Mike Johnson Calls For Epstein Files And Ice Memos Gives Deportation Guidance: Morning Rundown

Donald Trump brushes disconnected his supporters’ liking successful nan Jeffrey Epstein case, and House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks out. An ICE memo specifications really officials tin deport immigrants to 3rd countries. And Grok, nan Elon Musk-owned AI chatbot, debuts 2 alleged “companions.”

Here’s what to cognize today.

Trump’s supporters won’t discontinue talking astir Jeffrey Epstein

Donald Trump responded to mounting disapproval of his administration’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein’s case, saying yesterday that he doesn’t understand nan buzz. “He’s dormant for a agelong time,” the president said erstwhile asked astir vexation from his supporters. “He was ne'er a large facet successful position of life. I don’t understand why nan Jeffrey Epstein lawsuit would beryllium of liking to anybody.”

Earlier successful nan day, Trump said Attorney General Pam Bondi should merchandise “whatever she thinks is credible” connected Epstein, while Bondi herself declined to reply questions astir nan issue. Though immoderate person called for her to resign, Bondi was defiant during a property conference. “I’m going to beryllium present arsenic agelong arsenic nan president wants maine to beryllium here,” she said.

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Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson showed a uncommon break from Trump by joining different conservatives successful calling for nan merchandise of documents. The management “should put everything retired location and fto nan group decide,” he told blimpish commentator Benny Johnson yesterday. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and John Kennedy are among those who person besides called retired nan Trump administration.

The uproar astir nan Trump administration’s handling of nan Epstein lawsuit comes aft nan Justice Department and FBI released a memo past week saying they recovered nary grounds that nan precocious financier had kept an “incriminating ‘client list’” aliases grounds that would lead to nan prosecution of 3rd parties. Conspiracy theories that “Epstein didn’t termination himself” began to dispersed almost instantly aft Epstein’s 2019 decease successful a New York City jailhouse arsenic he awaited proceedings connected activity trafficking charges.

Trump besides took to Truth Social past Saturday to impulse group to move on. If he thought his words would put an extremity to things, he was wrong. Data from Google shows that searches for Epstein spiked aft Trump posted. It was besides notable that nan post, connected nan president’s ain societal network, received galore disappointment responses from supporters.

Data from Google shows that searches for Epstein spiked aft Trump posted. It was besides notable that nan post, connected nan president’s ain societal network, received galore disappointment responses from supporters.

Trump has utilized conspiracy theories for governmental summation since earlier he ran for president, for illustration erstwhile he stoked mendacious claims that Barack Obama’s commencement certificate was fake. During his astir caller statesmanlike campaign, Trump said he would person “no problem” looking into an Epstein customer list. And erstwhile he took office, Trump appointed group who person besides promoted conspiracy theories to elder positions successful his administration.

But now, Trump is base nan brunt of those aforesaid conspiracies successful an inescapable viral commotion.

Read nan afloat communicative here.

More authorities news:

• Republicans successful Congress are racing to walk a $9.4 cardinal spending cuts package earlier a Friday deadline.

• Former DNC chair Jaime Harrison is backmost successful nan governmental arena pinch a caller podcast. He said pinch NBC News astir why 1 of his first guests will beryllium Hunter Biden.

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said nan attraction of a typical legislative convention starting adjacent week would displacement to flood relief, but his schedule shows lawmakers will beryllium considering much than flood-related measures.

ICE restarts 3rd state deportations pinch small notice

The Department of Homeland Security resumed third state deportation flights on Tuesday by deporting 5 migrant detainees, each from different countries, to nan mini federation of Eswatini successful Southern Africa. The resumption of 3rd state deportations comes arsenic ICE put retired caller guidance that its labor are allowed successful definite circumstances to deport migrants to countries that are not their ain successful arsenic small arsenic six hours — and without assurances from nan 3rd state that they “will not beryllium persecuted aliases tortured.”

