Trump Signs Bill to Release Epstein Files
+ U.S. Bishops Release Statement on Immigration, Girls Desire Marriage Less, Musk Predicts AI Robots Will Radically Change Economy
GetSmart Preview: The most expensive piece of modern art just sold in New York
Newsbites
Graph of the week: Girls are now less likely to say they want to get married, according to a new poll from Pew Research. (more below)
US Catholic Bishops released a Special Message condemning the indiscriminate deportation of illegal immigrants in the U.S. They noted the lack of access for pastoral care in detention facilities and the threats of deportation made inside churches and schools. The statement also acknowledged the need for borders and a legal process. “We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good.” The document calls for “meaningful reform” that combines human dignity and national security.
More: Pope Leo XIV responded to the media’s questions about immigration saying, “No one has said that the United States should have open borders…but when people are living good lives, and many of them for 10, 15, 20 years, to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful to say the least, and there has been some violence unfortunately.” (video)
Elon Musk predicted this week that in the next 5-10 years, work will become “optional” and money “irrelevant” as AI and robots improve economic growth and efficiency. “It’ll be like playing sports or a video game or something like that. If you want to work in the same way, like you can go to the store and just buy some vegetables, or you could grow vegetables in your backyard,” He told journalists at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum. “There will still be constraints on power like electricity and mass…but I think at some point currency becomes irrelevant.” (video)
U.S. Troops in Venezuela: The largest U.S. aircraft carrier is now positioned in the Caribbean along with 15,000 soldiers and sailors. It’s the largest buildup in the Caribbean since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The U.S. has launched 22 strikes on “narcoterrorist” boats supposedly trafficking narcotics and has accused the Venezuelan President/Dictator, Mr. Nicolás Maduro, to be “the leader of the designated narcoterrorist organization Cartel de los Soles” responsible to trafficking drugs to the U.S. Trump has indicated that the end goal in Venezuela is to oust Maduro, who now has a $50 million bounty on his head. (see next newsbite on the Democrats response)
6 Democrats with a history in the military posted a video that urged military personnel to refuse performing unlawful operations. They did not mention any current orders as illegal in the video, but many have openly questioned the legality of the National Guard presence in American cities and of the strikes in Venezuela. Trump responded to the video in multiple Truth Social posts calling it “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH” and calling for the arrest of the 6 Democrats. Other Republicans have chimed in accusing them of treason. It remains to be seen if any legal action will be attempted.
Girls and marriage: 12th grade girls are less likely than 12th grade boys to express interest in the prospect of marriage, according to a Pew Research Center poll analysis. In 1993, 83% of girls said they wanted to get married while 76% of boys said they did. As of 2023, 61% of girls said they wanted to get married while 74% of boys said they did. Over the 30-year-gap between polls, the share of boys is almost unchanged while the share of girls dropped by 22 percentage points. This shift raises some concern as the general fertility rate in the United States hit a record low in 2024 with less than 1.6 babies per woman.
A bridge collapses at a cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (video). At least 32 people have been killed as a result. Unauthorized minors illegally forced their way into the mine. Military personnel guarding the mine fired shots. In retreat, miners rushed across the make-shift bridge, resulting in its deadly collapse. Mining accidents in the DRC are not uncommon, and illegal miners frequently invade the mines trying to take a cut from the mining companies. The DRC is the world’s largest supplier of cobalt, and some 2 million people work in its unregulated mining industry. The industry is rife with concerns of child labour and other human rights abuses.
Trump Signs Bill to Release Epstein Files After Mounting Pressure from Both Sides
What happened?
On Wednesday, President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The bill authorizes the Department of Justice to release all the remaining Epstein files within 30 days.
If all goes as planned, the DOJ will release internal memos, flight logs, personal communications, immunity agreements and metadata found in the Epstein investigation that haven’t already been released. It also requires that the information be searchable and downloadable for the public. The bill allows for redactions for information that could expose victims and material that depicts child sex abuse. Any redactions made must be justified and explained to congress 15 days after the release of the files.
