President Donald Trump wants Rupert Murdoch, 94, deposed within the next two weeks in his defamation case against The Wall Street Journal for its reporting on a bawdy birthday greeting under Trump’s name in a compilation of letters for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th.
Questions continue to be asked over the nature of his friendship with the late sex offender, amid the ongoing schism among his supporters over the handling of the so-called Epstein files and the decision not to release them in full.
Speaking at a press conference with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the president said he had once turned down an invitation to the disgraced financier’s private island in the Caribbean, Little St James.
The island was a key part of the sex trafficking charges against Epstein and his co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in 2019, a month after his arrest, while his accomplice was sentenced to 20 years for trafficking young girls following her 2021 trial.
Maxwell has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, arguing that her conviction was invalid because a non-prosecution and plea agreement that federal prosecutors made with Epstein in 2007 also shielded his associates.
Key points
- Trump wants Rupert Murdoch deposed in suit over WSJ Epstein report ASAP because of his age
- Elon Musk hints at whether he thinks Trump will pardon Ghislaine Maxwell
- Ghislaine Maxwell files Supreme Court appeal over Epstein plea deal
- Trump claims he turned down invitation to Epstein island
- Trump says Democrats could have 'put things in' Epstein files
- President annoyed Epstein dominating agenda but won't fire anyone over it
ANALYSIS: Once a Jeffrey Epstein truther, Veep Vance becomes Trump and Bondi’s latest spin doctor
13:57
,
Oliver O'Connell
John Bowden writes:
Vice President J.D. Vance hit the campaign trail in Ohio on Monday, as he sought to help his boss and the GOP that is lined up behind him sell the “big, beautiful” budget reconciliation package to midterm voters.
Instead, the president’s Twitter-happy running mate found himself answering questions about Jeffrey Epstein — and in a generally unfamiliar role: battling speculation on the right instead of fueling it.
The vice president, who less than three weeks before the 2024 election declared that “we” should release the “Epstein list,” has a new message, as his colleagues now insist that the list isn’t real: “Donald J. Trump, I'm telling you, he's got nothing to hide.”
Read on...
Trump, who has promoted countless conspiracy theories, whines Democrats are wasting time on conspiracy theories
13:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump, who has regularly indulged in conspiracy theories alongside his supporters during his rise to power, complained on Sunday that it’s Democrats that are too focused on conspiracy theories.
Trump, whose administration is under scrutiny over its handling of Jeffrey Epstein investigations, claimed that “all they know how to do is talk and think about conspiracy theories and nonsense.”
Josh Marcus reports.
Senate Democrats call for release of Ghislaine Maxwell interviews
13:00
,
AP
The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, is calling on the Department of Justice to release transcripts and recordings of the interviews it conducted last week with Ghislaine Maxwell, the late Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator in the trafficking of young girls.
Although Democrats on the committee have no power to force the release of the interviews, they are trying to keep the pressure on President Donald Trump’s administration to disclose more information.
The issue has become a wedge in Trump’s political base, sparking some of his supporters to criticize how the administration has reneged on promises for complete disclosure of the investigation into Epstein for sex trafficking.
In the letter, which was also signed by Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the senators call last week’s interviews “another tactic to distract from DOJ’s failure to fulfill Attorney General Bondi’s commitment that the American people would see ‘the full Epstein files.’”
They are noting that it was unusual and concerning to have Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conduct the interviews, rather than prosecutors versed in the case. They also asked the Justice Department to pledge that it would not offer Maxwell a pardon for her participation in the interviews.
Tulsi Gabbard becomes ‘weapon of mass distraction’
12:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Critics have accused Tulsi Gabbard of trying to shield Donald Trump’s administration from scrutiny through her recent claims that top Obama administration officials should be prosecuted for leading a “coup” against the president in 2016 by investigating Russian efforts to help his campaign.
The allegations and conspiracy theories “would be sad if they weren't so dangerous,” Democratic Rep. Jason Crow told Fox News on Sunday. “She has turned herself into a weapon of mass distraction, is what I’ve been calling it."
Josh Marcus reports.
Elon Musk hints at whether he thinks Trump will pardon Ghislaine Maxwell
11:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Elon Musk is elevating claims online President Donald Trump may be preparing to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, the associate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein serving a 20-year federal sentence for conspiring to sexually abuse minors.
The X-owning billionaire responded to a post on social media speculating about the political reaction to a potential pardon with a bullseye emoji.
Josh Marcus reports.
Social media roasts Trump’s golf game after clip appears to show alleged cheating in Scotland
10:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Social media users pounced on a clip that appears to show Donald Trump cheating on the golf course during his ongoing trip to Scotland, the latest in a long line of accusations that the president cheats on the fairway.
In the video circulated by liberal commentators, a caddy appears to walk ahead of the golf-loving president in his golf cart and drop a ball behind him as the president approaches.
Josh Marcus takes a look at the reaction.
