Trump faces escalating controversy over Epstein ties

The controversy surrounding President Donald Trump's ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein is escalating, with new revelations that Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump in May that his name appeared in documents related to Epstein's case. This has fueled speculation about a potential cover-up, as the administration has refused to release the files. Some Republicans are defying Trump, with the House Oversight Committee voting to subpoena the Department of Justice for Epstein-related files and testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's accomplice. Trump has responded by pushing a conspiracy theory against Barack Obama, enlisting the help of Tulsi Gabbard, the top US intelligence official. Despite no evidence of wrongdoing by Trump, the controversy is gaining momentum and overshadowing his recent political successes.

The White House has denied reports that President Donald Trump's name appears in justice department documents related to convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, calling them "fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media." The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump's name appears multiple times in the records, but being named is not evidence of any criminal activity, and Trump has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump that the files contained hearsay about many people, including Trump, and that they included child pornography and victim information that should not be disclosed. An unnamed White House official told Reuters that they were not denying Trump's name appears in the documents, pointing to previously disclosed Epstein files that included Trump's name and the phone numbers of some of his family members.

Miranda Devine criticizes the Democratic Party, calling it a "cracked-out clown show" and praises Tulsi Gabbard for releasing evidence that implicates former President Barack Obama and his national security team in the Russia collusion hoax. Gabbard sent criminal referrals to the DOJ and FBI, revealing new evidence that shows Obama's administration manufactured intelligence to sabotage Trump's 2016 election victory. Devine argues that the "elite" media, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, ignored Gabbard's press conference and instead continued to propagate the Democratic Party's narrative. She warns that the Democratic Party's downward spiral could lead to further chaos, potentially with Hunter Biden running for president in 2028.

CNN's Erin Burnett explains that reports President Trump was briefed that he is named in the Epstein files contradict his recent denials of being in the files.

President Donald Trump was asked about the Department of Justice's plans to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, a former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, and while saying the interview "sounds appropriate", quickly pivoted to making an unfounded accusation about former President Obama, which was fact-checked by CNN's Daniel Dale.