Tag Archives: administration

Trump nominates new CFPB director, but White House says agency is still closing

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By KEN SWEET, AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) President Trump nominated Stuart Levenbach as the next director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, using a legal maneuver to keep his budget director Russell Vought as acting director of the bureau while the Trump administration continues on its plan to shut down the consumer financial protection agency. Levenbach is currently an associate director inside the Office of Management and Budget, handling issues related to natural resources, energy, science and water issues. Levenbach’s resume shows significant experience dealing with science and natural resources issues, acting as chief of staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during Trump’s first term. Levenbach’s nomination is not meant to go through to confirmation, an administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. Under the Vacancies Act, Vought can only act as acting director for 210 days, but now that Trump has nominated someone to the position, that clock has been suspended until the Senate approves or denies Levenbach’s confirmation as director. Vought is Levenbach’s boss. The CFPB has been nonfunctional much of the year. Many of its employees have been ordered not to work, and the only major work the bureau is doing is unwinding the regulations and rules it put into place during Trump’s first term and during the Biden administration. While in the acting director role, Vought has signaled that he wishes to dismantle, or vastly diminish, the bureau. The latest blow to the bureau came earlier this month, when the White House said it does not plan to withdraw any funds from the Federal Reserve, which is where the bureau gets its funding, to fund the bureau past Dec. 31. The White House and the Justice Department used a legal interpretation of the law that created the bureau, the Dodd-Frank Act, that the Fed must be profitable in order to fund the CFPB’s operations. Several judges have rejected this argument when it was brought up by companies, but it’s never been the position of the government until this year that the CFPB requires the Fed to be profitable to have operating funds. “Donald Trump’s sending the Senate a new nominee to lead the CFPB looks like nothing more than a front for Russ Vought to stay on as Acting Director indefinitely as he tries to illegally close down the agency,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, in a statement. The bureau was created after the 2008 financial crisis as part of the Dodd-Frank Act, a law passed to overhaul the financial system and require banks to hold more capital to avoid another financial crisis. The CFPB was created to be a independent advocate for consumers to help them avoid bad actors in the financial system.
https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2025/11/19/trump-cfpb-nomination/

Entire Texas congressional delegation votes to release Epstein files

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The U. S. House of Representatives voted nearly unanimously Tuesday to require the Justice Department to publish all of its files related to Jeffrey Epstein, including one Texas Republican who opposed the measure until a few days ago. For months, President Donald Trump resisted calls to release the files as he tried to distance himself from the deceased sex offender, including pressing Republicans against signing a discharge petition a tool through which a majority can circumvent House leadership and force a vote on a bill to compel the Justice Department to release material on Epstein. Last week, the petition garnered the support of all House Democrats and four House Republicans none from Texas to successfully require a vote. The vote comes after the House Oversight Committee released documents last week that draw ties between Trump and Epstein, including emails from Epstein that mention Trump. As it became clear that many Republicans would vote with Democrats to release the files, the president changed his mind. Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday evening that House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files because they have “nothing to hide.” Trump also said Monday that he would sign the bill to release the files if it reached his desk. Later on Tuesday, the Senate agreed to pass the bill unanimously, sending it straight to Trump’s desk. On his podcast Monday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he supports the release of the files and added he suspected more Democrats would be harmed than Republicans. “The bulk of the evidence, from everything we know, is going to be evidence that is a real, real problem for, I suspect, a significant number of Democrats,” Cruz said. “I’m glad the President did this. I’m hopeful the House can vote. We can put this behind it, and then we can have some real accountability to people who committed criminal acts and hurt underage girls.” Though no Texas Republican joined the effort to compel a vote through the discharge petition, all of them voted in favor of releasing the files on Tuesday. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana, was the only member who voted against the release. As recently as Friday, Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Richmond, spoke out against the measure. “I’ll be voting NO on the Epstein Hoax,” Nehls wrote on social media. “The Democrats are using the Epstein Hoax to distract us from the winning of President Trump and his administration.” But by Monday, Nehls was parroting Trump and telling reporters he would vote to release the files. The documents will exonerate Trump and prove that the president is not a pedophile, Nehls said. Nehls has previously said Republicans should be doing everything possible to help Trump achieve his goals. “If Donald Trump says ‘Jump three feet high and scratch your heads,’ we all jump three feet high and scratch our heads,” Nehls told reporters last November. Others, like Rep. Keith Self, R-McKinney, had consistently supported the bill, but refused to sign the discharge petition, saying a House panel probing the matter, with the blessing of leadership, was making good progress. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, spoke on the House floor ahead of the vote, emphasizing the importance of transparency. “Today, a united Republican Party and a bipartisan super majority is going to pass a bill to increase transparency regarding the egregious abuses by Jeffrey Epstein,” he said. Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch, said the vote is symbolic because it shows that Congress is standing up for justice. For too long, Republicans have failed to hold people in positions of power accountable, she said. “It is political gamesmanship at its worst,” she said. “They’ve traded that accountability for complicitness to a president out of fear that they’re going to harm their great leader.”.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/2025/11/19/536552/texas-congress-vote-release-epstein-files/

