Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's co-conspirator, met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in Florida Thursday as the Trump administration tries to address the uproar concerning the case.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for aiding the late financier’s scheme of sex trafficking minors. Her lawyer said she “never declined to answer” any questions, nor did she invoke any privilege during the meeting. Blanche is set to continue his interview with Maxwell on Friday.
Democrats have joined many from the MAGA world in sharp criticism of the administration's handling of the so-called Epstein files.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett told The Independent she wanted Maxwell to testify under oath before Congress before talking to the Department of Justice. The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed the disgraced socialite, and she will be deposed in prison on August 11.
Crockett suggested that in speaking with Trump’s DOJ, it could mean that Maxwell “can engage in a coverup” and that the president would “most likely let her out of jail free.”
On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi had told Trump in May that he appeared multiple times in the Epstein files.
Appearing in the files does not indicate that an individual has committed any wrongdoing, nor has Trump ever been accused of misconduct in connection with the Epstein case.
Trump’s golfing weekend in Scotland is an even bigger headache than his state visit
White House delivers threatening message to The View over Joy Behar’s latest Trump comments
Trump’s birthright citizenship order is unconstitutional, appeals court rules
A timeline of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, now 20 years old
Key points
- Ghislaine Maxwell 'never declined to answer' in meeting with Trump's DOJ
- Jasmine Crockett unleashes on Ghislaine Maxwell talking to Trump DOJ before Congress
- Republicans cross party lines and vote to subpoena the Epstein files
- Trump told by DOJ that his name 'appears in Epstein files,' sources say
- The Epstein List: who's in the files?
- Awkward moment as Trump tours Federal Reserve Building with Jerome Powell
Trump says he doesn't think firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell is 'necessary'
Friday 25 July 2025 00:45 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump said he doesn't think firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is “necessary.”
President Trump on firing Fed Chair Powell: "To do that is a big move and I just don't think it's necessary, and I believe that he's going to do the right thing." pic.twitter.com/iXwJFtkhYM
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 24, 2025
Trump has pressured Powell to lower interest rates and has floated the possibility of firing him before.
Judges deny release of Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts
Friday 25 July 2025 00:30 , Oliver O'ConnellFederal judges in New York and Florida on Wednesday rejected requests to unseal grand jury transcripts related to investigations into Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.
Last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche asked judges in Florida and New York to release transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and Maxwell, saying, “Transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.”
However, appeals from both the Trump administration and Maxwell were denied Wednesday by two separate judges.
Isabel Keane reports.
Judge says law prohibits her from sharing grand jury records in Epstein Florida case
DOJ to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell for second day
Friday 25 July 2025 00:18 , Rachel DobkinDeputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said he will meet with Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell for a second day on Friday.
“The Department of Justice will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time,” Blanche said.
Today, I met with Ghislaine Maxwell, and I will continue my interview of her tomorrow. The Department of Justice will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time.
— Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) July 24, 2025
Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told reporters his client answered every single question put to her by the DOJ Thursday.
Ghislaine Maxwell answered every question from DOJ officials, lawyer says
A merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media has been formally approved by the Federal Communications Commisison, following months of uncertainty.
The $8.4 billion deal was formally approved by the Trump administration Thursday, after FCC commissioners voted 2-1 along party lines.
It means that Skydance will take control of Paramount in the coming weeks.
Earlier this week Skydance reassured the Trump administration that it would eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies and hire an ombudsman to review “complaints of bias” at CBS News once the merger has been completed.
Read more from Mike Bedigan:
State Department approves extra $330 million weapons sale to Ukraine: report
Thursday 24 July 2025 23:45 , Rachel DobkinThe State Department has approved an extra $330 million weapons sale to Ukraine, which includes $180 million for air defense systems, the Associated Press reports.
This comes after the Trump administration approved a $322 million weapons sale to the war-torn country on Wednesday. That sale included armored combat vehicles.
Has the ‘QAnon Shaman’ turned on Trump?
Thursday 24 July 2025 23:30 , Oliver O'ConnellJacob Angeli Chansley, also known as the “QAnon Shaman,” has launched a scathing verbal attack on President Trump, as the commander-in-chief continues to deal with the fallout of his administration’s decision not to release the Epstein files.
In 2021, the pictures of Chansley, adorned in a fur Viking horned headdress and red, white, and blue face paint, became a defining image of the Capitol riot.
Four years on, Chansley’s support of the president seems to be over, as Madeline Sherratt reports.
Trump’s approval tanks amid Epstein fallout
Thursday 24 July 2025 23:15 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump's approval rating has tanked, amid the Jeffrey Epstein files fallout, with less than 30 percent of independents approving of the way the president is handling his job.
A new Gallup poll shows Trump’s overall approval rating at 37 percent. When broken up across political affiliation, 89 percent of Republicans approve of the job the president is doing. For independents, 29 percent approve of the president’s performance and only 2 percent of Democrats approve.
The 37 percent approval rating is the lowest of Trump’s second term and mere points away from his all-time worst rating of 34 percent at the end of his first term.
Rachel Dobkin has the details.
Trump’s approval tanks amid Epstein fallout - less than 30% of independent’s approve
Democrat vows to subpoena Epstein ‘birthday book’
Thursday 24 July 2025 23:00 , Oliver O'ConnellCalifornia Representative Ro Khanna has vowed to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein’s “birthday book” after a “bombshell revelation” of its whereabouts.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the book contains a “bawdy” letter and drawing scrawled by Donald Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday, though its location had been unclear.
James Liddell reports.
Congressman vows to subpoena Epstein ‘birthday book’ reportedly held by his estate
Powell fact checks Trump’s Fed renovation as awkward hard-hat visit turns tense
Thursday 24 July 2025 22:50 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump’s attempt to shame Federal Reserve Board of Governors chair Jerome Powell over the cost of a long-running renovation to the central bank’s Washington headquarters went horribly wrong on Thursday when Powell had a ready response for the president’s accusations during a tour of the construction site.
After viewing parts of the costly renovation, Trump and Powell stopped briefly to speak to reporters who’d traveled to the Federal Reserve headquarters with the president.
Andrew Feinberg reports on what was said next.
Powell fact checks Trump’s Fed renovation as awkward hard-hat visit turns tense
Migrant deported to notorious El Salvador prison demands $1.3M from Trump administration
Thursday 24 July 2025 22:39 , Oliver O'ConnellFederal agents arrested Neiyerver Adrian Leon Rengel outside his apartment in Texas on his 27th birthday. Two days later, he was deported to a brutal prison in El Salvador, where he was packed in a jail cell with more than a dozen other Venezuelan men for up to 24 hours a day, for four months.
Inside El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, Rengel “endured physical, verbal and psychological abuse,” including routine beatings from guards using their fists and batons, according to his complaint to the Department of Homeland Security Thursday.
Alex Woodward has the details.
