Trump signs $70 billion bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the end of his term
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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was interviewed in person today by the House Oversight Committee about his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
What to know today
- TRUMP SIGNS ICE BILL: President Donald Trump signed a nearly $70 billion package to fund ICE and the Border Patrol today after the Republican-controlled House narrowly passed the long-delayed bill last night.
- HOUSE EPSTEIN PROBE: Members of the House Oversight Committee grilled Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates today about his association with Jeffrey Epstein as part of their investigation into the late convicted sex offender and his associates. Just an hour into his testimony, Democratic members described Gates as "a little combative." Gates told lawmakers in his opening statement that Epstein tried to "leverage his interactions" with him over personal details, including his extramarital affairs.
- DERSHOWITZ TESTIMONY: House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said the committee would ask Epstein's former lawyer Alan Dershowitz to testify before the committee. Dershowitz told NBC News he'd offered to testify because he has "absolutely nothing to hide."
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Trump tells Republicans to pass a $350 billion GOP-only bill to fund military and overhaul elections
Trump demanded tonight that congressional Republicans pass a bill that would send $350 billion to the military and push forward legislation to overhaul elections nationwide.
"I am hereby calling on Republicans in Congress to IMMEDIATELY advance and pass the forthcoming $350 Billion Reconciliation Bill (Recon 3.0) — which, at the request of our Great Department of War — will include THE SAVE AMERICA ACT as well," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "No games, no delays, and no weak compromises! Do this ASAP."
He directed Republicans to pass the measure under budget reconciliation rules, meaning it would require only a simple majority to pass in the Senate instead of the 60 votes needed for most bills. The demand for a new reconciliation package comes the same day he signed a $70 billion reconciliation bill to fund ICE and the Border Patrol through the end of his term.
Alongside the requested military funding, Trump urged Republicans to include the SAVE America Act, legislation that would add significant new restrictions and requirements for elections across the country.
Judge warns DOJ not to ‘play possum’ with ‘anti-weaponization’ fund it says is dead
A federal judge denied a request to temporarily halt the Trump administration’s proposed “anti-weaponization” fund but warned the Justice Department not to misrepresent the status of the $1.8 billion fund, which acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress is not moving forward.
“Don’t play possum with this court,” U.S. District Judge Richard Leon warned a Justice Department attorney in court this afternoon after he rejected the temporary restraining order request from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, one of several groups seeking to block the fund.
In addition to Blanche’s remarks to lawmakers about the status of the fund, the Justice Department said in a court filing last week that the initiative is “not going forward.”
Trump told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” in an interview that aired Sunday that he loved the idea of the “anti-weaponization” fund and that if it were up to him, he would pay purported victims of “weaponization” the “kind of money that they deserve.”
Before arrest with 303 gold bars, CIA officer spun tale he was Top Gun fighter pilot
More than 15 years ago, the Ashburn Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department in Northern Virginia welcomed a new recruit whom many members would come to admire: a military man named David Rush.
He wasn’t just highly intelligent. He was also capable, calm under pressure and a physical specimen, according to interviews with a half-dozen former Ashburn volunteer firefighters.
Despite his intellectual and physical gifts, Rush didn’t act like a big shot, his former fire department colleagues said. He was reserved and humble. But when he did get to talking about his military career, the stories he told were just amazing — how he had graduated first in his class at Top Gun, the legendary Navy fighter pilot school, and flown F-14 Tomcat fighter jets over Iraq and Afghanistan.
But now those former workmates don’t know what to believe after prosecutors accused Rush, 49, of being a serial fabulist who spun an elaborate fiction for years. He was arrested late last month in a federal case that has rocked the CIA and generated a series of sensational headlines.
DOJ responds to House Oversight chair's push for Todd Blanche to testify
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said today that he wanted acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to testify in the committee’s Epstein investigation, but the Justice Department was noncommittal about that possibility.
Comer said he has “always wanted Blanche to come in,” adding, “We have questions.”
A Justice Department spokesperson said in response that Blanche spoke with the committee in March to answer questions.
“Since then the answers have not changed,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“This Department of Justice has produced nearly three million pages in compliance with the [Epstein Files Transparency Act] and has repeatedly and clearly disclosed what items were not responsive, meaning items that are entirely unrelated, privileged, or duplicative," the spokesperson added.
