“Grey’s Anatomy” star Katherine Heigl responded to leftist criticism after attending a charity event at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last weekend.
The 47-year-old actress was quick to defend her appearance at the Wine, Women &amp; Shoes annual fundraiser benefitting the no-kill animal shelter Big Dog Ranch Rescue. Heigl said her attendance was about &#8220;animal advocacy&#8221; and had nothing to do with politics.
It was Heigl’s first public appearance since 2024.
“Animals don’t vote,&#8221; Heigl said in a <a href="https://www.justjared.com/2026/03/11/katherine-heigl-is-directly-replying-to-many-instagram-comments-slamming-her-appearance-at-dog-rescue-event-at-mar-a-lago/">statement</a> to JustJared. &#8220;The only room they don’t like is the euthanasia room at a shelter. They are completely at the mercy of us, and they have no voice of their own.&#8221;
&#8220;This event was about animal advocacy — something that has always been deeply personal to me,&#8221; the actress continued. &#8220;Anyone who knows me knows that protecting animals is one of my greatest passions. My mother, Nancy, and I have spent years advocating for animals through the Jason Heigl Foundation. As a society, we should all come together to protect the voiceless and the innocent. This should not be a polarizing issue.&#8221;
Heigl also directly responded to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVwdl3Dkbbw/?hl=en">Instagram comments</a> from people who couldn’t believe she’d dare to visit a Trump property for any reason.
After she posted &#8220;animals don&#8217;t vote,&#8221; one commenter complained, &#8220;No, but if they did they would have better judgement than you!&#8221;
Heigl responded, &#8220;Just curious…what do you do that really matters…do you think comments on an instagram post matter to animals who have had humans pour gasoline on them and set them on fire? Who have had humans vote conservative or liberal but have been left to starve and suffer? Seriously…I’m very curious what you truly think matters to the voiceless and innocent…actions or just instagram posturing?&#8221;
The commenter went on: &#8220;There are so many amazing rescues to align yourself with that aren’t hosting events there — and so many ways to get involved that aren’t putting on a dress and drinking cocktails masquerading as helping.&#8221; 
&#8220;How are you so sure about that…have you been to any?&#8221; Heigl replied. &#8220;Have you donated a significant part of your income to anything? Anything you claim to care so much about? Have you done anything more than comment on what someone else is doing or not doing to your standard? Just curious…&#8221;
Other celebrities attending included famed dog trainer Cesar Millan, Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host who now serves as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, and the charity&#8217;s co-founder, Lara Trump, per <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2026/03/11/lara-trump-katherine-heigl-jeanine-pirro-big-dog-ranch-rescue-mar-a-lago/89098185007/">USA Today</a>.
Heigl has not been openly political in the past. When asked about the presidential election in 2008, she said, “I don’t do politics. It’s not my forum, man, you know? I get annoyed.”

Katherine Heigl

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Katherine Heigl Defends Herself For Attending Mar-a-Lago Charity Event

Celebrities

Donald Trump

Entertainment

Florida

Hollywood

Lara Trump

Mar-a-Lago

U.S.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump broke his silence on the armed intruder shot by Secret Service at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend, jokingly acknowledging the many attempts on his life and the possibility of future attacks.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be around,” Trump told angel families assembled in the East Room of the White House on Monday morning. “Got a lot of people gunning for me.”
<div class="twt-content-only-hide">“You know, if you read about all these crazy shooters, they don’t go after non-consequential presidents,” Trump added, referring to President Abraham Lincoln and President John F. Kennedy Jr., who were both assassinated.</div>
He joked: “So maybe I want to be a little less consequential? Can we hold it back a little bit, please? Can this be a normal presidency for a little while?”
The Secret Service announced on Sunday morning that an armed man was shot and killed by Secret Service agents and the Palm Beach County Sheriff&#8217;s office after he unlawfully entered the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago early Sunday morning. Trump was not present at his Florida home when the incident occurred, since he had stayed at the White House for the weekend.
<div id="attachment_1048693" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-breaks-silence-on-armed-intruder-at-mar-a-lago-got-a-lot-of-people-gunning-for-me/probe-into-classified-documents-uncovered-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-estate-continues" rel="attachment wp-att-1048693"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1048693" class="wp-image-1048693 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1423717043-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1423717043-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1423717043-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1423717043-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1423717043.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>President Donald Trump&#8217;s Mar-a-Lago estate is seen on September 14, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)</div>
Authorities later revealed that the deceased intruder was 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of Cameron, North Carolina, reported missing by his family on Saturday. Around 1:30 a.m., authorities discovered him breaking into the premises, carrying a shotgun and a fuel can. He refused to drop these items and was shot by the authorities guarding the premises.
While the tabloid TMZ reported that Martin was obsessed with the Jeffrey Epstein files, <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/02/22/mar-a-lago-armed-man-shot-dead-texts-show-epstein-files-fixation/">citing text messages</a> between Martin and his friend, the Secret Service and the FBI have not confirmed this point.
&#8220;I&#8217;d be careful about leaning too much into that,&#8221; said Anthony Guglielmi, Chief of Communications for the United States Secret Service. &#8220;There is a lot of work to do. As of now, the investigation is being led by the FBI and we are working in conjunction with them to try to learn more about the suspect&#8217;s background, actions, and potential motivations for going down to Florida.&#8221;

