Key Takeaways
- House Democrats released new Epstein files, alleging Trump's connections and prompting Republican concerns.
- The Supreme Court extended a pause on SNAP benefits despite Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's dissent.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly used a tax maneuver to avoid $1 million in Medicare taxes.
- A federal spending bill faced opposition over a provision restricting hemp-derived products, influencing shutdown negotiations.
Deep Dive
- House Democrats released new Epstein files on November 13, 2025, reportedly causing panic among Republicans.
- Representative Adelita Grijalva signed a discharge petition to force a vote on these files.
- Donald Trump allegedly pressured Representatives Nancy Mace and Lauren Boebert to withdraw their support from the petition.
- A 2019 Epstein email to Michael Wolff stated Trump "knew about the girls," which the White House called a "Democratic smear."
- One 2011 email from Epstein to Ghislaine Maxwell mentioned a sex trafficking victim spending hours with Trump at Epstein's house.
- The Supreme Court extended a temporary pause on a district court’s order concerning SNAP benefits.
- Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson publicly dissented from the decision.
- The procedural action aimed to expedite a broader ruling on the matter.
- Newly released Epstein files indicate attempts to connect Donald Trump with Russia's top diplomat, Sergey Lavrov, in June 2018.
- Epstein also shared details of his connections with Mohammed bin Salman and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulaym, and advised Steve Bannon.
- A June 2019 email exchange included a photo of Prince Andrew and Donald Trump, prompting Steve Bannon to comment on the lack of "connective tissue."
- House Republicans released over 20,000 pages of Epstein files, a move suggested to potentially obscure information.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly used limited partnerships to avoid approximately $1 million in Medicare taxes.
- This tax avoidance was on his hedge fund earnings between 2021 and 2023.
- Proposed tax regulations by Secretary Bessent, designed to collect more self-employment taxes from limited partnership owners, were removed from the Priority Guidance Plan.
- A Treasury spokesperson cited "burden reduction for taxpayers," which host Allison Gill characterized as reducing taxes for billionaires.
- Kentucky Republicans opposed a last-minute federal spending bill provision heavily restricting hemp-derived products.
- The provision criminalizes products with over 0.4 milligrams of total THC, effectively banning many existing hemp products.
- The House procedural vote to debate the government funding bill passed 213-209, with the bill then passing 222-209.
- House Republicans are attempting to pass a standalone bill to repeal a provision allowing senators to sue for $500,000 if their phone records are subpoenaed.