What to know today
- MAXWELL MEETING: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell as the Justice Department seeks the release of grand jury transcripts from the case against the late financier and convicted sex offender. Blanche will meet with Maxwell again tomorrow, according to a post on X.
- TRUMP VISITS THE FED: Trump visited the headquarters of the Federal Reserve this afternoon, the White House said. Trump has tried to pressure Chair Jerome Powell to lower interest rates, and Trump and top administration officials have criticized him over the cost of renovations to the building.
- GAZA NEGOTIATING TEAM RETURNING: The United States is concluding Gaza ceasefire discussions and the negotiating team is coming back from Qatar.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to hold second meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell tomorrow
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said this evening he plans to continue his conversation with Epstein's longtime accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell tomorrow. The two spoke for several hours today as the administration seeks to probe Maxwell for additional information about Epstein's case.
“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," Blanche wrote on X.
David Oscar Markus, Maxwell's attorney and a friend of Blanche, said Maxwell had a "productive day" with Blanche and "answered every single question" asked of her, declining to invoke privilege at any time.
Markus also said he's "looking forward to another productive day tomorrow."
"Ghislaine honestly answered every question that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche asked. And she will continue to do so. We are grateful that the government is trying to uncover the truth. They have never before spoken with her and we trust the process," Markus said about tomorrow's meeting.
Attorney General Pam Bondi chose Blanche to speak with Maxwell in an attempt to "pursue justice" after a decision by the Justice Department to no longer release information from the federal investigation into Epstein roiled Trump's base.
"President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence. If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say," Bondi said this week on X.
Epstein was asked in 2010 deposition about whether he spent time with Trump in the presence of young girls
Epstein was asked whether he knows Trump and whether he had ever socialized with him “in the presence of females under the age of 18,” according to a clip of a March 2010 deposition with Epstein circulating online that was posted by the progressive news outlet MeidasTouch.
Jack Scarola, a victim attorney in Epstein's case, confirmed to NBC News that he is the person asking the questions in the deposition.
In his response, Epstein invokes his rights, saying, "Though I’d like to answer that question, at least today I’m going to have to assert my Fifth, Sixth and 14th Amendment rights, sir."
According to a copy of the full transcript, the question was part of a series of queries about Epstein's relationships with well-known figures, including magician David Copperfield, former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, business executive Tommy Mottola and attorney Alan Dershowitz.
The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to pause block on termination of NIH grants
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court today to pause a lower court’s order that had ruled that terminating National Institutes of Health grants violated federal law because they were terminated over a perceived connection to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
“The Administration has determined that the terminated projects, covering topics from intersectionality to puberty in transgender teens, do not meaningfully advance public health," Solicitor General John D. Sauer wrote in the application for a stay. “That is a policy determination for the Executive Branch, not the Judicial Branch. Moreover, federal science funding is inherently finite. A stay would not end scientific research in America; it would allow the NIH to reallocate funds to projects that better align with current priorities and that, in the Administration’s view, actually advance public health. Courts are ill-equipped to second-guess the NIH’s judgment about which scientific research best serves the American people.”
Sauer said there was a “high likelihood” hundreds of millions of dollars would be “drained” from the Treasury without a stay.
U.S. District Judge William Young ruled in June that the NIH violated federal law by canceling more than $1 billion in research grants because of their perceived connection to DEI.
The NIH, the world’s leading funder of biomedical and behavioral research, has terminated more than 2,100 research grants totaling about $9.5 billion and an additional $2.6 billion in contracts since Trump returned to office in January, according to a letter that dozens of NIH employees signed in June protesting the cuts.
The funding cuts are part of Trump’s wide-ranging actions to reshape the government, slash federal spending and end government support for DEI programs and transgender health care. Another federal judge has temporarily blocked the administration’s plans to cut 10,000 jobs at NIH and other health agencies.
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court for an administrative stay while a longer term stay is considered.
Trump praises Gabbard for Obama accusations while deflecting on special counsel
Trump praised his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, today for accusing former President Barack Obama of "treasonous conspiracy" and releasing documents he framed as backing her claim.
Gabbard levied accusations against Obama this week after she declassified a 2016 report by congressional Republicans that claimed U.S. intelligence agencies, pushed by Obama, falsely asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin aspired to help Trump win the 2016 election. Trump suggested today that Gabbard's move earned his respect.
"I have great respect for Tulsi and the documents they found on President Obama," Trump said, calling the report "a very serious thing." "Frankly, it was an Obama thing, but it was the people that worked under him also working with him."
