A Colorado hospital has been referred for a federal investigation over its “failure” to comply with standards on transgender medical procedures for children, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday. 
HHS General Counsel Mike Stuart <a href="https://x.com/HHSGCMikeStuart/status/2006110061114851333">said</a> that he had referred the Children’s Hospital Colorado to the department’s inspector general over its response to Trump administration guidance on transgender procedures for minors. The hospital has been engaged in a separate legal dispute with the Justice Department over data requested by the Trump administration related to its administration of such procedures. 
Stuart said he referred the hospital for “failure to meet recognized standards of health care” set forth by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a “declaration that sex-rejecting procedures for children and adolescents are neither safe nor effective.”
HHS “will always take every possible action to ensure children all across the nation are safe and protected,” Stuart added. 
The referral comes as the hospital seeks to quash a subpoena issued by the Justice Department in July demanding records concerning gender-related treatments, including insurance claims, billing records, internal guidance, any documents on alternative billing codes for gender dysphoria, and information on kids who were prescribed puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones. The subpoena was sent to more than 20 doctors and hospitals that performed transgender medical procedures on children.
The Justice Department is investigating “whether the promotion, marketing, labeling, sale, and distribution of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to treat gender dysphoria and related disorders could violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act,” <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/31.pdf">according</a> to court documents. 
The hospital has so far refused to produce documents, stating that it will not release private medical information. 
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Earlier this month, HHS <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-to-cut-funding-from-all-hospitals-that-perform-trans-procedures-on-kids">posted</a> rules that will bar hospitals that offer transgender procedures to minors from participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs. The rules will also prohibit federal funding of Medicaid’s Children’s Health Insurance Program from going toward transgender medical procedures on those under 19 years of age. 
“Sex-rejecting procedures for children and adolescents are neither safe nor effective as a treatment modality for gender dysphoria, gender incongruence, or other related disorders in minors, and therefore, fail to meet professional recognized standards of health care,” Kennedy <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/declaration-pediatric-sex-rejecting-procedures.pdf">wrote</a> in a public health declaration. 
Colorado is one of more than a dozen Democrat-led states <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-sue-trump-over-efforts-to-protect-children-from-trans-procedures?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=9&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Democrats+Sue+Trump+Over+Efforts+To+Protect+Children+From+Trans+Procedures">suing</a> to block HHS actions to cut off funding for hospitals that perform transgender medical procedures on kids. The suit alleges that HHS violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Medicare and Medicaid statutes by moving to cut hospital funding.

President Trump Makes Announcement On New Theories On Autism Causation In Children

Children’s Hospital Accused of Ignoring Trump Standards On Transgender Procedures For Kids

Colorado

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Justice

transgender surgery

The 30-year-old man accused of planting pipe bombs outside of the Democratic and Republican Party headquarters in Washington, D.C., on the night of January 5, 2021, told investigators that he wanted someone to &#8220;speak up&#8221; about the 2020 election being stolen, according to the Department of Justice.
Prosecutors said on Sunday that Brian Cole Jr. gave a &#8220;detailed confession&#8221; about planting the pipe bombs and revealed that he didn&#8217;t &#8220;like either party at this point,&#8221; according to a DOJ memo, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5665154-capitol-riot-pipe-bombs-suspect-confession-justice-department/">reported</a>. Cole allegedly said that he was not a political person, but after Joe Biden&#8217;s win over President Donald Trump in 2020, he began following the news more closely, especially on YouTube and Reddit. Cole said that he believed &#8220;something was wrong&#8221; with the 2020 election and people felt &#8220;that their votes are like just being thrown away,&#8221; and someone needed to &#8220;speak up,&#8221; prosecutors said.
Federal prosecutors argued that Cole should remain detained as the case proceeds. Cole allegedly told investigators that he had no intention of killing or injuring anyone with the pipe bombs, which is why he said he placed them at night. Cole said that he was &#8220;pretty relieved&#8221; when he learned that the bombs never went off after he set them to detonate one hour after he placed them, according to the DOJ. Prosecutors, however, argued that Cole&#8217;s alleged actions put people at risk regardless of whether he intended to harm anyone.
“Indeed, the defendant admitted that he set both devices to detonate 60 minutes after he placed them,” the DOJ memo stated. “His failure to accomplish his objectives does not mitigate the profoundly dangerous nature of his crimes.”
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He allegedly confessed to investigators shortly after his arrest and expressed support for Trump, as was previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/d-c-pipe-bomb-suspect-reportedly-confesses-to-investigators">reported</a>. However, questions remain about whether Cole allegedly planted the bombs in response to Trump&#8217;s 2020 election loss, as the charging documents state that he purchased the materials for the bombs as early as May 2019, long before the controversy surrounding the 2020 election erupted. Cole has also expressed anarchist views, according to some reports.
The Daily Wire reported earlier this month that Cole was employed by a bail bonds company run by his father, which worked to free illegal immigrants from ICE facilities and sued the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security.
Cole, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was arrested earlier this month after investigators reviewed thousands of purchases, cell phone data, and license plates.