Venezuelan freed from Salvadoran prison files $1.3M claim against Trump admin
Trump says US 'can afford just about anything,' after tour Fed building renovation
Thursday 24 July 2025 22:31 , Oliver O'Connell
An upbeat-sounding President Donald Trump has posted on Truth Social following his tour of the Federal Reserve Board Building, currently under renovation, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
The president appears to have come to terms with the project's cost and hopes it will be completed as soon as possible.
Naturally, he had a dig at Powell in his remarks by ending with “let’s just get it finished and, even more importantly, LOWER INTEREST RATES!”
Here’s what he wrote in full:
It was a Great Honor to tour the Renovation (and some new Construction!) of the Federal Reserve Building with Chairman Jerome Powell, Senator Tim Scott, and others. It’s got a long way to go, would have been much better if it were never started, but it is what it is and, hopefully, it will be finished ASAP. The cost overruns are substantial but, on the positive side, our Country is doing very well and can afford just about anything — Even the cost of this building! I’ll be watching and, hopefully, adding some expertise. As everyone knows, I renovated the Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue, and it was a roaring SUCCESS. The total Construction cost was a small fraction of the Fed Building’s cost, and it is many times the size. With all of that being said, let’s just get it finished and, even more importantly, LOWER INTEREST RATES!
Trump’s FCC chair plays coy on Fox News when asked if president involved in Colbert’s cancellation
Thursday 24 July 2025 22:20 , Oliver O'ConnellDays after both he and Donald Trump gloated that CBS had canceled Stephen Colbert’s late-night show, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr wouldn’t give a direct answer when asked on Fox News whether the president played a part in The Late Show’s demise.
Justin Baragona reports on what he did say.
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Trump FCC chair plays coy when asked if president involved in Colbert’s cancellation
Full story: Ghislaine Maxwell answered every question from DOJ officials, lawyer says
Thursday 24 July 2025 22:10 , Oliver O'ConnellGhislaine Maxwell answered every single question put to her by Department of Justice officials, her attorney has said.
David Oscar Markus briefly talked to reporters outside the courthouse after the disgraced British socialite was grilled during a meeting with officials Thursday.
Mike Beidgan reports.
Ghislaine Maxwell answered every question from DOJ officials, lawyer says
Republicans plan to use threat of third Trump impeachment as key issue to boost their standing in midterm races
Thursday 24 July 2025 22:02 , Oliver O'ConnellRepublican strategists say they plan to make a major midterm talking point from the threat of a third impeachment against Donald Trump that could come if Democrats retake the House.
“We know what the stakes are in the midterm elections,” John McLaughlin, a Trump pollster, told NBC News. “If we don’t succeed, Democrats will begin persecuting President Trump again. They would go for impeachment.”
Josh Marcus reports.
Republicans plan to use threat of third impeachment of Trump as key issue in midterms
Watch: Tim Dillon weighs in on Epstein files and 'buffoon' Pam Bondi
Thursday 24 July 2025 21:51 , Oliver O'ConnellHulk Hogan: Trump mourns ‘The Hulkster’ as MAGA tributes pour in
Thursday 24 July 2025 21:46 , Oliver O'ConnellAndrew Feinberg writes:
Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump shared a relationship that dates back to the 1980s, when the future president was a Manhattan real estate mogul — who had yet to embark on his reality show turn in The Apprentice — and the blonde grappler had become the preeminent star of the wildly popular World Wrestling Federation.
That long and winding road would see Trump in the White House and Hogan taking one of his last star turns in a rousing, shirt-ripping speech before the Republican National Convention last summer as Trump was officially made the party’s nominee, a week after an assassin nearly killed him at a rally in Butler, Penn.
Read on...
Trump mourns ‘The Hulkster’ as tributes pour in for shirt-ripping star Hulk Hogan
Watch: Epstein pleads the 5th when asked if he was with Trump around underage girls
Thursday 24 July 2025 21:38 , Oliver O'ConnellSouth Park takes aim at Trump in new season premiere
Thursday 24 July 2025 21:28 , Oliver O'ConnellSouth Park returned to screens on Wednesday (23 July) after a two-year hiatus with an explosive premiere that depicted US President Donald Trump in bed with series regular, Satan.
The episode of the scathing satirical cartoon, titled “Sermon on the Mount”, referenced the recent cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Trump’s lawsuit against Paramount and the prospect of government censorship.
Here’s Ellie Muir’s report.
South Park depicts Trump in bed with Satan in new season premiere
Ghislaine Maxwell 'never declined to answer' in meeting with Trump's DOJ
Thursday 24 July 2025 21:23 , Oliver O'ConnellDavid Oscar Markus, Ghislaine Maxwell’s attorney, briefly talked to reporters outside the Tallahassee federal courthouse following his client’s meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
He did not take questions but said Maxwell answered every question during the all-day meeting with Justice Department officials.
Markus said his client “never declined to answer,” nor did she invoke any privilege during the meeting.
There was no statement from Blanche.
David Oscar Markus, Maxwell’s attorney, briefly talked to reporters outside courthouse
— Matt Dixon (@Mdixon55) July 24, 2025
Would not take questions
Said she answered every question during the all day meeting with DOJ officials
“Never declined to answer” or invoked any privilege during the meeting pic.twitter.com/mV6FCUqwza
Watch: Trump quips he still wants Powell to lower interest rates
Thursday 24 July 2025 21:15 , Oliver O'ConnellTrump: It looks like it’s about $3.1 billion
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 24, 2025
Powell: I’m not aware of that.
Trump: It just came out
Powell: You just added in a third building
Trump: It’s a building that’s being built
Powell: It was built five years ago. pic.twitter.com/aVZaZ9BD3T
Trump tours Federal Reserve Building with Jerome Powell
Thursday 24 July 2025 21:12 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident @realDonaldTrump tours the Federal Reserve Building with Jerome Powell pic.twitter.com/j209BnY4tf
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) July 24, 2025
Trump: It looks like it’s about $3.1 billion
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 24, 2025
Powell: I’m not aware of that.
Trump: It just came out
Powell: You just added in a third building
Trump: It’s a building that’s being built
Powell: It was built five years ago. pic.twitter.com/aVZaZ9BD3T
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell shakes his head no when President Donald Trump mentions the cost of the Fed's renovation.
Powell looks at a piece of paper Trump was referencing and says he was factoring in another building.
IN FOCUS: Trump fights to save Alina Habba in latest showdown with the courts
Thursday 24 July 2025 21:10 , Oliver O'ConnellAlex Woodward writes:
Donald Trump’s attempts to keep his personal attorney Alina Habba as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor has sparked yet another showdown between his administration and a judiciary he despises.
The latest clash between the president and the courts is a crisis of his own making, piling on to an already chaotic week at the Department of Justice where officials are putting out Jeffrey Epstein-related fires elsewhere.
In a rare move Tuesday morning, New Jersey’s federal trial judges named their own nominee to replace Habba at the end of her 120-day term as the state’s acting U.S. Attorney. But hours later, Attorney General Pam Bondi not only blocked the judges’ nominee but “removed” her from the office entirely.