“The Department has always made itself available to Congress, including allowing members to review unredacted documents, through public hearings, transcribed interviews, and meetings with committee members to answer questions directly. This is the most transparent Department of Justice in American history, and we have nothing to hide from the American people,” the statement said.
After he became acting attorney general, Blanche said in April that Epstein should not be a part of “anything” at the Justice Department going forward.
House to vote on short-term FISA extension tomorrow, Mike Johnson says
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the House will vote tomorrow morning on a short-term extension of the reauthorization of FISA Section 702 at Trump's request.
The measure would push back the expiration of the spying program's powers to July 2.
Johnson said the bill would be brought up under a procedure that requires a two-thirds majority of the House for passage.
“The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is how we surveil terrorists who are trying to hurt Americans. It is a very important, vital national security tool,” he said.
Johnson said that he spoke to Trump about nominating a director of national intelligence but that Trump said he was not ready to make a pick just yet. Many Democrats have said they will hold up FISA reauthorization until acting National Intelligence Director Bill Pulte is removed from the post he's set to take over on June 19.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he is a “hard no” on the short-term extension bill, pointing to skepticism among national security Democrats about Pulte, who has no experience working in the U.S. intelligence community.
Trump says ‘I love the inflation’ as annual rate jumps to a 3-year high
Trump embraced an unlikely foe today: inflation.
Asked by reporters whether he was concerned about new economic data that showed inflation last month surged to the highest rate since early 2023, Trump praised the government figures.
“The numbers were great. You know what I really love? I love the inflation. You know why? Because as soon as this war is over ... when the war is over, it’s coming down, it’s going to come down like a rock,” he said, referring to U.S. efforts to secretly get oil ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Democrats pounced on Trump’s remarks, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., accusing him of not caring about the rising cost of living for Americans.
FAA says Trump's proposed 250-foot arch won't have 'adverse impacts' on nearby airport
The Federal Aviation Administration said today that Trump's proposed 250-foot triumphal arch will not have adverse impacts on operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to a review by career safety experts.
The government agency said its only requirement for the arch is to include red obstruction lights at the top of the structure, which the FAA noted is "a common safety tool."
The massive arch, meant to honor the country's 250th anniversary, would feature winged eagles, Lady Liberty and a line from the Pledge of Allegiance, according to renderings of the structure.
The project, which would be the tallest triumphal arch in the world, has faced legal challenges and protests from historians, veterans and members of the public. Some argue that the arch is too close to the airport, while others say it would have a negative impact on the sight line between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
The arch is one of several Trump projects in the Washington area, including efforts to renovate the Kennedy Center and build a ballroom at the White House.
Jack Schlossberg says he’s ‘literally the opposite’ of the establishment
Jack Schlossberg, the Kennedy family scion running in the deeply contested Democratic primary for New York’s 12th Congressional District, told NBC News' “Here’s the Scoop” podcast today that he is “literally the opposite of the establishment.”
“I imagine people laugh when they hear me say that, but you have to understand the dynamics in this race,” said Schlossberg, 33. “The people, the powers who control all the party bosses here, who owe favors, and all the super PAC billionaires who are in this race, they absolutely hate me.”
Schlossberg, the lone grandson of President John F. Kennedy, is running in the Democratic primary against state legislators Micah Lasher and Alex Bores, as well as anti-Trump Republican-turned-Democrat George Conway and a host of others. The election is June 23.
Asked whether he will seek the presidency, Schlossberg told host Yasmin Vossoughian: “Dude, are you kidding me?”
“I would not be the Jerry Nadler in that I would not stay really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really long” in the seat, Schlossberg said of retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, whom he is seeking to replace. “But it would be the honor of my life to represent my hometown. This is a map of where I grew up and have spent all my time.”
Schlossberg later said the most Kennedy thing about him is his status as “an outsider,” adding that the Kennedys “were outsiders the entire time” and that they are “bad-ass.”
He also detailed the last time he spoke with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his cousin, when Schlossberg was 17.
Schlossberg said his last interaction came more than 15 years ago, after a funeral at which they were sharing. At the time, Schlossberg said on the podcast, Kennedy said he wanted to punch Schlossberg’s father’s “two front teeth out.” Kennedy did not know Schlossberg was in the car.
Gates says he answered all of the House Oversight Committee's questions
Gates' appearance before the House panel ended almost six hours after it began.
