Supreme Court Poised to Gut Birthright Citizenship and Major Epstein Files Are About to Drop
Supreme Court considers gutting birthright citizenship. Major Epstein files drop is coming. Senate Republicans abandon Pete Hegseth. An important update.
Good afternoon, everyone. It has been an absolutely packed news day, and several developments breaking this afternoon will shape the country for years to come. The Supreme Court now appears poised to overturn birthright citizenship, despite the Constitution’s clear text, and I break down why—legally and historically—it is increasingly likely the Court will do exactly that. At the same time, we are on the verge of seeing the release of significant Epstein files that could shed new light on long-sealed investigations. A huge day for legal news, which means I get to stretch my legal muscles again.
On a personal note, thank you. This platform continues to grow at a pace I never expected, and I’m deep into several major investigative projects that I cannot wait to share more about in the new year. TikTok tried to silence an Epstein video I posted today, but that will not stop me. This Substack is my home base—and the place where no one can censor the truth. If you want to support this work and help me push back, subscribe and stay with me. We’re just getting started.
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Here’s what you missed:
The Supreme Court is poised to overturn birthright citizenship and will hear the challenge to President Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order that would end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or only temporarily. The order has never taken effect because federal judges in Washington State, Maryland, and New Hampshire issued injunctions blocking it, and the Ninth Circuit ruled that it contradicts the plain text of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The administration argues that the Fourteenth Amendment’s citizenship clause was meant to apply only to formerly enslaved people and their descendants, not to the children of noncitizens who are temporary visitors or undocumented. Challengers respond that Supreme Court precedent in Wong Kim Ark already established that nearly all children born on United States soil are citizens and that Congress reaffirmed this rule through statutes passed in 1940 and 1952.
The Court granted review in Barbara v. Trump, leaving a parallel Ninth Circuit case on hold. The justices did not fast track the case, indicating that oral argument will likely occur in the spring, with a ruling expected by late June or early July.
Republican senators show rising frustration with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after a series of controversies that include sharing sensitive operational information on the Signal app, mischaracterizing reports about a follow-up Navy missile strike that killed survivors of a suspected Venezuelan drug boat, and issuing disputed verbal orders such as halting aid to Ukraine, yet most GOP lawmakers avoid openly criticizing him because he is President Trump’s chosen secretary, while senators like Thom Tillis and Joni Ernst describe his tenure as confusing or bumpy, Rand Paul and Chuck Schumer call for public testimony and release of strike videos, and more.
A federal judge in Florida granted the Justice Department’s request to release grand jury records related to the criminal cases of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, ruling that a new law signed by President Trump requiring the disclosure of nearly all DOJ and FBI investigative materials overrides the usual secrecy protections for grand jury evidence, a decision that will add to the large volume of Epstein-related documents set for public release by Dec. 19. Read the full order here.
The White House deleted a post using Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Juno” after the singer decried ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva says she was pepper sprayed by ICE agents during a recent raid at a local restaurant in her community:
The man accused of planting pipe bombs near the RNC and DNC the night before January 6, identified as Brian Cole Jr., told the FBI he believed the 2020 election was stolen, offering investigators a potential motive as he faces serious federal charges and awaits a detention hearing, according to CNN.
Biden urged Americans who are frustrated by the country’s current condition to “get up and fight back,” saying the core struggle is to defend the Constitution and remain committed to protecting democratic principles.
A 23-year-old U.S. citizen, Jacelynn Guzman, was chased by masked ICE and Border Patrol agents in a New Orleans suburb after being mistaken for someone facing deportation, an encounter captured on home security video that went viral and raised concerns about racial profiling during the Trump administration’s large-scale immigration sweep, according to The Guardian.
The Indiana House approved a new Republican-drawn congressional map that would give the GOP control of all nine seats and dismantle the two Democratic-held districts, though its fate is uncertain in the state Senate despite pressure from President Trump.
A former Washington Post employee filed a class action lawsuit after a data breach exposed personal information for nearly 10,000 current and former staff, with the complaint alleging insufficient cybersecurity protections and seeking compensation and security improvements, according to Politico.
Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia will boycott Eurovision 2026 over Israel’s participation in the contest, creating financial and viewership challenges for the event and prompting the European Broadcasting Union to resist calls to exclude Israel while introducing new rules to limit government influence, according to Reuters.
Top Trump administration officials sharply criticized the European Union for fining Elon Musk’s platform X under the Digital Services Act after a yearlong probe found violations related to paid verification, inadequate ad transparency, and limited researcher access, framing the penalty as an attack on free speech and evidence that the EU is targeting American tech companies.
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that President Trump can remove Democratic appointees Cathy Harris of the Merit Systems Protection Board and Gwynne Wilcox of the National Labor Relations Board without cause, holding that Congress cannot restrict presidential removal power for agencies that exercise substantial executive authority; the 2 to 1 decision by Trump-appointed Judges Gregory Katsas and Justin Walker reverses lower court rulings and aligns with signals from the Supreme Court that the administration is likely to prevail.
A CDC advisory panel composed largely of newly appointed vaccine-skeptical members voted to roll back the long-standing recommendation that all newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, instead allowing parents of hepatitis B–negative mothers to delay the first dose until at least two months, a move widely criticized by major medical groups and public health experts who warn it will increase infections and contradicts decades of evidence showing strong safety and effectiveness, according to NBC News.
Good news:
A new study finds that growing up with a pet dog can boost adolescents’ mental health by altering their microbiome, with dog-owning teens showing fewer social problems and possessing oral bacteria linked to prosocial behavior; experiments in mice using microbiota from these teens also increased social and empathetic behaviors, suggesting dogs may influence well-being partly through gut–brain microbial pathways.
Nearly 900 acres bordering Yosemite were returned to the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation after 175 years, restoring stewardship of culturally significant Henness Ridge and enabling the tribe to revive traditional ecological practices, strengthen biodiversity, and advance its pursuit of federal recognition while continuing restoration work on land previously damaged by wildfire.