Read on...
Trump picks another fight with the courts to keep loyalist Alina Habba in office
Trump heading over to Federal Reserve Building for site visit
Thursday 24 July 2025 20:59 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump is en route to the Federal Reserve Building for a site visit, continuing to express concerns about the costs of the renovation project.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whom the president continues to lambast about interest rates, will be there to greet the president.
Trump wrote on Truth Social:
Getting ready to head over to the Fed to look at their, now, $3.1 Billion Dollar (PLUS!) construction project. Also present will be Fed Chair Jerome Powell, Senator Tim Scott, Senator Thom Tillis, OMB Director Russ Vought, Chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Bill Pulte, my Appointees to the National Capital Planning Commission, James Blair and Will Scharf, and various other construction professionals.
Interesting. Tillis has been preaching Fed independence and has said it would be a mistake for Trump to fire Powell. https://t.co/CB6zmlNaTe
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) July 24, 2025
New poll shows Trump's approval plunge among independents
Thursday 24 July 2025 20:54 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump’s job approval rating has plummeted to 37 percent six months into his second term, the lowest of this term and only marginally higher than his all-time low of 34 percent recorded at the conclusion of his first term in 2021.
The decline represents a significant 10-percentage-point drop among US adults since Trump was sworn into office in January. Notably, support among independent voters has seen a sharp 17-point decrease, falling to 29 percent, which matches his lowest rating with this crucial demographic across both of his terms in office.
The latest findings are from a Gallup poll conducted between July 7 and 21, 2025, which commenced days after President Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law on July 4. The legislation addresses many of his second-term priorities, including tax cuts for individuals and corporations, and increased spending for border security, defense, and energy production. It also cuts funding for healthcare and nutrition programmes such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme to offset costs.
Republicans' ratings have remained generally steady near 90 percent, while Democrats have consistently been in the low single digits.
Trump’s handling of key foreign and domestic issues is generally registering as poor.
His highest marks were recorded for his approach to the situation with Iran, at 42 percent, closely followed by foreign affairs, which received 41 percent approval. However, public sentiment dipped for his performance on immigration (38%), the economy (37%), the Israeli-Palestinian situation in the Middle East (36%), and foreign trade (36%).
Even lower approval ratings were noted for his management of the situation in Ukraine, at 33 percent, and the federal budget, which stood at just 29 percent. With the exception of the Iran situation, which had not been previously assessed during his second term, ratings for each of these issues have declined since the beginning of this year.
This includes a significant 14-point drop concerning the federal budget, alongside eight-point decreases for both immigration and the situation in Ukraine.
The Trump administration has ordered a review of several items at Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park — the museum where the Liberty Bell is kept — because they fall outside of Donald Trump's anti-DEI rules, according to a new report.
The move is apparently part of a broader effort to combat "corrosive ideology" at national parks, according to The New York Times.
Independence Park is home not only to the Liberty Bell but also to Independence Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed.
Graig Graziosi has the story.
Trump’s orders brand Liberty Bell exhibits as ‘corrosive ideology’
Inside the Republican revolt in the House over the Epstein files that led to the early summer recess for Congress
Thursday 24 July 2025 20:34 , Oliver O'ConnellHouse Republicans revolted against GOP leadership over the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files in the days before Speaker Mike Johnson ushered in the chamber’s early summer recess to avoid dealing with the crisis, according to a report.
Rhian Lubin reports.
House Republicans revolt over Epstein files that led to early summer recess
Rep. Thomas Massie, who voted against Trump’s bill, now trying to fundraise off Epstein files
Thursday 24 July 2025 20:16 , Oliver O'ConnellRepublican lawmaker Thomas Massie is fundraising off his efforts to compel the Justice Department to release files on the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
In a recent email to supporters, first reported by MeidasTouch News, the Republican wrote that “the most powerful people on earth have been working overtime to keep the Epstein files hidden for many years.”
Katie Hawkinson reports.
Republican who voted against Trump’s bill now fundraising off the Epstein files
Speaker says Epstein case 'not a hoax', wants 'full transparency'
Thursday 24 July 2025 20:07 , Oliver O'ConnellHouse Speaker Mike Johnson says he wants “full transparency” in the case of Jeffrey Epstein, adding that it is “not a hoax.”
The Trump administration continues to face pressure, including from other Republicans, to release more information on the late child sex offender.
Talking to CBS News, Johnson said: “We want full transparency. We want everybody who is involved in any way with the Epstein evils — let's call it what it was — to be brought to justice as quickly as possible. We want the full weight of the law on their heads.”
“It's not a hoax. Of course not,” added the Louisiana Republican when asked if he considers it such.
President Donald Trump has used the word “hoax” to describe some of his supporters' interest in the Epstein case.
Johnson added that he had “never seen the Epstein evidence, it was not in my lane.”
Exclusive: Pam Bondi says she doesn’t want new jet after The Independent exposes FBI plan
Thursday 24 July 2025 19:58 , Oliver O'ConnellThe FBI is seeking a new private jet, which will be used not only by the bureau’s elite Critical Incident Response Group, but also for “executive transportation” by FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
However, following a report on Wednesday by The Independent about the intended acquisition, a spokesman for Bondi now claims the AG is against the purchase and wants nothing to do with it.
Justin Rohrlich reports.
AG Pam Bondi says she doesn’t want new plane after private jet plan revealed
Blanche-Maxwell meeting 'stinks of high corruption' says Schumer
Thursday 24 July 2025 19:47 , Oliver O'ConnellDemocratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer adds his voice to concerns within his party over the meeting between Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell and Trump’s former personal lawyer, now deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche.
Says Schumer: “Let me be clear: Trump sending his personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell stinks of high corruption and conflict of interest.”
Let me be clear: Trump sending his personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell stinks of high corruption and conflict of interest. pic.twitter.com/JsuufR1Hl1
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 24, 2025
Schumer added in another post: “The Senate needs to hear directly from administration officials about Trump’s name appearing in these files and their complete lack of transparency.
“Trump and his lackeys were all caught red-handed in more lies.”
The Senate needs to hear directly from administration officials about Trump’s name appearing in these files and their complete lack of transparency.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 24, 2025
Trump and his lackeys were all caught red-handed in more lies.
House Democrat vows to subpoena Epstein ‘birthday book’
Thursday 24 July 2025 19:40 , Oliver O'ConnellCalifornia Representative Ro Khanna has vowed to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein’s “birthday book” after a “bombshell revelation” of its whereabouts.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the book contains a “bawdy” letter and drawing scrawled by Donald Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday, though its location had been unclear.
James Liddell reports.
Congressman vows to subpoena Epstein ‘birthday book’ reportedly held by his estate
ANALYSIS: Has Trump met his match in Rupert Murdoch?
