US Politics
Trump was notified by Justice Department that his name appears in Epstein files, new report reveals: Latest updates
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The Wall Street Journal reports that at a White House meeting in May, Attorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy, Todd Blanche, informed President Donald Trump that his name appears in the so-called Epstein files multiple times.
Trump was told that many other high-profile individuals were also named. Appearing in the files does not necessarily indicate that an individual has committed any wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, a judge in Florida has denied a Department of Justice request to release grand jury transcripts from the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, undermining an effort by Trump and Bondi to quell criticism from the MAGA base over the administration’s handling of the files relating to Epstein and his death in custody.
The ruling comes as the president attempted to brush off “nonsense” claims surrounding the case and his friendship with Epstein, peddling a theory that former President Barack Obama manufactured evidence related to the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard doubled down on the allegations, calling the investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign a years-long “coup” orchestrated by the former president, something that Obama fiercely rejected in a rare statement this week.
Just before the House went on recess until September, a subcommittee voted to subpoena the Justice Department for the Epstein files. The motion passed in an 8-2 vote, with five Democrats and three Republicans — Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Brian Jack of Georgia and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania — supporting it.
Jasmine Crocket responds to Epstein files subpoena: ‘Let the truth come out’
Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat, called on Republicans to “stop playing defense and let the truth come out” after a House subcommittee voted to subpoena the Justice Department for files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The motion passed in an 8-2 vote Wednesday, with five Democrats and three Republicans supporting it.
“My colleague, @RepSummerLee, filed a motion in an Oversight subcommittee to subpoena the Epstein files, and it passed,” Crockett wrote on X. “Now let’s see if the rest of the Republicans will stop playing defense and let the truth come out.”
The Trump administration tried to release certain Epstein files after pushback, including from its own base, but the courts denied their request.
House Speaker Mike Johnson shut down the House early on Tuesday ahead of its August recess in order to block Democrats from bringing up amendments calling for the release of the Epstein files.
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 05:00
Columbia University to pay more than $220M in deal with Trump administration to restore federal funding
Columbia University has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to restore a federal funding cut over claims it failed to combat antisemitism on campus, the university announced Wednesday.
The Ivy League school will pay a $200 million settlement to the federal government over three years, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to settle investigations brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” acting University President Claire Shipman said.
Read more from Samantha Beech:
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 04:30
Democrat who successfully moved to subpoena the Epstein files calls Republicans ‘hypocrites’
Representative Summer Lee, a Pennsylvania Democrat, successfully moved to subpoena the Justice Department for files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and later called Republicans “hypocrites.”
Lee, along with four other Democrats and three Republicans on a House subcommittee, voted to subpoena the files.
Republicans also added that former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former FBI Director James Comey, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and others be subpoenaed as well.
This follows allegations from the Trump administration that Obama and his top officials orchestrated a “years-long coup” to keep Trump from the White House, with assessments that Russia interfered with the 2016 election.
Through a spokesperson, Obama said, “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
Speaking to MSNBC’s Jen Psaki Wednesday night, Lee said of Republicans, “They are desperate for this narrative that Democrats are trying to protect their own, and we’re trying to protect our own…They were just trying to make this a both-sides thing to make up for the fact that they were being hypocrites, that they said that this is what they want…We saw that they ran on this in the last election.”
“So they’re just trying to distract from the fact that they’re being hypocrites, that they know that they’re choosing to protect Donald Trump over the very victims that they keep giving lip service to, that they’re choosing to protect Donald Trump over transparency for the American people,” Lee added.
The Trump administration has faced backlash, including from its own base, after the president promised for years to release the so-called Epstein files.
On Trump’s orders, the Justice Department requested the release of grand jury transcripts related to investigations into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, but the courts denied them.
Trump has also faced scrutiny over his relationship with Epstein from decades ago and the possibility that he is mentioned in the Epstein files. Appearing in the files does not necessarily indicate that an individual has committed any wrongdoing.
