The US justice department has confirmed it will investigate paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein's alleged links to major banks and several prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton.
President Donald Trump on Friday said he would ask Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI to look into Epstein's "involvement and relationship" with Clinton and others "to determine what was going on with them, and him".
Bondi then said on social media that she asked US Attorney Jay Clayton to lead an investigation, adding the department "will pursue this with urgency and integrity to deliver answers to the American people".
Clinton has strongly denied he had any knowledge of Epstein's crimes.
Interest in Epstein's relationships was renewed this week after US lawmakers released more than 20,000 pages of documents from his estate, including some mentioning Trump.
In addition to Clinton, Trump said he asked the Department of Justice (DoJ) to investigate banks JP Morgan and Chase, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, who is also a prominent Democratic donor.
"Epstein was a Democrat, and he is the Democrat's problem, not the Republican's problem!" he wrote on social media.
"They all know about him, don't waste your time with Trump. I have a Country to run!"
A spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase said the firm regrets "any association" they had with Epstein, and added that the firm "did not help him commit his heinous acts".
It is unclear whether Trump made a formal request or issued a directive to the justice department, or if Bondi was responding to his post on his Truth Social platform.
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