Epstein's Ghost Returns to Haunt Trump

1. THE GHOST OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN: Oh, man… did this explode in a big way that has MAGA fighting, Trump running from reporters, a new politically motivated DOJ investigation and more unanswered questions. Congress is barreling toward a rare bipartisan vote that could force the release of every remaining DOJ-held Epstein file — and Trump’s allies are scrambling to stop it. The pressure campaign, last-minute meetings, and Trump’s public denials show how urgently he wants these documents buried. What’s striking in the newly released emails isn’t just who contacted Epstein, but why: people across politics and media treated him like a “Trump whisperer,” asking him to interpret Trump’s motives and moves during his first term. More in top story.
2. SHUTDOWN SHUT DOWN: The longest government shutdown in American history officially ended Wednesday after Trump signed a bill to keep the lights on until January 30. But the way it ended has a lot of Democrats furious — and for good reason. The bill only got through the Senate because eight members of the Democratic caucus — including Tim Kaine and Dick Durbin — broke with party leadership and joined Republicans to advance it. That pushed the bill to the House, where it passed. More here.

EPSTEIN DOCUMENT DUMP

I went down a very deep rabbit hole — and had to climb back up before getting lost forever. Here’s the clearest chronological rundown of a very chaotic week.

I've created a separate post for a sampling of the emails here.

1. The first drip: Democrats release three Epstein emails

On Wednesday morning, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released three key emails written by Jeffrey Epstein suggesting Trump knew something about the financier’s illegal activities, including sex trafficking — the same crimes for which his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell is now serving prison time. Emails here.

Hours later, Republicans accused Democrats of cherry-picking the most damaging excerpts. So they responded by releasing 20,000 additional documents. Those are here.

All of these files came from a second tranche handed over by Epstein’s estate under subpoena. The first batch was released in September.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi told CNN the estate agreed to release everything on a “rolling basis” and has been cooperative from the start.

Since then, reporters have been digging through the files to see what matters and what’s noise.

2. The House drama: a swearing-in, a petition, and a scramble

Also on Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson finally swore in Adelita Grijalva — who won her seat seven weeks ago. She had promised to be the final signature needed on a discharge petition forcing the House to vote on releasing the DOJ’s Epstein files.

Democrats say Johnson intentionally delayed her swearing-in to block her from signing.

Johnson scheduled the ceremony for 4:00 p.m. Wednesday — the same afternoon the shutdown ended and the document dump went public.

Once a discharge petition reaches 218 signatures, no one can withdraw. Grijalva signed it just after 4 p.m., locking it in.

3. The White House steps in — and it gets strange

CNN reported that in the hours before Grijalva's swearing-in, Trump was frantically trying to convince Republicans who had already signed on to pull their names.

According to CNN, the White House met with Rep. Lauren Boebert in the Situation Room, trying to persuade her to remove her name from the petition. Boebert refused.

The White House later confirmed the meeting happened but wouldn’t say what was discussed, only that it was to address Boebert’s “concerns.” Trump did not attend. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel did.

Trump also tried reaching Rep. Nancy Mace. She says they played “phone tag” but never spoke.

Mace — who has been open about surviving sexual assault — said she made clear she would not remove her name. In a public social media post, she wrote she would “never abandon survivors,” and denied she was pressured.

Trump avoided reporters Wednesday and called the whole thing a “hoax” on social media.

On Friday, when asked what Epstein meant about Trump knowing about “the girls,” Trump said, "I know nothing about that."

4. The House prepares for a vote to release the DOJ files

The bill is expected to pass the House on Tuesday, and some Republicans are expected to defect and join Democrats.

Its chances in the Senate are unclear. And even if it passes, Trump would need to sign it.

Still, Republicans are uneasy. CNN says:

“The fear here seems to be that it 1) creates a very difficult decision for many Republican congress members, and it 2) could apply pressure on the Senate and the administration to follow suit – particularly if it passes by a large margin in the House.”

5. Trump lashes out and tries to redirect the narrative

On Friday, Trump told Bondi to investigate Democrats like Bill Clinton. AP noted:

“Trump… didn’t explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men he mentioned… has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.”

