{"id":7419,"date":"2025-11-13T22:43:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T22:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/11\/13\/trump-administration-live-updates-government-shutdown-ends-epstein-files-vote-expected-next-week-nbc-news\/"},"modified":"2025-11-13T22:43:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T22:43:07","slug":"trump-administration-live-updates-government-shutdown-ends-epstein-files-vote-expected-next-week-nbc-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/11\/13\/trump-administration-live-updates-government-shutdown-ends-epstein-files-vote-expected-next-week-nbc-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump administration live updates: Government shutdown ends; Epstein files vote expected next week – NBC News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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13m ago \/ 5:26 PM EST<\/p>\n

U.S. Mint stamps its last penny after 232 years in circulation <\/h2>\n
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After 232 years, the U.S. Mint has pressed its final penny. While the coin will remain in circulation for now, new ones will never be made again. Reporting for “Today,” NBC\u2019s Joe Fryer shares a look back at the coin\u2019s rich history, what it means for the ones still in circulation and how it will impact the way you shop.<\/p>\n

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\"US<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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37m ago \/ 5:03 PM EST<\/p>\n

Senators whose phone data were accessed in ‘Arctic Frost’ probe react to provision allowing them to sue<\/h2>\n
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Republican senators whose cellphone data was obtained by the FBI in connection with an investigation that preceded former special counsel Jack Smith’s probe of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack have offered mixed responses to criticism over a provision tucked into legislation that reopened the government<\/a> last night that would permit them to sue the federal government.<\/p>\n

Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee wrote in a social media post <\/a>today that he had no plans to seek compensation over the data.<\/p>\n

“I do not want and I am not seeking damages for myself paid for with taxpayer dollars,” Hagerty wrote on X.<\/p>\n

“Jack Smith and all involved in this abuse should be held to the highest level of accountability \u2014 something which rarely seems to happen in Washington.\u00a0To be blunt, Jack Smith should be in jail,” he added.<\/p>\n

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Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a fellow Tennessee Republican, wrote on social media<\/a> that she supports repealing the provision.<\/p>\n

“As I have previously said, this fight is not about the money. It is about holding the left accountable for the worst weaponization of government in our nation\u2019s history,” she wrote on X.<\/p>\n

An effort is underway in the House to vote on repealing the provision. Speaker Mike Johnson said the House will vote on the matter next week<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said in a statement that he has “no plans at this time” to sue over the data.<\/p>\n

“If I did sue, it would only be for the purpose of using the courts to expose the corrupt weaponization of federal law enforcement by the Biden and Obama administrations. With the full cooperation in our congressional investigations from the Trump DOJ and FBI, that shouldn\u2019t be necessary,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville threatened that a lawsuit could be forthcoming if Biden officials whom he blamed for weaponizing the government weren’t punished.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they aren\u2019t, I will sue the living hell out of every Biden official involved in this to make sure this NEVER happens to a conservative again,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n

Hagerty, Blackburn, Johnson and Tuberville were four of eight senators whose phone <\/a>data<\/a> w<\/a>as<\/a> <\/a>obtain<\/a>ed<\/a> as part of the investigation dubbed “Arctic Frost.” Josh Hawley of Missouri, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming also had their phone data accessed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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42m ago \/ 4:58 PM EST<\/p>\n

Colombia\u2019s president blasts \u2018barbarian\u2019 Trump over boat attacks<\/h2>\n
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Intelligence \u201cis not for killing,\u201d Colombian President Gustavo Petro told NBC News in a wide-ranging interview today, explaining his decision to stop sharing information with the United States in opposition to\u00a0lethal strikes on boats<\/a>\u00a0allegedly carrying illegal drugs.<\/p>\n

Describing Trump as a \u201cbarbarian\u201d who \u201cwants to frighten us,\u201d Petro, a former Marxist revolutionary and one of the few international leaders\u00a0willing to openly criticize<\/a>\u00a0his American counterpart, called the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean \u201cundoubtedly an aggression against Latin America.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read the full story.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1h ago \/ 4:40 PM EST<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for airlines and flight schedules now that the government is reopened <\/h2>\n
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Trump signed a bill last night that reopened the government<\/a>\u00a0after 43 days, paving the way for airlines to restore regular flight schedules and for air traffic controllers,\u00a0who have not been receiving pay<\/a>\u00a0as they worked through the shutdown, to return to full staffing.<\/p>\n