Brian Cole Jr. / Instagram

D.C. Pipe Bomb Suspect Shed Light On His Motive In Interviews With Investigators, DOJ Says

Crime

January 6

U.S.

Washington D.C.

The Justice Department said that evidence reviewed by the FBI showed that a purported letter from the late Jeffrey Epstein to convicted child molester Larry Nassar was &#8220;clearly fake.&#8221; 
The 2019 letter, which was released on Tuesday as part of the latest Epstein <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-drops-30000-more-epstein-docs-that-include-accusations-against-trump?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=DOJ+Drops+30%2C000+More+Epstein+Docs+That+Include+Accusations+Against+Trump">document drop</a>, included comments about Epstein taking the “short road home” and &#8220;our president&#8221; liking young girls. After the letter went viral, the Justice Department said the FBI would investigate its authenticity before later announcing it was not genuine. 
The FBI determined the letter to be fake, citing several inconsistencies: the handwriting did not appear to match Epstein’s; it was postmarked in Virginia three days after Epstein was found dead in a New York jail cell; and it lacked required information for outgoing federal jail mail. The letter did not include Epstein’s inmate number or housing unit, as is standard.
“There has been lots of sensationalism and even outright lies these past few days about the ‘Epstein Files.’ But let’s separate fact from fiction. Document production is just that. We produce documents, and sometimes this can result in releasing fake or false documents because they simply are in our possession because the law requires this,” <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2003612982161371186">said</a> Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. 
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“Case in point: the so-called Epstein Nassar letter is clearly FAKE &#8211; wrong handwriting, wrong return address, and postmarked three days after Epstein died. Fake videos of Epstein in his cell. Photos with no explanation. Sensational tales and lies by random people,” Blanche added. “These are not reality. We will continue to produce every document required by law. Let’s not let internet rumor engines outrun the facts.”
The letter was received at the federal prison where Nassar was being held and then flagged for the FBI. Nassar was convicted of sexually abusing young girls while being a doctor at Michigan State University and the trainer for the United States women’s Olympic gymnastics team.
“As you know by now, I have taken the ‘short route’ home. Good luck! We shared one thing … our love and caring for young ladies and the hope they’d reach their full potential. Our President also shares our love of young, nubile girls,” the letter reads. 
Around 30,000 documents related to Epstein were released by the Justice Department on Tuesday. The document release came after President Donald Trump signed a bill last month that mandated the department to release all the Epstein files. 
Trump has characterized questions about the case as a Democrat “hoax” meant to distract from his administration’s success. There has been no credible evidence that implicates Trump in any of Epstein’s misdeeds.

