President Donald Trump refused to answer questions about the bombshell Jeffrey Epstein email release as he signed a funding bill to end the government shutdown Wednesday night.
In the newly released emails, Epstein allegedly told his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell that Trump “spent hours” at his house with one of the late convicted sex offender’s victims.
Asked about it, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “These emails prove absolutely nothing other than the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong.”
Mike Johnson said that the House will vote next week to compel the Justice Department to release all files connected to Epstein.
The Speaker announced the vote just hours after he swore in Rep. Adelita Grijalva, who quickly signed a discharge petition to bring it to a floor vote.
The White House decried the Epstein emails, saying the leaks give a “fake narrative.”
“The Democrats selectively leaked emails to the liberal media to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump,” Leavitt said. “These stories are nothing more than bad-faith efforts to distract from President Trump’s historic accomplishments.”
Trump did not send or receive any of the emails and has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Key Points
- Democrats release new emails from Jeffrey Epstein that mention Trump
- Arizona Rep blasts Trump during her swearing in ahead of likely vote on Epstein files
- Trump refuses to take questions on Epstein controversy
- House to vote next week on Epstein files: Johnson
Mike Johnson thinks discharge petition to force a vote on the release Epstein files is a 'moot point.' Thomas Massie thinks otherwise.
05:00 , Rachel DobkinHouse Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Wednesday night the discharge petition to force a vote on the release of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is a “moot point.”
Raju: You said you’re for full transparency. So why not just vote for the Massie Khanna bill on the Epstein files?
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 13, 2025
Johnson: It was not drafted in a way to protect victims. The discharge petition is not only reckless, it is also a totally moot point. The oversight committee has… pic.twitter.com/cIdrm7s6QY
Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, who is leading the charge to release the files with Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, told CNN Wednesday night: “The White House spent a lot of effort in the midst of a shutdown to stop a totally pointless exercise that's completely moot.”
Collins: Johnson is calling it totally pointless exercise and completely moot.
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 13, 2025
Massie: The WH spent a lot of effort in the midst of a shutdown to stop a totally pointless exercise that's completely moot. pic.twitter.com/LQOJ5PUCba
MTG explains why she is voting on the release of the Epstein files
04:40 , Rachel DobkinRepresentative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has explained why she is voting on the release of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I honestly believe it’s not only the right thing to do for the victims but it’s also the right thing to do for the country. Americans deserve transparency,” she wrote on X Wednesday night.
Next week we will be voting to release the Epstein files. I honestly believe it’s not only the right thing to do for the victims but it’s also the right thing to do for the country. Americans deserve transparency.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 13, 2025
Remember Democrats had 4 years under Biden to release it all, but…
Read newly released emails from Jeffrey Epstein's estate
04:20 , Rachel DobkinDemocrats on the House Oversight Committee released emails from the estate of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Wednesday.
The emails mention President Donald Trump, who was a friend of Epstein decades ago. Trump has not been formally accused of any wrongdoing.
🚨BREAKING: Oversight Dems have received new emails from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate that raise serious questions about Donald Trump and his knowledge of Epstein’s horrific crimes.
— Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) November 12, 2025
Read them for yourself. It’s time to end this cover-up and RELEASE THE FILES. pic.twitter.com/A5XgOHj2Jq
Trump signs bill ending longest government shutdown in history which disrupted air travel and food benefits for millions
04:00 , Rachel DobkinPresident Trump signed a bill late on Wednesday to reopen the federal government, ending the longest shutdown in American history. The signing follows a House vote earlier in the day largely along party lines to send the measure to the White House.
“We will never give in to extortion,” Trump said during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office while flanked by his Republican colleagues. “Because that’s what it was.”
The president accused “extremist” Democrats of pursuing the shutdown “purely for political reasons” and causing “millions of Americans to suffer” impacts like imperiled food benefits, lost government jobs, and tens of thousands of delayed flights at major airports.
“People were hurt so badly,” Trump added. “Nobody’s ever seen something like this one.”
All but two House Republicans voted to reopen the federal government earlier Wednesday while a majority of Democrats voted against the legislation, with only six Democrats voting with the GOP. The bill passed the House with 222 votes overall, four votes more than the 218 needed to move the legislation forward.