Trump Promises Lower Prices While Taking Aim at Inflation at McDonald’s Event [WATCH]

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President Trump told McDonald’s owners, operators, and suppliers on Monday that prices will decline, delivering remarks at the fast-food chain’s Impact Summit in Washington, D. C. The event came amid ongoing national discussions about inflation, the cost of living, and economic pressures affecting consumers. “Prices are coming down,” President Trump said during his address. “I will tell you that nobody has done what we’ve done in terms of pricing,” Trump said. “We took over a mess. We had the highest inflation in the history of our country . and now we have normal inflation.” Inflation measured 3 percent in September over the previous 12 months, the highest rate recorded so far this year. Food prices remain a significant point of concern for consumers. This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year According to the Economist’s “Big Mac” index, the average price of the McDonald’s burger was $6. 01 in July, an increase from $5. 69 one year earlier. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis showed that ground beef averaged $6. 32 in September, compared to $5. 67 at the same time last year. Last week, the administration adjusted tariff rates on imports of beef, coffee, tropical fruits, and other food products as part of an effort to address affordability issues. “We have it down to a low level,” Trump said of inflation. “But we’re going to get it a little bit lower. We want perfection.” Before a room of McDonald’s franchise leaders, Trump described himself as “one of your all-time, most loyal customers.” He said McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski told him that “prices at McDonald’s are coming down,” referencing ongoing cost adjustments within the company. Trump also highlighted the administration’s economic policies, including investment and trade decisions. He said the country would have faced significant financial challenges had he not won the 2024 election. “You are so damn lucky that I won that election,” Trump said. During the 2024 campaign, Trump visited a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, where he served french fries. He referenced that moment in his speech, saying he was “the very first former McDonald’s frycook to ever become president of the United States,” adding, “It was not that easy!” in reference to working the drive-thru. Trump told the audience that McDonald’s employees have a unique view of everyday American life. “Before the sun rises, you’re serving hot coffee to construction workers, nurses and police officers on the way to the job,” he said. “In the evening, you stand ready with the fast dinner and the smile for busy moms and their children as they race from school to soccer practice. And late at night your lights are on, and the only one still glowing when the long haul trucker pulls up for a good meal and the best Coca-Cola in America.” Trump also mentioned his preferred menu item, saying, “I like the fish,” in reference to McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwich. He added, “You could do a little bit more tartar sauce.” WATCH:.
https://www.lifezette.com/2025/11/trump-promises-lower-prices-while-taking-aim-at-inflation-at-mcdonalds-event-watch/

