A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration’s latest bid to limit lawmakers from conducting unannounced visits to immigration detention facilities, ruling that it likely runs afoul of oversight measures that Congress implemented.
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Classified Whistleblower Complaint About Tulsi Gabbard Stalls Within Her Agency
A U.S. intelligence official has alleged wrongdoing by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in a whistleblower complaint that is so highly classified it has sparked months of wrangling over how to share it with Congress, according to U.S. officials and others familiar with the matter.
The filing of the complaint has prompted a continuing, behind-the-scenes struggle about how to assess and handle it, with the whistleblower’s lawyer accusing Gabbard of stonewalling the complaint. Gabbard’s office rejects that characterization, contending it is navigating a unique set of circumstances and working to resolve the issue.
Donald Trump Denies Being ‘Friendly’ With Epstein
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-denies-being-friendly-with-epstein-11454545
President Donald Trump denied being "friendly" with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a Truth Social post Monday, claiming newly released Department of Justice (DOJ) information reveals Epstein and author Michael Wolff "conspired" to damage him and his presidency.
Trump also said he never visited Epstein's private island while alleging "almost all" Democrats and their donors did, and threatened legal action against unspecified members of "the Radical Left."
The president did not provide evidence to support his claim that Democrats and their donors visited Epstein's private island.
Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, commented in a recent Vanity Fair interview that "there is no evidence" Clinton made repeated trips to Epstein's private island, countering earlier claims made by Trump on social media. She also said Trump "is in the file" but that "he's not in the file doing anything awful."
Bill Clinton’s chief of staff, Angel Ureña, issued a statement in December addressing the former president’s appearance in the files: "The White House has not been hiding these files for months, only to dump them late on a Friday afternoon to protect Bill Clinton. This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they will try and hide forever.
"So they can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this is not about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be. Even Susie Wiles said Donald Trump was wrong about Bill Clinton.
"There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continues relationships with him after. We are in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that.
Monday, February 2, 2026
Ketogenic Diet’s Hidden Risks Named in Mouse Study
Ketogenic Diet’s Hidden Risks Named in Mouse Study
While mouse findings do not always translate directly to humans, the study does potentially begin to address gaps in long-term safety data for ketogenic diets—which have been widely adopted for weight loss and diabetes management—despite limited evidence on what happens if a strict ketogenic diet is followed for long periods of time.
Chaix also said: “One thing that's very clear is that if you have a really high-fat diet, the lipids have to go somewhere, and they usually end up in the blood and the liver.”
Molly Gallop, the study’s lead author and a physiologist, told Science Alert that she “would urge anyone to talk to a health care provider if they're thinking about going on a ketogenic diet.”
Epstein Files: FBI source alleged Israel, Russia, UAE influence on US officials
On Friday, the Justice Department’s release of Epstein-related files included a 2020 FBI memorandum that is already generating intense attention. The document contains a series of serious and incendiary allegations involving Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, Chabad Lubavitch, Israeli intelligence, Alan Dershowitz, and Jeffrey Epstein. Because of the names involved and the political terrain they occupy, the memo will almost certainly circulate widely and be interpreted through highly charged ideological lenses.
According to the CHS, as recorded in the 2020 FBI memorandum:
Donald Trump was “compromised by Israel.” The CHS asserted that Israeli interests had leverage over Trump and that this influence shaped his presidency.
Chabad Lubavitch was attempting to “co-opt the Trump presidency.” The CHS described Chabad as a politically active network with influence channels into both Israeli and Russian power structures.
Jared Kushner was the central conduit of this influence. The CHS claimed Kushner was “the real brains behind [Trump’s] organization and his Presidency,” and that his ideological and personal ties to Chabad positioned him as a key vector of foreign influence.
Analysts treat all CHS reporting with skepticism until it has been subjected to a rigorous, multi-agency, multi-domain evaluation process. Even then, different agencies may assign different confidence levels based on their own analytic standards and access to corroborating information. In short, this memo is a collection of unverified data points — tips, not conclusions.
What we know about the source
The memo provides limited information about the CHS’s identity, but the substance of the reporting suggests the individual is socially connected, well placed, and familiar with elite political, donor, and intelligence-adjacent networks. That level of access can make a source valuable, but it also increases the risk of factional bias, selective exposure, and personal or political agendas.
Washington is saturated with interpersonal rivalries, bureaucratic turf battles, and long-running political grievances. Information moving through these channels can be accurate, distorted, exaggerated, or shaped by animosity. Well-connected sources are often both informed and opinionated — a combination that requires disciplined skepticism.
The memo itself includes references that suggest possible intra-administration tensions, including accounts involving individuals close to former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was widely reported to have clashed with Jared Kushner over foreign policy authority. From an analytic standpoint, this raises the possibility that some allegations may reflect factional infighting or personal animus rather than objective reporting. This is not an FBI judgment, but a contextual observation relevant to source evaluation.
What the source actually claimed
According to the CHS, as recorded in the 2020 FBI memorandum:
Donald Trump was “compromised by Israel.” The CHS asserted that Israeli interests had leverage over Trump and that this influence shaped his presidency.