Read more from Eric Garcia and Josh Marcus:
House votes to end longest government shutdown in US history
Trump refuses to take questions on Epstein controversy
03:33 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump refused to take questions Wednesday night on the controversy surrounding files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
During a signing ceremony for a funding bill to reopen the government, Trump declined to speak on Epstein, after House Democrats released emails from the late financier’s estate.
The emails mention Trump, who was a friend of Epstein decades ago. The president has not been formally accused of any wrongdoing.
Adelita Grijalva calls for legislation to 'ensure that no duly elected member ever goes through this again' after swearing-in delayed for weeks
03:20 , Rachel DobkinNewly sworn-in Representative Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, has called for legislation to “ensure that no duly elected member ever goes through this again” after her swearing-in ceremony was delayed for weeks.
“We need to pass legislation on a bipartisan basis to ensure that no duly elected member ever goes through this again,” she told MSNBC Wednesday night. “The precedent that [House Speaker Mike] Johnson has set. 50 days. Before it was 35 days; before that, it was 20. What is it going to be next time? Months? Where you just sit in limbo and are not able to do your job?”
ANALYSIS: The Epstein email receipts show sex offender’s deep reach in Washington went far beyond Trump
03:00 , John BowdenThe former prince, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, fell into disgrace after it was revealed that he kept in contact with Jeffrey Epstein after the financier was convicted of sex crimes in 2008 in a “sweetheart deal” that largely allowed him to escape judgment for his crimes.
But were Washington’s elite held to those same standards, there would be plenty of disgrace to go around.
On Wednesday, another trove of email chains involving Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, was released by the House Oversight Committee’s members, which include both Republicans and Democrats. The emails revealed startling insinuations about Donald Trump himself, including one where he wrote to a biographer that Trump “knew about the girls”. The White House and Trump have strongly denied that the president knew about any illegal activity.
The emails released on Wednesday also centered a second spotlight on Epstein’s other associates, however, and some illustrate clearly the wide range of the alleged sex trafficker and convicted pedophile’s connections to America’s political establishment, in several cases after his public reputation was already sullied by a conviction for soliciting an underage girl for prostitution.
Read on...
The Epstein email receipts show his deep reach in Washington went far beyond Trump
Adelita Grijalva shares details of conversation with Mike Johnson
02:42 , Rachel DobkinRepresentative Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, has shared details of a conversation she had with House Speaker Mike Johnson after waiting 50 days to be sworn in.
“He said, ‘This was nothing personal.’ I said, ‘It sure did feel personal,’” Grijalva told MSNBC Wednesday night, hours after her swearing-in ceremony.
Despite being elected in September, Johnson waited seven weeks to swear Grijalva in, with some accusing him of delaying her ceremony since she was key to forcing a vote on the release of the Epstein files. Johnson has denied these allegations.
Ro Khanna believes Epstein files will be released
02:30 , Rachel DobkinRepresentative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, told CNN Wednesday night he believes files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will ultimately be released by the Justice Department.
“I do. How much? I don't know, but I do because the American people are not letting this go,” Khanna said.
Khanna and Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, have led the charge to force a House vote to release the Epstein files.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said a vote is expected next week. But even if the House votes for the bill to release the files, it still has to be passed by the Senate and signed by President Donald Trump.
Thomas Massie on Epstein files: 'This is more than about political wins'
02:20 , Rachel DobkinRepresentative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, told CNN Wednesday night that the release of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is “more than about political wins.”
“It's about getting transparency and justice, which, by the way, this administration promised,” Massie said.
Massie and Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, have led the charge to force a House vote to release the Epstein files. House Speaker Mike Johnson said a vote is expected next week.
House to vote next week on Epstein files: Johnson
02:10 , Rachel DobkinHouse Speaker Mike Johnson announced Wednesday that the lower chamber will vote next week on whether to compel the release of government files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Newly sworn-in Representative Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, was the last signature on a discharge petition to force a vote on the matter.
Even if the House votes for the bill to release the files, it still has to be passed by the Senate and signed by President Donald Trump, which is unlikely.
House votes to end government shutdown
02:01 , Rachel DobkinThe House voted late Wednesday on a funding bill to open the government after the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history.
President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill into law later Wednesday night.
Read more on the House vote from Eric Garcia:
House votes to end longest government shutdown in US history
Newsom trolls Trump amid latest Epstein files drama
01:30 , Rachel DobkinCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom has trolled President Donald Trump amid the latest drama surrounding the so-called Epstein files.