Patrick McMullan Archives

Justice Department Says Epstein Letter To Larry Nassar Is ‘Clearly Fake’

Donald Trump

Jeffrey Epstein

Larry Nassar

Politics

The Afghan national accused of killing one National Guard soldier and injuring another in a Thanksgiving week attack in Washington, D.C., could now face the death penalty after prosecutors moved the case to federal court.
The Justice Department announced Tuesday that it has filed a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/media/1421951/dl?inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criminal complaint</a> against 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, charging him with two federal firearms offenses: transporting or shipping a stolen firearm in interstate commerce and transporting or receiving firearms in interstate or foreign commerce with intent to commit a crime. Lakanwal is also charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault with intent to kill while armed.
The federal charges bring the case to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia from the D.C. Superior Court. Lakanwal is accused of gunning down U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, both members of the West Virginia National Guard, while they patrolled the streets of the nation&#8217;s capital. Beckstrom died from her wounds just a day after the attack, while Wolfe was critically injured and still in recovery, but expected to survive. 
“The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter. Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery.”
The federal complaint filed Tuesday says that Lakanwal “purposely and with deliberate and premeditated malice, killed Beckstrom by shooting her in the head with a firearm. Your affiant also asserts that, by shooting Wolfe in the head with a firearm, LAKANWAL assaulted Wolfe with intent to kill him.”
Lakanwal, who was shot during the attack, pleaded not guilty to the D.C. charges earlier this month. 
According to the complaint, the weapon used in the shooting was a stolen .357 Smith &amp; Wesson revolver. Prosecutors say on October 15, Lakanwal sent photos of an AR-15 and a pistol to an unnamed individual in Washington, where he lived, along with the message, “find this stuff for me.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1019681" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM.png" alt="DOJ. " width="1049" height="667" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM.png 1049w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM-300x191.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM-906x576.png 906w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-24-at-7.39.07-AM-768x488.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1049px) 100vw, 1049px" /></div>
“I’m doing [Lyft] an[d] Uber so I will need one of them[.]” Lakanwal allegedly said. The unidentified person replied by saying, “I wish I could help brother but the laws here are to[o] strict[.]”
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The criminal complaint states that Lakanwal had not provided a Lyft ride since May, and that a family member told investigators his Uber account had been banned.
The unidentified individual later supplied Lakanwal with the revolver, which had been stolen from a Seattle home in May 2023, according to the complaint. The person who furnished the weapon told investigators he believed Lakanwal wanted it “for personal protection while working as a rideshare driver.”
After obtaining the firearm, Lakanwal is alleged to have purchased ammunition the following day. Two hours later, Lakanwal searched “Washington, D.C.” and “The White House” in Google Maps, according to the complaint.

President Trump Orders Hundreds More National Guard Troops to D.C. After Shooting Of Guardsmen

Trump Wants Death Penalty For Afghanistan Man Charged In Deadly National Guard Shooting

Afghanistan

Jeanine Pirro

National Guard

The Department of Justice failed to foolproof some of the redactions made to the Epstein files, leading to some unredacted versions of documents appearing online.
Some people have <a href="https://x.com/flyosity/status/2003487819587821613">discovered</a> that the redactions, which the Justice Department says have been made to protect victims, can be undone or worked around through Photoshop or by simply copying and pasting the text to a new document. Unredacted versions of some documents began to appear online after the department released a fresh tranche of an estimated 30,000 more pages.
In one redacted file, the blacked-out portion pertains to how the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and his associates allegedly obtained young victims for sexual abuse, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/23/epstein-unredacted-files-social-media">The Guardian</a>.
“Between September 2015 and June 2019, Indyke signed (FAC) for over $400,000 made payable to young female models and actresses, including a former Russian model who received over $380,000 through monthly payments of $8,333 made over a period of more than three and a half years until the middle of 2019,” says one redacted portion from a civil case in the Virgin Islands.
Other sections from the civil case detail how Epstein himself paid off or threatened victims to keep them from speaking to authorities.
“Defendants also attempted to conceal their criminal sex trafficking and abuse, conduct by paying large sums of money to participant-witnesses, including by paying for their attorneys’ fees and case costs in litigation related to this conduct,” one file says.
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“Epstein also threatened harm to victims and helped release damaging stories about them to damage their credibility when they tried to go public with their stories of being trafficked and sexually abused. Epstein also instructed one or more Epstein Enterprise participant-witnesses to destroy evidence relevant to ongoing court proceedings involving Defendants’ criminal sex trafficking and abuse conduct,” it continues.
The Justice Department announced its latest batch of Epstein file releases on Tuesday. The release of the files, mandated under the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed last month, has sparked more controversy as the records have revealed photos of famous acquaintances of Epstein, such as former president Bill Clinton, around the disgraced financier.
President Donald Trump has also appeared at times in the files. The president has long maintained innocence in Epstein’s schemes, and none of the files released have suggested that Trump was involved in alleged misconduct.

