Trump News for Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Are the Epstein files coming out?

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: After months of resistance by the Trump administration…

Trump says the US needs a "Federal Standard" governing oversight of AI instead of "a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes", otherwise China will catch up (Kate Sullivan/Bloomberg)

Techmeme.com

Kate Sullivan / Bloomberg: Trump says the US needs a “Federal Standard” governing oversight of AI instead of “a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes”, otherwise China will catch up  —  President Donald Trump called on Congress to pass a federal standard g…

Sir, This Is a McDonald’s

John Gruber, The Bulwark

An examination of the president's cognitive functioning at Monday’s McDonald’s summit.

Trump's Palling Around With The Saudis Makes Comedians Like Bill Burr Look Even Worse

Keegan Kelly, Cracked.com

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives at the White House to remind us why we shouldn't humanize him

Former DOJ Official: Trump’s Crypto Pardon Is Unprecedented Corruption

Kyle Torpey, Gizmodo.com

A report from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) indicates that Binance is still involved with the processing of illicit money.

The case against releasing the Epstein files

Ian Millhiser, Vox

The Justice Department almost never discloses information it collected on a criminal suspect outside of a criminal judicial proceeding, and for very good reasons. Revealing such information can endanger victims or other witnesses. And it denies due process to…

'Played with fire, got burned': GOP control of House at risk after court blocks Texas map

Michael Wilner, Yahoo Entertainment

A federal court has blocked Texas from moving forward with a new congressional map hastily drawn in recent months to net Republicans up to five additional...

Trump hosts Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman: Five key takeaways

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

US president heaps praise on Saudi Arabia's crown prince as Washington and Riyadh deepen ties with massive investments.

'Things happen' - Trump defends Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi killing

BBC News

The US president's claims that the crown prince "knew nothing" contradict the CIA's own assessment.

This Is the Best Joke About Trump and 'Bubba' from Late Night

Opheli Garcia Lawler, Cracked.com

From the rich text of Jeffrey Epstein’s thousands of emails, there was one detail that really popped out

The 3 layers of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal

Andrew Prokop, Vox

Anticipation is rising for the potential release of the “Epstein files.”  The House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to approve the release of Justice Department case files related to the accused sex trafficker Tuesday, something even President Donald …

Judge rules Meta doesn't have monopoly after Instagram, WhatsApp acquisitions

BBC News

The decision allows Instagram's parent company to avoid the prospect of the company breaking up

Cristiano Ronaldo to visit White House on same day as Saudi crown prince

BBC News

The Portuguese player is being paid handsomely to be part of the gulf state's modernisation plan.

Trump’s Justice Department may have accidentally handed Democrats five House seats

Ian Millhiser, Vox

In a decision that could potentially reshape the 2026 midterm elections and cement the Democratic Party’s future control of the US House, a federal court just struck down the gerrymandered Texas maps that President Donald Trump pressured that state to enact. …

‘Faith Is Under Attack:’ Nicki Minaj Spreads Misleading Information at the United Nations

Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone

Nicki's claims of extremism against Nigerian Christians, like Trump's, aren't backed by any data

Meta is in the clear, as judge dismisses claims of a social media monopoly

nickodiaz@sbcglobal.net (Nickolas Diaz) , Nickolas Diaz, Android Central

A U.S. federal judge ruled in favor of Meta, stating it does not maintain a monopoly in the social media space.

Bill Maher’s Critics Wonder Why He Wants the Epstein Files to Go Away

Keegan Kelly, Cracked.com

Unfounded accusations arise after Maher's puzzling response to the Epstein case

When You Give a Bully Your Lunch Money

John Gruber, Bsky.app

Trump in response to an Epstein question: "ABC, your company, your crappy company is one of the perpetrators. I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and so wrong. And we have a great commissioner, a chairman, who should…

'Quiet, piggy': Trump responds to reporter after Epstein question

BBC News

The president made the comment to a female reporter while speaking to the press on Air Force One on Friday.

The US plan for Gaza won UN backing. Carrying it out could be far more difficult

LEE KEATH, Yahoo Entertainment

The U.N. Security Council has backed the United States’ ambitious plan for the future of the Gaza Strip. In a twist unimaginable across the tumultuous...

Trump says ABC's license should be revoked after reporter's Epstein files question

Bryan Metzger, Business Insider

"I think the license should be taken away from ABC," Trump told an ABC reporter. "Because your news is so fake, and it's so wrong."