Newsom’s press office posted a photo of MAGA figure Scott Presler holding a binder that read “The Epstein Files; Phase 1,” given to him and other right-wing influencers by Attorney General Pam Bondi during a White House visit in February.
Congrats @ScottPresler on the new documents, what a transparent White House! pic.twitter.com/8UGmjPs97N
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) November 12, 2025
But edited onto the binder was one of the emails from the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, released by House Democrats Wednesday. The emails mention Trump, but the president has not been formally accused of any wrongdoing.
“Congrats @ScottPresler on the new documents, what a transparent White House!” Newsom’s press office wrote on X alongside the edited photo.
House Republican says he tried to release the Epstein files 'immediately' but it failed
01:00 , Rachel DobkinRepresentative Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, said he tried to release the so-called Epstein files “immediately,” but it failed.
“I tried to get the Epstein files straight to the floor to cut out all this nonsense, and the Democrats blocked it, oddly enough,” Burchett said.
He added, “This is politics. It has nothing to do with doing what’s right.”
I tried to release The Epstein Files immediately and the Democrats blocked it. pic.twitter.com/wFywWzxixU
— Tim Burchett (@timburchett) November 12, 2025
Burchett was not one of the four republicans to sign a discharge petition along with the Democrats to force a vote on releasing documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
ICYMI: Trump says Democrats are using 'Jeffrey Epstein Hoax' to 'deflect' from government shutdown
00:44 , Rachel DobkinThe White House has shared quotes from President Donald Trump amid the recent drama stemming from documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Here’s what Trump said earlier Wednesday via Truth Social:
“The Democrats are trying to bring up the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax again because they’ll do anything at all to deflect on how badly they’ve done on the Shutdown, and so many other subjects. Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap.
“The Democrats cost our Country $1.5 Trillion Dollars with their recent antics of viciously closing our Country, while at the same time putting many at risk — and they should pay a fair price. There should be no deflections to Epstein or anything else, and any Republicans involved should be focused only on opening up our Country, and fixing the massive damage caused by the Democrats!”
"The Democrats are using the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax to try and deflect from their massive failures, in particular, their most recent one — THE SHUTDOWN!" - President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/DF4OkutJHY
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 12, 2025
It’s unclear where Trump got the $1.5 trillion figure.
Trump said in another post minutes later: “In other words, the Democrats are using the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax to try and deflect from their massive failures, in particular, their most recent one — THE SHUTDOWN!”
Top Democrat leading Epstein investigation tells The Independent: 'This goes directly to Trump's corruption'
00:20 , Eric GarciaThe top Democrat on the committee leading the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein said that Democrats are launching a multi-pronged attack to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif), the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, spoke to The Independent off the House floor and said the investigation into the late sex offender and President Donald Trump's efforts to stonewall the investigation is a matter of accountability.
"This is about the White House being corrupt," Garcia said. "It's about them hiding information. This is, in my opinion, a massive cover up."
On Wednesday, House Oversight Democrats led by Garcia, dropped a bomb when they released a series of emails from Epstein where he discussed Trump.
The Independent asked him if Democrats took back the House, would they continue to probe into Epstein? But Garcia said they are laying the groundwork.
"So we're gonna do every we're not waiting to get to the majority. We're doing the work now. So when we get to the majority, that'll just–work will just continue," he said.
Garcia also praised Republican Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, whom the White House has reportedly put under a pressure campaign to back off signing the discharge petition.
"I'm glad that they held and that they are obviously have a principal position on the Epstein files, and I've heard them talk about it," he said. "It's unfortunate that not more Republicans were actually on the initial discharge. But I know in talking to many of them, that many of them are going to vote yes. So I think, I think when it comes forward, we're going to have a significant vote."
Michael Wolff responds to Epstein emails
00:00 , Rachel DobkinAuthor Michael Wolff, who corresponded with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the past, has responded to emails from Epstein’s estate that Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released earlier Wednesday.
President Donald Trump, who was a friend of Epstein’s decades ago, was mentioned in the emails, including one sent by Epstein to Wolff in 2019 that read: “Of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop.”
