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On Friday, the Attorney General appointed Jay Clayton to oversee an inquiry into opponents of Donald Trump and their relationships with Jeffrey Epstein. This move came hours after the president instructed her to launch the investigation.

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

This action seems to diverge from a recent memorandum from justice department officials which indicated that documents related to Epstein did not warrant further inquiries. According to the document, authorities “lacked sufficient evidence to pursue cases against other parties.”

Trump Calls for Scrutiny of Political Opponents in the Epstein Matter

This news comes as increasing pressure from Trump on lawmakers to oppose the full release of Epstein-related documents before an upcoming House vote next week. Several lawmakers are anticipated to support the release.

Newly public emails from Jeffrey Epstein have brought attention to Trump’s previous connections with the convicted criminal, revealing details that his knowledge of Epstein’s behavior exceeded prior admissions.

That same day, the President announced he would ask the DOJ to investigate connections between Epstein and Democratic figures, specifically naming prominent individuals such as Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman. Paradoxically, Trump also referred to the “Epstein hoax” as a “scam”.

Other Developments from the Day

• Trump stated he would take legal action against the British broadcaster, despite an apology from the network. Trump said the lawsuit could seek between a billion and $5bn.
• Epstein allegedly advised Steve Bannon during a pro-Trump effort to support the president’s agenda. Communications released show his role in advising the influencer.
• US military are developing plans for a partitioned Gaza, with a “green zone” under international and Israeli control and a “red zone” left in ruins.
• State officials have revived the sole ongoing legal case against Trump after naming a new lead prosecutor.
• The President reversed tariff policy by cutting duties on imported goods like beef, tomatoes, coffee and bananas to address rising costs.
• US and Switzerland reached a deal to lower tariffs on Swiss goods from 39% to 15%.

Additional developments featured appeals to protect national parks, criticism of an monitoring group, and a judge’s decision for a resolution in the Purdue Pharma case.