{"id":7513,"date":"2025-11-17T00:26:56","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T00:26:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/11\/17\/trump-feuds-with-marjorie-taylor-greene-as-house-vote-on-releasing-epstein-files-looms-cnn\/"},"modified":"2025-11-17T00:26:56","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T00:26:56","slug":"trump-feuds-with-marjorie-taylor-greene-as-house-vote-on-releasing-epstein-files-looms-cnn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/11\/17\/trump-feuds-with-marjorie-taylor-greene-as-house-vote-on-releasing-epstein-files-looms-cnn\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump feuds with Marjorie Taylor Greene as House vote on releasing Epstein files looms – CNN"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Live Updates<\/p>\n

Trump feuds with Marjorie Taylor Greene as House vote on releasing Epstein files looms <\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
After years of stoking partisan fights, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tells CNN\u2019s Dana Bash she has changed and now wants to model a less divisive kind of politics in the US. This is the representative\u2019s first interview since President Donald Trump withdrew his endorsement and criticized her online, calling her a \u201ctraitor.\u201d<\/p>\n

” data-duration=”02:09″ data-source-html=” \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span>” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/mtgsotufaircriticismthumb1.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” }, “small”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/mtgsotufaircriticismthumb1.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” } }” data-vr-video=”false” data-show-html=”State of the Union<\/a>” data-byline-html=”<\/p>\n

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Updated 7:26 PM EST, Sun November 16, 2025 <\/div>\n

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After years of stoking partisan fights, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tells CNN\u2019s Dana Bash she has changed and now wants to model a less divisive kind of politics in the US. This is the representative\u2019s first interview since President Donald Trump withdrew his endorsement and criticized her online, calling her a \u201ctraitor.\u201d<\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2025-11-16T16:42:02.872Z” data-video-section=”politics” data-canonical-url=”https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/11\/16\/politics\/video\/sotu-mtg-faircriticism-digvid” data-branding-key data-video-slug=”sotu-mtg-faircriticism-digvid” data-first-publish-slug=”sotu-mtg-faircriticism-digvid” data-video-tags> \"MTGSOTUFairCriticismThumb1.jpg\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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‘That’s fair criticism’: Dana Bash presses Marjorie Taylor Greene about past divisive comments <\/p>\n

02:09 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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‘That’s fair criticism’: Dana Bash presses Marjorie Taylor Greene about past divisive comments<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

02:09 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\u2022 Epstein files: <\/strong>After months of delay \u2014 and despite resistance<\/a> from President Donald Trump \u2014 the House will vote this week<\/a> on whether to release more files from the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. <\/p>\n

\u2022 Political breakup: <\/strong>Trump is feuding with GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene<\/a>, once a staunch ally, who told CNN\u2019s \u201cState of the Union\u201d today<\/a> that the rift \u201chas all come down to the Epstein files.\u201d Greene is among a handful of conservatives who have been adamant about releasing the documents, though more Republican defections<\/a> are expected in the vote. <\/p>\n

\u2022 Military buildup: <\/strong>The US military\u2019s most advanced aircraft carrier<\/a> has arrived in the Caribbean as Trump weighs potential operations in Venezuela<\/a>. President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a> has condemned the military buildup near South America as US forces target alleged drug-trafficking operations. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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President Donald Trump offered a brisk assessment of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene\u2019s safety on Sunday, after she sounded the alarm<\/a> about increased threats in the aftermath of their falling out. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think her life is in danger. \u2026 Frankly, I don\u2019t think anybody cares about her,\u201d Trump told reporters in Florida on his way back to Washington, referring to the Georgia Republican as \u201cMarjorie \u2018Traitor\u2019 Greene.\u201d <\/p>\n

The president\u2019s comments come after Greene expressed concerns<\/a> about Trump\u2019s rhetoric toward her on CNN\u2019s \u201cState of the Union\u201d this morning. <\/p>\n

In a recent post on X, Greene said, \u201cPresident Trump\u2019s unwarranted and vicious attacks against me were a dog whistle to dangerous radicals that could lead to serious attacks on me and my family.\u201d <\/p>\n