Iowa’s mental health revamp shows little change

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Laura Semprini of Iowa City knows what it is like to call behavioral health providers in a desperate attempt to get an appointment during a time of need, just to be told, “Come in three months.” This experience is not uncommon, with the average wait time for behavioral health services in the U. S. being 48 days, according to a November 2024 study by the Health Resources and Services Administration National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. The same study said six in 10 psychiatrists do not accept new patients, making wait times a more significant barrier to accessing care. Semprini now works as a remote peer support coordinator for the Johnson County chapter of the National Alliance of Mental Illness, or NAMI. Although she has been fortunate enough to access behavioral health services when she needed it, Semprini said she understands, as a patient and a provider, there are notable barriers in access to care. In an attempt to streamline services and improve access to behavioral health care across Iowa, a new statewide system was implemented on July 1. After being signed into law by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and passing the Iowa Legislature with bipartisan support in March 2024, the new Behavioral Health Service System reorganized resources across the state. State officials and some mental health advocates said the system will be a more effective way of providing care, while Johnson County officials say the system will be too far removed from the needs of local communities. Semprini worked on the advisory council and governing board for the East Central Region, one of 14 former behavioral health regions across the state. She said much of the old system was working, but there were areas that needed improvement, such as the difficulty in providing substance abuse and behavioral health care together, considering the high rates of the co-occurring diseases. According to a study published by the World Psychiatry Journal and archived in the National Library of Medicine, around 50 percent of individuals with severe mental illness also deal with substance abuse. Marissa Eyanson, director of the division of behavioral health for Iowa Health and Human Services, or Iowa HHS, said the old system was outdated in terms of laws and services designed to provide care to Iowans. She said Iowa HHS conducted a statewide assessment to identify problems with the old system. Eyanson said the previous system was inconsistent in providing care and often led to individuals not receiving help until they were in crisis. She said the new system was developed from a “community-driven, statewide effort,” and has been modernized to fit the current needs of the state to prioritize early intervention. Early intervention initiatives include increased services in locations such as schools or jails places where individuals are likely to gain access to care for the first time, Eyanson said. Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan said funding previously came directly from the county until the funds were combined into regions in 2014, when Johnson County became part of the East Central Region, one of 14 former regions in the state. The old regions each had different entities administering services. Now, the regions combine to form seven districts, and funding is funneled through the Iowa Primary Care Association, or PCA, a singular Administrative Service Organization in an attempt to limit complexities in funding distribution. Iowa PCA said it does not deliver direct clinical care but rather “builds and supports a network,” which reaches across the state to do so. Iowa PCA said it contracts with 124 behavioral health providers across Iowa to deliver care as efficiently and consistently as possible. “Our goal is to ensure Iowans can get connected to care regardless of where they live or what coverage they have,” Abby Ferenzi, senior director of behavioral health services at the Iowa PCA, said in a statement. Semprini said while some providers’ contracts changed as a part of the realignment, NAMI’s contract remained largely the same, though funding for staff training is no longer included. Navigating the behavioral health system Eyanson said a major issue Iowa HHS found was difficulty navigating the old system, leading to hardship in accessing services. “[People] often found there were too many doors but not enough of the right doors,” Eyanson said. She said the addition of system navigators, a “boots on the ground” mechanism to help Iowans maneuver the behavioral health system, has been an immediately impactful change with the new system. Navigators are located throughout the districts and make care more accessible through a less cumbersome process. “We don’t replace local providers we connect and support them, and we strive to make sure rural residents have the same clear pathways to care as urban Iowans,” Ferenzi said in the statement to The Daily Iowan. Iowa PCA has already participated in more than 4, 000 calls to connect Iowans to behavioral health resources across the state from July 1 to late October, the organization said. Eyanson said the previous system had other system navigation tools that were not as accessible, as some had eligibility requirements. Both the “Your Life Iowa” line and the 988 lifeline existed before the transition, but Eyanson said the lines are being emphasized in the new system as another tool for providing immediate assistance to those in need. “What we are trying to do is get people connected sooner,” Eyanson said. “The most common reason folks get sicker with behavioral health-related issues is because they waited to