Trump annoyed Epstein is dominating agenda but won’t create ‘spectacle’ with firings
09:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump is frustrated that the Jeffrey Epstein uproar has overshadowed his agenda, but he doesn’t want to “create a bigger spectacle by firing anyone,” according to a report.
Trump is said to be “exasperated” by the scandal and is growing “increasingly frustrated” with how his administration has handled the Epstein files saga and media attention on the president’s ties to the sex offender, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting a federal sex trafficking trial.
“This is a pretty substantial distraction,” one person close to the situation told The Washington Post.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Ghislaine Maxwell asks Supreme Court to overturn her Epstein sex-trafficking conviction
08:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Ghislaine Maxwell has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court in the hope of overturning her conviction in the case involving the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Maxwell argues that she was unlawfully prosecuted for sex trafficking minors alongside Epstein.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Trump says Democrats could have ‘put things in’ the Epstein file
07:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump baselessly suggested that any mentions of his name in criminal case files related to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein would be there as a result of Democratic efforts to ensnare him in a “hoax.”
Sitting next to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during an hour-long media availability in Scotland, Trump called the continuing furor over the case of Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, “a hoax that's been built up way beyond proportion” and accused his predecessor of having tampered with the infamous case files.
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Memo signed for 'unconditional donation' of Qatari jet for us as Trump's Air Force One
06:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
CBS News reports that plans to refit a Qatari Boeing 747-8 jet for use as Air Force One by President Donald Trump are underway.
The network reports that senior U.S. officials have seen floor plans or schematics, and a memorandum of understanding has been signed between Qatar and the Department of Defense, detailing the “unconditional donation” of the plane.
CBS News has reviewed the memorandum, which was signed earlier this month by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs.
While it does not specifically mention Air Force One, it states that the jet can be used by the Pentagon “in any manner it deems appropriate.”
Earlier this year, President Trump confirmed that the Qatari royal family was donating a Boeing 747-8 for his use. Valued at $400 million, the jumbo jet is set to be donated to Trump’s presidential library after his term ends.
He described it as a “gift” from Qatar in May this year.
Trump wants Rupert Murdoch, 94, to answer questions ASAP because of his age in suit over WSJ Epstein report
05:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump asked a federal court to expedite the deposition of Rupert Murdoch in his lawsuit over the Wall Street Journal’s report about the alleged birthday message to Jeffrey Epstein because of concerns the 94-year-old media titan either won’t live long enough to testify at a potential trial or might not be alive.
Trump swiftly filed a $10 billion defamation suit against the publication, its owner Murdoch, the paper’s parent company Dow Jones, and the two journalists who are bylined on the report, among others.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Trump says he turned down a trip to notorious Epstein island where abuse happened
04:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump said that he turned down an invitation to Jeffrey Epstein’s notorious island, characterizing the decision as “one of my very good moments.”
Trump was quizzed again Monday about the Epstein files while holding a press conference with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Trump Turnberry golf resort in Scotland.
“I never had the privilege of going to his island, and I did turn it down, but a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island,” Trump said.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Democrats planning Epstein-focused town halls in GOP districts
03:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Democrats are once again planning a blitz of town hall meetings in Republican-led communities, though this time they are armed with a new and polarizing topic: Jeffrey Epstein.
The issue of the so-called “Epstein files” — including the details of high-profile people associated with the disgraced financier and sex offender — continues to divide the GOP, with some calling for further transparency and others, including the president himself, urging people to move on.
“Let them destroy each other. If we have to throw a log on the fire, we’ll do it,” one House Democratic aide told The Hill.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Elon Musk hints at whether he thinks Trump will pardon Ghislaine Maxwell
02:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Elon Musk is elevating claims online President Donald Trump may be preparing to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, the associate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein serving a 20-year federal sentence for conspiring to sexually abuse minors.
The X-owning billionaire responded to a post on social media speculating about the political reaction to a potential pardon with a bullseye emoji.
Josh Marcus reports.
Ghislaine Maxwell asks Supreme Court to overturn her Epstein sex-trafficking conviction
01:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Ghislaine Maxwell has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court in the hope of overturning her conviction in the case involving the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Maxwell argues that she was unlawfully prosecuted for sex trafficking minors alongside Epstein.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Rubio dodges question about running in 2028
Tuesday 29 July 2025 00:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Secretary of State Marco Rubio sidestepped a question this weekend about running for president in 2028, and instead pointed to Vice President JD Vance as a potential “great nominee.”
During an interview with Fox News host Lara Trump, Rubio was asked about throwing his hat in the ring for the 2028 White House. Since becoming Secretary of State, rumors have swirled about the former Florida senator making another run for president.
But Rubio appeared to throw cold water on those rumors, pointing to his “closest friend in politics” as a better option.
Ariana Baio reports.
Trump wants Rupert Murdoch, 94, to answer questions ASAP because of his age in suit over WSJ Epstein report
Monday 28 July 2025 23:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump asked a federal court to expedite the deposition of Rupert Murdoch in his lawsuit over the Wall Street Journal’s report about the alleged birthday message to Jeffrey Epstein because of concerns the 94-year-old media titan either won’t live long enough to testify at a potential trial or might not be alive.
