House Oversight Committee to subpoena DOJ for Epstein files; Trump to visit Federal Reserve
This version of Trump Epstein Tariffs Immigration China Obama Live Updates Rcna219816 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.
Elsewhere, Columbia University will pay $200 million to the government to restore funding the Trump administration had cut.
Highlights from July 23, 2025
- EPSTEIN SUBPOENAS: The House Oversight Committee said it will subpoena the Justice Department to release the Jeffrey Epstein files. Earlier, the committee officially subpoenaed Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell for a deposition at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, on Aug. 11.
- RUSSIA INVESTIGATIONS: National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard is promoting a 2020 report she recently declassified about the U.S. intelligence community’s assessment of Russia’s role in the 2016 election. She accused President Barack Obama and several prominent members of his administration of manipulating intelligence findings to delegitimize President Donald Trump's win.
- REWRITING HISTORY: Gabbard's claims contradict long-standing findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in an effort to help Trump. An Obama spokesman yesterday called Trump's remarks accusing Obama of committing treason "outrageous" and "bizarre."
Coverage of this live blog has ended. For the latest news, click here.
Trump to visit Federal Reserve headquarters tomorrow
Trump will visit the headquarters of the Federal Reserve tomorrow, according to a copy of his schedule released by the White House.
He 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 Fed Chair Jerome 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.
Appeals court upholds nationwide block on Trump's birthright citizenship order
A federal appeals court today 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.
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.
Columbia agrees to pay $200 million to restore funding cut by Trump administration
Columbia University will pay $200 million to the federal government to restore the majority of funding the Trump administration cut over allegations it violated anti-discrimination laws.
“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” acting university President Claire Shipman said in a statement.
The Trump administration said in March that it was canceling $400 million in grants to the school, accusing it of “inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.”
Columbia then agreed to a list of demands by the Trump administration, which some critics saw as a capitulation by the private university.
Mike Waltz's committee vote was abruptly postponed, and no one will say why
A vote in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to report former national security adviser Mike Waltz’s nomination to be U.N. ambassador to the full Senate was abruptly postponed this morning, and senators on both sides of the aisle will not say why.
“I’m not going to tell you,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said when he was asked why the vote was postponed.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., also a member of the committee, told NBC News: “There’s a discussion among committee members about getting some commitments on an important topic in order to generate more votes. And that’s about all I can say.”
Kaine said that the delay “is related to, broadly, foreign policy, national security” and that “it was very last minute that it was pulled, so it doesn’t have anything to do with him, his person.”
“It isn’t about Mike Waltz the person,” Kaine said. “That’s not what it’s about. I mean, sometimes something like that happens, and it makes you think, ‘Oh, is there something, like, new in the background?’ It’s nothing about Mike Waltz the person.”
The vote was on the agenda for this morning’s Foreign Relations Committee business meeting, but just as the committee was about to vote on him, Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, announced the nomination wouldn’t be voted on today.
The Foreign Relations Committee allows any member to ask for a nominee or a bill to be held over until the next business meeting, and the minority somewhat regularly does that to give itself more time to go through materials related to a nominee or just as a protest against the nominee in particular.
Trump derides Zohran Mamdani, calling him a ‘communist’ at AI Summit
Ticking through executive actions intended to make America an artificial intelligence powerhouse in a speech in Washington today, Trump took a break to criticize a political figure who's increasingly becoming a common target of his ire: Zohran Mamdani.
Trump shared his criticisms of Mamdani, New York's Democratic mayoral nominee, as he touted an executive order barring the federal government from procuring AI technology that has been “infused with partisan bias or ideological agendas, such as critical race theory.”
“I encourage all American companies to join us in rejecting poisonous Marxism in our technology. It’ll be very interesting to see what’s happening in New York, because they’re actually thinking about electing a communist," Trump said, referring to Mamdani. "They like to call him a socialist. He’s not a socialist; he’s a communist."
While Trump didn't specifically target any of his policy proposals during his remarks, he suggested that Mamdani, 33, a New York assemblyman, would be unable to access federal resources if he doesn't reconsider them.
If he is elected, Mamdani "still has to get his money from the White House, and that's not going to happen until he shapes up," Trump said.
