Good Wednesday evening. In this edition: Bondi spars with Democrats over Epstein files; Justice Department fails to indict six lawmakers; and House rejects Trump's tariffs on Canada.
Plus, Netanyahu, FAA, jobs report and SAVE Act.
Justice Department
Attorney General Pam Bondi repeatedly sparred with Democratic lawmakers over the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files during what was among the most contentious hearings of President Trump's second term.
The attorney general offered few direct answers to pointed questions, instead going on offense — accusing Democrats of a double standard for not raising similar concerns during the Biden administration and lobbing personal attacks at lawmakers.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), the panel's ranking member, accused Attorney General Bondi of failing to comply with the law mandating the release of the Epstein files by exposing victims' identities while redacting the names of others involved.
"As attorney general, you're siding with the perpetrators and you're ignoring the victims," he said. "That will be your legacy unless you act quickly to change course. You're running a massive Epstein cover-up right out of the Department of Justice."
Rep. Raskin also accused her of weaponizing the justice system by targeting President Trump's perceived political opponents, including former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) and the six sitting lawmakers who participated in a video reminding service members of their obligation to refuse illegal orders.
"You've turned the people's Department of Justice into Trump's instrument of revenge," he said.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) asked the AG to apologize directly to Mr. Epstein's victims, many of whom were in the room, for the department's errors in releasing the files.
Earlier in the hearing, she said she was "deeply sorry" for the abuse victims suffered at the hands of Mr. Epstein.
"I'm a career prosecutor and despite what the ranking member said, I have spent my entire career fighting for victims, and I will continue to do so," she said in her opening statement. "I am deeply sorry for what any victim, any victim, has been through, especially as a result of that monster."
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) accused her of lying under oath during a heated exchange over President Trump's past association with Mr. Epstein.
"There is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime," Attorney General Bondi said after the congressman played a decades-old video showing the president at a party with Mr. Epstein.
"I believe you just lied under oath," Rep. Lieu responded. "There is ample evidence in the Epstein files —"
"Don't you ever accuse me of a crime!" she fired back.
The attorney general repeatedly criticized Democrats for attacking the Trump administration, saying they owed the president an apology, and highlighting the drop in violent crime during his administration.
At one point, she called Rep. Raskin, a former constitutional law professor, a "washed-up loser lawyer."
While Republicans were largely supportive of the attorney general, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) hammered her over the Justice Department's redaction of an alleged co-conspirator's name.
"Who is responsible?"Rep. Massie asked. "Are you able to track who in the organization made this massive failure and released the victims' names?"
Attorney General Bondi responded by calling Rep. Massie a "failed politician" and a "hypocrite."
"Within 40 minutes, Wexner's name was added back in," she said, referring to businessman Les Wexner, a client of Mr. Epstein.
"Within 40 minutes of me catching you red-handed," Rep. Massie replied.
Another intense exchange unfolded when Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) questioned Attorney General Bondi about Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's past ties to Mr. Epstein.
"Has the Justice Department asked Secretary Lutnick about his ties to Epstein?" Rep. Balint asked, referencing the secretary's admission that he visited Mr. Epstein's private island years after Mr. Epstein was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a teenager.
"Secretary Lutnick has addressed those ties himself," AG Bondi responded.
"I'm not asking trick questions here," Rep. Balint said. "The American people have a right to know the answers to this. These are senior officials in the Trump administration. This is not a game, secretary."
"I'm attorney general," she replied.
"My apologies. I couldn't tell," Rep. Balint retorted.
Attorney General Bondi then criticized Rep. Balint for voting against a resolution condemning the phrase "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" as antisemitic.
"Do you want to go there?!"Rep. Balint fired back. "Are you serious, talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust? Really? Really?"
Rep. Balint then stormed out of the committee room.
The Justice Department sought — and failed — to secure an indictment against six sitting members of Congress over a video they participated in last year reminding service members of their obligation to refuse illegal orders.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the former Fox News host, authorized prosecutors to present the case to a federal grand jury in Washington, DC, but the jurors declined to issue indictments, concluding prosecutors had not met the relatively low bar of probable cause.
Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), two of the six lawmakers, criticized the Trump administration during a press conference, accusing it of trying to weaponize the justice system against the president's perceived political enemies.
