Politics

(WASHINGTON) — Friday will mark the first time that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump will meet face to face following a war of words between the two leaders throughout Mamdani’s campaign and election.

And while Trump announced the meeting with an insult against the progressive Democrat’s policies, Mamdani has maintained that he is looking forward to the White House meeting to discuss his agenda, including tackling a “national crisis of affordability.”

“I’m not concerned about this meeting. I view this meeting as an opportunity for me to make my case,” Mamdani told reporters Thursday at a news conference.

Trump announced the meeting on Wednesday night on social media, repeating the “communist” label he’s been using against Mamdani, who is a member of the Democratic Socialist group, and putting his middle name, Kwame, in quotes.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that he was going to “work something out,” and meet with the mayor-elect in Washington.

“We want to see everything work out well for New York,” he told reporters.

Mamdani has been a vocal critic of the administration over its policies, including increased deportations, cuts to government agencies and attacks on cities run by Democrats.

On election night, the 34-year-old mayor-elect spoke directly to Trump in his acceptance speech and told him to “turn the volume up,” as he vowed to protect immigrants.

“So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us,” he said.

Since Mamdani won the June Democratic primary, Trump has spoken out against the state assemblyman, at one point threatening to deport Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, moved to New York as a child, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018.

“We’re going to be watching that very carefully. And a lot of people are saying, he’s here illegally,” Trump claimed with no evidence in July.

The president has also threatened to withhold federal funding to New York if Mamdani won the election.

Mamdani’s critics have raised skepticism about his proposals, calling them far-fetched and improbable, as some would require state approval. He has also come under fire for his past comments criticizing the NYPD and Israeli government actions in the Gaza conflict.

The mayor-elect has apologized for his comments against the department and vowed to fight for Jewish New Yorkers, while still being critical of the Israeli government’s polices during the conflict.

Mamdani has also repeatedly brushed aside the threats and said he will continue to speak out against the administration’s conservative policies.

“His threats are inevitable,” Mamdani told ABC News a day after the election. “This has nothing to do with safety, it has to do with intimidation.”

At the same time, Mamdani has said he was open to talking with Trump, especially when it comes to affordability issues, noting that Trump won his re-election promising to bring down rising prices.

“I have many disagreements with the president. I intend to make it clear that I will work with him,” Mamdani said Thursday.

The mayor-elect won the election on a campaign to help New Yorkers with costs, with proposals such as raising the income tax on New Yorkers who earn over a million dollars a year, providing free child care to parents with kids as early as six weeks old, and free public buses.

Following Mamdani’s victory and other key wins by Democrats, Trump has said in social media posts and news conferences that he and the Republicans are the party working to lower costs.

“We’re fighting for an economy where everyone can win, from the cashier starting first job to a franchisee opening his first location to the young family in a drive through line,” he told a crowd in Pennsylvania on Monday.

-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky and Tonya Simpson contributed to this report

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Thursday called several Democratic veterans “traitors” who should face the death penalty for releasing a joint video where they said that U.S. service members could refuse illegal orders — a move that has prompted some lawmakers to call the president’s rhetoric “dangerous” and “a threat.”

“This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???,” Trump wrote on social media Thursday morning.

On Thursday morning, Trump reshared a social media post responding to the Washington Examiner’s article about the veteran Democrats, calling for them to be hanged.

In another post, the president said “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

In the video directed at military members, Democratic veterans — including Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly — said that military service members can refuse illegal orders.

“This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens,” the congressional Democrats said in the video posted Tuesday.

“The threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from aboard, but from right here right at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders,” the group continued. “No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.”

None of the Democrats mentioned any specific illegal orders given to service members.

ABC News reached out to Slotkin’s and Kelly’s offices for comment.

Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump’s rhetoric in his social media posts “makes political violence more likely” and called for Trump to be condemned for his posts.

