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Newsweek
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Pam Bondi's DOJ to Make Ghislaine Maxwell Decision After Epstein Backlash
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Pam Bondi's leadership of the Department of Justice may come under further Jeffrey Epstein-related scrutiny over an appeal by Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. The British socialite, and former friend of Prince Andrew, was sentenced to 20 years in jail in June 2022 for her role in Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operation, but has appealed to the Supreme Court. The Trump administration's response to that case is due July 14 at a particularly pressured time for Bondi, who as attorney general leads the DOJ. Pam Bondi, U.S. Attorney General, is seen [L] testifying before the House Committee on Appropriations at the U.S. Capitol on June 23, 2025. Ghislaine Maxwell [R] hosts a reception at her residence in New York... Pam Bondi, U.S. Attorney General, is seen [L] testifying before the House Committee on Appropriations at the U.S. Capitol on June 23, 2025. Ghislaine Maxwell [R] hosts a reception at her residence in New York City, on June 5, 2014. MoreandWhy It Matters Bondi has facing severe criticism from within President Donald Trump's MAGA base after a report by the DOJ and FBI last week stated there was no Epstein client list and no evidence the New York financier blackmailed prominent public figures. This has sparked accusations of a cover-up as Bondi appeared to suggest in February the alleged document was sitting on her desk. The White House later sought to clarify that she was referring to Epstein files more generally. Newsweek has contacted the DOJ for comment by email out of office hours. What to Know Epstein is thought to have abused hundreds of girls and was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges when he died in his jail cell in 2019. The case has long featured allegations that he forced his victims to have sex with his powerful friends, but none have ever been charged. Bill Clinton and Donald Trump have been linked to Epstein but both men, and Prince Andrew, strenuously deny knowledge of his crimes. Trump administration figures suggested new details and even new cases would emerge after a review ordered by the President into the Epstein files this year. However, a memo by the DOJ and FBI last week indicated there would be no new cases and stated there was no evidence of a blackmail plot by Epstein. "This systematic review revealed no incriminating 'client list.' There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions," said the memo. "We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties." This sparked furious responses from MAGA commentators and tears from alt-right radio host Alex Jones, exerting extra pressure on the DOJ, run by Bondi as attorney general, over how to handle Ghislaine Maxwell's appeal following her criminal conviction for sex trafficking. Ghislaine Maxwell's Appeal Maxwell's lawyers argue she should never have been put on trial due to a plea deal between Jeffrey Epstein and Florida prosecutors in 2008. A filing by her team, seen by Newsweek, reads: "Despite the existence of a non-prosecution agreement promising in plain language that the United States would not prosecute any co-conspirator of Jeffrey Epstein, the United States in fact prosecuted Ghislaine Maxwell as a co-conspirator of Jeffrey Epstein. "Only because the United States did so in the Second Circuit and not elsewhere, her motion to dismiss the indictment was denied, her trial proceeded, and she is now serving a 20-year sentence. "In light of the disparity in how the circuit courts interpret the enforceability of a promise made by the 'United States,' Maxwell's motion to dismiss would have been granted if she had been charged in at least four other circuits (plus the Eleventh, where Epstein's agreement was entered into). "This inconsistency in the law by which the same promise by the United States means different things in different places should be addressed by this Court." D. John Sauer, Donald Trump's pick for Solicitor General, has already twice applied to extend the deadline for the administration's response to Maxwell's appeal, leading to the current July 14 deadline. A letter from Sauer to the court, seen by Newsweek, read: "The government's response is now due, after one extension, on June 13, 2025. "We respectfully request, under Rule 30.4 of the Rules of this Court, a further extension of time to and including July 14, 2025, within which to file the government's response. "This extension is necessary because the attorneys with principal responsibility for preparation of the government's response have been heavily engaged with the press of previously assigned matters with proximate due dates." What People Are Saying Conservative media personality Megyn Kelly was among those to heap pressure on Bondi over backlash during an appearance at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit over the weekend. "It's starting to create a real hornet's nest within the administration and I've got to be honest I blame Pam Bondi. I'll tell you why: incompetence," she said. "She is the reason that things are unravelling around this story right now, that virtually all the Republican Party cares about. It's also true that [FBI Deputy Director] Dan Bongino and [FBI Director] Kash Patel had questions about Epstein before they took office before they went to the FBI," she continued. Megyn had hands down the best perspective I've seen on Pam's behavior. In case you missed it, here is some of — The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) July 12, 2025 "But once they joined the FBI they said nothing. They kept their mouths shut about Epstein. You have not seen them, except for one joint appearace with Dan and Kash on Fox, running all over the media looking for attention on this, yes, clickbaity story. "Who have you seen?" Kelly asked. "Pam Bondi. She has never missed an opportunity to go on television and dangle sweet nothings that might be coming your way, try to lead you to believe that she's got it, it's on her desk, it's coming, 'tomorrow you're going to see something on Epstein.'" Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday: "What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?' They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein. For years, it's Epstein, over and over again." What Happens Next The Government will now either file its reply, which should lay out how it intends to contest the case, or seek a third extension. Either way, there should be a filing to the Supreme Court case outlining which option has been chosen. Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
US reduces presence of staffers not deemed essential in Middle East as tensions rise — Trump adds: ‘Could be dangerous place'
The United States is drawing down the presence of staffers who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East and their loved ones due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military said Wednesday. The State Department said it has ordered the departure of all nonessential personnel from the US Embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment 'to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad.' The embassy already had been on limited staffing, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel. The department, however, also is authorizing the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them the option of leaving those countries at government expense and with government assistance. 4 Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing for the Department of State and related programs on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. AP Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 'has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations' across the region, US Central Command said in a statement. The command 'is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East.' Speaking at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump said, 'They are being moved out, because it could be a dangerous place, and we'll see what happens. We've given notice to move out, and we'll see what happens.' Tensions in the region have been rising in recent days as talks between the US and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. The next round of talks — the sixth — had been tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, according to two US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic matters. However, those officials said Wednesday that it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen. Trump, who has previously said Israel or the US could carry out airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post's 'Pod Force One' podcast that he was 'getting more and more less confident about' a deal. 4 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies during a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on June 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Getty Images 'They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame. I'm less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them,' he said in the interview recorded Monday and released Wednesday. Iran's mission to the UN posted on social media that 'threats of overwhelming force won't change the facts.' 'Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and US militarism only fuels instability,' the Iranian mission wrote. Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists Wednesday that he hoped talks with the US would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond. 4 A US flag flies in front of the Annex I building inside the compound of the US embassy in Baghdad in this December 14, 2011, file photo. REUTERS 'If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent's casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach,' he said. 'We have access to them, and we will target all of them in the host countries without hesitation.' Meanwhile, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency was potentially set to vote on a measure to censure Iran. That could set in motion an effort to snap back United Nations sanctions on Iran via a measure in Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that's still active until October. Trump withdrew from that agreement in his first term. Earlier Wednesday, a statement from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it 'has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.' 4 President Donald Trump, right, speaks with reporters as Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens upon arriving at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, NJ, en route to Camp David, Md., Sunday, June 8, 2025. AP It urged caution in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past. The top US military officer for the Middle East, Gen. Erik Kurilla, was scheduled to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, but that testimony has now been postponed, according to the committee's website. The Pentagon has not commented on the postponement. Meanwhile, Iraq's state-run Iraqi News Agency said in a statement attributed to an unnamed government official that the evacuation of some nonessential employees from the US Embassy in Baghdad was part of 'procedures related to the US diplomatic presence in a number of Middle Eastern countries, not just Iraq' and that Iraqi officials 'have not recorded any security indicators that warrant an evacuation.' 'We reiterate that all security indicators and briefings support the escalating assessments of stability and the restoration of internal security,' the statement said.
