The Dictatorship
BILL TESTIFIES
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Former President Bill Clinton finished his testimony before members of Congress for their investigation over convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The closed-door deposition ended after more than six hours of questioning from lawmakers about his connections to the disgraced financier.
“I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong,” the former Democratic president said in an opening statement he shared on social media at the outset of the deposition.
The deposition in Chappaqua, New York, marks the first time a former president has been compelled to testify to Congress.
It comes a day after Clinton’s wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, sat for her own depositionwhere she told lawmakers that she had no knowledge of how Epstein had sexually abused underage girls and had no recollection of even meeting him.
Neither Clinton has been accused of any wrongdoing.
Other news we’re following:
- Trump arrives in Texas: Trump has traveled to Texas and is planning to talk about his energy and economic policies. But the red-hot Senate Republican primary race may overshadow his message. All three candidates are expected to join him, just days before the election.
- Democrats are ‘closely’ reviewing White House offer on DHS: A White House official said the administration had sent a new proposal to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Thursday, calling the latest offer to end the ongoing DHS shutdown “serious.” Democrats are continuing to push for “real reforms” on the conduct of federal immigration agents, aides to Schumer and Jeffries said in a statement Friday.
- Trump orders all federal agencies to phase out use of Anthropic technology: Trump’s comments came just over an hour before the Pentagon’s deadline for Anthropic to allow unrestricted military use of its AI technology or face consequences — and nearly 24 hours after CEO Dario Amodei said his company “cannot in good conscience accede” to the Defense Department’s demands. At issue in the defense contract was a clash over AI’s role in national security and concerns about how increasingly capable machines could be used in high-stakes situations.
Parents of Renee Good, who was killed during immigration crackdown in Minnesota, remember her love and laughter in AP interview
Good loved sparkles and laughter and any excuse for a celebration. She loved pretty much everyone she met and was late for pretty much everything.
“She had this way of making you feel special and loved that I didn’t even understand that until we lost her,” Donna Ganger said of her daughter, who was shot and killed by an immigration officer Jan. 7.
She was “slow to anger, quick to love, quick to care,” said her father, Tim Ganger. “That’s the essence of who she was.”
Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed Jan. 7 as immigration agents surged through the Minneapolis area, sparking protests. Her death and that of another U.S. citizen, Alex Prettiweeks later sparked outrage across the country and calls to rein in immigration enforcement.
Good’s parents and two of her brothers, Brent and Luke Ganger, met AP journalists Friday in Denver for a long interview.
▶ Read more from the interview with Good’s loved ones
Treasury Department terminates union contracts for IRS and Bureau of the Fiscal Service workers
The department said Friday that it has ended its collective bargaining agreement with unionized workers employed at the Internal Revenue Service.
Agency leaders told employees they were using a Trump executive order signed last March to make the change. Workers at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service are also affected.
The National Treasury Employees Union says the IRS cannot end the contract on its own. The union sued the federal government last year over the executive order, but an appeals court decision this week cleared the way for the order to proceed.
The Trump administration is detaining and questioning refugees already admitted to the US
In a break from tradition, refugees admitted after extensive interviews and vetting are being detained and questioned again.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in November that the Biden administration’s evaluation of roughly 200,000 refugees was inadequate. DHS says it is reviewing cases, starting with about 5,600 refugees who settled in Minnesota.
Venezuelan refugees pose for a photo on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Cottage Grove, Minn. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)
Venezuelan refugees pose for a photo on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Cottage Grove, Minn. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)
Some have been handcuffed, shackled and flown to Texas for questioning. After being released, they have had to find their own way home. One was asked to sign documents saying she would voluntarily leave the U.S. She refused as part of a larger legal fight.
A golden sweep by Team USA in Olympic hockey led to celebrations that got complicated and political
The United States swept both Olympic hockey gold medals only to see the celebrations turn into a political flashpoint.
The men took a locker room call from Trump, who joked that he would need to also invite the women’s team to the White House.
Later a doctored White House TikTok upset American player Brady Tkachuk.
Both teams stressed that they back each other’s runs to gold.
▶ Read more on what to know about the political hullaballoo surrounding U.S. Olympic hockey gold
Trump visits a Whataburger in Texas
The president stopped at the burger joint after addressing a crowd at the Port of Corpus Christi.
“I’m going to get some stuff for Air Force One, and I’m going to get the hell out of here,” he said before greeting workers and patrons.

President Donald Trump visits a Whataburger restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, as Energy Secretary Chris Wright watches. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
President Donald Trump visits a Whataburger restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, as Energy Secretary Chris Wright watches. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Trump also suggested that he would buy food for everyone in the restaurant, saying: “Can you handle it? Hamburgers for all!”
Federal judge extends order protecting refugees in Minnesota from being arrested and deported
The order covers refugees in the state who are lawfully in the country. U.S. District Judge John Tunheim granted a motion by refugees’ advocates to convert a temporary restraining order that he issued in January into a more permanent preliminary injunction.
The order applies only in Minnesota. But the implications of a new national policy on refugees that the Department of Homeland Security announced Feb. 19 were a major part of the discussion at a hearing held by the judge the next day.
The Trump administration asserts that it has the right to arrest potentially tens of thousands of refugees nationwide who entered legally but do not yet have green cards. A new Homeland Security memo interprets immigration laws to say that refugees applying for green cards must return to federal custody one year after they were admitted so their applications can be reviewed.
JUST IN: Federal judge extends order protecting refugees in Minnesota who are lawfully in US from being arrested and deported
Trump says any deal with Iran has to be ‘meaningful’
The president told a crowd in Corpus Christi, Texas, that he would rather handle Tehran “the peaceful way,” saying he laid out his terms for an agreement with the country to the Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn as they flew together on Air Force One on Friday.
Trump said Iran wants to make a deal it has to be “meaningful” in stopping the possibility of the country developing enough enriched uranium for nuclear weapons.