US-POLITICS-JUSTICE-EPSTEIN

The DOJ Tried To Redact The Epstein Docs. TikTok Found A Workaround.

Social Media

TikTok

The Justice Department released another 30,000 documents related to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday, including those they said contained “untrue and sensationalist&#8221; claims against President Donald Trump. 
The document drop comes after hundreds of thousands of documents were released on Friday that included photos of former President Bill Clinton with Epstein. The latest document drop included claims about Trump and Epstein submitted to the FBI before the 2020 election, the Justice Department said. 
“The Department of Justice has officially released nearly 30,000 more pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election,” the Justice Department said Tuesday. 
“To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already. Nevertheless, out of our commitment to the law and transparency, the DOJ is releasing these documents with the legally required protections for Epstein’s victims,” the department added. 
The documents can be viewed <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/doj-disclosures/data-set-8-files">here</a>. The release includes a wide variety of documents, including news article clippings, emails, and court filings. One of the documents includes an <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%208/EFTA00016732.pdf">email</a> from a federal prosecutor alleging that Trump had been a passenger multiple times on Epstein’s private plane. 
“In particular, he is listed as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, including at least four flights on which Maxwell was also present,” the email said. &#8220;On one flight in 1993, he and Epstein are the only two listed passengers; on another, the only three passengers are Epstein, Trump, and then-20-year-old [redacted]. On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case.&#8221;
Another <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%208/EFTA00020517.pdf">document</a> included allegations leveled against Trump by a Dallas limousine driver, who claimed that Trump made &#8220;very concerning&#8221; remarks in his limo in 1995. According to the FBI document, the driver &#8220;noted Trump continuously stated the name &#8216;Jeffrey&#8217; while on the phone, and made references to abusing some girl.&#8221; The claims made by the driver were not substantiated, according to the Justice Department.
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Trump has characterized questions about the Epstein case as a “hoax” perpetrated by Democrats to derail his administration. No evidence has been produced that the president ever engaged in illegal behavior during his previous encounters with Epstein, whom he banned from Mar-a-Lago. 
“Nobody cared about Jeffrey Epstein when he was alive and, if the Democrats had anything, they would have released it before our Landslide Election Victory,” Trump said in a post last month calling for Republicans to support legislation requiring the Justice Department to release the documents. 
After signing the disclosure legislation, Trump took aim at Epstein’s connections with major Democrats. 
“Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed, because I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!” Trump said on Truth Social. “This latest Hoax will backfire on the Democrats just as all of the rest have!”

