorgan Chase, mentioned by Trump, confirmed it ended its relationship with Epstein years before his arrest.
The bank paid settlements to victims but did not admit wrongdoing.
The Justice Department has not publicly commented on Trump’s request.
Meanwhile, the controversy continues to unfold, raising questions about the political and legal implications for the former president as Congress pushes to release sensitive documents.