President Trump And EPA Administrator Zeldin Make An Announcement From The White House

Trump Breaks Silence On Armed Intruder At Mar-A-Lago: ‘Got A Lot Of People Gunning For Me’

assassination attempt

Executive

Secret Service

President Donald Trump’s deadline for a deal with Iran draws near, Secret Service takes down a Mar-a-Lago intruder, and Team USA reignites the American spirit with thrilling victories on the ice.
It’s Monday, February 23, 2026, 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:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/iran-negotiations-intensify-mar-a-lago-intruder/id1576594336?i=1000750986850" 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;">The U.S.-Iran Showdown</h2>
American and Iranian diplomats meet again to work <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule">towards</a> a nuclear deal, as President Trump continues to threaten military action. 
Now that Trump’s military buildup in the Middle East is nearly complete, he has a range of options at his disposal, and the world is waiting to see which way he’ll go. White House officials say he could launch limited strikes on nuclear sites in the coming days, with the message: capitulate, or we’ll go harder. He could also specifically target the supreme leader and his son, widely viewed as the successor. Or he could simply keep the forces in place and allow negotiations to continue, albeit with a very different dynamic than before. 
Iranian officials on social media and in speeches have struck a defiant tone, taunting the United States, vowing to send American carriers to the bottom of the ocean.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Gunman Killed At Mar-a-Lago</h2>
Authorities shot and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/armed-intruder-with-shotgun-sparks-deadly-secret-service-response-at-mar-a-lago">killed</a> an armed man who walked through one of the main gates of Mar-a-Lago early Sunday morning. 
According to authorities, a young man entered the inner perimeter around 1:30 in the morning. He was carrying a gas can and a shotgun, and he walked through one of the club’s main gates as a vehicle was exiting. Law enforcement who were assigned to Mar-a-Lago responded. Two Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy fatally shot the man after he disregarded orders to drop the shotgun. 
The dead man has been <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article314795124.html">identified</a> as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin. He is originally from North Carolina, where his family reported him missing about the same time he was killed. Early on Sunday morning, a family member told a sheriff’s deputy from North Carolina’s Moore County that Martin had been unreachable since about 8 p.m. on Saturday. Later that morning, Martin’s mother posted about her son on Facebook, asking for help finding him.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Olympic Wrap Up</h2>
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have drawn to a close, but not before delivering one of the most emotionally charged finishes in decades.
 From the United States men’s hockey golds to breakout stars like Alysa Liu, the games have reignited a renewed American spirit. After a rocky start due to anti-ICE statements, Team USA athletes didn’t just score medals; they delivered iconic moments that deeply connected with the public. 
The U.S. men <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/revenge-served-cold-team-usa-takes-gold-over-canada-in-olympic-sudden-death-overtime?author=Andie+Valdes&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Revenge+Served+Cold%3A+Team+USA+Takes+Gold+Over+Canada+In+Olympic+Sudden-Death+Overtime">defeating</a> Canada in overtime for Olympic gold marked the country’s first men’s hockey gold since 1980, the &#8220;Miracle on Ice.&#8221; Jack Hughes’ winning goal sent the U.S. bench into chaos and reignited memories of American hockey’s defining moments. 
Elsewhere on the ice, figure skater Alysa Liu has become bigger than medals. The young athlete <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-figure-skaters-father-narrowly-escaped-china-she-just-won-olympic-gold?author=Andie+Valdes&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Alysa+Liu%E2%80%99s+Father+Escaped+China.+She+Just+Won+Olympic+Gold+For+The+United+States.">carried</a> herself with humility, joy, and visible love for her country. Liu’s success was particularly poignant when contrasted with that of skier Eileen Gu, who, though American, agreed to compete for Communist China. Her performances were emotional, technically strong, and original. When she finished her program, the reaction wasn’t just applause; it was affection.

