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On Friday, Pam Bondi appointed Jay Clayton to lead an probe into opponents of the President and their links with Jeffrey Epstein. This decision came just after Trump ordered her to initiate the investigation.

In a statement, the Attorney General highlighted Clayton as “one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors in the country”. The official stated, “This case will be addressed with speed and honesty to ensure public transparency.”

This development contrasts with a July memo from justice department officials which indicated that documents related to Epstein did not warrant further inquiries. As per the document, authorities “found no proof justifying probes into uncharged individuals”

The President Calls for Scrutiny of Democrats in Epstein Matter

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

Newly public emails from Jeffrey Epstein have highlighted the president’s past involvement with the sex trafficker, including information that his knowledge of Epstein’s behavior exceeded prior admissions.

On Friday, the President declared he would ask the Department of Justice to investigate connections between Epstein and Democratic figures, including Bill Clinton, Larry Summers and Reid Hoffman. Interestingly, Trump also referred to the “Epstein hoax” as a “deception”.

Additional Updates from the Day

• Trump stated he would take legal action against the BBC, even after an apology from the media outlet. Trump said the lawsuit could seek between a billion and $5bn.
• Epstein reportedly advised former Trump aide Steve Bannon during a 2018 media campaign to defend Trump’s policies. Text messages made public detail Epstein’s role in coaching the influencer.
• US military are developing plans for a divided Gaza, with a “green zone” under international and Israeli control and a restricted section unreconstructed.
• Georgia prosecutor have revived the sole ongoing legal case against Trump after appointing a new lead prosecutor.
• The President reversed trade measures by reducing duties on food imports like beef, tomatoes, coffee and bananas to address inflation concerns.
• US and Switzerland reached a deal to reduce import taxes on Swiss goods from a significant decrease.

Other notable events included calls to protect national parks, objections of an monitoring group, and a court approval for a resolution in the Purdue Pharma lawsuit.