Another Wonderful Secret: Trump "Knew About the Girls"
In emails, Epstein alleged Trump knew about his activities. Plus: What the end of the shutdown means. Michelle Obama's new book. Venezuela deploys 200,000 troops. And how to watch the northern lights.
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Mercury’s definitely in retrograde because we’re revisiting old things.
The Epstein Files (which aren’t really a set of files, as we explain below) are back. House Dems released damning messages Epstein sent about Trump that suggest Trump knew more than he lets on. Expect this to dominate now that Congress is back. Speaker Johnson had to swear in new Democratic member Adelita Grijalva — couldn’t keep putting that off — and as her first official act, she signed the discharge petition that forces the House to vote on releasing all DOJ files on Epstein.
Not sure how the White House dodges this one.
Yes, I’m burying the lede: The House is back to do its job. They’ll vote to reopen government any moment now. Meanwhile, House Democrats are working to force a vote on extending ACA subsidies. Their goal is to use another discharge petition to force a vote on a three-year extension. If they can’t get enough signatures, that alone could create political problems for GOP members in swing districts.
Today we take you through the latest on Epstein and the White House’s response. Plus: Another Kennedy emerges on the national stage, Venezuela prepares for battle, a new book from Mrs. Obama, and the return of an endangered species.
And for those of you thinking of messaging me to berate me for referencing astrology, I think of it this way: Astrology is sports for people who don’t do sports. It’s a way to bond, to look at life through a different lens. Thank you for your understanding.
Here Are Your Headlines
Another Wonderful Secret: House Democrats on Wednesday released three emails sent by Jeffrey Epstein, in which the convicted sex offender suggests Trump knew about his abuse of underage girls. In one 2011 email to his confidante and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein alleges that “virginia [sic] spent hours at my house with” Trump. That’s a reference to Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers. (Democrats redacted her name, but Republicans released the email unredacted.) Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that Democrats are trying to “smear President Trump” and insisted Giuffre said Trump “was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever.” Epstein also refers to Trump as the “dog that hasn’t barked.” In a separate email to author Michael Wolff, Epstein claims Trump “knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine [sic] to stop.”
Suspicious Timing: Hours after Democrats released these emails, House Republicans released 23,000 pages of additional documents from Epstein’s estate, obtained thanks to an August subpoena. Those documents contain many unflattering references to Trump and horrifically detailed descriptions of Epstein’s alleged abuse of underage girls. In one email sent days before Trump’s 2016 election victory, Michael Wolff offered Epstein an opportunity to “talk about Trump in such a way that could garner you great sympathy and help finish him.” In another incomplete email chain from 2010, Epstein seems to be working to arrange a meeting with several people, including a “Jean Luc” — likely Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modelling agent who was arrested in 2020 on suspicion of providing young women to Epstein and was later found hanging dead in his prison cell. In one email, a person called Daniel tells Epstein that Luc “has the most [amazing] top models on stand by” and implies he previously worked with Trump.
More Files: Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) was sworn in Wednesday, ending over seven weeks of delays by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) that Grijalva slammed as “illegal.” She immediately became the final signature needed to force the House to vote on a bill calling on the DOJ to release additional files on Epstein. This forces Speaker Johnson’s hand; he’s now required to schedule a vote, which must take place before this Congress ends January 3. “It’s past time for Congress to restore its role as a check and balance on this administration,” Grijalva said. “Justice cannot wait another day.” Trump had ramped up his pressure on the four Republicans who signed the motion, with a Truth Social post calling on them to back off. On Wednesday Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) was summoned to meet with top DOJ and FBI officials, reportedly including Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Context: The “Epstein files” aren’t a single thing; instead, the term refers to any and all documents related to Epstein in the possession of the DOJ. The misconception can be attributed mainly to Trump’s DOJ. Recall how Attorney General Pam Bondi in February gave several right-wing influencers binders labeled “The Epstein Files” for a photoshoot. Bondi also claimed in February that she had a list of Epstein’s clients “sitting on my desk right now.” But then Press Secretary Leavitt told reporters Bondi really meant to say she had “all of the paper in relation to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.” This mysterious list was never actually released — and the DOJ now claims it doesn’t exist at all.
Over At Last: The House is set to vote Wednesday evening on a Senate-confirmed deal to end the government shutdown, which at 43 days (and counting) is the longest in US history. Most House Democrats are expected to oppose the deal, which does not extend expiring health care subsidies. But House Speaker Mike Johnson said he is “very optimistic” the deal will pass the GOP-controlled chamber.
Back to Normal: It will take days or even weeks for many essential government functions to recover. According to one aviation consultant, assuming the government reopens this week, airlines will “be very close to fully recovered by Thanksgiving.” But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday refused to say when he would remove restrictions reducing air traffic at the nation’s busiest airports.
Food Stamps: The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended a freeze allowing the Trump administration to continue withholding SNAP funds, leaving the program two-thirds funded. When the shutdown ends, the program will become fully funded through fiscal year 2026.
Hang Up: In a rare moment of bipartisanship, House lawmakers are moving to repeal a provision included in the Senate shutdown bill that would have allowed eight GOP senators to sue over their phone records being seized as part of the probe into Jan. 6.
Next Gen, Same Name: Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President JFK, is preparing to run for Congress. He’ll face state assemblyman and protégé of retiring Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Micah Lasher.
Good Things Come in Threes: Michelle Obama has released her third book on the topic of self-realization. This one, The Look, discusses Obama’s style — she was the first first lady to have a stylist, according to the New York Times — but its subtext reveals much about politics, soft power, and racism.
Changing Climate: The US is not sending senior officials to the UN’s annual climate summit for the first time in the meeting’s 30-year history. That has left some other participants relieved, with one former state department official saying, “If the choice is no US or a US that is there as a spoiler … then I think most countries would prefer there to be no US.”
Quien Quiere La Guerra: Venezuela warned Tuesday it is putting “the entire country’s military arsenal on full operational readiness” and is deploying almost 200,000 soldiers. Earlier that day, the USS Gerald R. Ford — America’s largest and most modern aircraft carrier — and its strike group arrived in the region. It’s part of an ongoing US military buildup near Venezuela, which officials claim is intended to stop narcotrafficking but experts warn is linked to the Trump administration’s desire to unseat the country’s authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro.
At What Cost: The UK has stopped sharing some intelligence with the US over concerns it could be implicated in what it reportedly believes are illegal attacks on boats in the Caribbean. This is an unprecedented break between the US and one of its closest allies.
Not the First: Colombia and the Netherlands have also restricted or stopped intelligence sharing with the US, and Canada reportedly warned the US it does not want its intelligence used to help inform the deadly strikes.
Death Toll: The latest strikes were carried out on Sunday, bringing the total number to at least 19 and the death toll to 76.
Insider Pardons: Trump continues to issue pardons to political allies and wealthy individuals, which one former DOJ inspector general called “a thinly disguised form of bribery.” Here are some of the most notable.
The following content, which includes information on Trump’s pardons (and pardon attempts), how to watch the northern lights in the US, and the celebrated birth of a critically endangered animal, is for paid subscribers. Thank you for your support. You make our work possible.
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