The NYT captured the familiar pattern:

“Mr. Trump’s response to this week’s Epstein revelations was the reprise of a deflective tactic he has often deployed… When the spotlight begins to burn, Mr. Trump deflects, points fingers or changes the conversation… He even tries to pull his adversaries, often one of the Clintons, into the scene with him — then he exits stage right.”

Friday night, Trump said he was withdrawing support for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — who also signed the petition — in an angry rant on Truth Social. No evidence that he tried to pressure Greene to withdraw, but she's been on an anti-Trump tear to everyone's surprise for several weeks now.

WHY THIS MATTERS

This week revealed just how deeply Epstein — a convicted sex offender with ties to some of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people — embedded himself in political, media, and social circles long after his 2008 conviction. And how unbothered those people were by his crimes.

The newly released emails show why Epstein stayed in demand. During Trump’s first term, when the country was led by an unpredictable, ego-driven president, elites across the spectrum — Democrats and Republicans, Trump’s former allies and longtime enemies — were eagerly seeking Epstein’s read on what the new president, once Epstein’s friend, might do or say that could affect their interests. Everyone’s morals be damned.

Epstein wasn’t just a financier; he acted like an advisor, a fixer, even a “Dear Abby" of sorts, as one friend put it. In the emails, he comes off as an all-knowing counselor, offering guidance on everything from investments to career moves to dating.

They also show Epstein and his circle openly questioning Trump’s mental stability — wondering if he was on the verge of a psychotic break during a tense stretch of his first term. Epstein, who insisted he was “fair,” mocked Trump as “dumb” and selfish, yet still defended him when a New York Times story about Trump’s finances felt like a “hit job.”

Taken together, the emails explain why Epstein remained popular, how he kept influence and access long after he should’ve been radioactive, and how many powerful people were willing to overlook his crimes because they found him useful. And while Trump hasn’t been accused of a crime in this scope, Epstein’s own words suggest Trump knew something.

Now there are more questions than answers.

Maybe Trump is innocent. But the way he and his allies tried to stop Congress from forcing transparency — the pressure campaign to block a vote, the Situation Room meeting with Boebert, the frantic phone calls, the push for retaliatory investigations — all point in one direction:

Trump does not want these documents out.

And the fact that he’s trying to kill the release before seeing what’s in it tells you the stakes.

Congress is now barreling toward a vote that could force every remaining Epstein file — including whatever the DOJ still holds — into the public record. That’s unprecedented. It also puts Republicans in a politically brutal position: stand with transparency or shield Trump from whatever Epstein wrote about him.

It’s rare in Washington for both parties to align on anything involving Trump. But pressure from survivors, the public, and their own members is pushing Republicans into unfamiliar territory — and exposing how fragile Trump’s grip on Congress, and maybe on his entire party, has become.

If the House passes this with a large, bipartisan margin, it could push the Senate and even the administration to follow. And that could blow open one of the darkest, most opaque scandals in recent American history.

THE EXECUTIVE

This week, President Trump:

• Met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House — the first such visit from a Syrian leader. Al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda member who overthrew Bashar al-Assad, was filmed playing basketball with military officials and chatting with Trump about cologne. Experts are split on the optics and implications of hosting him. (The Conversation)
• Issued a sweeping pardon for “any American citizen who worked to expose voting fraud and vulnerabilities in the 2020 election” — even though no evidence of widespread fraud has ever existed. The order shields Trump allies like Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and Mark Meadows from potential federal charges. The pardons do not apply to state prosecutions, which are still pending in Georgia for Trump and Giuliani. Powell already pleaded guilty to six conspiracy counts and received six years’ probation. (White House Pardon Attorney on X)
• Rolled back tariffs on beef, coffee, tea, fruit and other commodities — less than a week after Republicans were wiped out by Democrats running on “affordability.” The White House claims the tariffs “served their purpose.” Tell that to consumers. With the tariffs, coffee is up nearly 19% and beef is up 155%, according to CNN. (AP | WP)
• Promised every American “at least” $2,000 from supposed tariff revenue — a claim experts say collapses under the math. AP reports one analyst saying the “numbers just don’t check out,” and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared blindsided when pressed about Trump’s pledge on live TV.(AP)
• Killed a Biden-era rule requiring airlines to compensate passengers for significant delays caused by the airline, arguing it would impose “significant costs” on them. Democrats called the rule “common sense,” noting the EU, Canada, Brazil, and Britain already guarantee compensation — while no major U.S. airline does. (CNBC)
• Pushed a proposal for 50-year mortgages to make home buying “more affordable.” But experts say buyers would spend years paying down principal before building equity — and Treasury officials warn it does nothing to fix low inventory or high interest rates. (AP | The Hill)
• Asked the Supreme Court to overturn the May 2023 civil verdict finding him liable for raping E. Jean Carroll — a ruling that also underpins the separate $83.3 million defamation judgment she won. If Trump manages to void the earlier case, it could blow up the second. (Politico)
• Hired Paul Ingrassia — who once described himself as having a “Nazi streak” in leaked group chats — as deputy general counsel at the GSA. Trump had previously tried to install him as head of the Office of Special Counsel but withdrew after the texts became public. (Politico)
• Scolded air traffic controllers in an unhinged post on Truth Social who missed work during the shutdown: “I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU,” while promising “GREAT PATRIOTS” who showed up a $10,000 bonus — similar to bonuses DHS Secretary Noem gave TSA workers. (MSNBC)
  • Although the shutdown ended, flight delays continue. Air traffic controllers — who worked without pay — have been calling out, leaving airports short-staffed. The Transportation Department says some restrictions will remain until staffing stabilizes. (New York Times)
• Said he’ll sue the BBC for allegedly editing his January 6th speech to make it look like he was inciting violence. The BBC apologized and two executives resigned, but the network says Trump’s claims don’t meet the threshold for defamation — even as he demands up to $5 billion in damages. Trump has already sued a long list of U.S. media outlets and secured several settlements worth millions. (Reuters)

MORE FROM THE EXECUTIVE

• After accusing Biden’s staff of using an autopen to “hide” the president’s cognitive decline, the DOJ posted several pardons signed by Trump that appeared to have identical signatures — suggesting an autopen was used. DOJ blamed a technical error and staffing shortages “caused by the Democrat shutdown.” (AP)
• The State Department is now telling consular officials they can deny visas to foreigners with chronic medical issues, including obesity, because of potential future health costs. Sec. Marco Rubio’s guidance is a strict interpretation of the “public charge” rule, which bars immigrants deemed likely to rely on public assistance. (Politico)
• The administration is accusing Rep. Eric Swalwell of mortgage fraud and referring him to DOJ — just like they've done with NY AG Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff, and Federal Reserve Chair Lisa Cook. All deny the allegations. (NBC News)
  • Roughly a dozen Fannie Mae employees investigating whether Trump Administration officials improperly accessed mortgage files for James and others were fired after their concerns climbed the chain of command up to Bill Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency — who referred those Democrats for investigation. Pulte claims he only relied on public records. (WSJ)
• FBI Director Kash Patel is facing blowback for prematurely announcing he “foiled” a terrorist attack in Michigan before anyone was charged. His statement alerted associates of the suspects, who attempted to flee. Five were arrested; only two were charged. Defense lawyers claim there was no plot at all. (WSJ)
• Vice President JD Vance says he’s considering a presidential run in 2028.(Axios)

• The Defense Department announced its 20th strike this week on alleged drug-smuggling vessels off Venezuela, bringing the death toll to 80. The operation will now be officially known as Operation Southern Spear. Last week, Senate Republicans rejected a bill that would have limited Trump’s authority to carry out these strikes.
  • Asked about the possibility of striking inside Venezuela, Trump told reporters he has “sort of made up” his mind but wouldn’t elaborate. Any land strike would break his repeated promises to avoid new conflicts and betray assurances to Congress that no such preparations were underway. It would also complicate U.S. relations with Latin American partners and fuel suspicions — in Washington and abroad — that Trump’s real goal is removing President Nicolás Maduro, whom he accuses of sending criminals and drugs into the U.S. (WP)
  • A classified DOJ brief given to lawmakers makes contradictory claims about why these boats are being targeted. One argument alleges the vessels could be carrying fentanyl that might be weaponized — even though Venezuela is a cocaine trafficking corridor, not a fentanyl one. Elsewhere, the memo claims cartel revenue is funding malicious anti-U.S. activity.

