[Tuesday, July 22] US News Headlines from r/politics

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DAILY BRIEFING

1. The Epstein Crisis: Governmental Paralysis and Multi-Front Investigations

1.1. House Adjourns Amid Crisis to Block Vote on Epstein Files

The U.S. House of Representatives is in a state of paralysis, with what reports call “chaos” and “furor” over the Jeffrey Epstein case upending the chamber for a second consecutive week [1]. In a decisive maneuver, House Speaker Mike Johnson shut down Congress for the summer, canceling the final day of votes before the recess [2]. This action is widely reported as a direct effort to block a floor vote on releasing the Epstein files and to provide President Trump “space” to handle the escalating matter [3, 4]. The move, which one headline characterized as Jeffrey Epstein shutting down the House “From the Grave” [5], has effectively caused the legislative branch to “flee Washington” amid the turmoil. The combined effect has been to “Totally Derailed” both the House and the Executive Branch, halting normal governmental function [6].

References: [1] Epstein furor upends House for second week in row, https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5412795-epstein-furor-house/
[2] House cancels last day of votes before summer break as Epstein consumes Capitol Hill, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-cancels-votes-fight-jeffrey-epstein-files-rcna220238
[3] Speaker Johnson cuts short the House session to avoid a vote on releasing Epstein files., https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/us/politics/mike-johnson-ends-house-session-epstein-vote.html?smid=url-share
[4] Johnson Retreats on Demand for Epstein Disclosures, Saying Trump Needs ‘Space’, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/21/us/politics/mike-johnson-epstein-files-trump.html
[5] From the Grave, Jeffrey Epstein Shuts Down the House, https://time.com/7304655/jeffrey-epstein-mike-johnson-trump/
[6] House and Executive Branch Now Totally Derailed by Epstein, https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/house-and-executive-branch-now-totally-derailed-by-epstein/sharetoken/cbd8360d-7791-4501-a1b5-7344b1a1f6f9

1.2. Investigations Escalate as DOJ and Congress Pursue Parallel Tracks

Despite the legislative shutdown, investigative pressure is intensifying from multiple directions. The House Oversight Committee has voted to issue a subpoena to Ghislaine Maxwell, seeking testimony about her role in the Epstein network [1]. In a parallel move, the Department of Justice has initiated its own efforts, with the Deputy Attorney General reportedly seeking a direct interview with Maxwell to question her about potential unidentified accomplices within Epstein’s network [2, 3]. On the judicial front, judges have ordered the Trump administration to produce the Epstein grand jury transcripts with proposed redactions for court review [4]. However, in a subsequent ruling, the judges deemed the administration’s motions to unseal the transcripts for both Epstein and Maxwell to be “inadequate,” representing a procedural setback for the DOJ [5].

References: [1] House panel votes to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell over Epstein files, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ghislaine-maxwell-oversight-congress-subpoena-b2793795.html
[2] Deputy attorney general seeking meeting with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, https://www.axios.com/2025/07/22/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-doj-meeting
[3] DOJ officials to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell on Epstein case to ask ‘what do you know?’, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-epstein-doj-ghislaine-maxwell-b2793679.html
[4] Judges Order Trump Administration to Submit Epstein Transcripts With Proposed Redactions, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/us/politics/trump-epstein-files-redacted-bondi.html
[5] Judges deem Trump motions to unseal Epstein, Maxwell grand jury transcripts inadequate, https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/epstein-grand-jury-transcripts-maxwell-trump-motions-judges-rcna220298

1.3. White House Response: Counter-Attacks and Damaging New Allegations

The White House is actively managing the crisis with a strategy of deflection and counter-accusation. President Trump publicly labeled the probe a “Witch Hunt” and accused former President Obama of “treason,” actions characterized by some outlets as a deliberate attempt to distract from the Epstein fallout [1, 2]. These efforts are complicated by emerging reports, including an accuser’s public account of an “eerie” late-night encounter in Trump’s office where the victim recalled him saying of another young woman, “Oh, I Thought She was 16” [3]. Another victim bluntly accused the President of lying, stating, “He’s caught” [4]. The pressure on the administration is immense, with one report claiming the President “threw [Pam Bondi and Kash Patel] to the wolves” on the Epstein matter [5]. The political damage appears to be fracturing the President’s base, with one headline noting, “Trump still isn’t winning back his MAGA supporters angry over Epstein” [6].