House Oversight will subpoena DOJ for Epstein files and subpoenas to others
The House Oversight Committee will issue a subpoena to the Justice Department to release the Epstein files after a subcommittee vote on the matter today, a committee spokesperson said.
The committee will also issue subpoenas to Bill and Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, Robert Mueller, William Barr, Jeff Sessions, and Alberto Gonzales.
The Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee tonight approved a motion by Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., to subpoena the Justice Department to release the Epstein files. The subcommittee also approved motion by Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., to direct the chairman to subpoena the people listed previously.
The subpoenas “will be issued in the future,” the spokesperson said.
Oversight subcommittee votes to subpoena DOJ for Epstein files
A group of Republicans joined Democrats today in a House Oversight subcommittee to vote to subpoena the Justice Department for the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The motion, from Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., passed the subcommittee in an 8-2 vote. The panel also agreed to an amendment from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., to redact the names of victims and any personally identifying information. Lee’s motion to subpoena the Justice Department allows those files to be redacted since the amendment was adopted, although they would be just for committee purposes and not for public release.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., will issue the subpoenas, according to a committee spokesperson. This follows Comer issuing a subpoena for Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell today after a different subcommittee voted to force that yesterday.
Subcommittee Chairman Clay Higgins, R-La., and Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., were the only no votes. Mace, along with Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., and Rep. Brian Jack, R-Ga., voted with all Democrats to approve the motion.
In the meeting, Perry also introduced a motion to subpoena other people as part of the investigation into Maxwell. They included former President Bill Clinton; former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; former FBI Director James Comey; former Attorneys General Merrick Garland, Eric Holder, William Barr and Loretta Lynch; and other political figures.
Biggs introduced an amendment to include the following language: “all communications between President Biden or the Biden officials and the prosecuting agency related to the Epstein prosecutors also be released.” The amendment was agreed to.
Trump foe Thomas Massie wins over MAGA allies with his push for Epstein files
Once fighting a lonely battle against Trump, GOP Rep. Thomas Massie has found an issue that is winning him more Republican friends and political allies than he has had all year: his push to release the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Many of Trump’s MAGA allies on and off Capitol Hill are frustrated with Trump and top officials in his administration for dragging their feet in releasing the government’s remaining documents and records related to Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender.
But they’re rooting for Massie, R-Ky., who has leaned into the fight in recent weeks and made it his sole mission to get the files released. It is a rare issue on which Massie aligns more closely with many of Trump’s own supporters than Trump himself. That’s a big shift for Massie, who was swimming against the current in his opposition to Trump’s megabill by raising debt concerns that fell on deaf ears with other Republicans.
House Republicans introduce resolution to create new Jan. 6 subcommittee
House Republicans are moving to create a new select subcommittee to “continue Congress’ investigation” of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, chaired by Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga.
The House will have to vote on the resolution to establish the subcommittee, which would fall under the Judiciary Committee.
Loudermilk chaired a subcommittee with such jurisdiction under the House Administration Committee, as well.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said there’s “more work to be done,” saying Republicans “are proud” of the work in “exposing false narratives” from the previously established Jan. 6 Select Committee in the 117th Congress.
“House Republicans are proud of our work so far in exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there is clearly more work to be done,” Johnson said in a statement. “The resolution introduced today will establish this Select Subcommittee so we can continue our efforts to uncover the full truth that is owed to the American people. House Republicans remain intent on delivering the answers that House Democrats skipped over.”
Former Gov. Roy Cooper plans to enter North Carolina Senate race
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper plans to run for the Senate, according to two sources familiar with his plans, handing Democrats a top candidate in a state that will be central to the fight for the majority.
Axios, which broke the news of Cooper’s expected bid, reported that he is expected to officially enter the race next week, according to multiple sources.
Morgan Jackson, Cooper’s top political adviser, would not confirm Cooper’s plans but said Cooper would share more about them in the coming days. Cooper is also listed as a speaker at the North Carolina Democratic Party’s “Unity Dinner” on Saturday.
Democrats have long touted Cooper, 68, as a formidable candidate, given his record of winning statewide races in the perennial battleground state.
Supreme Court allows Trump to fire members of product safety agency
The Supreme Court today allowed Trump to fire members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a federal agency set up by Congress to be independent of political pressures.