But it remains unclear when full flight schedules and paychecks will be restored after the Federal Aviation Administration was forced to mandate flight restrictions at 40 high-traffic airports last week. Last night, the FAA ordered that cancellations\u00a0would remain at 6% today,<\/a>\u00a0after two days at that rate and an initial plan to ramp up to 10% by Friday.<\/p>\n

As of this morning, nearly 1,000 flights within the U.S. had already been canceled for the day, and more than 900 were delayed,\u00a0according to flight tracking website FlightAware<\/a>. On Wednesday, only 900 flights were canceled \u2014 the lowest number since the FAA flight reductions began.<\/p>\n

It is not immediately clear if the flight disruptions were all connected to staffing issues.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 3:58 PM EST<\/p>\n

Justice Department joins lawsuit over California\u2019s redrawn House map <\/h2>\n
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The Justice Department on Thursday joined a Republican-led lawsuit that seeks to block a new Democratic-drawn congressional map in California that\u00a0voters approved last week<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The redrawn district lines could allow Democrats to pick up an additional five House seats in next year\u2019s midterm elections. The Trump administration\u2019s involvement in the case adds another political layer to the ongoing redistricting battle that\u2019s playing out across the country.<\/p>\n

In a complaint filed in federal court Thursday, the Justice Department effectively joined a suit filed\u00a0last week by the California Republican Party<\/a>\u00a0that challenges California\u2019s new map.<\/p>\n

In their complaints, the DOJ and the California GOP\u00a0allege that the new\u00a0<\/a>maps approved by voters amount to a \u201cracial gerrymander\u201d that they say violates the U.S. Constitution. The suit claims that California Democrats considered race when proposing the redrawn map in ways that advantage Hispanic voters.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here. <\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2h ago \/ 3:54 PM EST<\/p>\n

Former FCC chairs urge agency to repeal \u2018News Distortion\u2019 policy invoked by Trump administration<\/h2>\n
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A bipartisan group of former Federal Communications Commission leaders has petitioned the agency to repeal the policy the Trump administration invoked in discussions surrounding Jimmy Kimmel at ABC and in the investigation of \u201c60 Minutes\u201d at CBS.<\/p>\n

The group \u2014 which includes five Republican and two Democratic former FCC commissioners, as well as several former senior staffers \u2014 calls for eliminating the agency\u2019s long-standing \u201cNews Distortion\u201d policy.<\/p>\n

The policy, according to the FCC\u2019s\u00a0website description<\/a>, allows the agency to sanction broadcasters if \u201cthey have deliberately distorted a factual news report.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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3h ago \/ 3:25 PM EST<\/p>\n

Attorney General Bondi: Individual confronted acting U.S. attorney Alina Habba and ‘destroyed property in her office’<\/h2>\n
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Attorney General Pam Bondi said in posts on X<\/a> this afternoon that someone confronted acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba<\/a> last night “destroyed property in her office, and then fled the scene.”<\/p>\n

“Thankfully, Alina is ok,” Bondi wrote. “We will find this person, and the individual will be brought to justice.”<\/p>\n

Bondi said that federal prosecutors, agents and law enforcement partners put their lives on the line, and the Department of Justice “will use every legal tool available to ensure their safety and hold violent offenders fully accountable.”<\/p>\n

Investigators are looking into how the individual got into Habba’s office while she was at the U.S. attorney\u2019s office at the time, according to a person familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the FBI in Newark said, \u201cWe are aware of the alleged attack at the U.S. attorney\u2019s office and are working on getting more information.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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3h ago \/ 3:23 PM EST<\/p>\n

Trump pardons billionaire Joe Lewis<\/h2>\n
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Trump has issued a\u00a0pardon\u00a0to Joe Lewis, a billionaire who pleaded guilty in early 2004 to insider trading.<\/p>\n