Some context: <\/strong>Trump announced Friday he was rescinding his endorsement of Greene and attacked her in personal terms, while the congresswoman countered that Trump was trying to make an example of her to prevent the release of files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"President<\/picture> <\/div>\n

President Donald Trump suggested Sunday that designating Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization<\/a> allows the US military the ability to target Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s assets and infrastructure inside the country. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt allows us to do that, but we haven\u2019t said we\u2019re going to do that,\u201d Trump told reporters as he departed Florida to return to Washington. \u201cWe may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we\u2019ll see how that turns out.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cThey would like to talk,\u201d he said, without elaborating further. <\/p>\n

Trump made one thing clear: He doesn\u2019t believe the administration needs congressional authorization for potential military actions inside Venezuela. At the same time, the president said he is in favor of in keeping lawmakers informed. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Sunday that the United States will designate Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, effective November 24. The US alleges the Venezuelan cartel is led by President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and other high-ranking officials of the \u201cillegitimate Maduro regime.\u201d <\/p>\n

The designation comes as the United States has ramped up its military presence<\/a> in the Caribbean, including with the arrival of the world\u2019s largest aircraft carrier on Sunday, and as tensions flair between the President Donald Trump and Maduro. <\/p>\n

In July, the US Treasury Department sanctioned<\/a> Cartel de los Soles, deeming it a \u201cSpecially Designated Global Terrorist\u201d organization and alleging it \u201cprovided material support to Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel.\u201d <\/p>\n

According to the Treasury, \u201cThe cartel\u2019s name is derived from the sun insignias often portrayed on the uniforms of Venezuelan military officials.\u201d <\/p>\n

In August, Attorney General Pam Bondi put out a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Maduro to face US drug charges<\/a>. She has not presented conclusive evidence<\/a> of the Venezuelan leader\u2019s alleged role in international drug trafficking. Caracas has flatly rejected the claims. <\/p>\n

\u201cCartel de los Soles, per se, doesn\u2019t exist. It\u2019s a journalistic expression created to refer to the involvement of Venezuelan authorities in drug trafficking,\u201d Phil Gunson, a researcher with the International Crisis Group based in Caracas, previously told CNN. <\/p>\n

But this doesn\u2019t mean there aren\u2019t military personnel or government officials involved in drug trafficking. \u201cAll of this wouldn\u2019t be possible without direct involvement from above,\u201d Gunson said. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Survivors of the late-convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein make a public push to convince House Republicans to vote to release the Epstein files. In the public service announcement created by World Without Exploitation, which fights against sexual exploitation, several of Epstein\u2019s survivors hold up photos from their teenage years when they allegedly first encountered Epstein. <\/p>\n

” data-duration=”01:10″ data-source-html=” \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span>” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/videothumbnails\/36872129-16163961-generated-thumbnail.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” }, “small”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/videothumbnails\/36872129-16163961-generated-thumbnail.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” } }” data-vr-video=”false” data-show-html=”” data-byline-html=”<\/p>\n

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Updated 7:26 PM EST, Sun November 16, 2025 <\/div>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-is-vertical-video-embed=”false” data-network-id data-publish-date=”2025-11-16T23:47:20.022Z” data-video-section=”politics” data-canonical-url data-branding-key data-video-slug=”epstein-survivors-push-for-release-of-files-in-psa-ls” data-first-publish-slug=”epstein-survivors-push-for-release-of-files-in-psa-ls” data-video-tags data-breakpoints=”{“video-resource–media-extra-large”: 660}” data-display-video-cover=”true” data-details> <\/p>\n

Survivors of the late-convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein make a public push to convince House Republicans to vote to release the Epstein files. In the public service announcement created by World Without Exploitation, which fights against sexual exploitation, several of Epstein\u2019s survivors hold up photos from their teenage years when they allegedly first encountered Epstein. <\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2025-11-16T23:47:20.022Z” data-video-section=”politics” data-canonical-url data-branding-key data-video-slug=”epstein-survivors-push-for-release-of-files-in-psa-ls” data-first-publish-slug=”epstein-survivors-push-for-release-of-files-in-psa-ls” data-video-tags> \"\n\n<pSurvivors of the late-convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein make a public push to convince House Republicans to vote to release the Epstein files. In the public service announcement created by World Without Exploitation, which fights against sexual exploitation, several of Epstein\u2019s survivors hold up photos from their teenage years when they allegedly first encountered Epstein. <\/p>\n

” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)” onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1080″ width=”1920″><\/picture> <\/div>\n

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Epstein survivors push for release of files in latest PSA <\/p>\n

01:10 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Epstein survivors push for release of files in latest PSA<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

01:10 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein are making a last-minute public push to convince House Republicans to vote to release all of the files<\/a> related to the convicted sex offender with an emotional direct-to-camera appeal. <\/p>\n

The public service announcement was created by World Without Exploitation, which fights against sexual exploitation, and released Sunday evening ahead of this week\u2019s highly anticipated vote. In the video, a number of Epstein\u2019s survivors hold up photos from their teenage years, when they allegedly first encountered the financier, who died by suicide in 2019. <\/p>\n

\u201cI suffered so much pain,\u201d they say through tears, before stating how old they were when they met the sex offender: 14, 16, 17. \u201cThis is me, when I met Jeffrey Epstein.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are about a thousand of us,\u201d one survivor says; another voice says: \u201cIt\u2019s time to bring the secrets out of the shadows.\u201d <\/p>\n

A message flashes on the screen that reads: \u201cCall your congress member and demand they release ALL of the Epstein files.\u201d <\/p>\n

A discharge petition that would force the House to vote to release the Epstein files garnered the final necessary signature last week, and the lower chamber is expected to take a vote this week. While only four House Republicans supported the petition, CNN has reported that many more GOP \u201cyes\u201d votes are expected on releasing the files. Epstein survivors have made other efforts to lobby lawmakers, including sending a group letter to members of Congress. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe survivors believe this vote offers an opportunity to stand firmly on the side of protecting minors from abuse,\u201d Lauren Hersh, national director of World Without Exploitation, said in a statement. \u201cThey want the public to see how gaps in the system allowed a predator to operate for years and to understand what must change to prevent that from happening again.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The streets of Caracas were calm this morning, despite the all-too-real possibility of US strikes<\/a> on Venezuelan soil looming in the background. <\/p>\n

Yesterday, the country\u2019s strongman President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro boasted that over 4 million Venezuelans had taken a solemn oath to defend the fatherland. CNN cannot verify the figure, and the Venezuelan government has exaggerated similar claims in the past, but the announcement shows how urgently the threat is felt by Maduro. <\/p>\n

Regular Venezuelans, not so much. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s not much going on, going out on a Friday you feel like nothing odd is happening,\u201d Jose Roman, an entrepreneur in Caracas, told CNN last week. <\/p>\n

This morning, as the tropical sun scorched Caracas, residents were more likely to spend the day with their families or at the park than bulking up on groceries or gasoline with an eye to a potential war. <\/p>\n

Economics might play a part too. <\/p>\n

According to the International Monetary Fund, Venezuela has the highest inflation rate in the world, at more than 400% year on year. <\/p>\n

The local currency, the bol\u00edvar, has depreciated<\/a> more than 80% since the first deployment of US military assets in the region, which can explain why \u2014 rather than an attack \u2014 Venezuelans are more worried what to put on the table. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Members of the Venezuelan community react to the Trump administration weighing a potentially scaled-up military campaign in their home country.<\/p>\n

” data-duration=”00:34″ data-source-html=” \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span>” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/115229-venezuela-reax-sots-16×9-00-00-25-23-still001.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” }, “small”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/115229-venezuela-reax-sots-16×9-00-00-25-23-still001.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” } }” data-vr-video=”false” data-show-html=”” data-byline-html=”<\/p>\n

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Updated 7:26 PM EST, Sun November 16, 2025 <\/div>\n

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Members of the Venezuelan community react to the Trump administration weighing a potentially scaled-up military campaign in their home country.<\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2025-11-16T22:33:28.422Z” data-video-section=”us” data-canonical-url=”https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/11\/16\/us\/video\/venezuelans-in-new-york-city-react-military-trump-digvid” data-branding-key data-video-slug=”venezuelans-in-new-york-city-react-military-trump-digvid” data-first-publish-slug=”venezuelans-in-new-york-city-react-military-trump-digvid” data-video-tags> \"115229_venezuela<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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Venezuelan community in New York City reacts to possible military action <\/p>\n

