We have a major update this afternoon. House Republicans joined Democrats to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi in the Epstein investigation, a stunning rebuke of the Justice Department. At the same time, the Justice Department’s effort to prosecute Joe Biden and others over the use of the autopen collapsed after prosecutors failed to build a case.
Meanwhile, the war with Iran is now costing U.S. taxpayers more than $1 billion per day. There are a lot of moving parts, and I have the latest. *A prior report noted an Axios report about Kurds invading, they have since retracted and so I have updated this article.*
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Here’s the news:
- Today, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee voted 24–19 to subpoena U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the Justice Department’s handling of records related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender tied to a large international sex-trafficking network.
- The motion was introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and received bipartisan support, with five Republicans — Mace, Tim Burchett (TN), Lauren Boebert (CO), Michael Cloud (TX), and Scott Perry (PA) — joining Democrats in favor of compelling Bondi’s testimony.
- According to the New York Times, the U.S. Justice Department investigated whether former President Joe Biden or his aides broke the law by using an autopen device to sign presidential documents such as pardons, after pressure from President Donald Trump and his allies who claimed Biden lacked the mental capacity to authorize those actions. Prosecutors ultimately abandoned the inquiry after determining there was no credible criminal case or clear law violated, despite the investigation being led by Trump ally U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and part of broader efforts by the administration to pursue cases against political opponents.
- The war in Iran is costing taxpayers more than $1 billion everyday:
- Spain has denied a claim by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt that it agreed to cooperate with U.S. military operations, after previously refusing to allow U.S. forces to use joint bases in Spain for strikes on Iran. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said “I categorically deny it,” emphasizing that Spain’s position opposing the war and restricting base use “has not changed at all.”
- Speaking to reporters at the White House, President Donald Trump said the situation on the “warfront” with Iran is going very well, saying that on a scale of 1 to 10 he would rate it “about a 15.” He added, “I think if we didn't do it first, they [Iran] would have done it to Israel, and give us a shot if that was possible.”
- Trump further confirmed it is a war:
- Americans and other foreigners are evacuating Israel by taking five-hour buses to the Egyptian border and flying home from Egypt to avoid Iranian missile attacks. The U.S. State Department says more than 17,500 Americans have already returned to the United States since the conflict escalated, as evacuation efforts expand.
- Oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped about 90% compared with last week, with ships clustering outside the key waterway as Iranian threats deter vessels from entering. Because roughly 20% of the world’s daily oil supply normally passes through the strait, the disruption has contributed to rising global oil and gas prices. This is from NBC today:
- U.S. Central Command said it has “struck or sunk” more than 20 Iranian ships, releasing video of damaged vessels and claiming they were sent “to the bottom of the ocean.” The statement follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement that a U.S. torpedo attack hit an Iranian ship in international waters, after which Sri Lankan authorities reported 87 bodies recovered and 32 survivors rescued from the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena.
- According to Reuters, Iran has postponed ceremonies to mourn Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that were scheduled to begin Wednesday, with an official telling state TV the events are delayed until further notice while preparations continue.
- Iran has sent messages to the United States in recent days but received no response, according to an Axios report citing a U.S. official and another source.
- Iraq’s Islamic Resistance militia warned that any foreign entities intervening in Iraq or the region — including NATO, France, Germany, and Britain — would be considered “legitimate targets.”
- During a congressional hearing, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove asked DHS Secretary Kristi Noem whether she had ever had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Noem dismissed the question, saying “I’m surprised we’re peddling tabloid garbage in this hearing” and calling the allegation “garbage,” while Kamlager-Dove argued it related to judgment and ethics.
- I have further coverage of the Noem hearing, along with the hearing with Governor Tim Walz here:
- Elon Musk testified in federal court in San Francisco in a civil trial brought by Twitter investors, who accuse him of securities fraud by publicly criticizing the company in 2022 to drive down its stock price while negotiating to buy it. Musk denies wrongdoing, and the lawsuit argues his actions helped lower the share price before he ultimately completed the $44 billion purchase of Twitter.
- The House Ethics Committee has opened an investigation into GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales over allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct with a former staff member and gave her special favors or privileges while she worked in his congressional office. The probe follows reports that the former staffer later died after setting herself on fire, prompting the creation of an investigative subcommittee to examine the claims.
See you soon.
— Aaron
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