Wednesday, July 16 | By Jonathan Easley |
© Alex Brandon, Associated Press |
Trump blasts Republicans for fixating on Epstein
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PRESIDENT TRUMP went to war with some of his top allies Wednesday, saying he no longer wants their support if they continue to fixate on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a lengthy post on social media, Trump lashed out at "my PAST supporters" who he said have fanned the flames of conspiracy around Epstein and "bought into this 'bulls‑‑‑,' hook, line, and sinker." Trump again baselessly claimed that files pertaining to Epstein were concocted by Democrats. He described Republicans seeking more information as "weaklings" who are doing the "Democrats work." Later, during an Oval Office meeting with the crown prince of Bahrain, Trump dismissed the controversy as driven by "some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans." "Certain Republicans got duped by the Democrats and they're following a Democrat playbook," Trump said. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is among the GOP leaders who have called for more transparency in the Epstein case. The Trump administration has faced backlash since Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel issued a report stating that Epstein did not keep a "client list" and was not murdered in his jail cell. Many on the right, including some of Trump's most prominent and vocal supporters in the media, have for years promoted the idea that the Epstein files would reveal a cabal of powerful people engaged in child sex trafficking. Patel and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino have spoken for years about the breadth of the conspiracy and the need for transparency. Trump said Wednesday the Department of Justice (DOJ) should release documents related to Epstein as long as the records are "credible." |
REPUBLICANS CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY |
Johnson said Tuesday that Bondi needs to "explain" her past comments alluding to bombshell revelations in the Epstein case — an apparent break with Trump. By Wednesday, Johnson sought to gloss over the intra-party divisions, saying his remarks were "misrepresented" and that there's no daylight between himself and the president. "We're for transparency. I'm saying the same thing the president is that, I mean, you need to have all of the credible information released for the American people to make their decision. We trust the American people. And I know the president does, as well, that's an important principle to abide by here." Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and several GOP colleagues have joined Democrats in moving to force a vote on releasing the files. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) called for a special counsel to be appointed. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) was asked by CNN if he trusts the DOJ. "I don't," he replied. Trump has repeatedly defended Bondi and scolded his supporters who have criticized her handling of the case. Bondi said Tuesday night she has no plans to step down. "I'm going to be here for as long as the president wants me here," Bondi said. "And I believe he's made that crystal clear." |
FORMER EPSTEIN LAWYER SPEAKS |
In a new op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, Epstein's former lawyer Alan Dershowitz said Epstein did not keep a "client list" but that the FBI interviewed victims about his alleged clients. "These names have been redacted. They should be disclosed but the courts have ordered them sealed," Dershowitz wrote. "I know who they are. They don't include any current officeholders. We don't know whether the accusations are true…The media can and should petition the courts for the release of all names and information so the public can draw its own conclusions." Dershowitz also said he believes Epstein killed himself — but added, "What isn't clear is whether he was assisted by jail personnel." Wired reported Tuesday that the Epstein prison video released by the DOJ is missing nearly 3 minutes. Democratic leaders are threatening investigations and subpoenas, which seem likely if they win a House majority in next year's midterm elections. "It's obvious to the American public, someone is lying, and someone is trying to hide something," Rep. Robert Garcia (Fla.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said Wednesday. |
🎤 HILL NATION SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS |
The Hill and NewsNation hosted the inaugural Hill Nation Summit on Wednesday, featuring a long list of newsmakers. Click here for the rolling live blog. Among the highlights... • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said changes could be coming to the size of liquid containers for passengers boarding flights, just a week after the Transportation Security Administration said it will allow passengers to keep their shoes on while going through security. Noem also warned that the U.S. electrical grid is "extremely" vulnerable. • Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) warned Elon Musk's "America Party" would hurt Republicans, if the billionaire follows through on his threats to create an independent third party. "I understand people's frustration with things not getting solved, but now is a different opportunity," McCarthy said. "Trump has put a coalition together that's rather unique. Anybody else that thinks about doing some other party, I think that would only help the Democrats win an election," he added. • Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, praised Trump's Middle East policy. "I mean, the opening to Syria, I did not anticipate that. That's pretty amazing. You know, he's taken a practical approach in the Middle East that I think is, again, will the Iranian question, will play out