Congress releases its first batch of investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein as accusers call for more to be released. And as climate risks grow, scientists say they could soon lose a key tool for studying Antarctica’s melting ice sheets.
Here’s what to know today.
Epstein survivors call for all documents to be made public
The Trump administration is facing growing pressure to release more documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as several House lawmakers threatened to force a floor vote on their bipartisan bill to release all the Epstein files immediately.
Congress released its first batch of the files, containing 33,295 pages of records. Many of the files had already been made public through court filings and other releases.
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Six women who say they were sex trafficked by Epstein called for all the records to be released during an exclusive interview with NBC News’ Hallie Jackson. They also urged Trump not to pardon his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
When Maxwell was interviewed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in July, she denied that she saw inappropriate conduct from any of the high-profile men accused of being friendly with Epstein, including Trump.
After the interview transcript was published, relatives of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a late Epstein victim who accused Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was a minor, said they were “outraged” and argued it provided Maxwell a “platform to rewrite history.”
More politics news:
- A top Senate Democrat said that he is being blocked from a scheduled oversight meeting after interference from far-right activist Laura Loomer.
- A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration violated the law when it mobilized 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to L.A. in June.
- Trump announced that the U.S. Space Command’s headquarters will move to Alabama because of Colorado’s mail-in voting system.
- Cuts to SNAP benefits that have provided low-income Americans with more purchasing power in the grocery store are set to go into effect.
- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the chair of the health committee, declines to elaborate after he said he will conduct ‘oversight’ of RFK Jr. after a recent shake-up at the CDC.
Federal court blocks deportations under 1798 Alien Enemies Act
A federal appeals court blocked the Trump administration from using an 18th century wartime law to remove alleged Venezuelan gang members from the United States.
A panel of the 5th U.S. Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to block President Donald Trump’s deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, ruling the administration’s claim that members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang are part of a warlike invasion is not true.
The Trump administration has designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, and accused the gang of “conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States” that include “mass illegal migration to the United States.”The 5th Circuit limited its ruling to the use of the Alien Enemies Act for removal and said it does not cover other legal means of removing “foreign terrorists.”
Trump (a)live on television
Trump’s appearance on television yesterday, whether he knew it or not, was proof-of-life for those who questioned his health, with many online speculating the president was gravely ill, or worse.
“#Trumpdead” began trending on X after he hadn’t been seen in public from Tuesday afternoon until Saturday.
Trump has jumped to similar conclusions himself when it comes to political opponents. For years, he has relentlessly cast doubt on former President Joe Biden’s vitality and mental fitness and depicted him as the infirm puppet of controlling aides.
Putin and Kim Jong Un join Xi at ‘Victory Day’ event where no Western leaders attend
Fighter jets, hypersonic missiles and drones were paraded through Beijing as China held one of its biggest military parades to date, in a show of force attended by world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
The “Victory Day” parade marked the 80th anniversary of Imperial Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II. There was no U.S. representation at the parade, and most other Western leaders declined, in part because of Putin’s attendance as he has pressed on with his war against Ukraine.
Trump gave his thoughts on the parade on Truth Social, posting a message to Xi: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”
China’s military equipment showcase included nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles that could reach the mainland United States.
Also on display were “YJ”-class anti-ship missiles, which can be launched from a number of platforms, including submarines. Anti-ship missiles would pose a major threat to U.S. naval vessels in the event of military intervention in the Asia-Pacific, where China has been pressing territorial claims on Taiwan and in the South China Sea.
Read the full updates from the parade.
Read All About It
- The U.S. military carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean on a boat allegedly operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, killing 11 people on board, the president said.
- Google must share data with rivals to open up competition in online search, a judge ruled, while rejecting a bid to make it sell off its Chrome browser.
- A jury cleared rapper Cardi B of any legal liability stemming from accusations of assaulting a security guard in 2018.
- Amazon is eliminating a program that allows members of its Prime subscription program to share free shipping benefits with people outside their household.
- A shipment of fake Labubu dolls that would be worth more than half a million dollars if the items were genuine was intercepted at Seattle’s airport.
- ‘Saturday Night Live’ added five new cast members, including Ben Marshall, who made regular appearances on the show as part of the comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy.
Staff Pick: A key tool for studying Antarctica’s melting ice sheets could soon be out of commission
It’s no surprise that the current administration doesn’t have science and climate at the top of its priority list when it comes to funding. But after reading Evan Bush’s reporting on a key tool for studying climate change that could soon be decommissioned, it became clearer what there is to lose when funding is cut.
What happens in the most desolate place on Earth could tell scientists what to expect as the climate crisis grows increasingly worse. That is why climate scientists study Antarctica. But there’s a new obstacle to understanding the changing continent and how it’s affecting weather patterns throughout the world. The National Science Foundation plans to decommission its only research icebreaker, the RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer, while also stalling on plans to build a replacement.
– Christian Orozco, newsletter and platforms editor
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