DOJ Drops 30,000 More Epstein Docs That Include Accusations Against Trump

Bill Clinton

A heavily-redacted Epstein document dump revives questions about his associates, including former President Bill Clinton; the United States wallops ISIS targets in Syria while the Venezuelan oil blockade continues; and Turning Point USA&#8217;s AmericaFest wraps up with fireworks.
It’s Monday, December 22, 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 video version can be seen on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251222-member-exclusive?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/epstein-files-firestorm-u-s-retaliation-strikes-isis/id1576594336?i=1000742295192" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Epstein Files Released</h2>
The Justice Department has begun publishing thousands of pages of material tied to its investigations of Jeffrey Epstein. But the rollout has sparked immediate controversy with claims of heavy redactions and missing files. Because of the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed last month, the DOJ released an initial batch of over 13,000 files. These include investigative materials, grand jury transcripts from cases adjudicated in the early 2000s, police reports, flight logs, handwritten phone messages, and dozens of photographs. Though some of the material is new, none of it is blockbuster news. There are still hundreds of thousands of records under review that will be released on a rolling basis in the coming weeks, however.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">U.S. Hits ISIS</h2>
President Trump has followed through on his promise to avenge three Americans killed in Syria last week, carrying out dozens of strikes against ISIS in Syria. On Friday, the U.S. military, with some help from Jordan, hit 70+ ISIS targets across Syria. An early report from a Syria monitoring group said that at least five ISIS terrorists were killed. Most of the destruction was of ISIS infrastructure, including munitions, supplies, and hideouts. War Secretary Pete Hegseth tamped down fears that this could lead to a wider conflict. Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/2002140737060692098">said</a>, “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">TPUSA’s AmFest Wraps Up</h2>
Turning Point USA’s big annual conference, AmericaFest, had more eyes than ever on it this year as organizers set out to honor its founder Charlie Kirk and give the stage to the most influential voices in the conservative movement. The event wrapped with some surprises–the major one coming on Sunday when Ericka Kirk walked rapper Nicki Minaj out on the main stage to talk about her respect for President Trump. The event was also full of fiery speeches that generated many headlines across the media. But while the media and the internet were full of controversy, the feeling on the floor of the conference felt communal and high-energy, according to Daily Wire reporters at the event.

MRN_251222_V2 (1)

Morning Brief: Epstein Files Released, U.S. Hits ISIS In Syria, And AmFest Comes To A Close

AMFEST

Department of Defense

Morning Wire

Pete Hegseth

Syria

Turning Point USA

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche pushed back on claims that any information had been redacted from the most recently-released trove of Epstein documents in order to protect certain politically-connected people — particularly President Donald Trump.
NBC anchor Kristen Welker posed the question directly during Blanche&#8217;s Sunday morning appearance on &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; asking whether anything in the massive trove of documents — released on Friday pursuant to the Epstein Transparency Act — had been redacted because of &#8220;embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NBC: Has anything in the Epstein Files been redacted on that basis of &#8217;embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity&#8217;?<a href="https://twitter.com/DAGToddBlanche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DAGToddBlanche</a>: &#8220;Absolutely, positively not.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/DT93hLwUcd">pic.twitter.com/DT93hLwUcd</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2002746994062692601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Absolutely, positively not,&#8221; Blanche declared, adding that the only redactions made had been to protect known and potential victims, some of which only became known after some of the photos in the most recent batch were made public.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/DAGToddBlanche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DAGToddBlanche</a>: &#8220;The absurdity of us pulling down a photo — a single photo — because President Trump was in it is laughable, and the fact that everybody is trying to act like that&#8217;s the case is a reflection of their true motivation.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/9u7ZjgL4m7">pic.twitter.com/9u7ZjgL4m7</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2002748383073583449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Welker asked then about a number of photos that were pulled down from the Justice Department website after the release on Friday, specifically referencing one that appeared to show a desk with a drawer open to reveal several photos — some of which featured President Trump — and asking why those photos had been removed.
Blanche once again stated that concerns were raised — after the photos were made public — about the women in the photos and whether or not their identities should have been protected. He went on to note that photos were not being redacted simply because Trump was in them — especially considering the fact that so many photos already existed of Trump in Epstein&#8217;s circles and no one was trying to hide those.
&#8220;The absurdity of us pulling down a photo — a single photo — because President Trump was in it is laughable, and the fact that everybody is trying to act like that&#8217;s the case is a reflection of their true motivation,&#8221; he said.

Justice Department Announces Federal Enforcement Action Against International Criminal Organization