“Let’s be crystal clear, the president of the United States is calling for the execution of elected officials. This is a threat, and it’s deadly serious,” Schumer said on the Senate floor Thursday. “We have already seen what happens when Donald Trump tells his followers that his political opponents are enemies of the state. Every time Donald Trump posts things like this, he makes political violence more likely.”

Schumer said Trump’s rhetoric could be dangerous in a political contentious environment.

“He is lighting a match in a country soaked with political gasoline, every senator, every representative, every American, regardless of party, should condemn this immediately, without qualification, because if we don’t draw a line here, there is no line left to draw,” Schumer said.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul also said rhetoric like this could be dangerous.

“I don’t think it’s a really — a good idea to talk about jailing your political opponents or hanging them or whatever else. I think we have political disagreements and we need to work them out in a political way,” Paul said.

Paul warned the rhetoric in Trump’s posts could inspire violence.

“That kind of rhetoric isn’t good and it stirs up people among us who may not be stable who may think well ‘traitors,’ what do we do with traitors? It’s the death penalty. Maybe I’ll just take matters into my own hands, which is not something we should be encouraging,” Paul said. “So I have a lot of disagreement with Democrats but I try to keep it on a civil level and try not to call any of them ‘traitors’ or anything like that because I think that’s something that could inspire some people among us who aren’t stable.”

House Democratic leaders on Thursday issued a joint statement condemning Trump’s posts on social media, calling on him to delete them “before he gets someone killed.”

“We unequivocally condemn Donald Trump’s disgusting and dangerous death threats against Members of Congress and call on House Republicans to forcefully do the same,” said the statement signed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar.

The Democrats called on Trump to “immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson downplayed Trump’s social media comments, telling reporters Thursday that the president did not make a call to incite violence.

“He’s defining a crime,” Johnson said. “He, I’m sure, acknowledges that the attorneys have to figure all that out.”

A reporter pressed the speaker that Trump’s statement contended it was punishable by death.

“What I read was he was defining the crime of sedition,” Johnson said. “That is a factual statement. But obviously attorneys have to parse the language and determine all that.”

Johnson criticized the Democrats involved in the video, calling it a “wildly inappropriate thing for so-called leaders in Congress to do to encourage young troops to disobey orders.”

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(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral is being held at Washington National Cathedral on Thursday, with several high-profile political figures attending the service for the man considered one of the most influential vice presidents in U.S. history.

Former President George W. Bush, who Cheney served for two terms, delivered a eulogy. Bush described the moment he decided to choose Cheney as his vice president.

“At such a moment, most in this position would have jumped at the chance. But Dick stayed detached and he analyzed it. Before I made my decision, he insisted on giving me a complete rundown of all the reasons I should not choose him,” Bush said.

“In the end, I trusted my judgment. I remember my dad’s words when I told him what I was planning. He said, ‘Son, you couldn’t pick a better man,'” Bush said.

Bush said in 2004, Cheney offered to resign if Bush wanted to replace him. Bush said he thought about it, but “after four years of seeing how he treated people, how he carried responsibility, how he handled pressure and took the hits, I arrived back at the conclusion that they do not come any better than Dick Cheney.”

“On that score, history should record that I chose my vice president not once, but twice,” Bush said.

Cheney’s grandchildren and his daughter Liz spoke after Bush.

Liz Cheney, who like her father represented Wyoming in Congress, said he was inspired to live a life in public service by President John F. Kennedy.

“Dick Cheney became a Republican, but he knew that bonds of party must always yield to the single bond we share as Americans,” she said. “For him, a choice between defense of the Constitution and defense of your political party was no choice at all.”

Bush was seen wiping away tears as Liz Cheney spoke about her father.

Other speakers included Cheney’s longtime cardiologist Jonathan Reiner and Pete Williams. Williams shared several anecdotes from serving as Cheney’s press secretary when he was defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, including Cheney’s response when Williams offered to resign in 1991 when he was about to be outed as gay by a magazine.

