President Donald Trump’s relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was thrust back into the spotlight Monday when Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released an image of a creepy message Trump allegedly wrote to Epstein in a book put together for the disgraced financier’s 50th birthday.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the note in July. Trump responded to that report with a denial and a lawsuit.
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Last week, Trump again dismissed calls for the full release of files related to Epstein, calling the effort a “Democrat hoax” despite members of the Republican Party as well as some of Epstein’s victims pushing for transparency.
“They’re trying to get people to talk about something that’s totally irrelevant to the success that we’ve had as a nation since I’ve been president,” Trump said last week in the Oval Office.
See previous updates here, and read the latest below:
Trump Laments 'Sissy Football' In Blast At New NFL Rule
Trump has slammed the NFL's new kickoff rule, calling it “Sissy football.”
The new “dynamic kickoff” has moved touchbacks to the 35-yard line instead of the 30, and places players from both teams closer together. The idea is to encourage returns while reducing injuries.
But the president, who tried to buy the then Baltimore Colts in 1981 and the Buffalo Bills in 2014, is not entertained.
“The NFL has to get rid of that ridiculous looking new Kickoff Rule,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.
“How can they make such a big and sweeping change so easily and quickly. It's at least as dangerous as the 'normal' kickoff, and looks like hell.
“The ball is moving, and the players are not, the exact opposite of what football is all about.”
He added: “‘Sissy’ football is bad for America, and bad for the NFL! Who comes up with these ridiculous ideas?”
King Charles To Deploy Tiara Diplomacy As U.K. Prepares To Host Trump For Second State Visit
Throughout the halls and grounds of Windsor Castle, hundreds of people are working to make sure King Charles puts on the best show possible when he welcomes Trump for his historic second state visit later this week.
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Trump Slams Hochul's Endorsement Of Zohran Mamdani: 'A Rather Shocking Development'
Trump on Monday blasted Gov. Kathy Hochul's (D) endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee in New York City's mayoral race, noting that his team will be keeping an eye on the election.
"This is a rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "How can such a thing happen? Washington will be watching this situation very closely."
The Trump administration has reportedly looked into intervening in the race by offering jobs to independent candidate Eric Adams — the incumbent — and GOP nominee Curtis Silwa if they drop out of the race, to help prop up former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's candidacy against Mamdani, the frontrunner.
Trump Threatens DC With New Federal Crackdown After Mayor Vows To Separate MPD And ICE
Trump on Monday morning posted a slew of lies and threats aimed at D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who said last week that local police would stop making federal immigration arrests once the president's 30-day emergency declaration expired.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that his declaration — which essentially compelled Metropolitan Police to work as ICE agents — led to "virtually NO CRIME" in D.C. and "booming" economic growth for local businesses. While some crime (especially carjackings) dipped amid Trump's takeover, business isn't exactly booming; local business owners across Washington reported plummeting sales and patronage.
Last week Bowser said the MPD's work with ICE would expire along with Trump's emergency declaration, and the president isn't happy.
"To the people and businesses of Washington, D.C., DON’T WORRY, I AM WITH YOU, AND WON’T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN," Trump wrote. "I’ll call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!!"
Trump Says He ‘May’ Or ‘May Not’ Extend TikTok Deadline Again
Trump said he “may” or “may not” extend the deadline for a TikTok sale yet again this week.
Previously, Congress had passed legislation requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, to divest the app or face a ban in the U.S. due to concerns about national security.
Trump has pushed the deadline of that sale multiple times and signaled that he’d be open to doing so once more.
ByteDance’s latest deadline to finalize a sale is this Wednesday.
Trump said Sunday evening that he could postpone that date, and he reiterated his fondness for the app.
“I may I may not. We’re negotiating TikTok right now. We may let it die, or we may, I don't know. It depends, up to China,” Trump said, according to a White House pool report. “I’d like to do it for the kids. They like it.”
He went on to credit the app as one of the platforms that helped him reach young voters.
“I mean, selfishly speaking, I did very well with TikTok, and I got the youth vote. I got numbers that nobody's ever even come close to in the Republican Party, nobody, if you look back to Romney and all these people who got practically no votes, I got a lot,” he said.
Treasury Tells House Oversight Committee It Will Cooperate In Request For More Epstein Records
The Department of the Treasury told the House Oversight Committee it will cooperate with a request it sent last week asking for additional Jeffrey Epstein documents outside the Justice Department's possession.
The response concerns a request the committee made for "suspicious activity reports" that were filed by banks that handled money funneled to Epstein. The Treasury said it plans to "fully cooperate" and "provide all information responsive" to the request after following a "well-established process" for protecting victims and anyone who'd filed a report.
Chuck Schumer Says He's Now Willing To Risk A Government Shutdown
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer weathered backlash from Democrats earlier this year when he voted with Republicans to keep the government open. But he’s now willing to risk a shutdown at the end of the month if Republicans don't accede to Democratic demands.
"Things have changed" since the March vote, Schumer told The Associated Press on Thursday. He said Republicans have since passed Trump’s massive tax breaks and spending cuts legislation, which trimmed Medicaid and other government programs, and Democrats are now unified — unlike in March, when he voted with Republicans and Jeffries voted against legislation to fund the government.
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Poland Says Russian Drone Attack Was 'No Mistake' After Trump Comments
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Friday that this week's drone incursions into his country's airspace were not a mistake by Russia, despite Trump's suggestion that the incident could have been accidental.