He called it “a very big decision,” as he criticized Iran for human rights abuses.
Bill Clinton deposition on Epstein concludes
The Democratic former president’s closed-door deposition ended after more than six hours of questioning from lawmakers who said he answered every question posed to him.
Clinton told members of Congress that he “did nothing wrong” in his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and saw no signs of Epstein’s sexual abuse. Lawmakers questioned him over his connections to the disgraced financier from more than two decades ago.
“I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong,” Clinton said in an opening statement he shared on social media at the outset of the deposition.
JUST IN: Bill Clinton deposition concludes after more than 6 hours after lawmakers say he answered every question about Epstein
Actor Dennis Quaid speaks at Trump rally
Quaid, who played President Ronald Reagan in a 2024 biopic, got a lift on the real Air Force One and a speaking role behind the presidential seal. Trump invited him on stage briefly during his rally in Corpus Christi, Texas.
“I love Corpus Christi, and I love Donald Trump,” Quaid said.

Actor Dennis Quaid arrives before President Donald Trump at Port of Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Actor Dennis Quaid arrives before President Donald Trump at Port of Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Earlier in the day, Sen. Ted Cruz posted a 14-second video of Quaid, dressed in a suit, seated next to Trump at a conference table aboard the Air Force One.
In addition to playing the 40th president in “Reagan,” Quaid also appeared as President Bill Clinton in “The Special Relationship,” a 2010 film about former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s relationship with his U.S. counterpart.
Trump recognizes Texas Republican Senate candidates but stops short of any endorsement
“We have a great attorney general, Ken Paxton. Hi Ken,” the president said.
“And we have a great senator, John Cornyn,” he added, looking at the seated officials from the stage. “You’re in a little bit of a race.”
The primary is Tuesday, and Cornyn is trying to survive a challenge from Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt, who was also at the event in Corpus Christi.
Trump mentioned Hunt, too, after running through the long list of Texas U.S. House members present.
“And another friend of mine who is doing very well, Wesley Hunt. Wesley Hunt, what a good job,” the president said.
In a nod to the competitive primary, Trump noted, “You do have an interesting election.”
Asked by reporters, Trump said he has “pretty much” decided whom to endorse but declined to specify.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he is designating Anthropic as a supply chain risk
That could prevent U.S. military vendors from working with the company. Hegseth spoke a little more than an hour after Trump said he was ordering all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic’s technology Friday.
Hegseth’s comments, delivered in a social media post, came shortly after the Pentagon’s deadline for Anthropic to allow unrestricted military use of its AI technology or face consequences — and nearly 24 hours after CEO Dario Amodei said his company “cannot in good conscience accede” to the Defense Department’s demands.
Leader of Scouting America says transgender youth still welcome
Scouting America President and CEO Roger Krone says the organization’s agreement with the Pentagon does not change its existing policies regarding transgender youth and they remain welcome.
“We have transgender people in our program, and we’ll have transgender people in our program going forward,” Krone told The Associated Press.
The Pentagon made the deal with Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, to maintain their century-old partnership.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the agreement refocuses the organization away from “woke” policies he accused it of embracing and put heavy emphasis on the group’s acceptance of transgender youth.
‘Tony Gonzales is here’
The embattled House Republican, who is fending off calls to resign after reports of an affair with a former aide who later set herself on fire, made his way to Trump’s Corpus Christi event.
The president made mention of his presence, saying: “Congressman Tony Gonzales is here.”
Corpus Christi is not in Gonzales’ district.
As Trump gave his shoutout to Gonzales, he added, “Tony, congratulations.” It was unclear what Trump was congratulating him for.
Trump has endorsed Gonzales in his primary.
Trump says he is ‘entitled’ to a third term
The president again floated the idea of running for a third term during an address at the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas.
“Maybe we do one more term, should we do one more?” he asked the crowd, which responded with cheers.
The president added that “we’re entitled to it, because they cheated like hell,” in reference to the 2020 election.
Allegations from Trump of massive voting fraud have previously been refuted by a variety of judges, state election officials and an arm of his own administration’s Homeland Security Department.
Trump hints at endorsement in Texas Senate race
He says he’s “pretty much” decided whom to endorse in the competitive three-way GOP race.
But he’s no t ready to give it away, telling reporters “no, not yet,” when asked if he would say.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at Port of Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, as from left, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Kent Britton, CEO of the Port of Corpus Christi, Gabe Guerra, Chairman of the Port of Corpus Christi Commission, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright listen. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at Port of Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, as from left, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Kent Britton, CEO of the Port of Corpus Christi, Gabe Guerra, Chairman of the Port of Corpus Christi Commission, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright listen. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Trump is visiting Corpus Christi to promote U.S. energy production just four days before the primary.
Joining him is four-term Republican Sen. John Cornyn and the two Republicans challenging him in the Tuesday primary, state Attorney General Ken Paxton and two-term Rep. Wesley Hunt.
Rubio says US may invalidate passports for travel to Iran
The secretary of state declared Iran to be a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” ramping up pressure on the country as tensions rise over the possibility of U.S. military strikes on the Islamic republic.
In a statement, Rubio said the move was due to Iran’s continued arrests and imprisonment of “innocent Americans” and citizens of other countries for use as political leverage.
“This abhorrent practice must end,” he said.
The move does not automatically carry any penalties, but Rubio said if Iran doesn’t stop, he could make it illegal for a U.S. passport to be used for travel to or from Iran. That restriction currently only applies to North Korea.
Top Democrat on Senate Intelligence Committee raises concerns over Anthropic decision

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Sen. Mark Warner said Trump’s move to cut all government ties with the AI company Anthropic, “combined with inflammatory rhetoric attacking that company, raises serious concerns about whether national security decisions are being driven by careful analysis or political considerations.”