“He wouldn’t hear of it,” Williams said. “And for several days after that article appeared, he would call me on the direct line to my desk at the Pentagon to ask how I was doing and to tell me to get on with the job.”

Among the hundreds of mourners were President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Vice President Al Gore and former Vice President Dan Quayle.

A White House official confirmed to ABC News that President Donald Trump was not invited to the funeral. Vice President JD Vance was also not invited, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News.

Also at the service were Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell, Bill Kristol, Hugh Hewitt and former Trump national security adviser John Bolton.

Cheney died on Nov. 3 at the age of 84 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family said in a statement at the time. “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”

A polarizing and powerful figure, Cheney worked for four decades in Washington. He served as a representative in Congress, as secretary of defense and then vice president.

He played a leading role in the response to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, including the war on terror and invasion of Iraq.

Washington National Cathedral, situated just miles north of the White House, has been the site of several state funerals for former presidents, including Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

After news of Cheney’s death earlier this month, the White House lowered flags but made no major proclamation.

President Trump was silent on Cheney’s death. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump was “aware” of his passing.

Trump and Cheney have a history of tensions, as Cheney became a blunt critic of Trump following his push to deny the 2020 election results and the pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Cheney, a lifelong conservative voice, endorsed Harris, the Democratic nominee, over Trump in 2024. Explaining his decision, Cheney said “there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”

Trump responded at the time by calling Cheney an “irrelevant RINO” and “King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars.”

Vice President Vance, asked about Cheney during a Breitbart news event on Thursday morning, expressed his condolences.

“Obviously, there are some political disagreements there, but he was a guy who served his country. We certainly wish his family all of the best in this moment of grieving,” Vance said.

ABC News’ Hannah Demissie and Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral is being held at Washington National Cathedral on Thursday, with several high-profile political figures attending the service for the man considered one of the most influential vice presidents in U.S. history.

Former President George W. Bush, who Cheney served for two terms, delivered a eulogy. Bush described the moment he decided to choose Cheney as his vice president.

“At such a moment, most in this position would have jumped at the chance. But Dick stayed detached and he analyzed it. Before I made my decision, he insisted on giving me a complete rundown of all the reasons I should not choose him,” Bush said.

“In the end, I trusted my judgment. I remember my dad’s words when I told him what I was planning. He said, ‘Son, you couldn’t pick a better man,'” Bush said.

Bush said in 2004, Cheney offered to resign if Bush wanted to replace him. Bush said he thought about it, but “after four years of seeing how he treated people, how he carried responsibility, how he handled pressure and took the hits, I arrived back at the conclusion that they do not come any better than Dick Cheney.”

“On that score, history should record that I chose my vice president not once, but twice,” Bush said.

Cheney’s longtime cardiologist, Jonathan Reiner, kicked off the service. Reiner said Cheney suffered a “relentless disease intent on killing him but he never looked over his shoulder, only ahead.”

Pete Williams shared several anecdotes from serving as Cheney’s press secretary when he was defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, including Cheney’s response when Williams offered to resign in 1991 when he was about to be outed as gay by a magazine.

“He wouldn’t hear of it,” Williams said. “And for several days after that article appeared, he would call me on the direct line to my desk at the Pentagon to ask how I was doing and to tell me to get on with the job.”

According to the cathedral’s program, Cheney’s daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, and his grandchildren will also give remarks.

Among the hundreds of mourners are President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Vice President Al Gore and former Vice President Dan Quayle.

A White House official confirmed to ABC News that President Donald Trump was not invited to the funeral. Vice President JD Vance was also not invited, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News.

Also at the service are Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell, Bill Kristol, Hugh Hewitt and former Trump national security adviser John Bolton.

Cheney died on Nov. 3 at the age of 84 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family said in a statement at the time. “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”

A polarizing and powerful figure, Cheney worked for four decades in Washington. He served in Congress, as secretary of defense and then vice president under President George W. Bush.

He played a leading role in the response to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, including the war on terror and invasion of Iraq.