Gates did not answer questions from reporters as he left. He later said in a statement: “I appreciated the opportunity to meet with the House Oversight Committee today and to answer all of their questions. I support the release of all the files and hope my participation contributes to getting justice for the victims.”
Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., told NBC News' "Meet the Press NOW" that he found Gates “credible” and “didn’t get the sense he was hiding anything.”
"He professed no knowledge of the crimes that Epstein was committing and said that he was not ever even introduced to any of Epstein’s assistants, some of the young women that we now know Epstein was abusing," said Walkinshaw, a member of the committee.
Walkinshaw added that Gates said that he had been aware that Epstein had "been convicted of some kind of sexual misconduct but that he didn’t research the details of it and he regretted not researching the details of it."
"Obviously, that is a huge, massive error in judgment," Walkinshaw said.
High-profile exits, curious absences: The leadership vacuum plaguing U.S. health agencies
There’s a glaring lack of permanent leadership at the country’s major health agencies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has gone from one acting director to another. The commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration was ousted last month. The FDA’s second-in-command seat remains empty. And there has been no surgeon general for Trump’s entire second term.
Democratic lawmakers say Gates was aware of Epstein's criminal history
Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee told reporters that Gates acknowledged he was aware of Epstein's criminal history when he tried to get Epstein to support his foundation in 2011. Epstein had pleaded guilty to charges to soliciting a minor in 2008.
"He was aware Mr. Epstein had been convicted for a horrific crime and continued to interact with him to seek money for his foundation," ranking member Robert Garcia, D-Calif., told reporters.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., said she asked him whether the ends justified the means. "He said that's probably too strong a language but I felt getting billions of dollars for public health was worth it," Stansbury said.
Gates said in his opening statement that he did not wind up getting any money from Epstein and that he had largely stopped dealing with him by 2014.
Garcia said the attempt was "a horrific judgment call and something he shouldn't be doing and something Mr. Gates has to atone for," which he said Gates was trying to do with the foundation.
Garcia also agreed with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., that Gates' testimony was "combative" at times, but, he said, "he is answering questions. I think he is being cooperative."
Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The federal gas tax is on Trump’s hit list. Data shows how much would be saved without it.
As national gas price averages hover around $4.50 per gallon, multiple states have suspended their gas taxes, and now Trump and his Cabinet are talking about doing the same.
While a suspension would offer some relief, an NBC News analysis shows that gas prices would still average 35% more per gallon than they did at the start of the Iran war, even if all state and federal taxes were suspended. Average gas prices nationwide are up more than 50% since the war was launched at the end of February.
Maine’s race for governor heads to ranked choice tallies in both primaries
The Democratic and Republican primaries for governor of Maine are both up in the air, with a broad field of candidates competing and Maine’s ranked choice voting system adding another layer of complexity.
No candidate in either primary will get majority support, NBC News projects, meaning both contests will go to ranked choice tabulations to determine the nominees.
GOP memo on Maine Senate race warns it's 'a fatal mistake to assume Platner is too damaged to win'
In the wake of the Maine Senate primary results, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is circulating a memo warning donors and allies to take Democratic nominee Graham Platner seriously as a threat to defeat Republican Sen. Susan Collins this fall.
“The political fundamentals in Maine remain challenging, and it is a fatal mistake to assume Platner is too damaged to win,” the NRSC wrote in the memo, obtained by NBC News. “He is currently leading. Vice President Harris won the state by 7 points, and the National Democrats view this as their only path to regaining control. Senator Collins has won tough races before and can win this one, but only if we meet this moment with total urgency.”
The scandals and controversies have piled up for Platner, causing unease among Democratic insiders as some worry he cannot win. Platner has struck a chord on the ground with an outsider, populist message and insists he will stay the course.
As the NRSC noted, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, revived their endorsements of Platner last night, and the Democratic super PAC Senate Majority PAC also posted in support of him.
“The most important development of the last week is not another damaging story about Platner. It is the Democrat response to it. They are not abandoning him. They are propping him up,” the NRSC memo said.
In a rare bit of agreement today, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., told NBC News that the NRSC is correct.
“I never thought that I would agree with the NRSC, but they’re absolutely right," he said. "And the reason is that what Graham is doing is similar to what [Zohran] Mamdani did in New York, and that is run a strong grassroots campaign. I mean, it’s absolutely extraordinary — the numbers of people who have come out through the dozens and dozens of town meetings that he’s had in the smallest towns in Maine. And I think you’re going to see an expansion of that. I think you’re going to see thousands of people in Maine knocking on doors, which may become, I think, the strongest grassroots campaign ever in a rural state like Maine. So I think the Republicans are right, they should be worried about him. And, in my view, he’s going to win the election.”
