Politics

(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Secret Service hosted what officials say was one of the nation’s largest civil disturbance unit trainings, with more than 600 officers taking part.

The exercise, held Friday at the James J. Rowley Training Center in Laurel, Maryland, drew officers from more than a dozen state, county and city agencies, with other federal partners including National Guard and Homeland Security observing the drills — an effort formed by the security concerns of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Capitol Police Officer Aaron Davis, who responded on Jan. 6, helped lead the exercises.

“We want it to be as real as possible, we wanted this to be the environment where we make our mistakes,” he said. “We want to be able to say, ‘Hey, this is what we did wrong, this is what we need to correct.’”

Capitol Police Assistant Chief Sean Gallagher said the agency is preparing for unprecedented dangers.

“We’ve taken lessons of the past, incorporated them into these scenarios, the goal with this is to be proactive, not reactive, to be ready for anything that should occur on Capitol grounds,” Gallagher said.

The training marked the third joint exercise between Capitol Police and the Secret Service, according to law enforcement leaders.

Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan said the event has helped strengthen interagency ties.

“Training like this is incredibly important; this is the opportunity to build relationships,” Sullivan said.

Officers rotated through seven scenario-based drills, including a simulated riot where protesters hurled wooden blocks meant to simulate bricks, bottles and trash while chanting. Trainers also staged simultaneous situations, such as protecting a lawmaker while confronting a suspicious man nearby who turned out to have a gun.

The training featured drones, bike and foot patrols, and armored officers with shields and batons. A Secret Service mobile command vehicle with satellite internet coordinated responses across multiple radio frequencies and even had the capability to deploy its own drone.

Both agencies emphasized that they continue to meet with advocacy groups before, during and after demonstrations. Capitol Police also highlighted its new “dialogue unit,” which works with protest organizers ahead of events to ensure demonstrations remain peaceful while maintaining better communication with advocacy groups for safer outcomes.

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump declined to comment on the letter he allegedly signed for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th “birthday book” in 2003, calling it a “dead issue” when asked by NBC News.

“I don’t comment on something that’s a dead issue. I gave all comments to the staff. It’s a dead issue,” Trump said on Tuesday morning, according to NBC News.

On Monday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released an image of the birthday message allegedly sent by Trump, after the panel received documents and communications from Epstein’s estate.

Trump’s denied writing the letter, calling it “fake” after the Wall Street Journal first reported on the alleged birthday book and the contribution from Trump in mid-July. Trump also filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the newspaper. Dow Jones, the parent company of the Journal, said it has full confidence in the accuracy of the reporting.

The White House on Monday denied the signature on the birthday message belongs to the president.

“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it. President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X.

Trump hasn’t publicly weighed in on the latest developments beyond his brief comments to NBC News.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, on Tuesday took aim at Democrats on the panel for their handling of the documents received from the Epstein estate.

“The Democrats, they find one thing in there, and they promote it and try to get a narrative. This investigation is about providing justice and accountability for the victims,” Comer said.

Comer also told reporters the committee expects to receive more documents as part of its Epstein probe.

“We’ve got a lot more documents we expect to get in,” he said. “We’re going to bring a lot of people in for deposition, so this investigation is moving along very rapidly, and hopefully we’ll get some answers and some justice very soon.”

Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking member on the panel, said after Monday’s disclosure that Trump has more to answer for on the Epstein matter.

“The Oversight Committee has secured the infamous ‘Birthday Book’ that contains a note from President Trump that he has said does not exist,” Garcia said in a statement. “It’s time for the President to tell us the truth about what he knew and release all the Epstein files. The American people are demanding answers.”

Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy and child sex trafficking. He died in custody a month later, while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging.

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(WASHINGTON) — The State Department has approved funding to address the fallout from deadly flooding in Pakistan, marking the first assistance of its kind to be authorized under the second Trump administration.

“The United States stands with the people of Pakistan, whose lives have been uprooted by widespread, catastrophic flooding. On September 5, the U.S. Department of State approved a monetary response to deliver food, shelter, and other forms of lifesaving disaster relief to impacted communities,” a press release first seen by ABC News said.

