Trump doubles down on ‘Epstein hoax’ and says Republicans pursuing it are ‘stupid people’<\/p>\n
The president then was asked what evidence he might have seen to change his stance on the Epstein case, which this morning he called a \u201choax\u201d.<\/p>\n
Trump doubled down on his claim that it\u2019s a \u201cbig hoax,\u201d but did not provide evidence to support this claim. He also claimed the Epstein case was \u201cstarted by the Democrats,\u201d but again cited no evidence (though he did mention the Steele Dossier, a report on Trump\u2019s 2016 campaign that alleged cooperation with Russia?).<\/p>\n
\u201cSome stupid Republicans<\/a> and foolish Republicans fall into the net and try to do the Democrats\u2019s work,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re stupid people,\u201d he continued to say about Republicans who believe there is more to be revealed about the Epstein case.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.38 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n The day so far<\/p>\n Donald Trump<\/strong> backed away from suggestions he was moving to fire Federal Reserve<\/strong> chair Jerome Powell<\/strong>, following media reports that he had privately indicated to a meeting of GOP lawmakers last night that he would do so<\/a>. After the bombshell reports rocked Wall Street this morning, the president pulled back, saying it was \u201chighly unlikely\u201d that he\u2019ll fire Powell. \u201cWe\u2019re not planning on doing anything,\u201d Trump told reporters, unless Powell \u201chas to leave\u201d because of \u201cfraud\u201d, referring to the controversy over renovations to the Fed\u2019s historic headquarters in Washington.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren<\/strong> wrote on X: \u201cNobody is fooled by President Trump and Republicans\u2019 sudden interest in building renovations \u2014 it\u2019s clear pretext to fire Fed Chair Powell.\u201d Trump indicated that he\u2019d probably wait to replace Powell until his term ends next year. The president does not have the power to fire the Fed chair without cause.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n It has failed to distract from the growing furore from Trump\u2019s usually ardently loyal Maga<\/strong> base over his administration\u2019s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein<\/strong> case. His base is in uproar over the justice department\u2019s recent decision<\/a> to halt further disclosures related to Epstein, including the alleged client list, as well as its finding that he died by suicide. That reached new altitudes today when Trump branded the case a hoax and lashed out at his supporters-turned-critics, calling them \u201cweaklings\u201d and \u201cstupid people\u201d<\/a> for buying into the conspiracy theories, which he blamed on (checks notes) Democrats. He is conveniently forgetting that both he himself and members of his administration have long stoked those same theories. He is also conveniently not acknowledging that prominent allies of his have joined the calls for the files to be released, including House speaker<\/a> Mike Johnson<\/strong>, and influential Maga figures like far-right activist Laura Loomer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Trump also once again back Pam Bondi<\/strong>\u2019s handling of the Epstein<\/strong> case and said: \u201cWhatever\u2019s credible she can release. If a document\u2019s there that is credible, she can release [it], I think it\u2019s good.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Secretary of state Marco Rubio<\/strong>, asked about Israeli<\/strong> strikes on Syria<\/strong> on Wednesday, said the United States was \u201cvery concerned\u201d, adding that he had just spoken to the relevant parties over the phone. \u201cWe\u2019re going to be working on that issue as we speak. I just got off the phone with the relevant parties. We\u2019re very concerned about it, and hopefully we\u2019ll have some updates later today. But we\u2019re very concerned about it,\u201d Rubio said. He added that the US wants fighting to stop as clashes between Syrian government troops and local Druze fighters broke out hours after a ceasefire agreement.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Zohran Mamdani<\/strong> told New York business leaders yesterday he will not use the phrase \u201cglobalize the intifada\u201d<\/a> and discourage others from doing so. The mayoral frontrunner explained at the meeting that many use \u201cglobalize the intifada\u201d as an expression of support for the Palestinian people and, for him, the phrase means protest against the Israeli occupation of Gaza<\/a>, according to the Wall Street Journal. Mamdani also said he is willing to discourage the specific language, but not the idea behind it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A flight carrying immigrants deported from the US landed<\/a> in Eswatini<\/strong>, the homeland security department announced, in a move that follows the supreme court lifting limits on deporting migrants to third countries.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A group of 20 mostly Democrat-led US states filed a lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration<\/a> from terminating a multibillion-dollar grant program that funds infrastructure upgrades to protect against natural disasters.