Wednesday, September 3 | By Kristina Karisch & Elizabeth Crisp |
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| ▪ GOP leaders seek to squash rebellion over Epstein ▪ Appeals court blocks Alien Enemies Act deportations ▪ Trump calls online health rumors 'crazy' ▪ Democrats jockey for primary lineup |
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Epstein saga engulfs Congress |
Congress returned to work this week consumed with the case over convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, an issue that has divided President Trump's base and stoked backlash against his administration. House GOP leaders are hoping to tamp down a rebellion in their ranks over Epstein. The tug-and-pull over GOP members' demands for more documents and testimony comes as lawmakers juggle the appropriations process and face an end-of-month deadline to fund the government. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a frequent Trump critic, on Tuesday filed a discharge petition to release all government files pertaining to Epstein, kicking off a new confrontation with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who cosponsored the bill, will hold a press conference with 10 Epstein victims this morning at the Capitol. GOP leaders, including Johnson, met with a group of Epstein victims privately on Tuesday, led by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. "It's for us to hear from them, to express our deep sympathy for what they've been made to endure and ensure that we have been and always will be for maximum transparency, for justice to be brought for all those engaged in these evils and to ensure that happens as quickly as possible," Johnson said. Tuesday evening, the Oversight panel released the first batch of Epstein-related files it received from the Justice Department last month as the result of a subpoena. The Hill's Emily Brooks reports many of the materials, such as video from outside Epstein's jail cell and court filings, had already been made public. Democrats said the vast majority of the material had been previously released. Johnson told reporters: "This is the beginning and not the end." ▪ The Hill: Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) left Tuesday's meeting with Epstein survivors early and was visibly upset. ▪ NBC News: Epstein's accusers urge Trump to release all the case files and rule out a Ghislaine Maxwell pardon. The Epstein case has long interested Trump's most loyal followers. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump and his allies promised transparency in the case, while Attorney General Pam Bondi later vowed to release new details pertaining to the disgraced financier. Ultimately, the DOJ said in July there was no "client list" that could implicate other high-profile Epstein associates and the FBI reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell in 2019. That set off a frenzy within MAGA circles for new information, driving a wedge in Trump's core base. Democrats have seized on the GOP division, stoking the issue as they struggle for power and influence in a Washington where they control no branches of government. Massie teamed up with Khanna to override House leadership and bring an Epstein bill to the floor for a vote that would require the DOJ to release all its documents in a searchable database. The discharge petition will need six Republicans to pass if all Democrats vote in favor. Massie and Khanna said Tuesday that they have the votes. Johnson, in an effort to avoid the discharge petition, on Tuesday added a vote to the docket for later this week to direct the Oversight Committee to "continue its ongoing investigation" into Epstein. The last-minute vote is designed to provide rank-and-file Republicans with a formal outlet to register their support for congressional investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, his former girlfriend who is in prison for crimes related to the sexual abuse of minors. Massie called the move a "meaningless vote to provide political cover for those members who don't support our bipartisan legislation to force the release of the Epstein files." SHUTDOWN WATCH: House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said Tuesday he's pushing for a stopgap bill that punts this month's threat of a government shutdown into November to buy time for funding talks. One obstacle: Trump's move to claw back funding through a pocket rescission is splitting Republicans, with several pushing back on the idea. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Johnson now must decide how to play their cards and whether to sit down with Democratic leaders to negotiate a bipartisan agreement, or to simply move forward with a stopgap in the House and dare Democrats to vote it down. "Anything that gives our Democrat colleagues a reason not to do the bipartisan appropriations process is not a good thing. If they can use that as an excuse, that causes us a problem," Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) warned. "I do not think this is a good idea and I think it's going to give our Democratic colleagues a reason not to work with us on an appropriations process." |
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Smart Take
with Blake Burman |
| After a violent holiday weekend in Chicago, President Trump on Tuesday kept the pressure on that city when it comes to crime. He once again threatened to send the National Guard into the Windy City, and suggested Baltimore could follow. The statements came as Congress returned for a busy fall session. Trump has been publicly touting a crime bill. Marc Short, former White House director of legislative affairs, told me he doesn't think a crime bill will happen this year. "There's no chance," Short told me. "It's a good issue for the president to keep bringing up, like, if Democrats keep getting back in a corner and saying, 'Hey, really, crime isn't that big a deal in Chicago, it's not that big a deal in Los Angeles,' this is a great political issue for the president." Republicans have a razor-thin margin in the House, but getting 60 votes in the Senate would prove to be trickier. Still, the president has talked up a "comprehensive" crime bill, and he is likely to continue to pursue that path. |
Burman hosts "The Hill" weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation. |
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- Trump cannot use the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century wartime law, to quickly deport a group of Venezuelans, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
- A U.S. military "kinetic" strike took out 11 "terrorists" on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in the Caribbean, the president said.