References: [1] Donald Trump says Barack Obama committed “treason” amid Epstein fallout, https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-obama-accusations-barack-obama-treason-2102486?utm_source=reddit&utm_campaign=reddit_main
[2] Watch Trump Admit He’s Attacking Obama to Distract From Epstein | Donald Trump was asked a simple question on the Jeffrey Epstein case. He began spiraling about Obama instead., https://newrepublic.com/post/198217/trump-admit-obama-attack-distract-epstein
[3] Epstein Accuser Recounts Eerie Late Night Encounter With ‘Best Friend’ Trump in His Office: ‘I Felt Threatened’ | “Oh, I Thought She was 16,” the Victim Recalled Trump Saying, https://www.latintimes.com/epstein-accuser-recounts-eerie-late-night-encounter-best-friend-trump-his-office-i-felt-587307
[4] Epstein Victim Blasts Trump for Lying: ‘He’s Caught’, https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-accuser-blasts-trump-admin-for-lying-about-crude-comment/
[5] Trump Just Threw Pam Bondi and Kash Patel to the Wolves on Epstein, https://newrepublic.com/post/198181/donald-trump-pam-bondi-kash-patel-epstein
[6] ‘A massive cope’: Trump still isn’t winning back his MAGA supporters angry over Epstein, https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/22/trump-maga-supporters-epstein-doj-00467887

2. Justice Department and Judiciary: Conflicts, Personnel, and Legal Battles

2.1. Unprecedented Standoff: Judiciary and DOJ Clash Over New Jersey U.S. Attorney

A significant institutional conflict has erupted over the leadership of the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office. In an extraordinary move, federal judges in the state voted to “oust” or “bench” Trump ally Alina Habba from her role as the state’s top federal prosecutor [1, 2]. Attorney General Pam Bondi responded immediately and forcefully, announcing that the prosecutor the judges had selected to succeed Habba was removed from the position, with Fox News reporting that the DOJ “swiftly fir[ed] Alina Habba’s court-appointed replacement” [3].

References: [1] Judges oust Trump ally Alina Habba as New Jersey’s top prosecutor, https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/22/judges-decline-to-keep-alina-habba-new-jersey-top-prosecutor-00467976
[2] New Jersey federal judges bench Alina Habba as U.S. attorney, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alina-habba-new-jersey-judges-block-nomination/
[3] DOJ swiftly fires Alina Habba’s court-appointed replacement for US attorney in New Jersey, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-swiftly-fires-alina-habbas-court-appointed-replacement-us-attorney-new-jersey

2.2. Turmoil at DOJ and Major Legal Challenges

Personnel changes are also occurring at DOJ headquarters, where Attorney General Pam Bondi has fired the department’s top ethics adviser [1]. These actions take place as the administration’s broader use of the legal system faces scrutiny. Reports claim Trump officials have defied one in three judicial rulings issued against them [2]. Concurrently, the Supreme Court is reportedly considering a case that could overturn a 45-year-old legal precedent, as well as another case described in a headline as an “existential threat to the Voting Rights Act” [3, 4].

References: [1] Pam Bondi fires US justice department’s top ethics adviser | Trump administration, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/14/pam-bondi-fires-top-ethics-adviser
[2] Trump officials accused of defying 1 in 3 judges who ruled against him, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/07/21/trump-court-orders-defy-noncompliance-marshals-judges/
[3] Supreme Court May Soon Consider Overturning 45-Year Precedent, https://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-ten-commandments-public-schools-christianity-2099931
[4] A new Supreme Court case is an existential threat to the Voting Rights Act, https://www.vox.com/scotus/420348/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-turtle-mountain-howe

3. Domestic Policy and Executive Actions

3.1. Economic Conflicts: Tariffs, Deficits, and the Federal Reserve

The administration’s economic policies are generating significant friction and stark fiscal assessments. President Trump has publicly attacked Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell, calling him a “numbskull” and declaring he “will be out in 8 months” [1]. Meanwhile, the administration’s trade policies are having a tangible impact, with General Motors stating that tariffs resulted in a $1.1 billion negative hit to its operating income last quarter [2], and reports of a plunge in U.S. liquor sales in Canada amid the tariff dispute [3]. On the fiscal front, a final analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on a signature administration proposal, dubbed “Trump’s Megabill,” projects it will add $3.4 trillion to the national deficit while causing 10 million people to be “kicked off” their health insurance [4].