Trump made the remark after he was asked directly whether he would support a special counsel investigation into the documents Gabbard released. Trump did not answer the question, but the White House said it did not support a request by Republican senators for a special counsel investigation.
“While we appreciate the shared goal of transparency and accountability, the president is confident in the Department of Justice to handle the investigation,” a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Trump administration sues NYC over sanctuary city policies
The Trump administration filed a complaint in the Eastern District of New York against New York City, the City Council, the police department and several other departments and officials over the city’s “sanctuary city” laws.
The administration alleged that the “sanctuary city” policies “impede the Federal Government’s ability to enforce the federal immigration laws” and “violate the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.”
“New York City has long been at the vanguard of interfering with enforcing this country’s immigration laws. Its history as a sanctuary city dates back to 1989, and its efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement have only intensified since,” the administration added.
The Trump Justice Department said the policies have the “purpose” and “effect” of making it more difficult for federal immigration officers to carry out their responsibilities. The administration said the laws “intentionally obstruct the sharing of information envisioned and affirmatively protected by Congress, including sharing basic information such as release dates, court appearance dates, and custodial status,” according to the complaint.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said: “New York City has released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies. If New York City won’t stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will.”
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate: “For too long, New York City has been at the vanguard of interfering with enforcing our immigration laws. Its efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement end now.”
The administration asked the court to declare that the laws violate the Supremacy Clause and are therefore invalid, according to the complaint. The administration also asked the court to permanently prohibit the city departments and officials from enforcing the sanctuary city policies.
The Trump Justice Department the state of New York this year over its “Green Light Law,” which allows the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants and restricts the sharing of related data with federal immigration authorities. The law also requires state officials to notify license holders when their information is requested.
Filed in federal court in Albany, the lawsuit names Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder as defendants. The Justice Department is seeking to have the law declared unlawful and unenforceable.
Trump repeatedly pushes lowering interest rates
Trump toured the Federal Reserve construction project in Washington today and repeatedly pressed for interest rates to be lowered.
Asked what would cause him to back off his criticism of Powell, Trump told reporters: "Well, I'd love him to lower interest rates."
He also said he briefed Powell on a trade agreement his administration made with Japan.
Trump made a similar remark calling for interest rates to be dropped after he parted with Powell and took additional reporters' questions, joined by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.
"Very importantly, we have to get interest rates lowered in our country," Trump said. "Our country is the hottest in the world right now, but the one section — people are pretty much unable to buy housing, because the interest rates are too high."
Trump: I 'don't think it's necessary' to replace Powell
During a tour of the Federal Reserve building, Trump was asked about whether he will fire Powell.
"I just don't think it's necessary, and I believe that he's going to do the right thing," Trump said.
He was also asked whether he has considered replacements for Powell, whose term ends next year. Trump answered that he has two or three people in mind but didn't share names.
Trump and Powell dispute renovation costs during tour of Federal Reserve
Trump and Powell briefly bickered over the rising cost of renovations to the central bank's headquarters, a notable point of tension during Trump's tour of the construction.
The cost of the renovation is estimated to be $2.5 billion, but Trump pegged it at $3.1 billion, drawing a rebuke from Powell.
"I'm not aware of that, Mr. President," Powell replied. "I haven't heard that from anybody."
Trump told Powell the updated figure "just came out," handing him a document that he purported depicted the heightened cost. Powell in response noted that Trump's estimate included the cost of an earlier, and already completed, renovation, undercutting the accuracy of Trump's remark.
"It was built five years ago. We finished [the Martin building] five years ago," Powell said, with Trump shooting back, "It's part of the overall work."
Powell told Trump that while he does not expect additional cost to the renovation effort, he's "ready for them" as he continues to oversee the construction, which is set to end in 2027.
Maxwell attorney says 'productive' Blanche interview is finished
Ghislaine Maxwell’s attorney David Oscar Markus told reporters outside the federal courthouse in Tallahassee that Blanche's interview with his client had concluded and that it was "productive."
“We had a very productive day today with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Ghislaine Maxwell. First, we want to thank the deputy attorney general for being so professional with all of us and meeting with all of us," Markus said.
"He took a full day and asked a lot of questions. And Ms. Maxwell answered every single question,” Markus said.
He refused to say what was said during the interview, but he said his client "never invoked a privilege, never declined to answer. She answered all of the questions truthfully, honestly and to the best of her ability. And that’s all the comment we’re going to have today about the meeting. We don’t want to comment about the substance of the meeting for obvious reasons.”
Asked whether there would be further questioning, Markus said, “We’re not going to comment on that now.”