Warner also noted that “Hegseth’s loud insistence on the sufficiency of an ‘all lawful purposes’ standard provides cold comfort against the backdrop of Pentagon leadership that has routinely sidelined career military attorneys and challenged longstanding norms and rules regarding lethal force.”
Energy secretary approves export expansion at Texas LNG terminal
Ahead of Trump’s visit, Energy Secretary Chris Wright authorized a 12% expansion in liquefied natural gas exports at Cheniere Energy’s Corpus Christi terminal.
The order, signed Thursday as Wright toured the site, makes the terminal the second largest LNG export project in the U.S.
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the first export cargo of U.S. LNG gas produced from the lower 48 states. The U.S. is now the world’s largest LNG exporter.
Wright said he was proud to be in Corpus Christi, “standing alongside the American workers responsible for unleashing American energy dominance.”
Anne Rolfes, director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, an environmental group that opposes LNG exports, said the Trump administration was “doubling down on a harmful energy source at exactly the moment when we should be full speed ahead on safe, clean and reliable renewable energy.”
Trump orders all federal agencies to phase out use of Anthropic technology
Trump’s comments came just over an hour before the Pentagon’s deadline for Anthropic to allow unrestricted military use of its AI technology or face consequences — and nearly 24 hours after CEO Dario Amodei said his company “cannot in good conscience accede” to the Defense Department’s demands.
Anthropic didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment to Trump’s remarks.
At issue in the defense contract was a clash over AI’s role in national security and concerns about how increasingly capable machines could be used in high-stakes situations involving lethal force, sensitive information or government surveillance.
JUST IN: Trump orders all federal agencies to phase out use of Anthropic technology after AI company’s dispute with Pentagon
Democrats are ‘closely’ reviewing White House offer on DHS
Aides to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both New York Democrats, confirmed that the lawmakers have received the White House’s latest offer on ending the ongoing DHS shutdown.
Earlier Friday, a White House official said the administration had sent a new proposal to Schumer and Jeffries on Thursday, calling the offer “serious.”
In a joint statement to reporters, aides to Schumer and Jeffries said their offices are reviewing the White House proposal “closely” and that Democrats are continuing to push for “real reforms” on the conduct of federal immigration agents.
Democrats on House panel say they’re treating Bill Clinton seriously, putting ‘survivors first’
California Rep. Ro Khanna, a leading advocate to release all Epstein documents, said Democratic members and their lawyers put “survivors first” by asking “difficult questions” and establishing “basic facts” from Bill Clinton.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-New Mexico, described the former president as an important witness.
“It is very well established that President Clinton had a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and we are treating this investigation extraordinarily seriously,” she said.
She emphasized that “there are not public files available that accuse (Clinton) of a crime, whereas there are publicly available documents that do allege a crime of President Trump.”
But she described Clinton as being among the figures who can shed light on “why there was a culture around (Epstein) where the rich and powerful turned a blind eye.”
There’s a partisan split on what Bill Clinton testified about Trump
Comer told reporters that Bill Clinton said Trump “has never said anything to me to make me think he was involved.”
The chairman said that came in response to a question from Garcia, the ranking Democrat, about whether Trump should testify before the committee.
Garcia countered that Comer’s account was not “a complete accurate description of what actually was said.”
He said Clinton “did bring up some additional information about some discussions with President Trump” and argued that raises “some very important new questions about comments that President Trump has actually said in the past.”
That’s another reason to compel Trump to testify, Garcia added.
He declined to go into further details Clinton’s testimony, citing committee rules against disclosure — which he noted with a barb that “Republicans keep breaking the rules.”
Bill Clinton has not invoked the Fifth Amendment, House Democrat says
Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, says the former president has answered questions willingly so far in his testimony and “has not taken a pass” by pleading the Fifth Amendment that witnesses use to decline answering in a way that could incriminate them.
Comer: Bill Clinton has taken about two hours of questions
Republicans in the House Oversight Committee majority asked Clinton questions for about an hour, followed by an hour from the Democratic minority, chairman James Comer told reporters outside.
Comer said Republicans would get another hour before a break. He said the day would be at about “the halfway point” by then, suggesting Clinton will spend at least six hours with lawmakers.
Trump misquotes Calvin Coolidge
Trump on Friday put himself among the many who have misquoted a famous sentiment from the 30th U.S. president.
“President Calvin Coolidge: ‘The Business of America is BUSINESS!’” he wrote in a Truth Social post as he headed to Texas aboard Air Force One.
However, this isn’t exactly what Coolidge said. His actual wordssaid during an address in Washington to the American Society of Newspaper Editors on Jan. 17, 1925, were: “After all, the chief business of the American people is business.”
Coolidge was talking about the “double purpose” of American newspapers — providing readers with information while also having their own business interests. He concluded that this dual role did not “seem to be cause for alarm.”
The ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee warns against war with Iran
Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island said Trump has failed to explain the rationale or the risks involved in military action.
“President Trump’s saber-rattling for war with Iran is taking the country down a dangerous path without a clear strategy or endgame and putting U.S. national security at considerable risk,” Reed said in a statement.
As the House and Senate prepare for votes next week on war powers resolutions, he said Congress has received “no real briefings” on the administration’s plans.
“The administration has not presented Congress or the American people with any coherent legal or strategic justification for preemptive strikes,” Reed said. “The president is the Commander-In-Chief, but Congress alone holds the constitutional authority to authorize war.”
Congress prepares for war powers votes to block strikes on Iran
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Friday a bipartisan coalition is working to force a vote as soon as next week on a war powers resolution that would attempt to prevent any U.S. action against Iran without approval from Congress.
“The American people don’t want another failed forever foreign war, particularly in the Middle East, when we know the outcome is likely to be disastrous,” Jeffries said on MSNow.
“What we’ve got to do right now, of course, is to do everything we can to prevent that from happening,” he said. “It would be reckless. It would be dangerous. It would be harmful to America’s national security interests.”