over the next year or so," Himes told NewsNation's Chris Stirewalt. • House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) defended Trump's targeting of law firms through executive orders. "It's not censorship, it's not like, you know, law firm, we're not, we're going to tell the tech companies take down certain things you post on your law firm website. That to me…there's a huge, I think a huge distinction." • Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said lawmakers need more security and that politicians should "decrease the rhetoric" after the shootings of two Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses last month. "Some people need to look in the mirror if they're making this worse," Klobuchar said. "It is on all of us as leaders to bring down that rhetoric whenever we can." Klobuchar also warned that local public radio stations in Minnesota would go under if the GOP passes its rescissions package clawing back funds from public media. • Democratic activist David Hogg, who has agitated for a younger generation of leaders in his party, said he intends to win the debate because he's going to "out-live" those he's fighting against. Hogg said he has a "good relationship" with the Democratic National Committee, despite being ousted after feuding with Chairman Ken Martin. • Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said the timeline for drug approval has been streamlined through artificial intelligence. "It is doing in days what would normally take weeks," Makary told NewsNation's Leland Vittert. |
💡Perspectives: • The Hill: Epstein is the lie even Trump can't sell. • MSNBC: Democrats are right to seize on Trump's Epstein files U-turn. • Wall Street Journal: The inside scoop on Epstein. |
Columbia University announced additional steps it would take to combat campus antisemitism after months of negotiations with the Trump administration to undo cuts to its funding. The Trump administration is sending home 2,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles after President Trump authorized their deployment last month following days of protests. Russia launched another large-scale overnight attack against Ukraine, as the clock ticks on President Trump's 50-day deadline for sanctions on Moscow if the war doesn't end.
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© AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein |
Trump told GOP lawmakers he'd fire Powell 'soon'
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President Trump told Republican lawmakers in an Oval Office meeting Tuesday that he'd fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell "soon," The Hill's Alex Gangitano and Mychael Schnell report. "The President asked lawmakers how they felt about firing the Fed Chair," a White House official said Wednesday. "They expressed approval for firing him. The President indicated he likely will soon." Trump backtracked later Wednesday, saying he wouldn't fire Powell, whose term is up in less than one year. "No, I'm not talking about that," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "Fortunately we get to make a change in the next what, eight months or so." Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), hounded by reporters at the Capitol, was asked if the president has the authority to fire the central bank chief. "Uh, I'm really not sure," Johnson responded. The White House has broadened its attacks against Powell, hitting him on everything from his refusal to lower interest rates to expensive renovations at the Federal Reserve building in Washington. Speaking at the Hill Nation Summit, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) suggested the Trump team is trying to create a controversy around the Fed renovations to force Powell's firing. "They're laying the predicate for doing this," Himes said. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), a top Trump ally, said at the Hill Nation Summit he's "not there yet" on firing Powell but that "the president doesn't rule anything out." Also speaking at the summit, Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro called Powell the "worst Fed chair in history" and criticized the Fed board as overtly political. "The problem with the Fed now is that it's too politicized, because a lot of folks on the board are Democrats who hate Trump," Navarro said. TRADE LATEST… • The Labor Department reported Wednesday that U.S. wholesale inflation cooled last month, despite forecasts from economists that Trump's tariffs would push prices higher. • Trump is planning blanket 10 percent tariffs on smaller countries. • The prime minister and crown prince of Bahrain said the kingdom would announce $17 billion worth of investments in the U.S. on Wednesday. "This is real. These aren't fake deals. These are real deals," Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa said during an Oval Office meeting with Trump. |
💡Perspectives: • Free Press: Progressives against progress. • New York Post: Rise of Mamdani has Wall Street giving up on Gotham. • Sanity Clause: Why Democrats stagnate. • The Hill: Beware the Democrats' dangerous embrace of socialism. • New York: Dems don't need big beautiful calamity to win the midterms. |
Jill Biden aide pleads the Fifth