Trump to sign order aimed at removing homeless populations in cities
Trump is expected to sign an executive order later today to "End Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets," according to a White House official.
The executive order aims to "restore order to American cities and remove vagrant individuals from our streets, redirecting federal resources toward programs that tackle substance abuse and returning to the acute necessity of civil commitment."
The order will involve directions for the attorney general, the health secretary, the housing and urban development secretary and the transportation secretary to work together on grants for states and local municipalities. Among its directives, the order is expected to direct the attorney general to reverse judicial precedent and lift consent decrees to allow states to move homeless people into treatment facilities and "long-term institutional settings for humane treatment."
Clinton spokesperson calls Gabbard's claims 'ridiculous'
Hillary Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill had a one-word response to National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard’s claims about the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee and her health: “Ridiculous.”
At a White House news briefing yesterday, Gabbard made unverified allegations against former President Barack Obama and members of his administration, among them that Clinton had "psycho emotional problems" during her 2016 campaign and that she was prescribed "heavy tranquilizers."
Sens. Mullin and Gallego spar over Epstein files and 'political theater'
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., reintroduced a resolution this afternoon calling on the Justice Department to release its files related to the Epstein probe.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., also on the Senate floor, objected to Gallego’s resolution and introduced his own nonbinding measure calling for unsealing all grand jury materials in the investigation of Epstein — which Gallego then objected to.
Gallego accused House Republicans of “fleeing” Washington to punt on accountability on Epstein, while Mullin called Democrats’ outrage “political theater” designed to target Trump.
"What we’re simply wanting to do here is give [the DOJ and the White House] cover," Mullin said, accusing Democrats of using the Epstein files to "go after" the president.
"So if my colleague from Arizona actually wants transparency, then he would drop his objection to my resolution," Mullin added.
The two went back and forth for 15 minutes about the issue.
White House opposes GOP senators' request for a special counsel to investigate the Obama administration over Russia probe
The White House does not support the request by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., for a special counsel to investigate what they call the “Russia collusion hoax,” according to a source familiar with the matter.
“While we appreciate the shared goal of transparency and accountability, the president is confident in the Department of Justice to handle the investigation,” the source told NBC News.
The Justice Department announced last night that it was forming a "Strike Force" to "assess the evidence publicized by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and investigate potential next legal steps which might stem from DNI Gabbard’s disclosures." Gabbard's claims that former President Barack Obama and his administration manufactured the intelligence community's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election are baseless.
A special counsel appointed during Trump's first term already investigated the origins of the Russia probe.
Sens. Cornyn and Booker argue over amendments related to Epstein files
The issue of Epstein re-emerged in the Senate Judiciary Committee this afternoon when Republicans blocked an amendment introduced by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., that would force the release of files, flight logs, correspondence and evidence pertaining to Epstein before the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act went into effect.
The amendment sparked an extended back-and-forth between Booker and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who introduced another amendment to kill Booker’s amendment. The whole episode ended exactly where they started after both Booker and Cornyn withdrew their amendments and the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement bill was approved, unamended, to proceed to the full Senate.
The issue was resolved after Cornyn questioned whether Booker cared about the victims of opioid deaths. Booker responded: “I did not interrupt him, and now he’s interrupting me. Please. It is another violation of the decorum of this place.”
The committee voted on Cornyn’s amendment, which passed along party lines, 12-10, with all Democrats saying a version of “No on this effort to conceal the Epstein files” while as they voted against it. That vote was moot, though, as both amendments were subsequently withdrawn.
“What Sen. Cornyn did today was to block the truth about what’s happening with the Department of Justice and the Epstein file,” Booker said. “It is that on its plain truth, no matter how much he wants to try to dodge that truth.”
Cornyn responded: “The debate that he and I are having over the Epstein files I doubt will be resolved today based on any amendments either he or I offer. So that’s the reason for my amendment, because I want to save lives from the opioid crisis, and I believe his amendment is a distraction from that."
The debate is another example of how Democrats are trying to put Republicans in a tough spot surrounding the Epstein files.
Democratic attorneys general and governors sue Trump administration over attempt to gut AmeriCorps program
Twenty-three Democratic attorneys general and two Democratic governors sued the Trump administration today over the White House budget office's move to gut the AmeriCorps program, which provides service and volunteer opportunities.
The 86-page suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, accuses the Office of Management and Budget and AmeriCorps of trying to "withhold or improperly condition tens of millions of dollars in funding for national service programs across the country."
