Attorney General Discloses Probe into President's Rivals and Epstein Ties

This past Friday, Pam Bondi appointed interim US attorney Jay Clayton to head an probe into opponents of the President and their links with the late financier. This action came hours after Trump ordered her to begin the investigation.

In a statement, the Attorney General commended Jay Clayton as “a highly skilled and reliable legal expert”. She remarked, “The department will handle this matter promptly and thoroughly to provide clarity for citizens.”

This development contrasts with a July memo from federal authorities which stated that documents related to Epstein lacked grounds for further inquiries. According to the document, investigators “found no proof justifying probes into uncharged individuals”

Trump Demands Scrutiny of Political Opponents in Epstein Matter

The announcement comes as growing pressure from the president on lawmakers to oppose the public disclosure of Epstein-related documents before an key congressional decision in the coming days. Several lawmakers are anticipated to back the disclosure.

Newly public communications from Jeffrey Epstein have spotlighted Trump’s previous connections with the sex trafficker, 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 examine connections between Epstein and Democratic figures, specifically naming Bill Clinton, Larry Summers and Reid Hoffman. Interestingly, Trump also referred to the “Epstein hoax” as a “scam”.

Additional Developments from the Day

• Trump announced he would take legal action against the BBC, even after an apology from the media outlet. He claimed the lawsuit could seek between a billion and $5bn.
• Jeffrey Epstein allegedly guided former Trump aide Steve Bannon during a 2018 media campaign to defend Trump’s policies. Text messages made public detail his role in advising the influencer.
• US military are developing plans for a divided Gaza, with a “green zone” under joint military oversight and a “red zone” unreconstructed.
• State officials have revived the last remaining criminal case against Trump after naming a replacement attorney.
• The President changed tariff policy by cutting taxes on food imports like beef, tomatoes, coffee and bananas to combat inflation concerns.
• The two nations reached a trade agreement to lower tariffs on products from Switzerland from 39% to 15%.

Additional developments included appeals to safeguard public lands, objections of an monitoring group, and a court approval for a resolution in the OxyContin case.