At least two black-and-white photographs uncovered by CNN confirm, for the first time, that Epstein attended the president’s second wedding in December 1993 to Marla Maples at the Plaza Hotel in New York. A third photograph, taken two months earlier, shows the pair together during the opening of the Harley-Davidson Cafe in New York.
The network also aired footage from a 1999 Victoria’s Secret runway show in New York, showing Trump with Melania Trump, “laughing and chatting” with Epstein. Both the photos and video are from before any of Epstein’s known legal issues.
Watch: Comer tries to push back on contention Speaker started recess early over Epstein files vote…however, he says the public wants to know who is on the Epstein list, if it exists.
Oliver O’Connell23 July 2025 17:16
Exclusive: Trump admin seeks new jet to shuttle around Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash PatelThe FBI is seeking an ultra-long-range business jet to fly agents and other bureau personnel to far-flung global locations for counterterrorism response, “high-risk operations,” and other “sensitive missions,” according to a tranche of federal procurement documents reviewed by The Independent.
Alongside the government’s request for proposals, a related statement of objectives says the aircraft “will also support executive transportation requirements for the FBI Director and the U.S. Attorney General,” namely, Kash Patel and Pam Bondi, who have both faced withering scrutiny in recent weeks for their handling of the fallout from the Epstein files.
Justin Rohrlich has the story.
Oliver O’Connell23 July 2025 16:52
Watch: Jeffries responds to Trump’s ‘treason’ allegations against ObamaOliver O’Connell23 July 2025 16:40
Statute of limitations likely an issue with any alleged Russia scandal crimesDirector of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has asserted that sufficient evidence exists to prosecute officials from the Obama administration regarding a “false 2016 election narrative” linking Donald Trump to Russia. However, the Department of Justice may find itself unable to pursue such a case due to time constraints.
The Washington Examiner reports that while Trump’s administration has released new documents purportedly showing “potentially criminal efforts” by the Obama administration to fabricate a collusion narrative, the federal statute of limitations poses a significant hurdle. Most crimes have a five-year limit from the date of commission, meaning alleged offences from 2016 and 2017 would likely be beyond the reach of prosecutors. Exceptions like murder or terrorism, which have longer or no statutes of limitation, are not expected to apply in this context.
One potential avenue to extend the timeframe for prosecution would be to establish a “continued conspiracy” among officials that stretched beyond the commencement of Mr. Trump’s first term. In such a scenario, the statute of limitations would apply from the date of the latest criminal action within that conspiracy.
Even if the Trump DOJ could find a way to build a case within the statute of limitations, the political nature of the investigation into Obama administration officials, along with concerns about immunity, would be other issues the Justice Department would face if it chose to try and move forward.
Oliver O’Connell23 July 2025 16:26
Watch: Jeffries says Republicans protecting ‘rich and shameless’ by not releasing Epstein filesDemocratic Minority Leader Rep. Hakeen Jeffries excoriated Republicans over the Jeffrey Epstein files during his press conference this morning as the House goes on a month-long recess.
Said Jeffries: “Why haven’t Republicans released the Epstein files to the American people? It’s reasonable to conclude that Republicans are continuing to protect the lifestyles of the rich and shameless, even if that includes pedophiles … it’s all connected.”
Oliver O’Connell23 July 2025 16:17
Why is Congress not acting on the Epstein files?House Speaker Mike Johnson rebuffed pressure to act on the Jeffrey Epstein, instead sending members home early on Wednesday for a month-long break from Washington after the week’s legislative agenda was disrupted by Republican members demanding a vote to release FBI and Justice Department files on the late sex offender.
Johnson decided to end the House’s legislative business after he essentially lost control of the powerful House Rules Committee, which sends bills to the floor for debates and votes.
The speaker’s early adjournment did little to ease Republican turmoil. Many Trump supporters are demanding a full account of the sex trafficking investigation into Epstein, who was found dead in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.
It was officially ruled that he died by suicide, but conspiracy theories have since flourished. Information made public so far has done little to stop widespread speculation.
Right-wing online influencers and Republican voters back home are demanding House intervention from lawmakers.
“The public’s not going to let this die, and rightfully so,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, a South Carolina Republican.
With reporting from the Associated Press
Oliver O’Connell23 July 2025 16:08
Still trying to turn the page on Epstein, Trump revels in new trade dealsPresident Donald Trump is celebrating his trio of trade deals agreed on Tuesday with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, as he tries to turn the page on the Epstein files scandal, as it continues to dominate headlines.