The lawsuit alleges, according to the office of the lead plaintiff, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, that OMB has withheld more than $38 million from specific AmeriCorps programs within the states the plaintiffs represent. Brown's office says that, for example, OMB has withheld tens of millions of dollars from "programs that pair low-income seniors with children in need of mentorship and support or with other seniors in need of companionship and care." It also said it is withholding about $5 million from state commissions that are "needed to provide training and technical assistance to service members across the country."
"The coalition establishes that the Trump administration has acted unlawfully in its withholding of AmeriCorps funds, violating both the Administrative Procedures Act and the separation of powers under the U.S. Constitution," Brown's office said. "Congress created AmeriCorps and appropriated funding to support public service, and neither OMB nor AmeriCorps hold authority to defy Congress by refusing to distribute funds to worthy service programs."
The other states whose attorneys general joined the lawsuit are California, Colorado, Delaware, Arizona, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. Democratic Govs. Josh Shapiro, of Pennsylvania, and Andy Beshear, of Kentucky, also signed on to the suit.
The White House and OMB didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump pays tribute to 'great friend' Hogan
The president took to his social media platform to remember the wrestling icon, who died in his Florida home at age 71.
"We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster,'" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"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."
The president concluded his post by saying "Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!"
Man charged after apparent Trump assassination attempt can represent himself, judge rules
The man who faces federal charges after an apparent attempt to assassinate Trump while he played golf at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last year can represent himself in his upcoming trial, Judge Aileen Cannon ruled during a hearing today.
Cannon, the same judge who oversaw and dismissed the classified documents case against Trump last year, granted Ryan Routh's request to represent himself at his upcoming trial set for Sept. 8. She approved his request despite telling him multiple times that it was a "bad idea."
Cannon, however, denied the motion from Routh's defense attorneys to terminate their appointment of counsel, essentially forcing them to remain as standby counsel.
This came after Routh's attorneys from the federal public defender's office submitted a motion yesterday to remove themselves from the case, saying that Routh refused to meet or speak with the federal public defender assigned to him.
'Great American icon': Trump allies mourn Hulk Hogan
Some top Republicans took to social media to mourn the death of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, who'd been an outspoken supporter of the president.
"Hulk Hogan was a great American icon," Vice President JD Vance wrote in a post on X. "The last time I saw him we promised we’d get beers together next time we saw each other. The next time will have to be on the other side, my friend! Rest in peace."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., posted about his "fond memories" of Hogan. "From my childhood in the '80s, to campaigning with him last year, I always saw him as a giant in stature and in life," Johnson wrote.
White House adviser Stephen Miller called the wrestler "a childhood hero and a true American original. Larger than life. He inspired generations of young kids and was a global symbol of our national culture."
"Rest in Peace to a REAL AMERICAN," Miller wrote.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who represents Hogan's Florida district, wrote, "It was an honor to be your Representative. Gone, but the legend of Hulkamania will run wild forever."
GOP senator says reported mention of Trump in Epstein files is 'not a suprise'
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told NBC News that he would not be surprised if the files in the Epstein case include Trump's name, as The Wall Street Journal reported, citing senior administration officials.
"I mean, of course, it’s like, it’s everybody who’s ever met the guy is gonna be mentioned," Hawley said, adding, "We’re probably talking about hundreds of thousands of pages."
Referring to the prosecutor in the Epstein case, the senator said, "He’s probably like every scrap of paper Epstein’s ever had. I mean, that’s what I would want if I was a prosecutor. So it’s not a surprise, like anybody who ever met him is getting mentioned, quote, unquote. So I don’t think that’s a big deal."
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department told Trump his name was one of many in the documents related to Epstein. NBC News has not independently verified the report.
Hawley also said the House and Senate should jointly investigate the Epstein case, including hearing testimony from Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and that the Department of Justice should release all of the files.
Republican senators call for investigation into 'Russia hoax'
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called for a special counsel to investigate the Obama administration’s involvement in a “Russia collusion hoax.”
Cornyn told NBC News that while the “Epstein matter is consuming a lot of oxygen” in Washington, he is most focused on Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s findings about the Obama administration.
Earlier this week, Gabbard leveled accusations against former President Barack Obama and members of his administration, alleging that they manufactured a "false" intelligence analysis that found Russia tried to help Trump win the 2016 election.
The source of most of Gabbard's accusations was a 5-year-old report by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee about the 2016 election that she declassified.
“The most important issue that we need to examine is in light of the revelations from the director of national intelligence about the Obama administration’s involvement in the Russian hoax, which was disproven. That needs to be thoroughly investigated, and I think it could best be done by an independent special counsel,” Cornyn said.