- Trump is facing a catch-22 in the face of growing fissures at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and mounting departures of scientists and experts over vaccine policy.
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© The Associated Press | Mark Schiefelbein |
TRUMP'S HEALTH: The president on Tuesday responded to rampant online speculation about his health after he went several days without a public appearance, calling the social media rumors "sort of crazy." "I have heard, it's sort of crazy, but last week I did numerous news conferences. … Then I didn't do any for two days and they said, 'There must be something wrong with him,'" he said. Trump was asked about online speculation that he was in ill health or had even died, which he called "fake news." The president said he remained "very active" over the weekend. "That's pretty serious stuff," Trump said when asked if his health was ailing. Comments from Vice President Vance added to the online flurry over the weekend after he told USA Today he was ready to assume the role of commander in chief if needed. "If, God forbid, there's a terrible tragedy, I can't think of better on-the-job training than what I've gotten over the last 200 days," Vance said in the interview, while praising Trump's health. Trump is barred by the Constitution from seeking a third term, but he has held off formally naming Vance as his heir apparent for the 2028 election. 'GOING IN': The president appears to be readying to send federal forces into Chicago and other Democrat-led cities as he ramps up his crime and illegal immigration crackdown. "We're going in.… I didn't say when," Trump told reporters Tuesday. "I have an obligation. … This isn't a political thing." Trump declared a public safety emergency last month that has allowed him to temporarily take over crime-fighting tactics in the District of Columbia, but he has indicated to local leaders that their cities are next. Illinois Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton (D), who is running for an open U.S. Senate seat, alleged that the president is trying to "manufacture a crisis" to justify his Chicago takedown in his anti-Democrat push. ▪ The Hill: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) suggested the Texas National Guard was preparing for Chicago deployment. ▪ Washington Post: D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) issued an executive order to provide indefinite coordination with federal law enforcement. ALL SYSTEMS GO?: Trump on Tuesday declared that the U.S. Space Command will move its headquarters from Colorado to Alabama — the latest in a nearly five-year fight over where the space defense agency HQ would be permanently located after it was reestablished in his first term. Trump said Tuesday that Huntsville, Ala., will replace Colorado Springs, Colo., as the Space Command site during a wide-ranging press conference at the White House. "This will result in more than 30,000 Alabama jobs — and probably much more than that — and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment, and that's billions because it can't be millions, that's billions and billions of dollars," Trump said. "Most importantly, this decision will help America defend and dominate the high frontier, as they call it." The Colorado congressional delegation issued a bipartisan statement quickly condemning Trump's call. "Being prepared for any threats should be the nation's top priority; a crucial part of that is keeping in place what is already fully operational. Moving Space Command would not result in any additional operational capabilities than what we have up and running in Colorado Springs now," they wrote. "Colorado Springs is the appropriate home for U.S. Space Command, and we will take the necessary action to keep it there." GETTING ATTENTION: ▪ The Hill: More than 1,000 current and former Department of Health and Human Services employees are demanding Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resign, following his ousting of the CDC director and other actions they say are "compromising the health of the nation." ▪ The New York Times: Google must hand over its search results and some data to its competitors but does not need to sell its Chrome browser, a federal judge ruled in a government antitrust case. |
- The president today will meet with his counterpart from Poland, Karol Nawrocki, at the White House.
- Vice President Vance and second lady Usha Vance will meet with the families of those affected by the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting in Minneapolis, Minn.
- The House will meet at 10 a.m.
- The Senate will convene at 10 a.m.
- Morning Report's Alexis Simendinger will return on Thursday.