White House sends another DHS offer to Democrats
As the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down, the White House and Democratic leaders are continuing to exchange proposals to end the impasse.
A White House official said Friday that the administration sent another counteroffer to Democrats on Thursday. The official, granted anonymity to discuss private negotiations, called the offer “serious.”
Federal funding for DHS lapsed Jan. 30, with Democrats calling for more restrictions on the behavior of federal immigration agents in the aftermath of the death of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota.
But most of DHS provides critical governments, which means that federal employees are working — but not getting paid.
Attorney general announces indictments against 30 more people who protested at a Minnesota church
Pam Bondi says federal prosecutors have indicted 30 more people tied to a protest at a Minnesota church over an immigration enforcement crackdown.
Bondi says 25 of those people are already under arrest. The protest on Jan. 18 also led to the arrests of independent journalist Don Lemon and local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong. Both have pleaded not guilty to civil rights charges.
Trump officials have strongly condemned the protest for interrupting a church service. Protesters took the action after learning a pastor there is also an immigration enforcement official.
JUST IN: Attorney general announces 30 more people indicted in anti-immigration enforcement protest at Minnesota church
Trump suggests the U.S. could have a ‘friendly takeover of Cuba’
In comments to reporters as he left the White House, Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio was negotiating at a high level with the Cuban government.
“The Cuban government is talking with us” the president said. “They have no money. They have no anything right now.” He added: “We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba.”

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
After his administration ousted Cuban ally and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump for weeks suggested Cuba was on the brink of collapse economically.
He didn’t say what he meant by a “friendly takeover” but suggested that after decades “of dealing with Cuba” something could happen that’d be “very positive” for Cuban exiles living in the U.S.
Trump says he’s ‘not happy’ with the way Iran is negotiating

President Donald Trump speaks as he departs the White House to walk to Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks as he departs the White House to walk to Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“I’m not happy with the fact that they’re not willing to give u s what we have to have. I’m not thrilled with that. We’ll see what happens. We’re talking later,” Trump said to reporters as he left the White House.
Trump said it would be “wonderful” if Iran negotiated “in good faith and conscience,” but said, “They are not getting there.”
Trump was asked about the risks of the U.S. getting involved in a drawn-out conflict in the Middle East if it launches strikes on Iran.
“I guess you could say there’s always a risk,” Trump replied. “You know, when there’s war, there’s a risk of anything, both good and bad.”
JUST IN: Trump says he’s ‘not happy’ with the way Iran is negotiating but says ‘we’ll see what happens’ with additional talks
Trump comments on Clinton deposition
Trump said on Friday that he is not pleased with the deposition of former President Bill Clinton in the House Epstein investigation.
“I like Bill Clinton and I don’t like seeing him deposed,” the president told reporters as he departed the White House en route to Corpus Christi, Texas.
Trump’s new NASA chief speeds up pace of moon program flights
“It should be incredibly obvious” that three years between launches is unacceptable, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, urging the space agency to cut the gap between Artemis flights to one year or less if it hopes to return astronauts to the moon on a sustainable schedule.
Isaacman unveiled an Artemis program overhaul Friday that adds an extra mission before any lunar landing by astronauts. Instead of attempting to land astronauts on the moon an estimated three years after the upcoming lunar fly-around, NASA will launch astronauts into orbit around Earth in their Orion capsule and have them practice docking with an orbiting lunar lander.

NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) moon rocket with the Orion spacecraft slowly rolls back towards the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) moon rocket with the Orion spacecraft slowly rolls back towards the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
This new plan has the possibility of securing one and maybe two moon landings in 2028, during Trump’s second term.
The move aims to build momentum after repeated rocket repairs and warnings from a safety advisory panel. Isaacman noted that NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs flew in rapid succession before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s landing on the moon in 1969.
“No one here at NASA forgot their history books,” Isaacman said.
Clinton uses his Epstein testimony for civics advice — and to tweak Republicans
Bill Clinton says in his prepared statement that “no person is above the law, even presidents.” He agreed to testify, he adds, because, “I love my country.”
Bill and Hillary Clinton initially pushed back against subpoenas they called a partisan stunt by Republicans. They yielded but demanded proceedings be opened. Republicans refused.
“The search for truth and justice,” Clinton planned to tell lawmakers, is more important than “the partisan urge to score points and create spectacle.”
He added a wish that political discourse be ratcheted down.
“Democracy requires every person to play their part, and I hope that by being her today, we can bring ourselves a little further away from the brink and back to being a country where we can disagree with one another civilly,” he says, adding, “I’ll do my part, and I hope you’ll do yours.”
Bill Clinton says lawmakers may hear ‘I don’t recall’ from him often
“That might be unsatisfying,” the former president says of his plans to answer some questions by saying he has no recollection. “But I’m not going to say something I’m not sure of. This was all a long time ago.”
Clinton adds that he is “bound by my oath not to speculate, or to guess” — a standard he says “is not merely for my benefit but because it doesn’t help you for me to play detective 24 years later.”
Elsewhere in his prepared opening remarks, Bill Clinton is more emphatic about his own actions.
“I know what I saw, and more importantly, what I didn’t see,” he says. “I know what I did, and more importantly, what I didn’t do.”
Bill Clinton says he would have reported Epstein had he known of abuse
“As someone who grew up in a home with domestic abuse, not only would I not have flown on his plane if I had any inkling of what he was doing — I would have turned him in myself and led the call for justice for his crimes, not sweetheart deals,” Bill Clinton says in his prepared opening statement.
“We are only here because he hid it from everyone so well for so long.”
Bill Clinton chides Republicans for calling Hillary Clinton to testify

FILE – President Bill Clinton, right, with Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, at the 92nd Street Y, May 4, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
FILE – President Bill Clinton, right, with Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, at the 92nd Street Y, May 4, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
The former president says in his prepared opening remarks that his wife — the former secretary of state and first lady — should never have been ensnared by the committee.