Chabad Lubavitch was attempting to “co-opt the Trump presidency.” The CHS described Chabad as a politically active network with influence channels into both Israeli and Russian power structures.
Jared Kushner was the central conduit of this influence. The CHS claimed Kushner was “the real brains behind [Trump’s] organization and his Presidency,” and that his ideological and personal ties to Chabad positioned him as a key vector of foreign influence.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner visited the grave of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson on the day Trump was elected, which the CHS interpreted as a symbolic act of alignment with Chabad’s leadership lineage.
Kushner moved large amounts of Russian investment money. The CHS recommended that the FBI investigate Kushner family charities for potential money laundering activity, asserting that Chabad charities are routinely used for this purpose.
Jeffrey Epstein “belonged to” U.S. and allied intelligence services, including Israel’s Mossad. The CHS stated that Epstein was close to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and claimed Epstein trained as a spy under him. Based on these beliefs and interactions, the CHS became convinced Epstein was a “co-opted Mossad agent.”
Alan Dershowitz was “co-opted by Mossad.” The CHS reported that Dershowitz influenced wealthy students at Harvard, including Jared Kushner and his brother. The CHS claimed Dershowitz told them that if he were younger, he would be “holding a stun gun as an Israeli intelligence agent.”
Dershowitz told then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta that Epstein “belonged to intelligence,” which the CHS claimed explained Epstein’s unusually lenient 2008 plea deal.
The Kushner family had deep ties to Israel and a history of questionable business practices, citing a 2004 article referenced by the CHS.
A Beverly Hills real estate transaction involving Donald Trump contained what the CHS described as anomalies and red flags, including a below-market purchase price, a subsequent all-cash sale, and the involvement of a Swiss entity linked to the Widjaja family.
Resurfaced photo links Mamdani to Epstein-connected publicist at New York City event
A photo showing Zohran Mamdani at a high-profile luncheon tied to longtime Jeffrey Epstein associate Peggy Siegal has emerged following the release of newly unsealed Justice Department records that also reference his mother, Mira Nair.
The photo, taken Nov. 15, 2017, shows the now-New York City mayor smiling at the Universal Pictures "Get Out" Peggy Siegal luncheon at Lincoln Ristorante in Manhattan.
The event was hosted by Siegal, a once-powerful Hollywood publicist who later faced industry backlash over her deep social ties to Epstein.
Siegal was never charged with a crime.
Zohran Mamdani’s Mother Named In New Epstein Files
https://www.newsweek.com/zohran-mamdanis-mother-named-in-new-epstein-files-11447019
The mother of New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, filmmaker Mira Nair, attended a party hosted by convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, according to the just-released trove of documents linked to deceased serial abuser Jeffrey Epstein.
Nair’s name was on an email sent by publicist Peggy Siegal to the late pedophile Epstein about an afterparty in 2009 for the film Amelia, which Nair had directed. The email alleges no wrongdoing and simply records attendance.
Name of Mira Nair, mother of NYC Mayor Mamdani, appears in email in newly-released Epstein files
Indian filmmaker Mira Nair had attended an “after party” for a film at the townhouse of convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, according to the latest Epstein files released by the US Justice Department.
“Just left Ghislaine's townhouse... after party for film. Bill Clinton and Jeff Bezos were there... Jean Pigozzi, director Mira Nair...etc. Film received tepid reaction although women like it much more... Hillary Swank and Gere at stupid party in Bloomingdales cheap sportwear department... very weird.
“Studio went for free party from store and windows for a month... Going to be in Wall Street 2 tomorrow.... more to come. xoxo Peg,” an email dated October 21, 2009 at 5:37:02 am by American publicist Peggy Siegal to an address 'jeevacation@gmail.com' said.
While the email does not mention the film’s name, it appears to be the 2009 film ‘Amelia’, directed by Ms. Nair and based on the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 during an attempt to circumnavigate the world. It starred Hillary Swank and Richard Gere.
Trump wants to build a 250-foot-tall arch, dwarfing the Lincoln Memorial
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/31/trump-arch-memorial-circle/
The president is eyeing a plot of land near Memorial Bridge. The art critic who proposed the idea called for a smaller arch or for Trump to pick a new site.
“I’d like it to be the biggest one of all,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “We’re the biggest, most powerful nation.”
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France — which Trump has cited as a model and vowed to exceed by “a lot” — is 164 feet high. A memorial arch in Mexico City, the largest in the world, measures 220 feet.
Deportation flight judge cleared of DOJ misconduct claims
https://www.axios.com/2026/02/01/doj-judge-boasberg-complaint-dismissed
A federal appeals judge tossed the Justice Department's misconduct complaint against Judge James Boasberg, who said last spring the administration defied his order to halt deportation flights to El Salvador.
The big picture: The administration has attacked judges appointed by Democrats and Republicans alike. But this ruling shows the limits of the Justice Department's self-proclaimed "war" on judges who rule against the administration.
Epstein Files Release Exposes Names of at Least 43 Victims, WSJ Review Finds
Justice Department failed to redact dozens of Epstein victims’ names, including more than two dozen who were minors
The Justice Department exposed the names of dozens of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, including many who haven’t shared their identities publicly or were minors when they were abused by the notorious sex offender.
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