Deputy AG Rejects Claims DOJ Redacted Epstein Docs To Protect Donald Trump

Kristen Welker

Media

NBC News

The Justice Department released hundreds of thousands of pages — all related to the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — to the public on Friday, including several never-before-seen photos of former President Bill Clinton with the disgraced financier.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche revealed that, thus far, the investigation had uncovered some 1,200 victims — whose names and identifying information have been redacted in order to protect them — and Fox News Digital initially reported that the same treatment had been given to the names of those who were serving as government officials or were considered to be politically connected.
&#8220;Today, the Department of Justice publicly released materials related to Jeffrey Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Additional responsive materials will be produced as our review continues, consistent with the law and with protections for victims,&#8221; Blanche posted, sharing a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/">link to the files</a>.
Blanche sent a letter to Congress on Friday — which was obtained by <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/epstein-files-explode-open-doj-details-discovery-powerful-figures-more-than-1200-victims">Fox News Digital</a> — explaining what had been included in the release and what had been redacted.
<blockquote>We write to notify you that today the Department of Justice is producing hundreds of thousands of pages of responsive materials in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, this unprecedented disclosure highlights our commitment to following the law, being transparent, and protecting victims.</blockquote>
Included in the files released Friday were a number of new photos — including a few of Bill Clinton in a pool with convicted Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and in a hot tub with at least one unidentified female whose face has been redacted. According to the Justice Department&#8217;s own process, the only faces that would be redacted would be those of minors, alleged victims, and government officials.
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<div id="attachment_1018041" style="width: 787px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018041" class="size-large wp-image-1018041" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg" alt="" width="777" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-777x576.jpeg 777w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-300x222.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool-768x569.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/ClintonMaxwellPool.jpeg 946w" sizes=" (max-width: 777px) 100vw, 777px" />Image via Justice Department</div>
Blanche also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/epstein-update-trumps-doj-to-miss-friday-deadline-says-its-not-prepared-to-release-all-epstein-files?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=EPSTEIN+UPDATE%3A+Trump%E2%80%99s+DOJ+To+Miss+Friday+Deadline%2C+Says+It%E2%80%99s+Not+Prepared+To+Release+All+Epstein+Files">told</a> &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; on Friday that “several hundred thousand” more documents won’t be released until the coming weeks.
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&#8220;The most important thing that the attorney general has talked about, that [FBI Director Kash] Patel has talked about, is that we protect victims, and so what we are doing is we are looking at every single piece of paper that we are going to produce, making sure that every victim, their name, their identity, their story to the extent that it needs to be protected is completely protected.&#8221;
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<div id="attachment_1018045" style="width: 779px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018045" class="size-large wp-image-1018045" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg" alt="" width="769" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--769x576.jpeg 769w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ--768x575.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/G8kCH3HXQAEQOZ-.jpeg 880w" sizes=" (max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px" />Image via Justice Department</div>
Some of the documents released on Friday included flight logs, a list of some 200 masseuses that is almost fully redacted, a client list belonging to Epstein, several new photos — most of which are at least partially redacted — and evidence files from the case against Maxwell. It is unclear as yet how much of the information is new and how much has been included in previous releases.
It is also unclear how many of the redactions were made to protect the integrity of any ongoing investigations or pending litigation.

Bill Clinton with Jeffrey Epstein

DOJ Drops Long-Awaited Trove Of Epstein Files That Includes Shocking Bill Clinton Pics