Bush, in a statement after Cheney’s death, called Cheney “a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held.”

Washington National Cathedral, situated just miles north of the White House, has been the site of several state funerals for former presidents, including Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

After news of Cheney’s death earlier this month, the White House lowered flags but made no major proclamation.

President Trump was silent on Cheney’s death. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump was “aware” of his passing.

Trump and Cheney have a history of tensions, as Cheney became a blunt critic of Trump following his push to deny the 2020 election results and the pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Cheney, a lifelong conservative voice, endorsed Harris, the Democratic nominee, over Trump in 2024. Explaining his decision, Cheney said “there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”

Trump responded at the time by calling Cheney an “irrelevant RINO” and “King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars.”

Vice President Vance, asked about Cheney during a Breitbart news event on Thursday morning, expressed his condolences.

“Obviously, there are some political disagreements there, but he was a guy who served his country. We certainly wish his family all of the best in this moment of grieving,” Vance said.

ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral will be held in Washington on Thursday, with several high-profile political figures set to be at the service for the man considered one of the most influential vice presidents in U.S. history.

Former President Joe Biden plans to attend, a spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.

The funeral is being held at Washington National Cathedral and is set to start at 11 a.m. ET.

Seen arriving for the service were former Vice President Al Gore, Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Republican Rep. Lindsey Graham, Bill Kristol, former Trump national security adviser John Bolton.

A White House official confirmed to ABC News that President Donald Trump was not invited to the funeral. Vice President JD Vance was also not invited, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News.

Former President George W. Bush, who Cheney served for two terms, will offer a tribute at the service. According to the cathedral’s program, Cheney’s daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, and his grandchildren will also give remarks.

Cheney died on Nov. 3 at the age of 84 due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family said in a statement at the time. “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”

A polarizing and powerful figure, Cheney worked for four decades in Washington. He served in Congress, was secretary of defense under President George H.W. Bush and then vice president under President George W. Bush.

He played a leading role in the response to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, including the war on terror and invasion of Iraq.

Bush, in a statement after Cheney’s death, called Cheney “a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence, and seriousness of purpose to every position he held.”

Washington National Cathedral, situated just miles north of the White House, has been the site of several state funerals for former presidents, including Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.

After news of Cheney’s death earlier this month, the White House lowered flags but made no major proclamation.

President Trump was silent on Cheney’s death. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump was “aware” of his passing.

Trump and Cheney have a history of tensions, as Cheney became a blunt critic of Trump following his push to deny the 2020 election results and the pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Cheney, a lifelong conservative voice, endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump in 2024. Explaining his decision, Cheney said “there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”

Trump responded at the time by calling Cheney an “irrelevant RINO” and “King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars.”

ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — Three Chinese nationals were charged with smuggling Nvidia and HP products to China, according to charges unsealed by the Justice Department on Thursday. 

Starting in September of 2023, Hon Ning Ho, Brian Raymond, Cham Li and Jing Chen allegedly exported chips to China.

The Justice Department alleges that the three Chinese nationals and one American were involved in a scheme to ship these chips to third party countries — Thailand and Malaysia — that would then be shipped to China. The men allegedly set up a shell company to purchase these products.

The Commerce Department has banned China from acquiring these chips. 

The Justice Department also alleges that the men discussed ways to “evade United States export laws and regulations.”

In exchange for these chips, the men received “kickbacks” for their alleged work.

In total, the men allegedly smuggled hundreds chips to China.

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(WASHINGTON) —Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, of Florida, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, which she is accused of laundering to support her 2021 congressional campaign.

The indictment was announced by the Justice Department on Wednesday.

The indictment alleges Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, 51, received a $5 million overpayment in FEMA funds directed to their family health care company in connection with a contract for COVID-19 vaccination staffing in 2021.

Afterward, Cherfilus-McCormick and other co-defendants allegedly conspired to use the overpaid funds to benefit her campaign by routing it through multiple accounts to disguise its source, according to the DOJ.