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Democrat Calls On Pete Hegseth To Stop Military Funeral Honors For Killed Jan. 6 Rioter
After a single Republican lawmaker torpedoed a bid to stop Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt from receiving full military funeral honors, one Democratic senator — who is also a former Marine combat veteran — is leading a last-ditch attempt to have the Defense Department step in.
"Her conduct was a betrayal of her oath and a discredit to the uniform she wore," the senator wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a letter first shared with HuffPost.
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Trump Says He's 'Very Unhappy' With Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's Conviction
A panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices sentenced former president Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years and three months in prison Thursday after convicting him of attempting a coup to remain in office despite his 2022 electoral defeat.
The U.S. government immediately criticized the ruling and warned it would respond.
Trump said he was "very unhappy" with the conviction. Speaking to reporters as he departed the White House, he said he’d always found Bolsonaro to be "outstanding."
And later, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on his X account that Trump’s government "will respond accordingly to this witch hunt."
Trump Justifies 'Department Of War' Name Change: 'We Will Crush You'
In a speech on Thursday at a 9/11 memorial service, Trump justified his administration's decision to change the Department of Defense's name to the Department of War, with a military-like threat to the U.S.'s perceived enemies.
"If you attack the United States of America, we will hunt you down and we will find you. Go all over the sometimes magnificent earth – we will crush you without mercy and we will triumph without question," he said. "That's why we named the former Department of Defense the Department of War. It will be different."
The Pentagon was originally named the War Department until 1947. The U.S. government renamed it the Department of Defense in 1949, however Trump claimed that "everybody wanted" the name reverted.
"You will fail, and America will win, win, win," the president said. "The enemy will always fail."
Trump Will Posthumously Award Kirk With the Presidential Medal Of Freedom
During Trump's remarks at the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon, he announced he will award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.
Keir Starmer Fires Peter Mandelson As U.S. Ambassador Over Epstein Links
Britain has sacked Peter Mandelson as its ambassador to the United States over his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, its foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Mandelson, a veteran Labour politician who was key to the party’s success under former leader Tony Blair, came under heavy scrutiny over his relationship with Epstein after a birthday book was released including a letter purportedly from Mandelson describing Epstein as "my best pal."
"In light of the additional information in emails written by Peter Mandelson, the prime minister has asked the foreign secretary to withdraw him as ambassador," Britain’s foreign ministry said.
Trump To Attend Yankees Game On 9/11 Anniversary
Trump is set to attend a game between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers on Thursday, a game that will recognize the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Yankees and the White House announced Wednesday.
Trump is already scheduled to commemorate the attacks at the Pentagon while Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, are set to travel to New York for a commemoration ceremony at Ground Zero.
Thursday's matchup between the Yankees and Tigers will include pregame ceremonies that "recognize the victims and heroes of 9/11," according to the New York baseball team.
The president has made an effort to attend several sporting events in his second term, most recently the men's singles final at the U.S. Open — an event where he was repeatedly booed — on Sunday. He also plans to attend the Ryder Cup in Long Island later this month, although those plans are not completely set, per Newsday.
Back in 2020, Trump announced that he'd throw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium only to later cancel the appearance, claiming that he couldn't make the game because he was too focused on “the China virus” (or COVID-19) at the time.
But, according to The New York Times, the president hadn't been invited to do the first pitch on the date he gave.
Trump's Signature Is Under Intense Scrutiny. A Handwriting Analyst Shares What To Look Out For.
President Donald Trump’s signature is getting a lot of attention after the House Oversight Committee obtained an infamous 2003 “birthday book” gifted to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that appears to include a signed note from none other than Trump himself.
While people online debate whether Trump is really the author of the birthday note to Epstein, a handwriting analyst told HuffPost what signs to look out for, in general, when analyzing someone’s handwriting for authenticity.
Read more here.
Trump Reacts To Charlie Kirk Shooting, Calls For Prayers
Trump is calling for prayers for Charlie Kirk, who was just shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University.
"We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump Ally Charlie Kirk Shot At Event In Utah
Right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was shot at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Footage of the incident circulating online appears to show Kirk shot near his upper chest or neck.
A suspect is now reportedly in police custody.
Read more:
Schumer Forces Senate Vote On Releasing Epstein Files
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) forced a vote requiring the Trump Justice Department to make public all its files on American financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The vote will occur on an amendment to the annual defense authorization bill as early as Wednesday.
Schumer's procedural maneuver came as a surprise, since typically only the Senate majority leader can schedule a vote in the upper chamber. The amendment tree to the defense bill was not "filled," however, allowing Schumer to file cloture and force a vote.
"Republicans are going to have to vote on it. We’re going to keep fighting until these files are released," Schumer said afterward.
Trump Asks 'What's With Russia Violating Poland's Airspace With Drones?'
After more than a dozen Russian drones were shot down over Poland on Wednesday, Trump gave a tepid response to what officials said was the first time in NATO history that alliance fighters engaged enemy targets in allied airspace.
"What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!" Trump posted on his social media platform.
Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the Russian drones that posed a direct threat were shot down.
U.S. Ambassador To NATO Affirms U.S. Commitment To Military Alliance Following Poland Airspace Violation
Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, weighed in on what Poland described as an incursion of Russian drones on Wednesday, affirming the U.S.'s commitment to the military alliance.
"We stand by our @NATO Allies in the face of these airspace violations and will defend every inch of NATO territory," Whitaker wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Russia's defense ministry said the country had no plans to pursue targets in Poland.
Meanwhile, a White House official told Reuters Trump is planning to speak to Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Wednesday.