Democratic lawmakers move to impeach Pam Bondi after 'fake' Epstein briefing
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Democratic lawmakers have initiated impeachment proceedings against Attorney General Pam Bondi following their walkout from a closed-door briefing concerning files on Jeffrey Epstein on Wednesday.
California Congressman Robert Garcia described the briefing as
“an outrageous fake hearing”after Bondi declined to commit to complying with a subpoena to testify under oath.
The committee had voted to subpoena Bondi earlier in the month, with bipartisan support including five Republicans joining Democrats to demand that the attorney general answer questions regarding the Justice Department’s failure to properly release files from federal investigations into Epstein.
Democratic Representative Suhas Subramanyam, a member of the Oversight Committee, told Axios,
“She is building a record. She basically set up a fake hearing under the guise of a briefing, she has defied subpoenas that we’ve put out already and then she has continued to be evasive and combative with us.”
Representative Summer Lee stated she introduced articles of impeachment
“because [Bondi] has already been obstructing justice.”Lee is the second Democrat this month to introduce such articles against Bondi, following Shri Thanedar.
Democratic Representatives Yassamin Ansari and Rashida Tlaib are co-sponsors of the impeachment measure, while Lateefah Simon has expressed support.
Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared on Capitol Hill Wednesday to address bipartisan concerns about the Justice Department’s handling of millions of files related to Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation. However, less than an hour into the briefing, Democrats exited in protest over the format.
Florida Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost commented outside the hearing room,
“We asked her multiple times, are you going to come and speak with us under oath? She would not say yes. Filibuster, filibuster, filibuster, would not say yes.”
Senate intelligence committee questions Tulsi Gabbard on deputy’s resignation
Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee pressed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to explain why her deputy, Joe Kent, stated in his resignation letter on Tuesday that
“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,”a claim contradicting weeks of statements by intelligence officials.
Markwayne Mullin advances in confirmation to lead DHS
Senator Markwayne Mullin faced questions during his confirmation hearing to become Donald Trump’s new Homeland Security Secretary.
During the Senate Intelligence Committee’s worldwide threats hearing on Wednesday, FBI Director Kash Patel revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has begun purchasing location data on Americans.
Elizabeth Warren criticizes Save America Act
Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren argued that the election law changes Republicans refer to as the Save America Act will make voting more difficult for US citizens.
Senate blocks war-powers resolution limiting Trump’s Iran war authority
By a 53-47 vote, Senate Republicans blocked a war-powers resolution that would have restricted Donald Trump’s ability to continue prosecuting the war on Iran initiated last month.
Senate committee approves Mullin to lead DHS, heads to floor for full vote
The Senate committee that conducted Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation hearing approved his nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security, paving the way for a full Senate vote in the coming days.
Republican Senator Rand Paul, chair of the Senate Homeland Committee, voted against Mullin’s confirmation following continued clashes during Wednesday’s hearing. Conversely, Democratic Senator John Fetterman supported Mullin’s nomination.
Fetterman stated,
“My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation’s security.”
Trump to welcome Japan PM after calls for Iran war assistance go unanswered
Donald Trump is in Washington today and will welcome Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to the White House at 11am ET.
Trump will host a bilateral meeting followed by a dinner for the prime minister, the first woman to hold the position in Japan’s history. Attention is focused on any remarks regarding the war in Iran, especially after Trump expressed frustration at allies for not sending warships to assist the US in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier this week, the president criticized European and Asian allies on social media and in the Oval Office for their reluctance to support Operation Epic Fury. Trump also insisted that the US military does not
“need or desire”their help.
Oil prices continue to rise, with Brent Crude reaching $113 a barrel, one of the highest levels since the conflict with Iran began.
Israel launched an attack on the South Pars field, shared by Iran and Qatar, on Wednesday. The US claimed it was unaware of Israel’s offensive but stated on Truth Social that no further attacks on the field will occur provided Iran refrains from targeting Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. Otherwise, the president threatened to
“massively blow up”the entire gas field if Iran carries out additional retaliatory attacks.
At a press conference, Pete Hegseth did not elaborate on the intelligence the US had before Israel’s attack on the South Pars field. He said,
“Iran has weaponised energy for decades. Israel clearly sent a warning.”
In response to questions about Iran’s missile capabilities, General Dan Caine, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated Tehran retains
“some capability”to attack American assets.
He added,
“They came into this fight with a lot of weapons.”The US continues to be
“as aggressive and assertive”in striking Iran.
The Defense Secretary declined to provide a timeframe for the conflict’s conclusion but affirmed that the US is
“very much on track”to achieve its objectives for Operation Epic Fury.
The administration has been unclear about the conflict’s end goals. Recently, Trump stated it must involve the
“unconditional surrender”of the Iranian regime, with a role in determining future leadership.
Hegseth noted that Iran’s ability to manufacture new ballistic missiles has
“probably taken the hardest hit”and is
“down 90% since the start of the conflict.”
He also reported that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), specifically kamikaze drones, are down 90%.
Hegseth concluded his prepared remarks with a religious appeal for Americans to pray for US troops
“on bended knee with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Hegseth says US has hit more than 7,000 Iranian targets
Speaking today, Pete Hegseth stated that US forces have targeted over 7,000 Iranian sites and reiterated claims that America is
“winning”the overall war.
He criticized the media for not reporting his preferred narratives regarding US performance in the military operation in Iran.
Hegseth opened his press conference with an anecdote from Wednesday’s dignified transfer service in Dover, where families of service members killed in the war urged him and the president to
“finish this”, referring to Operation Epic Fury.
Attention is focused on whether Hegseth will comment on the resignation of Joe Kent, the top counter-terrorism official who left his post over the war on Iran.
Kent claimed the regime posed no imminent threat and that the US was pressured by Israel to initiate strikes on Iran in late February.
The White House has rejected Kent’s assertions. CBS News reports that Kent was investigated for alleged national security leaks prior to his resignation, according to unnamed sources.
The Pentagon press conference is scheduled to begin at 8am ET.
Last week, Hegseth highlighted the success of the US operation, stating that Iran’s naval infrastructure, air defenses, and military capabilities were severely degraded. His public statements tend to be bellicose, and similar remarks are expected today.
Hegseth has declined to provide a definitive deadline for Operation Epic Fury’s conclusion, stating it is the president’s prerogative and that fighting will continue until Trump decides otherwise.
Trump administration deporting parents without children in apparent policy violation
The Trump administration is deporting numerous parents without inquiring if they have children or allowing them to decide whether to bring their children along, apparently violating its own policies, according to a major report.
Interviews with dozens of parents deported to Honduras, as well as physicians, psychologists, government officials, and staff at reception centers, revealed that many parents were deported soon after detention without arranging care for their children.
The report by the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) and Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) found that parents often left children under informal care of friends or family members also vulnerable to deportation. Some were separated from young children and toddlers, including a mother deported without her two-month-old baby.
One 22-year-old mother told researchers in Honduras, where she was sent without her two-year-old child,
“They didn’t ask me anything. They never said: ‘You have a daughter, you can bring her,’ because I would have brought [my daughter], she is very attached to me.”
Some pregnant and postpartum women arrived at reception centers in Honduras exhibiting
“extremely high levels of emotional distress”, including anxiety and panic symptoms, according to center staff.
Trump-Japan summit working lunch cancelled to extend meeting
A working lunch between President Donald Trump and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been cancelled, according to Jiji news agency on Thursday.
Sources within the Japanese government indicated the cancellation aims to allow their summit meeting at the White House to last longer.
