Bondi announces investigation into Epstein ties to Trump’s Democratic adversaries

Move diverges from July memo negating need for further inquiries, and comes amid intense Trump campaign to block files

Pam Bondi announced on Friday afternoon that she had assigned Jay Clayton, the interim US attorney for the southern district of New York, to lead the investigation into Donald Trump's political adversaries and their ties to Jeffrey Epstein, hours after the president directed her to do so.

Jay Clayton is one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors in the country, and I've asked him to take the lead," the US attorney general said of the lawyer, who also served as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during Trump's first administration. As with all matters, the department will pursue this with urgency and integrity to deliver answers to the American people."