Lewis, whose family remains the controlling shareholder in English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, now lives in the Bahamas, according to The Athletic, which broke the story.<\/p>\n

A White House official tells NBC News: \u201cPresident Trump approved a\u00a0pardon\u00a0for Joseph Lewis, a British citizen with a 75-year career in business. In January of 2024, Mr. Lewis pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.\u00a0Mr. Lewis admitted he made a terrible mistake, did not fight extradition in the case, and paid a $5 million fine.\u00a0Mr. Lewis is 88 years old and has requested a\u00a0pardon\u00a0so that he may receive medical treatment and visit his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the United States.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not clear if or how Lewis or his allies lobbied for this\u00a0pardon, which comes amid a period in which the president has been doling out clemency quite liberally.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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3h ago \/ 2:47 PM EST<\/p>\n

Trump signs executive order creating new initiative for foster care youth<\/h2>\n
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After brief remarks from Trump and the first lady, the president signed an executive order titled “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families,” which aims to help connect former foster youth to career opportunities. <\/p>\n

Vice President JD Vance, along with several Cabinet secretaries, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, were at the signing.<\/p>\n

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\"Trump<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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3h ago \/ 2:42 PM EST<\/p>\n

Trump says White House ballroom construction will take two years<\/h2>\n
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During an executive order signing event in the East Room, Trump spoke about the ongoing construction of the new White House ballroom, which he said would be complete in about two years.<\/p>\n

“And right behind me by the way, in about two years from now, we’ll use a much bigger room,” the president said.<\/p>\n

“We had to turn away a lot of people,” Trump joked, to laughter from the crowd. <\/p>\n

“We’ll be able to go from this room into a room that seats a few more people,” he added. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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4h ago \/ 2:22 PM EST<\/p>\n

First lady Melania Trump delivers remarks from the East Room<\/h2>\n
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First lady Melania Trump in the East Room is delivering remarks about the executive order the president plans to sign this afternoon, titled “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families.”<\/p>\n

“This executive order, Fostering the Future for American Children and Families, gives me tremendous pride,” the first lady said. “It is both empathetic and strategic. It will certainly be impactful.”<\/p>\n

The executive order is in line with Melania Trump’s work to support foster youth transitioning out of the system to adulthood and will help expand access for the youth to education, career development, housing and digital resources.<\/p>\n

In her remarks, the first lady called on business leaders and those in the private sector to collaborate with federal agencies on this effort, saying, “My hope, of course, is that this level of coordinated collaboration will sustain.”<\/p>\n

She called on leaders to “rise above the ease of inaction” on this issue.<\/p>\n

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\"Melania<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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4h ago \/ 2:14 PM EST<\/p>\n

White House urges federal agencies to send paychecks out quickly<\/h2>\n
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The White House has \u201curged\u201d federal agencies to get employee paychecks out \u201cexpeditiously and accurately\u201d in the coming days, a senior administration official said.<\/p>\n

Some agencies, including the General Services Administration, the Office of Personnel Management and the departments of Energy, Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs, could get their checks as soon as this weekend, according to the White House’s projections, the official said. <\/p>\n

Other departments, including Education, State, Interior, Transportation and some agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA and the Social Security Administration, could get their back pay by Monday, the official said. Still others, including the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Treasury and Justice, could receive their checks by the middle of next week, the official said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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5h ago \/ 1:32 PM EST<\/p>\n

Noem announces bonuses for TSA officers who worked through shutdown without pay<\/h2>\n
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced at a news conference that some Transportation Security Administration officers who showed \u201cexemplary service\u201d during the shutdown will receive $10,000 bonus checks. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s not clear how many officers will get the bonuses, but Noem highlighted a few TSA employees during the news conference who would be receiving the extra pay. She held a stack of white envelopes in her hand before passing out checks to many TSA officers who were present. <\/p>\n

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\"Noem<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

