A new Economist/YouGov poll finds nearly half of all Americans believe President Trump was an Jeffrey Epstein accomplice in his sex trafficking crimes, 46% to 32%.
Another 23% weren’t sure.
GOP House Committee Chair Has Yet to Issue Subpoena
“A week after a House Oversight subcommittee voted to subpoena the Justice Department for records related to Jeffrey Epstein, the chairman of the full committee still hasn’t issued the order,” the Washington Post reports.
“The delay stands in stark contrast to the subpoena Rep. James Comer (R-KY) — the House Oversight chairman — issued and signed within 24 hours of a similar subcommittee vote that compelled Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell to testify before Congress.”
“And it raises questions about Republicans’ willingness to hold the Trump administration accountable for its failure to release the Epstein files in the face of significant backlash from the president’s GOP base.”
Two Biden Aides to Testify on His Possible Mental Decline
“Two more of Joe Biden’s top White House aides are set to appear before the House Oversight Committee for scheduled interviews this week as part of the Republican-led panel’s intensifying investigation into the former president’s cognitive decline and possible efforts to conceal it from the public,” CNN reports.
“The committee has scheduled interviews with former Biden counselor Steve Ricchetti and former senior adviser Mike Donilon for Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. In a departure from some previous high-profile witnesses, the two have signaled they will voluntarily sit for them.”
Senate Democrats Try to Force Release of Epstein Files
“Senate Democrats on Wednesday moved to compel the Trump administration to release material connected to the investigation into the accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, invoking a little-known law in a bid to force Republican leaders to confront the growing furor over the case,” the New York Times reports.
“Under a section of federal law commonly referred to in the Senate as the ‘rule of five,’ government agencies are required to provide relevant information if any five members of that committee, which is the chamber’s chief oversight panel, request it.”
“That provision — which became law in 1928 and sets a seven-member rule for the House’s oversight committee — effectively offers a way for members of the minority party to compel information from the executive branch because they cannot issue congressional subpoenas. But it has been infrequently used, and it has not faced significant tests in court, raising questions over whether it can be enforced.”
Jerry Nadler Gets a Young Primary Challenger
“Rep. Jerry Nadler, the dean of the New York congressional delegation, is getting a primary challenger for next year — and it’s not from the Democratic Socialists of America,” CNN reports.
“Liam Elkind, a 26-year-old who started an organization during the Covid-19 pandemic that delivered food and medicine, is pitching his run as ‘respectfully asking’ Nadler to retire.”
How Europe Took Trump for a Ride
Paul Krugman: “Like many U.S. institutions, the European Union has abysmally failed the Trump test. The EU is an economic superpower and could have retaliated effectively against Trump’s illegal tariffs — illegal under both U.S. and international law. Instead, Europe did nothing and even made some apparent concessions.”
“But notice my wording: apparent concessions. The optics of the Trump-EU deal were humiliating, and optics matter. If you examine the substance, however, it starts to look as if Europe played Trump for a fool.”
How Democrats Are Annoying Their Most Loyal Voters
Dan Pfeiffer: “Whenever Trump does something terrible, the party, its PACs, and its candidates try to turn that anger into dollars. In recent months, I’ve received fundraising texts after Trump gutted the Department of Education, defunded PBS and NPR, bombed Iran, and even when CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
“This strategy has some upsides. Democratic campaigns have routinely outraised Republicans. For example, in 2020, Democratic campaigns raised nearly $50 million in the 24 hours after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died.”
“But there are real downsides. It’s not clear the party fully grasps the damage done by treating every news event as an opportunity to wring money out of its most loyal and passionate supporters.”
Epstein Jail Video Shows Discrepancies
A CBS News investigation of the Jeffrey Epstein jail video reveals “the recording doesn’t provide a clear view of the entrance to Epstein’s cell block — one of several contradictions between officials’ descriptions of the video and the video itself.”
And “the video does little to provide evidence to support claims that were later made by federal officials.”
“The review doesn’t refute the conclusion that Epstein died by suicide. But it raises questions about the strength and credibility of the government’s investigation, which appears to have drawn conclusions from the video that are not readily observable.”
Democratic Governors See a 2028 Nominee
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore “have emerged as early favorites among their peers” to run for president in 2028, Jonathan Martin reports.
“Each was born in the 1970s, each has a promising biography and, why mince words, they’re seen as most likely to fulfill the party’s overriding criteria: They can win because it’s hard for Republicans to portray them as radicals, soft or both.”
The governors are also “fond of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker as well as Kentucky’s Andy Beshear, if somewhat more skeptical either can claim a nomination and general election. Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer is well-liked but there are doubts she’ll run for president.”
“They’re less enamored with California’s Gavin Newsom, to put it mildly, who has never really been part of the governors club.”
