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On Friday, Pam Bondi designated Jay Clayton to head an investigation into political adversaries of Donald Trump and their relationships with Jeffrey Epstein. This action came shortly after Trump instructed her to initiate the probe.

In a statement, Bondi praised Clayton as “among the nation’s top prosecutors”. The official stated, “As with all matters, the department will pursue this with urgency and integrity to deliver answers to the American people.”

This action contrasts with a recent memorandum from justice department officials which declared that the Epstein files lacked grounds for further inquiries. As per the document, investigators “lacked sufficient evidence to pursue cases against other parties.”

The President Demands Focus on Democrats in the Epstein Matter

The announcement comes as increasing demands from Trump on lawmakers to block the public disclosure of files concerning Epstein before an upcoming House vote next week. Several lawmakers are anticipated to support the release.

Recently released communications from Epstein have highlighted Trump’s past involvement with the convicted criminal, including details that his knowledge of Epstein’s behavior exceeded prior admissions.

That same day, the President declared he would ask the Department of Justice to examine Epstein’s ties with Democrats, specifically naming prominent individuals such as Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman. Interestingly, Trump also described the “Epstein situation” as a “scam”.

Additional Developments from the Day

• Trump announced he would file a lawsuit against the British broadcaster, even after an apology from the network. He said the legal case could seek between a billion and $5bn.
• Jeffrey Epstein reportedly advised Steve Bannon during a 2018 media campaign to defend Trump’s policies. Text messages released show his role in coaching Bannon.
• American forces are planning for a divided Gaza, with a “green zone” under joint military oversight and a restricted section unreconstructed.
• State officials have reopened the last remaining criminal case against the President after appointing a replacement attorney.
• Trump changed tariff policy by reducing taxes on imported goods like beef, tomatoes, coffee and bananas to address rising costs.
• US and Switzerland reached a deal to reduce import taxes on products from Switzerland from a significant decrease.

Other notable events featured appeals to protect national parks, objections of an monitoring group, and a judge’s decision for a settlement in the Purdue Pharma case.