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Robert F Kennedy Jr<\/strong> abruptly fired two of his top aides \u2013 chief of staff Heather Flick<\/strong> Melanson<\/strong> and deputy chief of staff for policy Hannah Anderson<\/strong> \u2013 CNN reported<\/a>, citing two people familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cMany Republicans<\/a> I\u2019ve been talking to over the past few days have predicted that Trump would do something dramatic to distract from Epstein<\/strong>,\u201d a Puck reporter wrote on X regarding today\u2019s will he, won\u2019t regarding sacking Jerome Powell<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And as Politico notes, \u201cthough Trump appears to be holding off on Powell, a groundswell of backlash from both base and swing voters – over the Epstein files<\/strong> and the GOP megabill<\/strong> – continues to dominate headlines\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.28 EDT<\/p>\n New leadership at Fed would be helpful, House speaker says<\/p>\n House speaker Mike Johnson<\/strong> has said he believes it would be beneficial to have new leadership at the Federal Reserve<\/strong>, although he added that he\u2019s not sure the president has the authority<\/a> to fire chair Jerome Powell<\/strong>, according to media reports.<\/p>\n \u201cI do I believe new leadership would be helpful at the Fed,\u201d a Wall Street Journal reporter on X has quoted Johnson as saying.<\/p>\n Punchbowl News, in a separate X post, reported Johnson said he\u2019s \u201creally not sure\u201d if the president can fire Powell.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Trump’s interest in Fed building renovations ‘clear pretext’ to fire Powell, Warren says<\/p>\n US senator Elizabeth Warren<\/strong> has said that Donald Trump<\/strong>\u2019s interest in renovations of Federal Reserve<\/strong>\u2019s headquarters is \u201cclear pretext\u201d to fire chairman Jerome Powell<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Last week, the White House intensified its criticism of how the Fed is being run when the director of the Office of Management and Budget<\/strong>, Russell Vought<\/strong>, sent Powell a letter saying Trump was \u201cextremely troubled\u201d by cost overruns in the $2.5bn renovation of its historic headquarters in Washington.<\/p>\n Earlier today, following bombshell news reports that Trump was planning to fire Powell which rattled financial markets, the president pulled back in the Oval Office. Though he confirmed that the conversation with GOP lawmakers<\/a> about whether he should fire the central bank leader took place, the president said it\u2019s \u201chighly unlikely\u201d that he\u2019ll fire Powell.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not planning on doing anything,\u201d Trump told reporters, unless Powell \u201chas to leave\u201d because of \u201cfraud\u201d, referring to the controversy over the renovations. The president indicated that he\u2019d probably wait to replace Powell until his term ends next year.<\/p>\n \u201cNobody is fooled by President Trump and Republicans\u2019 sudden interest in building renovations \u2014 it\u2019s clear pretext to fire Fed Chair Powell,\u201d Warren, the ranking Democrat on the Senate banking committee, which oversees the Fed, said in a post on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n As we\u2019ve fact-checked, the president doesn\u2019t have the power to fire Powell over a monetary dispute and today he backed away from the idea, saying instead that \u201cwe get to make a change in eight months\u201d (when Powell\u2019s tenure expires).<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a013.23 EDT<\/p>\n Ending Fed’s independence would be a mistake, Republican senator says<\/p>\n US senator Thom Tillis<\/strong> of North Carolina has said that firing the Federal Reserve<\/strong> chair because \u201cpolitical people\u201d don\u2019t agree with his economic decision-making would undermine US credibility, adding that it would be a \u201chuge mistake\u201d to end the Fed\u2019s independence.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to see a pretty immediate response and we\u2019ve got to avoid that,\u201d Tillis, a Republican member of the Senate banking committee, said on the floor of the chamber earlier.<\/p>\n Trump has today backed away from the idea of firing Jerome Powell<\/strong>, saying instead that \u201cwe get to make a change in eight months\u201d (when Powell\u2019s tenure expires).<\/p>\n The president does not have the power<\/a> to fire the Federal Reserve chair. But reports<\/a> today said<\/a> that Trump had asked Republican lawmakers if he should fire Powell, and several people in the room indicated he will do it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Well, that more or less captures everything Donald Trump<\/a> said in the oval office just now alongside Bahrain crown prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.<\/p>\n The crown prince of Bahrain listens Donald Trump speaks to reporters. Photograph: Anna Moneymaker\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a>Bondi ‘doing a great job’, Trump says<\/p>\n Trump again supported his attorney general, Pam Bondi, who has been under fire for her handling of the Epstein case.<\/p>\n \u201cI think she\u2019s doing a great job.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.42 EDT<\/p>\n Trump: Bondi can release ‘whatever’s credible’ on Epstein case<\/p>\n The president was asked whether he would allow US attorney general Pam Bondi to release more information on the Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> case.<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever\u2019s credible she can release,\u201d Trump said. \u201cIf a document\u2019s there that is credible, she can release [it], I think it\u2019s good.