Asked if he believed Obama engaged in criminal activity, Cornyn said that his investigation will “reveal the truth of that.”
Graham said Gabbard’s findings are “unnerving,” and he’d like to “use the process of getting out of the politics of the moment, and if there’s any there there they’ll have a special counsel look at it.”
A spokesperson for Obama earlier this week denied Gabbard's claims, calling them "bizarre allegations" that "are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction."
Special envoy Steve Witkoff says U.S. team is leaving Gaza talks
Special envoy Steve Witkoff announced that the U.S. was leaving the round of talks over a potential ceasefire in Gaza.
"We have decided to bring our team home from Doha for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza," he said in a post to X. "While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith."
Witkoff said that the U.S. would "consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza." He blamed Hamas, saying Hamas acted in a "selfish way."
High-ranking DOGE official and Elon Musk ally, Antonio Gracias, has left government
Antonio Gracias, a high-ranking DOGE official who was simultaneously managing nearly $2 billion in assets for nine public pension funds, has left the government, his firm told a top union official who had raised questions about the risks Gracias’ dual roles had posed to the funds.
Gracias is founder, chief executive and chief investment officer of Valor Equity Partners, a private equity firm that manages $17.5 billion in assets. A longtime Elon Musk ally, Gracias had been working at the Department of Government Efficiency, the cost-cutting entity created by Musk and Trump. During his time at DOGE, he attacked the Social Security Administration and raised allegations of voter fraud.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers won't run for re-election next year
Wisconsin’s Democratic Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday he won’t run for re-election next year, a move that will set off a wide-open race to replace him in one of the nation’s most closely divided battleground states.
In a video posted to X, Evers, 73, said he would not run for a third term as governor so he could spend more time with his family, while also predicting he would have won had he run.
His decision to forgo another bid is expected to result in competitive primaries for both parties. Wisconsin is one of five states President Donald Trump won last year where a Democratic-controlled governorship is on the ballot in 2026.
White House says Trump's nominee for Office of Special Counsel is still standing
Trump's nominee to lead the federal government's Office of Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia, is still under consideration despite the Senate Homeland Security Committee removing him from its confirmation hearing panel today.
“Paul Ingrassia is still the nominee and is currently serving in his role as White House Liaison to the Department of Homeland Security," a White House official said.
The official added that Ingrassia "will spend the next month speaking with Senators and we expect him to be swiftly confirmed."
"The President has full confidence in him and his ability to lead the Office of Special Counsel," the official said.
Top committee Democrat backs Mike Waltz's nomination for U.N. ambassador
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., joined Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in sending former Trump national security adviser Mike Waltz’s nomination to be United Nations ambassador to the full Senate, allowing the committee to bypass the opposition of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
Waltz’s nomination was reported to the full Senate in a 12-10 vote, with Paul voting against the move. The Senate won't take the confirmation vote until next week at the earliest.
Shaheen, the top Democrat on the committee, said before the panel vote that she disagreed with Waltz on some issues, including use of unclassified systems to coordinate sensitive discussions. But she said she would support him because "he represents a moderating force within the administration, he has a distinguished record of military service, and he has an extensive background in national security policy thinking. Mr. Waltz didn’t represent himself to me as someone who wants to retreat from the world, and I think that’s particularly important at this time.”
Waltz’s nomination got hung up in committee because of Paul, who wanted to report Waltz out of committee without a recommendation, something Republicans were trying to avoid. They began conversations with Democrats to see if someone would cross the aisle to report Waltz out favorably.
Shaheen said she will also vote to confirm Waltz when the Senate takes up his nomination.
“I do intend to hold him accountable through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s oversight role in the months and years ahead,” Shaheen said, telling reporters that as a part of her conversations about supporting Waltz the Trump administration agreed to free up $75 million in “lifesaving assistance” for the U.N.'s World Food Program and the International Organization for Migration.
“I believe that saving lives for American assistance locally is not only the right thing to do, but it advances our national security and economic interests around the world,” Shaheen said.
Deputy attorney general is meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Ghislaine Maxwell and Maxwell’s attorneys are meeting in a conference room inside the U.S. attorney’s office in the federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida.
The meeting is expected to last throughout the day.
Blanche said on X earlier this week that the Justice Department stood by its recent decision not to release more Epstein documents, causing a backlash among Trump supporters that prompted the Justice Department to seek the release of grand jury testimony in the case.
Trump disputes claims that he wants to interfere with Elon Musk's businesses
In a post on Truth Social this morning, Trump disputed the notion that he would interfere with Elon Musk's businesses amid a rift with the tech mogul and former White House adviser.
"Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon’s companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government. This is not so!" the president wrote.
He added, "I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before! The better they do, the better the USA does, and that’s good for all of us. We are setting records every day, and I want to keep it that way!"
GOP Sens. Cornyn and Graham call for special counsel to investigate the Obama administration over the 2016 election
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, are calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to appoint a special counsel at the Justice Department to investigate the former Obama administration over Russia's interference in the 2016 election.
The pair of senators said in a statement today that they want a special counsel "to investigate the extent to which former President Obama, his staff and administration officials manipulated the U.S. national security apparatus for a political outcome."
They argue, without evidence, that recent documents released suggest "the entire Russia collusion hoax was created by the Obama Administration to subvert the will of the American people."
Echoing baseless claims made by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, they imply that the administration tried to manufacture what eventually became the 2017 intelligence community's report that detailed Russia's influence on the 2016 election to hurt Hillary Clinton's chances and boost Trump's candidacy. Former President Barack Obama has denied the allegations.
"Democrats and the liberal media have been out to get President Trump since 2016," they said. "There must be an immediate investigation of what we believe to be an unprecedented and clear abuse of power by a U.S. presidential administration.”
A Trump-appointed special counsel already investigated the origins of the Russia probe during the president's first term in the White House. After a three-year investigation, special counsel John Durham concluded that Obama administration officials committed no criminal wrongdoing in the investigation into whether Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia, of which there was no evidence.
House Democrats force Republicans to take vote after vote on Epstein files
As the Republican-led House prepared to leave town for its summer recess, Democrats were united around one goal: forcing Republicans over and over again to confront the Epstein issue that’s divided the GOP.
Across several committees yesterday, Democrats brought up amendments on whether the government’s files on the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein should be released. It did not matter the focus of the panel, from oversight issues to financial services, Democrats forced the issue.
It’s part of a broader effort by Democrats to capitalize on a pain point for Republicans, a rare moment when Trump appears to be out of step with his base. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., ultimately canceled the House’s final day of votes before recess after Democrats ground a key organizing committee to a halt with Epstein amendments. Members now head home to their districts for what Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., yesterday called “the Epstein recess.”
The flurry of Democratic amendment offerings in the House succeeded in one case yesterday. A motion by Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., to compel the Justice Department to release files tied to Epstein was approved in a House Oversight subcommittee hearing. A committee spokesperson later said the subpoena will be issued but did not provide timing.
Agriculture secretary announces department reorganization
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced today that she would reorganize her department by relocating "much" of the agency's headquarters and capital region staff to five hub locations.
The hub locations are in Raleigh, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Indianapolis; Fort Collins, Colorado; and Salt Lake City. Rollins said that the department expected that “no more than 2,000 employees will remain” in the department’s National Capital Region.
"To make certain USDA can afford its workforce, this reorganization is another step of the Department’s process of reducing its workforce," Rollins said in her press release.
More than 15,000 people have decided to participate in the administration's deferred resignation program, she said.
Gabbard’s unprecedented claim: A president led a ‘treasonous conspiracy’
Trump’s top intelligence official appeared in the White House briefing room yesterday to level allegations no U.S. spy chief has ever made against a former president or administration.
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard accused former President Barack Obama and his deputies of manufacturing a “false” intelligence analysis to show Russia tried to help Donald Trump win the 2016 election.
Obama and former officials in his administration have dismissed the allegations as baseless. “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,” Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush said.
Democrats have accused the administration of trying to change the subject as many of Trump’s supporters have demanded the government release more documents and information related to the case of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Top committee Democrat urges Trump to withdraw Office of Special Counsel nomination
Sen. Gary Peters, the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, urged the Trump administration this morning to withdraw Paul Ingrassia's nomination to head the Office of Special Counsel.
"I’m relieved to see that Paul Ingrassia, the nominee to run the Office of Special Counsel, has been pulled from today’s hearing," the Michigan senator said at the top of a confirmation hearing this morning. "The Office of Special Counsel is an independent, nonpartisan agency that investigates allegations of prohibited personnel practices involving federal employees, including whistleblower retaliation."
Peters added, "Mr. Ingrassia is unqualified for the position, both in terms of legal experience and given his long record of bigoted statements, and I urge the administration to formally withdraw his nomination."
House Speaker Johnson says he wants 'full transparency' in the Epstein's case
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in an interview yesterday that he wants "full transparency" in Jeffrey Epstein's case.
“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,” Johnson told CBS News.
The speaker added, “It’s not a hoax. Of course not."
