Good afternoon: quick note before I go on stage: I’m about to moderate the first stop of Vice President Kamala Harris’s book tour in New York City, so I don’t have time for a full video update, but I have an update nonetheless.
We have likely reached 218 signatures. That means we will force a House vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files. This is a milestone for accountability, transparency, and the victims who deserve answers. Meanwhile, Trump is about to indict James Comey, the former Director of the FBI, in a brazen weaponization of the Justice Department.
A personal word of thanks: this platform exists because of you. Your support built the audience and gave me the voice to drive this fight — and to stand on stages like the one I’m heading to tonight. As much of the mainstream media softens its coverage, your subscriptions keep this work independent and honest. If you believe in getting the truth out, please consider subscribing today. I left the 9–5 to do this full time, and it only works because of you. Thank you.
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With that, here’s what you missed:
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said he now has the 218 signatures needed on his discharge petition to force a House vote on releasing federal investigation files on Jeffrey Epstein, after Arizona’s special election winner pledged support; despite opposition from GOP leaders and Speaker Mike Johnson, Massie warned that blocking the petition would be seen as “part of the coverup,” while Sen. Rand Paul backed him and predicted a groundswell if leadership tries to intervene.
MSNBC reports that former FBI Director James Comey is expected to be indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia within days, with sources saying charges may include lying to Congress in 2020 about authorizing a leak—just before the statute of limitations expires.
Three detainees were shot at an ICE facility in Dallas this morning, according to DHS; two are dead and one is in critical condition, while no ICE officers were hurt. The suspect, identified as Joshua Jahn, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and the victims’ identities have not been released.
FBI Special Agent Joe Rothrock said one bullet near the shooter had “anti-ICE in nature” messages, calling the attack “targeted violence.” An ICE spokesperson confirmed the shooter fired multiple rounds from a nearby roof or elevated position into the field office’s sally port, though the exact motive remains unclear. It is important not to speculate as to the motives before they are announced.
Pokémon told TMZ it had no involvement in DHS’s Pokémon-themed ICE arrests video, stating: “We are aware of a recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand. Our company was not involved in the creation or distribution of this content, and permission was not granted for the use of our intellectual property.”
Comedian and podcaster Theo Von pushed DHS to remove a viral deportation video that used his clip without permission, writing on X: “Yooo DHS i didnt approve to be used in this… please keep me out of your ‘banger’ deportation videos. When it comes to immigration my thoughts and heart are a lot more nuanced than this video allows. Bye!”; DHS took the video down shortly after, despite Von’s past ties with Trump and his administration.
A bronze statue titled Best Friends Forever, depicting Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands, briefly appeared on the National Mall before U.S. Park Police removed it overnight despite a valid permit; the activist group behind it, The Secret Handshake, accused the Trump administration of silencing dissent, while the White House dismissed the artwork as “not news” and reiterated Trump’s claim that he cut ties with Epstein long before his 2006 indictment.
Nearly two-thirds of the 1,800 men sent to Florida’s new “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center in July 2025 are unaccounted for in ICE records, with hundreds missing from databases, some wrongly deported, and others pressured to abandon their cases amid harsh conditions.
State and federal memos obtained by NBC News warned in 2025 that extremists were using Discord to radicalize American youth, citing cases where minors as young as 15 were exposed to ISIS propaganda and far-right groups like Atomwaffen; the documents linked Discord activity to multiple disrupted juvenile plots, noted its popularity among teen boys, and highlighted how post-pandemic isolation and mental health struggles have made youth increasingly susceptible to extremist recruitment.
The U.N. found that Trump’s stalled escalator at the General Assembly was accidentally triggered by a White House videographer, not sabotage, though his press secretary suggested foul play while Trump himself joked about both the broken escalator and teleprompter.
Four Democratic lawmakers launched a probe into Nexstar and Sinclair for refusing to air Jimmy Kimmel Live! after his comments on Charlie Kirk’s assassination, questioning whether the decisions tie to regulatory issues with the Trump administration.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned Donald Trump as “racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic” after Trump attacked him in a UN speech, falsely claiming London wanted Islamic law and calling Khan a “terrible mayor.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disbanded the Pentagon’s long-standing women’s advisory committee, dismissing it as pushing a “divisive feminist agenda,” and shifting focus to uniform, sex-neutral standards.
Hundreds of federal employees laid off in Elon Musk’s cost-cutting drive are being asked back by the GSA, which offered reinstatement after a seven-month paid hiatus that left taxpayers covering costly property expenses.
Nearly 100 VA doctors warned in a mass letter that Trump administration staffing cuts and privatization efforts are harming veterans’ care, marking the first collective protest by physicians at the agency.
YouTube announced it will allow creators banned under its now-retired Covid and election misinformation rules to return, saying in a letter to Congress that the move reflects its commitment to free speech and political debate; the decision comes amid broader tech industry rollbacks of moderation policies, pressure from Trump and conservatives, and accusations that the Biden administration previously coerced platforms into censoring content.
Whistleblowers say HUD’s anti-discrimination work has nearly stopped under Trump, as appointees deprioritize fair housing cases and downsize the office, marking a major rollback in civil rights enforcement.
Chicago Cubs infielder Matt Shaw defended missing Sunday’s game against the Reds to attend his friend Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in Arizona, saying it was “really important” and that he had his team’s support, even as critics called it unusual to step away during a playoff race; Shaw added, “Whatever backlash comes is OK.”
A fast-growing wildfire near Paia, Maui forced urgent evacuations on September 23, 2025, with sirens sounding as officials went door to door; residents recalled the deadly 2023 Lahaina blaze while firefighters deployed helicopters, alternate escape routes were opened, and the Red Cross set up shelters.
For the first time, a gene therapy trial has successfully treated Huntington’s disease—slowing its progression by 75% over three years—offering hope for patients and families facing this fatal inherited brain disorder.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