"If things had gone a different way, we'd be preparing for arrests," Sen. Slotkin told reporters. "Fortunately, her attempt failed and a group of anonymous Americans upheld the rule of law."
President Trump reacted angrily to the video when it was published last November, calling for the lawmakers to be prosecuted for what he described as "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!"
"Let's call it for what it is: the president is using our justice system to weaponize against his perceived enemies," Sen. Slotkin said.
Sen. Kelly accused the president and "his cronies" of attempting to co-opt the Justice Department to "silence" critics, but said he and the other lawmakers would not be intimidated.
"They tried to have us charged and thrown into jail because we said something that they didn't like. Because we repeated what the law actually is. This happened here," he said.
"This is straight from the authoritarian playbook. This did not happen in Russia or China. In Russia and China, we see these things. This didn't happen decades ago. It happened less than a mile from this building, in the United States of America, yesterday."
All six Democratic lawmakers — who also include Reps. Jason Crow (CO), Maggie Goodlander (NH), Chrissy Houlahan (PA) and Chris Deluzio (PA) — previously served in the military or intelligence agencies.
The House approved a resolution to overturn President Trump's tariffs on Canada, delivering a rebuke to the president and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who had sought to prevent the measure from reaching the floor.
The vote was 219–211, with six Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie (KY), Don Bacon (NE), Kevin Kiley (CA), Dan Newhouse (WA), Jeff Hurd (CO) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) — joining all but one Democrat — Rep. Jared Golden (ME) — in favor.
It marked the first time the House voted on a resolution challenging the president's tariff campaign after Speaker Johnson barred such disapproval measures from coming to the floor for most of the past year.
The prohibition, which was initially approved through a rule, expired at the end of January, and the speaker was unable to get it renewed due to GOP opposition.
The House rejected an effort to reinstate the restriction in a late-night vote Tuesday, with the rule failing 214–217 as three Republicans joined all Democrats in opposition.
It was the third rule defeat during the 119th Congress and the seventh under Speaker Johnson.
The disapproval resolution, which terminates the emergency declaration invoked by the president to implement his tariffs, is largely symbolic since it has almost no chance of being enacted.
Even if it's approved in the Senate, the president would almost certainly veto the measure.
House Democrats have said they plan additional votes targeting tariffs on Mexico and Brazil, as well as the emergency declaration underpinning the president's April 2 "Liberation Day" global tariffs.
President Trumpmet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House for the seventh time since returning to office last year. "There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated," the president wrote on social media following the closed-door meeting, adding that he told the prime minister he would prefer reaching an agreement with Iran over an uncertain alternative. President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal during his first term. Since joining Israel's bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic this past summer, he has threatened additional military action. "Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer," he wrote. "That did not work well for them."
The Federal Aviation Administration unexpectedly announced a 10-day closure of airspace over El Paso, Texas, for "special security reasons," grounding flights at El Paso International Airport — then lifted the restriction just hours later, saying there was no danger to commercial aviation. The Trump administration said the action was tied to a Mexican cartel drone incursion and that the threat had been "neutralized," but the Associated Press reported that the shutdown stemmed from a Pentagon plan to test a laser system to shoot down cartel drones, which caused friction with the FAA over aviation safety coordination. Local officials and lawmakers criticized the lack of advance notice and conflicting explanations for the brief airspace closure.
The U.S. economyadded 130,000 jobs in January, and the unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The gains — which exceeded expectations — were driven by hiring in health care, social assistance and construction. Revised data from BLS also showed the labor market was much weaker in 2025 than previously reported. The agency said just 181,000 jobs were added during the year, down sharply from the earlier estimate of 584,000 and well below the 1.46 million jobs added in 2024.
The Housevoted218–213, largely along party lines, to approve the SAVE America Act, a Republican-backed bill that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to cast a ballot in federal elections. Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX) was the lone Democrat to join all Republicans in voting in favor of the measure. The bill now heads to the Senate, where Democrats have vowed to block it.
For your radar…
Minnesota and federal immigration officials testify before a Senate panel Thursday on the immigration enforcement operations taking place in the state. Watch LIVE on C-SPAN3 at 9am ET.
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