\u201d<\/p>\n But then he goes after Republicans<\/a> again: \u201cAll it is is that certain Republicans got duped by the Democrats and they\u2019re following the Democrat playbook. It\u2019s no different than \u2018Russia, Russia, Russia\u2019 and all the other hoaxes.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Trump tries to pivot to the Biden-autopen investigation that Republicans<\/a> are leading against his predecessor. It has been widely seen as a partisan move to discredit the former Democratic president.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the scandal they should be talking about, not Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s the biggest scandal \u2013 one of them \u2013 in American history.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Trump teases trade news coming: ‘We have some pretty good deals to announce’<\/p>\n Donald Trump said the US will probably \u201clive by the letter\u201d with Japan and maybe have another deal coming up with India.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have some pretty good deals to announce,\u201d he said. \u201cThe big one really is going to be on the 150 countries that we\u2019re really not negotiating with, and they\u2019re smaller – we don\u2019t do much business with.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Trump doubles down on ‘Epstein hoax’ and says Republicans pursuing it are ‘stupid people’<\/p>\n The president then was asked what evidence he might have seen to change his stance on the Epstein case, which this morning he called a \u201choax\u201d.<\/p>\n Trump doubled down on his claim that it\u2019s a \u201cbig hoax,\u201d but did not provide evidence to support this claim. He also claimed the Epstein case was \u201cstarted by the Democrats,\u201d but again cited no evidence (though he did mention the Steele Dossier, a report on Trump\u2019s 2016 campaign that alleged cooperation with Russia?).<\/p>\n \u201cSome stupid Republicans<\/a> and foolish Republicans fall into the net and try to do the Democrats\u2019s work,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re stupid people,\u201d he continued to say about Republicans who believe there is more to be revealed about the Epstein case.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.38 EDT<\/p>\n Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with the US, but he is in no rush to talk.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThey want to negotiate badly,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWe\u2019re in no rush.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Donald Trump said he will be having a meeting on Thursday regarding the US citizen beaten to death by settlers in the West Bank.<\/strong><\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Reporters are asking Donald Trump<\/a> about the letter reported by the New York Times about firing Jerome Powell. The president denied the existence of the letter, but said Republicans he spoke to said he should fire the Federal Reserve chairman.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAlmost every one of them said I should, but I\u2019m more conservative than they are,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Asked if he ruled out firing Powell, Trump said: \u201cI don\u2019t rule out anything but I think it\u2019s highly unlikely unless he has to leave for fraud.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Share<\/a>Trump: Powell doing ‘a terrible job’ but will ‘make a change in eight months’ when his term ends<\/p>\n Trump was asked about his alleged plans to fire Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chairman, that have been reported by US media.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s always been too late, hence his nickname \u2018Too Late\u2019,\u201d Trump said. \u201cHe should\u2019ve cut interest rates a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n He accuses Powell of only cutting interest rates to benefit Democrats in the 2024 election. (It\u2019s worth remembering here that Powell first assumed this role under Trump in 2017.)<\/p>\n \u201cI think he does a terrible job, he\u2019s costing us lots of money,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n He also mentions that he was surprised Powell was appointed (\u2026) but then goes on to say that Biden should not have extended him.<\/p>\n However, he does back away from the idea of firing Powell, saying instead that \u201cwe get to make a change in eight months.\u201d<\/p>\n The president does not have the power to fire the Federal Reserve chair. But reports said on Tuesday, Trump asked Republican lawmakers if he should fire Powell, and several people in the room indicated he will do it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.14 EDT<\/p>\n When Trump opened the floor to questions, the first was about the Israeli strikes in Syria<\/a>. The president asked Marco Rubio, the US state secretary, to respond.<\/strong><\/p>\n Rubio said: \u201cIt\u2019s complicated, obviously these are long time historic rivalries between groups in the south-west of Syria. It led to an unfortunate situation and a misunderstanding, between the Israeli side and the Syrian side.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the US has been engaged with both sides and says he hopes to see some \u201creal progress\u201d in the next few hours.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.12 EDT<\/p>\n Donald Trump is now speaking from the oval office as he meets with the crown prince of Bahrain.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n And on cue, the New York Times just sent a push alert stating that Donald Trump<\/a> drafted a letter to fire Jerome Powell and asked Republicans if he should send it.<\/p>\n\n