get care, [or] they didn’t know where to go,” Eyanson said. Semprini said Iowa has a shortage of health care providers, and while there are increasing options through telehealth, peer support can also help bridge the gap. She thinks NAMI has been supported by Iowa PCA in prioritizing peer support services. Eyanson said the streamlining of services in the new system should help retain providers across Iowa, fighting the provider shortage nationwide. According to the HRSA, more than 122 million Americans live in an area facing a shortage of mental health professionals. The Association of American Medical Colleges reported Iowa was 44th in the nation in patient-to-physician ratio in 2024. The data represent all physicians, not just behavioral health professionals. “We find that within services and systems that are complex, sometimes people will leave the profession just because they’re done having to deal with the noisiness of that level of administrative effort,” Eyanson said. Existing barriers to behavioral health care Sullivan, the Johnson County supervisor who has 35 years of experience in the behavioral health field, said while access to services is a nationwide problem, it only gets more difficult in rural areas. However, the issue has more to do with proper funding, compared to the system used to deliver services. He said the new system will turn out worse for Iowans, and previous barriers to care will continue within the new system because state funding for services is not increasing. “Iowa does not adequately fund Medicaid,” Sullivan said. “No matter how you provide the service, if they are not funding it adequately, you can’t do what is necessary.” According to a 2025 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit providing research on health policy, Iowa has the highest rate of mental illness among non-elderly Medicaid recipients, at 51 percent. Medicaid funding is split between the state and federal government. In budget year 2025, $2. 2 billion in state funds and $6. 8 billion in federal funds were appropriated in Iowa for Medicaid. Sullivan no longer sits on a state behavioral health advisory board, as district boards do not have direct interaction with county supervisors. “They are taking the county’s output out of the process and moving it to a state-driven system,” Sullivan said. “Everything state-driven ends up being, in my opinion, worse, because [it is] more removed from the people.” Johnson County Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass said county-level influence in the system had been decreasing since the realignment was developed and passed into law in March 2024, noting the new governing board, the District 7 Advisory Council, does not include any elected officials. Green-Douglass said having elected officials on the board allows it to be held accountable, “because if they are unhappy with what you are doing, you don’t get reelected.” Semprini works on the new advisory council as both a provider and advisor as a person who has lived experience with mental illness and said even though there are no elected officials on the board, Iowa PCA and Iowa HHS have worked to get input from a wide variety of sources. These sources include patients, law enforcement, and elected officials, on the transition. Sullivan said the new system intends to fix barriers to care throughout Iowa, but he doesn’t think it will be possible without funding increases. “We are going to see less availability [of services],” Sullivan said. “We might see some improvements on some of the very acute stuff, but I would expect things are going to get worse and not better.” Sullivan said he still attends a monthly system of care meeting in Johnson County to discuss access to services, and while he feels like he still has adequate knowledge about the system and services, he no longer has direct input. Redistributing funds Eyanson said while the distribution and organization of state-appropriated funds for the behavioral health system have changed, the dollar amount has not. For fiscal 2026, $236 million has been allocated for the system, a number that has not changed from fiscal 2025. Iowa Rep. Timi Brown-Powers, D-Waterloo, said not only is the behavioral health system not funded enough, but she foresees cuts considering the recent projections that the Iowa revenue is projected to fall $800 million in fiscal 2026, leading to potential complications with the state budget. Eyanson said she does not anticipate any changes in the amount of funding appropriated to Iowa’s behavioral health system, even in light of potential budget difficulties and revenue falls. Brown-Powers said the new behavioral health system looks good “on paper” but will be ineffective without proper funding. Eyanson said the “streamlined administrative effort” prioritized in the new system, particularly through the use of Iowa PCA as an Administrative Service Organization, has saved the state money, which is being reinvested to expand services, such as school-based behavioral health care and system navigation. Eyanson said while the installation of the statewide system was only a few months ago, she has already received feedback in spaces that are improving, including reduced administrative effort from providers. “That means providers get to spend more time being providers,” she said. Eyanson emphasized the goals of Iowa HHS in providing services to all Iowans more efficiently and effectively than before. “It really doesn’t matter where you are, where you sit, who you are ­you should be able to get connected to the services, the resources that you need, and be able to feel confident about how to do it,” Eyanson said.
https://dailyiowan.com/2025/11/18/iowas-mental-health-revamp-shows-little-change/