Wolff applauded the further investigation into Trump’s relationship with Epstein in a video posted to Instagram, saying, “Perhaps we’re getting close to the smoking gun.”
“You know, it’s curious that Epstein’s relationship with so many people in public life has damaged them considerably, but the one person who he was closest to has not been held accountable. That’s Donald Trump,” Wolff said.
Trump has not been formally accused of any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein’s crimes.
Epstein offered to provide ‘insight’ on Trump to Putin in 2018, emails show
Wednesday 12 November 2025 23:40 , Alex WoodwardJeffrey Epstein offered to meet with Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s top diplomat, to provide insight into how Donald Trump thinks, according to emails released by Republicans on the House Oversight Committee.
In one exchange from June 24, 2018, Epstein asked Norwegian politician Thorbjørn Jagland to pass on his message to Vladimir Putin before the two presidents met in Helsinki.
“I think you might suggest to Putin, that lavrov, can get insight on talking to me,” Epstein wrote.
Epstein said he believed Vitaly Churkin, another Russian diplomat, “understood Trump” after they talked.
“it is not complex. he must be seen to get something,” Epstein wrote. “it’s that simple.”
Nancy Mace: Trump hasn’t threatened me about Epstein
Wednesday 12 November 2025 23:20 , Eric GarciaRepresentative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, said she has not received any pressure to get off the Epstein discharge petition.
Mace is one of four Republicans pushing a bill to force a vote on the Epstein files.
“No one has threatened me. The President hasn't threatened me, and the president didn't ask me get off the discharge petition.”
Mace told The Independent exclusively that she hasn’t spoken to the president since Friday.
“I've been traveling, and I had a big press conference yesterday, so he and I've been on the road, but he and I've been playing phone jack,” she said.
Mace put out a long tweet, which she said she sent to the White House about the Epstein files.
The Epstein petition is deeply personal. When I was 14 I was molested by a friend of one of my coaches and sexually assaulted at 16. I was violently mugged months later. I dropped out of high school at 17 because I had nothing left to give. But God helped me turn things around.…
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) November 12, 2025
Thomas Massie celebrates his successful discharge petition to force a vote on the Epstein files
Wednesday 12 November 2025 23:00 , Rachel DobkinRepresentative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has celebrated getting all 218 signatures on a discharge petition to force a vote on the release of the so-called Epstein files.
“In spite of a last ditch effort by the President to foil the motion, and @SpeakerJohnson’s propaganda, the discharge petition I have been leading just succeeded!” Massie wrote on X Wednesday evening.
🏆 In spite of a last ditch effort by the President to foil the motion, and @SpeakerJohnson’s propaganda, the discharge petition I have been leading just succeeded! In December, the entire House of Representatives will vote on releasing the Epstein files.https://t.co/kGhb7qli8O pic.twitter.com/zZUnl5Skt2
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) November 12, 2025
Newly sworn-in Representative Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, was the last signature on the petition.
Top Trump administration officials met in the White House Situation Room earlier Wednesday with Representative Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican who signed the petition, The New York Times reported.
'I will NEVER abandon other survivors': Nancy Mace explains her support for Epstein proposal
Wednesday 12 November 2025 22:44 , Josh MarcusCongresswoman Nancy Mace is defending her support for a House proposal that would force a vote on releasing the government’s remaining Epstein files, even as the Trump administration reportedly works behind the scenes to dissuade her from joining the mostly Democrat-backed effort.
The South Carolina Republican on Wednesday reiterated her support for the plan, describing it as a “deeply personal” issue because she has survived multiple sexual assaults, beginning when she was a child.
"I will NEVER abandon other survivors,” Mace said in a statement.
It had to happen sometime: Fox News belatedly references bombshell Trump-Epstein emails hours after their release
Wednesday 12 November 2025 22:31 , Josh MarcusWhile its cable news competitors immediately jumped on the bombshell release of emails showing Jeffrey Epstein repeatedly mentioning Donald Trump’s name, Fox News was unsurprisingly slow to join the fray.
By the time CNN and MSNBC had mentioned the email exchanges dozens of times on their airwaves on Wednesday morning, the conservative cable giant – which has largely turned a blind eye to the Epstein files uproar in recent months – continued to steer clear of the story.
And when the network finally broached the subject, it was done so vaguely and quickly that Fox News viewers likely had no idea it was related to the blockbuster story that had gripped the rest of the political media universe.