Generals Nominated for New Posts Must Meet With Trump
“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has begun requiring that nominees for four-star-general positions meet with President Trump before their nominations are finalized, in a departure from past practice, said three current and former U.S. officials,” the New York Times reports.
“The move, though within Mr. Trump’s remit as commander in chief, has raised worries about the possible politicization of the military’s top ranks by a president who has regularly flouted norms intended to insulate the military from partisan disputes.”
Americans Brace for Price Hikes
“President Donald Trump is getting his tariffs. Companies are making it clear how they intend to deal with it – passing them on to American consumers,” Reuters reports.
“Throughout the spring, big retailers and consumer product makers warned that levies on imported goods would squeeze their operations, forcing them to choose between lower earnings and passing on higher costs to customers.”
Meanwhile, Semafor reports some Republican senators shot down Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) idea to send tariff rebate checks to Americans.
The E.U. Wooed Trump With Flashy but Flimsy Numbers
“When Donald Trump unveiled his trade deal with the European Union on Sunday night, he fixated on its size. And when the White House later released a fact sheet on the agreement, it trumpeted pledges by the Europeans for big investments in the United States,” the New York Times reports.
From the U.S. document: “The E.U. will purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy and make new investments of $600 billion in the United States, all by 2028.”
“But when the European Union released its own fact sheet on Tuesday, its description of that pledge was more muted — and far more noncommittal on spending outside of energy.”
“There’s a reason for the equivocation: The European commitments are more like vague estimates than specific promises.”
In fact, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC that there’s “plenty of horse trading left to do.”
Countries Scramble to Strike Trade Deals With Trump
“With less than a week left for dozens of countries to negotiate trade deals with the Trump administration to avoid tariffs, some of America’s trading partners are in last-minute negotiations with the United States to stave off levies that could escalate a broader trade war,” the New York Times reports.
Texas Democrats May Flee State to Block Redistricting
“As Republicans in Texas move full steam ahead with a plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts, Democrats are privately mulling their options, including an expensive and legally dicey quorum break,” the Texas Tribune reports.
“If they go that route, it appears they will have the backing of big-dollar Democratic donors.”
“By fleeing the state to deprive the Legislature of enough members to function, Democrats would each incur a fine of $500 per day and face the threat of arrest. Deep-pocketed donors within the party appear ready to cover these expenses.”
“The donors’ willingness to foot the bill eliminates a major deterrent to walking out — the personal financial cost — and could embolden Democrats who might otherwise hesitate.”
Trump Tax Megalaw Upends Charitable Giving
“Congress just reshuffled the incentives for charitable giving, providing tens of millions of middle-income households with a tax break while shrinking deductions for corporations and higher earners,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The shake-up inside the ‘one big, beautiful bill’ that President Trump signed July 4 is expected to alter Americans’ giving patterns when it takes full effect next year, and billions of dollars are riding on taxpayers’ responses to restructured deductions for charitable donations.”
Trump’s Billion-Dollar Settlement Spree
“President Trump has extracted more than $1.2 billion in settlements from 13 of the most powerful players in academia, law, media and tech,“ Axios reports.
“If finalized, a potential $500 million deal with Harvard would represent the largest scalp to date.”
“America’s most elite institutions have largely succumbed to the Trump administration’s cultural crackdown, opting to pay up — often to the tune of tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars — rather than fight back.”
Fox News reports the Trump administration’s latest collegiate target is Duke University.
Trump Bypasses Congress to Keep Interim Prosecutors
“The Trump administration has decided to extend the terms of the interim federal prosecutors in Southern California and Nevada who were serving under temporary appointments that were set by law to expire, a move that sets the stage for new potential conflicts with Congress and the federal judiciary,” the New York Times reports.
“A similar maneuver in New Jersey to extend the service of the interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, President Trump’s former lawyer, has led to legal gridlock in the federal court there, as some lawyers and judges question whether Ms. Habba is legally authorized to act as the state’s chief federal prosecutor.”
A Texas-Sized Gamble
“As early as today, Texas Republicans will release their proposed new congressional map for the Lone Star State,” Punchbowl News reports.
“This proposal could change some as it winds its way through the Texas House and Senate. But here’s what we expect it to look like, according to multiple sources with detailed knowledge of the process.”
“Under this scenario, there would be five new seats that President Donald Trump would have carried by 10 or more points. This could give the GOP an advantage of 30 Republicans to eight Democrats in the Texas congressional delegation in the next Congress (it’s currently 25 Rs, 12 Dems and one vacancy).”
“It’s huge news in Austin and on Capitol Hill. It may help the GOP keep control of the House in 2026 — or trigger redistricting fights in other state capitals as Democrats retaliate.”
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