Trump news at a glance: Department of Justice releases heavily redacted cache of Epstein files | Trump administration
The Justice Department on Friday released a huge trove of highly anticipated documents detailing its investigations into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a major development in the long-running saga that has turned into one of the biggest political setbacks Donald Trump has suffered since his re-election last year.
Although significant portions of the files were redacted, those that were visible included footage of Epstein socializing with an array of prominent figures, including artists like Michael Jackson, Chris Tucker and Diana Ross, as well as entrepreneur Richard Branson. Bill Clinton appears in several photos, including one in which he is in a swimming pool with Epstein’s convicted accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. The images also feature former British royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Another cache of documents showed photos of collected evidence, including drives and computers, but did not reveal details about their contents. There was also a photo of what appeared to be a dog in a trash bag, placed in a box.
In a letter to Congress, Todd Blanche said the documents, which date back to 2006 when Epstein was investigated for child prostitution, were just the first set of documents planned for release. “The volume of documents to be reviewed…means that the department must publicly produce suitable documents on an ongoing basis,” the assistant attorney general wrote in the letter obtained by Fox News.
He also acknowledged a range of redactions, including identifying details of more than 1,200 victims and their family members.
US Justice Department releases heavily redacted cache of Jeffrey Epstein files
Congressional Democrats have accused the Trump administration of failing to follow the letter of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the Justice Department to disclose all “unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials” in its possession related to the financier’s affairs by Dec. 19. Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors.
The law also requires the Justice Department to release all materials from investigations relating to Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of assisting Epstein in the sex trafficking of teenage girls and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Read the full story
US launches airstrikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria
The U.S. military launched airstrikes Friday against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria in retaliation for an attack on U.S. personnel, two U.S. officials said Friday.
The attacks come after Donald Trump vowed to retaliate following an attack last weekend in Syria by a suspected member of the Islamic State.
Read the full story
Revealed: FBI Opens Domestic Terrorism Investigation into Anti-ICE Activities
The FBI has launched “criminal and domestic terrorism investigations” into “threats to immigration enforcement activities” in at least 23 areas of the United States, according to an internal report shared with the Guardian.
The two-page FBI document, dated November 14, indicates that some of the investigations are linked to the “fighting domestic terrorism” memo issued by Donald Trump in September.
Read the full story
Trump strikes deal with U.S. drugmakers to cut Medicaid drug costs
Donald Trump and nine major pharmaceutical companies announced deals Friday that will lower their drug prices for the government’s Medicaid program and for cash payers, in his latest attempt to bring U.S. costs in line with those of other wealthy countries.
Read the full story
Border officials pressure immigrant children to return home
Border officials are pressuring unaccompanied children who arrive in the United States as undocumented immigrants to quickly agree to return to their home countries, even if they express fears for their safety there — or risk “prolonged” detention and other consequences, a federal government document reveals.
Read the full story
Trump and his top aides refuse to rule out war with Venezuela
Donald Trump and his top advisers refused to rule out the possibility of open conflict with Venezuela as Nicolás Maduro urged his navy to escort tankers challenging the largest US fleet deployed to the region in decades.
In an interview broadcast Friday morning, Donald Trump told NBC News that a war against the Maduro regime remains on the table. “I’m not ruling it out, no,” he said in a telephone interview with the channel.
Read the full story
TikTok signs Trump-backed deal to avoid US ban
TikTok has reached an agreement to form a joint venture that will allow it to continue operating in the United States, five years after Donald Trump threatened to ban the social media platform over privacy and national security concerns, a move that further strained relations with China.
ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, has signed a deal with Larry Ellison’s Oracle, private equity group Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGX that will allow it to retain control of its main U.S. operations.
Read the full story
What else happened today:
A catch-up? Here’s what happened December 18, 2025.