MRN_260223_V2

Morning Brief: Iran Talks Heat Up, Mar-A-Lago Intruder, & Team USA On Fire

Iran

Morning Wire

Olympics

United States

The armed intruder who was shot dead on Sunday after attempting to breach Mar-a-lago has been identified after being reported missing by his family.
Austin Tucker Martin, who was reported missing by his family on Saturday, was identified as the man armed with a shotgun and a gas can attempting to breach Mar-a-Lago, law enforcement sources <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/22/us-news/mar-a-lago-shotgun-wielding-madman-idd-as-north-carolina-golf-course-artist/">told</a> the New York Post.
Martin’s family has been desperately searching for Martin since Saturday, according to the Post’s review of Martin and his family&#8217;s social media accounts.
Martin’s social media reveals an obsession with drawing golf courses in the Sandhurst region of England, as well as local courses surrounding his hometown of Cameron, North Carolina.
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/armed-intruder-with-shotgun-sparks-deadly-secret-service-response-at-mar-a-lago?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jordan+Schroeder&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Armed+Intruder+With+Shotgun+Sparks+Deadly+Secret+Service+Response+At+Mar-A-Lago">reported</a>, the shooting happened at around 1:30 a.m. when Secret Service agents, alongside a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, responded to an unauthorized breach near the north gate of the property.
Authorities said the suspect was carrying what looked like a shotgun and a fuel can when he was confronted. Shots were fired after Martin refused to drop the shotgun and gas can, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
President Trump and his family were not on the property during the incident, the Secret Service confirmed.
No agents or deputies were injured during the incident, and the FBI director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau is investigating the shooting.
&#8220;[The] FBI is dedicating all necessary resources in the investigation of this morning’s incident at President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago — where an armed individual was shot and killed after unlawfully entering the perimeter,&#8221; the director <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2025596613738000645">said</a> on X. &#8220;We will continue working closely with @SecretService as well our state and federal partners and will provide updates as we are able.&#8221;

Missing North Carolina Man Identified As Armed Intruder Shot Dead At Mar-A-Lago

Crime

Political Violence

Shooting

The United States Secret Service confirmed early Sunday morning that agents shot and killed a man armed with what appeared to be a shotgun after he allegedly tried to break into President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in the middle of the night.
According to officials, the incident happened around 1:30 a.m. when agents, alongside a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, responded to an unauthorized breach near the north gate of the property. Authorities say the man, believed to be in his early 20s, was carrying what looked like a shotgun and a fuel can when he was confronted. Shots were fired during the encounter, and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities said no Secret Service protectees were on the property at the time of the shooting, meaning the agents assigned to protect the president and the first family were not present. The confirmation indicates President Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago when the suspect attempted to carry out his plot. No agents or deputies were injured during the incident.
The shooting is now being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Secret Service and local authorities. As is standard procedure, the agents involved have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw gave an update on the situation on Sunday morning, saying that the FBI was taking the lead in the investigation and that the Palm Beach County authorities would do whatever they could to assist.
Bradshaw also confirmed that when approached by law enforcement, the suspect had been ordered to drop the gas can and the shotgun — but instead, he had dropped the gas can and raised the shotgun to &#8220;shooting position.&#8221; At that point, Secret Service agents had acted to &#8220;neutralize the threat.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 BREAKING: Palm Beach County sheriff gives an update on the shooting at Mar-a-Lago: <a href="https://t.co/7zocm5pv3q">https://t.co/7zocm5pv3q</a> <a href="https://t.co/sVnShagrQh">pic.twitter.com/sVnShagrQh</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2025579855429906588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This is a breaking story. Stay with the Daily Wire as developing details unfold.