The justices, granting an emergency request filed by the Trump administration, blocked a Maryland-based federal judge’s ruling that reinstated Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr., all of whom were appointed by President Joe Biden.
Without the three members, the five-member commission would for now lack the necessary quorum to fulfill its obligation to protect consumers from defective products.
Under existing law, members can be removed only for “neglect of duty or malfeasance,” but Trump went ahead and fired members anyway, as he has done at other agencies with similar restrictions as part of his aggressive efforts to reshape the federal government.
Trump administration officials respond to new WSJ reporting about Trump and Epstein
The administration is pushing back against a new Wall Street Journal story that reported that Justice Department officials briefed Trump this year and told him that his name appeared in Epstein-related files they had been reviewing. NBC News has not independently confirmed the reporting.
“The fact is that the President kicked him out of his club for being a creep," White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement. "This is nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media, just like the Obama Russiagate scandal, which President Trump was right about.”
The statement does not specifically address the information reported about Trump’s being briefed that his name appears.
A Justice Department official told NBC News that “I cannot confirm the report” when specifically asked whether Trump was briefed in May.
A name in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. In addition, Trump has been asked directly whether he was briefed, and he responded that there was a little bit of a briefing on the files, but he did not address the matter of his name appearing.
Bondi, while not directly denying that Trump's name appeared in the files, said in a statement: “The DOJ and FBI reviewed the Epstein Files and reached the conclusion set out in the July 6 memo. Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution, and we have filed a motion in court to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts. As part of our routine briefing, we made the President aware of the findings.”
House Oversight subpoenas Ghislaine Maxwell for deposition at federal prison
The House Oversight Committee has officially subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell for a deposition at the Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee in Florida on Aug. 11.
“The facts and circumstances surrounding both your and Mr. Epstein’s cases have received immense public interest and scrutiny," Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., wrote, addressing Maxwell.
He added, “While the Justice Department undertakes efforts to uncover and publicly disclose additional information related to your and Mr. Epstein’s cases, it is imperative that Congress conduct oversight of the federal government’s enforcement of sex trafficking laws generally and specifically its handling of the investigation and prosecution of you and Mr. Epstein."
Judge denies DOJ request to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts in Florida
A federal judge in Florida ruled that its “hands are tied” in releasing federal grand jury transcripts from 2005 and 2007 in connection with an investigation into Epstein.
U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg said that, though the government believes special circumstances exist and the policy reasons for grand jury secrecy have expired, its rationales “are no exceptions” to grand jury secrecy.
White House sidesteps questions on Obama and immunity
Asked whether Obama would be immune to any criminal charges related to Gabbard's announcement, given the Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity last year, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sidestepped the question.
She said that she'd spoken to Trump earlier in the day and that he told her that "he wants to see all those who perpetuated this fraud against our country, who betrayed our country and the Constitution, to be thoroughly investigated and held accountable."
Trump said yesterday that Obama was "guilty" of treason, a claim Obama's spokesperson called "bizarre" and "ridiculous."
The suggestion that Obama could or should be prosecuted over events in 2016 is legally fraught, even if issues about what he would be prosecuted for or whether the statute of limitations has expired were put aside.
The high court’s ruling last year held that presidents have broad immunity for actions taken in office and that the president is "absolutely immune from criminal prosecution for conduct within his exclusive sphere of constitutional authority.”
That case involved Trump, and the ruling said, among other things, that Trump’s communications with Justice Department officials when he was pressuring them to say there was evidence of fraud in the 2020 election were off-limits.
There was even a little bit of overlap with the claims against Obama, with Chief Justice John Roberts saying presidents have “broad power to speak on matters of public concern,” including how elections are conducted. And Roberts pointed out that the president has no role in certifying election results anyway.
Gabbard promotes a 2020 GOP report to accuse Obama of 'manufacturing' 2016 election intel assessment
Gabbard is promoting a 2020 report she recently declassified that she claims shows Obama manufactured the U.S. intelligence community's assessment of Russia's interference in the 2016 election.
The report, prepared by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, doesn't include anything new. It sought to review the 2017 intelligence community's assessment that Russia tried to influence the presidential election the year before.
