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Good evening, everyone. Happy Saturday. We have a lot to cover today, including the fact that the DOJ and I are now going back and forth on X over the Epstein files and its failure to release them. I promised you I would not stop, and this fight has now reached the Justice Department itself. Meanwhile, the Iranian government has again closed the Strait of Hormuz, there are major new developments involving ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, an update on Mitch McConnell, and much more. I will not stop pushing for answers. Thank you for your continued support as we report on the Epstein files and other stories that demand attention. The coming week will be especially busy with Todd Blanche’s confirmation hearing and interviews with Epstein survivors. When you subscribe, you’re supporting independent journalism grounded in verified facts, not speculation, and reporting that answers only to the truth. If you’re not yet a subscriber, I hope you’ll consider joining us today.
Here’s the news: Epstein: A court filing by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche acknowledges that the Justice Department intentionally withheld handwritten notes from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, arguing they are largely duplicative of typed FBI reports and more difficult to redact without exposing victims' identities. The admission came in response to a lawsuit seeking the release of all remaining Epstein files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The lawsuit argues the withheld notes may contain information omitted from the typed reports and therefore should be made public. The dispute is expected to become a major issue during Blanche's upcoming Senate confirmation hearing, where lawmakers are expected to question the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files.
Department of Homeland Security A sweeping investigation describes a Department of Homeland Security gripped by fear as career officials say they were pressured to support immigration policies they believed were illegal or unethical or risk losing their jobs. More than three dozen current and former officials told investigators that dissenters were sidelined, blacklisted, reassigned, or pushed out while oversight offices responsible for refugees, asylum, and humanitarian protections were dismantled. Several officials said they eventually resigned because they felt they could no longer carry out their duties without compromising their principles. The report argues the changes fundamentally transformed DHS into an agency driven by political loyalty rather than professional expertise. Multiple current and former DHS employees said they were subjected to lengthy polygraph examinations that they viewed as intimidation rather than legitimate security reviews. Some described being questioned for as long as six hours after being read their Miranda rights, leading them to believe they could be arrested despite never being told what they were accused of doing. Employees said refusing the exams could cost them their security clearances and careers, while many were later forced into reassignments far outside their areas of expertise. The report says these tactics created a climate where employees feared speaking out or challenging administration policies. The investigation also details the human consequences of the administration’s immigration policies, including the dismantling of internal watchdog offices and humanitarian programs. One case highlighted the death of a three-year-old U.S. citizen after his deported mother was unable to take him with her to Honduras, despite repeatedly asking immigration officials for permission. Former officials and immigration advocates argue that the elimination of oversight offices left vulnerable families with nowhere to turn when problems arose. Current and former employees say the department continues to be directed largely from the White House, with Stephen Miller remaining the driving force behind its immigration agenda.
Trump’s health Trump sparked fresh questions about his health after posting on Truth Social that he had “just finished a perfect physical at Walter Reed” and had requested another cognitive test, writing that he had taken it three times and “aced them all.” The White House later clarified he was referring to his physical from late May, not a new exam, despite Trump’s wording suggesting it had just occurred. Trump also claimed he undergoes physicals every six months and called himself “the only President” to have taken the cognitive test three times. The post renewed attention to his health because it came while he was golfing and appeared to describe a medical exam that had not actually taken place that day.
Trump lashed out on social media Monday morning, posting photos of the White House grounds and calling their condition "deplorable," comparing them to "our Country ... when I inherited it from Sleepy Joe Biden." The posts suggest Trump is frustrated with the appearance of the White House and is using the landscaping and maintenance as another contrast with the previous administration. His comments come amid broader efforts to reshape the White House grounds and ongoing renovations at several high-profile federal properties. The unusually personal complaints about the presidential residence quickly drew attention online as another example of Trump's focus on aesthetics and public image.
Freedom Fuel: President Trump has promoted the new “Freedom Fuel Network,” a group of 25 gas stations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey selling gasoline for up to 50 cents below market prices, but the White House will not identify who is behind the company or explain how the discounts are being financed. Officials insist no outside entity is subsidizing the lower prices and claim the retailer is simply accepting smaller profit margins, even as industry experts say the economics do not add up. The mystery has deepened because business records show the company was incorporated just days before Trump promoted it, many participating stations changed branding almost overnight, and fuel industry groups say they had never heard of the network before the White House announcement. Several participating stations sit on properties owned by affiliates of Blue Owl, although both the White House and Blue Owl deny the asset manager has any involvement. Analysts say many of the stations appear to be selling gasoline at or below wholesale cost, raising questions about how long the discounts can last and whether the model is financially sustainable. The rollout comes as the administration faces pressure over rising fuel prices following the Iran conflict, while industry experts argue retailers are already operating on thin margins and cannot realistically maintain such steep discounts without another source of funding.