“Before we start, I have to get personal,” Bill Clinton says in his statement. “You made Hillary come in. She had nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. Nothing. She has no memory of even meeting him. She neither traveled with him nor visited any of his properties.”
He continues: “Whether you subpoenaed 10 people or 10,000, including her was simply not right.”
And he tells lawmakers that, just as he’s bound in sworn testimony, “each and every one of you owes nothing less than truth and accuracy to the American people.”
Bill Clinton opening statement says he saw no signs of Epstein abuse
The former president is telling the House Oversight Committee that his “brief acquaintance with Jeffrey Epstein ended years before his crimes came to light.”
That’s according to a printed copy of his opening statement as it was prepared and released by Clinton’s office.
“I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong,” Clinton says. “I saw nothing that ever gave me pause.”
Clinton’s remarks state that he is testifying “to offer what little I know so that it might prevent anything like this from ever happening again” and because “the girls and women whose lives Jeffrey Epstein destroyed deserve not only justice, but healing.”
Sen. John Cornyn is on board Air Force One

FILE – Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, makes a campaign stop in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
FILE – Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, makes a campaign stop in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
The Texas Republican fighting for re-election in a March 3 primary is flying with Trump back to his home state.
Cornyn was spotted at Andrews Air Force Base ahead of Trump’s departure from Washington for an event in Corpus Christi. The other Texas senator, Ted Cruz, is also traveling with the president, but he is not on the ballot this year.
Cornyn is locked in a viciously personal three-way primary with state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. Missing the coveted endorsement from Trump, all three have been trying to highlight their ties to him as campaigning intensifies ahead of Tuesday’s vote.
JUST IN: Bill Clinton starts deposition by telling lawmakers he ‘did nothing wrong’ and saw no signs of Epstein’s abuse
Democrats renew calls for Trump to testify on Epstein
“We’re going to ask President Clinton the hard questions today,” said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va. “What is truth about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein? But let’s be real. We’re talking to the wrong president today.”
Democrats hope to leverage the Clintons’ appearances before House Oversight. They’ve noted that files released so far suggest Trump was more closely involved with Epstein than Clinton. And they want to emphasize that it’s the former president who is submitting to questions while the sitting president denies any involvement.
“President Trump is the one who is blocking our investigation. President Trump is the one who wants us to go away, but it will not go away,” Subramanyam said.
Top Democrat on House Oversight says Bill Clinton should not invoke the Fifth Amendment
“I think it was telling that Secretary Clinton did not take the Fifth one time,” Garcia told reporters, referring to the constitutional protection defendants and witnesses sometimes cite when declining to answer questions in legal proceedings.
Garcia continued: “I think it’s important the president (Bill Clinton) do the same. I think he will answer questions today.”
Republicans, Democrats offer different accounts of Hillary Clinton testimony
Mace described Hillary Clinton “screaming” during her deposition on Thursday.
“I hope that President Clinton is less unhinged than his wife was yesterday,” Mace said Friday outside the building where the House Oversight panel is convening.
Democrats dismissed Mace’s description, which Rep. Robert Garcia said proves the need for Comer to release the “full, unedited” video. The Clintons had wanted to testify publicly but Comer insisted on the private sessions.
Garcia called the Republican questioning Thursday a “disgrace” focused on old “conspiracy theories.” He praised Hillary Clinton for participating.
He reminded reporters Friday that Democrats still want the proceedings to be open “so that you can hear the answer and the questions directly.”
Mace says Howard Lutnick should testify on Epstein relationship
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Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., listens during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform markup business meeting about finding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in contempt of Congress, Wednesday Jan. 21, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens as President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he flies aboard Air Force One from Joint Base Andrews, Md., to West Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
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Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., listens during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform markup business meeting about finding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in contempt of Congress, Wednesday Jan. 21, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., listens during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform markup business meeting about finding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in contempt of Congress, Wednesday Jan. 21, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens as President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he flies aboard Air Force One from Joint Base Andrews, Md., to West Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens as President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he flies aboard Air Force One from Joint Base Andrews, Md., to West Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said ahead of Bill Clinton’s testimony Friday that Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick should answer questions before the House Oversight Committee.
The secretary has admitted meeting Epstein after previously denying knowing him.
After Hillary Clinton’s testimony on Thursday, Comer would not rule out asking Lutnick to appear for questioning.
Comer promises Bill Clinton updates, release of Hillary Clinton deposition video

Rep. James Comer, R-KY, speaks outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center after a deposition by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who was testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP P hoto/Yuki Iwamura)
Rep. James Comer, R-KY, speaks outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center after a deposition by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who was testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Chairman James Comey says he’ll send Republican members of his House Oversight Committee out to update reporters as Bill Clinton is being deposed.
Comey also promised to release video and transcripts of Hillary Clinton’s testimony.
The Clintons had wanted to testify in public, but the Republicans in control insisted on closed-door depositions. Democrats on the committee called for Comey to release the full video of the former secretary of state’s Thursday session.
The Dictatorship
Anthropic says it will not accede to Pentagon demands as deadline looms
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Friday ordered all U.S. agencies to stop using Anthropic’s artificial intelligence technology and imposed other major penalties, escalating an unusually public clash between the government and the company over AI safety.
President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials took to social media to chastise Anthropic for failing to allow the military unrestricted use of its AI technology by a Friday deadline, accusing it of endangering national security after CEO Dario Amodei refused to back down over concerns the company’s products could be used in ways that would violate its safeguards.
“We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!” Trump said on social media.
Hegseth also deemed the company a “supply chain risk,” a designation typically stamped on foreign adversaries that could derail the company’s critical partnerships with other businesses.