What One Attorney General Learned From Suing Trump 46 Times

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Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. In Trump 1. 0, a loose coalition of democratic attorneys general worked to resist the administration’s forays into lawless power grabs. In Trump 2. 0, the chief law-enforcement officers of 23 blue states have become an organized, surgical, and vital bulwark against the White House’s assaults on the Constitution. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has been one of the busiest. On this week’s Amicus podcast, Bonta explained his state’s developing litigation strategy to Dahlia Lithwick. Their conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Dahlia Lithwick: If my math is correct, as California’s attorney general, you are now signed off on 46 lawsuits against the Trump administration. That is a lot. How does your office decide what’s worthy of a suit and what goes on the back burner? How do you decide what’s a priority? Rob Bonta: We don’t have the luxury of choosing. We have one simple position: If Trump breaks the law and it hurts the state of California, we sue him. If he doesn’t break the law, we don’t. So if he decides that he’s going to issue an executive order on Inauguration Day, after he just raised his right hand and swore to defend the Constitution, then goes into another room to issue an executive order that violates the Constitution, we sue. He decides he’s going to issue an Office of Management and Budget memo that tries to withhold $3 trillion worth of critical funding to the states that Congress has already appropriated, we sue. He decides he’s going to impose unlawful tariffs, or invade the privacy of Americans through DOGE’s access to bank accounts and Social Security information, we sue. He decides that he’s going to deploy the National Guard unlawfully to states, then we respond. We stand at the outer boundary of his authority, and we say, You cannot cross this line. We are here to push you back and to cabin you, and we hold you accountable to the actual authority that you have, but you can’t cross this line. You can’t take Congress’ authority, you can’t take this state’s authority, and you can’t violate the Constitution. And we meet him in court every time. We don’t want to sue him 46 times. I’d rather have sued him zero times, because that would mean he’s following the law. I think I have to ask you about the Netflix movie that plays in my head, in which all of the state attorneys general are sitting around on Zoom calls and war-gaming what’s coming next and what the states can do. This is not really a model that we thought about in law school, right? This is a new way of thinking about states and federalism and state power. This surging into the legal void by state elected officials and state law and state supreme courts to act as a bulwark against creeping authoritarianism-this is so not the way we learned to think about justice. What have you learned from the work you’re doing with other states and the work you’re doing inside your state about whether these litigation strategies might be a way out of this mess? When I was in law school, I dreamed about having a job in the law that was meaningful, that made a difference, that advanced our society and protected people’s rights. I wanted to use the law as a force for good. I never could have imagined I would be the attorney general of California, working with my incredible colleagues, a total of 23 Democratic attorneys general, fighting to defend the bedrock principles of our nation, our Constitution, the separation of powers, checks and balances, congressional authority, state sovereignty, rights, and freedoms, or that I’d be fighting to protect those things against the federal government, a federal government that would be weaponizing the government to try to undermine all those things. That wasn’t on my bingo card. But sometimes you don’t pick the moment, you don’t pick the scenario, it picks you. So we are all attorneys general in this moment. I couldn’t be more proud of my fellow AGs and of what we’ve created as a team, as a coalition of states. This model emerged in Trump 1. 0, when AGs started banding together, but it was a little more loose. There were far fewer cases. The pace was different, the stakes were different. I was a legislator at the time in California, watching it up close and personal and seeing the cases filed, and I’ve always called that “the rise of the AGs.” We have continued to be on that trajectory. The fact that it would be state AGs exercising state sovereignty, reminding the federal administration of separation of powers, checks and balances, acting as the constitutional authority holding the federal administration in check, wasn’t necessarily what I planned on, but it’s the brilliance of the design of our American democracy that there are checks and balances all over the Constitution and they can be ignited and used at the appropriate time. Here, it’s states led by state AGs pushing back against the unlawful conduct of the federal administration. Thus far, I’m grateful to say, we’ve been overwhelmingly effective, with 80 percent of the orders in our cases being in our favor and blocking and stopping unlawful conduct quite often. I’m not sure that you intended to say this, but I’d absolutely love it if you did. You said, “We are all attorneys general,” and I love that as a model of thinking about all of our roles going forward. Every single one of us has a responsibility, very similar to the one you just described, of seeing unlawful action and calling it out and fighting against it. Yes, we in the states have our own formal role as attorneys general. We’re in courts, and courts are a place where the law is applied to the facts and justice is delivered. But three things are really important right now. I call them the three C’s: courts, crowds, and courage. We state AGs are in courts, and others are in courts, including private plaintiffs, holding this administration accountable-but it’s important that everyone know that they have a role to call out unlawfulness and to call out injustice. Crowds are important, whether it be on “No Kings” Day or Hands Off marches, when the people come out en masse to remind this administration who their boss is. Trump’s bosses aren’t his billionaire buddies or greedy corporations. His boss is the people, you and me, us and we. We will have the final say. We’ll write the next chapter in the story of America. And, finally, courage is important. There’s a lot of intimidation, targeting, attempts to silence. Everyone in this country has an opportunity, and I would even say a duty and an obligation, to exercise the most potent power that there is, which is people power-to speak up against injustice and to call out unlawfulness and to demand more and better of our administration. AGs will play our role, but everyone has a role, and I encourage everyone to lean into that role in this moment.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/11/california-attorney-general-rob-bonta-trump-lawsuits.html?via=rss

