Headlines
- All
- Africa
- Asia
- Business
- Culture
- Environment
- Europe
- Gaming
- Markets
- Middle East
- Movies & TV
- Music
- Politics
- Science
- South America
- Tech
- World News
Congress forces Trump's hand on Epstein files
12:30 Report is The Hill’s midday newsletter. Subscribe here. It’s Wednesday. Less than two days until "Wicked: For Good" is out in theaters!! I won’t link to any reviews because … spoilers … but 📹here’s the final trailer! In today's issue: • Senate formally approves Epstein
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirms she will lead police under Mamdani
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed on Wednesday that she will remain in her post under Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, ensuring continuity as she leads the city’s effort to reduce crime. Mamdani, the democratic socialist who previously called to defund the
Gretchen Carlson: Trump treatment of female reporters 'despicable'
Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson attacked President Trump for a pair of incidents during which he snapped at female reporters who asked about his ties to convicted sex offender Jefferey Epstein. "Trump is despicable towards female reporters," Carlson wrote Tuesday in a
Elon Musk suggests AI will make work 'optional' and money irrelevant
Tech mogul Elon Musk suggested Wednesday that work will become "optional” in the future as AI continues to develop. The billionaire offered the bold prediction when asked at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum about fears surrounding the future of jobs. “It'll be like playing
Hochul leading Stefanik by 20 points in NY governor race: Survey
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) is besting Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) by 20 points in the Empire State governor’s race, according to a Tuesday poll. The survey released by the Siena Research Institute shows the incumbent Democrat with a healthy lead to retain her role almost a
Fraudster Trump Pardoned Is Going Back to Prison … for Fraud
A ponzi schemer who Donald Trump saved from prison is headed right back to the clink. Eliyahu “Eli” Weinstein was sentenced Friday to 37 years in prison in a New Jersey courtroom, capping the career criminal’s third fraud conviction. Prosecutors argued that Weinstein, who in
Ukraine fired US-made ATACMS missiles at southern Russian city: Kremlin
Ukraine’s military has fired four U.S.-made guided Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) armaments at the southern Russian city of Voronezh, according to Moscow’s defense ministry. Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine of going after civilian targets with the U.S.-made system,
Treasury Sec Flails When Asked If Trump’s Foreign Investments Are Real
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent struggled to sell President Donald Trump’s outrageous claims about how much money the United States is making from his trade deals. During an interview on Fox News Tuesday night, host Brett Baier asked Bessent how much money Trump was bringing
DOJ Lawyers Admit Two Shocking Details in Comey Case
The Trump administration’s attempt to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey hit two major snags on Wednesday. First, interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan, who brought the indictment, admitted the entire grand jury did not vote on the
‘America First’ means giving US workers a stake in overseas development
The United Steelworkers (USW) are calling for the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. (DFC) to include domestic content provisions, labor and environmental standards in its projects to ensure that American workers and communities benefit from the investments.
Trump nominates OMB official to lead CFPB amid attacks on watchdog agency
The White House has nominated Stuart Levenbach, a senior official at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to be the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). An official told The Hill the nomination is a “technical” move designed to extend OMB Director
Democrats hold 14-point lead over GOP on generic ballot: Poll
A significant majority of American voters say they would rather elect a Democrat than a Republican to represent them in Congress in next year’s midterms, according to the latest Marist Poll. The survey, conducted last week, shows Democrats with a 14 percentage point advantage
Epstein Effect Comes for Trump as His Approval Rating Hits Record Low
Donald Trump’s approval rating is at an all-time low for his second term, and the president has his old pal Jeffrey Epstein to thank—and those pesky grocery prices. Only 38 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in office, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll
Watch live: Trump gives remarks at US-Saudi Investment Forum
President Trump will give remarks Wednesday afternoon at a U.S.-Saudi business forum centered on investment. The event comes a day after Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House. During the meeting, the president designated Saudi Arabia as a
Trump has good reasons to want nuclear weapons tests
Trump’s message at the end of last month is that the U.S. is no longer willing to ignore obvious dangers, especially if China poses them.