Screenshot

Armed Intruder With Shotgun Sparks Deadly Secret Service Response At Mar-A-Lago

FBI agents worried that they did not have probable cause for the raid on President Donald Trump&#8217;s Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, but went ahead with it anyway under pressure from then-President Joe Biden&#8217;s Justice Department.
A <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-doubted-probable-cause-mar-a-lago-raid-pushed-forward-amid-pressure-from-biden-doj-emails-reveal">report</a> published Tuesday by Fox News Digital detailed a number of emails between the FBI and the DOJ regarding concerns that Trump had taken classified documents to his Florida home — and how to best resolve the situation — and the DOJ ignored the FBI agents assigned to the case who repeatedly suggested alternatives to an outright raid of the property.
&#8220;Very little has been developed related to who might be culpable for mishandling the documents,&#8221; one FBI official — identified as an assistant special agent in charge — wrote to Anthony Riedlinger, another FBI official. &#8220;From the interviews, [Washington Field Office] has gathered information suggesting that there may be additional boxes (presumably of the same type as were sent back to NARA in January) at Mar-a-Lago.&#8221;
The official added that while they were in the process of drafting a search warrant, there were &#8220;some concerns that the information is single source, has not been corroborated, and may be dated.&#8221;
&#8220;DOJ CES opines, however, that the SW’s meet the probable cause standard,&#8221; the official said, but went on to note that the WFO still had reservations and had suggested instead that they have a conversation with Trump&#8217;s attorneys, informing them that the FBI was moving on a search warrant in the hopes of encouraging cooperation rather than confrontation.
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&#8220;At a minimum, even if the former president’s attorney is correct and the documents were all declassified (or believed to be declassified), it can be reasonably argued that the documents remain sensitive and should be properly secured until the matter of classification is sorted out,&#8221; the official added, noting that they could still move forward with the search warrant process at the same time.
Weeks passed and then another email from an unnamed FBI agent stated, &#8220;We haven’t generated any new facts, but keep being given draft after draft after draft.&#8221;
The agent made it clear that the case was viewed as a nonstarter and an overall waste of time: &#8220;Absent a witness coming forward with recent information about classified on site, at what point is it fair to table this? It is time consuming for the team, and not productive if there are no new facts supporting PC (probable cause)?&#8221;
Yet another email stated that officials within the WFO did &#8220;not believe (and has articulated to DOJ CES), that we have established probable cause for the search warrant for classified records at Mar a Lago.&#8221;
Additionally, FBI officials asserted that plans for a raid should be set aside in favor of &#8220;alternative, less intrusive and likelier quicker options for resolution.&#8221;
&#8220;The FBI intends for the execution of the warrant to be handled in a professional, low key manner, and to be mindful of the optics of the search,&#8221; another agent wrote, noting that Deputy Assistant Attorney General George Toscas had said he &#8220;frankly doesn’t give a damn about the optics.&#8221;
&#8220;I understand that this request may not go well at DOJ, however, it is the FBI serving and executing the search and it will be our personnel who will have to deal with the reaction to that first contact,&#8221; the agent added.
The raid went ahead on August 8, 2022.
FBI Director Kash Patel <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2000999942303998185">confirmed</a> the report in an X post on Tuesday, saying, &#8220;It’s true &#8211; we just turned over documents to Capitol Hill to be made public showing the FBI told DOJ they did not have probable cause for raiding President Trump’s home in Mar A Lago but DOJ “didn’t give a damn” and did it anyway.&#8221;

The FBI Executes A Search Warrant At Former President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Estate

FBI Agents Worried There Was No Cause To Raid Mar-a-Lago; Biden DOJ Made Them Do It Anyway