Sanders called on Democrats to back Platner, saying: “He is the Democratic nominee. Last I heard, Democrats want to gain control of the United States Senate. The seat in Maine is going to be pivotal to that effort. I would hope that any Democrat with common sense would be strongly supporting Platner.”
Gillibrand said in a brief hallway interview today, “We’re going to win Maine.”
Brad Lander stands trial in New York over September arrest at ICE facility
Brad Lander is set to stand trial in a federal courthouse in the city starting today over an arrest in September that occurred while the then-New York City comptroller was protesting conditions at an immigration holding facility.
He was arrested alongside 75 others, including nearly a dozen other elected officials, at 26 Federal Plaza in downtown Manhattan, as they attempted to inspect rooms holding detained immigrants in the building, which is also home to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office and the FBI’s New York field office.
Brad Lander arrives at federal court in New York today. Adam Gray / Bloomberg via Getty Images
What are Graham Platner’s chances of unseating Susan Collins?
NBC News is projecting Democrat Graham Planter will face incumbent Republican Susan Collins in Maine's Senate race in November. Meanwhile, Republican Steve Hilton is projected to face off against former Biden Cabinet secretary Xavier Becerra in the race for California governor. NBC’s Ryan Nobles reports for "TODAY."
More than $200 million later, Tom Steyer’s second bid for elected office is done
Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer’s bid for governor of California is the second time he has spent more than nine figures in an unsuccessful attempt to win public office.
NBC News projected yesterday that former conservative commentator Steve Hilton advanced to the general election for governor, joining former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. That means Steyer is out, unable to push into the top two spots in the all-party primary.
Ronald Russell wins the Republican primary for Maine's 1st Congressional District, NBC News projects
Ronald Russell wins the Republican primary for Maine's 1st Congressional District, NBC News projects.
David Flippo wins the Republican primary for Nevada's 2nd Congressional District, NBC News projects
David Flippo wins the Republican primary for Nevada's 2nd Congressional District, NBC News projects.
Trump says Pulte will only serve as acting intelligence director 'for a short while'
Trump defended tapping housing official Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence despite him lacking an intelligence background.
"Smart people are smart people," the president said after NBC News pointed out that Pulte's current portfolio is very different than his upcoming post. "I always say I’d rather have smart than experience, but experience is good too."
Trump also said that Pulte would "be there for a short while, while we pick somebody else."
"We’re interviewing five different people, they’re all very good, very different, and we’ll put somebody there, but people want it downsized," he said, referring to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Lawmakers targeted by DOJ over social video move to block 'slush fund' for Trump allies
Four Democratic House members who were targeted by the Trump administration over a social media video that the president disliked have introduced legislation to permanently block his allies who claim they are victims of "weaponization" from receiving taxpayer-funded payouts.
Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., and Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H. — all of whom the Trump administration attempted to indict earlier this year — introduced the "Drain the Slush Fund Act" in the House.
A federal grand jury in Washington in February rejected the attempt to indict the House members along with Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan over a "Don't Give Up the Ship" video that encouraged members of the military and intelligence communities not to obey unlawful orders. Kelly and Slotkin have already introduced the Senate version of the "Drain the Slush Fund Act" alongside Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
“Donald Trump built a slush fund to give your tax dollars to cop beaters & convicted criminals, ” Crow said in a statement. “While working families pay more for gas, groceries, and healthcare, he wants to give your hard-earned money to Tina Peters & the Proud Boys. It’s disgusting, Americans deserve better, and Congress must stop this from ever becoming a possibility. ”
“Taxpayer dollars should never be used to reward political allies, punish perceived opponents, or advance any president’s personal agenda," Houlahan said. "Federal settlement funds belong to the American people and should be used to serve the public interest—not bankroll partisan schemes."
“Giving public money to cop-beaters and oath-breaking insurrectionists should have never been on the table in the first place,” Deluzio said.
“We will not stand by while President Trump attempts to usurp American taxpayer dollars for corrupt presidential payouts and backwards backdoor deals,” Goodlander said.
A federal judge had put a pause on the $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fund," and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has said it is not moving forward. But Trump has said he loves the idea of the fund and would pay people "the kind of money that they deserve."