They further are alleged to have arranged a series of straw donors that included their friends and relatives to funnel the COVID-19 contract money in the form of donations to her campaign. 

“Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement announcing the indictment. “No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.”

If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces a maximum sentence of up to 53 years in prison.

She did not immediately have an attorney listed representing her on her case docket as of Wednesday evening. 

The federal investigation into Cherfilus-McCormick dates back to the Biden administration, multiple current and former administration officials told ABC News. 

The House Ethics Committee said publicly in January 2025 that it was also investigating Cherfilus-McCormick after receiving a referral from Office of Congressional Ethics in September 2023. 

Speaking to reporters Wednesday evening, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Cherfilus-Mccormick is “innocent until proven guilty,” when asked for his reaction to the indictment and said he had yet to speak with her but planned to do so.

Cherfilus-Mccormick will “take leave” from her position as ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa “while this matter is ongoing,” Jeffries’ spokesperson Christie Stephenson said in a statement.

House Republican Rep. Greg Steube of Florida said Wednesday he will file a resolution Thursday morning to censure his Democratic counterpart. 

The resolution would also remove the congresswoman for all her committee assignments, including Foreign Affairs and Veterans Affairs committees.

“This is one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen,” Steube said in a statement on X. “Stealing $5 million in taxpayer disaster funds from FEMA of all places is beyond indefensible. Millions of Floridians have relied on FEMA after devastating hurricanes, and that money was supposed to help real disaster victims.”

ABC News’ Lauren Peller and Katherine Faulders contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries batted away questions Wednesday about whether he’d sought campaign donations from Jeffrey Epstein, calling House Oversight Chairman James Comer a “stone cold liar” after Comer alleged Tuesday that Jeffries had solicited money from the convicted sex offender in 2013.

During floor debate on the Epstein files bill Tuesday afternoon, Comer took direct aim at Jeffries.

“Democrats have been silent about their colleague’s coordination with Epstein,” Comer, R-Ky., said. “Another email shows Democrat fundraisers invited Epstein to attend an event, or meet privately with Hakeem Jeffries in 2013 as part of their effort to build a Democrat House majority.”

Jeffries shot back.

“Was that a serious question or a serious statement from malignant clown James Comer that I had Jeffrey Epstein over for dinner, that I accepted money from Jeffrey Epstein?” Jeffries said. “What’s extraordinary to me about the clown show on the other side of the aisle is that they lie with impunity on things that are objectively verifiable.”

According to documents released by Oversight Republicans last week, Epstein received a campaign solicitation on May 7, 2013, from a fundraising firm touting Jeffries as “one of the rising stars in the New York Congressional delegation” and a “staunch supporter of President Obama.”

“Hakeem is committed to electing a Democratic majority in 2014 and is encouraging his friends to participate in the DCCC/DSCC fundraising dinner with President Obama this coming night,” the email said and shared directions with recipients who “would like to get involved with the dinner, or would like to get an opportunity to get to know Hakeem better.”

The email included the text of a NY1 profile of Jeffries and is signed by Darren Rigger, Lisa Rossi and Walter Swett of Dynamic SRG, which touts itself as a top political fundraising and public affairs firm for progressive candidates and causes in New York City.

Dynamic SRG did not respond to ABC News’ inquiry about whether Jeffries knew about the email.

On Wednesday, Jeffries did not directly answer whether he’d ever solicited donations from Epstein — contending instead that Republicans “have been burying the Epstein files” for months.

Pressed whether he had ever solicited money from Epstein in exchange for a meet-and-greet, Jeffries called Comer a “stone cold liar.”

“I have no idea what James Comer is talking about in terms of anything that any prior consultant may have sent,” Jeffries said. “I had no idea about that either, but James Comer apparently made the representation on the floor of the House that I sat down with Jeffrey Epstein, had dinner with Jeffrey Epstein, have contributions from Jeffrey Epstein. He’s a stone cold liar, and James Comer knows it.”

