• Epstein files: The Justice Department un-redacted some more names in the Jeffrey Epstein files after pressure from lawmakers who reviewed unredacted versions of several records. Separately, the White House said the president supports Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick after he testified about having lunch at Epstein’s Caribbean Island in 2012.
• DHS hearing: At a House Homeland Security Committee hearing, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson heavily criticized the department for “running roughshod over Americans’ rights.” The head of Customs and Border Protection said there are several open investigations into his officers’ conduct during Trump’s immigration enforcement surge.
• Funding deadlock: Facing a Friday deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said negotiators are making progress on proposed changes to ICE. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not directly rule out a short-term stopgap bill but said Democrats are putting pressure on the GOP over ICE demands.
President Donald Trump critiqued the Department of Government Efficiency for the haphazard way it led the downsizing of the federal workforce last year – noting it was “the one thing I didn’t like about DOGE.”
“When you cut, get rid of the people that are doing a lousy job,” he told Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow in an interview airing Tuesday. “In other words, take care of the people that are doing a good job. And I didn’t want a general cut.”
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