The Justice Department has other mechanisms for giving out taxpayer dollars even without the "anti-weaponization fund."
Congressman says Gates being 'combative' and not fully candid
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., a member of the House Oversight Committee, criticized Gates' testimony so far and said he was being "a little combative."
"We’ve now been through the first hour of Mr. Gates’ testimony," and "I’m concerned that he’s not as candid or forthcoming as he can be," Krishnamoorthi said.
"He’s a little combative, and I think that again we need to try to get to the bottom of what happened," he added.
"I just find it very unusual that Bill Gates associated with Jeffrey Epstein, that Jeffrey Epstein had gotten his claws into Microsoft and known so many senior executives there, and so I think that will also be further grounds for questioning going forward," he said.
"I’m looking forward to further questions about his background and relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and I’m hopeful that he’ll be more candid going forward."
Trump signs bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol
Trump signed a bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol through the end of his term after the Senate and then the House passed the legislation.
The bill, dubbed the Secure America Act, tops off a months-long fight over funding for immigration operations. The prior legislation that ended the Department of Homeland Security shutdown did not include funds for ICE and Border Patrol.
Trump was flanked by lawmakers including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La; Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich.; and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. Also during the event, he bashed Democrats and touted D.C. construction projects.
Members of Congress applaud as President Donald Trump holds up the signed Secure America Act today. Alex Wong / Getty Images
Trump confirms he supports Sen. Susan Collins for re-election
Trump confirmed to reporters that Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has his support for re-election.
Asked whether Collins had his full support, Trump confirmed she does, adding, "because she's a sane woman."
"She's not my best friend at all," Trump said of Collins, who supported an unsuccessful effort to convict Trump in 2021 after the House impeached him following the Jan. 6 riot and voted against the GOP's sweeping tax and spending bill last year.
He said that Collins is a "sane woman" and a "respected person," though has "maybe a little different ideology than me."
"But this guy's a thug," Trump said of Democratic candidate Graham Platner.
Maine is expected to be one of the closest Senate races this fall. Collins is among the Republicans who bucks Trump most frequently in votes.
Trump speaks extensively about reflecting pool renovation
Trump spoke extensively in the Oval Office about the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and touted its completion by July 4.
"We sandblasted the surface, we fumigated it. We took out 11 dumpsters, big dumpsters full of garbage. It was all garbage. Some of the garbage was there for years. It was all disgusting. It smelled," Trump said.
He went on, "We rinsed it out, and we gave it a beautiful surface and then we put a swimming pool topping, but industrial strength, industrial strength tanks, lots of other things."
The president praised the completion of the work before July 4.
"Everybody's looking at that reflecting pool," he said. "We use the dark blue, it's called American flag blue."
Comer says Alan Dershowitz will be called to testify, and Dershowitz says he has 'absolutely nothing to hide'
Rep. James Comer, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters that his committee would ask Alan Dershowitz to testify "based on the testimony from Ms. Groff, as well as a meeting that I had afterwards with several of the Epstein survivors."
Lesley Groff, Epstein's former assistant, testified behind closed doors to the committee yesterday.
Dershowitz, who served as Epstein's lawyer, told NBC News in a phone call, "I offered to provide testimony, because I'm one of the few people who has absolutely nothing to hide.”
"I have no agenda,” he continued. "I'm not representing anybody at this point. I haven't been accused of anything, and so I'm perfectly willing to provide honest and complete testimony about what I know in an effort to help transparency. I have no agenda, and I just want to make sure the public understands the nuance and complexity of this highly publicized case."
He said he has not been in touch with the committee, adding that “this was the first I heard of it.”
Dershowitz also told NBC News he was not sure what Comer might have been referring to in his comments today.
"I did nothing wrong. I'm very proud of my role as a lawyer, and I don't have any idea what he's referring to,” he said. “There can be no credible testimony against me because I did nothing wrong, so I'm not fearful of any prior testimony, but I think the reason I've been called is primarily because I offered to come forward and testify.”
Asked about his interactions with Groff, Dershowitz said, “I may have met her.”
"I may have met her on two or three occasions when she was the secretary,” he said. "I never had any real interactions with her.”
He said that Groff "may have arranged for me and the other lawyers to travel to Florida to speak to the state attorney or to speak to the U.S. attorney, that was the limit of my interaction with her."
