Trump seeks Epstein grand jury release to quell fallout

Trump-aligned far-right has long clung to the Epstein scandal, alleging a secret client list and claiming he was murdered in a cover-up

- Agence France-Presse

Donald Trump's administration said it would seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein, on Friday, as the US president sought to dispel lingering political fallout over his team’s handling of the late financier’s sex trafficking case.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department will ask a court to unseal the grand jury transcripts, as Trump's relationship with Epstein came under the spotlight again over an alleged off-colour letter published by the Wall Street Journal.

Trump called the letter a scam and threatened to sue “the ass off” the WSJ and its owner Rupert Murdoch.

He has been facing a firestorm over his past relationship with Epstein, as well as claims that his administration is covering up lurid details of Epstein’s crimes to protect rich and powerful figures.

Epstein died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 -- during Trump’s first term -- after being charged with federal sex trafficking in a scheme where he allegedly groomed young and underage women for sexual abuse by his wealthy contacts.