As part of a huge tranche of documents obtained from Epstein’s estate, House Oversight Committee Democrats released three emails that showed the late pedophile mentioning the president’s name. Trump, who had a lengthy friendship with Epstein before a falling out in the 2000s, has not been accused of wrongdoing in the Epstein case and has denied any involvement in the deceased financier’s crimes.
Justin Baragona has the story.
Fox News finally — and vaguely — references Trump-Epstein emails hours after release
Anti-trafficking group praises Grijalva and says Epstein releases 'barely scratch the surface'
Wednesday 12 November 2025 22:19 , Josh MarcusAn anti-trafficking group is praising the recently sworn-in congresswoman Adelita Grijalva for her commitment to back a bipartisan House effort to force a vote on releasing the government’s remaining Epstein files.
“Survivors who have worked with World Without Exploitation were proud to stand with Congresswoman Grijalva today as she demonstrated her commitment to transparency and justice,” Lauren Hersh, national director of anti-trafficking group World Without Exploitation, said in a statement.
“The records released so far barely scratch the surface of what the public—and survivors—deserve to know about who enabled and profited from this exploitation.”
Arizona Rep blasts Trump and Congress during her swearing in ahead of likely vote on Epstein files release
Wednesday 12 November 2025 22:06 , Josh MarcusRepresentative Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, was sworn into office Wednesday by House Speaker Mike Johnson and took the opportunity to blast President Donald Trump and Congress.
Speaking to her colleagues on the House floor Wednesday, Grijalva said, “While we celebrate this moment today, our American promise is under serious threat.
“Basic freedoms are under attack. Health care premiums are skyrocketing. Babies are being ripped away from their parents by masked agents. We can and must do better.”
She then blamed Congress for not holding the Trump administration accountable for issues on affordable healthcare, immigration raids and more.
Rachel Dobkin has the story.
Arizona Rep blasts Trump and Congress during her swearing in ceremony
Rep. Grijalva is officially on the discharge petition
Wednesday 12 November 2025 21:40 , Kelly RissmanMinutes after being sworn in — following a 50-day delay since she was elected by her constituents — Arizona Rep. Adelita Grijalva became the 218th signature on the discharge petition.
You can look at the petition here.
Epstein survivor praises release of emails
Wednesday 12 November 2025 21:33 , Kelly RissmanDanielle Bensky, who was abused by Epstein, said releasing the emails was a “step forward.”
“I think the release of the latest emails is another step forward for the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein who have been fighting for years to get the truth out,” Bensky told NBC News Wednesday.
“We have been banging on the transparency drum for so long,” she said. “I know that there are politics involved, but we should all be on the side of releasing all of the Epstein files once and for all.”
Epstein survivors attended Grijalva's swearing-in
Wednesday 12 November 2025 21:23 , Kelly RissmanLiz Stein and Jessica Michaels joined House Representatives in the gallery on Wednesday, Rep. Adelita Grijalva said.
She pointed to the emails released by the House Oversight Committee todaysuggesting that the president knew more about the convicted sex offender’s history of abuse than previously reported.
“It’s past time for Congress to restore its role as the check and balance of this administration,” she said.
She signed the discharge petition, marking the final signature necessary to force a vote to release the files.
Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva sworn in
Wednesday 12 November 2025 21:20 , Kelly RissmanSpeaking to the House after she was sworn in after a seven-week standoff, Grijalva thanked her constituents for electing her, the first Latina to Congress.
“While we celebrate this moment today, our American promise is under serious threat. Basic freedoms are under attack. Healthcare premiums are skyrocketing...We can and must do better,” she said.
She called out the House for not holding Trump “accountable” as an equal branch of government.
It’s been 50 days since she won the Congressional race in Arizona, she said. “This is an abuse of power. One individual should not be able to unilaterally obstruct a swearing-in of a duly elected member of Congress for political reasons,” the Congresswoman said.
Wednesday 12 November 2025 21:14 , Kelly RissmanIn a 2018 email, Epstein says Trump is “evil beyond belief” when chatting with a journalist, who said the president is “scaring the s*** out of me now. He could well tank global economy.”
'Act of a guilty conscience': AOC weighs in on Epstein email release
Wednesday 12 November 2025 21:04 , Kelly RissmanEmails sent by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, released earlier today, claim that Donald Trump “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with a victim and “knew about the girls.”