On Tuesday, Jeffries told CNN he didn’t recall the email and that he’d never met Epstein.

“I have no recollection of the email,” Jeffries said. “I’ve never had a conversation with him, never met him, know nothing about him other than the extreme things that he’s been convicted of doing.”

A Comer spokeswoman argued that the email released by the committee speaks for itself.

“Hakeem Jeffries is the stone cold liar,” she said. “The email, which came to light as a result of Chairman Comer’s subpoena to the Epstein estate, is real and speaks for itself. Hakeem’s fundraisers made a solicitation on his behalf to invite Jeffrey Epstein to a dinner or meet with him privately.”

The solicitation came years after Epstein had already registered as a sex offender in 2010, and after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges of solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of prostitution with a minor.

ABC News could find no records of donations from Epstein to Jeffries or groups affiliated with him and Jeffries has never been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein.

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(WASHINGTON) — The House could act as soon as Wednesday to move forward with an effort to strip controversial language in the government funding bill that allows senators to sue the government if their phones are investigated without their knowledge.

Meanwhile, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune continued to be noncommittal about what the Senate will do after the House acts.

The provision was inserted at Thune’s request, ABC News learned, into the massive government funding bill that passed Congress and was signed into law last week at Thune’s request.

The House is expected to pass a measure to repeal the provision with bipartisan support Wednesday night.

The majority leader, who has control over what legislation is voted on in the Senate, did not commit to taking any sort of action in the Senate if the House’s effort to remove the language is successful and offered a defense of the provision.

“You have an independent, coequal branch of the government whose members were, through illegal means, having their phone records acquired, spied on if you will, through a weaponized Biden Justice Department. That to me demands some accountability,” Thune said. “And so, I think everybody is focusing on the private right of action, and whatever the number, you know the number that they agreed on. I think the important thing in all of this is, where’s the accountability, and what is the consequence of bad behavior.”

The legislation that was approved as part of the funding bill gives senators the ability to sue the government retroactively for $500,000 per device accessed as part of an investigation. Eight Republican senators had their phone records subpoenaed by special counsel Jack Smith as part of his investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and would be eligible to sue under the law. 

Many of those eight senators have told ABC News they have no intention of suing under the new rule. Some of those affected, like Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., say they would support the House effort to appeal.

“I think it’s a bad idea. I mean listen, I’m all for accountability. I mean, I had my phone tapped so I’m all for accountability, don’t get me wrong. But I think taking taxpayer money is not the right way to do it. The right way to do it is tough oversight,” Hawley, R-Mo., said Wednesday morning.

But Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., another senator whose records were accessed by Smith, is digging in. 

Graham told host Fox News’ Sean Hannity Tuesday night that he intends to sue for “tens of millions of dollars” under the new rule.

“I think this was worse than Watergate, an effort to destroy President Trump, charge him with crimes that are just ridiculous, and come after people like me. I’m not going to put up with this crap any more. I’m going to sue,” Graham said.

“I am going to sue. If you don’t sue, they’ll keep doing it. Don’t run away from this Republicans, fight back,” Graham told Hannity.

Attorneys representing Smith sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley in October seeking to correct what they call “inaccurate” claims that Smith wiretapped or spied on Republican lawmakers as part of his investigation.  

ABC News asked Thune Wednesday if he believed it was appropriate for his members to be suing the government for “millions” in taxpayer dollars. 

“I don’t think there is anybody that was targeted for whom the money matters. I think it’s more the principle and making sure there’s a remedy in the future,” Thune said. 

If the House passes its repeal of the language, Thune ultimately controls whether this bill gets put on the Senate floor.

If he allows it to, it would need 60 votes to pass. It’s unclear at this time whether there would be those votes, but there are several Senate Republicans who have signaled that they would support repealing the language. 

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(WASHINGTON) — Shortly after the Senate approved and sent a bill to force the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files to President Donald Trump’s desk on Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi faced questions on how the administration will respond.