Eric Adams Warns Israelis That Jews Might Not Be Safe in NYC After Mamdani Win: ‘I Would Be Concerned Right Now’

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Outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Jewish residents of the city should be nervous as far-left Democrat Zohran Mamdani succeeds him. “If I was a Jewish New Yorker with children, I would be concerned right now,” he said in an interview with the Forward. “I think this is a period where they [Jews in New York City] need to be very conscious that there’s a level of global hostility towards the Jewish community,” Adams said Sunday. In 2024, anti-Semitic incidents were 54 percent New York City’s so-called hate crimes. “I’m not going to lie. I’m not going to pretend as though everything is fine,” Adams said. Mayor Adams, speaking about rising antisemitism, at first open-to-press event in Israel: “If I was a Jewish New Yorker with children, I would be concerned right now.. “I’m not just the mayor that’s leaving office, I’m your brother, and we will continue to stand side by side.” pic. twitter. com/7wtrg0ory8 Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) November 16, 2025 “There is something to be worried about,” Adams said in the interview, according to The New York Times, adding that “the community must prepare itself.” During the mayoral campaign, Adams said New York City would face “Islamic extremism” under Mamdani’s leadership. Mamdani representative Dora Pekec pushed back in a statement. “Zohran Mamdani was proud to earn the support of hundreds of thousands of Jewish New Yorkers and looks forward to both protecting and celebrating all Jewish New Yorkers as the next mayor of this city,” she said. During a visit to Israel, Adams said New Yorkers do not believe the same things as their mayor. “We want to clearly send the right message that 49 percent of New Yorkers made it clear that they don’t embrace the philosophy of anti-Israel. We still consider Israel as an ally and as a friend,” he said, according to the Times of Israel. During the visit, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, “we are worried about how things will look post the mayoral elections in New York.” After Mamdani was elected, the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement said it had its work cut out for it. “Jewish New Yorkers are right to be alarmed,” the group’s Chief Government Affairs Officer Lisa Katz said, noting that Mamdani’s “radical outlook and history of antisemitic rhetoric should concern all New Yorkers.” “The Jewish community continues to face unprecedented antisemitic threat levels. Yet barring an improbable 180-degree ideological about-face from Mamdani, Jews in New York City will lack an ally in City Hall come January. If past is prologue, a Mamdani administration will refuse to recognize as antisemitism hate that vilifies and demonizes Jews on the basis of the Jewish people’s connection to Israel,” Katz said.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/11/eric-adams-warns-israelis-jews-might-not-safe/

