Trump-Epstein latest updates: Judge wants to hear from Ghislaine Maxwell before unsealing of grand jury docs

After President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of treason, branding him the “ringleader” of the Russia investigation, Obama’s office issued a rare response, calling the “bizarre allegations” both “ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”

Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush said: “Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one.”

Rodenbush noted that multiple investigations, including a bipartisan examination by the Senate Intelligence Committee, confirmed Russia had meddled in the 2016 election. That committee was led by then Senator Marco Rubio, now Trump’s Secretary of State.

Here’s John Bowden’s report on Trump pushing the allegations in the Oval Office earlier on Tuesday:

With reporting from the Associated Press

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday ground the House of Representatives to a screeching halt in order to block Democrats from bringing up amendments calling for the release of files related to sex trafficking financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The speaker’s decision to virtually shut down procedure in the House of Representatives — a week before Congress’ summer break — comes as President Donald Trump continues to receive criticism from all sides for his handling of the promised release of all government files related to Epstein.

But Johnson’s early recess could also impact the House’s ability to keep the government open when they return and allow political crises to mushroom when members go back home to face their constituents.

Eric Garcia reports from Capitol Hill.

President Donald Trump has announced a trade agreement with Indonesia.

As with the Philippines, American-made goods will not be taxed, while goods imported into the U.S. will be subject to a 19 percent tariff, much of which will be passed on to U.S. consumers.

The president wrote on Truth Social:

It is my Great Honor to announce our Trade Agreement with the Republic of Indonesia, as represented by their Highly Respected President, Prabowo Subianto. It is agreed that Indonesia will be Open Market to American Industrial and Tech Products, and Agricultural Goods, by eliminating 99% of their Tariff Barriers. The United States of America will now sell American Made products to Indonesia at a Tariff Rate of ZERO, while Indonesia will pay 19% on all of their products coming into the U.S.A. — The Best Market in the World! In addition, Indonesia will supply the United States with their precious Critical Minerals, as well as sign BIG Deals, worth Tens of Billions of Dollars, to purchase Boeing Aircraft, American Farm products, and American Energy. This Deal is a HUGE WIN for our Automakers, Tech Companies, Workers, Farmers, Ranchers, and Manufacturers. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Major goods imports into the U.S. from Indonesia include machinery, electronics, textiles, footwear, palm oil, and furniture.

A new report from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has been criticised as the latest attempt to rewrite the history of the 2016 Russia investigation, a subject that has long infuriated President Donald Trump.

Released on Friday, it downplays the extent of Russian interference in the 2016 election. It does so 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, President Barack Obama’s 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.

Rhian Lubin reports on Gabbard openly accusing Obama of trying to overthrow Trump in a coup:

President Donald Trump then amplified her accusations in the Oval Office today, as John Bowden reports:

With reporting from the Associated Press

A fake resignation letter generated by AI fooled Utah Senator Mike Lee into thinking that Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, had quit on Tuesday.

The senator tweeted and deleted the fake letter from his personal “basedmikelee” account, which staffers have confirmed that Lee operates directly.

“Powell’s out!” Lee tweeted, along with two siren emojis.

A scan of the image reveals that words in the Fed’s official seal are mispelled, indicating the letter’s inauthentic origins.

Bernice King, 62, issued a blunt request to the president after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced the release of more than 230,000 pages tied to MLK’s 1968 murder, promising “complete transparency” over the case.

“Now, do the Epstein files,” King tweeted on Monday evening, along with a photograph of her father.

James Liddell has the story.

Political commentator, lawyer, and former MSNBC host Katie Phang notes that Ghislaine Maxwell is not going to implicate herself in any way before the House Oversight Committee.

Said Phang on her YouTube channel: “I think it’s great. Kudos to you, Burchett, and others for voting on this. But let’s be real: she’s not going to implicate herself. She’s appealing her convictions and sentence. You think she’s about to roll into Congress and say, ‘I totally did all of this—and then some—and here are all the people who did it with me’?”

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has signed on as a cosponsor to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, even as Speaker Mike Johnson shuts down the House of Representatives to avoid a vote.

Pelosi specifically hit out at Johnson over his efforts to “block transparency,” saying it’s a “profound insult” to Epstein’s victims.

“It is especially shameful that Speaker Johnson has shut down the House of Representatives for the summer to avoid a vote on this resolution.”

Here’s Pelosi’s full statement on X:

The crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and his enablers shattered countless lives and exposed a vast system of exploitation and violence against women and girls.

Today, I am proud to join as a cosponsor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act — a vital step toward truth and accountability in the face of unspeakable abuse. With this resolution, we declare unequivocally that violence against women will not be ignored.

For years, Epstein’s victims — many of them just children when they were abused — have waited for justice, often in silence and in pain.

They deserve answers. They deserve dignity. And they deserve action from their government.

That is why it is especially shameful that Speaker Johnson has shut down the House of Representatives for the summer to avoid a vote on this resolution.

To block transparency in this manner is not only an abdication of duty — it is a profound insult to the victims who have carried the burden of this trauma for decades.

The American people deserve to know the full extent of who was involved with Epstein and all of them must be held accountable — no matter how powerful.

As we pursue accountability, we must respect the voices and privacy of the survivors to honor their courage, protect their dignity, and ensure that the full truth comes to light.

Justice delayed is justice denied. The American people — and the survivors — deserve better.