In a separate phone call, Dershowitz told NBC News that he knows "a lot about the early time with Epstein from 2005-2010 when I was his lawyer."
"I ended my relationship with him, but Epstein would continue to call me with legal issues, and I would answer," he added. "For example, Epstein said he was told that as part of the non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Florida, he had to register as a sex offender in New York, but I told him the deal says nothing about that.”
Gates says Epstein 'tried to leverage his interactions with me'
Gates said in his opening statement that he was introduced to Epstein in 2011 "through people I trusted in my professional and philanthropic work," and that he "claimed he could raise billions of dollars for global health" and later tried to use information about Gates' marital infidelities as leverage.
Gates said in the statement to the committee, which he posted on his website, he eventually came to realize that Epstein was full of hot air about his philanthropic boasts by 2014, and that he told him he would no longer deal with him.
"It was after this that I learned Epstein had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage. These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family," Gates said.
Bill Gates arrives to testify at a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee today. Tom Brenner / Getty Images
"As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities—in addition to many lies that he layered on top—to pressure me to re-engage with him. He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda."
Gates' statement added that he regrets ever meeting with Epstein. "I recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues, but I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed. I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have," he said.
Gates said that in their interactions, "I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct. I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone."
Speaking to reporters outside the hearing room, Gates said, "I'm glad to be hear voluntarily to testify, to help with the committee’s work."
"I hope my testimony is helpful to the important work of the committee to find justice for the victims," he said.
Trump’s elevating Bill Pulte as intelligence chief could mean FISA spy power expires
A powerful surveillance tool backed by national security hawks faces a risk of expiring this week after Trump moved to put it in the hands of an ally without a national security background.
Trump tapped housing official Bill Pulte last week to replace Tulsi Gabbard on an acting basis as director of national intelligence. Pulte is known for pushing criminal investigations into Trump’s adversaries for mortgage fraud, which Democrats and the targets of those probes say are selective and politically motivated.
Sen. Lindsey Graham wins GOP primary, defeating wealthy challenger in South Carolina
Sen. Lindsey Graham has won his Republican primary in South Carolina, NBC News projects, after he spent millions to secure the nomination.
Graham faced multiple primary challengers Tuesday, but the biggest threat came from self-funding businessman Mark Lynch, who lent his campaign $5 million. Graham’s campaign spent more than $13 million on ads, according to AdImpact, as he battled Lynch for the GOP nod.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez says she had a miscarriage recently
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., said yesterday during a House Appropriations Committee markup that she recently had a miscarriage.
"A few weeks ago, my husband and I lost a pregnancy after 11 weeks of hope of bringing a new member into the family," The 38-year-old congresswoman said in the remarks, which she shared in a video on X.
"Miscarriage is hard, but when your body doesn’t let go of a miscarriage, it gets harder," she said. "After several weeks of bleeding and mourning the loss of our pregnancy, my doctor made clear that future pregnancy could be much more difficult if I didn’t take medication to expel the retained miscarriage."
She went on to describe how she took the medication to expel the miscarriage "this past Sunday" and described how "the pain was worse than the pain I experienced during labor and delivery of my son four years ago."
The congresswoman proposed an amendment to a spending bill that would instruct the National Institutes of Health to study strategies to improve women's pain during miscarriage.
Her amendment was adopted by voice vote with unanimous support, according to her office.
Inflation jumps to 4.2%, the highest since early 2023
Inflation surged in May to the highest level since early 2023, keeping consumers under pressure as the war with Iran shows no sign of winding down soon.
Overall, inflation rose to 4.2% in May from a year ago, up 0.5% from April. Inflation’s rise has surpassed wage growth, which was tracking at 3.4% as of the most recent jobs report.
Bill Gates to be interviewed by lawmakers today as part of Epstein probe
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates will be interviewed by members of the House Oversight Committee today as part of their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates.
The interview will take place behind closed doors and will be transcribed, the committee's chairman, James Comer, R-Ky., said in a letter in March requesting the billionaire philanthropist's testimony. Gates has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
A spokesperson for Gates told NBC News last night that "Gates welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee."
"While he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein’s illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee’s questions to support their important work," the spokesperson added.