While the GOP report found that the intelligence community's assessment was "sound," it took issue with the intelligence community's judgment that Russian President Vladimir Putin “aspired” to help Trump. The report said that conclusion was based on one piece of human intelligence that was open to different interpretations. It added that some CIA officers objected to including the judgment about Putin’s intentions, arguing that the intelligence behind it was insufficient.
The intelligence community had concluded in its 2017 assessment that Russia launched an information war to damage Hillary Clinton’s campaign and boost Trump’s election prospects. A bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report in 2020 reached the same conclusions.
Without evidence and pushing the conspiracy theory Trump has been promoting, Gabbard accused Obama today of ordering the original assessment. "President Obama directed an intelligence community assessment to be created to further this contrived false narrative that ultimately led to a yearslong coup to try to undermine President Trump's presidency," she told reporters at the White House briefing today.
Gabbard repeated her view that Russia used influence operations to try to undermine the democratic process in 2016, but she rejected the 2017 intelligence assessment that Moscow was trying to help Trump win. Citing the Republican House report, Gabbard said Putin could have damaged Clinton further by spreading derogatory information his intelligence services had collected about her but chose not to. Gabbard argued that that contradicted the idea that Putin sought to boost Trump’s chances.
Asked whether the declassified GOP report implicates Obama in criminal behavior, Gabbard said she has referred and will continue to refer those related documents to the Justice Department and the FBI to "investigate the criminal implications of this."
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Trump accused Obama of "treason," falsely claiming he rigged the 2016 and 2020 elections. Obama's office said the claims are "outrageous" and "bizarre."
Obama's office didn't immediately reply to a request for comment on Gabbard's accusations today.
U.S. nuclear stockpile agency hacked Friday
Hackers exploiting a critical Microsoft flaw broke into the National Nuclear Security Administration on Friday, the agency says.
The NNSA, a semi-autonomous agency within the Energy Department that maintains the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, declined to attribute the hack. Google and Microsoft said this week that the flaw in Microsoft’s SharePoint platform had prompted a flurry of attempts by hackers to exploit it, including multiple groups associated with Chinese intelligence.
An NNSA spokesperson downplayed the extent of a hack in an email.
“The Department was minimally impacted due to its widespread use of the Microsoft M365 cloud and very capable cybersecurity systems. A very small number of systems were impacted,” the spokesperson said.
First to NBC News: Top Democrats introduce bill to abolish the debt limit
The Democrats leading the House and Senate budget committees are introducing legislation today to abolish the debt limit as we know it. The bill would ensure that the Treasury Department could borrow money if necessary to meet U.S. obligations under the law, rather than needing Congress to pass legislation in what has become a perennial fight on Capitol Hill.
The Debt Ceiling Reform Act, led by Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., would allow the treasury secretary to suspend the debt limit for two years. That could take effect 46 calendar days after Congress has been notified — unless Congress passes a law to prevent it during that window.
Republicans raised the debt limit by $5 trillion in Trump’s megabill, most likely resolving it through the 2026 midterm election.
But the bill is a marker for how these Democrats want to handle the issue in 2027 or 2028 if they capture control of one or both chambers by then.
“When Democrats are in the majority come 2027, I’ll be focused on ending the GOP’s reckless debt limit brinkmanship once and for all, so that never again can a Republican Congress threaten economic collapse against a Democratic White House,” Boyle told NBC News in a statement. “There are many Democratic priorities that would have to be included in any future hypothetical agreement and this is one of them.”
Merkley said neither party should be able to use the threat of default to advance policy aims.
“As I have argued for several years, Congress needs to find a solution that ends the abuse of the debt ceiling as a political hostage and find a common-sense, middle ground approach to solving any future debt ceiling standoff,” he said.
Trump’s trade deals are arriving, but details on how they’ll benefit the economy have yet to materialize
Trump has begun announcing a suite of new bilateral trade agreements. The details of the deals — and who, if anyone, stands to benefit — remain largely unknown.
Yesterday, Trump heralded three new agreements with Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan. The announcements came with no information about enforcement or guarantees, outside of tariff levels stated by Trump — 19% for the first two, 15% for Japan — and promises of eliminating barriers on imports of U.S. products.
