On November 14, 2025, the U.S. Justice Department announced it will investigate Jeffrey Epstein's ties to former President Bill Clinton and JPMorgan Chase, following a public directive from President Donald Trump. The move is widely seen as an effort to shift political focus from renewed scrutiny over Trump's own past relationship with the convicted sex offender.
President Donald Trump stated on his Truth Social platform that he would ask Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI to investigate Epstein's "involvement and relationship" with several prominent Democratic figures and institutions. Hours later, Bondi announced she had assigned Jay Clayton, the interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), to lead the investigation. Bondi described Clayton as "one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors in the country". Clayton was previously the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during Trump's first term.
The investigation will focus on former President Bill Clinton, JPMorgan Chase, former Treasury Secretary and Harvard President Larry Summers, and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, who is a major Democratic donor. Trump justified the probe by claiming, "Epstein was a Democrat, and he is the Democrat's problem, not the Republican's problem!"
The administration's move comes amid renewed political pressure surrounding the Epstein case. This week, the House Oversight Committee released thousands of documents from Epstein's estate. Among them were emails that mentioned Trump, including one where Epstein stated that Trump had "spent hours at my house" with one of his victims and that the future president "of course... knew about the girls". Democrats on the committee highlighted these messages, accusing Trump of trying to "deflect from serious new questions we have about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein".
The investigation announcement is a reversal from the Justice Department's own previous assessment. In a July 2025 memo, the DOJ and FBI stated that a "systematic review" had found no evidence that could predicate an investigation against "uncharged third parties" in the Epstein case. Trump's demand and Bondi's quick acquiescence are cited by legal experts as an example of the erosion of the Justice Department's traditional independence from the White House.
Those named as investigation targets have firmly rejected the allegations. A spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase stated the firm regrets "any association" with Epstein but "did not help him commit his heinous acts". The bank previously paid $290 million in 2023 to settle a lawsuit from Epstein's victims.
Angel Ureña, deputy chief of staff for Bill Clinton, responded on social media, stating, "These emails prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing. The rest is noise meant to distract from election losses, backfiring shutdowns, and who knows what else". Reid Hoffman called for the release of all Epstein files, asserting it would show that "the calls for baseless investigations of me are nothing more than political persecution and slander". Larry Summers has previously expressed regret over his association with Epstein, calling it a "major error of judgement".
Legal experts have raised concerns about the propriety of the president directing the Justice Department to investigate specific individuals. Former federal prosecutor Patrick J. Cotter called the action "outrageously inappropriate," adding, "That's not how it's supposed to work". This is part of a pattern, as Trump has also harnessed the Justice Department to target other perceived political enemies, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is expected to vote next week on legislation that would force the Justice Department to release all material it holds on Epstein. The measure is expected to pass, and it would also require Senate approval and President Trump's signature to become law.