Newsweek
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Ukraine Reacts To US Slashing Aid For Kyiv
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Cuts to U.S. aid for Ukraine in the upcoming budget "will lead to more casualties" for Kyiv, a senior Ukrainian lawmaker has told Newsweek. His warning comes as spluttering ceasefire negotiations fail to yield significant progress toward a deal to end the fighting, and Russia keeps up its aerial bombardment of the war-torn country. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told U.S. lawmakers during a committee hearing on Tuesday that there will be a "reduction" in the next fiscal year's budget for aid heading for Ukraine. He did not specify what the cutbacks in the upcoming budget will be. Any cuts to military aid to Kyiv slashes at Ukraine's ability to defend itself and plays into Russia's hands, said Oleksandr Merezhko, the head of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign affairs committee. "Such a reduction will lead to more casualties on the Ukrainian side, including casualties among [the] civilian population," he said. "Anyone in the U.S. who is acting in support of the reduction of the military aid to Ukraine becomes morally responsible for the increased casualties among civilians," Merezhko said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies before the House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee oversight hearing on the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies before the House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee oversight hearing on the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana The U.S. under former President Joe Biden was the single-largest contributor of military support to Kyiv, pledging to support Ukraine for "as long as it takes." Washington has provided more than $66 billion in aid for Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, including use of existing U.S. military stocks. Ukraine On Shifting Sands Post-Biden "This administration takes a very different view of that conflict," Hegseth told lawmakers on Tuesday. President Donald Trump pledged to end the war in Ukraine in just 24 hours, but his senior officials have grappled with the slow pace of talks and threatened to walk away from negotiations if a deal remains elusive. The administration thawed relations with the Kremlin, largely refraining from heaping fierce criticism on Russia while publicly taking aim at Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky. While Kyiv is no longer as dependent on Western aid as it was in the earlier stages of the conflict, the flow of supplies including ammunition, air defense systems and interceptor missiles is still crucial for Ukraine. Trump appeared to leverage Ukrainian officials to the negotiating table earlier this year by briefly cutting off military aid and U.S. intelligence. "We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation's interests, especially with all the competing interests around the globe," Hegseth added. Peace Talks Flounder Two rounds of direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations have yielded agreements on prisoners of war, but no discernible steps toward a ceasefire accord. It is too early to pencil in a third meeting, a spokesperson for Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, adding there is "no pressure" on Russia to sign off on a deal. Kyiv agreed to a U.S. proposal for a full, 30-day ceasefire back in March. Moscow has not consented to this deal, despite repeated visits from Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Russia. Ukraine said Russia has not responded to a document outlining possible ceasefire conditions and the need for a face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky. Russia's chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said Moscow had handed over its own document outlining road maps to stop the fighting, including a pause for up to 3 days on "certain sections of the front." Zelensky claimed Russian officials at the talks earlier this month admitted openly to Ukraine's delegation that they knew Kyiv could not accept Moscow's conditions. War Rages On As the talks rumble on, Russia has carried out intensive aerial strikes on Ukraine, firing ballistic missiles that are hard for Kyiv's exhausted air defenses to intercept, and launched waves of explosive drones toward the country's cities. Moscow has kept up the pressure on the hundreds of miles of front lines, advancing in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region toward bordering Dnipropetrovsk. The Kremlin has also inched closer to the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, but took a significant hit to its long-range bomber fleet after Ukraine targeted multiple Russian bases with explosive drones at the start of June. Shrinking aid for Ukraine now will "embolden" Putin, said Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian member of parliament for the southern Odesa region. "It's completely opposite to President Trump's intention to end the war," he told Newsweek. Hegseth did not attend a meeting of tens of defense chiefs gathered to coordinate support for Ukraine earlier this month, marking the first time the U.S. Defense Secretary has not appeared at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Hegseth's Strategic Pivot Hegseth on Tuesday reiterated the U.S.'s desire to pivot toward the Indo-Pacific to face the "pacing threat" of China, an intention the administration has long made clear. European countries allied with the U.S. have scrambled to conjure up commitments of increased defense spending, designed to rely less on American personnel and U.S.-supplied kit. Hegseth, during an address at a major defense forum in Singapore earlier this month, said China was "preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific" and was gearing up for the "real deal" of an invasion push on Taiwan. Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway part of mainland China that it intends to one day reunite under central control. But Taipei, which has established a democratic government, asserted its independence from Beijing and aligned itself with Western allies. China's Foreign Ministry denounced the speech as "filled with provocations and intended to sow division." "China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the U.S.," Beijing added.