She said those who are receiving bonuses took \u201cseriously security concerns and measures\u201d during the shutdown, but also \u201cwent above and beyond\u201d by helping others, serving extra shifts and transporting others back and forth to work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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During an interview with Fox News this week<\/a>, Trump criticized air traffic controllers who wouldn’t work without pay during the shutdown and floated the idea of bonuses for those who did not take absences.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to reward the people that showed up without a lot of nonsense, without a lot of talk,” he said. \u201cThey did their job and in many cases, they worked longer hours to get us through this period,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Asked where the money for the bonuses would come from, Trump said: \u201cI don\u2019t know. I\u2019ll get it from some place.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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5h ago \/ 1:10 PM EST<\/p>\n

Fetterman hospitalized ‘out of an abundance of caution’ after falling, his spokesperson says<\/h2>\n
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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., has been hospitalized “out of an abundance of caution” after a fall, according to a post <\/a>on<\/a> X<\/a> attributed to his spokesperson.<\/p>\n

“Upon evaluation, it was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that led to Senator Fetterman feeling light-headed, falling to the ground and hitting his face with minor injuries,” the post said.<\/p>\n

Fetterman is “doing well” and “opted to stay” at the hospital for doctors to evaluate medication. He fell during on an early morning walk, the post said. <\/p>\n

“Senator Fetterman had this to say: ‘If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!'” the post said.<\/p>\n

Fetterman had a pacemaker implanted in 2022 after his stroke.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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7h ago \/ 11:39 AM EST<\/p>\n

Hearing on acting U.S. Attorney Halligan’s appointment concludes; judge to rule by Thanksgiving<\/h2>\n
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The hearing challenging Halligan’s appointment has wrapped up after more than am hour of legal arguments.<\/p>\n

The judge did not rule from the bench, but said she anticipates issuing a decision by Thanksgiving, which is two weeks away. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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7h ago \/ 11:26 AM EST<\/p>\n

Judge questions missing minutes in Comey transcript<\/h2>\n
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Judge Cameron Currie grilled a lawyer for the Justice Department about what she described as a gap in the Comey grand jury transcript. <\/p>\n

Currie said there was a significant period of time missing in the grand jury material she reviewed, between 4:28 p.m. and when Comey was indicted later that evening. Currie said it was possible there was no court reporter in the room at the time, meaning only Halligan and the grand jury would have been in the room. <\/p>\n

The judge also questioned a filing from U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi saying she’d reviewed and signed off on the proceedings. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt became obvious to me that the attorney general could not have reviewed\u201d that material because of the missing minutes, Currie said. <\/p>\n

\u201cShe said she reviewed the proceedings,\u201d DOJ attorney Henry Whitaker said.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe could not have,\u201d Currie shot back. <\/p>\n

\u201cShe reviewed the witness testimony,\u201d Whitaker then replied, walking back his previous response. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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7h ago \/ 11:00 AM EST<\/p>\n

Protester holds vigil as James Comey and Letitia James challenge U.S. prosecutor in court<\/h2>\n
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A lone protester stands outside the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, as lawyers for former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James argue that the U.S. prosecutor who brought charges against their clients was appointed unlawfully.<\/p>\n

\"Image:<\/p>\n

<\/span>Alex Wong \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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8h ago \/ 10:39 AM EST<\/p>\n

Hearing underway in Comey and James’ challenge of prosecutor<\/h2>\n
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The proceeding in which attorneys for James Comey and Letitia James are challenging the appointment of U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan and the indictments she brought against them is underway. <\/p>\n

Comey attorney Ephraim McDowell was the first person up, and told U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie that the case against his client should be dismissed because Halligan’s appointment was unlawful and she was the only person who presented the case against the former FBI director to the grand jury. <\/p>\n

\u201cHere the only thing that matters is whether Ms. Halligan had proper appointment when she stood up in front of the grand jury,\u201d McDowell told the judge, contending she did not, meaning she was effectively a private citizen when she presented the case to the panel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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8h ago \/ 10:10 AM EST<\/p>\n

Former one-term Democratic congressman running for new Salt Lake City seat<\/h2>\n
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Ben McAdams, a Democrat who defeated a Republican incumbent in 2018 but narrowly lost re-election two years later, has launched a comeback bid in Utah. <\/p>\n

The Democrat is jumping into the new congressional seat created after a court tossed the state’s old congressional lines and approved a new map with a solid Democratic district<\/a> in Salt Lake City. <\/p>\n