The American Jewish Committee condemns Rep. Fine's 'unacceptable' comments on starvation in Gaza
The American Jewish Committee has issued a statement criticizing Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., for expressing support for allowing people in Gaza to starve in a social media post.
"Release the hostages. Until then, starve away," Fine said yesterday on X, sharing a report about people in Gaza dying from famine and malnutrition.
The advocacy group responded in a post to X that "the serious humanitarian situation in Gaza must not be taken lightly, especially by those at the highest levels of government."
"Implying that starvation is a legitimate tactic is unacceptable," the group continued. "All those in need of humanitarian aid should receive it promptly and safely. Our leaders must focus less on scoring political points and more on doing their jobs."
The Palestinian Health Ministry said yesterday that 15 people, including four children, died from severe malnutrition in just 24 hours. Aid groups have been warning of an increasingly dire starvation crisis in Gaza.
GOP lawmaker passes on Senate run in Michigan
Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., announced he won't run for his state’s open Senate seat, clearing former Rep. Mike Rogers’ path to the GOP nomination.
“After careful consideration with Natalie and my family, as well as in consultation with President Trump, I have decided against a bid for U.S. Senate in Michigan,” Huizenga told The Detroit News.
Huizenga noted that Rogers had racked up support from GOP leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C. Trump has not yet made an endorsement in the race.
Alex Latcham, the executive director of the Senate Leadership Fund, a Thune-aligned super PAC, said in a statement, “There’s no doubt that Mike Rogers is poised to be Michigan’s next U.S. Senator, and Senate Leadership Fund will support his campaign every step of the way."
Republican nominee Ciattarelli announces running mate in New Jersey governor's race
Republican Jack Ciattarelli announced Wednesday that Morris County Sheriff Jim Gannon will serve as his running mate in this year's race for governor in New Jersey.
“Jim is a decorated law enforcement officer, a problem solver, and someone who I know can work with me to fix our state,” Ciattarelli said in a statement, according to a news release from the campaign.
Gannon, who has also worked in the Morris County prosecutor's office and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, hails from the congressional district represented by the Democratic nominee, Rep. Mikie Sherrill.
The New Jersey race is one of two races for governor this year, along with Virginia.
State Department announces investigation into Harvard’s use of international visas
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced today that the State Department is opening an investigation into Harvard University’s compliance with the government-run visa program for international students.
Rubio said in a statement that all sponsors of the program “must comply with all regulations, including conducting their programs in a manner that does not undermine the foreign policy objectives or compromise the national security interests of the United States.”
Ghost of Epstein 'haunting' the House, Schumer says
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer today ripped Speaker Mike Johnson for calling an early recess in the House, saying he was trying to "escape discussions" about the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
"The ghost of the disgraced Jeffrey Epstein is haunting our Republican colleagues, so much so that Speaker Johnson decided to cut bait and send the House home to escape discussions about Epstein, instead of doing their jobs like grown-ups and making progress on appropriations," the New York Democrat said.
Johnson "has assured that August has become the Epstein recess, because this issue is going to grow and grow and grow the longer House Republicans dodge this issue," he added.
Schumer also suggested the move might have been carried out to "give Trump time to prepare papers for the pardon of Ghislaine Maxwell," the Epstein associate who's serving a 20-year prison term.
Johnson, R-La., announced last night he was cutting short the House's workweek following a standoff in the Rules Committee, which decides how legislation comes to the floor but has been ground to a halt by the Epstein issue. Democrats were trying to force the committee to take more votes on whether to require the Trump administration to release additional files from the case.
Schumer also blasted Trump in his remarks on the Senate floor, calling his claims that former President Barack Obama had committed treason "delusional." "Trump sounds unwell," Schumer said.
The president had falsely claimed that Obama had tried to "steal" the 2016 election by saying Russia had tried to interfere with the election; in fact, Russia's interference has been corroborated by multiple investigations, including a bipartisan Senate report.
"So we know the game here. When Trump points the finger, he is telling on himself for something he has been guilty of," Schumer said.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia lawyers ask court to silence Trump admin after Kristi Noem called him a ‘monster’
Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have asked a federal judge in Tennessee to order the Trump administration to stop making statements about his case after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem publicly called him a “horrible human being” who should “never be released.”
