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This past Friday, Pam Bondi appointed interim US attorney Jay Clayton to head an probe into political adversaries of Donald Trump and their relationships with the late financier. This action came shortly after Trump ordered her to launch the probe.

During an announcement, Bondi praised Jay Clayton as “among the nation’s top prosecutors”. She stated, “The department will handle this matter promptly and thoroughly to provide clarity for citizens.”

This development contrasts with a recent memorandum from justice department officials which indicated that the Epstein files lacked grounds for further inquiries. As per the document, investigators “found no proof justifying probes into uncharged individuals”

The President Calls for Scrutiny of Political Opponents in Epstein Matter

This news comes as growing pressure from the president on congressional Republicans to resist the full release of files concerning Epstein before an upcoming House vote in the coming days. Many Republicans are expected to back the release.

Recently released communications from Epstein have spotlighted Trump’s past involvement with the convicted criminal, including details that his knowledge of Epstein’s behavior exceeded prior admissions.

On Friday, the President announced he would direct the DOJ to investigate connections between Epstein and Democratic figures, including prominent individuals such as Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman. Interestingly, Trump also referred to the “Epstein situation” as a “scam”.

Additional Developments from the Day

• The President announced he would take legal action against the British broadcaster, even after an apology from the media outlet. Trump claimed the legal case could seek between a billion and $5bn.
• Epstein reportedly guided former Trump aide Steve Bannon during a 2018 media campaign to support Trump’s policies. Text messages released show Epstein’s involvement in coaching Bannon.
• American forces are developing plans for a partitioned Gaza, with a “green zone” under joint military oversight and a “red zone” unreconstructed.
• State officials have reopened the last remaining criminal case against the President after appointing a new lead prosecutor.
• Trump changed tariff policy by cutting duties on imported goods like beef, tomatoes, coffee and bananas to address inflation concerns.
• US and Switzerland concluded a deal to reduce import taxes on Swiss goods from 39% to 15%.

Other notable events included calls to safeguard public lands, objections of an monitoring group, and a judge’s decision for a resolution in the Purdue Pharma case.