Judge sides with Meta in antitrust trial, will not spin off WhatsApp and Instagram

John Ruwitch, NPR

A federal judge ruled against the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust suit alleging that Meta had stifled competition by buying up its rivals.

Name mentions in Epstein email cache

Nathan Yau, Flowingdata.com

Congress released a cache of Jeffrey Epstein’s email threads. For the Wall Street Journal, Brian Whitton, John West, and Kara Dapena show name drops through a series of beeswarm charts, with …

DOJ Memo Says It Won’t Prosecute US Troops No Matter How Illegal Trump’s Boat Strike Program Is

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Not content to simply deport as many South American migrants from this country as possible, the Trump administration leaned into its lies about the latent threat to national security the mere existence of foreign people poses to national security. This admini…

Trump Picked an Interesting Day to Dismantle the Department of Education

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

Jeffrey who?

Donald Trump Says ABC Should Lose Its Broadcast License After Getting Irate Over Reporter’s Questions About Jamal Khashoggi Murder, Jeffrey Epstein Files

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Donald Trump called for ABC to lose its broadcast license after he grew irate at correspondent Mary Bruce after she asked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin...

Trump administration shares new moves to dismantle more of the Education Department

Cory Turner, NPR

Some of the responsibilities the administration aims to move were explicitly assigned to the U.S. Education Department by Congress, raising questions about the legality of these changes.

Trump defends Saudi crown prince over question about killing of Khashoggi

NPR Washington Desk, NPR

President Trump lashed out a reporter in the Oval Office who was asking about allegations of the crown prince's role in the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

NPR to get $36M in settlement to operate US public radio system

Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press

National Public Radio will receive approximately $36 million in government funding to operate the nation’s public radio interconnection system under the terms of a court settlement. Monday's settlement resolves a legal dispute in which NPR accused the Corpora…

Nick Fuentes Is Not Just Another Alt-Right Boogeyman

Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker

The rise of the white-nationalist streamer should worry us even more than it already does, Jay Caspian Kang writes.

FCC looks to torch Biden-era cyber rules sparked by Salt Typhoon mess

Connor Jones, Theregister.com

Regulator sides with telcos that claimed new cybersecurity duties were too ‘burdensome’ The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will vote this week on whether to scrap Biden-era cybersecurity rules, enacted after the Salt Typhoon attacks came to light in …

Federal judges block Texas from using its new US House map in the 2026 midterms

JOHN HANNA, Yahoo Entertainment

Texas cannot use a new congressional map drawn by Republicans in hopes of securing the party additional U.S. House seats, a panel of three federal judges...

Senator Warren presses Trump admin on potential AI bailout plans

Emma Roth, The Verge

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is pressing the Trump administration for more information on potential plans to “prop up” major AI companies with money from taxpayers. In a letter to David Sacks, the White House special advisor for AI and Crypto, and Michael …

Bill Maher Roasted For Claiming That His Stand-Up Act Puts Him In Political Danger

Matt Solomon, Cracked.com

By Matt Solomon Published: November 18th, 2025

California Startup Claims Historic ‘First’ in Fission Reactor Milestone

Gayoung Lee, Gizmodo.com

The startup’s achievement is impressive but underscores the quiet chaos of the nuclear industry following a series of sweeping executive orders in May.

Bipartisan Senators Want To Honor Charlie Kirk By Making It Easier To Censor The Internet

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

Democratic Senator Mark Kelly and Republican Senator John Curtis want to gut Section 230 to combat “political radicalization”—in honor of Charlie Kirk, whose entire career was built on political radicalization. Kirk styled himself as a “free speech warrior” b…

Jeffrey Epstein’s Brother Claims He Heard ‘from a Pretty Good Source’ That Epstein Files Are Being Scrubbed of Republican Names

Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE

"Jeffrey definitely had dirt on Trump," Mark alleged in an interview with NewsNation

Trump greets Saudi’s MBS with lavish ceremony, military flyover

Al Jazeera English

Donald Trump welcomed Mohammed bin Salman to the White House with music, a procession of horses, and a military flyover.

Judge tosses DoJ lawsuit challenging a New York law barring immigration agents from state courts

MICHAEL HILL, Yahoo Entertainment

A judge has dismissed a Trump administration legal challenge to New York policies that block immigration officials from arresting people at state courthouses...