Abrego, a Maryland resident, was erroneously deported in March to El Salvador, and his case became a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, sparking concerns over a lack of due process. He’s now being held in Nashville, Tennessee, on human smuggling charges.
Trump to unveil AI action plan
Trump will unveil his administration's AI action plan early this evening, which stems from an executive order he signed soon after his inauguration.
“We believe we’re in an AI race. It’s a global competition now to lead an artificial intelligence, and we want the United States to win that race,” White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks said on a call with reporters this morning.
Sacks said the plan's three pillars will focus on accelerating AI innovation, building AI infrastructure and leading international AI diplomacy and security.
"We want America to lead in data centers, and the energy that powers those data centers and all the infrastructure that it takes to be the leader in AI," Sacks said.
The plan presents more than 90 federal policy actions. Sacks said the administration developed the action plan "with urgency" so that all of the policies can be implemented in the next six months to a year.
Calls to strip Zohran Mamdani’s citizenship spark alarm about Trump weaponizing denaturalization
Immediately after Zohran Mamdani became the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City last month, one Republican congressman had a provocative suggestion for the Trump administration: “He needs to be DEPORTED.”
The Uganda-born Mamdani obtained U.S. citizenship in 2018 after moving to the United States with his parents as a child. But Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., argued in his post on X that the Justice Department should consider revoking it over rap lyrics that, he said, suggested support for Hamas.
Sen. Tillis on Jeffrey Epstein case: 'Release the damn files'
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., had a blunt message this morning on the perceived need for more transparency in the Jeffrey Epstein case: "Release the damn files."
"It makes no sense to me," Tillis said during an Axios event, adding that the files were either a "nothing burger in terms of the evidence we have" or they hold something "disturbing."
"The promise to release the files during the campaign was either overplayed and we got a nothing burger if the files get released, or it’s something really disturbing, and that’s actually even a more compelling reason to release it," Tillis said.
Sen. Thom Tillis a 'no' on controversial Trump nominee for Special Counsel’s Office
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., says he will not support Paul Ingrassia, Trump’s controversial nominee for the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, telling NBC News, “I’m a no.”
“I had not been following him,” Tillis said. “I went into my office, got a preliminary briefing, and that’s enough for me to know there’s probably virtually no way I could get to a yes. It’s Jan. 6, it’s a number of other things. So, I think he’s one of these people that’s checked all the boxes, and they’re all the wrong boxes.”
Ingrassia is a far-right former podcaster and commentator with a lengthy list of incendiary comments. He has called for Jan. 6 to be declared a national holiday to honor the “peaceful protest against a great injustice affecting our electoral system” and dismissed the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel as a “psyop.”
Tillis has said in recent weeks that he will oppose any Trump nominee who participated in or acted in support of those who took part in the riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Trump’s nominees can only lose three votes in the Senate if they want to be confirmed, and Tillis’ early opposition could mean Ingrassia’s nomination is in trouble.
“It’s pretty apparent to me he’s not ready for prime time, but he’s young, he’s got plenty of time to learn,” Tillis said.
Ingrassia is set to have his confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee tomorrow, where Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said Ingrassia’s previous comments will come up.
“I would never make some of the statements he’s made,” Lankford, who’s on the committee, told NBC News. “So, I think those are all things to be able to ask about and try to be able to figure out his perspective.”
U.S. envoy Witkoff may travel to Doha for further Gaza talks if Europe meetings go well
Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Europe this week for meetings on a wide range of issues, including the war in Gaza, a State Department official told NBC News.
Witkoff will continue pushing in the meetings for a Gaza ceasefire and peace deal, and if sufficient progress is made, he will travel on to Doha, Qatar, for further discussions, according to a U.S. official and a source familiar with the plan.
The potential second stop was first reported by Axios.
Masked ICE agents detain former Afghan interpreter who helped U.S. military
An Afghan who moved to the United States after working for the U.S. military in his home country was seized by armed, masked immigration agents, put in a van and taken out of state, attorneys and members of Congress said yesterday.
Identified only as Zia by members of Congress and his attorney out of concern for his safety and that of his family, the man had worked as an interpreter for the U.S. military during the war in Afghanistan.