Thursday 24 July 2025 19:30 , Oliver O'ConnellJustin Baragona writes:
Lamenting the inconvenient truth that his parent company had joined a slew of other institutions in capitulating to Donald Trump’s capricious demands, Jon Stewart threw out a rallying cry this week after his late-night cohort, Stephen Colbert, was canceled amid Paramount’s desperate push to complete an $8 billion merger.
“Sack the f*** up,” the Daily Show star exclaimed, calling for media conglomerates to stop running scared and stand up to the president’s legal bullying, which CBS employees have described as a “Trump shakedown.”
Could it be that Stewart has already found his unlikely champion in the form of a nonagenarian right-wing media mogul who was the driving force behind Trump’s rise to power? That is increasingly looking like that might be the case.
Continue reading...
Has Trump met his match in Murdoch, the man who won’t be intimidated?
OJ maker sues Trump over Brazil tariffs saying his plan could drive up consumer costs by 25%
Thursday 24 July 2025 19:22 , Oliver O'ConnellA New Jersey-based orange juice manufacturer has announced that it is suing Donald Trump’s administration over the president’s threatened 50 percent tariffs on Brazil, a country whose citrus exports it depends on.
Johanna Foods warns that Trump’s blanket levy, due to take effect on August 1, could result in a $70 million hit to its business, leading to likely layoffs and a 25 percent increase in the price of orange juice on supermarket shelves.
Joe Sommerlad has the story.
OJ maker sues Trump over tariffs saying his plan could drive up consumer costs by 25%
Ahead of Trump visit today, Federal Reserve gives journalists a rare tour of building renovations
Thursday 24 July 2025 19:14 , APThe Federal Reserve, known for its tight lips, structured formality and extraordinary power to shape the global economy, finds itself putting out the welcome mat on Thursday for President Donald Trump.
Trump and his allies say a $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed headquarters and a neighboring building reflects an institution run amok — a belief they hope to verify in an afternoon tour of the construction site.
Read on...
Federal Reserve gives journalists a rare tour of building renovations ahead of Trump's visit
Trump pays tribute to Hulk Hogan, who passed away today
Thursday 24 July 2025 19:11 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump has paid tribute to wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, a longtime supporter, who passed away today.
The president wrote on X: “We lost a great friend today, the “Hulkster.” Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way — Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart. He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!”
ICYMI: Judges deny releasing Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts
Thursday 24 July 2025 19:04 , Oliver O'ConnellFederal judges in New York and Florida on Wednesday rejected requests to unseal grand jury transcripts related to investigations into Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.
Last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche asked judges in Florida and New York to release transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and Maxwell, saying, “Transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.”
However, appeals from both the Trump administration and Maxwell were quickly denied Wednesday by two separate judges, as Isabel Keane reports.
Judge says law prohibits her from sharing grand jury records in Epstein Florida case
Watch: Republicans block another Democrat resolution on Epstein files
Thursday 24 July 2025 18:48 , Oliver O'ConnellMarkwayne Mullin again blocking a resolution on the Epstein files pic.twitter.com/XEbe6VHqc1
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 24, 2025
Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin blocked Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego’s attempt to release the Epstein files.
Gallego wrote on X: “They’ve spent years pretending they wanted the truth. Now they’re doing Trump’s bidding to keep it buried. The cover-up is obvious. And the American people know it.”
JUST IN: Republicans blocked my attempt to release the Epstein files — AGAIN.
— Senator Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) July 24, 2025
They’ve spent years pretending they wanted the truth. Now they’re doing Trump’s bidding to keep it buried.
The cover-up is obvious. And the
American people know it.
The House may be out of Washington, but Democrats in the Senate are picking up right where their House colleagues left off in calling for the release of the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
This time, it was Arizona’s Gallego who took to the Senate floor in an attempt to quickly pass legislation calling on the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files. Mullin of Oklahoma halted his attempt to speed the resolution through the Senate.
“This is nothing more than political theater,” Mullin said on the Senate floor, while offering his own resolution that called on the federal judiciary to allow the Department of Justice’s request to release grand jury testimony in the case.
Still, Democrats were not letting up in hammering the Trump administration for failing to do something it had promised.
“The truth is coming out and the coverup is crumbling,” Gallego said, later adding, “We have a president in the White House focused on protecting the most powerful men and women who preyed on children.”
ANALYSIS: Trump’s Obama ‘Russia-gate’ push offers the MAGA Epstein crowd a head on a plate. Here’s why he can’t deliver on that promise
Thursday 24 July 2025 18:46 , Oliver O'ConnellJohn Bowden writes:
Tulsi Gabbard is the face of Donald Trump’s newest bid to move the news cycle off the Jeffrey Epstein files.
But she, like the president himself, is likely to see her efforts end in the same murky water where the dreams of prosecuting Hillary Clinton died during Trump’s first term in office.
On Wednesday, the White House trotted out the Director of National Intelligence, alongside press secretary Karoline Leavitt, to brief reporters on an intel review that Gabbard had led.
Read on...
Trump offered MAGA Obama’s head on a platter. Why he can’t deliver on that promise
After Trump team claims he committed ‘treason’, massive spike in threats against Obama develops
Thursday 24 July 2025 18:28 , Oliver O'ConnellThreats made online against former president Barack Obama spiked over the weekend after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accused him of a years-long coup attempt against President Donald Trump.
Gabbard has claimed Obama and his top officials ran a “treasonous conspiracy” by insinuating they manufactured an investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election to undermine Trump’s first election.
Hours after she made the claim, on July 18, violent rhetoric about Obama surged on platforms such as Truth Social, Telegram, and Gab, with some calling for his arrest, imprisonment, and execution.
Ariana Baio reports.
Spike in threats against Obama after Trump admin’s ‘treason’ claims
Senate Republicans quash Democratic bid to force release of Epstein files
Thursday 24 July 2025 18:09 , APIt was the latest attempt by Democrats on Capitol Hill to force Republicans to vote for greater disclosure of the Epstein files, yet notably, the first time many Republicans in the Senate had to take a stand on the issue. For now, they voted against forcing the release of the case files.
The vote unfolded Thursday morning with tense exchanges as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepared to advance a bill meant to address opioid trafficking.
Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey offered an amendment to the bill that would have kept it from going into effect until the Epstein files are released. But Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas successfully stymied that effort by offering a separate amendment that nullified Booker’s. While some Republicans have indicated they’re open to a debate on forcing more disclosure, Cornyn said he trusted Attorney General Pam Bondi to handle the matter.
Republicans on the committee all voted for Cornyn’s amendment, while Democrats voted against, saying, “No on concealing the Epstein files.”
Trump meets with Rose Garden renovation workers
Thursday 24 July 2025 18:10 , Oliver O'ConnellHAPPENING NOW!
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) July 24, 2025
President @realDonaldTrump invited in the hardworking men improving the White House Rose Garden and signing hats for all 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/vo5thBzR19
‘Out of jail for free’: Jasmine Crockett unleashes on Ghislaine Maxwell talking to Trump DOJ before Congress
Thursday 24 July 2025 17:36 , Oliver O'ConnellRep. Jasmime Crockett wants Ghislaine Maxwell — who is serving a 20-year sentence for aiding sex trafficking financier Jeffrey Epstein — to testify before Congress before she speaks under oath to the Trump Justice Department.