Tom Steyer joins California governor race
Billionaire Tom Steyer joined the California governor’s race Wednesday, four years after stating he had “no plans” to run for public office again. Steyer said he’s running to lead the Golden State because “Californians deserve a life they can afford.” “Sacramento politicians
Washington Post editorial board slams Trump’s Khashoggi remarks with Saudi crown prince
The Washington Post's editorial board blasted President Trump for comments dismissing the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a Tuesday meeting with Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Trump, when asked about Khashoggi's death, said “a lot of people didn’t
Thanksgiving dinner costs down for third year: Survey
Prices for Thanksgiving meals have dropped by 5 percent, according to year-over-year data. Costs for a holiday dinner are the lowest since 2021, after retailers implemented a 16.3 percent decline in the price of a 16-pound turkey, according to information from the American
'The Epstein Files Transparency Act': What's in it?
After a prolonged battle interrupted by the government shutdown, the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed both the House and Senate over the past 24 hours with only one no vote, sending the bill to President Trump’s desk. Trump opposed the bill for months before making a
Longtime White House chief usher dishes on table tennis with Carter, the benefits of Trump's ballroom — and the time he handed Nancy Reagan a bill
He knows virtually everything about the presidents — from the toothpaste they use to the mattress they sleep on — and now Gary Walters, the White House’s longest-serving chief usher, is opening up about his decades-long career. ITK caught up with Walters, who worked at 1600
Watch live: Jeffries speaks with reporters as Epstein files bill heads to Trump
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will speak with reporters Wednesday morning after both chambers of Congress overwhelming voted to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The bill, which will compel the Justice Department to release all files related to the
Nancy Mace to force vote on censuring Cory Mills
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) plans to introduce a resolution to censure fellow Republican Rep. Cory Mills (Fla.) on Wednesday, The Hill is told. The move comes as Republican tensions rise over failed efforts to censure Democrats that, in turn, have repeatedly protected Mills from
Finally, the failed era of Housing First is over
State and local leaders are beginning to forge a new path forward that takes seriously the humanitarian crisis consuming the streets of America’s cities.
DHS planning to send hundreds of agents to Louisiana: Report
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is sending roughly 250 federal immigration officers to New Orleans, The Associated Press reported Tuesday. The operation, dubbed “Swamp Sweep,” intends to arrest roughly 5,000 people across southeast Louisiana and Mississippi. It will
Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Punched in the Face During Racist March
A January 6 rioter decided to lead a hate march Tuesday in Dearborn, Michigan, a city with a sizable Muslim and Arab American populace, and got punched in the face. Jake Lang, who was pardoned by Donald Trump while facing 11 charges related to his actions at the Capitol in
Appeals court pauses California law requiring companies to disclose climate risks
A federal appeals court on Tuesday halted a California law requiring companies to disclose the risks that climate change poses to their business. The Ninth Circuit issued a motion holding up the enforcement of California’s Senate Bill 261 while the case against it plays out.
Jordan refers former Jack Smith attorney for prosecution
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) made a criminal referral for a top prosecutor on the team of special counsel Jack Smith, arguing that by refusing to answer some questions, Thomas Windom had engaged in an “intentional, corrupt effort to thwart the Committee's
Senate formally approves bill to force Justice Department to release Epstein files
The Senate on Wednesday morning formally approved the House-passed bill requiring the Justice Department to release all unclassified files related to Jeffrey Epstein, something that was a procedural formality after senators a day earlier agreed by unanimous consent to approve
Republicans Tear Into Each Other Over Shutdown Deal on Jack Smith
Senate Republicans are still planning to take advantage of a provision of the shutdown-ending bill that would allow them to rake in cash from the federal government. At the close of the 44-day federal hiatus, the caucus quietly slipped in a self-serving resolution that granted
Trump is trying to expand his pardon power to cover state offenses
Trump rarely stops with mere symbolism when it comes to defying constitutional norms.