MTG Slams Trump as Lawmakers Appear With Epstein Survivors Ahead of Vote

Nikkimccannramirez, Rolling Stone

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Epstein survivors addressed reporters outside the Capitol ahead of a House vote on the release of the Epstein files.

WATCH: US expanding military presence near Venezuela

ABC News

President Donald Trump has refused to rule out the possibility of military operations in Venezuela as the U.S. conducts joint military exercises in the region.

Zelensky to meet Trump envoy as Ukraine seeks to 'intensify' peace talks

BBC News

Ukraine's president says he wants to "intensify" peace talks nearly four years after Moscow's invasion.

Will Europe's flagship space science missions survive NASA's budget cuts?

tereza.pultarova@futurenet.com (Tereza Pultarova) , Tereza Pultarova, Space.com

NASA budget cuts proposed by President Donald Trump will cause a significant funding shortfall to Europe's space science missions. But the European Space Agency hopes it can save them.

WATCH: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks at news conference with Epstein survivors

ABC News

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene commended survivors of Jeffrey Epstein for "fighting so hard against the most powerful people in the world, even the president of the United States."

Hamas risks losing Gaza reconstruction by rejecting disarmament, WSJ warns

JERUSALEM POST STAFF, The Jerusalem Post

The UN Security Council endorsed Trump’s Gaza plan, linking reconstruction to demilitarization. WSJ praises US "muscular diplomacy" for resisting pressure on...

Jeffrey Epstein's Brother Says Republicans' Names Are Being Scrubbed From Files

TMZ Staff, TMZ

Mark Epstein is cynical about the House of Representatives' vote to compel the release of the Justice Department's files on his late brother Jeffrey ... he says House Republicans are only agreeing to the action now because he says the Epstein Files are being …

Survivors denounce Trump’s attempts to block Epstein files vote

Al Jazeera English

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse sharply criticised Trump for attempts to block a vote on the release of files.

GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene hits back at Trump: 'I've never owed him anything'

Allison Pecorin, Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene hit back at President Donald Trump, saying she "gave him my loyalty for free."

Nothing Says 'I’m Def Not Worried About the Epstein Files' Like Telling a Female Reporter ‘Quiet, Piggy’

Danielle Han, Jezebel

Trump lashed out at a female reporter on Air Force One after she asked about possible “incriminating” evidence.

WATCH: On-board video captures moment torpedo strikes ship

ABC News

A Norwegian submarine torpedoed a decommissioned frigate during a NATO exercise.

Trump, Brendan Carr Threaten To Censor Some More Comedians For The Crime Of Comedy

Karl Bode, Techdirt

Donald Trump and his earlobe nibbler (FCC boss Brendan Carr) are threatening to try and censor some more comedians after their efforts to cancel Jimmy Kimmel went so well (read: not well at all). Over at the right wing white propaganda website formerly known …

Apple Reveals Top Podcasts of 2025

Hartley Charlton, MacRumors

Apple today shared its annual Apple Podcasts Top Charts of 2025, highlighting the most popular shows, episodes, and listening trends of the year. The 2025 charts are now available in the New tab of the ‌Apple Podcasts‌ app and will remain accessible thro…

Only Criminals Don't Want to Be Gassed by the Government

Ken White at Popehat Report, Popehat.com

The Tellingly Pathetic Case Against Alejandro Orellana

Did Trump really say ‘Quiet, Piggy’ to a female reporter asking about the Epstein files?

Yahoo Entertainment

15 Times Jeffrey Epstein and His Many, Many Files Were Mentioned Throughout Pop Culture History

Jay Wells L'Ecuyer, Cracked.com

TV, movies, and even musicals weigh in on what's his name and his sleazy list

Saudi leader to discuss these deals with Trump. And, House votes on Epstein files today

Brittney Melton, NPR

President Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia's crown prince to the White House to discuss trade and security deals. And, the House votes today on whether to force the release of long-awaited Epstein files.

WATCH: Hot-air balloon riders crash into trees in Mexico

ABC News

A hot-air balloon ride in Mexico ended with a bump after the balloon drifted straight into a tree, sending branches spilling into the basket.

WATCH: AI-driven racing cars burn rubber in Abu Dhabi

ABC News

AI-piloted racing cars took to the track in Abu Dhabi, pitting their skills against a human former F1 driver and each other.

WATCH: Pope Leo calls for world leaders to take urgent climate action

ABC News

Pope Leo XIV urged countries at United Nations climate talks to take “concrete actions” to stop climate, saying God’s creation "is crying out in floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat.”

