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On Friday, Pam Bondi appointed interim US attorney Jay Clayton to oversee an investigation into political adversaries of Donald Trump and their relationships with Jeffrey Epstein. This move came shortly after the president ordered her to launch the probe.

During an announcement, Bondi highlighted Clayton as “a highly skilled and reliable legal expert”. She added, “The department will handle this matter promptly and thoroughly to provide clarity for citizens.”

This action appears to contradict a recent memorandum from justice department officials which indicated that documents related to Epstein lacked grounds for additional investigations. According to the document, investigators “found no proof justifying probes into uncharged individuals”

The President Demands Scrutiny of Democrats in Epstein Case

The announcement coincides with growing demands from the president on congressional Republicans to resist the full release of Epstein-related documents ahead of an upcoming House vote in the coming days. Several lawmakers are anticipated to back the release.

Newly public communications from Epstein have highlighted Trump’s past involvement with the sex trafficker, including information that he was more aware of Epstein’s actions than earlier acknowledged.

On Friday, the President declared he would ask the Department of Justice to investigate Epstein’s ties with Democrats, specifically naming Bill Clinton, Larry Summers and Reid Hoffman. Interestingly, Trump also described the “Epstein hoax” as a “deception”.

Additional Updates from Friday

• Trump announced he would take legal action against the BBC, even after an apology from the media outlet. Trump said the legal case could seek billions in damages.
• Jeffrey Epstein reportedly guided former Trump aide Steve Bannon during a 2018 media campaign to defend Trump’s policies. Text messages made public detail his role in coaching Bannon.
• US military are developing plans for a partitioned Gaza, with a “green zone” under joint military oversight and a “red zone” unreconstructed.
• State officials have revived the last remaining criminal case against the President after appointing a replacement attorney.
• Trump reversed tariff policy by cutting taxes on food imports like various food items to address inflation concerns.
• US and Switzerland concluded a trade agreement to lower tariffs on Swiss goods from 39% to 15%.

Other notable events featured appeals to protect national parks, objections of an antisemitism watchdog, and a judge’s decision for a resolution in the OxyContin lawsuit.