“In the brief, the DOJ claims that the drug smugglers are enemy combatants, while also arguing that the U.S. isn’t engaged in hostilities with them, precluding the need to seek congressional approval for continued military operations, said lawmakers who read the document.” (🎁 WSJ gift link)

• “This is a memo where the decision was made, and someone was told to come up with a justification for the decision,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). “It is a lot of legal mumbo jumbo.”

I will let CNN’s lede explain this one: “The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal, sources familiar with the matter told CNN.” Columbia’s President Gustavo Petro announced the same.

THE COURTS

• The Supreme Court:
  • Rejected an appeal to overturn the Court’s 2015 ruling legalizing gay marriage — to widespread relief. (New York Times)
  • Agreed to hear a major voting case on whether mail-in ballots count if they’re mailed by Election Day and arrive within Mississippi’s five-day grace period. An appeals court said this violates federal law establishing a uniform Election Day. More than 30 states have similar ballot-counting windows.(Mississippi Public Broadcasting)
• A Utah judge threw out the GOP-drawn congressional map, saying it “unduly favors Republicans.” The court ordered the state to use a Democratic map that would flip one seat blue. Republicans will appeal. (CNN)
• DOJ is suing California after voters approved Prop 50 — a Democratic gerrymander designed to carve out more blue seats. Gov. Gavin Newsom says it’s needed to counter Republican gerrymandering nationwide. (AP)

CONGRESS

• Rep. Rashida Tlaib introduced a resolution recognizing the Gaza genocide and calling for an arms embargo on Israel, saying U.S. weapons enable mass atrocities.
• Jack Schlossberg — grandson of John F. Kennedy, son of Caroline Kennedy, and cousin to HHS Secretary RFK Jr. — is running for an open House seat in New York. He’s known for an eccentric social media presence often aimed at Trump (and sometimes his cousin).

• 🇵🇸 In Gaza and the occupied West Bank:
  • The Biden Administration had intelligence confirming that Israel was using Palestinians as "human shields," Reuters reports. Nine sources also tell Reuters that they had additional intelligence showing Israel knew there was evidence that could support war crime charges against them.

"The decision to stay the course exasperated some of those involved who believed that the Biden administration should have been more forceful in calling out Israel’s alleged abuses and the U.S. role in enabling them, said former U.S. officials.President Trump and his officials were briefed by Biden’s team on the intelligence but showed little interest in the subject after they took over in January and began siding more powerfully with the Israelis, said the former U.S. officials." - Reuters

• Heavy rains have swamped makeshift camps, leaving displaced families wading through sewage-filled water and facing renewed risk of disease.
• Survivors of Israeli detention describe beatings, sensory deprivation, and humiliation inside Israeli detention sites; rights groups say the abuse is systematic. A must read from Diana Buttu on the horrific condition of the bodies that she "cannot unsee" is here.
• South Africa is probing how a plane with 150 Palestinians from Gaza landed without clear documentation, raising alarms over undisclosed evacuation schemes. (NBC News)
• A senior UN official says Israel is still breaking international law and the ceasefire by restricting life-saving aid, worsening an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
• Amnesty International urges Israel to halt a bill that would mandate the death penalty – effectively targeting Palestinians – calling it discriminatory and a violation of international law.
• UNICEF says Israel is blocking 1.6 million needles to vaccinate 40,000 children and 1 million bottles of baby formula claiming they are "dual use." (Is Hamas going to drink baby formula??) The supplies have been stuck since August.

• 🇸🇩 Sudan’s army captured new areas as RSF forces continued burning bodies — deepening the humanitarian crisis far from international attention.
• 🇮🇳 Nine people were killed Saturday in a car explosion in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Investigators say it does not appear to be a terrorist attack. This comes just days after ten people were killed in Delhi in another car explosion that authorities did classify as terrorism.
• 🇵🇰 Also this week, a suicide bombing in Islamabad killed 12 people — further raising tensions with India, a country Pakistan has had a fraught, adversarial relationship with for decades.