“We are poised to coordinate with the Government of Pakistan and trusted relief organizations on the ground to deliver aid to the most affected areas,” a State Department spokesperson said.

The State Department has not revealed how much money it has devoted to flood recovery efforts.

The U.S. military’s Central Command also delivered an initial shipment of “urgent, life-saving assistance to Pakistan” in the immediate aftermath of the floods, according to a previously issued release.

The Trump administration has previously come under fire for making dramatic cuts to foreign assistance, including shuttering USAID—the agency that would normally be charged with coordinating the U.S. response to a natural disaster in a foreign country.

Jeremy Lewin, a senior official performing the duties of Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom at the department, touted the assistance for Pakistan as a success story for the Trump administration’s approach.

“Our rapid support for the United States’ close ally Pakistan offers yet another example of the efficiency and effectiveness of the State Department’s new integrated America First foreign assistance capabilities,” Lewin told ABC News.

“Within 72 hours, the Department was able to deploy U.S. government disaster response personnel, program new assistance to assist more than 300,000 affected people, and coordinate military deliveries of critical aid supplies,” he added.

Pakistan has experienced a series of deadly floods through the summer monsoon season, but a fresh deluge of heavy rain in early September intensified the humanitarian crisis.

According to Pakistan officials, more than 1.3 million have been displaced by the devastating floods and hundreds have been killed.

“As Americans, we understand this devastation and will be contributing lifesaving disaster relief that will deliver food and shelter to impacted communities across Pakistan,” said Bethany Poulos Morrison, the State Department’s senior official for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

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(WASHINGTON) — The GOP-led House Oversight Committee says it has obtained documents and communications from the Jeffrey Epstein estate on Monday — including the Epstein “birthday book,” which is said to contain the letter that President Donald Trump allegedly signed for Epstein’s 50th birthday.

Ranking Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia posted a photo on X that Democrats say is the page attributed to Trump.

Trump has denied writing the letter — calling it “fake.”

The White House is denying that the image shared by Democrats is the president’s signature. In a post on X, White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich said “Time for @newscorp to open that checkbook, it’s not his signature. DEFAMATION!”

The committee issued a subpoena in late August for information from the estate, which included a copy of the alleged birthday book compiled for the disgraced financier’s 50th birthday. The committee had requested a delivery of the documents — which includes banking and financial records, flights logs and calendars — on or before Sept. 8, 2025.

The “birthday book” was compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, and the Wall Street Journal reported it contains a “bawdy” letter from Trump.

Trump denied the existence of the letter and filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal.

Dow Jones, the parent company of the newspaper, in response to the lawsuit said in a statement that it has “full confidence in the rigor and accuracy” of its reporting and “will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”

Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell told a top official for the Justice Department that Epstein asked her to coordinate contributions to his 50th birthday book, but said she could not recall if Trump, then a private citizen, was among those who responded, according to a transcript of Maxwell’s interview last month with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 by a federal jury on sex trafficking and other charges. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for aiding and participating in Epstein’s trafficking of underage girls, which involved a scheme to recruit young women and girls for massages of Epstein that turned sexual. Federal prosecutors in New York said Maxwell helped Epstein recruit, groom and ultimately abuse girls as young as 14. In the interview with the Justice Department official, Maxwell continued to profess her innocence.

Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy and child sex trafficking. He died in custody a month later, while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging.

Although the documents are expected to be turned over to the committee on Monday, it may not mean the committee will release all of the documents to the public on the same day.

Last week, the House Oversight Committee released tens of thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein, much of which was already publicly known.

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(WASHINGTON) — The GOP-led House Oversight Committee is expected to receive documents and communications from the Jeffrey Epstein estate on Monday.

The committee issued a subpoena in late August for information from the estate, which includes a copy of the alleged “birthday book” compiled for the disgraced financier’s 50th birthday. The committee requested a delivery of the documents — which includes banking and financial records, flights logs and calendars — on or before Sept. 8, 2025.