House to vote on full release of Epstein files

Joe Khalil, Newsnationnow.com

The vote is the culmination of a monthslong effort that advanced despite initial opposition from Trump and Republican leadership.

US House votes on releasing Epstein files: What to expect

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

Trump said he will sign off on a bill to release the Epstein files if it passes in Congress on Tuesday.

Missouri’s Eric Schmitt goes silent as a fight over Nazis and antisemitism roils the GOP

Jason Hancock, Missouriindependent.com

For several weeks now, the American right has been embroiled in a bitter internal fight about Nazis and antisemitism. Specifically, the fight has centered on...

Federal agents to begin immigration operations in Raleigh, mayor says

Jon Haworth, ABC News

The mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina, said that federal agents will be continuing their operations in the area Tuesday.

How Donald Trump shifted on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Trump called Epstein file demands a hoax but now urges Republicans to release them, saying he has nothing to hide.

Is a 50-year mortgage really that much crazier than a 30-year one?

Greg Rosalsky, NPR

Last week, the internet piled on President Trump's proposal for a 50-year mortgage. But maybe it's not as crazy as it sounds.

Social Security Data Is Openly Being Shared With DHS to Target Immigrants

Vittoria Elliott, Wired

For months, the Social Security Administration was quietly sharing sensitive data about immigrants with DHS. Now it’s official.

Hiltzik: The Trump administration's math on economic policy doesn't add up

Michael Hiltzik, Yahoo Entertainment

On inflation, healthcare, mortgages and much more, the Trump administration offers bogus math.

Gerrymandering looks like a worse and worse bet for GOP

Chris Stirewalt, The Hill

It is certainly still too soon to say what the effects of a spasm of mid-decade gerrymandering will be on the results of the 2026 midterms, but one thing we ...

Can We Find Cleaner Ways to Extract Rare Earth Elements?

Clara Moskowitz, Studio Terp, Scientific American

These valuable but difficult-to-extract metals are increasingly important to modern life

NASA’s Mars Sample Return Mission in Jeopardy as U.S. Considers Abandoning Retrieval

Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American

NASA spent years and billions of dollars collecting Martian samples to bring home. Now they might be stranded

In 1988 Samsung Predicted Computer Dating by 2025

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

Finding romance with a computer was considered absurd in 1988.

House to vote on full Epstein files' release -- the move Johnson fought for months

John Parkinson, Lauren Peller, ABC News

The bill is expected to pass in the House with Republicans' support.

After months of infighting, House GOP could vote today to release the Epstein files

Claudia Grisales, NPR

President Trump has pushed back against releasing the files, but shifted course over the weekend after it became clear the measure was likely to pass the House.

How 'defund Planned Parenthood' came to threaten primary care in rural Maine

Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR

Abortion is supported by 3 out of 4 Mainers, but a popular network of clinics that provides it alongside primary care has been shut out of Medicaid by the Trump administration, which also targeted Planned Parenthood.

The Epstein files are just the latest fracture hitting Trump's MAGA coalition

Stephen Fowler, NPR

Even before the president's falling out with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., over the Epstein files, some Republicans questioned Trump's policy interpretation of what "America First" means.

How Fossil-Fuel Companies Are Driving Plastic Production and Pollution

Beth Gardiner, Scientific American

To keep profits rolling in, oil and gas companies want to turn fossil fuels into a mounting pile of packaging and other plastic products

Personalized mRNA Vaccines Will Revolutionize Cancer Treatment—If Federal Funding Cuts Don’t Doom Them

Rowan Moore Gerety, Scientific American

Vaccines based on mRNA can be tailored to target a cancer patient’s unique tumor mutations. But crumbling support for cancer and mRNA vaccine research has endangered this promising therapy

Trump, 79, Has Dementia Just Like His Father: Niece

Vechron.com

President Donald Trump is exhibiting the same cognitive decline that afflicted his late father, Fred Trump Sr, according to Mary Trump, the president’s niece

F-35 defenders launch counterattack against Swedish fighter jet proposal

CBC, Yahoo Entertainment

Former high-ranking officers of the Canadian Armed Forces are mounting a defence of the planned acquisition of 88 American F-35 fighter jets, hoping to put...

Jon Stewart Questions Trump References in Epstein Emails: ‘Which Bubba Was He Blowing?’

Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone

Jon Stewart discussed the references to Donald Trump in the newly-release Jeffrey Epstein emails on 'The Daily Show.'

Israel-Gaza live updates: Trump celebrates 'historic' UN Security Council Gaza vote

David Brennan, ABC News

Netanyahu reiterated his intention to block future Palestinian statehood ahead of the United Nations Security Council vote.

Trump says he'll sell Saudis F-35s as crown prince set to visit White House

Mariam Khan, ABC News

Mohammed bin Salman steps foot in the U.S. for the first time since Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 murder that caused global outrage.

WATCH: President Trump says he supports release of Jeffrey Epstein files

ABC News

Trump on Monday said he would sign the bill to compel the Justice Department to release all files relating sex offender Jeffrey Epstein if it comes to his desk.

WATCH: Trump on the possibility of sending National Guard to LA for World Cup

ABC News

Pres. Trump talked about the possibility of sending National Guard troops to L.A. to limit crime during the World Cup, encouraging small business owners to tell Gov. Newsom to "ask for federal help."

US has warned others to avoid loans from Chinese state banks. But it's the biggest recipient of all

DIDI TANG and BERNARD CONDON, Yahoo Entertainment

For years, Washington has been warning others not to trust loans from Chinese state banks fueling its rise as a superpower. China’s state lenders have...

Trump says US may strike Mexican drug cartels next, after boat attacks

Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump says he has been speaking with Mexico about a potential military intervention.

After years away from Washington, Saudi crown prince to get warm embrace from Trump, US business

AAMER MADHANI, Yahoo Entertainment

President Donald Trump is set to fete Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday when the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia makes his first White House visit ...

Tennessee judge blocks deployment of National Guard in Memphis

The Associated Press, NPR

A Tennessee judge has blocked the use of the National Guard in Memphis under a crimefighting operation by President Trump but also put the order on hold, giving the government five days to appeal.

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers says he's stepping away from public life after Epstein emails surface

Shubhangi Goel, Business Insider

Senator Elizabeth Warren says Harvard should sever ties with Summers, who teaches economics at the university.

Ex-Harvard president Larry Summers steps back from public role after Epstein email release

BBC News

The former US treasury secretary says he is "ashamed" of his emails to Jeffrey Epstein.

Kevin Hassett, a top Trump economic advisor, said that AI is bringing about a 'quiet time' in the labor market

Katherine Li, Business Insider

Kevin Hassett said that AI could be causing the the recent softness in the job market as growing productivity lowers the demand for more headcount.

Nuclear Stocks Crash, With A Potential Payoff Still Years Away

Alex Kimani, Yahoo Entertainment

Despite major investment pledges like the U.S.–Canada $80 billion reactor partnership, nuclear and uranium stocks have plunged 15–45% in recent weeks.

‘South Park’ Fans Want Bill Clinton To Be Trump’s Mistress In Next Episode

Keegan Kelly, Cracked.com

By Keegan Kelly Published: November 17th, 2025

Body Language Experts Say Marjorie Taylor Greene’s CNN Apology For 'Toxic Politics' Reveals More Than She Intended

Monica Torres, HuffPost

“It’s what we’re not seeing that is the concern," one expert said.

The Running Man Has A Secret Role For An SNL Cast Member (And It's Not Martin Herlihy)

staff@slashfilm.com (Ethan Anderton), /FILM

The Running Man utilizes former SNL cast member/writer Martin Herlihy in a small supporting role, but another SNL star has a stealthy role in the movie too.

Shelters plea for Gazans as winter rains raise fears of more disease and death

BBC News

Displaced Palestinians face life-threatening conditions, as aid agencies appeal for more shelters to be allowed in.

KPop Demon Hunters star on how her life mirrored main character's journey

BBC News

Korean-American actress Arden Cho tells BBC Global Women she struggled to feel accepted while growing up in Texas.

CPB agrees to revive a $36 million deal with NPR killed after Trump's pressure

David Folkenflik, NPR

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting agreed Monday to fulfill a $35.9 million, multi-year contract with NPR that it had yanked after pressure from the Trump White House.

New images show White House East Wing leveled for $300 million ballroom

Bill Hutchinson, ABC News

For the first time since the government shutdown ended, the sweeping construction of the new White House ballroom is visible.

Bill Gates’s climate comments are a dangerous distraction

Michael E. Mann, Nature.com

People do not have to dismiss or exaggerate the climate threat to justify concerted action.