After New Epstein Emails Surface, Trump Turns Spotlight on Political Rivals

US President Donald Trump, in a potential attempt to shift the spotlight away from himself, announced that he has asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to open a fresh investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein’s links with several well-known public figures including Bill Clinton, Larry Summer, Reid Hoffman and JP Morgan.

The extraordinary move comes shortly after Democrats released a new set of emails from Epstein’s estate that mentioned Trump's name.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump accused his rivals of using what he called the “Epstein Hoax” to distract Americans from the ongoing government shutdown. Bondi soon responded on X, thanking the President and confirming that she would begin the inquiry. She later announced that Jay Clayton, the head of the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, would lead the probe, according to reports by CNN.

Thank you, Mr. President. SDNY U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton is one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors in the country, and I’ve asked him to take the lead. As with all matters, the Department will pursue this with urgency and integrity to deliver answers to the American… pic.twitter.com/5zlybVu44U

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) November 14, 2025

Trump’s move is seen as a bid to flip the narrative. His connection with Epstein has long drawn attention, as both men once moved within the same elite social circles in Florida and New York. Over the years, Trump has offered shifting descriptions of their relationship, calling Epstein “a terrific guy” in 2002, and later distancing himself, saying he was “not a fan.” He has often claimed they had a falling out years before Epstein faced major criminal charges.

The newly released emails, published by the House Oversight Committee this week, revisit old questions rather than introducing new evidence, but they have revived political debate. Among the details in the messages are Epstein’s remarks about Trump allegedly spending long hours inside his home with a trafficking victim, identified by House Republicans as Virginia Giuffre, who died in April. Giuffre never accused Trump of any wrongdoing in her own statements or writing.

Another email includes Epstein’s claim that Trump “knew about the girls,” echoing Trump’s earlier assertion that he barred Epstein from Mar-a-Lago for inappropriate behaviour involving young women who worked at the club. The emails also reveal Epstein’s private views of Trump during his presidency, describing him in 2018 as “evil beyond belief” and “mad.”

Earlier this year, after Bondi directed the FBI to re-examine Epstein-related files, federal investigators reviewed the material and concluded that no further charges could be pursued, CNN reported.

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