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 04:00
ICYMI: Ghislaine Maxwell’s brother thanks Donald Trump for his ‘positive statement’ about his sister in 2020
Appearing on Piers Morgan Uncensored on Tuesday to discuss the revived furore over Epstein after Trump’s Justice Department said that no “client list” belonging to the late billionaire pedophile existed, Ian Maxwell once more defended Ghislaine, who was jailed in 2022 for her role in the disgraced financier’s sex trafficking operation.
Maxwell told Morgan: “President Trump was asked the only time, I believe, in public – at the tail end of his presidency, so, you know, November, December 2021 [sic] – about Ghislaine and he said, ‘You know, I don’t know much about it, but I wish her well.’
“And I don’t think that anyone else showed the slightest piece of humanity, not anybody at that time, and yet he did. He didn’t need to. He’s the president of the United States, the most powerful man in the world. He could’ve just sloughed it off. He didn’t. He made a positive statement. I am very grateful to that and I know Ghislaine was too.”
Read more from Joe Sommerlad:
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 03:30
Army reveals the real cost of Trump’s birthday parade in Washington
The controversial Army parade through Washington, D.C., in June that coincided with Donald Trump’s birthday cost the service branch $30 million, it announced on Wednesday.
“I can confirm the total for the Army festival and parade cost approximately $30 million,” an Army spokesperson told The Hill.
The event, marking the 250th anniversary of the Army, was projected to cost between $25 million and $45 million, not accounting for the cost of police and street repairs tied to the event
In addition to cost overruns, some worried the event would damage Washington’s infrastructure, though an Army spokesperson said in late June the procession of military hardware had only been shown to damage a single curb, which the Army planned to repair.
Read more from Josh Marcus:
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 03:00
ICYMI: Mike Johnson shuts Congress for summer to avoid dealing with Trump handling of Epstein files
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 02:40
Donald Trump’s son appears to throw jab at Obama after judge denies release of the Epstein files
Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, appeared to throw a jab at former President Barack Obama after a judge denied the release of certain files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Earlier Wednesday, judges in New York and Florida rejected requests from the Justice Department to unseal grand jury transcripts related to investigations into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk wrote on X in response, “President Trump’s DOJ moved to release valuable Epstein information and a federal judge is blocking their pursuit of transparency. Are you paying attention yet?”
He also mentioned the judge in Florida was appointed by Obama.
Trump Jr. then replied to Kirk’s comments on X: “I wonder why an Obama appointed judge would do such things?”
It seems the president’s son was referring to allegations from the Trump administration that Obama and his top officials orchestrated a “years-long coup” to keep Trump from the White House, with assessments that Russia interfered with the 2016 election.
Through a spokesperson, Obama said, “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
The Trump administration is facing backlash, including from its base, over its handling of the Epstein files.
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 02:20
Trump’s birthright citizenship order is unconstitutional, appeals court rules
President Donald Trump’s order seeking to end birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.
The ruling comes after the push was also blocked by a federal judge in New Hampshire, and puts the issue one step closer to quickly coming back before the Supreme Court.
More to follow with Mike Bedigan:
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 02:00
Ted Cruz claims ‘Russia hoax’ was created because partisans were ‘mad at the voters for electing Trump’
Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, claimed assessments that Russia interfered with the 2016 election, which he and President Donald Trump call a “hoax,” was created by partisans because “they were mad at the voters for electing Trump.”
Cruz told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham Wednesday night, “These partisans are so contemptuous of the American people—what was the Russia hoax about? It was about subverting democracy. They were mad at the voters for electing Trump.”
The Trump administration has been pushing claims that former President Barack Obama and his top officials orchestrated a “years-long coup” to keep Trump from the White House with so-called Russiagate.
Through a spokesperson, Obama said, “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
The allegations come as the White House is embroiled in its own controversy over its handling of the files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 01:41
Republican explains his vote to subpoena the Epstein files
Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania voted with two other Republicans and five Democrats on a House subcommittee to subpoena the Justice Department for files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I just think it’s important that the American people know what’s occurred,” Perry told CNN’s Manu Raju when asked about his vote on Wednesday.
Rachel Dobkin24 July 2025 01:25