Trump did not send or receive any of the emails and has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
“These emails prove absolutely nothing other than the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked about the emails.
White House aides reportedly met in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday with Colorado GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert, who signed onto a discharge petition to force a House vote on the release of the Epstein Files. The petition needs 218 signatures to succeed.
Some top administration officials were tapped to try to persuade Boebert to remove her name from the petition, the New York Times reported.
New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez told NewsNation: “I mean, that’s the act of a guilty conscience. If President Trump was not involved with Jeffrey Epstein, if he was not personally involved, and if these emails and what’s indicated inside them, if he’s confident that they were false, I don’t think that he would be calling Republican members of Congress to try and block their release. And so I think that it’s quite damning.”
Epstein questioned whether Trump had 'early dementia' in email
Wednesday 12 November 2025 21:00 , Kelly RissmanWhen emailing with a New York Times reporter after an excerpt of Michael Wolff’s book Fire and Fury was released, the reporter said the president was “looking/sounding increasingly unhinged.
Epstein replied: “no questions donalds statement is goofy. . early dementia?”
Epstein said Clinton was never on his island
Wednesday 12 November 2025 20:50 , Kelly RissmanIn a 2011 email, Epstein sent an email to “The Duke” saying he doesn’t “know and has never met know and have never met Al gore, C[l]inton was never on the island.”
The subject line read: “feel fre to pass this to your presss people”
Clinton’s name was listed on Epstein’s flight logs. In August, Ghilaine Maxwell told DOJ officials that Clinton never visited Epstein’s island, called Little St. James.
Kash Patel interrupts White House briefing to explain his secret flight to China
Wednesday 12 November 2025 20:40 , Kelly RissmanWith the Trump administration reeling over bombshell emails from the late pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein that mentioned President Donald Trump spending time with one of his victims, FBI Director Kash Patelsuddenly took to the White House briefing room podium — to talk about something completely unrelated.
The neophyte director of the country’s top federal law enforcement agency — who has been beset by reports detailing his frequent use of government funded jets — took the lectern to justify the latest of those jaunts: a private jet run to the People’s Republic of China.
Patel told reporters the visit to Beijing was to meet with his Chinese counterpart for a discussion about Beijing imposing a ban on manufacture of precursor chemicals used to make the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Andrew Feinberg has the story.
Kash Patel interrupts White House briefing to explain his secret flight to China
Discharge petition could get final signature as soon as Wednesday afternoon
Wednesday 12 November 2025 20:30 , Kelly RissmanCalifornia Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna predicted his and Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie’s discharge petition will get the final signature on Wednesday.
“Today, @MassieforKY & my petition get 218!” Khanna wrote on X.
Arizona Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva is expected to be sworn in Wednesday afternoon.
If it gets enough signatures, the petition would compel lawmakers to vote on the release of the Epstein Files.
Trump says Democrats released Epstein emails to 'deflect' from shutdown 'failures'
Wednesday 12 November 2025 20:20 , Kelly RissmanPresident Donald Trump posted another response to the Epstein emails, claiming that Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released the messages to “deflect” from the shutdown news.
“In other words, the Democrats are using the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax to try and deflect from their massive failures, in particular, their most recent one — THE SHUTDOWN!” the president wrote on Truth Social Wednesday afternoon.
White House confirms crisis talks with rogue MAGA rep as top administration officials to meet
Wednesday 12 November 2025 20:10 , Kelly RissmanHere’s how the House fight over releasing Epstein files will go down after bombshell Trump email mentions
Wednesday 12 November 2025 20:00 , Kelly RissmanThe House of Representatives had not even been fully gavelled in when House Democrats dropped a tactical nuke on the Rotunda and released emails from the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In particular, the emails reveal that the disgraced financier and by then fairly well-known sexual predator told journalist Michael Wolff that Trump “knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop.” Another email showed that he told his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, that Trump “spent hours” with one of their victims, whose name was redacted.
Unsurprisingly, the Trump administration has vehemently dismissed the anger around the emails while naming Virginia as the victims in the process. And so far, House Speaker Mike Johnson has taken extraordinary steps to prevent his members from forcing a vote to release them, even calling the House into recess earlier than expected in July.