US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, will meet with Maxwell on Thursday in Florida, where she is serving out her two-decade sentence for scheming with the late pedophile power-player to sexually exploit and abuse young women and girls.
The meeting comes just a day after the House Oversight Committee, on which Crockett sits, voted to subpoena Maxwell. On Wednesday, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer issued a subpoena and set Maxwell’s deposition date for Aug. 11.
Eric Garcia reports from Capitol Hill.
Crockett unleashes on Maxwell talking to DOJ before Congress: ‘Out of jail for free’
Life inside Ghislaine Maxwell’s prison: Filth, rats and fear of reprisals
Thursday 24 July 2025 17:18 , Oliver O'ConnellAndy Gregory writes:
In the parched, rolling hills of Tallahassee, Florida, sits a rundown low-security federal women’s prison housing one of America’s most infamous convicts, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Black filth smeared on walls, rodent infestations, and sanitary products being used to plug leaks in dilapidated living quarters are among the issues recorded at the Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee, according to a Justice Department watchdog report, seen by The Independent.
The former socialite, previously accustomed to a life of opulent luxury, was moved to the squalid jail after being found guilty of recruiting and trafficking underage girls for disgraced billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2021 and later sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Continue reading...
Filth, rats and fear of reprisals: Life inside Ghislaine Maxwell’s prison
Epstein Estate to comply with 'lawful process'
Thursday 24 July 2025 17:07 , Oliver O'ConnellMSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin reports that, asked to confirm the existence of the Jeffrey Epstein “birthday book” and/or whether it is in the estate’s possession, representatives for the late sex offender and financier’s estate responded with the following statement: “The Epstein Estate will comply with all lawful process.”
NEW: Asked to confirm the existence of the “birthday book” and/or whether it is in the estate’s possession, representatives for the estate responded to me with this statement:
— Lisa Rubin (@lawofruby) July 24, 2025
“The Epstein Estate will comply with all lawful process.”
Joe Rogan peddles Hunter Biden as White House contender after viral interview
Thursday 24 July 2025 17:00 , Oliver O'ConnellJoe Rogan, the world’s most listened-to podcaster, has suggested Hunter Biden could follow in former President Joe Biden’s White House footsteps someday.
The 57-year-old podcaster declared that Hunter “could be president” on Wednesday’s episode of The Joe Rogan Experience. Rogan has more than 20 million subscribers on YouTube, with episodes that regularly surpass 1 million views.
Rogan praised the former president’s son after he gave a viral, three-hour interview to independent journalist Andrew Callaghan, during which he spoke about his struggle with a crack cocaine addiction.
Katie Hawkinson has the story.
Joe Rogan peddles Hunter Biden as White House contender after viral interview
Exclusive: Trump admin seeks new jet to shuttle around Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel
Thursday 24 July 2025 16:42 , Oliver O'ConnellThe FBI is seeking an ultra-long-range business jet to fly agents and other bureau personnel to far-flung global locations for counterterrorism response, “high-risk operations,” and other “sensitive missions,” according to a tranche of federal procurement documents reviewed by The Independent.
Justin Rohrlich has the details.
Trump admin seeks new jet to shuttle around AG Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel
Comer says 'moving very quickly' in August recess with date set for Maxwell deposition
Thursday 24 July 2025 16:35 , Oliver O'ConnellAsked about the House Oversight Committee’s subpoena of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, Chairman James Comer says: “We're moving very quickly on everything we're doing right now, and August recess is going to be an opportunity for us to move even quicker. We have a very good staff here. August 11th is the date when we hope to depose Maxwell in that prison facility in Tallahassee.”
🚨 I have issued a subpoena to Ghislaine Maxwell for a deposition to occur at Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee on August 11, 2025.
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) July 23, 2025
The Department of Justice is cooperating and will help facilitate the deposition at the prison. pic.twitter.com/N0J6Gul37g
Booker pushes Epstein amendment to bipartisan opiod bill
Thursday 24 July 2025 16:29 , Oliver O'ConnellAt today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Senator Corey Booker is trying to add an Epstein amendment to a bipartisan opioid overdose data bill.
“This is simply asking for disclosure and transparency,” the New Jersey Democrat said.
Republican Senator John Cornyn challenges the Booker amendment and successfully blocks it.
Booker retorts: “What Sen. Cornyn did today was to block the truth.”
Drama over for now -- Senate Judiciary Rs just adopted Cornyn amendment which basically kills Booker Epstein push.
— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) July 24, 2025
Booker retorts: “What Sen. Cornyn did today was to block the truth.”
Charlie Kirk, who raged against Murdoch media’s ‘hit job’ on Trump, tapped to host Fox & Friends Weekend
Thursday 24 July 2025 16:24 , Oliver O'ConnellFox News has tapped MAGA activist Charlie Kirk to guest host the right-wing network’s weekend version of its flagship morning program, a network spokesperson confirmed to The Independent.
This will be the Turning Point USA founder’s first time hosting a show on Fox News. As Axios first reported, Kirk is set to join regular Fox & Friends Weekend co-hosts Rachel Campos-Duffy and Charlie Hurt on the curvy couch this coming Saturday and Sunday.
Justin Baragona has the story.
Charlie Kirk, who bashed Murdoch media ‘hit job, tapped to host Fox & Friends Weekend
Florida Republican says he 'doesn't expect much' from Epstein files and claims Americans are over it
Thursday 24 July 2025 16:12 , Oliver O'ConnellIn an appearance on CNN this morning, Florida Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez told Wolf Blitzer: “I don't expect much from the Epstein files, because if there was something that was gonna compromise President Trump, I think the Biden administration would've released it.”
Rep. Carlos Gimenez: "I don't expect much from the Epstein files, because if there was something that was gonna compromise President Trump, I think the Biden administration would've released it."
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 24, 2025
(Notable how these guys project their own lawlessness onto Democrats ... ) pic.twitter.com/bcdMa6Jxta
He added: “I haven't heard from my constituents. Americans are over the Epstein case. They have been over it for a long time ... we need to move on.”
Gimenez: "I haven't heard from my constituents. Americans are over the Epstein case. They have been over it for a long time ... we need to move on." pic.twitter.com/pRaT6gTb4E
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 24, 2025
Gimenez continued: “We got a lot more important things to do for the American people than what happened eight years ago… we need to move on.”
However, he further said about Tulsi Gabbard’s allegations against former President Barack Obama: “We need to look at exactly what happened in 2016… we need to look at exactly who was involved.”
Gimenez on Epstein files: We got a lot more important things to do for the American people than what happened eight years ago… we need to move on.
