President Donald Trump has called for a Justice Department investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's connections to Democratic figures following the release of thousands of Epstein documents mentioning Trump. Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed a federal prosecutor to lead the probe, while right-wing media downplays the emails' significance. The move comes as Congress considers further disclosures on Epstein's files.
This week, congressional Republicans released nearly 23,000 pages of documents from Jeffrey Epstein's estate, including emails that reference President Donald Trump. House Democrats highlighted three exchanges, one from 2019 where Epstein wrote that Trump "knew about the girls" and urged Ghislaine Maxwell to stop. Another 2011 email described Trump as the "dog that didn't bark," prompting varied interpretations.
Trump responded aggressively on Truth Social, labeling the disclosures the "Epstein Hoax, involving Democrats, not Republicans" and demanding investigations into former President Bill Clinton, ex-Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, and JPMorgan Chase. He compared it to the "Russia, Russia, Russia Scam" and stated, "I'm the chief law enforcement officer of the country. I'm allowed to do it." Attorney General Pam Bondi announced she was assigning Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the probe, praising him as "one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors."
Right-wing influencers dismissed the documents. Pro-Trump podcaster Jon Herold called them "nothingburgers. If they're even real." Brian Lupo suggested the emails showed Trump informing on Epstein and Maxwell. Author Barry Levine, in a CNN interview, interpreted the "dog that didn't bark" reference as evidence Trump acted as a whistleblower by speaking to Palm Beach police chief Michael Ryder in 2004, leading to a 2005 investigation. Levine noted a 2007 falling out over Maxwell recruiting from Mar-a-Lago's spa and a real estate dispute, after which Trump banned Epstein.
None of the targeted individuals face accusations of sexual misconduct from Epstein's victims. Clinton's spokesperson said the emails prove he "did nothing and knew nothing." JPMorgan's Patricia Wexler stated the bank regretted the association but was not informed of Epstein's crimes. Summers expressed regrets over his association, and Hoffman called for full file release, denying deeper involvement beyond MIT fundraising.
The House Oversight Committee Republicans also disclosed more emails, including ones to Steve Bannon and Prince Andrew. A vote is set next week to compel the Justice Department to release all Epstein files. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt accused Democrats of "selectively leaked emails" to smear Trump. An FBI memo from July noted no evidence warranting probes of uncharged parties. Meanwhile, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized Trump's resistance to full release, prompting him to call her "wacky" and withdraw support.