Ghislaine Maxwell

Pedophilia

Sex Trafficking

Federal authorities have accused another Chinese researcher of smuggling biological materials into the United States, as the FBI cautions American universities about growing threats from the communist nation.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Friday that Chinese national Youhuang Xiang was arrested for allegedly smuggling genetic material from E. coli bacteria into the United States while working as a researcher at Indiana University. According to court documents, Xiang entered the country in 2023 on an educational exchange visa to secure a postdoctoral position at the school.
“This is yet another example of a researcher from China — given the privilege to work at a U.S. university — who then allegedly chose to take part in a scheme to circumvent U.S. laws and receive biological materials hidden in a package originating from China,” Patel posted on X. “The [FBI] and our CBP partners are committed to enforcing U.S. laws put in place to protect against this global threat to our economy and food supply. If not properly controlled, E. coli and other biological materials could inflict devastating disease to U.S. crops and cause significant financial loss to the U.S. economy.”
Xiang has been charged with conspiracy to commit smuggling, smuggling, and making false statements. He could face up to 20 years in prison and fines totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars if convicted. James Tunick, Xiang&#8217;s lawyer, disputed the allegations.
&#8220;Youhuang Xiang was legally working in the United States on a J-1 visa with a professor from the Biology Department at Indiana University to better wheat crop production in the United States,&#8221; Tunick told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The allegation that Youhuang smuggled E. coli into the United States is completely false and is not even charged by the United States Department of Justice.&#8221;
Xiang, whose <a href="https://biology.indiana.edu/about/research-associates/index.html">bio</a> says he specializes in “recognition specificity in host-pathogen interactions and engineering crop resistance to pathogen,” was first arrested on November 25. Information about the case was unsealed this week. 
In March 2024, Xiang requested that a person in China referred to as “Individual A” ship plasmid DNA from E. coli bacteria to his home in Bloomington, Indiana, according to the indictment. The material was shipped to him shortly after, concealed in a package of clothing items that &#8220;Individual A&#8221; declared included a men&#8217;s vest and women&#8217;s underwear, investigators said. The package allegedly came from Guangzhou Sci Tech Innovation Trading.
More than a year later, on November 23, 2025, Xiang landed in Chicago after returning from a trip to London, where agents with Customs and Border Protection questioned him. During that interview, he allegedly lied to them about the package he had sent to his home and about his ties to the Chinese government. 
Xiang was scheduled to remain at Indiana University through 2027 and was leading a research program focused on genome editing in wheat plants to increase resistance to fungal diseases.
The FBI was made aware of the shipment by CBP as part of an investigation into biological materials being smuggled into the United States from China, which is why he was questioned on November 23. 
“Information provided to the FBI by CBP included information about the history of shipments from China to certain individuals at IU conducting research into wheat pathogen Resistance,” the criminal complaint said. “That information indicated that XIANG was associated with that research and that XIANG received a shipment from China at his residence on March 28, 2024.”
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The FBI also thought it was “odd” that Xiang purchased and shipped “women’s underwear from China, and further assessed it as peculiar that a company by the name ‘Guangzhou Sci Tech Innovation Trading’ would sell underwear or clothing,” according to the complaint. 
A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674205219301625">paper</a> written by Xiang also listed his affiliation with the National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics in Shanghai, which raised flags for investigators. 
“I know from my training and experience that the PRC ‘Key Laboratories’ are overseen by the Chinese Government and have a history of concerning actions including technology transfer and theft of intellectual property,” the FBI agent who investigated the case wrote in the criminal complaint. 
Over the last few months, other Chinese researchers at American universities have been arrested for smuggling biological materials into the country. Multiple arrests have been made at the University of Michigan, where <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-makes-more-arrests-as-alarming-pattern-of-chinese-smuggling-continues">investigators said</a> that shipments of concealed biological materials related to roundworms were smuggled into the United States. 
President Donald Trump has faced criticism over the presence of Chinese students at American universities. While some critics have called for reducing the number of Chinese nationals admitted to U.S. schools, Trump has argued that their enrollment helps provide funding for American institutions.