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 24, 2025
Gimenez on Obama: We need to look at exactly what happened in 2016… we need to look at exactly who was involved pic.twitter.com/SnKzFp1M5o
ANALYSIS: Senate even more afraid of Trump-Epstein fallout than Mike Johnson’s House is
Thursday 24 July 2025 16:06 , Oliver O'ConnellEric Garcia writes:
The House of Representatives broke for August recess a day earlier than expected on Wednesday after Speaker Mike Johnson shut the doors to block moves from Democrats seeking to disclose government files on sex-trafficking financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Johnson had a very specific reason to dismiss the House early — a bipartisan discharge petition, which would allow them to force a vote on the release.
“I think it is to sort of try to let the air out of the balloon on the Epstein issue,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who teamed up with California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna on the effort, told The Independent.
But if Johnson and House GOP leadership feared the end result of that discharge petition, the Senate does not want to deal with it at all.
Continue reading...
Senate even more afraid of Trump-Epstein fallout than House: ‘We’ve got enough to do’
Schumer says House has embarked on their 'Epstein recess'
Thursday 24 July 2025 15:59 , Oliver O'ConnellSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer began his Senate floor remarks this morning by mocking House Speaker Mike Johnson for “fleeing town to avoid accountability” in what he calls the “Epstein recess.”
Schumer said: “Today marks the first day of the House embarking on their Epstein recess, and already the story Republicans hoped would quietly fade is growing louder by the hour.”
He adds: “Today, on the heels of Speaker Johnson fleeing town to avoid accountability and following this damning report from the Wall Street Journal, I am calling on the Administration to provide a closed-door briefing to all Senators on the Epstein files. The Senate deserves to hear directly from senior Administration officials about Donald Trump's name appearing in these files and the complete lack of transparency shown to date.”
Schumer begins his Senate floor remarks: "Today marks the first day of the House embarking on their Epstein recess and already the story Republicans hoped would quietly fade is growing louder by the hour...Today, on the heels of Speaker Johnson fleeing town to avoid… https://t.co/1jVJXcfv5J pic.twitter.com/aXgbJGUP2z
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) July 24, 2025
Inside the Republican revolt in the House over the Epstein files that led to the early summer recess for Congress
Thursday 24 July 2025 15:48 , Oliver O'ConnellHouse Republicans revolted against GOP leadership over the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files in the days before Speaker Mike Johnson ushered in the chamber’s early summer recess to avoid dealing with the crisis, according to a report.
As controversy over the administration’s refusal to release all government files related to the sex offender continues, Johnson faced a “growing crisis” of his own among key GOP allies as leadership refused to bring any action on Epstein to the House floor, Politico reports.
Behind the scenes, GOP leaders faced a “standoff” with rank-and-file members who were “incensed” when they were forced to vote against a Democratic-led effort to release the Epstein files a week before, according to the outlet.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
House Republicans revolt over Epstein files that led to early summer recess
Even the ‘QAnon Shaman’ has turned on Trump
Thursday 24 July 2025 15:30 , Oliver O'ConnellJacob Angeli Chansley, also known as the “QAnon Shaman,” has launched a scathing verbal attack on President Trump, as the commander-in-chief continues to deal with the fallout of his administration’s decision not to release the Epstein files.
In 2021, the pictures of Chansley, adorned in a fur Viking horned headdress and red, white, and blue face paint, became a defining image of the Capitol riot.
Four years on, Chansley’s support of the president seems to be over, as Madeline Sherratt reports.
Full story: House Democrat vows to subpoena Epstein ‘birthday book’
Thursday 24 July 2025 15:12 , Oliver O'ConnellCalifornia Representative Ro Khanna has vowed to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein’s “birthday book” after a “bombshell revelation” of its whereabouts.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the book contains a “bawdy” letter and drawing scrawled by Donald Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday, though its location had been unclear.
In response to the report, the president filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its owners, including Rupert Murdoch.
James Liddell reports.
Congressman vows to subpoena Epstein ‘birthday book’ reportedly held by his estate
Blanche and Maxwell lawyer are at Tallahassee federal courthouse
Thursday 24 July 2025 15:01 , Oliver O'ConnellABC News reports:
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche arrived at the federal courthouse around 9 a.m. ET. He shook his head and said "no" when asked if he had anything to say ahead of his meeting with Maxwell.
Ghislaine Maxwell's attorneys were also seen entering the federal courthouse in Tallahassee.
"We're looking forward to a productive day," David O. Markus, Maxwell's appellate lawyer, told ABC News. He declined further comment.
Senator questions Blanche's authority with 'bizarre' Maxwell visit
Thursday 24 July 2025 14:51 , James LiddellRhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has questioned Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s authority, accusing him of reverting to his role as Donald Trump’s criminal defense lawyer.
Ahead of Blanche’s expected meeting today with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, Whitehouse called it “very bizarre” for a deputy attorney general to personally conduct a witness interview.
Whitehouse: "Let me mention first just how very bizarre it is that the Deputy AG is going out to do a witness interview. It really raises the question whether he's doing that in the role as Deputy AG, or if he's stepping back into his role as Trump criminal defense lawyer." pic.twitter.com/bNnSJZG5ZI
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 24, 2025
Full story: Top DOJ official to meet today with Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell inside a Florida federal prison
Thursday 24 July 2025 14:40 , Oliver O'ConnellU.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend, on Thursday in Florida where she is serving time for her role in their sex trafficking scheme to abuse girls, according to a CNN report.
Blanche had announced Tuesday that he had contacted Maxwell’s attorneys to pursue any potential new leads as Trump’s MAGA base excoriates the administration over its handling of the so-called “Epstein Files”.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Top DOJ official to meet today with Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell
Report: Maxwell's lawyer has arrived at courthouse ahead of meeting
Thursday 24 July 2025 14:28 , Oliver O'ConnellGhislaine Maxwell’s attorney has arrived at the federal courthouse in Tallahassee Florida ahead of the DOJ meeting, per @IvanRodriguezTV
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 24, 2025
Trump admin can’t talk about Epstein 'without high-level vetting'
Thursday 24 July 2025 14:27 , James LiddellThe president faces a dilemma: he wants senior officials to appear in the media but fears they’ll be pressed on the Jeffrey Epstein case.
A senior administration official told NBC News of a solution.
White House aides must receive high-level vetting before they are allowed to talk about to ensure they stick to the script.
“The communications office has to be directly involved in every aspect of this,” the official said. “Every 'i' must be dotted, and every 't' must be crossed through us.”
It marks a notable departure from Trump’s usual communications strategy, which typically involves aides vigorously defending him in the media.
Under-fire Bondi skips human trafficking summit over medical issue
Thursday 24 July 2025 14:03 , James LiddellU.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi ducked out of a summit on human trafficking on Wednesday, citing a medical issue, as new reporting emerged to intensify the pressure on President Donald Trump over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Shortly after The Wall Street Journal reported that Bondi informed Trump in May that his name appears multiple times in the Justice Department’s files on the late sex offender, her absence from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)’s Summit Against Human Trafficking was announced.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti notified the audience at the event in Washington, D.C., by reading aloud a statement that read: “I’m sorry to miss all of my CPAC friends today… Unfortunately, I am recovering from a recently torn cornea, which is preventing me from being with you.
