Democratic senators, including Colorado's Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, have introduced the Direct File Act to restore and make permanent the IRS's free online tax filing program, which the Trump administration canceled following lobbying efforts by tax preparation companies. The program, piloted in 2024, received high satisfaction ratings from users and was projected to save Americans up to $23 billion annually in fees, time, and tax credits. The legislation would require the IRS to operate a free online tax filing service, prohibit agreements limiting such services, and facilitate integration with state tax systems. The bill is cosponsored by over 150 lawmakers and endorsed by more than 115 organizations and unions.
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has claimed that President Trump launched military action against Iran to distract from the Jeffrey Epstein files, alleging that Trump and his wealthy allies — whom he calls the "Epstein class" — are willing to sacrifice American lives to protect their political interests. The Trump administration maintains the military action was necessary after negotiations to halt Iran's nuclear program failed. The "Epstein class" label has gained traction among Democrats, with Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff amplifying it at a recent rally, though the term was notably also used by former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after she broke with Trump over the Epstein files.
Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal, along with Congressman Sam Liccardo, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles demanding answers about a meeting with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos that occurred hours before Netflix withdrew from its $83 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. The lawmakers are investigating whether the Trump administration pressured Netflix to abandon the deal, potentially clearing the way for Paramount Skydance's competing bid, and whether political favoritism influenced the DOJ's antitrust review process. The White House denied any improper influence, stating it "remained totally neutral through the bidding process," a position Netflix's Sarandos also publicly corroborated. The letter requests detailed responses by March 16, including information about the substance of meetings, any communications with Paramount representatives, and whether lobbying firm Ballard Partners — which both Netflix and Paramount hired and where Bondi previously worked — was involved in any discussions.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie warned President Trump that the U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury," cannot serve as a distraction from the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The strikes, which began Saturday and resulted in the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, launched shortly after Bill Clinton testified before the House Oversight Committee about his ties to Epstein. Several Republican figures, including Massie, former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Sen. Rand Paul, have criticized the military action — with Paul arguing it was constitutionally improper without congressional approval. Early polling indicates only about one in four Americans supports the operation, which Trump has said could last four to five weeks.
Unauthorized stickers designed to resemble Hollywood Walk of Fame stars, dubbed the "Jeffrey Epstein Walk of Shame," appeared near the White House in Washington's Farragut Square, featuring the names of politicians and businesspeople linked to the late convicted sex offender. The stickers include QR codes linking to Department of Justice documents and include figures such as Elon Musk, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, billionaire Les Wexner, former President Bill Clinton, and Prince Andrew, among others. The installation comes amid ongoing congressional scrutiny of Epstein's associates following the release of new Epstein files. It remains unclear who placed the stickers.
President Trump announced U.S. military operations against Iran via a prerecorded online video released at 2:30 a.m. ET while at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, wearing a baseball cap, rather than delivering a formal address from the White House. Critics noted that Trump did not make a public case for the military action before it began and did not alter his weekend schedule, attending a glitzy fundraising dinner for a pro-Trump super PAC later that same day. Senator Tom Cotton defended Trump's communications as consistent with "presidential custom," though the article characterizes the approach as a departure from the sobriety and formality traditionally associated with presidential wartime announcements.
Democratic Representatives Deborah Ross, Jamie Raskin, and Ro Khanna have sent a letter to Bureau of Prisons Director William Marshall demanding an explanation for Ghislaine Maxwell's transfer from a low-security Florida facility to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas. The transfer occurred shortly after an unusual interview in which Maxwell reportedly stated she never witnessed President Trump behave improperly during their time together with Jeffrey Epstein. Democrats argue that the Epstein Files Transparency Act legally requires the release of all documents related to Maxwell, including those concerning her transfer and any special privileges she has received. Attorney General Pam Bondi has denied involvement in the transfer and claimed, inaccurately, that Maxwell was moved to a facility of the same security level.
SAN ANTONIO — At the Commodity Classic here Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that USDA is establishing a “One Farmer, One File” technology system “to create a single, streamlined record that follows the farmer...
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly urged President Trump in private calls to attack Iran, a regional rival, as Saudi Arabia and the UAE — both of which have extensive financial ties to Trump and Jared Kushner — lobbied for military action. Kushner's private equity firm, Affinity Partners, received a $2 billion investment from the Saudi Public Investment Fund and approximately $200 million from the UAE, while Trump envoy Steve Witkoff holds a significant stake in a crypto firm that received hundreds of millions from UAE-linked entities. Despite having previously pledged to stay out of government, Kushner participated as a key negotiator in last-ditch mediation talks with Iran in Geneva, after which both he and Witkoff expressed disappointment with Iran's position. The article also notes that the Trump Organization recently finalized a $7 billion Saudi-funded development deal, and that the conflict has already resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members and hundreds of Iranians.
President Donald Trump has engaged in an unprecedented campaign to attach his name to federal buildings, institutions, currencies, and programs during his second term, with historians noting this is unlike anything seen from previous American presidents. While past presidents have had landmarks named after them posthumously or through others' initiatives, Trump is actively lobbying to name things after himself while still in office — something historians describe as entirely new in the history of the republic. Many of these renamings lack congressional authorization and could be reversed by a future administration, though some, like the renaming of Palm Beach International Airport, have been codified into law. Historians and preservationists have raised concerns about the top-down, self-directed nature of these commemorations, contrasting Trump's approach with that of predecessors like George Washington, who rejected grandiose titles, and Gerald Ford, who vetoed a bill naming a federal building after himself as "improper."
Former President Donald Trump has long promoted conspiracy theories about voting, designed to explain his 2020 electoral defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. Now, Trump is filling his new government with people who supported his false claims of election fraud.
Janice Johnston spent years pushing to investigate Fulton County's 2020 election. Here's how her dogged effort influenced the FBI's ballot seizure.