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Former first lady Jill Biden's chief of staff Anthony Bernal refused to answer questions Wednesday during closed-door testimony about former President Biden's mental acuity and his involvement in key decisions while he was in the White House. Committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said Bernal pleaded the Fifth when GOP lawmakers asked him whether Biden ever instructed him to lie about his health or "if any unelected official or family members executed the duties of the president." "It's no surprise that Anthony Bernal is pleading the Fifth Amendment to shield himself from criminal liability," Comer said in a statement "This is a historic scandal and Americans demand transparency and accountability. We will continue to pursue the truth on their behalf and examine options to get the answers we need." Kevin O'Connor, Biden's former doctor, also pleaded the Fifth under questioning from the same panel last week. The New York Times reported this week that Biden did not personally sign off on individual pardons during his final days in office, with senior staff members instead using the auto-pen. Biden told the newspaper he approved the actions at the end of his term. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has asked the National Archives for emails pertaining to Biden's pardons, the Washington Examiner reports. Fox News reports that the White House is also investigating the Biden administration's use of the auto-pen. Biden's son Hunter Biden gave a new interview this week in which he claimed Democrats lost the November election because they weren't loyal to his father after his debate meltdown against Trump. "We lost the election because we did not remain loyal to the leader of the party. That's my position," Hunter Biden says in an upcoming interview on former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison's new podcast, "At Our Table." "We had the advantage of incumbency. We had advantage of an incredibly successful administration and the Democratic Party literally melted down." ELSEWHERE... New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani was in Washington on Wednesday seeking support from party leaders, amid fears from centrists that the democratic socialist will drag the party down. Some House Democrats praised Mamdani after a private breakfast, led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said in a post on X that Mamdani received an "energetic and welcoming" reception. "Proud of our Democratic nominee for NYC Mayor. Let's win!" Garcia said. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said anyone who is choosing not to endorse Mamdani is "missing an opportunity." Mamdani will meet House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) later this week. Neither leader has endorsed in the crowded mayoral field, which also includes two Democrats running as independents — former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and current New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Cuomo, who lost in the primary election to Mamdani, described himself as a "Democrat, running on an independent line." He said Mamdani is "a socialist on the Democratic line." In an effort to tamp down controversy, Mamdani said he wouldn't use the phrase "globalize the intifada" and would discourage others from using it, according to The New York Times. Jewish Democrats, alarmed by the rise of antisemitism on the left, have been wary of Mamdani and his pro-Palestinian views. MEANWHILE… California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is threatening to redraw his state's maps to make them more favorable for Democrats if Texas moves ahead with plans to make its maps more favorable for the GOP. "Two can play that game," Newsom posted on X. Trump said Tuesday he wants Texas Republicans to pick up five seats through redistricting, a move Democrats called "an act of desperation" to "cling to power." |
Senate poised to pass DOGE cuts in a win for Trump
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The Senate is poised to pass a rescissions package clawing back $9 billion in federal spending on foreign aid and public media, such as PBS and NPR, delivering another legislative victory to President Trump. The Senate voted 51-50 on Tuesday evening to move ahead, with Vice President Vance breaking the tie after GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine) and Mitch McConnell (Ky.) voted against the motion to proceed. Vote-a-rama on the package kicked off Wednesday ahead of Friday's deadline for passage. As with the Trump agenda bill, nothing came easy for GOP leadership. The vote to move ahead with debate required last-minute dealmaking with White House budget adviser Russ Vought. The White House agreed it would not seek to claw back funds pertaining to a global anti-AIDS initiative after protests from some Senate Republicans. And Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) held out until he received assurances funding would continue for some local public access broadcasting. Still, some GOP senators have a bitter taste in their mouths, believing the White House is overstepping its authority in seeking to rescind funding that had been lawfully appropriated by Congress. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said some in caucus believe they didn't receive enough details from the White House about the planned spending clawbacks. "The administration needs to be more specific. I think that's a fair point," Thune said Wednesday. Because the Senate changed the bill, it will have to go back to the House, where the rescissions package passed by a 214-212 vote earlier this year. Speaking at the Hill Nation Summit, Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) vented frustration, saying it shouldn't be difficult to pass $9 billion in rescissions when the U.S. is running deficits that stretch into the trillions. "We are having cardiac arrest over $9 billion," Hern said. "So we have to look now at spending. That's what President Trump is doing, and he's getting fought every step of the way," he added. |
💡Perspectives: • The Liberal Patriot: Working class abundance. • New York Times: Gutting public media hurts everybody. • CNN: Trump's 50-dayy shift on Ukraine is a big deal. • The Hill: Viable or not, Musk's alternative disrupts the two-party system. |
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