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This past Friday, the Attorney General designated interim US attorney Jay Clayton to lead an inquiry into political adversaries of Donald Trump and their connections with the late financier. This decision came shortly after Trump directed her to initiate the probe.

In a statement, the Attorney General highlighted Clayton as “among the nation’s top prosecutors”. The official added, “The department will handle this matter promptly and thoroughly to provide clarity for citizens.”

This action contrasts with a recent memorandum from justice department officials which declared that documents related to Epstein did not warrant additional investigations. As per the document, investigators “lacked sufficient evidence to pursue cases against other parties.”

The President Demands Focus on Democrats in the Epstein Case

The announcement comes as increasing pressure from Trump on lawmakers to resist the full release of files concerning Epstein before an key congressional decision next week. Many Republicans are expected to support the release.

Recently released emails from Jeffrey Epstein have highlighted the president’s previous connections with the convicted criminal, including information that he knew more about Epstein’s conduct than he has previously let on.

That same day, the President declared he would direct the Department of Justice to investigate connections between Epstein and Democratic figures, including prominent individuals such as Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman. Paradoxically, he also described the “Epstein hoax” as a “scam”.

Additional Developments from Friday

• The President announced he would take legal action against the British broadcaster, even after a formal apology from the media outlet. Trump claimed the legal case could seek between a billion and $5bn.
• Jeffrey Epstein reportedly guided Steve Bannon during a 2018 media campaign to support the president’s agenda. Text messages made public detail his role in coaching the influencer.
• American forces are developing plans for a divided Gaza, with a secure area under joint military oversight and a restricted section left in ruins.
• State officials have revived the last remaining criminal case against Trump after naming a replacement attorney.
• Trump reversed trade measures by reducing taxes on imported goods like beef, tomatoes, coffee and bananas to address rising costs.
• US and Switzerland reached a trade agreement to reduce tariffs on products from Switzerland from a significant decrease.

Additional developments featured calls to protect national parks, objections of an monitoring group, and a judge’s decision for a resolution in the OxyContin lawsuit.