Cornfield and blue sky

Chinese National Accused Of Smuggling E. Coli DNA Into United States

Chinese National Accused of Smuggling E. Coli DNA Into United States

China

Communist China

Indiana

kash patel

Smuggling

World

A Wisconsin judge who was suspended earlier this year was convicted Thursday of obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement  (ICE) agents during an attempted arrest at a Milwaukee courthouse.
A jury found Hannah Dugan guilty of felony obstruction after officials said that she tried to help an illegal immigrant from Mexico evade immigration authorities back in April. She was found not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of concealing a wanted person. 
“We weren’t trying to make an example out of anyone. This was necessary to hold Judge Dugan accountable because of the actions she took,” <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2025/12/18/milwaukee-county-judge-hannah-dugan-found-guilty-of-felony-obstruction/87675227007/">said</a> interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel. “There’s not a political aspect to it.”
“Some have sought to make this about a larger political battle. While this case is serious for all involved, it is ultimately about a single day – a single day – in a public courthouse,” he added. 
Dugan’s legal team plans to seek to overturn her conviction. Following her arrest, the Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended her from the bench while the case proceeded. She could face more than five years in prison at sentencing.
Federal investigators <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25919655-1034-001-1-1/">identified</a> the man Dugan helped evade ICE as Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was charged in Milwaukee with three counts of battery, domestic abuse, and infliction of physical pain or injury. He had previously been deported in 2013.
According to the FBI, six members of an ICE task force arrived at the courthouse on April 18 to arrest Flores-Ruiz and agreed to wait until after his domestic abuse court appearance. Investigators said Dugan had been informed of the agents’ presence, became “visibly angry,” and called the situation “absurd,” according to witness interviews.
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According to charging documents, Dugan directed the ICE arrest team to the chief judge’s chambers before returning to her courtroom and instructing Flores-Ruiz to exit through the “jury door” into a nonpublic area of the courthouse. ICE agents later tracked Flores-Ruiz outside the building and arrested him following a foot chase.
The Trump administration celebrated the verdict. 
“Former Wisconsin state judge Hannah Dugan betrayed her oath and the people she served when she obstructed federal law enforcement during an immigration enforcement operation,” <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2001860838907355509">said</a> Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Today, a federal jury of her peers found her guilty and sent a clear message: the American people respect law and order. Nobody is above the law. This Department will not tolerate obstruction, will enforce federal immigration law, and will hold criminals to account &#8211; even those who wear robes.”

Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan Arraigned In Federal Court In Milwaukee

The Leftist Wisconsin Judge Caught Hiding Illegal From ICE Was Just Convicted

Illegal Immigation

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino plans to leave the bureau next month.
Bongino posted his farewell announcement on X on Wednesday. Bongino’s message came soon after President Donald Trump <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2001398261685309668">hinted</a> at Bongino’s departure in comments made on the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews, saying of Bongino, “I think he wants to go back to his show.”
“I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January. I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend Her,” <a href="https://x.com/FBIDDBongino/status/2001416238027935836">said</a> Bongino.
Trump appointed Bongino to the bureau in February. Bongino, before his career in conservative media, served in the New York Police Department and Secret Service. In the media, he was an adept watchdog over the Department of Justice and FBI, especially on scandals such as Operation Crossfire Hurricane and the Jeffrey Epstein saga.
Bongino recently wrapped one of his priorities for the FBI since coming into the deputy director role: identifying the suspected pipe bomber who planted bombs outside the Republican and Democratic headquarters in Washington, D.C., on January 5, 2021. Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-fbi-raids-home-of-suspected-january-6-pipe-bomber">noted</a> in a press conference that arresting the suspected bomber was “the best birthday present” Bongino could have asked for.
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The Department of Justice under Bondi has been roiled by controversies over the past year, including its handling of the so-called Epstein files and prosecutions targeting some of Trump&#8217;s chief antagonists.
White House chief-of-staff Susie Wiles was critical of Bondi in comments published recently in <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-2">Vanity Fair</a>. Wiles said Bondi mishandled the investigation into Epstein when she released old information to a group of right-wing reporters and internet influencers.
“I think she completely whiffed on appreciating that that was the very targeted group that cared about this,” Wiles said of the attorney general. “First she gave them binders full of nothingness. And then she said that the witness list, or the client list, was on her desk. There is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn’t on her desk.”
Wiles was more complimentary of the FBI leadership.
“The people that really appreciated what a big deal this is are Kash [Patel] and [FBI deputy director] Dan Bongino,” she said. She noted that, before they were inside the department, Patel and Bongino had been two of the loudest voices calling for transparency on Epstein, suspecting that information on his connections to some elites had been buried in non-public government records.
After joining the FBI, Patel and Bongino investigated their hunch about the Epstein files. They later came to the conclusion that the so-called secret files did not exist, and said as much publicly.
The handling of the Epstein probe sparked tensions within the Justice Department. Bongino <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/11/epstein-files-dan-bongino-pam-bondi-trump">reportedly</a> took issue with Bondi’s handling of the situation in particular. At the time, the deputy head of the FBI was rumored to be on the way out over frustrations with the attorney general.

Dan Bongino

Dan Bongino Leaving FBI: ‘God Bless America, And All Those Who Defend Her’

Executive

Pam Bondi

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