References: [1] Trump says Fed’s Powell will be out in 8 months, calls him a ’numbskull’, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-feds-powell-will-be-out-8-months-calls-him-numbskull-2025-07-22/
[2] General Motors says Trump tariffs knocked $1.1bn off its operating income last quarter, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jul/22/gm-earnings-profits-trump-tariffs
[3] US Liquor Sales Plunge in Canada Amid Tariff Spat, Hurting Whole Market, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-22/canada-s-us-liquor-boycott-shrinks-alcohol-market
[4] CBO Final Score: Trump’s Megabill Will Add $3.4 Trillion to Deficits, Kick 10 Million Off Health Insurance, https://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2025/07/21/CBO-Final-Score-Trumps-Megabill-Will-Add-34-Trillion-Deficits-Kick-10-Million-Health

3.2. Intensified Immigration Enforcement and Agency Turmoil

The administration has launched a multi-pronged intensification of immigration enforcement. The “border czar” has announced a strategy to “flood the zone” in sanctuary cities, while the head of ICE has stated the agency will crack down on companies hiring unauthorized workers [1]. These policies coincide with reports of “brutal” conditions in detention facilities [2] and are leading to local policy changes, with Louisville dropping its “sanctuary policy” after federal warnings [3]. Turmoil is also evident within agencies responsible for public safety. The chief of FEMA’s search and rescue division has resigned, citing “deep frustration” with the administration’s response to the recent severe floods in Texas [4].

References: [1] Trump’s border czar to target sanctuary cities in US: ‘We’re gonna flood the zone’, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/21/trump-sanctuary-cities-noem-homan
[2] Brutal video shows conditions inside makeshift ICE detention facility in Manhattan, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-detention-new-york-federal-plaza-b2793837.html
[3] Trump Administration Warnings Prompt Louisville to Drop Sanctuary Policy, https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-louisville-sanctuary-city-pam-bondi-2102455T
[4] FEMA search and rescue chief resigns after frustration with Texas flood response, https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/21/politics/fema-search-and-rescue-chief-resigns

3.3. Major Social Policy Changes: LGBTQ+ Services, Student Loans, and Military

The administration has executed several significant and controversial actions on social policy. It has ordered a pause on student loan forgiveness currently being processed under the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan [1] and has terminated the “Press 3” option for the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which functioned as a dedicated crisis hotline for LGBTQ individuals. The shutdown was condemned by actor Jim Parsons as “quite literally criminal” [2]. On transgender issues, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has confirmed it will comply with the President’s ban on transgender women in women’s sports [3]. An internal military memo, obtained by 404 Media, reveals that bathrooms will be “‘Continuously’ Monitor[ed]” to enforce a new anti-trans order [4].

References: [1] Trump administration pauses student loan forgiveness under IBR plan, https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/07/22/trump-administration-student-loan-forgiveness-pause-ibr-plan/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com
[2] ‘Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons Slams Trump Administration for Ending LGBTQ Crisis Hotline: “It’s Quite Literally Criminal”. The 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s “Press 3” option was shut down on July 17., https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/jim-parsons-slams-trump-ending-lgbtq-crisis-hotline-1236325178/
[3] U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee will comply with Trump’s ban on transgender women in women’s sports, https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/olympics/us-olympic-paralympic-committee-will-comply-trumps-ban-transgender-wom-rcna220369
[4] Military Says It Will ‘Continuously’ Monitor Bathrooms to Comply With Anti-Trans Order. An internal memo obtained by 404 Media also shows the military ordered a review hold on “questionable content” at Stars and Stripes, the military’s ’editorially independent’ newspaper., https://www.404media.co/pentagon-says-it-will-continuously-monitor-bathrooms-to-comply-with-anti-trans-order/

4. Foreign Policy and National Security

4.1. U.S. Exits UNESCO Amid Trade Tensions and Diplomatic Uncertainty

The administration has formally withdrawn the United States from UNESCO for the second time, citing the U.N. cultural agency’s perceived “anti-Israel bias” and its support for “woke” social causes [1, 2]. On the trade front, Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada has signaled a firm negotiating stance amid ongoing disputes, stating he is “only going to accept the best deal for Canada” [3]. In a separate development, President Trump announced a new trade and military agreement with the Philippines, but officials in Manila have not yet confirmed the deal, creating diplomatic uncertainty about its status [4].