Trump swiftly filed a $10 billion defamation suit against the publication, its owner Murdoch, the paper’s parent company Dow Jones, and the two journalists who are bylined on the report, among others.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Trump, who has promoted countless conspiracy theories, whines Democrats are wasting time on conspiracy theories
Monday 28 July 2025 22:53
,
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump, who has regularly indulged in conspiracy theories alongside his supporters during his rise to power, complained on Sunday that it’s Democrats that are too focused on conspiracy theories.
Trump, whose administration is under scrutiny over its handling of Jeffrey Epstein investigations, claimed that “all they know how to do is talk and think about conspiracy theories and nonsense.”
Josh Marcus reports.
ANALYSIS: Finally, Democrats are fighting back — How Trump-Epstein and redistricting have ignited a revolt
Monday 28 July 2025 22:34
,
Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
On Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson let the House of Representatives break for August recess one day early.
Johnson had no other option because Democrats ground the chamber to a halt in an attempt to get their Republican colleagues to vote on files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) — joined by Trump-rebelling Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) — had been gathering co-sponsors for their discharge petition that would allow them to circumvent leadership to release files related to the convicted sex offender and trafficker. But discharge petitions need seven legislative business days to “ripen,” so cutting short the calendar delays the ripening.
It marked a turning point for a party that’s been flailing since Donald Trump won last November.
Read on...
Senate Democrats call for release of Ghislaine Maxwell interviews
Monday 28 July 2025 22:15
,
AP
The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, is calling on the Department of Justice to release transcripts and recordings of the interviews it conducted last week with Ghislaine Maxwell, the late Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator in the trafficking of young girls.
Although Democrats on the committee have no power to force the release of the interviews, they are trying to keep the pressure on President Donald Trump’s administration to disclose more information.
The issue has become a wedge in Trump’s political base, sparking some of his supporters to criticize how the administration has reneged on promises for complete disclosure of the investigation into Epstein for sex trafficking.
In the letter, which was also signed by Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the senators call last week’s interviews “another tactic to distract from DOJ’s failure to fulfill Attorney General Bondi’s commitment that the American people would see ‘the full Epstein files.’”
They are noting that it was unusual and concerning to have Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conduct the interviews, rather than prosecutors versed in the case. They also asked the Justice Department to pledge that it would not offer Maxwell a pardon for her participation in the interviews.
Buttigieg says Democratic Party’s attachment to two words handed Trump the White House in 2024
Monday 28 July 2025 21:56
,
Oliver O'Connell
Former Transportation Secretary and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has argued that Democrats suffered heavy losses in 2024 because they’re “too attached” to the “status quo.”
Speaking to NPR, he said Democrats shouldn’t try to restore everything being torn down by President Donald Trump.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Tulsi Gabbard becomes ‘weapon of mass distraction’
Monday 28 July 2025 21:37
,
Oliver O'Connell
Critics have accused Tulsi Gabbard of trying to shield Donald Trump’s administration from scrutiny through her recent claims that top Obama administration officials should be prosecuted for leading a “coup” against the president in 2016 by investigating Russian efforts to help his campaign.
The allegations and conspiracy theories “would be sad if they weren't so dangerous,” Democratic Rep. Jason Crow told Fox News on Sunday. “She has turned herself into a weapon of mass distraction, is what I’ve been calling it."
Josh Marcus reports.
Elon Musk hints at whether he thinks Trump will pardon Ghislaine Maxwell
Monday 28 July 2025 21:27
,
Oliver O'Connell
Elon Musk is elevating claims online President Donald Trump may be preparing to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, the associate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein serving a 20-year federal sentence for conspiring to sexually abuse minors.
The X-owning billionaire responded to a post on social media speculating about the political reaction to a potential pardon with a bullseye emoji.
Josh Marcus reports.
'Highly unusual': Chris Christie blasts deputy AG Blanche for interviewing Maxwell alon
Monday 28 July 2025 21:18
,
Oliver O'Connell
Chris Christie drew on his experience as a federal prosecutor Sunday as he questioned the seriousness of the Justice Department’s sudden interest in Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned accomplice and girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein.
Once considered by Trump as a potential candidate to serve as attorney general during his first presidency, Christie told ABC News’ This Week that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s direct involvement in interviewing Maxwell over the course of nine hours Thursday and Friday of last week was “highly unusual.”
John Bowden reports.
Social media roasts Trump’s golf game after clip appears to show alleged cheating in Scotland
Monday 28 July 2025 20:59
,
Oliver O'Connell
Social media users pounced on a clip that appears to show Donald Trump cheating on the golf course during his ongoing trip to Scotland, the latest in a long line of accusations that the president cheats on the fairway.
In the video circulated by liberal commentators, a caddy appears to walk ahead of the golf-loving president in his go