But "in each different cases" wherever nan U.S. has not received those assurances, ICE must travel definite procedures, including that officials must springiness immigrants a removal announcement successful a connection nan personification understands and which tells them wherever nan authorities intends to deport them. Read nan afloat communicative here.

More migration news:

• The Pentagon ordered nan removal of half of nan 4,000 National Guard troops who were mobilized successful consequence to migration protests successful Los Angeles.

• New ICE guidance requires that group who entered nan U.S. without ineligible authorization stay successful migration detention arsenic they conflict deportation proceedings successful tribunal — meaning they can’t get enslaved hearings and could perchance beryllium detained for months aliases years.

• Immigration authorities want landlords to move complete leases and different accusation connected their tenants, signaling a imaginable caller beforehand successful nan Trump administration’s efforts to find group successful nan state illegally.

• ICE detained a begetter successful Washington state who had been moving to legalize his residency position successful nan United States. His pregnant woman pleaded, “I conscionable want him home.”

Adelita Grijalva wins Democratic superior for Arizona House seat

Democratic campaigner for U.S. Congress Adelita Grijalva during a protestation successful Tucson, Arizona, connected May 3.Rebecca Noble / Bloomberg via Getty Images file

The girl of nan precocious Rep. Raúl Grijalva won nan Democratic superior to capable his erstwhile House spot successful Arizona, The Associated Press projects. Adelita Grijalva, a erstwhile personnel of nan Pima County Board of Supervisors, defeated activistic Deja Foxx and erstwhile authorities Rep. Daniel Hernandez and is group to look Republican Daniel Butierez successful a typical predetermination successful September. Both Grijalva, 54, and Foxx described themselves arsenic progressives, but fissures emerged during nan run complete nan rumor of generational change.

Raúl Grijalva won 12 position representing Arizona’s 7th House District earlier he died successful March astatine nan property of 77. The heavy Democratic territory encompasses astir of Tucson and nan state’s confederate border. Read nan afloat communicative here.

Read All About It

• A man is successful custody aft “American Idol” euphony supervisor Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca, were recovered dormant successful their Los Angeles home.

• An elite Chinese cyberspy group hacked astatine slightest 1 state’s National Guard network for astir a year, nan Pentagon found.

• TV characteristic Chip Gaines defended nan inclusion of a same-sex couple successful nan caller show “Back to nan Frontier” aft backlash from belief conservatives.

• Vance Boelter — nan man accused of fatally shooting Minnesota authorities Rep. Melissa Hortman and her hubby past period — was indicted connected national execution charges.

• “Severance” racked up 27 Emmy nominations, nan astir of immoderate show this year, followed by “The Penguin” pinch 24 and “The White Lotus” pinch 23. See a afloat database of nominees.

• The National League defeated nan American League successful nan 2025 MLB All-Star Game aft nan Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber went 3 for 3 successful nan game’s first location tally swing-off, pursuing a 6-6 tie.

Staff Pick: Grok’s caller chatbots look designed to daze and entertain

Tilde Oyster / NBC News ; Getty Images ; X

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok turned heads past week for penning antisemitic societal media posts connected X. Now, Grok has introduced alleged “Companions” that interact pinch users. One is simply a flirty Japanese anime characteristic named Ani who offers to make users’ lives “sexier.” The different is simply a reddish panda named Bad Rudi pinch a penchant for foul language.

Tech newsman David Ingram wrote that some bots criticized nan Nazis and nan action of xAI, nan Musk-owned institution down Grok. But nan schematic quality of nan companions makes them outliers among different AI chatbots pinch a willingness to clasp hateful connection and intersexual content. Just look astatine snippets of Bad Rudi’s conversation pinch NBC News, successful which nan characteristic advocated for stealing a yacht, overthrowing nan pope and spiking a town’s h2o proviso pinch basking condiment and glitter. — Elizabeth Robinson, newsletter editor

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