US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he has instructed the Department of Justice to investigate what he described as Jeffrey Epstein’s “alleged ties” with JPMorgan Chase and several prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton. His comments came a day after a congressional committee released thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein. The release revived public attention on the late financier’s political, business, and social connections.
The new documents also triggered another round of questions about Trump’s own past interactions with Epstein. These questions have resurfaced several times in recent weeks.
Trump Names Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman
Reuters reported that Trump told reporters he had specifically asked the Justice Department to review the roles of Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. Clinton had socialised with Epstein in the early 2000s, while Summers and Hoffman were part of the broader network that occasionally interacted with the financier. Hoffman is also known as a major Democratic donor.
The Justice Department has not said whether it will open a formal investigation.
Trump also repeated his long-standing effort to distance himself from Epstein. On social media he wrote, “Epstein was a Democrat, and he is the Democrat’s problem, not the Republican’s problem! They all know about him, don’t waste your time with Trump. I have a Country to run!”
Reactions From Those Named
JPMorgan said in an emailed statement, “We regret any association we had with the man, but did not help him commit his heinous acts. We ended our relationship with him years before his arrest on sex trafficking charges.”
Clinton and Summers did not respond to requests for comment. Hoffman also could not be reached.
Trump Says He Cut Off Epstein Before 2008
Trump and Epstein were known to move in the same social circles in the 1990s and early 2000s. Trump maintains that he severed ties before Epstein’s 2008 conviction for solicitation involving a minor. He has repeatedly denied knowing anything about Epstein’s abuse or trafficking of underage girls.
However, ongoing releases of documents outlining their past interactions have created political complications for Trump during his second term.
JPMorgan’s Previous Settlement With Epstein Victims
JPMorgan Chase had a long-running financial relationship with Epstein. In 2023, the bank paid $290 million to settle lawsuits filed by several victims who accused JPMorgan of ignoring signs of Epstein’s trafficking network. Internal records suggested the bank had overlooked warnings because Epstein brought in high-value business. JPMorgan did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
Other individuals Trump named have long denied any misconduct. No credible evidence has emerged linking them to Epstein’s criminal activities. Clinton had flown on Epstein’s private jet several times before 2008. Summers and Hoffman also socialised with him. All three have publicly expressed regret about their past association.
Divided Public Opinion
Public reaction to Trump’s handling of the Epstein issue remains sharply split. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll from October, nine in ten Republicans approved of his overall performance as president. However, only four in ten said they approved of how he has handled the release of the Epstein files.