classified documents

Department of Justice

Joe Biden

Politics

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that a high profile alleged victim of Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia Giuffre, was among the staff members that Epstein poached from his Mar-a-Lago resort.
The president discussed the convicted sex offender, who died in a Manhattan prison from apparent suicide in 2019, as he spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way back from Scotland on Tuesday. He shared that he and Epstein, who were formerly friends, fell out over Epstein&#8217;s focus on Trump&#8217;s employees.
“People were taken out of the spa, hired by him. In other words, gone,” Trump told reporters. “When I heard about it, I told him, I said, listen, we don’t want you taking our people, whether it’s spa or not spa &#8230; and he was fine. And not too long after, he did it again. And I said, outta here.”
“I have a great spa,” the president added. “One of the best spas in the world at Mar-a-Lago.”
Trump had said on Monday that he ended his relationship with Epstein after Epstein &#8220;stole people who worked&#8221; for him. Asked by a reporter if one of those individuals who Epstein &#8220;stole&#8221; was Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, Trump responded: “I think so. I think that was one of the people.&#8221;
&#8220;He stole her,&#8221; added Trump, noting, &#8220;And by the way, she had no complaints about us whatsoever.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s comments come after legacy outlets <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bondi-told-trump-his-name-was-in-epstein-files-no-actionable-allegations-found">broke the news</a> that during a May briefing on the Epstein case, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump that his name, and the names of other high-profile figures, came up in her examination of the Epstein documents that are not public.
It was already publicly reported that Trump&#8217;s name appears in the Epstein documents, given that public files include his name and hundreds of others. The two men were openly friendly before they fell out (reportedly because Trump found Epstein to be a &#8220;creep&#8221;) and Epstein was no longer welcome at Mar-A-Lago, administration officials previously shared with The Daily Wire.
Asked by reporters whether he stopped being friends with Epstein because he was a creep or because he was stealing employees, Trump responded: “Well maybe they’re the same thing, sort of a little bit of the same thing. He took people that worked for me and I told him don’t do it anymore, and he did it, so I said stay the hell out of here.”
<div id="attachment_953993" style="width: 731px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-epstein-stole-employees-from-mar-a-lago-spa-including-accuser-virginia-giuffre/trump-knauss-epstein-maxwell-at-mar-a-lago" rel="attachment wp-att-953993"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-953993" class="wp-image-953993 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1192977807-721x576.jpg" alt="" width="721" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1192977807-721x576.jpg 721w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1192977807-300x240.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1192977807-768x614.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1192977807.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 721px) 100vw, 721px" /></a>Donald Trump and his then-girlfriend, former model Melania Knauss, financier Jeffrey Epstein, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida, February 12, 2000. (Photo by Davidoff Studios/Getty Images)</div>
“As part of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings,” Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, shared in a joint statement. “Nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.”
The Justice Department posted a July 7 <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memo</a> declaring that after an “exhaustive review” of the Epstein files, it had found no incriminating “client list” or “credible evidence” that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals. &#8220;No further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted,&#8221; the DOJ said, sparking massive backlash from both the Left and the Right.
Amid ongoing criticism and calls for more transparency, Blanche revealed that he would interview Epstein&#8217;s infamous cohort Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20 year sentence for sex trafficking.
“If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say,” Blanche <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1947622027587723365" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Mairead Elordi contributed to this report.

TOPSHOT-BRITAIN-SCOTLAND-US-TRUMP

Trump Says Epstein ‘Stole’ Employees From Mar-A-Lago Spa — Including Accuser Virginia Giuffre

Ghislaine Maxwell

Jeffrey Epstein

Virginia Giuffre

President Donald Trump recalled the exact moment that he declared the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein to be &#8220;persona non grata&#8221; — and informed him that he was no longer welcome at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump delivered the statement on Monday during a joint press conference — which included British Prime Minister Keir Starmer — at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. He initially dismissed a question about how he and Epstein fell out, calling it &#8220;such old history&#8221; — but then answered the query anyway.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump: &#8220;I threw Epstein out. Persona non grata. And that was it. I&#8217;m glad I did. And by the way, I never went to the island. And Bill Clinton went there supposedly 28 times.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/K9zMlQOLik">pic.twitter.com/K9zMlQOLik</a>
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) <a href="https://twitter.com/theblaze/status/1949835728449425637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;That’s such old history. Very easy to explain, but I don’t want to waste your time by explaining it,&#8221; Trump began, but proceeded anyway. &#8220;But for years, I wouldn’t talk to Jeffrey Epstein. I wouldn&#8217;t talk, because he did something that was inappropriate.&#8221;
&#8220;He hired help. And I said ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He stole people that worked for me,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;I said, ‘Don’t never do that again.’ He did it again. And I threw him out of the place, persona non grata. I threw him out, and that was it. I&#8217;m glad I did, if you want to know the truth.&#8221;
Trump then stated that despite being invited, he had never gone to Epstein&#8217;s island — and claimed that former President Bill Clinton — who has been documented as flying on Epstein&#8217;s plane a number of times — had been to the island &#8220;28 times.&#8221;
&#8220;And by the way, I never went to the island,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And Bill Clinton went there, supposedly, 28 times. I never went to the island, but Larry Summers, I hear, went there, he was the head of Harvard. And many other people that were very big people, nobody ever talks about them.&#8221;
&#8220;I never had the privilege of going to his island. And I did turn it down,&#8221; Trump repeated. &#8220;But a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island. In one of my very good moments, I turned it down. I didn’t want to go to his island.&#8221;