References: [1] Trump withdraws US from ‘woke’ UNESCO for second time, https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/22/trump-unesco-withdrawal-united-nations-00466759
[2] U.S. again withdraws from UNESCO, citing anti-Israel bias and “woke” causes, https://www.axios.com/2025/07/22/trump-unesco-withdrawal
[3] Carney tells premiers he’s ‘only going to accept the best deal for Canada’ in U.S. trade talks, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/carney-attends-first-ministers-meeting-1.7590547
[4] Trump says U.S. struck trade, military deal with the Philippines; Manila has not confirmed, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/22/trump-philippines-trade-tariffs-military.html

4.2. National Security: China Cyberattack, Russia Narrative, and Mideast Friction

A major ongoing cybersecurity incident, described as a “vast global hack” impacting multiple U.S. agencies, has now been formally attributed to China [1]. Meanwhile, the administration is attempting to reshape the narrative on Russian interference, with DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s public claims reportedly contradicting other administration officials in a concerted effort to “rewrite the history” of the 2016 election [2]. One report in Mother Jones characterizes Gabbard’s efforts as a “Dangerous Disinformation Campaign Against America” [3]. In the Middle East, reports indicate President Trump was “caught off guard” by recent Israeli military operations in Gaza and Syria, amid growing skepticism toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu within the White House [4].

References: [1] China behind vast global hack involving multiple US agencies, https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/22/microsoft-sharepoint-hack-china-federal-agencies-00467254
[2] Trump’s intelligence chiefs try to rewrite the history of the 2016 election, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna220103
[3] Tulsi Gabbard’s Dangerous Disinformation Campaign Against America, https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/07/tulsi-gabbards-dangerous-disinformation-campaign-against-america/
[4] Trump ‘caught off guard’ by Israel’s actions in Gaza and Syria last week as skepticism of Netanyahu grows inside White House, https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/21/politics/trump-netanyahu-israel-gaza-syria

5. U.S. Politics, Media, and Public Discourse

5.1. Partisan Battles: Texas Redistricting and Kennedy Center Renaming

Sharp partisan battles are escalating at both the state and federal levels. In Texas, Democrats have vowed to use delay tactics, including breaking quorum, to fight a Republican-led effort to redraw the state’s congressional map at President Trump’s behest [1]. In a separate, highly symbolic maneuver, House Republicans are advancing a legislative proposal to rename the Kennedy Center Opera House after former First Lady Melania Trump, a move Democrats allege was “‘snuck in’” without proper process [2, 3]. In a rare instance of bipartisanship, a bill has reportedly united figures such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Pelosi, Lauren Boebert, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, although the headline does not specify the subject matter of this unifying legislation [4].

References: [1] Texas Democrats vow to use delay tactics to drag out GOP redistricting effort; With few options to prevent the Republican majority from passing a new congressional map, Democrats threatened to filibuster, delay hearings and even break quorum., https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/21/texas-democrats-redistricting-special-session-delay-quorum-break/
[2] Republicans push bill to rename Kennedy Center Opera House after Melania Trump, https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/kennedy-center-opera-house-melania-trump-bill-b2793985.html
[3] Democrats say GOP ‘snuck in’ renaming Kennedy Center Opera House for Melania Trump, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/republicans-rename-kennedy-center-opera-house-melania-trump/story?id=123972720
[4] The Surprising Bill Uniting MTG, Nancy Pelosi, Lauren Boebert, and AOC, https://newrepublic.com/post/198237/donald-trump-epstein-files-thomas-massie-mtg-aoc

5.2. Media in the Crosshairs and Eroding Public Support

The administration’s confrontational relationship with the media remains a central feature of the political landscape. The White House banished a Wall Street Journal reporter from a presidential trip, an act reported as direct retaliation for the newspaper’s Epstein coverage [1]. Following a congressional vote to eliminate federal funding for public broadcasting, NPR’s news chief has resigned, with the head of PBS warning the cuts will be “devastating” for rural areas [2, 3]. These events coincide with multiple polls indicating a significant erosion of public support for the President. One Republican pollster has sounded an “alarm as GOP support collapses,” with another report claiming President Trump’s approval ratings are “crashing” even in traditionally supportive states like Alabama [4, 5].

References: [1] Banishing a reporter: Trump escalates battle with Wall Street Journal over Epstein story, https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-wall-street-journal-b006f3ef25e6b4ab910cc3b41c865227
[2] NPR news chief announces she’s leaving days after Congress kills federal funding, https://www.npr.org/2025/07/22/nx-s1-5476192/npr-news-chief-edith-chapin-to-step-down-congress-funding-trump
[3] PBS chief: Funding cuts will be ‘devastating’ for rural areas, https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5405988-paula-kerger-pbs-funding-cuts/
[4] Republican pollster sounds alarm as GOP support collapses under Trump, https://www.newsweek.com/republican-pollster-gop-rasmussen-2102120
[5] Trump’s approval ratings crashing in states that loved him, including Alabama, https://www.al.com/politics/2025/07/trumps-approval-ratings-crashing-in-states-that-loved-him-including-alabama.html

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