“I’m tired of leaders in D.C. and Trump talking about affordability like it’s just some slogan. We need wages that can actually buy groceries, we need homes that families can afford. And nobody should be afraid of medical bills,” McAdams sa<\/a>id<\/a> in a video announcing his bid<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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8h ago \/ 9:46 AM EST<\/p>\n

HHS and State Department employees receive guidance on returning to work<\/h2>\n
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Health and Human Services employees were told the agency would try to get furloughed employees paychecks with back pay on or before Nov. 21, according to an email obtained by NBC News.<\/p>\n

State Department employees received guidance late last night instructing them to report back to work this morning following the signing of the short-term government funding measure, known on Capitol Hill as a continuing resolution, or CR.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that a CR has been enacted, we can all continue the critical work of advancing our national interests on behalf of the American people,\u201d an undersecretary for management at the State Department, Jason S. Evans, wrote in email obtained by NBC News. \u201cWe look forward to all our people returning to work expeditiously on your next scheduled workday.\u201d<\/p>\n

The email included a link to FAQs for employees on returning to work and an update on issues related to back pay and bidding for their next positions and overseas posts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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9h ago \/ 9:27 AM EST<\/p>\n

FAA freezes flight cuts at 6% as government shutdown ends <\/h2>\n
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Despite a vote to end the government shutdown, the ripple effects are being felt at airports across the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration announcing it will hold flight cancellations at 6% as it continues to assess whether the system can gradually return to normal operations. The goal is to relieve the stress of staffing shortages, but it\u2019s unclear when airlines will be able to resume their full slate of takeoffs. NBC\u2019s Sam Brock reports for “TODAY.”<\/p>\n

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\"FAA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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9h ago \/ 8:54 AM EST<\/p>\n

18 Trump voters explain why a slice of his base is unhappy with his economic performance <\/h2>\n
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Billy Edmonson voted for Trump in 2024 because of his stances on border security, gun rights and the economy. One year after casting his ballot, Edmonson is finding it difficult to make ends meet.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything\u2019s already so expensive. … That\u2019s the worst thing about his presidency so far, is he promised things coming down and prices are not coming down. I make more money than I\u2019ve ever made in my life right now, and it has, financially, been a struggle,\u201d said Edmonson, a 35-year-old construction worker from Missouri.<\/p>\n

Edmonson recalled that Trump promised to start lowering prices on his first day in office.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just doesn\u2019t seem like there\u2019s been a whole lot of focus on, \u2018Hey, let\u2019s get these prices down.\u2019 It\u2019s just been like, \u2018Hey, prices are high because Biden did this.\u2019 It\u2019s like, well, Biden\u2019s not in office anymore,\u201d said Edmonson, a self-described independent, later adding, \u201cIt\u2019s personally frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edmonson is not alone. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of registered voters, including 30% of Republicans, said in the recent\u00a0national NBC News poll<\/a>\u00a0that Trump has fallen short of their expectations on the cost of living and the economy. After being one of the big reasons why Trump won a return to the White House in 2024, Trump\u2019s performance on the economy has become one of the big drags on his second term.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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10h ago \/ 8:21 AM EST<\/p>\n

Airline trade group calls for ‘long-term solution’ to ensure air travel isn’t hurt in the future because of shutdowns<\/h2>\n
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The group Airlines for America, which includes airlines such as American, Delta and United, released a statement calling for a long-term solution to make sure air travel isn’t hurt in the future by political disagreements.<\/p>\n

“We implore Congress to ensure future funding bills do not allow aviation to become collateral damage in Washington\u2019s policy debates,” the trade group said in a statement. <\/p>\n

Airlines for America pointed to a $5 billion Federal Aviation Administration fund that the group says “could be used to pay air traffic controllers during future shutdowns.”<\/p>\n

“We ask Congress to consider legislation that would implement a long-term solution,” Airlines for America said.<\/p>\n

Federal workers, including air traffic controllers, went unpaid during the shutdown. Last week, the Trump administration announced that flights would be cut to reduce strain as the shutdown dragged on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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10h ago \/ 8:14 AM EST<\/p>\n