Other news: In a major escalation, the Iranian military says it attacked a commercial vessel and has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed until further notice. The announcement came just hours after U.S. officials told reporters they expected Iran to publicly guarantee that the strait would remain open and safe for commercial shipping. Those expectations were widely reported as fact across much of the media without independent confirmation. Instead, Iran announced the opposite, dramatically raising tensions around one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes.
Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse says whistleblowers have alleged the Kennedy Center rushed renovations and ignored federal contracting standards so it would be ready for high-profile events, including Donald Trump receiving FIFA's "peace prize." The allegations include no-bid contracts, repainting work that is already failing, a reflecting pool that may need to be rebuilt, and a brand-new bathroom floor allegedly ripped out because Trump disliked the tile color. Whitehouse says the renovations prioritized Trump's personal preferences over legitimate maintenance and may have wasted taxpayer money, and he is demanding documents and answers from Kennedy Center leadership. The Kennedy Center denies the allegations, insisting its contracting practices were proper, while the White House says Trump is repairing years of neglect at the landmark. Days after an ICE agent fatally shot 52-year-old Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during a traffic stop in Houston, local officials say federal authorities are refusing to share key evidence, including the work van at the center of the shooting, fueling concerns about transparency. ICE says Salgado Araujo rammed a federal vehicle and ignored commands, forcing an agent to fire in self-defense, but witnesses, passengers, family members, and several Texas Democrats dispute that account, insisting the van never struck officers and that agents never identified themselves. The Harris County district attorney says his office is being forced to learn details through social media instead of direct coordination with federal agencies and is considering seeking a court order to obtain evidence. Multiple investigations are now underway as Salgado Araujo's family, local officials, and Mexican authorities demand accountability and a full independent review of the fatal shooting. MSNOW interviewed a neighbor who lives about five houses from where Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed. The resident said federal agents were searching his property for bullet casings even though the pursuit ended near the memorial behind the reporter. MSNOW questioned why investigators were combing through the grass outside that home if the shooting had occurred several houses away. The report raises new questions about the scope of the investigation and exactly where evidence may have been found.
 In Kansas City, immigration officials are reportedly stopping people walking down the street and demanding proof of their legal status. There is no general legal requirement for people to carry proof of immigration status with them at all times. Civil liberties advocates and immigration attorneys have raised concerns about these kinds of street stops and the legal standards used to justify them. The reports are fueling a broader debate over immigration enforcement, constitutional protections, and the balance between public safety and individual rights.
 Rep. Ro Khanna says he and his delegation were detained for about 90 minutes by armed Israeli settlers while visiting a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank that had been damaged in previous settler attacks. Khanna said the settlers, carrying U.S.-made rifles, blocked their vehicle and that Israeli soldiers refused to intervene, leaving him feeling “powerless” despite being a member of Congress. He said the experience gave him firsthand insight into what Palestinians face under the occupation and criticized what he described as a culture of impunity for settler violence. The Israeli military said it responded to reports of settlers blocking vehicles, while Khanna said the group was only able to continue after contacting the U.S. Embassy and Israeli police.
Martha Lillard, believed to be the last person in the United States who relied on an iron lung after contracting polio, has died at 78 in Oklahoma. Diagnosed with polio at age 5, she outlived doctors' predictions by decades, living a full life despite spending the last two years almost entirely inside the machine that helped her breathe. Her life spanned the era before and after the polio vaccine, which virtually eliminated the disease in the U.S. by 1979, and she became a living reminder of the devastating impact polio once had on thousands of American children. Her family said she ultimately died from chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome, with long Covid contributing to her declining health. The Trump administration has finalized a major rollback of the Endangered Species Act by narrowing the definition of "harm," removing long-standing protections for habitats that endangered species depend on to survive. Environmental groups warn the change could open critical wildlife habitats to logging, mining, drilling, and development, threatening species including Florida manatees, monarch butterflies, and wolverines. Administration officials argue the previous rules unfairly burdened landowners and businesses and say direct harm to endangered animals will still be prohibited. Conservation organizations are preparing legal challenges, arguing the rollback contradicts decades of scientific research, public support, and Supreme Court precedent protecting endangered species' habitats. Hunter Biden won a $1.7 million defamation judgment against former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne after a federal judge found Byrne fabricated claims that Biden sought an $800 million bribe from Iran in exchange for influencing his father to unfreeze Iranian assets. The judge ruled Byrne acted with "actual malice," finding he had no credible evidence for the allegations and had intentionally misrepresented the story despite repeated opportunities to substantiate it. Byrne was also sanctioned after failing to appear for trial and repeatedly delaying the case, prompting the court to enter a default judgment against him. Biden's attorney said the ruling confirms the bribery accusations were entirely fabricated and warned Byrne could face additional legal action if he repeats them.
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