U.S. President Donald Trump Visits Scotland For Rounds Of Golf And Trade Talks

‘Persona Non Grata’: Trump Recalls What Made Him Boot Epstein From Mar-A-Lago

'Persona Non Grata': Trump Recalls What Made Him Boot Epstein From Mar-A-Lago

Media

“Full House” actor John Stamos took to social media to defend himself against followers who were angry at him for attending an event at Mar-a-Lago.
The 61-year-old celebrity said in his lengthy response that his attendance wasn’t meant as a political statement, but was rather him supporting a cause he felt strongly about.
&#8220;I accepted the invitation to emcee the Palm Beach Ray of Hope Gala – an evening dedicated to honoring and uplifting our frontline heroes,&#8221; Stamos wrote in part, per <a href="https://people.com/john-stamos-defends-mar-a-lago-appearance-isnt-political-11711044">People</a>. &#8220;This nonpartisan event supports The Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations, a 501(c) (3) organization that trains 350-400 nurses every year, directly addressing the critical shortage of healthcare professionals in Palm Beach County.&#8221;
Stamos said supporting nurses shouldn’t be politicized regardless of where those events take place.
&#8220;Supporting nurses isn&#8217;t political – it&#8217;s essential,&#8221; he continued in the Instagram Stories post. &#8220;These are the people who care for us and our families when we need it most, and I believe we should show up for them with the same unwavering dedication they show up with every single day. I stand by the importance of healthcare, of service, and of investing in those who care for our communities.&#8221;
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Update: John Stamos uses cause of supporting nurses to defend emceeing a “non-partisan event” at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property:
“Supporting nurses isn&#39;t political-it&#39;s essential. These are the people who care for us and our families when we need it most, and I believe we should… <a href="https://t.co/84fGbyoEYp">pic.twitter.com/84fGbyoEYp</a>
&mdash; PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) <a href="https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1909387905195446628?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;My values and political views remain unchanged and if you don&#8217;t donate to Palm Beach Ray of Hope, then please consider donating to Democracy Forward,” the actor concluded.
Stamos was responding to critics who came at him for photos circulating of him attending the event. &#8220;John Stamos just ruined his brand forever,&#8221; one X commenter <a href="https://x.com/RussOnPolitics/status/1908971154838036742">wrote</a>. &#8220;You can&#8217;t visit Mar-a-Lago and then expect the stink to ever leave you. Nobody will be having mercy on him.&#8221;
There were also many people praising Stamos for his actions. “Just became a fan,” one person <a href="https://x.com/bsqwuig/status/1908991779921330384">replied</a>.
The “Full House” star is a longtime Democrat supporter. Stamos previously endorsed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2020 election and <a href="https://x.com/johnstamos/status/1325233157273051136">shared a photo</a> on X of himself posing with Biden while congratulating him on his win.
Stamos also made a featured appearance on the “Comics for Kamala” <a href="https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/comics-elders-kamala-harris-fundraiser-nick-offerman-jane-fonda-1236096484/">fundraising call</a> ahead of the 2024 election.

John Stamos

John Stamos Defends Himself After Attending Event At Mar-a-Lago: ‘Not Political’

The FBI has returned personal property belonging to President Donald Trump that was seized during its raid on Mar-a-Lago in August 2022.
&#8220;The FBI is giving the President his property back that was taken during the unlawful and illegal raids,&#8221; White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told The Daily Wire. &#8220;We are taking possession of the boxes today and loading them onto Air Force One.&#8221;
Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan personally witnessed the FBI loading many boxes onto Air Force One as she boarded the flight to travel with the president to Palm Beach.
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And I saw many of these boxes being loaded with my own eyes: <a href="https://t.co/u1PkG6F1i5">https://t.co/u1PkG6F1i5</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1895601178697986105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
The FBI raided Trump&#8217;s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on August 8, 2022, as part of a criminal investigation into his handling of classified material after leaving office.
“These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-fbi-raids-trumps-home-at-mar-a-lago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement at the time. “After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate.”
The investigation had focused on material that Trump brought with him to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House that contained classified material that officials had sought to retrieve from Trump since early 2021.
“They even broke into my safe!” Trump added at the time. “It is political targeting at the highest level!”
Out of the several criminal cases that Trump faced during his four years out of office, the documents case also was the most serious.
However, the case, led by special counsel Jack Smith, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-dismisses-trump-classified-documents-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> by District Court Judge Aileen Cannon in July of last year because “Smith’s appointment violates the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution,” Cannon wrote in an order granting Trump’s motion to dismiss.
Cannon also found that Smith’s “use of a permanent indefinite appropriation” violated the Appropriations Clause of the Constitution, but she said the court “need not address the proper remedy for that funding violation given the dismissal on Appointments Clause grounds.”
Daniel Chaitin and Mary Margaret Olohan contributed to this report.

