President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he will direct the Justice Department to investigate Jeffrey Epstein's alleged connections to prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton, and to U.S. bank JPMorgan.
The move follows the release of over 20,000 Epstein-related documents by a congressional committee earlier this week, which has intensified questions about Trump's past relationship with the late financier.
Trump specified that the probe should examine Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, all mentioned in the newly disclosed materials.
He also called for scrutiny of JPMorgan and Chase, emphasizing on social media that Epstein's associations are a Democratic issue.
Trump and Epstein were acquaintances in the 1990s and 2000s, but the president states he severed ties before Epstein's 2008 guilty plea to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Trump has repeatedly denied knowledge of Epstein's sex trafficking activities involving underage girls.
The documents include emails between Epstein and associates, though Trump did not send or receive the referenced messages.
A JPMorgan spokesperson stated the bank regrets any association with Epstein but did not aid his crimes.
The bank settled with victims for $290 million in 2023 without admitting wrongdoing.
No evidence indicates Clinton, Summers, or Hoffman participated in Epstein's trafficking; each has denied wrongdoing and expressed regret over their contacts.
Clinton flew on Epstein's jet multiple times pre-2008 conviction, Summers accepted gifts during his Harvard presidency, and Hoffman met Epstein professionally.
The Republican-led House is set to vote next week on legislation requiring the Justice Department to release all Epstein files.
The measure advanced after Democrat Adelita Grijalva provided the decisive signature on a discharge petition, joined by four Republicans including Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Greene warned opposing the release would be a miscalculation and emphasized supporting victims.
Passage would need Senate approval and Trump's signature to enforce disclosure.
An October Reuters/Ipsos poll showed only four in 10 Republicans approve of Trump's handling of Epstein files.
Critics argue Trump's directive risks politicizing federal investigations.