In a statement issued Friday evening, Anthropic said it would challenge what it called an unprecedented and legally unsound action “never before publicly applied to an American company.”
Anthropic had said it sought narrow assurances from the Pentagon that its AI chatbot Claude would not be used for mass surveillance of Americans or in fully autonomous weapons. The Pentagon said it was not interested in such uses and would only deploy the technology in legal ways, but it also insisted on access without any limitations.
“No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons,” the company said. “We will challenge any supply chain risk designation in court.”
The government’s effort to assert dominance over the internal decision-making of the company comes amid a wider clash over AI’s role in national security and concerns about how increasingly capable machines could be used in high-stakes situations involving lethal force, sensitive information or government surveillance.
OpenAI strikes deal with Pentagon hours after Anthropic was punished
Hours after its competitor was punished, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced on Friday night that his company struck a deal with the Pentagon to supply its AI to classified military networks, potentially filling a gap created by Anthropic’s ouster.
But Altman said that the same red lines that were the sticking point in Anthropic’s dispute with the Pentagon are now enshrined in OpenAI’s new partnership.
“Two of our most important safety principles are prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and human responsibility for the use of force, including for autonomous weapon systems,” Altman wrote, adding that the Defense Department “agrees with these principles, reflects them in law and policy, and we put them into our agreement.”
Altman also said he hopes the Pentagon will “offer these same terms to all AI companies” as a way to “de-escalate away from legal and governmental actions and toward reasonable agreements.”
Trump and others lash out at Anthropic
Trump said Anthropic made a mistake trying to strong-arm the Pentagon. He wrote on Truth Social that most agencies must immediately stop using Anthropic’s AI but gave the Pentagon a six-month period to phase out the technology that is already embedded in military platforms.
“The United States of America will never allow a radical left, woke company to dictate how our great military fights and wins wars!” he wrote in all caps.
Months of private talks exploded into public debate this week and hit a stalemate when Amodei said his company “cannot in good conscience accede” to the demands.
Anthropic can afford to lose the contract. But the government’s actions posed broader risks at the peak of the company’s meteoric rise from a little-known computer science research lab in San Francisco to one of the world’s most valuable startups.
The president’s decision was preceded by hours of top Trump appointees from the Pentagon and the State Department taking to social media to criticize Anthropic, but their complaints posed contradictions.
Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Anthropic’s unwillingness to go along with the military’s demands was “jeopardizing critical military operations and potentially putting our warfighters at risk.” Hegseth said the Pentagon “must have full, unrestricted access to Anthropic’s models for every LAWFUL purpose in defense of the Republic.”
Trump’s social media post said the company “better get their act together, and be helpful” during the phase-out period or there would be “major civil and criminal consequences to follow.”
AP AUDIO: Anthropic refuses to bend to Pentagon on AI safeguards as dispute nears deadline
AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports that an AI company is rebuffing the Pentagon’s demands.
However, Hegseth’s choice to designate Anthropic a supply chain risk uses an administrative tool that has been designed for companies owned by U.S. adversaries to prevent them from selling products that are harmful to American interests.
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, noted that this dynamic, “combined with inflammatory rhetoric attacking that company, raises serious concerns about whether national security decisions are being driven by careful analysis or political considerations.”
Dispute shakes up Silicon Valley
The dispute stunned AI developers in Silicon Valley, where venture capitalists, prominent AI scientists and a large number of workers from Anthropic’s top rivals — OpenAI and Google — voiced support for Amodei’s stand in open letters and other forums.
The moves could benefit OpenAI’s ChatGPT as well as Elon Musk’s competing chatbot, Grok, which the Pentagon also plans to give access to classified military networks. It could serve as a warning to Google, which has a still-evolving contract to supply its AI tools to the military.
Musk sided with Trump’s administration, saying on his social media platform X that “Anthropic hates Western Civilization.” Altman took a different approach, expressing solidarity with Anthropic’s safeguards and opposing the government’s “threatening” approach while also working to secure OpenAI’s deal with the Pentagon. It marked the latest twist in OpenAI’s longtime and sometimes acrimonious rivalry with Anthropic, which was founded by a group of ex-OpenAI leaders in 2021.
Retired Air Force Gen. Jack Shanahan, a former leader of the Pentagon’s AI initiatives, wrote on social media this week that the government “painting a bullseye on Anthropic garners spicy headlines, but everyone loses in the end.”
Shanahan said Claude is already being widely used across the government, including in classified settings, and Anthropic’s red lines were “reasonable.” He said the AI large language models that power chatbots like Claude, Grok and ChatGPT are also “not ready for prime time in national security settings,” particularly not for fully autonomous weapons.
Anthropic is “not trying to play cute here,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “You won’t find a system with wider & deeper reach across the military.”
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O’Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
The Dictatorship
What Americans think about Trump’s judgment on military force as Iran talks resume: new AP-NORC poll
WASHINGTON (AP) — As the U.S. and Iran head into their next round of nuclear talks in Genevaa new AP-NORC poll finds that many U.S. adults continue to view Iran’s nuclear program as a threat — but they also don’t have high trust in President Donald Trump’s judgment on the use of military force abroad.
About half of U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” concerned that Iran’s nuclear program poses a direct threat to the United States, according to the new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About 3 in 10 are “moderately” concerned and only about 2 in 10 are “not very” concerned or “not concerned at all.”
The survey was conducted Feb. 19-23, as military tensions built in the Middle East between the United States and Iran. The U.S. is seeking a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program and ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons, while Iran says it is not pursuing weapons and has so far resisted demands that it halt uranium enrichment on its soil or hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Trump, who scrapped an earlier nuclear agreement with Iran during his first term, has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to agree to constrain its atomic programwhich Trump claimed to have “obliterated” following the 12-day war in June where the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites. Iran has said it would respond with an attack of its own. Trump has also threatened Iran over the killing of protesters. Both countries have signaled they are prepared for war if the talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fail, and the U.S. has assembled its largest military force in the Mideast in decades as tensions with Iran have risen.