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© The Associated Press | Serkan Gurbuz |
PRIMARY ORDER: Several states are jockeying for prime spots in the Democratic presidential primary calendar as the party looks toward 2028. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) outlined its first steps toward considering which states should kick off the early state nominating contest during their summer meeting last month, with more meetings set for this fall and into early next year. A reshuffling spurred on by former President Biden gave South Carolina the first-in-the-nation primary in 2024, write The Hill's Julia Mueller and Caroline Vakil, but top DNC leaders say all options are on the table for the 2028 schedule. As the process gets going, states are making the case for prime slots. Iowa and New Hampshire are looking to reclaim their positions on the early nominating calendar, and they could be poised to deliver major headaches for the national party. "There's a real appetite to go rogue," one Iowa Democratic activist told The Hill. ▪ The Washington Post: Inside the Democrats' plan to recapture the House. ▪ Politico: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is rolling out a barrage of new ads to sell voters on his redistricting measure, casting Trump as the face of the issue, which Golden State residents will vote on in November. ▪ The Hill: Missouri's special legislative session kicks off today. Here are five things to know. ▪ The Hill: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) said he plans to call a special session for the state Legislature to consider tougher gun laws after a shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school last week left two children dead and nearly two dozen people injured. RETIREMENTS AND CANDIDATES: Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst (R) announced Tuesday she will not seek reelection in next year's midterm elections, foregoing a third term. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), a reporter-turned-lawmaker who's served in Congress since 2021, is likely best positioned to replace her. National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.) praised Ernst in a statement following her retirement announcement. "Joni Ernst has dedicated her life to serving our nation and improving the lives of Iowans. Traveling across the Hawkeye State with Joni, I know she loves Iowa, and Iowa loves her," Scott said. Meanwhile, Eric Trump, the president's son, said he wouldn't rule out a White House bid after speaking at the Bitcoin Asia conference in Hong Kong. "I'm not saying no, but I'm also not saying yes," he told Nikkei Asia. His comments come a month after his wife, Lara Trump, said she would bypass a Senate bid in North Carolina. |
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© The Associated Press | Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik |
TWISTING THE SCREW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday the Trump administration is listening to the Kremlin's justifications for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and claimed Moscow and Washington have come to a "mutual understanding" about the conflict. Russia faces possible punishment by Trump, who has expressed frustration at Putin's lack of engagement in U.S.-led peace efforts and threatened unspecified "severe consequences." "I hope, moving in this direction, opening the way to peace in Ukraine," Putin said. At the same time, the Russian leader reiterated his view that "this crisis wasn't triggered by Russia's attack on Ukraine, but was a result of a coup in Ukraine, which was supported and provoked by the West." Putin claimed Tuesday that Moscow has never been against Ukraine joining the European Union but reiterated that the country's potential ascension into NATO is "unacceptable." Trump on Tuesday reacted on Truth Social as China's Xi Jinping appeared alongside Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at his military parade in Beijing. "May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America," Trump posted. ▪ ABC News: Russia's long-range strike campaign on Ukraine eased in August, though Moscow continued to launch deadly attacks on Kyiv. ▪ Time magazine: NATO says it's working to counter Russian GPS jamming after interference with the European Commission leader's plane. ▪ The Atlantic: Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are holding the West together. DEEPENING RIFT: Tensions between the Israeli military and government have sharply escalated over the past week, CNN reports, with Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Eyal Zamir directly confronting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over plans to expand the Gaza war. Israel has called up thousands of reservists for the expanded Gaza operation, despite Zamir's reservations about the decision to take over Gaza City after almost two years of war. Zamir has urged government ministers to consider the latest ceasefire proposal put forward by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. The plan has been accepted by Hamas, but Netanyahu has chosen not to raise it. ▪ The Guardian: At least nine Palestinians, including five children, were killed in an Israeli strike while fetching water in Gaza. ▪ BBC: A strong aftershock hit Afghanistan after a Sunday earthquake killed more than 1,400. |
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© The Associated Press | Haraz N. Ghanbari |
And finally… 📜 It's been 242 years since the Founding Fathers signed the Treaty of Paris, officially bringing the Revolutionary War to its end. The British had stopped fighting the colonies about two years earlier and the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, but the formal agreement that British King George III's representatives signed with the United States's Benjamin Franklin, John Jay and John Adams on this date in 1783 made it official: America was a new country and had internationally recognized borders. The Treaty of Paris is now part of the collection at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. |
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