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Marco Rubio Announces New Plan to Revoke Chinese Student Visas
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new plan on Wednesday to "aggressively revoke" student visas issued to international students from China. Newsweek reached out to the State Department via email and online form for additional comment. Why It Matters The Trump administration has cracked down on Ivy League institutions and sought to revoke the student visas of several international students since Trump took office. Among other things, President Donald Trump and other officials have accused Harvard University and Columbia University of not doing enough to combat antisemitism on campus grounds amid student demonstrations protesting Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Trump's administration also tried to pull approval for Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which allows the university to enroll international students. A judge later halted the administration's efforts. The administration has also temporarily paused all new student and exchange visitor visa interviews at U.S. consulates and embassies. Amid the pause, the White House is considering implementing a new policy that would require foreign student visa applicants to go through a social media vetting. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is seen testifying before the House Committee on Appropriations | Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs at the Rayburn House Office Building on May 21, 2025,... Secretary of State Marco Rubio is seen testifying before the House Committee on Appropriations | Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs at the Rayburn House Office Building on May 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by) More What To Know In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Rubio said, "The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields." Rubio added in a separate press release that the State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security in its efforts. The secretary of state continued, "We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong." This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Marco Rubio Refuses To Call Putin 'War Criminal', After Grilling Rex Tillerson
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Marco Rubio refused to call Vladimir Putin a "war criminal," despite grilling former secretary of state Rex Tillerson over the same issue in 2017. At a House Committee on foreign affairs session on Wednesday, the current secretary of state dodged questions on Putin, though admitted there had been "war crimes" in the war. Newsweek contacted the Department of State by website form to comment on this story. Why It Matters Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022. One of President Donald Trump's pledges during his campaign to office was to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office but the administration has struggled to do so and on Tuesday, Trump and Putin had a two-hour phone conversation that did not result in a peace deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing for the Department of State and related programs on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing for the Department of State and related programs on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana On Wednesday, it was reported that Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia and Ukraine must independently end the war. What To Know During the hearing, Democratic Representative Bill Keating asked Rubio if he thought Putin was a war criminal. "I think you can look at instances that have happened there and certainly characterize them as war crimes but our intent is to end the war," Rubio responded. Keating asked again: "Is he a war criminal?" Rubio said: "We can't end the war without talking to Mr. Putin." When Keating pressed him again and accused Rubio of "equivocating," Rubio said: "I'm answering your question and the answer is war crimes have been committed no doubt and who is responsible for that, there will be a time and place for that accountability." As a Florida Senator in 2017, Rubio grilled Tillerson during his confirmation hearing for secretary of state on the same issue. When Tillerson said he would "not use that term," Rubio spoke about Syria and said: "It should not be hard to say that Vladimir Putin's military has conducted war crimes in Aleppo because it is never acceptable, you would agree, for a military to specifically target civilians, which is what's happened there through the Russian military." Flashback: Marco Rubio scolded Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for refusing to say Putin is a war criminal: 'It should not be hard to say that Vladimir Putin's military has conducted war crimes in Aleppo.' (2017) — Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) May 21, 2025 What People Are Saying The group Republicans against Trump said on X that Rubio refusing to call Putin a war criminal was "shameful." During the hearing, Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen said: "What Vladimir Putin is doing now is playing for time and he's playing the president like a fiddle." What Happens Next Rubio said on Sunday that the Trump administration expects to figure out "pretty soon" if Russia is "tapping us along" when it comes to peace talks. During the hearing, he said the U.S. will impose more sanctions on Russia if efforts to reach a peace deal stall."
