United States
US lawmakers accuse justice department of ‘inappropriately’ redacting Epstein files
US lawmakers say files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were improperly redacted ahead of their release by the Department of Justice (DoJ). Members of Congress on Monday were allowed to begin a review of the unredacted versions of the approximately three million pages of files released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA) since December. “The core issue is that they’re not complying with… my law, because these were scrubbed back in March by Donald Trump’s FBI,” Democratic congressman Ro Khanna said. At least one document has been unredactedRead more
Under-fire Trump commerce secretary confirms he visited Epstein’s island
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has confirmed he visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island in 2012, contradicting previous claims that he had cut ties with the sex offender years earlier, before he was convicted. “I did have lunch with him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation,” Lutnick testified on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. “My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies … We had lunch on the island. That is true. For an hour.” Correspondence about the visit was included in EpsteinRead more
Trump threatens to block opening of US-Canada bridge
The White House has demanded that Canada “share authority” and ownership of a new bridge connecting the two countries after a “clear and direct” call between Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting the Canadian province of Ontario to the US state of Michigan, will not open until Ottawa “treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve”, Trump wrote on social media earlier. The bridge is funded by the Canadian government but will be publicly owned by both Canada andRead more
Kennedy Center to close for two years for renovations, Trump says
The Kennedy Center in Washington DC will be closed for a two-year renovation beginning in July, US President Donald Trump has announced. Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday that the centre would close on 4 July this year “in honour of the 250th Anniversary of our Country”. The move follows several artists cancelling performances at the storied institution after it was recently renamed as the Trump Kennedy Center. Shortly after taking office, the president fired several of the board members at the centre and replaced them with allies, whoRead more
Trump says administration ‘reviewing everything’ after fatal shooting of Minneapolis nurse
EPA US President Donald Trump says his administration is “reviewing everything” after the fatal shooting by immigration agents of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday. In his comments to the Wall Street Journal, Trump also indicated that he would eventually withdraw agents from the city. But he did not give a timeframe. Protests continued in Minneapolis and other US cities on Sunday, as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz warned that America was at an “inflection point”. The facts around the incident – the second fatal shooting byRead more
Trump trips, a fake video and 10 possible co-conspirators – Takeaways from new Epstein files
The US Department of Justice released its latest – and largest – tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files on Tuesday. The 11,000-plus documents continue a stream of released information that began on Friday, the deadline mandated in a new law that required the department to publicly release all of its investigative files into the deceased paedophile and financier. Many of the documents released on Tuesday are redacted with names and information blacked out, including names of people who the FBI appears to cite as possible co-conspirators in the Epstein case. TheRead more
Congress ups pressure to release boat strike video with threat to Hegseth’s travel budget
Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images US lawmakers are trying to pressure the Trump administration to release video of a controversial “double-tap” military strike by limiting Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget. The incident on 2 September, in which the US carried out a second deadly strike on a boat in the Caribbean, has raised fresh questions about the legality of Trump’s campaign targeting alleged drug-carrying vessels. A provision buried in a lengthy defence spending policy would restrict travel funds for Hegseth’s office until the Pentagon hands over unedited footage. TheRead more
Trump asks Supreme Court to overturn E Jean Carroll verdict
Getty Images Jean Carroll at a Manhattan federal court President Donald Trump is asking the US Supreme Court to review the $5m (£3.6m) civil case that found he defamed and sexually abused writer E Jean Carroll. He has repeatedly claimed that the judge who oversaw the civil trial, Lewis Kaplan, improperly allowed evidence to be presented that hurt how the jury viewed Trump. A federal appeals court agreed with the jury’s verdict last year and said Kaplan did not make errors that would warrant a new trial. A New YorkRead more
Four potential obstacles in House vote to end US shutdown
Getty Images Texas Democrat Greg Casar has warned against healthcare “betrayal” A day after the US Senate passed a spending bill to end the longest-ever government shutdown, the budget fight now moves to the House of Representatives. The lower chamber of Congress is expected to vote this week on the funding measure. Unlike in the Senate, if House Republicans stay united, they don’t need any Democrats to pass the budget. But the margin for error is razor thin. Here are four potential hold-ups for the budget, before it can clearRead more