He was in the United States legally and was arrested after an appointment in Connecticut related to his application for a green card under a program to protect people who worked for U.S. forces, according to human rights advocates, his attorney and members of Congress.
Trade talks could go past deadline, treasury secretary says
Any country "who doesn't have a deal by Aug. 1 will go back to the April 2 tariff level, but that doesn't mean we can't keep negotiating," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said this morning on MSNBC.
Asked specifically about a deal with China, which Trump has set a later deadline of Aug. 12 to resolve, Bessent said "we have a series of deals with China" on rare earth minerals. However, a full-fledged trade deal with China remains elusive.
Rare earth minerals are critical for the manufacture of everything from electric vehicles to smartphones.
Treasury Secretary Bessent: Trump has no plans to fire the Fed chief
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that Trump has no plans to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Trump has attacked Powell at an unrelenting pace for months. As recently as last night, Trump said Powell was "terrible, terrible" and told lawmakers gathered at the White House for a reception that Powell was "either evil or stupid."
Asked if Trump's pressure campaign against Powell is fair, Bessent said "I think everyone's used to that. Chair Powell's been around a long time."
GOP Rep. Mike Lawler won't run for New York governor
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., is skipping a bid for governor and will instead run for re-election after Trump urged him to do just that, which clears the field for one of Lawler's House colleagues if she chooses to run.
Lawler made his announcement this morning in an interview with The New York Times and an appearance on Fox News, noting that "keeping the House majority is critical" and that his seat has been "determinative of control of the House" during recent elections.
"I'm proud to run for re-election on my record and win next November and keep the House Republican majority," he said.
Lawler been openly considering a gubernatorial bid for some time, but Trump endorsed him for re-election before Lawler publicly made up his mind. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., a Trump ally who had been tapped as his United Nations ambassador before that nomination was pulled amid concerns about the slim GOP majority in the House, is also weighing her own gubernatorial bid.
Lawler's decision helps House Republicans who are defending a narrow majority next year, as they'll be able to rally behind the incumbent in a difficult district that then-Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly won in 2024. Stefanik responded to Lawler's decision by saying she'd announce her plans after the fall elections.
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul is running for re-election and faces a primary challenge from her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado.
Trump to deliver remarks at AI summit
Trump will deliver remarks this afternoon at an artificial intelligence summit in Washington, D.C., where he also is expected to sign executive orders, according to the White House.
Members of his administration and tech industry leaders are expected to attend the half-day event, which is being hosted by the All‑In podcast and the Hill & Valley Forum, according to a news release from the group.
U.S. and China may extend Aug. 12 tariff deadline at talks in Sweden next week
The U.S. and China will resume trade talks in Sweden on Monday and Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, adding that the Aug. 12 deadline for negotiating a deal is likely to be extended.
“I think trade is in a very good place with China,” Bessent, who will lead the U.S. delegation in Stockholm along with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, said yesterday on Fox Business.
Sweden and China also confirmed the talks, which will continue to be led on the Chinese side by Vice Premier He Lifeng.
Though there were few deliverables from previous rounds of talks in Geneva and London, China has eased export controls on strategically vital rare earth minerals and magnets, while the U.S. has lifted export controls on design software for semiconductor chips and allowed U.S. companies Nvidia and AMD to resume Chinese sales of advanced chips for use in developing artificial intelligence.
How Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ is shaping this year’s biggest elections
Trump’s sweeping tax cut and spending law known as the “big beautiful bill” is expected to be a major issue in the 2026 midterm elections. But first, candidates for governor this year in Virginia and New Jersey are already testing how the measure plays on the campaign trail.
Rep. Mikie Sherrill and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominees in New Jersey and Virginia, respectively, have warned about devastating impacts from looming cuts to social safety net programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Republicans are taking mixed approaches. In New Jersey, a high-tax state where affordability is a top issue, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli and his allies are planning to go on offense, arguing that Sherrill voted to block critical tax cuts.
Obama pushes back on Trump’s ‘outrageous’ and ‘bizarre’ treason claim
Former President Barack Obama’s office issued a rare rebuke of Trump yesterday after the president accused his predecessor of having committed “treason” and rigging the 2016 and 2020 elections.
“Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response,” Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush said. “But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