Trum posted on Truth Social:
Remember, Japan is, for the first time ever, OPENING ITS MAKET TO THE USA, even to cars, SUV’s, Trucks, -and everything else, even agriculture and RICE, which was always a complete NO, NO. The Open Market Japan may be as big a profit factor as the Tariffs themselves, but was only gotten because of the Tariff Power. They also agreed to buy BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF MILITARY AND OTHER EQUIPMENT, and give us 90% of 550 BILLION DOLLARS – AND MORE!!! MAGA!!!
He continued:
Indonesia has also agreed, for the first time ever, to COMPLETELY OPEN ITS MARKET TO THE USA. That’s BIG!!! Our businesses will make a fortune. Likewise Japan!
Trump added:
I will always give up Tariff points if I can get major countries to OPEN THEIR MARKETS TO THE USA. Another great power of Tariffs. Without them, it would be impossible to get countries to OPEN UP!!! ALWAYS, ZERO TARIFFS TO AMERICA!!!
And then reiterated:
I WILL ONLY LOWER TARIFFS IF A COUNTRY AGREES TO OPEN ITS MARKET. IF NOT, MUCH HIGHER TARIFFS! Japan’s Markets are now OPEN (for first time ever!). USA BUSINESSES WILL BOOM!
Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index gained 3.5% after the announcement of the Japan-U.S. deal, which includes a 15% U.S. import duty on goods from Japan, except for certain products such as steel and aluminum, which are subject to much higher tariffs. That’s down from the 25% Trump had threatened.
“This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He said Japan is investing $550 billion into the U.S. and would “open” its economy to American autos and rice.
Trump also announced a 19% tax on goods from Indonesia and the Philippines. These deals are “likely to keep market sentiment propped up despite deals with the likes of the EU and South Korea remaining elusive, for now at least,” wrote Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at Kohle Capital Markets.
With reporting from the Associated Press
Oliver O’Connell23 July 2025 15:49
DNI Gabbard continues attacks on Obama administrationDirector of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has continued her attacks on former President Barack Obama, posting a host of alleged Russia hoax “lies” she says were promoted by his administration to undermine the legitimacy of President Donald Trump in his first term.
In a five-post thread on X, Gabbard contends that a “contrived narrative” was created via an intelligence community assessment.
Gabbard concludes: “Together, the @ODNIgov records released on Friday, the @TheJusticeDept ‘s June 2018 report known as the “Clinton annex” released earlier this week, and the @HouseIntel oversight report we released today confirm what many Americans have known: The Russia Hoax was a lie that was knowingly created by the Obama Administration to undermine the legitimacy and power of the duly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump.”
President Trump got especially animated about Gabbard’s allegations in a White House press conference on Tuesday, demanding the press report on them and not the “With Hunt” Jeffrey Epstein case, as his administration tries to turn the page on demands for the release of the Epstein files by both Democrats and MAGA Republicans.
Friday’s report was criticised as the latest attempt to rewrite the history of the 2016 Russia investigation, a subject that has long infuriated Trump.
It downplays the extent of Russian interference in the 2016 election by highlighting emails from within the Obama administration, which purportedly show officials concluded both before and after the election that Moscow had not hacked state election systems to manipulate votes in Trump’s favor.
However, the Obama administration never suggested that state election systems were compromised, even as it exposed other significant methods of Russian interference. These included a large-scale hack-and-leak operation targeting Democratic emails, carried out by intelligence operatives working with WikiLeaks, alongside a covert foreign influence campaign designed to sway public opinion and sow discord through fake social media posts.
Gabbard’s report appears to leverage the absence of manipulation in state election systems as a basis to cast doubt on the broader scope of Russian interference.
A spokesperson for former President Obama called the “bizarre allegations” both “ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
With reporting from the Associated Press
Oliver O’Connell23 July 2025 15:30
Newsmax defends board member Alex Acosta’s sweetheart Epstein dealHere’s Justin Baragona on how the conservative news network has gone to bat for Acosta, an executive and Trump’s former labor secretary, who, prior to that, was the federal prosecutor who negotiated the secret so-called “sweetheart” plea deal with Epstein in 2008 that the Justice Department later said was made in “poor judgment.”
Joe Sommerlad23 July 2025 15:20
Tulsi Gabbard says ‘further documents’ to be released today proving ‘Obama coup’ Trump’s Director of National Intelligence appeared on both Fox News and Newsmax last night to pledge that more files will be released today to substantiate her dubious claim that Barack Obama ordered a report designed to discredit Donald Trump’s 2016 election win over Hillary Clinton.
Here’s a full account of what she had to say.
Joe Sommerlad23 July 2025 15:00
