President Donald Trump on Friday intensified the political battle surrounding newly released Epstein correspondence, declaring “stay tuned!!!” as he directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to examine Jeffrey Epstein’s long-standing connections to prominent Democrats and several major financial institutions.
Trump accused his opponents of weaponizing selective emails to shift attention away from what he repeatedly called their “disastrous SHUTDOWN.”
In a detailed Truth Social statement, Trump criticized Democrats for allegedly reviving the Epstein saga for partisan gain, calling it an “Epstein Hoax” meant to divert attention from their political setbacks.
“Now that the Democrats are using the Epstein Hoax, involving Democrats, not Republicans, to try and deflect from their disastrous SHUTDOWN… 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 wrote.
He labeled the controversy “another Russia, Russia, Russia Scam, with all arrows pointing to the Democrats,” claiming that records show key Democratic figures “spent large portions of their life with Epstein, and on his ‘Island.’”
Earlier Friday, Trump dismissed claims linking him to Epstein as politically motivated.
He said, “Epstein was a Democrat,” and insisted the issue is “the Democrat’s problem,” criticizing his opponents for revisiting the case despite tens of thousands of documents already in DOJ possession, Fox News reports.
The directive came after Oversight Committee Democrats released thousands of emails from Epstein’s estate.
One message from Epstein to Ghislaine Maxwell read, “the only dog that hasn’t barked is Trump,” adding that Trump “spent hours at my house” with a victim.
Another email to author Michael Wolff stated Trump “knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop,” without alleging wrongdoing.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), the committee’s ranking Democrat, called for the DOJ to release all remaining Epstein files.
“The more Donald Trump tries to cover up the Epstein files, the more we uncover,” he said, questioning “what else the White House is hiding.”
Committee Republicans accused Democrats of cherry-picking emails to generate media attention, highlighting that they had released an additional 20,000 pages from the Epstein estate to provide a fuller record.
Financial institutions were drawn back into the discussion.
JPMorgan Chase, which settled for $75 million with the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2023, reiterated that it severed ties with Epstein years before his arrest and denied enabling his crimes, according to NBC News.
Trump framed the DOJ directive as an effort to clarify Epstein’s connections to prominent figures.
Since the beginning of Trump’s second term, MAGA supporters have pushed for transparency, emphasizing the public’s right to know about these relationships, and some have continuously criticized Bondi’s handling of the matter.
Supporters view Trump’s move as reclaiming the narrative, while critics argue it escalates an already tense political dispute. The development ensures that the Epstein story remains a central flashpoint between Trump and his opponents.
