The House is expected to approve a bill that would compel the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, new details come to light about the person who tried to kill Donald Trump, and the United States and Venezuela signal a willingness to talk as a massive warship floats into the Caribbean.
It’s Tuesday, November 18, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251118-member-exclusive">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">House To Vote On Epstein Files</h2>
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Topline: After weeks of intense debate and political drama, the House of Representatives is expected to hold a vote on Tuesday to release the Epstein files. 
For years, voters and lawmakers from both parties have taken turns demanding the release of the Epstein files, expressing confidence that they’ll be incriminating for the other side.
Despite implying on the campaign trail that he supported full transparency regarding the Epstein case, upon taking office, Trump shifted his tone and called the entire case a “Democrat Hoax,” arguing that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was “somebody that nobody cares about.” That response angered many on the Right, and gave more ammunition to Democrats, who’ve made the files one of their core issues lately.
Republican leadership, at the behest of Trump, had been blocking that vote, saying it was unnecessary because the House Oversight Committee was already releasing Epstein emails and other evidence as part of their own investigation into the topic. But last week, a petition to force a vote reached the necessary 218 signatures, when four Republicans joined all 214 Democrats. 
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had no real choice but to allow the vote to proceed later Tuesday afternoon. 
Trump changes tune: Trump changed course and has voiced support for releasing the Epstein files in recent days. 
Trump’s handling of the files has provided extensive fodder for Democrats, who’ve used it to their advantage in elections nationwide.
But it’s not just Democrats pushing the president on this topic. Trump’s MAGA base is deeply loyal to him on most issues, but on this one, they’ve been very frustrated. Polling shows that 75% of Republicans want the files released in their entirety, while just 40% of Republicans approve of his handling of the Epstein case — on most other issues, he’s around 90%. 
GOP lawmakers are very aware of that discontent. While only four Republicans signed the petition to force this vote, there was a good chance a few dozen would have voted in support of the measure today, regardless of what Trump wanted.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">New Evidence in Crooks Case Leads to Coverup Allegations</h2>
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Topline: Demands for answers about the July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump are increasing. Though 20-year-old suspect Thomas Crooks has long been painted as a lone gunman with no clear motive, new claims are prompting calls for more transparency.
A number of media and political figures on the Right argue that the public is not getting the full story on Crooks, who was killed by an FBI sniper during the assassination attempt.
Joe Rogan and Elon Musk ignited the news cycle a couple of weeks ago when they discussed elements of the case that they did not feel made sense.
“There was never a formal report. There was never press conferences where they detailed all the information that we know currently and where the investigation stands at the moment,” Rogan <a href="https://x.com/triffic_stuff_/status/1989103407135899896?s=20">said</a> on his podcast. “There&#8217;s a lot of weird s***, the fact that they wouldn&#8217;t let people be on that roof because the Secret Service lady said it was sloped and it was dangerous. … Meanwhile, the snipers that were on the other roof was a steeper pitch.”
Tucker Carlson <a href="https://x.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1989317393768951907?s=20">released a video</a> examining alleged evidence that the FBI and DOJ are suppressing key details about Crooks&#8217; life. Then Miranda Devine, host of the Pod Force One podcast, released her own report for the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/17/opinion/fbi-secret-service-butchered-the-thomas-crooks-case-and-invited-conspiracies-we-deserve-the-truth/">New York Post</a> detailing more claims.
What’s new: The new evidence is based on a confidential source who was able to gain access to Crooks’ accounts on platforms like Gmail, YouTube, and Snapchat. Seventeen accounts altogether were uncovered.
What they revealed is a shocking ideological flip: Back in 2019, when Crooks was 15, he was posting effusive praise for Trump, calling him &#8220;the literal definition of Patriotism.” But by August 2020, amid the COVID lockdowns, Crooks had turned hard against Trump, labeling him &#8220;racist&#8221; and fantasizing about &#8220;terrorism-style&#8221; attacks, including assassination.
The accounts also showed him active on pornographic sites catering to “furries,” and he was using they/them pronouns.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Floats Peace Talks With Venezuela</h2>
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Topline: President Trump suggests talks could happen with Venezuela – even as the U.S. continues to pressure dictator Nicolás Maduro. Meanwhile, Maduro is calling for peace.
Trump signaled on Sunday evening that talks could be in the works.
“We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we&#8217;ll see how that turns out. They would like to talk,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990207803374395800">said</a> Trump.
Trump also referenced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has plans to <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1990187781151445245">designate</a> the cartel run by Maduro, the Cartel de los Soles, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). That designation allows Trump to direct military strikes against any cartel asset inside Venezuela.
As U.S. authorities say Maduro is both the head of the cartel and the head of state, the line between drug cartel targets and government assets is blurry.
The designation will also open up financial levers the administration can pull, likely targeting top Maduro allies. The designation will be officially made on November 24.
Maduro begs for peace: Last week, Maduro held a massive rally in Caracas and called for peace. He punctuated those calls with a <a href="https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/1990117665327677700">rendition</a> of John Lennon’s song, &#8220;Imagine.&#8221;
Strikes possible: Potential U.S. strikes against Venezuela remain very real. The U.S. has about 15,000 troops in the region, along with an armada of warships that includes the world&#8217;s largest aircraft carrier. Trump said Friday that he has “sort of made up [his] mind” about how to proceed against Venezuela, but then he appeared to backtrack again on Sunday, saying talks could happen. The plan seems to be in flux.
The U.S. has put a lot of pressure on Maduro and keeps ratcheting it up every day. In the summer, the State Department increased the bounty on Maduro to $50 million – twice the bounty the U.S. put on al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Trump has given the green light for CIA operations against Maduro and has put in place more sanctions against Maduro and his allies.
Last week, The Washington Post reported that high-level discussions were underway on whether to carry out strikes against Venezuela and what those strikes would look like. According to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/16/trump-maduro-venezuela-military-talks/">report</a>, those discussions have involved officials such as Vice President JD Vance, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Secretary Rubio.

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Morning Brief: Epstein Files Vote, Thomas Crooks Questions, & Maduro Begs For Peace

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Morning Brief: Epstein Files Vote, Thomas Crooks Questions, & Maduro Begs For Peace