Zelenskyy and Trump 2/28

FBI Returns Trump’s Property That Was Seized During Mar-A-Lago Raid

President Donald Trump reportedly wants to tear out the grass from the White House Rose Garden and turn it into a giant outdoor patio similar to what he has at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/us/politics/mar-a-lago-trump-grass-rose-garden.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that designers have already drafted various options. One of the variables that they are considering is whether to use &#8220;limestone or an easily interchangeable hard surface, with the possibility of installing hardwood floors for dancing.&#8221;
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NEW
President Trump has been discussing plans to rip up the grass in the White House Rose Garden in order to have a patio like the one he has at Mar-a-Lago.
The White House Rose Garden was created at the direction of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
Full Story:… <a href="https://t.co/6lsF5fnWCk">pic.twitter.com/6lsF5fnWCk</a>
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) <a href="https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1890532618690531557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded to the story by saying that Trump was seeking to spice up the historical structure.
&#8220;The White House has not been given any tender, loving care in many decades, so President Trump is taking necessary steps in order to preserve and restore the greatness and glory of &#8216;the People’s House,'&#8221; he said.
During his first term in office, First Lady Melania Trump redesigned the Rose Garden. It&#8217;s not clear what she thinks about the new plans.
The Department of the Interior&#8217;s National Park Service maintains the White House grounds, including the Rose Garden.
The report said that Trump also wants to &#8220;hang a grand chandelier from the ceiling of the Oval Office&#8221; and is thinking about building a ballroom inside the White House.

White House Rose Garden

Trump May Make Major Change To White House Landscaping

Melania Trump

White House

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> said Thursday that he would release a report on the recent mystery drone sightings reported in New Jersey and other states once he takes office. 
Trump made the comments as he met with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago, prompting several to chime in with their own reports of drone sightings. Last month, the FBI, FAA, and Pentagon said they identified no threats among the 500 drone sightings they had investigated based on public tips.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to give you a report on drones about one day into the administration because I think it&#8217;s ridiculous that they&#8217;re not telling you about what&#8217;s going on with the drones,” Trump said, noting that drones had been spotted over his property in Bedminster, New Jersey. “It’s not only with me, [Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin] was telling me today that in Virginia they have drones all over the place too and nobody is reporting it.” 
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PRESIDENT TRUMP: &#8220;I&#8217;m going to give you a report on drones about one day into the administration because I think it&#8217;s ridiculous that they&#8217;re not telling you about what&#8217;s going on with the drones.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/BnUBaAsBl6">pic.twitter.com/BnUBaAsBl6</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1877521790920020281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump said he would issue a report on the drones “shortly” after his inauguration on January 20. 
“They don’t want to talk about it and nobody knows why,” Trump said. “That could be us sending drones, I hope that’s the case, us doing it and doing research and maybe they don’t want to talk about it from that standpoint. I hope it&#8217;s not an enemy, but we’re going to find out on the 21st.”
Referencing how much of the U.S. military and intelligence infrastructure is in Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said that drones had been flying over secure air space for the last two years. 
“For two years running we have had drone incursion over secure air space and we still don’t know why. And I think that’s absolutely unacceptable,” Youngkin said. “And I think President Trump and the new leadership coming in will work diligently to understand who’s behind this and what we do in order to stop the digital surveillance of all our secure infrastructure.”
Louisiana Republican Governor Jeff Landry said that his state had recently seen drones flying over its nuclear reactors but that the FAA had done nothing after they brought it to their attention. 
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/">JOIN THE MOVEMENT IN ’25 WITH 25% OFF DAILYWIRE+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS WITH CODE DW25</a>
Wyoming Republican Governor Mark Gordon added that he had also struggled to deal with drones being flown over critical infrastructure. 
“We have drones in Wyoming flying over our infrastructure as well,” he said. “And it&#8217;s incredibly frustrating that we not only have no way of knowing what it is, but nobody knows how to deal with them.”

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