MTG Slams Trump as Lawmakers Appear With Epstein Survivors Ahead of Vote

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In a joint press conference with survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, House lawmakers bashed President Donald Trump and Republican leadership ahead of the lower chamber’s vote to compel the release of the so-called “Epstein files.” Standing before survivors, longtime Trump sycophant and MAGA standardbearer Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) told reporters that the debacle over the Epstein files has been “one of the most destructive things to MAGA.” “I wasn’t ‘Johnny come lately’ to the MAGA train,” Greene said. “Watching the man that we supported early on [.] Watching this actually turn into a fight has ripped MAGA apart.” Greene has long supported transparency in the Epstein case, while Trump has pressured the nation to move on from the scandal. The president whose was once close friends with Epstein and whose name reportedly appears in the files recently revoked his endorsement of Greene, and repeatedly bash her as a “traitor” to his movement. The congresswoman addressed the president’s attacks on Tuesday. “I gave him my loyalty for free,” she said. “I’ve never owed him anything. But I fought for him for the policies and for America first. And he called me a traitor for standing with [survivors] and refusing to take my name off the discharge petition.” A bipartisan coalition of House members, led by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), bucked House leadership and Trump’s efforts to silence calls for the administration to follow through on its campaign promise for transparency regarding the cases against Epstein. The members spent months shoring up support for a discharge petition that would allow them to bring “The Epstein Files Transparency Act” to a floor vote without the approval of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who has been allied with the president on the issue. Johnson for seven weeks stalled the swearing-in ceremony of Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who ultimately cast the vote to bring the resolution to the floor When it became clear the petition would be coming to a vote, Trump flipped his position, encouraging House Republicans to vote yes. Editor’s picks Survivors were not buying it. Halye Robinson, who worked closely with members of Congress to secure a vote to release the files, spoke directly to Trump: “To the president of the United States of America who is not here today. I want to send a clear message to you: while I do understand that your position has changed on the Epstein files and I’m grateful that you have pledged to sign this bill I can’t help to be skeptical of what the agenda is.” “I am traumatized. I am not stupid, I am traumatized,” she added. “You have put us through so much stress: the lockdowns, the halting of these procedures that were supposed to have happened 50 days ago. Adelita Grijalva, who waited to get sworn in. And then [you] get upset when your own party goes against you because what is being done is wrong. It’s not right.” Survivors and lawmakers who spoke called on the Senate to also pass the resolution, and criticized lawmakers including Johnson who only decided to lend their support after it became clear the vote had enough momentum to pass. “I think the speaker wants to save face,” Massie said. “He’s going to vote for a piece of legislation today that he’s disparaged for four months.” In a subsequent press conference, Johnson said “if and when” the legislation makes it to the Senate Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-Mont.) would take the time to carefully amend the act in order to assuage “concerns” about its scope. Trending Stories Johnson expressed worry that releasing the files “could ruin the reputations of completely innocent people, such as those who may just have known Epstein but knew nothing of his crimes or whose names he exploited and used to try to get close to his intended victims.” The American justice system exists precisely as the mechanism to try those accused of crimes, and fear of reputational damage is no reason to continue denying Epstein’s survivors the justice they deserve.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/mtg-epstein-survivors-files-vote-press-conference-1235467233/

Donald Trump Issues H-1B Visa Update

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President Donald Trump has defended his recent support for H-1B visas, arguing that the United States needs to bring in skilled foreign workers to bolster key industries, despite backlash from within his base. Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said America no longer had enough trained workers in specialized areas like semiconductor manufacturing, and that importing talent was necessary until domestic workers could be trained. “We don’t make chips too much here anymore, but we are going to be in a period of a year, we’re going to have a big portion of the chip market. But we have to train our people to make chips,” he said. Why It Matters Trump’s renewed defense of the H-1B program puts him directly at odds with some of the most vocal figures in the MAGA movement, who view the visas as harmful to American workers and a betrayal of his immigration stance. His comments expose a growing tension inside the Republican Party, as the party’s populist wing seeks to curb high-skilled immigration, while the tech and manufacturing sectors warn that foreign workers are essential to fill gaps in domestic expertise. What To Know Trump recently sparked backlash from his supporters when he defended the H-1B visa program while speaking to Fox News’ Laura Ingraham. “You also do have to bring in talent,” he told her. When Ingraham contended that the U. S. had “plenty of talented people,” Trump responded: “No, you don’t, no you don’t. “You don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn. You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say ‘I’m gonna put you into a factory and we’re going to make missiles,'” he said. On Monday, the president doubled down, arguing that American workers did not have the skills needed to produce semiconductors, an industry he said the U. S. had “foolishly” allowed to move largely to Taiwan, and which he now planned to grow domestically. Many prominent Republicans have advocated for limiting or abolishing the H-1B visa program entirely. The Trump administration earlier this year introduced a $100,000 fee for companies seeking H-1B visas for their workers. What People Are Saying Conservative podcaster Steven Crowder wrote on X in response to Trump’s comments: “There’s no shortage of talent in America. If H-1B visas were really about ‘the best and brightest,’ they wouldn’t all go to the cheapest bidder.” Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said on X last week: “I am introducing a bill to END the mass replacement of American workers by aggressively phasing out the H-1B program. Big Tech, AI giants, hospitals, and industries across the board have abused the H-1B system to cut out our own people.” Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said on X last week: “Republicans have a majority in Congress and could legislate elimination of H-1B (and any programs designed to import cheap foreign labor). Deeds, not words, are what matter.” What Happens Next Trump’s support for H-1B visas is likely to continue to put him at odds with conservatives who want to curb foreign labor.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-h1b-visa-update-11063913

