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On Politics

Mon Jul 21 2025

Rebecca Morin | Newsletter Writer

@RebeccaMorin_

Happy Monday! Rebecca Morin here. President Donald Trump wants the NFL's Washington Commanders and MLB's Cleveland Guardians to revert to their previous team nicknames. USA TODAY's Sports Editor Jim Reineking broke down that conversation and how that discussion has long been settled in today's 4th and Monday newsletter . If you're looking for more smart NFL analysis, sign up here.

Trump can't escape Epstein backlash

Trump should be celebrating his six month milestone in his second presidential term. His signature legislation of tax reductions and Medicaid cuts is now law. Republicans in Congress passed $9 billion in spending cuts. And the Supreme Court made way to fire thousands of Education Department employees.

But the president went from playing offense to defense over the backlash his administration has received on the handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump is under pressure from Democrats and many in his own MAGA base after the Justice Department earlier this month determined there was no so-called "client list" and that Epstein did commit suicide in prison. He has called on his followers to move on from the disgraced financier who died in a jail cell six years ago. How Epstein is overshadowing Trump's 2nd term.

Trump sues WSJ: Trump is seeking $10 billion in damages in a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, owner Rupert Murdoch and reporters Khadeeja Safdar and Joseph Palazzolo. The case claims libel and slander for publishing an article saying the future president wrote a lewd letter to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday. The story published July 17 described a letter from Trump that the Journal reported was part of a leather-bound birthday book with dozens of other letters presented to Epstein in 2003. Read the lawsuit.

GOP governor calls for records release: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called on the Trump administration to release all the files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, claiming that Epstein and his former partner Ghislaine Maxwell didn't act alone. DeSantis said "there's a desire for justice."

'Nothing will be good enough': Trump over the weekend conceded that he's unlikely to satisfy the clamor for more information about Epstein. Even if a court fully approves his request to release grand jury testimony about the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, that probably won't be enough, Trump said on social media.

A protester holds a sign outside the White House demanding the release to all files related to Jeffrey Epstein in Washington, DC, on July 18, 2025.

ALEX WROBLEWSKI, AFP via Getty Images

A politics pit stop

•	Hegseth is moving the first female superintendent of the Naval Academy to a new post.
•	Trump wants the Supreme Court to bring down the hammer on gun rules.
•	Edwin Feulner, founder of group behind Project 2025, dies at 83.
•	Ellen DeGeneres confirms Trump provoked her move to the UK.
•	Trump pledged to save Afghans. But UAE had already sent some back.

Time to redraw in Texas

Lawmakers in Texas already have the 2026 midterms on their minds. The Republican-controlled Texas Legislature kicked off a special session this week where they are poised to consider a new set of congressional maps. So what does that mean? Republican Gov. Greg Abbott – after facing pressure from Trump's political team – asked lawmakers to redraw some of Texas' 38 U.S. House districts ahead of next year's elections. Trump's political operatives have floated redrawing congressional districts that shift more GOP voters into blue ones. Midterms often favor the party not in office, and the move is part of an effort to help Republicans hold their narrow House majority. What to know about Texas' efforts in redistricting.