00:34 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Venezuelan community in New York City reacts to possible military action<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

00:34 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Venezuelans in New York City are anxiously watching developments in their home country as President Donald Trump mulls the possibility of scaled-up military action in the region<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Inside a Venezuelan restaurant called El Budare Caf\u00e9 in Queens, families gathered for Sunday lunch, telling CNN they are largely supportive of any intervention in their home country if it means bringing strongman President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s regime<\/a> to an end. <\/p>\n

Boanerges David Tortolero told CNN he was supportive of any action to get Maduro out of power. <\/p>\n

The Venezuelan president remains in power after a 2024 election marked by widespread fraud accusations and counting irregularities<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Several Venezuelans in New York said they worry for their families back home. Many referenced a media blackout in the country, saying their families and friends are largely uninformed about the situation playing out around their own country. <\/p>\n

Jose Miguel Fajardo, who has been in New York City for a little over three years, said Venezuelans back home live in fear of speaking out against their government. <\/p>\n

Fajardo said he supports American intervention in the region but would not support anything that would bring violence and further destabilization into the area. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Pentagon conducted its 21st known strike<\/a> on an alleged drug-trafficking boat yesterday, killing three people aboard the vessel, according to US Southern Command. <\/p>\n

\u201cIntelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics,\u201d SOUTHCOM wrote in a post on social media<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific and was struck in international waters,\u201d according to the announcement. <\/p>\n

The latest attack brings the total number of people killed by the US military\u2019s strikes on alleged drug boats to at least 83. The legal justification for the strikes is murky<\/a>, and the administration has not publicly provided evidence<\/a> that specific targets are involved in trafficking. <\/p>\n

CNN has reported<\/a> that the military is using a variety of fighter jets, drones and gunships to carry out the strikes. <\/p>\n

Remember: <\/strong>The Trump administration has been building up military assets in the Caribbean as it conducts the boat strikes. <\/p>\n

The US president is now weighing a potentially scaled-up campaign<\/a>, possibly including land strikes inside Venezuela or an effort to oust President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, who has condemned US intervention and denied claims that his government is involved in trafficking. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says she isn\u2019t clear on the Trump administration\u2019s ultimate aims with its military activity in the Caribbean. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s clear what the endgame is for this administration with respect to Venezuela,\u201d Shaheen said on CBS\u2019 \u201cFace the Nation\u201d today, as the US mounts a growing show of force<\/a> near South America and President Donald Trump mulls a potentially scaled-up military operation<\/a> in Venezuela. <\/p>\n

Shaheen said the administration has already not been transparent<\/a> on the legality of its strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean. <\/p>\n

The senator expressed concern that a potential military operation in Venezuela poses risks to US service members, and while she called President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a> a \u201cbad character,\u201d she said he is not a threat to the US. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat (President Trump) has done here is to put at risk other parts of the world, and Americans in other parts of the world, for this fascination on trying to get rid of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in Venezuela,\u201d Shaheen told CBS. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been involved in drug, illegal drugs, but he is not a threat to the United States of America, and what the president is doing is raising real questions,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett declined to say that tariffs are feeding inflation but suggested prices for food staples like bananas, beef, coffee and tomatoes will come down after the Trump administration announced new exemptions<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Some context: <\/strong>To address rising costs of groceries amid a spending pullback from weary Americans<\/a>, the Trump administration announced last week that agricultural imports would largely be exempt from \u201creciprocal\u201d tariffs, instead of rates as high as 50% on coffee from Brazil or 10% on goods from most South American countries. <\/p>\n

Average grocery prices in the US were 2.7% higher in September compared to last year. Coffee prices, for instance, were up nearly 21% year-over-year in August, and bananas are about 8% more expensive than they were a year ago. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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We\u2019re hearing from lawmakers and Trump administration officials on where things stand after Congress voted to reopen the government<\/a> following the longest shutdown in US history. <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re just joining us, here\u2019s the latest:<\/em> <\/p>\n

Republicans still have no clear solution<\/a> on the expiration of key health care subsidies<\/a>, which was at the center of the shutdown debacle. <\/p>\n

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