The Japan Times - Trump demands probe into Epstein links to Bill Clinton

Seeking to turn the tables after a new trove of Epstein emails reignited questions over his own ties to the disgraced financier, Trump also demanded a probe into US bank JPMorgan Chase, ex-Harvard president Larry Summers and others.

Republican Trump accused rival Democrats of "using the Epstein Hoax" to distract from the party's recent compromise to end a record US government shutdown, and said the scandal involved "Democrats, not Republicans."

"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 Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, J.P. Morgan, Chase, and many other people and institutions," Trump said on Truth Social.

"Records show that these men, and many others, spent large portions of their life with Epstein, and on his 'Island.'"

Clinton has long faced scrutiny over his ties to Epstein and flew on his private plane, although he has never been accused of wrongdoing in the scandal.

Epstein said that Clinton had "never ever" been to his notorious private island in the Caribbean, according to several emails in the latest trove dating from 2011 and viewed by AFP.

There was no immediate comment from Clinton, Summers, LinkedIn founder Hoffman or JP Morgan Chase, which in 2023 agreed to pay $290 million to settle a class action lawsuit brought by victims of Epstein, its former client.

Trump's message broke two days of silence over the scandal, with the emails released on Wednesday renewing questions over the 79-year-old's long, close relationship with Epstein.

Epstein died in prison in 2019 -- by suicide, authorities ruled -- before he could face trial on federal sex charges. But questions over his alleged masterminding of a sex ring where powerful men were provided with underaged girls only grew.

- 'A country to run' -

Trump himself has not been accused of any wrongdoing yet the scandal has dogged Trump since his return to the White House in January, despite his attempts to put on a lid on the issue.

Trump and some of his close allies -- including his FBI chief Kash Patel -- had in the past promised his right-wing base they would seek the release of all the evidence against Epstein, including details of his alleged clients.

But there was a furious MAGA backlash after Trump's Justice Department in a July memo reaffirmed he died by suicide, and that a "client list" Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed to have been reviewing did not in fact exist.

The scandal peaked again on Wednesday with release of emails subpoenaed by Congress from Epstein's estate.

The email traffic between Epstein and friends said Trump "knew about the girls" and had spent "hours" with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims and the main accuser.

The White House says Giuffre, who herself died by suicide in April, had declared that Trump "couldn't have been friendlier."

Now the House of Representatives will vote as early as next week on demanding release by the Justice Department of its materials on Epstein, after a rebellion by a handful of MAGA lawmakers provided sufficient votes.

Those materials could include far more damning evidence than has been previously seen on the links between Epstein and his circle, which over the years ranged from Trump to Britain's ex-prince Andrew.

Trump on Friday made clear he does not want the effort to proceed.

"Don't waste your time with Trump. I have a Country to run!" he said on social media.

K.Yamaguchi--JT