“It is our understanding that the Estate of Jeffrey Epstein is in custody and control of documents that may further the Committee’s investigation and legislative goals. Further, it is our understanding the Estate is ready and willing to provide these documents to the Committee pursuant to a subpoena,” Chairman James Comer said in a statement on Aug. 25.

The alleged “birthday book” was compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, and the Wall Street Journal reported contains a “bawdy” letter from President Donald Trump.

The estate’s lawyers have said they will comply with all legal process, but have not said if they have the book.

Trump has denied the existence of the letter and filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. ABC News has not been able to confirm the existence of the letter.

Dow Jones, the parent company of the newspaper, said in a statement that it has “full confidence in the rigor and accuracy” of its reporting and “will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”

Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell told a top official for the Justice Department that Epstein asked her to coordinate contributions to his 50th birthday book, but said she could not recall if Trump, then a private citizen, was among those who responded, according to a transcript of Maxwell’s interview last month with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. In that interview, Maxwell continued to profess her innocence.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 by a federal jury on sex trafficking and other charges. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for aiding and participating in Epstein’s trafficking of underage girls, which involved a scheme to recruit young women and girls for massages of Epstein that turned sexual. Federal prosecutors in New York said Maxwell helped Epstein recruit, groom and ultimately abuse girls as young as 14.

Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy and child sex trafficking. He died in custody a month later, while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging.

Although the documents are expected to be turned over to the committee on Monday, it may not mean the committee will release anything to the public on the same day.

Last week, the House Oversight Committee released tens of thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein, much of which was already publicly known.

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(WASHINGTON) — The Supreme Court on Monday lifted restrictions on aggressive immigration enforcement tactics by federal agents in central California that had been challenged by critics as unconstitutional racial profiling.

The Court did not formally explain its decision. It overruled two lower courts which had imposed a temporary restraining order after concluding that ICE had likely violated the Fourth Amendment by targeting suspects based primarily on race or ethnicity and language.

In a concurring statement agreeing with the decision, Justice Brett Kavanaugh explained that he believed the government had a “fair prospect of success on the merits” in the litigation and should not be hindered in using the strategy for now.

“Apparent ethnicity alone cannot furnish reasonable suspicion,” Kavanaugh wrote. “Under this Court’s case law regarding immigration stops, however, it can be a relevant factor.”

He also questioned whether the advocacy groups and individual plaintiffs challenging the government policy had sufficient standing to bring the legal challenge to begin with.

The Court’s three liberal justices dissented.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the decision a “grave misuse” of the Court’s emergency docket, rather than let the case continue to play out in lower courts.

“We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job. Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent,” she wrote.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said on X the ruling is a “win for the safety of Californians and the rule of law.”

“DHS law enforcement will not be slowed down and will continue to arrest and remove the murderers, rapists, gang members and other criminal illegal aliens that Karen Bass continues to give safe harbor,” she posted.

ABC News’ Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — The White House said it didn’t ask the U.S. Tennis Association to censor reactions to President Donald Trump during his attendance at the U.S. Open over the weekend.

“That’s not true,” a White House official told ABC News on Sunday. “We did not ask anyone to censor.”

USTA officials earlier responded to a report that they had asked broadcasters to censor any reactions or protests aimed at Trump as he appeared at the tournament’s men’s final in New York on Sunday.

“We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions,” USTA spokesperson Brendan McIntyre told ABC News.

The Athletic, a sports publication from The New York Times, published a report on Saturday that described a USTA memo to broadcasters. The Athletic reported that it had reviewed the memo.

“We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity,” the USTA said in the memo, according to The Athletic.

The president drew boos and some cheers when he arrived at Arthur Ashe stadium in Queens, where Trump grew up.

Trump, arriving back at Joint Base Andrews after the championship match, said he “really enjoyed” it and said the fans were “great.”

“I loved it. First of all, the two players have unbelievable talent. It just seemed they hit the ball harder than I’ve ever seen before. Incredible talent and I enjoyed it. I used to go all the time but, you know, lately, it’s a little bit more difficult. I really enjoyed it.”

Trump said the “fans were really nice.”