House will vote to undo provision letting senators sue over Jan. 6-related searches<\/h2>\n
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Speaker Mike Johnson said the House will vote next week to repeal a provision slipped into the bill to\u00a0end the shutdown<\/a>\u00a0that would allow senators to\u00a0sue the government for potentially millions of dollars<\/a>\u00a0if their data is obtained without notifying them.<\/p>\n

Johnson said he was \u201cshocked\u201d and \u201cangry\u201d when he learned about the provision, which would\u00a0uniquely benefit eight Republican senators<\/a>, whose phone records \u2014 but not the contents of their calls or messages \u2014 were found to have been accessed as part of the investigation that led to former special counsel Jack Smith\u2019s probe into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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10h ago \/ 8:02 AM EST<\/p>\n

Johnson says \u2018more is to come\u2019 on Epstein as House set to vote on releasing files <\/h2>\n
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Speaker Mike Johnson defended Republican lawmakers\u2019 handling of the Epstein files and said \u201cmore is to come\u201d as the House is set to vote next week on releasing more of the files. After a weekslong delay, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., yesterday secured the signatures they need to bypass GOP leaders and force a floor vote to compel the Justice Department to release all the files in its investigation into Epstein.<\/p>\n

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\"Johnson<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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11h ago \/ 7:38 AM EST<\/p>\n

Smithsonian announces museums set to reopen tomorrow<\/h2>\n
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The Smithsonian has announced it will reopen several museums tomorrow, including the Museum of American History, the National Air and Space Museum and its annex in Virginia, which houses planes and space artifacts.<\/p>\n

Other museums and the National Zoo are set to reopen on a “rolling basis by Monday,” the Smithsonian’s website <\/a>said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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11h ago \/ 7:11 AM EST<\/p>\n

New Epstein files rekindle an old Trump political problem <\/h2>\n
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Trump can\u2019t seem to escape Jeffrey Epstein. All summer, the Trump administration tried to\u00a0brush back questions<\/a>, including from allies, around\u00a0its handling<\/a>\u00a0of the late financier\u2019s case. The issue quieted down for over the past few weeks, with the government shut down and Congress preoccupied.<\/p>\n

But it\u00a0re-emerged yesterday<\/a>, just as the shutdown is set to end. The latest twist comes at an inopportune time for Trump, with the president already in the midst of criticism from longtime supporters over his economic rhetoric and policy proposals in the wake of\u00a0Republican candidates being routed<\/a>\u00a0in last week\u2019s off-year elections.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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11h ago \/ 7:11 AM EST<\/p>\n

Judge hears challenge to Trump\u2019s appointment of prosecutor in James Comey and Letitia James cases <\/h2>\n
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When acting U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan walks into federal court here in Virginia this morning, it will be Halligan \u2014 not the criminal defendants she hopes to prosecute \u2014 at the center of the court\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n

Former FBI Director\u00a0James Comey<\/a>\u00a0and New York Attorney General\u00a0Letitia James,\u00a0<\/a>both frequent targets of Trump, filed separate motions in their respective cases, arguing that Halligan is unlawfully serving as acting U.S. attorney and therefore\u00a0the indictments against them<\/a>\u00a0should be thrown out. In a rare joint hearing, attorneys for Comey and James will argue this together before U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie, who is traveling up from the District of South Carolina.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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11h ago \/ 7:11 AM EST<\/p>\n

Federal agencies tell staff to return to work on Thursday as government reopens<\/h2>\n
\n

Multiple federal agencies have told their employees to report to work today, according to three administration officials. The directive came before\u00a0Trump signed a short-term funding bill last night<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Government workers at the Health and Human Services Department, Department of the Interior, Housing and Urban Development Department, and Department of Justice were all advised to come in on Thursday, regardless of when the measure was signed.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

13m ago \/ 5:26 PM EST U.S. Mint stamps its last penny after 232 years in circulation After 232 years, the U.S. Mint has pressed its final penny. While the coin will remain in circulation for now, new ones will never be made again. Reporting for “Today,” NBC\u2019s Joe Fryer shares a look back at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7419"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7419\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}