Johnson, however, canceled House votes this week, beginning the House's August recess early, because of an impasse in the House Rules Committee, where Democrats were planning to force the panel to take votes on requiring the Trump administration to release additional Epstein files.
Virginia Republican Winsome Earle-Sears names new campaign manager for gubernatorial bid
Virginia Republican Winsome Earle-Sears has hired a new campaign manager as she tries to find her footing in this year's gubernatorial race.
Corey Barsky, a political strategist who had been based in Pittsburgh, has been named Earle-Sears’ campaign manager, spokesperson Peyton Vogel confirmed to NBC News. CNN first reported Barsky’s hiring.
Barsky replaces Will Archer, a pastor with no prior major political experience who was removed from the role, the campaign announced last week.
Barsky, according to his LinkedIn page, works for ColdSpark, a political campaign and strategy firm. He graduated college in 2021.
In the staffing shake-up announced last week, the Earle-Sears campaign said that Archer would remain on the team in a role that focuses on voter turnout in the Northern Virginia area. The campaign also announced at that time that Earle-Sears’ political director Richard Wagner had departed.
The moves come as Earle-Sears, the state’s lieutenant governor, struggles to gain traction against Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former congresswoman, in the race to succeed GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Earle-Sears has trailed Spanberger in recent polling and fundraising.
Republicans plan to use the threat of impeachment as a key midterm issue
Impeachment may be nothing that Trump wants, but it is shaping up to be a galvanizing midterm election issue that preserves his party’s control of Congress, Republican strategists said.
Seldom do sitting presidents pick up seats in midterm congressional elections. Trump faces an especially daunting challenge in that he relies on a devoted electoral base that may feel no compelling reason to vote if his name isn’t on the ballot.
White House tightens its grip on Jeffrey Epstein messaging
Jeffrey Epstein is dead, but the White House can’t seem to kill his story.
Trump and his aides have settled on silence as a strategy to stamp out criticism of his refusal to release files detailing the federal government’s investigation of Epstein, according to a senior administration official and Republicans familiar with the White House’s thinking.
Former Biden White House chief of staff will testify behind closed doors to House committee today
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a closed-door transcribed interview this morning with former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain as part of their investigation into former President Joe Biden’s mental fitness and the use of the autopen.
So far, several other Biden aides have attended closed-door interviews with the committee as part of this investigation. Former Biden aides Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal pleaded the Fifth in their interviews. Former White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor also pleaded the Fifth in his interview with the Oversight Committee.
Australia eases curbs on U.S. beef imports amid trade talks
Australia is relaxing restrictions on U.S. beef imports that had been criticized by Trump as it seeks a trade deal with his administration.
The restrictions were introduced in 2003 over concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. Since 2019, Australia has allowed beef from cattle that have only been in the U.S., but little U.S. beef makes it into the country because it is difficult for suppliers to prove the cattle haven't been imported from Canada or Mexico.
Asked whether the decision was intended to help with trade negotiations, Australian Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told reporters in Canberra today that it was based on science and was the culmination of a five-year process.
Her U.S. counterpart, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, praised the move as a win for Trump.
“Gone are the days of putting American farmers on the sidelines. This is yet another example of the kind of market access the President negotiates to bring America into a new golden age of prosperity,” Rollins said in a statement yesterday.
Separately, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed yesterday that Australia had paid the U.S. $525 million in the second installment of the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, even though it is now under formal review to determine whether it aligns with Trump's "America First" agenda.
Trump's Office of Special Counsel nominee is no longer on Senate confirmation hearing list
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has removed Paul Ingrassia, Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, from the list of appointees appearing at a confirmation hearing this morning.
A committee aide said the change was made this morning. A source familiar with the matter said Ingrassia was removed from the hearing schedule after senators asked for more time for meetings with him.
It comes after Sen Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told NBC News yesterday that he planned to oppose Ingrassia’s nomination in part because of his comments glorifying the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
The Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency, works to protect federal employees from prohibited personnel practices, including retaliation for whistleblowing.
Ingrassia is a far-right podcaster and commentator with a record of making incendiary comments, such as calling for Jan. 6 to be declared a national holiday to honor the “peaceful protest against a great injustice affecting our electoral system” and dismissing the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel as a “psyop.”
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., a member of the committee, also told NBC earlier this week that Ingrassia’s previous comments would be discussed at his confirmation hearing. “I would never make some of the statements he’s made," he said. "So, I think those are all things to be able to ask about and try to be able to figure out his perspective.”