Illegal Alien Released by Biden, Charged in Hammer Attack on Texas Jogger [WATCH]

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A Texas woman is recovering after authorities say she was attacked with a hammer by an illegal immigrant who had previously been released by the Biden administration despite multiple arrests, as reported by Fox News. The incident occurred in Plano on Nov. 13 at Bob Woodruff Park, according to FOX 4. Police responded to a report of an assault at approximately 5 p. m. When officers arrived, the victim told them she had been jogging in the park when an unknown man struck her with a hammer at least twice. She fought back, and the suspect fled the scene. The victim was taken to a hospital, where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year Investigators identified 17-year-old Sergio Noe de Nova Duarte as the suspected attacker after locating several items at the scene, FOX 4 reported. Police recovered the hammer allegedly used in the attack, along with duct tape and additional undisclosed items. Duarte was taken into custody, and according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), immigration authorities placed an arrest detainer on him. DHS said Duarte has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and bodily injury. Federal officials said Duarte originally entered the United States in 2016 on a B2 tourist visa and was ordered to return to Mexico later that same year. According to DHS, Duarte has a substantial criminal history, including arrests for burglary and larceny in 2024. Following his 2024 arrests, DHS said the Biden administration released Duarte with a notice to appear before an immigration judge in 2026. He remained in the country pending immigration proceedings. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement after the Nov. 13 attack, criticizing the earlier release. “This criminal illegal alien should have never been loose in our communities to attack this woman jogging in a park with a hammer,” McLaughlin said. “Following this illegal alien’s arrest in 2024, the Biden Administration released this criminal illegal alien back into our communities. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE lodged an arrest detainer to ensure this criminal illegal alien is never able to prey on innocent women in our country again.” Plano police have not yet released further details regarding the investigation or whether additional charges may be filed. DHS did not disclose whether Duarte is expected to face immigration court proceedings before resolution of the criminal case. The victim has not been publicly identified, and authorities said she is expected to recover.
https://www.lifezette.com/2025/11/illegal-alien-released-by-biden-charged-in-hammer-attack-on-texas-jogger-watch/

Trump: U.S. is open to ‘having some discussions with Maduro’ amid military activity surrounding Venezuela

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OAN Staff Blake Wolf 11: 16 AM Monday, November 17, 2025 President Donald Trump has indicated openness to discussions with socialist Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as the United States continues its military buildup in the Caribbean. While speaking to reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, ahead of boarding Air Force One. He indicated openness to diplomatic engagement with the Venezuelan president amid heightened U. S. military deployments in the Caribbean, including the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and ongoing strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels linked to Venezuelan cartels. President Trump left the door open for diplomacy, while also keeping the option of military force on the table. In addition, the GOP Commander-in-Chief noted that his administration is set to designate the “Cartel de los Soles” as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), explaining that the U. S. believes it is run by Maduro-an action that allows the United States to target his assets or infrastructure legally. The U. S. State Department stated it “intends to designate Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), effective November 24, 2025.” This action, under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, enables the U. S. to use military force against the group’s assets without a formal declaration of war, including targeting infrastructure linked to drug trafficking or terrorism. “It allows us to do that,” Trump stated, referencing the Venezuelan FTO designation. “But we haven’t said we’re going to do that blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments! Sponsored Content Below Share this post!.
https://www.oann.com/newsroom/trump-u-s-is-open-to-having-some-discussions-with-maduro-amid-military-activity-surrounding-venezuela/