Good afternoon. Today we have a major Jeffrey Epstein related update. Not only did the Justice Department release the 263-page interview with Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, but the Justice Department also sent the first batch of Epstein documents to the House Oversight Committee after shielding them for months. I have read through the entire interview and am currently pursuing leads to find out what is in the files. Make no mistake: I am not going to stop until the truth about Jeffrey Epstein is revealed to the public. This is too important.
A lot of people have reached out in recent days concerned for my safety, and I want you to know that I am okay and impassioned to find the truth. I won’t stop. Right now, this operation is lean, not backed by billionaires or newsrooms, just backed by you. Subscribe today to support this work and allow me to keep it going.
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With that, here’s the news:
Jeffrey Epstein News:
On September 3rd, I will be covering a press conference with Congressman Ro Khanna and Congressman Thomas Massie at the United States Capitol Building demanding the release of the Epstein files alongside survivors of Epstein and Maxwell’s crimes.
The House Oversight Committee received "thousands of pages" of Justice Department documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, which will be reviewed and later made public with sensitive information redacted; the probe also involves subpoenas of former officials including Bill and Hillary Clinton and James Comey, while former Attorney General William Barr has already testified behind closed doors. There are expected to be more disclosures from the Justice Department and right now we do not know what was actually disclosed to the Oversight Committee.
The Justice Department released transcripts of interviews with Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend and convicted sex trafficker, Ghislaine Maxwell, in a bid by the Trump administration to project transparency and ease backlash, while still withholding other evidence and trying to repair political damage from unmet expectations.
After her Justice Department interview, Ghislaine Maxwell was transferred from a low-security Florida prison to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas, with no explanation from her lawyer or the Bureau of Prisons.
Ghislaine Maxwell said she does not remember whether Donald Trump submitted a message for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday book, despite a Wall Street Journal report claiming he did; she maintained she saw no such letter, while Trump has denied it and is suing the Journal for $10 billion over the report.
Maxwell testified that she first met Donald Trump in 1990 through her father, Robert Maxwell, describing Trump as always cordial and kind, expressing admiration for his presidency, and stating that while Epstein and Trump were friendly, she did not believe they were close friends.
Maxwell stated in her interview that she never saw Jeffrey Epstein taking photos or videos of others for blackmail and never heard anyone accuse him of blackmail or extortion during conversations she witnessed.
Maxwell said in her interview that she does not believe Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide, expressing doubt about the medical examiner’s ruling on his 2019 death.
Maxwell said she never witnessed Donald Trump act inappropriately, stating in her interview that "the president was never inappropriate with anybody."
General News:
Donald Trump announced plans to extend his federal crime crackdown to New York and Chicago, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered National Guard troops patrolling Washington, DC to be armed—marking an escalation of federal control; the move comes alongside directives from DC’s federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro to pursue maximum charges in most cases, raising concerns from local leaders who accuse Trump of targeting Democratic-run cities led by Black mayors.
The FBI raided the home and office of John Bolton, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser and critic, as part of an investigation into the handling of classified documents, with FBI Director Kash Patel stressing that “no one is above the law.”
Responding to the FBI raid on John Bolton’s home, Donald Trump denied prior knowledge while mocking his former national security adviser as “unpatriotic” and “not smart,” yet controversially claimed he could have initiated the raid because he is “the chief law enforcement officer” — a role traditionally held by the Attorney General — as the probe into Bolton’s handling of classified material reignites their long-standing feud.
President Donald Trump threatened to declare a national emergency to keep National Guard troops in Washington, DC indefinitely, asserting he could bypass limits in the city’s Home Rule Act and extend his control over the police; he also discussed with congressional leaders a $2 billion plan to “beautify” the capital while justifying long-term federal policing as necessary to fight crime.
Kilmar Ábrego García, wrongfully deported to El Salvador earlier this year despite federal protection, was released from custody in Tennessee after a court order and will reunite with his family in Maryland while awaiting trial on human smuggling charges that his lawyers call baseless; his case, marked by torture abroad and what his attorneys describe as a vindictive government campaign, has drawn widespread pressure and a Supreme Court order compelling his return.
Canada announced it will drop counter-tariffs on some U.S. goods starting September 1 after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call with Donald Trump, signaling an effort to ease the trade war, though levies on steel, aluminum, and autos will remain; Carney emphasized Canada still holds a uniquely favorable trade position with the U.S., while the White House called the move “long overdue.”
Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell signaled possible interest rate cuts, warning that Donald Trump’s tariffs are driving inflation while his immigration crackdown is weakening the labor market; despite Trump’s repeated attacks and calls for Powell’s resignation, Powell defended the Fed’s independence while noting rising risks of layoffs and unemployment, as Wall Street surged on his remarks.
Families of hostages in Gaza condemned Donald Trump after he claimed “probably” fewer than 20 hostages remain alive, contradicting Israeli officials; the Hostage and Missing Families Forum demanded accurate updates, while Israel’s coordinator reaffirmed that 20 hostages are alive, including two in critical condition, and criticized Trump for taking credit for a ceasefire deal brokered under Biden.
President Donald Trump said he will give Vladimir Putin “a couple of weeks” to meet with Ukraine’s leader to pursue ending the war, refusing to specify consequences if talks don’t occur, while showing reporters a photo Putin sent him and suggesting the Russian president may visit the U.S. for the World Cup.
President Donald Trump announced a deal with Intel’s CEO granting the U.S. a $10 billion equity stake in the company, describing it as a “great deal” that will support semiconductor manufacturing; the agreement follows reports of White House plans to convert CHIPS Act grants into equity, and comes shortly after Trump had called for the CEO’s resignation over alleged China ties.
A massive heatwave has fueled multiple wildfires across California, with the Pickett fire in Napa County exploding to over 2,100 acres near Calistoga, prompting evacuations as firefighters battle 0% containment in extreme conditions; with record-breaking temperatures, dry vegetation, and the threat of lightning storms, officials warn of escalating fire risks across the western U.S. and significant public health dangers from prolonged extreme heat.
A tourist bus carrying about 50 passengers from Niagara Falls to New York City crashed on I-90 near Pembroke, New York, leaving multiple fatalities including children, with many passengers—primarily of Indian, Chinese, and Filipino origin—trapped or ejected; emergency crews, helicopters, and hospitals are treating numerous victims as officials investigate the cause and Governor Kathy Hochul calls the incident “tragic.”
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