Eric Garcia has the story.
How the House fight to release Epstein files will happen after Trump email mentions
Lord of the Rings character mentioned in Epstein emails
Wednesday 12 November 2025 19:52 , Alex WoodwardJeffrey Epstein denied allegations in 2015 involving former President Bill Clinton and former Prince Andrew on his island, adding “the only person she didn’t suggest was forced to have sex with was Bilbo Baggins.”
Epstein survivors to attend Arizona Democrat's swearing-in: report
Wednesday 12 November 2025 19:44 , Kelly RissmanAt least two of Jeffrey Epstein survivors are expected attend Adelita Grijalva’s swearing-in ceremony Wednesday, CNN reported.
Grijalva is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday afternoon, House Speaker Mike Johnson has said.
The move ends the seven-week standoff since she was elected in September.
The Arizona Democrat has said she would sign the discharge petition to force a vote on the release of the Epstein files. She would be the last signature needed, if no members of Congress remove their names in the meantime.
WATCH: Karoline Leavitt claims emails saying Trump spent 'hours' with victim prove he did 'nothing wrong'
Wednesday 12 November 2025 19:39 , Kelly RissmanEpstein slams Trump's intelligence again in 2016 exchange with linguist Noam Chomsky
Wednesday 12 November 2025 19:38 , Kelly RissmanJeffrey Epstein wrote a 2016 email to Noam Chomsky, the famed linguist, philosopher and professor, claiming that Trump has written more books than he has read.
Who is Adelita Grijalva?
Wednesday 12 November 2025 19:28 , Kelly RissmanAdelita Grijalva is an Arizona Democratic Rep.-elect who has not been sworn in as the shutdown has dragged on.
She was elected in September, but after seven weeks, she could be sworn in as soon as Wednesday afternoon, House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
Her swearing-in would take place right before the House votes on the funding package that the Senate approved Monday to end the longest-ever shutdown.
Democrats have been celebrating because once sworn in, Grijalva could serve as the 218th signature on the discharge petition, which would force a vote on the release of the Epstein Files.
Every new revelation about the Epstein cover-up is shocking.
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) November 12, 2025
Representative Adelita Grijalva will finally get to put the House’s discharge petition over the 218-signature threshold.
It’s time for the Justice Department to release the Epstein files.
Top Oversight Democrat responds to Leavitt's complaints over email release
Wednesday 12 November 2025 19:23 , Kelly RissmanDemocratic members of the House Oversight Committee released emails claiming that Trump spent “hours” at Epstein’s house with a victim.
In response, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "The Democrats selectively leaked emails to the liberal media to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump.”
Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, addressed Leavitt directly, giving her a solution in a social media: “Have your boss RELEASE THE FILES TODAY.”
Madam @PressSec, if you are concerned about what we released, you can easily fix this.
— Congressman Robert Garcia (@RepRobertGarcia) November 12, 2025
Have your boss RELEASE THE FILES TODAY. pic.twitter.com/jnvUSDQoS7
Trump said Epstein 'betrayed' him in 2017 to 'discredit' convicted sex offender, ex-exec said in email
Wednesday 12 November 2025 19:17 , Kelly RissmanEmails show Epstein asked Nichols Ribis, who helmed Trump’s hotel and casino empire, in 2017 for “insight” on Trump after the president claimed Epstein had “betrayed” him 15 years earlier.
Ribis replied that Trump likely said it to “discredit or downgrade” Epstein to the person he said it do.
Read: Epstein's 2018 emails with Steve Bannon
Wednesday 12 November 2025 19:12 , Kelly RissmanBannon was ousted as Trump’s White House chief strategist in 2017.
In 2018, he and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were emailing back and forth about politics.
Trump says newly released emails are meant to 'deflect' from shutdown news
Wednesday 12 November 2025 19:08 , Kelly RissmanPresident Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday afternoon:
The Democrats are trying to bring up the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax again because they’ll do anything at all to deflect on how badly they’ve done on the Shutdown, and so many other subjects.
Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap. The Democrats cost our Country $1.5 Trillion Dollars with their recent antics of viciously closing our Country, while at the same time putting many at risk — and they should pay a fair price.
There should be no deflections to Epstein or anything else, and any Republicans involved should be focused only on opening up our Country, and fixing the massive damage caused by the Democrats!