“I truly wish I was able to join you and support all of the work being done on this critical issue.”
Joe Sommerlad has more:
Trump’s under-fire AG Pam Bondi skips human trafficking summit over medical issue
Epstein's 'birthday book' being held by his estate, attorney says
Thursday 24 July 2025 13:45 , James LiddellAttorney Bradley Edwards – who represented over 200 Epstein victims – told MSNBC’s The Last Word that Jeffrey Epstein’s “birthday book” is in the possession of the sex offender’s estate.
According to a report last week from The Wall Street Journal, the book includes a “bawdy” 50th birthday card sent to Epstein by Trump in 2003.
Edwards claimed that “multiple” victims of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell knew of the birthday book, and said its existence “is an absolute fact.”
The attorney said the executors of Epstein’s estate – whom he says he knows personally – would likely comply if Congress issued a subpoena for the documents.
Bradley Edwards, attorney for Epstein survivors, says on MSNBC that the executors of Epstein's estate are in possession of the birthday book containing Trump's letter and would be willing to turn it over to authorities pic.twitter.com/v9rU8tF3iw
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 24, 2025
Trump admin seeks new jet to shuttle around Bondi and Patel
Thursday 24 July 2025 13:22 , James LiddellThe FBI is seeking an ultra-long-range business jet to fly agents and other bureau personnel to far-flung global locations for counterterrorism response, “high-risk operations,” and other “sensitive missions,” according to a tranche of federal procurement documents reviewed by The Independent.
Alongside the government’s request for proposals, a related statement of objectives says the aircraft “will also support executive transportation requirements for the FBI Director and the U.S. Attorney General,” namely, Kash Patel and Pam Bondi.
They have both faced withering scrutiny in recent weeks over their handling of the fallout from the non-release of the Epstein files. In May, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reportedly initiated an investigation into Patel’s supposedly robust personal use of the FBI’s existing fleet of private jets.
However, a Department of Justice official said on Wednesday that the plan had not been approved by Bondi, who is not in favor of the purchase.
Justing Rohrlich has the story:
Trump admin seeks new jet to shuttle around AG Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel
DOJ forms ‘strike force’ to assess Gabbard’s Obama allegations
Thursday 24 July 2025 12:58 , James LiddellThe Justice Department announced Wednesday that it has formed a “strike force” to look into unsubstantiated claims about former President Barack Obama, peddled by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
The DOJ shared the announcement in a short statement, claiming that the task force will assess the “next legal steps which might stem from DNI Gabbard’s disclosures.”
The move came hours after Gabbard released a document that she claimed undermined the conclusion of Obama’s intelligence agencies that Russia favored the election of Trump in 2016.
The DNI accused Obama of ordering an intelligence analysis that was subject to “unusual directives” from him and criticized the assessment as using unclear sources.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Obama in recent days, which Democrats have branded a veiled attempt to shift the narrative away from the Epstein case and said the president is “running scared.”
Trump is losing the bro vote, poll suggests
Thursday 24 July 2025 12:32 , James LiddellMen are cooling on Donald Trump after making up a significant chunk of the president’s 2024 voting bloc.
According to a new poll by CBS/YouGov, Trump's approval rating is tanking with men during his second term. It found that 47 percent of men approve of Trump's job, and 53 percent do not.
Last October — just before Trump's second electoral victory — a similar CBS/YouGov poll found that 54 percent of men supported Trump and 64 percent said they thought he would be a strong leader.
Graig Graziosi has more:
Trump is losing support among men as his approval rating dives below 50%
Democrat moves to subpoena Epstein's 'birthday book'
Thursday 24 July 2025 12:07 , James LiddellDemocrat Ro Khanna has vowed to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein’s so-called “birthday book,” which Attorney Bradley Edwards, a lawyer who has represented hundreds of Epstein victims, alleged is in the hands of the financier’s estate.
The book was revealed in a damning Wall Street Journal report last week, which alleged that Donald Trump wrote a “bawdy” message and drew a lewd sketch to celebrate the convicted sex offender’s 50th birthday in 2003. Through the White House, the president denied the claims.
Now, Khanna said he will work with Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee to subpoena the book.
Bombshell revelation by Bradley Edwards on @Lawrence tonight.
— Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) July 24, 2025
The Epstein birthday book is in the hands of the Epstein estate. Lawyers will turn it over.
I will work with @OversightDems to subpoena. This is about the victims and justice. pic.twitter.com/C8Os6bHTaz
Trump ‘clearly furious’ that his summer victory tour has been engulfed by Epstein fallout
Thursday 24 July 2025 11:43 , James LiddellPresident Donald Trump’s victory celebrations following an uphill battle to pass his spending bill have been consumed by the Jeffrey Epstein saga — making Trump “clearly furious,” according to a report.
Trump signed what he called his “big, beautiful bill” into law on July 4. The bill’s passage marked a huge victory for the president’s agenda, but it didn’t spark the Independence Day fireworks that he hoped for. The news was swallowed up by the Epstein firestorm that followed two days later.
In recent weeks, Trump has also threatened new tariffs and met with world leaders. Still, the Epstein saga has sucked all the oxygen out of the room. The president isn’t happy about it, according to staff and allies.
“POTUS is clearly furious,” a person close to the White House told Politico. “It’s the first time I’ve seen them sort of paralyzed.”
Kelly Rissman has more:
Trump ‘clearly furious’ that summer victory tour has been swallowed by Epstein saga
Watch: Reports contradict Trump's previous Epstein file claims
Thursday 24 July 2025 11:17 , James LiddellAttorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy, Todd Blanche, told Donald Trump that his name appears multiple times in the Jeffrey Epstein files, sources told the Washington Post, New York Times and CNN.
The reports contradict the president’s claim earlier this month. When asked by a reporter whether Attorney General Pam Bondi had informed him that his name appeared in the Epstein files, he responded: “No, no.”
Q: "Did [Pam Bondi] tell you that your name appears in the [Epstein] files?"
— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) July 23, 2025
Trump last week: "No." pic.twitter.com/ahGnJnSN7V https://t.co/m38dRxf3sM
Crockett responds to Epstein files subpoena: 'Let the truth come out'
Thursday 24 July 2025 10:52 , James LiddellTexas Representative Jasmine Crockett called on Republicans to “stop playing defense and let the truth come out” after the House Oversight Comittee 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,” the Democrat wrote on X. “Now let’s see if the rest of the Republicans will stop playing defense and let the truth come out.”
Bondi faces calls to testify after reports DOJ told Trump 'his name is in the Epstein files'
Thursday 24 July 2025 10:28 , James LiddellAttorney General Pam Bondi is facing a wave of Democratic pressure to testify before Congress following reports from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and CNN that the president was informed in the spring that his name appeared in documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.