Most Americans, 61%, say Iran is an “enemy” of the U.S., which is up slightly from a Pearson Institute/AP-NORC poll conducted in September 2023. But their confidence in the president’s judgment when it comes to relationships with adversaries and the use of military force abroad is low, the new poll shows, with only about 3 in 10 Americans saying they have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of trust in Trump.
Even some Republicans — particularly younger Republicans — have reservations about Trump’s ability to make the right choices on these high-stakes issues.
Most US adults have concerns about Trump’s judgment on military force
The Trump administration this year has held two rounds of nuclear talks with Iran under Omani mediation, with a third round scheduled to begin Thursday. Similar talks last year between the U.S. and Iran about Iran’s nuclear program broke down after Israel launched what became the 12-day war in June.
AP AUDIO: What Americans think about Trump’s judgment on military force as Iran talks resume: new AP-NORC poll
AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports on a poll showing American fears about both Iran and President Trump’s judgment on using military force abroad.
“We are in negotiations with them,” Trump said during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, which took place after the poll was conducted. “They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words: We will never have a nuclear weapon.”
Americans have significant reservations about Trump’s judgment on foreign conflicts, the AP-NORC poll shows. Only about 3 in 10 of U.S. adults have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of trust in Trump’s judgment on the use of military force, relationships with U.S. adversaries or the use of nuclear weapons. More than half trust him “only a little” or “not at all.”
On each measure, Republicans are more likely than Democrats and Independents to trust that the president will make the right decisions. About 6 in 10 Republicans have a high level of trust in Trump, while roughly 9 in 10 Democrats have a low level of trust in him.
But some Republicans’ confidence is more qualified. Younger Republicans — those under 45 — are less likely than older Republicans to say they trust Trump “a great deal” or “quite a bit” on his use of military force. About half of younger Republicans say this, compared with about two-thirds of older Republicans.
Many view Iran’s nuclear program as a threat
The new finding that 48% of U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” concerned that Iran’s nuclear program poses a direct threat to their country is in line with an AP-NORC poll conducted in July 2025, indicating that even with recent escalations between the two countries, Americans have not changed their views.
Before the June war, Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels. The U.N. nuclear watchdog — the International Atomic Energy Agency — had said Iran was the only country in the world to enrich to that level that wasn’t armed with the bomb.
Iran has been refusing requests by the IAEA to inspect the sites bombed in the June war, raising the concerns of nonproliferation experts.
Worries about Iran’s nuclear program cross party lines in the U.S., though Republicans are currently more concerned. Most Republicans — 56% — say they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about Iran’s nuclear program, compared with 44% of Democrats.
Younger Americans are less worried about Iran
Americans generally hold a negative view of Iran, but the view is sharper among older Americans.
About 6 in 10 U.S. adults say Iran is an “enemy” of the United States, up slightly from 53% from the Pearson/AP-NORC poll from 2023. Roughly 3 in 10 say the countries are “not friendly, but not enemies,” and only about 1 in 10 Americans consider the two nations “friendly” or “close allies.”
At the same time, only about half of U.S. adults under 45 say Iran is an enemy, compared with about 7 in 10 Americans ages 45 and older. There is also a wide generational divide in concern about Iran’s nuclear program, with only about one-third of Americans under 45 saying they are highly concerned, compared with about 6 in 10 older Americans.
Tensions over Iran’s nuclear program have existed for decadeswhich may help explain why older Americans are more concerned. Nuclear talks had been deadlocked for years after Trump’s decision in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw the U.S. from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
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Liechtenstein reported from Vienna. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
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The AP-NORC poll of 1,133 adults was conducted Feb. 19-23 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
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The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/
The Dictatorship
Hillary Clinton testifies as part of House investigation into Epstein… Developing…
Today’s live updates have ended. Read what you missed below and find more coverage at apnews.com.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told U.S. House lawmakers on Thursday that she had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s or Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes at the start of two days of depositions that will also include former President Bill Clinton.
The deposition was paused after Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert sent a photo of Hillary Clinton in the room to a conservative influencer who posted it on social media, violating the committee’s rules for depositions.
The incident prompted the former secretary of state to repeat her longstanding demand that the deposition be made open to reporters.
The Clintons agreed to testify after their offers of sworn statements were rebuffed by the House Oversight panel, whose chairman, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., threatened criminal contempt of Congress charges against them.
Bill Clinton’s Friday testimony will be the first time a former president has been forced to testify before Congress — the latest sign that the demand for a reckoning over Epstein’s abuse of underage girls has become a near-unstoppable force on Capitol Hill and beyond.
Other news we’re following:
- Cuba says 4 killed in speedboat shooting were attempting to infiltrate the country: Cuba’s government said late Wednesday that the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism. Cuba’s government said the majority of the 10 people on the boat “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.”
- US and Iran wrap up another round of indirect nuclear talks: Oman’s foreign minister, who is mediating the talks, said Thursday that they had ended but “will resume soon.” The talks are aimed at reaching a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program and potentially averting another war as the U.S. gathers a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the Middle East.
- FBI fires agents who worked on Trump classified document investigation, AP sources say: The FBI has fired additional agents who worked on an investigation into Trump, this time terminating employees who participated in the probe into the Republican’s hoarding of classified documentspeople familiar with the matter said.
Trump huddles with GOP senators on midterm-year agenda
Among the other meetings that the president had at the White House on Thursday was a strategy session with Senate GOP leaders and other close allies on the party’s agenda.
Among those who attended the afternoon meeting with Trump were Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso and Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, according to two people with knowledge of the discussion.
The meeting was to discuss the party’s broader agenda, said one of the people, both of whom were granted anonymity to discuss a private meeting.