“I didn’t know what to expect. Usually, you would say that would be a somewhat progressive, as they say nowadays, crowd. Sometimes — some people would call it liberal. But we’ll use the word they like to use, progressive. But they were great, the fans were great.”

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump secured a major legislative victory when what he had been calling his “big, beautiful bill” became law in July. However, Trump and Republicans are now working to shift the messaging surrounding the bill ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

And helping lead that shift is Vice President JD Vance.

During his Cabinet meeting in August, Trump acknowledged that the title of his signature legislation does not explain what’s actually in the bill.

“So, the bill that — I’m not going to use the term, “great big beautiful,” that was good for getting it approved. But — but it’s not good for explaining to people what it’s all about,” Trump said.

Trump continued, saying the bill is “a massive tax cut for the middle class. It’s a massive tax cut for jobs.”

Trump has tasked Vance with traveling the country and pitching tax cuts for working families to American voters, a source familiar with the plan confirmed to ABC News.

The vice president has traveled to multiple states, including critical battleground states of Wisconsin and Georgia, where he has pushed out the new framing of the bill, calling it the “Working Families Tax Cut.”

“And most importantly, if you’re working hard every single day right here in the United States, or if you’re building a business right here in the United States, you ought to have a tax code that rewards you instead of punishes you,” Vance said during an event outside of Atlanta in late August. “And that’s what happened when we passed the working families tax cut just a couple of months ago.”

A recent Pew Research Center poll conducted in early August found that 46% of adults disapprove of the legislation while only 32% approve. Twenty-three percent said they were unsure.

Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt, an ally of the president and vice president, said an issue Republicans had with messaging the bill was the ability to discuss the tax cuts in the legislation.

Schmitt told ABC News that Trump is the bill’s messenger, but Vance is the individual selling the bill and his background allows him to connect with everyday Americans.

“President Trump is the messenger. He’s the guy, and Vice President Vance is kind of the traveling salesman, hitting the road and in key states, where, I think in particular, the vice president, his message, his story, has always resonated in places like Pennsylvania and Ohio and places like that,” Schmitt said. “We’ve got a lot of blue collar workers who are looking for tax relief and looking for a way to, you know, for the government to take less of their money.”

One of the biggest criticisms of the bill is the impact it will have on Medicaid. Estimates from the Congressional Budget Office project federal spending on Medicaid will be reduced by $1 trillion and the number of uninsured people will increase by nearly 12 million by 2034.

The cuts come from a number of programs and will be implemented at different points, from when the bill was enacted all the way through 2028 — meaning it will take years for the impacts to be fully realized.

But there are Republicans who argue that the changes to Medicaid strengthen the program for the most vulnerable. Schmitt also emphasized the importance of focusing on other aspects of the bill, including no taxes on overtime and no taxes on tips.

But Vance’s role as a “salesman” for Trump’s signature legislation shouldn’t come as a surprise and is familiar territory for the vice president. Matt Terrill, a political strategist and former chief of staff for then-Sen. Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign, told ABC News that Vance is being used in the same way he was during the 2024 election.

“This maps with how Vice President Vance was utilized on the campaign trail in 2024 and how he has been utilized in the White House so far. He has a strong ability to go on programs like the Sunday shows, podcasts, and other platforms to effectively champion President Trump’s policy positions,” Terrill said. “It’s a big responsibility, particularly given the economic benefits that have been highlighted by the White House that are included in the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ and the economy will be top of mind among Americans heading into the midterm elections.”

But Terrill cautioned that the success of the legislation ultimately comes down to how the policies impact Americans.

“For Vice President Vance, it comes down to him doing one of the things he does best — promoting the president’s agenda. However, with that said, there is only so much one person can do when it comes to promoting a law,” Terrill said. “In the end, it comes down to the American people feeling that the policies in the law are working for them.”

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(NEW YORK) — With less than two months out to Election Day, this year’s elections — ranging from hot-button mayoral and gubernatorial contests to a vote over new congressional maps — are set to ramp up as candidates begin to make their final pitches to voters.

