President Donald Trump’s meltdown on Wednesday over what he called the “Jeffrey Epstein hoax” had quite an impact on social media.

The president took to his Truth Social platform and posted a lengthy diatribe in which he referred to speculation about the convicted sex offender’s clients as “bullshit” that his own “PAST supporters have bought into ... hook, line, and sinker.”

He also said Epstein truthers were “weaklings” who are doing the Democrats’ work and insisted, “I don’t want their support anymore!”

Trump’s post came a day after he claimed the so-called Epstein files were fabricated by former FBI Director James Comey and former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

The financier had associated with various politicians, including both Trump and Bill Clinton, and was facing sex trafficking charges before his 2019 death in a New York jail cell. But Trump’s DOJ and FBI heads recently stated that no “Epstein client list” exists, generating even more speculation from the public.

More...

US House speaker Mike Johnson has waded into the Epstein files saga that is roiling Donald Trump’s conservative base – by calling on the justice department to release the Epstein files.

Johnson, a key ally of the US president, was asked about the controversy during an interview for a rightwing podcast. “It’s a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it,” Johnson told Benny Johnson, in comments released on Tuesday. “I agree with the sentiment that we need to put it out there.”

Referring to a comment attorney general Pam Bondi made to Fox News this year that Epstein’s client list was “sitting on my desk right now to review”, Johnson said: “She needs to come forward and explain that to everybody.

“We need the DoJ focusing on the major priorities. So let’s get this thing resolved,” the speaker added.

The comments put Johnson at odds with Trump, who has defended Bondi’s handling of the case.

More...

US president Donald Trump has claimed that the Club World Cup trophy that has featured prominently in the Oval Office will stay there, and that Fifa made a copy of the trophy that was awarded to Chelsea after their win in the tournament’s final on Sunday.

Trump attended the final along with numerous members of his cabinet and Fifa president Gianni Infantino. The pair of presidents jointly presented the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James, with Trump staying front-and-center despite the apparent confusion of Chelsea players and the pleading of Infantino.

The incident is just the latest in a long series of intersections between the US president and the world of Fifa, which began in earnest this year soon after Trump started his second term in office. Infantino unveiled the Club World Cup trophy for the first time in an event at the Oval Office in March, and the trophy has stayed there for all subsequent events in the historic space since.

More...

The Justice Department’s senior ethics attorney, a position tasked with ensuring all employees abide by the department’s moral principles, announced Monday that Attorney General Pam Bondi had fired him.

Joseph Tirrell said he received notice from Bondi on Friday and shared a copy of her letter to him on LinkedIn. The notice did not provide any reasoning for his firing, which was effective immediately, but says he may appeal the decision.

Tirrell said in his LinkedIn post that he was “responsible for advising the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General directly on federal employee ethics” and led a team of 30 people dedicated to upholding ethics across the Justice Department.

His public service career spanned a quarter of a century, Tirrell wrote in his announcement, saying he began as a U.S. Naval officer before earning a law degree and working at the FBI before moving to the DOJ. He’s led the ethics office since 2023.

More...