Gates, whose name was mentioned in the Epstein files, has said that he "regrets every minute" he spent with the late convicted sex offender, whom he met in 2011. In the files, Epstein appeared to suggest in an email he sent to himself that Gates was having extramarital affairs and seeking drugs. Gates called the contents of the unsent email "false" and said he was "foolish" to have spent time with him. A Gates spokesperson also denied the allegations, calling them "absolutely absurd and completely false."
Gates said he had "a number of dinners" with Epstein, and the focus of their conversations was on finding philanthropic contributions to global health initiatives. He said he never traveled to Epstein's private island.
Gates later told Gates Foundation staffers that he previously had two affairs, but they did not involve women around Epstein, The Wall Street Journal reported in February, citing a recording of a town hall during which he also apologized for his ties to Epstein.
Gates maintained that he "did nothing illicit" and "saw nothing illicit," the Journal reported.
“To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him,” he said, according to the Journal.
Democrats await ranked choice vote in Maine to decide key House nominee
Republican former Gov. Paul LePage is moving on to the general election in Maine’s 2nd District, NBC News projects, as the crowded Democratic field in one of the country’s most important battleground districts remains unresolved ahead of a ranked choice voting tabulation.
The seat is being vacated by Jared Golden, one of the most conservative Democrats in the House and a candidate who has held on to it repeatedly, even as Donald Trump carried the district in 2020 and 2024. His decision to retire jeopardizes Democrats’ ability to hold the seat, and Republicans are optimistic they can finally flip it.
Joe Baldacci, a state senator and son of a former governor, is the establishment pick, running with a boost from the House Democratic campaign committee and the top House Democratic super PAC. State Auditor Matt Dunlap, the former secretary of state, is running as a progressive, embracing “Medicare for All” and leaning on his decadeslong political career in the state.
And Jordan Wood, the former chief of staff to then-Rep. Katie Porter of California and a top staffer at End Citizens United, is also running from the progressive wing of the party. He’s the top fundraiser by a large margin.
Trump-backed Pamela Evette advances to GOP primary runoff against Alan Wilson in South Carolina governor’s race
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who secured a late endorsement from Trump, and state Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a Republican primary runoff in the race to be the state’s next governor, NBC News projects.
The runoff will take place June 23 after no candidate won more than 50% of vote yesterday. With more than 80% of the expected vote tallied, Evette was taking 29% support compared to 26% for Wilson.
The eventual GOP nominee will be a heavy front-runner to replace term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster in the solidly red state this fall.
Republicans pass bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the end of Trump’s term
After weeks of setbacks and delays, the Republican-controlled House yesterday narrowly passed a roughly $70 billion package to fund ICE and the Border Patrol through the end of Trump’s term.
The vote was 214-212, with Rep. Kevin Kiley, a California independent who caucuses with Republicans, joining all Democrats in voting no. The package, dubbed the Secure America Act, cleared the Senate last week and now heads to the president’s desk for his expected signature.
Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo to face off against Democrat Aaron Ford in Nevada’s race for governor
Nevada Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and Democrat Aaron Ford have won their primaries, NBC News projects, officially setting up what’s expected to be one of the most competitive gubernatorial contests in the fall.
Lombardo, the former Clark County sheriff, easily secured his party’s nomination over several low-profile challengers as he seeks a second term. Ford defeated Washoe County commissioner in the Democratic contest, taking roughly two-thirds of the vote.
Republican Steve Hilton to face Democrat Xavier Becerra in California governor’
Former Fox News host Steve Hilton has advanced to the general election in the California gubernatorial race, NBC News projects, where he will face former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
Hilton, a Republican, emerged from a crowded primary where candidates from all parties appear on the same ballot and the top two vote getters move on. NBC News projected Friday that Becerra, a Democrat, would advance.
With 88% of the expected vote tallied one week after polls closed, Becerra was taking about 28% support compared to 25% for Hilton. Billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer was in third with roughly 23%, while Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco was the only other candidate in double digits, with 10%.
Maine voters set up a Senate showdown: Graham Platner versus Susan Collins
It’s official: Republican Sen. Susan Collins will face Democrat Graham Platner this fall, NBC News projects, in what will be a marquee election in the fight for control of the Senate.
Collins and Platner both won their primaries yesterday in a predictable result. Collins, first elected to the Senate in 1996, ran unopposed for renomination as she seeks a sixth six-year term.
And Platner, a veteran and oyster farmer running in his first political race, faced little Democratic competition as two-term Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign after she failed to gain traction. She still appeared on the primary ballot.