And even without presidential candidates on the ballot, a few elections this fall could serve as bellwethers over how Americans feel about the second Donald Trump administration or the future of the Democratic Party.

Here are some of the key races to watch:

New York City mayoral race
New York’s mayoral race made headlines after a relative newcomer won the crowded Democratic primary in June — and in some ways represents the struggle between the progressive and moderate wings of the party as it attempts to course-correct after losses in 2024.

State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist campaigning on a progressive economic platform who made a splash with savvy social media and campaigning, has remained the front-runner since clinching the Democratic primary. But Mamdani has faced some backlash over the feasibility of his proposals and current or former views on policing and Israel; some prominent Democratic elected officials have not yet endorsed him.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, attempting a political comeback as an independent after resigning in 2021 amid sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct allegations, maintains that he has the most experience to take on Trump and help the city. He has struggled to gain momentum since his Democratic primary loss.

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who announced he’d run as an independent after federal bribery charges against him were dismissed, is calling for voters to give him four more years to continue turning around the city. But he faces discontent from New Yorkers who believe he may be too tied to Trump.

Adams said on Friday he will continue his bid for reelection following reports that Trump advisers have been making efforts over the last few weeks to persuade him to drop out of the race.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, separately, has rebuffed calls to drop out of the race and argued that he’s above the fray of the other candidates. Sliwa ran against Adams in the 2021 mayoral election.

Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races
The only governor’s races in the country this year are in Virginia and New Jersey and are drawing national attention, heavy outside spending, and interest as early indicators for how the 2026 midterms could shake out.

In Virginia, Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer, faces Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in a contest that could give Democrats their first state trifecta since 2013. Whoever wins will also become Virginia’s first female governor.

Spanberger has raised more than $27 million and secured the endorsement of the Virginia Police Benevolent Association. Earle-Sears is the first Black woman elected statewide.

In New Jersey, Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli compete in a state that has not elected the same party three straight terms since 1961, with affordability and taxes central to the race. Trump’s inroads with Garden State voters could be tested in November, as Republicans point to last year’s presidential results as a sign the state has gotten more favorable for the GOP.

California’s Proposition 50 on its congressional map
Californians will vote in November on whether to adopt a redrawn congressional map — which could make five U.S. House districts more favorable to Democrats — as retaliation for new Republican-friendly maps passing into law in Texas in the middle of the decade, even though new lines are usually drawn after every census.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, considered a 2028 presidential hopeful, has pushed for the move, saying that Texas’ new map means Democrats have to respond in kind. Republican legislators and others, including actor and former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, have argued that the move hurts voters’ ability to choose who represents them and throws more fuel on the flames of a “redistricting war” between red and blue states.

Special elections for open congressional seats
Several vacant U.S. House seats are set for special elections this fall. With Republicans holding only a narrow majority, the outcomes could shape the balance of power heading into 2026.

In Virginia’s 11th District, voters will select a successor to the late Rep. Gerry Connolly on Sept. 9, with Democratic James Walkinshaw — Fairfax County supervisor and Connolly’s former chief of staff — facing Republican Army veteran and former FBI agent Stewart Whitson.

Arizona’s 7th District will hold a Sept. 23 election after the death of Rep. Raúl Grijalva, featuring his daughter Adelita Grijalva, Daniel Butierez and Eduardo Quintana.

In Texas, a Nov. 4 contest will fill the 18th District seat vacated by the late Sylvester Turner.

And Tennessee’s 7th District will hold a Dec. 2 general election following an Oct. 7 primary.

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(WASHINGTON) — Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said Sunday that those who might be in the Jeffrey Epstein files need to be held accountable regardless of their social status.

“We can’t avoid justice just to avoid embarrassment for some very powerful men, Massie told ABC News’ “This Week” Anchor George Stephanopoulos.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said there will be enough votes in the House to force a vote on his and Massie’s discharge petition to release the files.

“We have the 218 votes, 216 already support it. There are two vacancies that haven’t been reported as much, but two Democrats are going to be joining and they are both committed to signing it. That’s going to happen by the end of September,” Khanna said.

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