Jeffrey Epstein Emails Finally Catch Up to Larry Summers
Former Treasury Secretary and Jeffrey Epstein confidant Larry Summers has resigned from the board of Sam Altman’s OpenAI company amid renewed scrutiny caused by the release of his countless emails to the disgraced sex offender. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have served,
Judge tells some Texas schools to temporarily remove Ten Commandments posters
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in Texas that told some districts to take down posters in classrooms that displayed the Ten Commandments. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia ruled the Texas law mandating the poster in every public school classroom violates the
Border czar: ICE operations planned for New York City
White House border czar Tom Homan said Tuesday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations will ramp up shortly in New York City. In an interview on Fox News’s “America’s Newsroom,” the Trump administration’s senior immigration official noted he previously had an
GOP congresswoman on Trump calling female reporter 'piggy': 'No one is perfect'
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) came to President Trump’s defense Tuesday after the president recently called a female reporter “piggy” during remarks from Air Force One. “President Trump is a very picturesque and difficult and different type of politician. But I always say
Parsing the Rhetoric on ACA Subsidies
In a social media post, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, for wrongly saying that Affordable Care Act premiums would at least double for "over 20 million Americans" if enhanced subsidies expire. They would more than double on average,
The shutdown is over, but that won’t fix issues with air travel for Thanksgiving
If Congress is smart, they will find the $31 billion needed to upgrade air traffic control technologies and give air traffic controllers state-of-the art tools to do their job.
Harvard investigating Summers, Epstein ties: University newspaper
Harvard announced Tuesday it is investigating Larry Summers, a faculty member and former president of the university, and other school affiliates over ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The new review comes after a mountain of new documents were released by the
Epstein survivor: Trump 'owes us an apology'
Jena-Lisa Jones, a survivor of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's abuse, said Tuesday that President Trump owes the victims an apology for prolonging attempts to release files related to Epstein's sex trafficking allegations. “He owes us an apology for sure. And I think
To voters, Democrats aren't calm — they're comatose
Polite politics will not save democracy.
Watch live: House panel considers congressional stock trading ban
The House Administration Committee is convening Wednesday to consider a ban on stock trading by lawmakers and their close family members. A bipartisan group of lawmakers unveiled the Restore Trust in Congress Act in September, which combines several past proposals that would
Mike Johnson Gives Away the Game on Next Steps on Epstein Bill
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson—who was so set on blocking the release of the Epstein files that he wouldn’t swear in Adelita Grijalva—says he has “concerns” about Congress’s decision to open the files up. “Any reaction to Leader Thune releasing the bill without adding
ICE Agent Arrested in Sex-Trafficking Sting Told Cops: “I’m ICE, Boys”
The Trump administration has not hired the best people to work for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One of them was arrested for sex trafficking as part of a three-day sting earlier this month. The man is an auditor for ICE , and was one of 16 men arrested who were
Finally, Republicans are taking Trump's Epstein crisis seriously — and literally
In their pioneering 1980 book “Metaphors We Live By,” the great linguists George Lakoff and Mark Johnson show us the enduring cultural power of associative language. Crafting a powerful metaphor, it turns out, is one of the most effective ways to deeply ingrain ideas in
Taylor Swift inspires Cambridge Dictionary's 'Word of the Year'
The word "parasocial" was inspired by Swift's lyrics and her engagement to Travis Kelce this summer.
Live updates: White House awaits Epstein bill; Trump bolsters Saudi business ties
After months of wrangling over the files of Jeffrey Epstein, the legislation that forces their release by the Justice Department could become law Wednesday. The House and Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill Tuesday, and it awaits President Trump's signature. But what happens
Who is Clay Higgins, the only House member to vote against Epstein files release?
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) was the only House member to vote against a bill Tuesday that will order the Justice Department to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Higgins, a conservative with a background in law enforcement, said he’s been a