President Trump has flip-flopped multiple times on supporting the release of the Epstein files. During the 2024 campaign, Trump said he would likely do it and his family members, including Donald Trump Jr, actively called for transparency while campaigning for his father.
This week, he signed the bill, which was passed unanimously in the senate and with only one no vote in the house.
“Democrats have used the ‘Epstein’ issue, which affects them far more than the Republican Party, in order to try and distract from our AMAZING Victories,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after signing the bill. “This latest Hoax will backfire on the Democrats just as all of the rest have!”
What were the results of the investigation in July?
In July, the FBI and DOJ released a memo saying there is “no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.” They also said he committed suicide in the jail cell in 2019 and that no further investigation or release of materials was needed moving forward.
What to watch moving forward
It’s not the first time the American public has been promised transparency into the disgraced sex trafficker and financier, Jeffrey Epstein. Time will tell how much information the DOJ will release and what potentially crucial information will remain redacted.
Tucker Carlson Interview with Nick Fuentes Exposes Cracks in MAGA Movement
What happened?
On October 27th, the Tucker Carlson Show–one of the most popular podcasts in the United States–released an interview with Nick Fuentes. Fuentes hosts America First, a podcast that has been accused of promoting white supremacy and anti-semitism. While shunned from mainstream platforms, Fuentes, at 27-years-old, has still amassed a considerable following and has become an influential voice among young men.
Backlash among some on the right
In the following weeks, Tucker Carlson received intense backlash for not pushing back harder against Fuentes’ views while providing him with a broader platform. DailyWire’s Ben Shapiro, a longtime influencer on the right, dedicated a full length show to condemning Carlson, saying, “There’s no question that Tucker has become the most virulent super spreader of vile ideas in America.”
Mark Levin, a Fox News host, told Tucker in a text exchange: “My family and I want nothing to do with you [and] what you’ve become — your vile libels against my faith…there’s nothing to debate. You’re a Nazi promoter. You’re the modern day David Duke.”
Others have supported Carlson. Most notably, Kevin Roberts–the head of the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank–posted support for Carlson and decried those trying to cancel or silence Carlson or Fuentes as a “venomous coalition.”
Consequently, many at the Heritage Foundation have resigned or denounced Roberts, breaking up what once was a main, unified, conservative voice. Since then, Roberts has resigned and apologized.
More: Carlson defends his interview while speaking to Megyn Kelly
What is the main tension?
The Fuentes interview seems to have been the tipping point for a larger divide that has been brewing inside of MAGA for months, primarily between pro-Israel and anti-interventionist conservatives. Many early Trump supporters are frustrated by America’s involvement with Israel, which they view as a failure to put America first as Trump promised.
About the Carlson interview, Trump said, “If he wants to interview Nick Fuentes, I don’t know much about him, but if he wants to do it, get the word out. People have to decide.” (video)
Another example of divide: Marjorie Taylor Greene
Georgia congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene (MJT), was one of the staunchest supporters of Trump and the MAGA movement. Now, called “Marjorie Traitor Green” by Trump, MJT has pressured Trump over his unfulfilled MAGA promises, such as the release of the Epstein files, his foreign policy, and the economy. Her public criticisms of Trump led to a falling out where Trump unendorsed her and called her a “ranting lunatic.” MJT has portrayed herself as emphatically “America first” implying that Trump is not.
More: MJT’s reaction to being called a traitor
GetSmart: The $236M piece of modern art that just sold in New York
A 20th Century painting from Gustav Klimt became the world’s most expensive piece of modern artwork. The “Portrait of Elisabeth Ederer” sold at Sotheby’s new auction house in New York for $236M. Six bidders battled it out for the painting (video), which was made between 1914-1916. Read more about the story behind the meaning of the painting here.
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