Trump's visit to the Federal Reserve is a rare occurrence among presidents
While many sitting presidents meet with the Fed chair for one-off meetings to broadly talk about their agendas and hear what the Fed has to say about the overall economic outlook, a visit to the Federal Reserve’s headquarters is very rare.
The Treasury secretary typically has regular informal breakfast or lunch meetings with the current Fed chair, but those are held behind closed doors with few details ever emerging.
The last visit to the Fed by a president was George W. Bush in 2006. Bush was attending the swearing-in ceremony for Ben Bernanke, whom he nominated to head the Federal Reserve.
At that ceremony, Bernanke said it was “only the third visit of a president to the Federal Reserve.” Before Bush, Gerald Ford visited in 1975. The first presidential visit was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937, when he dedicated the building.
Lara Trump opts not to run for Senate in North Carolina
Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, has opted not to run for Senate in North Carolina in next year's midterm elections.
She had said last week that she planned to make a decision by Thanksgiving about a possible run for the seat held by Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who recently announced he would not seek re-election.
Lara Trump, who is the wife of the president's son Eric Trump, had also considered a Senate run in Florida late last year after Trump, then the president-elect, chose then-Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., as his secretary of state. She eventually decided to remove her name from consideration.
Lara Trump served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee last year with Michael Whatley, who has decided to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Tillis. The president's daughter-in-law currently hosts “My View with Lara Trump,” which airs Saturdays on Fox News.
RNC Chair Michael Whatley expected to run for Senate in North Carolina
Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley intends to run for Senate in North Carolina, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Whatley’s expected run comes after Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., unexpectedly announced late last month that he would not seek re-election, catapulting the seat to one of the most notable races to watch in the 2026 midterm elections.
Justice Department is expected to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell today
The Justice Department is expected to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell today, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Maxwell's attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced earlier this week that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche planned to meet with Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after being convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking for her role in recruiting and grooming teenage girls for sexual abuse by Epstein.
“President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence," Blanche said earlier this week in a statement posted by Bondi. "If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say."
The House Oversight Committee said yesterday that it will subpoena the Justice Department to release files from the Epstein case.
Appeals court upholds nationwide block on Trump’s birthright citizenship order
A federal appeals court yesterday upheld a lower court injunction that blocked an effort by Trump to restrict birthright citizenship from going into effect.
The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals comes roughly a month after the Supreme Court curbed a district court injunction preventing Trump’s policy from going into effect and asked lower courts to reconsider the scope of the injunction to ensure it was not too broad.
The appellate court, in a 48-page decision, determined it was not.
“The district court correctly concluded that the Executive Order’s proposed interpretation, denying citizenship to many persons born in the United States, is unconstitutional. We fully agree,” the court wrote.
Appeals court upholds nationwide block on Trump’s birthright citizenship order, continued
Trump signed an executive order in January that guaranteed birthright citizenship only to infants who have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The order amounted to an effort to redefine the 14th Amendment, which has widely been interpreted as conferring citizenship to any person born in the United States.
The appellate court today called Trump’s order “invalid.”
“We conclude that the Executive Order is invalid because it contradicts the plain language of the Fourteenth Amendment’s grant of citizenship to ‘all persons born in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,’” it wrote.
A day after Trump signed the executive order on birthright citizenship, a group of Democratic attorneys general, resulting in the initial district court injunction.
The appellate court, noting that the Supreme Court did not rule on the merits of the case in its June decision, said the Democratic states would most likely succeed in proving Trump’s order is unconstitutional, framing that consideration as the core of its decision to uphold the nationwide block on the order.
“Because State Plaintiffs have standing and are likely to succeed in demonstrating that the Executive Order is unconstitutional, we affirm the district court’s grant of a preliminary injunction and its determination that a universal preliminary injunction is necessary to give the States complete relief on their claims,” the ruling read.
Trump to visit Federal Reserve headquarters
Trump will visit the Federal Reserve today, a rare official visit for a sitting president.
The visit comes as the president has repeatedly attacked Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and pressured him to lower interest rates. The Fed will meet next week to determine whether to maintain or lower interest rates.
Trump will visit as two top aides, deputy chief of staff James Blair and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte, said they planned a tour of the building’s renovation.
The renovation has become the source of controversy among Republicans and top officials in the Trump administration who have been relentlessly attacking Powell over the cost of the renovation, which they have called “ostentatious” and a “palace.”
Many on Wall Street have seen that attacks as a potential way to fire Powell “for cause,” which is the only way a president can legally remove a Fed official. Powell and the central bank have repeatedly said the cost is due in part to asbestos in the building, toxic soil below the site and an increase in raw materials.