While appearing in the files does not indicate that an individual has committed any wrongdoing, Adam Schiff, California congressman and staunch Trump critic, tweeted that, “We need to bring Bondi and Patel into the Judiciary Committee to testify about this now.”
While the Justice Department declined to comment on the report, a joint issue from Bondi and her deputy Todd Blanche stated that investigators who reviewed the records found “nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.”
“As part of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings,” they said.
The Epstein List: who's in the files?
Thursday 24 July 2025 10:07 , James LiddellPresident Donald Trump has found himself at the center of a MAGA firestorm over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, which the Republican pledged to release on the 2024 campaign trail.
Now, after weeks of unrelenting uproar over the Justice Department’s announcement that there was no evidence Epstein had a “client list,” and no further documents in the sex offender’s case would be released, Trump has instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce select grand jury testimony in the case – which has been denied.
The names in the court documents released last year, which include Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew, were part of a 2015 defamation lawsuit filed by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, against the sex offender’s madam, Ghislaine Maxwell.
While judges, court staff, and legal representatives have been excluded, here are some of the names that do appear in the legal records connected to Epstein:
The Epstein List: Names revealed before Trump and Bondi said there was nothing to see
Congress subpoenas Ghislaine Maxwell and plans a prison interview
Thursday 24 July 2025 10:03 , James LiddellHouse Oversight Committee Chair James Comer has issued a subpoena ordering Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein, to testify from prison in Florida.
Comer set Maxwell’s deposition date for August 11 as the Trump administration faces mounting criticism over the Epstein files. Maxwell is set to be interviewed at the Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee, where she is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in helping Epstein recruit, groom, and abuse young girls.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche also announced Tuesday he has contacted Maxwell’s attorneys to set up a meeting with her. Comer said the Justice Department is “cooperating and will help facilitate the deposition at the prison.” Some have called for Maxwell to testify to shed light on if any other people were involved with Epstein’s actions.
Katie Hawkinson has the details:
Congress subpoenas Ghislaine Maxwell and plans a prison interview
Analysis: Senate even more afraid of Trump-Epstein fallout than Mike Johnson’s House is
Thursday 24 July 2025 09:39 , James LiddellThe House of Representatives broke for August recess a day earlier than expected on Wednesday after Speaker Mike Johnson shut the doors to block moves from Democrats seeking to disclose government files on sex-trafficking financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Johnson had a very specific reason to dismiss the House early — a bipartisan discharge petition, which would allow them to force a vote on the release.
“I think it is to sort of try to let the air out of the balloon on the Epstein issue,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who teamed up with California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna on the effort, told The Independent.
But if Johnson and House GOP leadership feared the end result of that discharge petition, the Senate does not want to deal with it at all.
“I hope we don't waste our time on that,” said Sen. John Cornyn.
Washington Bureau Chief Eric Garcia has more:
Senate even more afraid of Trump-Epstein fallout than House: ‘We’ve got enough to do’
Nancy Mace, meanwhile, says people 'deserve transparency'
Thursday 24 July 2025 09:15 , James LiddellSouth Carolina Representative Nancy Mace, another Republican who supported a committee vote to subpoena the Justice Department to release the so-called Jeffrey Epstein files, claimed that “people deserve transparency.”
“I’ve made it part of my life’s mission to protect women and kids, and I think that I’m ready to take this vote and move forward,” the conservative firebrand told CNN’s Manu Raju, adding: “The victims deserve justice and people deserve transparency.”
Republican explains why they broke from Trump to vote to subpoena the Epstein files
Thursday 24 July 2025 09:14 , James LiddellPennsylvania Representative Scott Perry 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, of the House Oversight panel, told CNN’s Manu Raju when asked about his vote on Wednesday.
Scott Perry, conservative Republican who voted to subpoena Epstein files, told me of his vote: “I just think it’s important that the American people know what’s occurred.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 23, 2025
On Trump wanting to move on: “I have been very clear on my opinion on this issue for a long time.” pic.twitter.com/W8rQUbTwii
DOJ expected to meet Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell today
Thursday 24 July 2025 09:11 , James LiddellThe Justice Department is expected to hold a meeting today with Ghislaine Maxwell, the ex-girlfriend and associate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
Maxwell was found guilty in December 2021 of conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, among other charges, related to her role in a scheme to abuse minor girls with Epstein for a decade.
It follows U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announcing Tuesday that he had contacted Maxwell’s attorneys to pursue any potential new leads about the Epstein case.
Gabbard continues peddling Obama 'coup' conspiracy in White House
Thursday 24 July 2025 09:08 , James LiddellDonald Trump’s intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard took over the White House briefing room Wednesday to continue pressing her narrative about a “coup” supposedly launched by Barack Obama.
The latest conspiracy has been pressed by both Gabbard and President Donald Trump since the weekend as the administration returns to the “Russiagate” investigation as an apparent diversion while Trump is facing uproar from his base over his administration’s efforts to tamp down on speculation surrounding the death and crimes of Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile.
In early July, the Department of Justice and FBI declared in a joint statement that no “client list” detailing Epstein’s co-conspirators could be found within the DOJ’s files; the statement also reiterated the agencies’ conclusion that Epstein died by suicide in 2019.
Washington, D.C. Correspondent John Bowden has more:
White House trots out Tulsi Gabbard to push narrative of Obama ‘coup’ against Trump
Judge denies DOJ request to unseal Epstein Florida grand jury transcripts
Thursday 24 July 2025 09:02 , James LiddellFederal judges in New York and Florida on Wednesday rejected requests to unseal grand jury transcripts related to investigations into Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.
Last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche asked judges in Florida and New York to release transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and Maxwell, saying, “Transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.”
However, appeals from both the Trump administration and Maxwell were denied Wednesday by two separate judges. The evidence the Trump administration hoped to unseal, however, likely wouldn’t reveal much, according to experts, who say prosecutors try to provide just enough to get charges — not introduce an entire investigation.
Isabel Keane has the story:
Judge says law prohibits her from sharing grand jury records in Epstein Florida case
Republicans defy party lines and vote to subpoena the Epstein files
Thursday 24 July 2025 09:00 , James LiddellJust before the House went on recess, a subcommittee voted to subpoena the DOJ for the files. The motion passed in an eight-to-two vote, with three Republicans breaking from Trump.
Those included representatives Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Brian Jack of Georgia and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.
Trump told by DOJ that his name 'appears in Epstein files'
Thursday 24 July 2025 08:57 , James LiddellThe Department of Justice told President Donald Trump that his name appears multiple times in the Jeffrey Epstein files, multiple administration sources told The Wall Street Journal.
The Journal reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy, Todd Blanche, told the president during a May meeting at the White House that his name appeared in the Epstein files, after they had sifted through a “truckload” of documents.
Following the Journal’s report, sources familiar with the exchange confirmed the account to both The New York Times and CNN.
Appearing in the files does not necessarily indicate that an individual has committed any wrongdoing, nor has Trump ever been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the Epstein case.