“We have released over 33,000 Epstein documents to the Hill, and we will continue to follow the law and to have maximum transparency. Also, we will always encourage all victims to come forward,” Bondi said at a news conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and other officials on an unrelated law enforcement action.

Bondi told ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas that there is “new information” that has come to the Justice Department regarding the Epstein files, but did not elaborate on what the new information is.

Last week, Bondi announced the Justice Department was initiating a renewed investigation into the files and potential ties between high-profile Democrats and Epstein just hours after Trump ordered her to on his Truth Social account. 

ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas pressed Bondi on Wednesday what changed from the department’s memo in July in which they said they planned to make no future public disclosures related to their review of Epstein’s case and no further charges were expected.

“There’s information, new information, additional information,” she said in response to the question from Thomas. “And again, we will continue to follow the law to investigate any leads. If there are any victims, we encourage all victims to come forward. And we will continue to provide maximum transparency under the law.”

It’s unclear whether the DOJ will seek to cite the new investigation as exempting much of the files from public disclosure due to their relevance to the new investigation, despite DOJ and FBI stating unequivocally in a July statement that it uncovered no evidence in a review of the files that would support a predicated investigation against any uncharged individuals. 

It’s unlikely the Justice Department would release the entire Epstein file, according to sources. Any materials related to ongoing investigations or White House claims of executive privilege will likely remain out of public view.

Earlier Wednesday, the Senate agreed to unanimously approve the bill the House passed on Tuesday, which meant there were no amendments or changes to the bill as House Speaker Mike Johnson and other members of his Republican leadership team had urged.

Johnson on Wednesday said he was “surprised” that no amendments were made.

“I made clear for months that I thought there were serious flaws in the underlying bill, and I had hoped that the Senate would work to fix and correct those. They decided to go a different direction. That’s their prerogative. I was surprised and disappointed by that,” Johnson conceded.

Still, the speaker said he does not expect Trump to veto the measure.

“The Congress has spoken,” Johnson emphasized “You know that the president will process that, and there’s no delays in this at all. I mean, it’s moving forward, so I’m going to check the progress right now.”

If the legislation is signed into law, it could compel the release of federal records on Epstein and his convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as other individuals, including government officials, named or referenced in connection with Epstein’s “criminal activities, civil settlements, immunity, plea agreements or investigatory proceedings,” according to the legislation text. Victims’ names and other identifying information would be excluded from disclosure, as would any items that may depict or contain child sex abuse material, according to the text of the bill. 

Trump said on Monday that he will sign the bill should it reach his desk.

“I’m all for it,” Trump said.

But in a post on his social media platform Tuesday afternoon, the president said he doesn’t “care when the Senate passes the House Bill, whether tonight, or at some other time in the near future,” and that he wants Republicans to stay focused on his agenda.

“I just don’t want Republicans to take their eyes off all of the Victories that we’ve had, including THE GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, Closed Borders, No Men in Women’s Sports or Transgender for Everyone, ending DEI, stopping Biden’s Record Setting Inflation, Biggest Tax and Regulation Cuts in History, stopping EIGHT Wars, rebuilding our Military, being RESPECTED by every Country in the World, having Trillions of Dollars INVESTED in the U.S.A., having created the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World, and even delivering a HUGE DEFEAT to the Democrats on the Shutdown,” Trump said in his post.

A senior White House official later told ABC News that the bill will “be signed whenever it gets to the White House.”

Trump did not need to wait for Congress to act — he could order the release immediately.

At a vigil on Capitol Hill Tuesday afternoon, a group of House Democrats and Epstein survivors broke out in loud cheers upon learning that the Senate unanimously approved the bill. 

After New Mexico Democratic Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez made the announcement from the podium, the group broke out in loud cheers, claps and smiles — some of them tearing up.

Democrats were seen hugging the survivors.

ABC News’ John Parkinson, Lauren Peller, Rebecca Gelpi, Michelle Stoddart and Alex Mallin contributed to this report.

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