Hillary Clinton says she told lawmakers repeatedly she did not know Epstein
The former secretary of state’s deposition has ended and she told reporters as she exited that she answered the same question again and again from lawmakers about whether she knew Jeffrey Epstein at all.
“I don’t know how many times I had to say I did not know Jeffrey Epstein,” Hillary Clinton said.
She also told reporters that her husband Bill Clinton had ended his relationship with Epstein before Epstein’s sexual abuse came to light in 2008.
Anthropic says it can’t agree to Pentagon demands
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said Thursday that the artificial intelligence company “cannot in good conscience accede” to the Pentagon’s demands to allow wider use of its technology.
The company said in a statement that it’s not walking away from negotiation but that new contract language received from the Defense Department “made virtually no progress on preventing Claude’s use for mass surveillance of Americans or in fully autonomous weapons.”
Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said earlier that the military would use the technology in legal ways and not let Anthropic dictate any limits ahead of a Friday deadline to agree to its demands or face losing its contract.
He said the Pentagon “has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement.”
JUST IN: Anthropic CEO says AI company ‘cannot in good conscience accede’ to Pentagon’s demands to allow wider use of its tech
JUST IN: Hillary Clinton’s deposition in House Epstein investigation ends after over six hours of questioning
US official says 1 American killed, another wounded in speedboat shooting near Cuba
A U.S. official says at least one American citizen was killed and another wounded in an incident in which the crew of a Florida-registered speedboat exchanged fire with the Cuban military.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation into Wednesday’s firefight, said another member of the 10-person crew was in the U.S. on a visa and several others may have been green card holders.
The official said the owner of the boat has alleged that it was stolen by one of his employees.
National Trust says decision on the White House ballroom project means the case can continue
Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said the group was “disappointed” that the injunction it sought to halt work on the ballroom wasn’t granted.
But she said the group was pleased that the decision found that the National Trust “has standing to bring this lawsuit, as we have asserted from the start.”
Thursday’s ruling “encouraged us to amend our complaint — specifically, to assert that the president has acted beyond his statutory authority — and we plan to do so promptly,” Quillen said in a statement.
She added that doing so would allow the case to continue.
Denver mayor announces steps against ICE to “keep every resident safe”
Mike Johnston, a Democrat, announced that federal immigration agents wouldn’t be able to operate on city property and that the city’s police would be authorized to intervene to prevent any illegal activity like brutality against suspects and protesters.
Johnston said he was acting to reassure residents rather than because Denver had information about any upcoming increase in immigration operations.
Denver becomes the latest Democrat-dominated city to announce new restrictions on immigration operations, joining Chicago, New York and Seattle. Democratic-led states have also pushed back.
“We will keep every resident safe, regardless of their status,” Johnston said.
Trump to award Medal of Honor to 3 Army veterans
The White House said Trump will give the highest military decoration on March 2 to three U.S. Army veterans: Master Sergeant Roderick W. Edmonds, Staff Sergeant Michael H. Ollis, and Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson.
The Medal of Honor is being awarded posthumously to Edmonds for thwarting efforts at a German prison camp during World War II to segregate Jewish-American prisoners.
The Medal of Honor is being awarded posthumously to Ollis for his work to repel an enemy attack in 2013 of a base in Ghazni, Afghanistan that led to his death after an insurgent detonated his suicide vest.
Richardson is receiving the Medal of Honor for his leadership in a reconnaissance mission in 1968 in Vietnam to occupy an enemy regiment’s base camp and direct airstrikes despite being wounded by an enemy sniper.
Mamdani presents Trump with mock newspaper touting future big housing initiative
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented Trump with a mock newspaper front page during his visit to the White House on Thursday to show the president how a significant housing initiative might be received.
It’s a tactic designed to appeal to Trump, who is known to voraciously consume coverage in the local New York City publications.
Anna Bahr, Mamdani’s communications director, said the Democratic mayor’s team created the mock front page and its headlines for the Republican president to look at and demonstrate what kind of reaction that new federal housing investments could bring.
The mock New York Daily News front page says “Trump to City: Let’s Build” — a riff on the famous 1975 cover that read “Ford to City: Drop Dead,” referring to Gerald Ford’s vow to veto financial assistance to the city.
Mamdani’s office declined to elaborate on the mayor’s housing proposal, but Bahr said Trump was “very enthusiastic” about it.
EPA union denounces layoff of environmental justice workers
The 22 fired workers focused on poor and minority communities that are disproportionately burdened by environmental hazards and industrial pollution.
The layoffs come as the Environmental Protection Agency has reduced its workforce by about 30% in Trump’s second term.
Justin Chen, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, said Thursday that the cuts have “stretched remaining staff to the breaking point and weakened our ability to respond to mounting environmental and public health threats. There is no justification for further cuts.”
EPA spokesperson Brigit Hirsch said the layoffs are consistent with a notice to Congress last year and are part of EPA’s “broader effort to ensure that the agency’s workforce is best positioned to meet its core mission.”
Columbia student detained by ICE to be released after Mamdani meeting with Trump
The New York City mayor and the president’s surprise meeting at the White House was intended to be about housing.
But during the meeting, Mamdani raised the issue of Ellie Aghayeva, a Columbia University student from Azerbaijan who was arrested earlier Thursday by federal immigration agents.
The agents had accessed a campus residence by claiming they were searching for a “missing person,” according to Aghayeva’s attorneys and Columbia’s president.
But in a social media post on X, Mamdani said he had received a call from Trump after his in-person meeting at the White House, and that the president “informed me that she will be released imminently.”
Boebert says ‘why not?’ send photo of Hillary Clinton in closed door deposition

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo. leaves the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center during a deposition by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who was testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo. leaves the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center during a deposition by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who was testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., was defiant in remarks to reporters as she left the closed-door deposition for Hillary Clinton.
Boebert had violated committee protocol by sharing a photo of Clinton with a conservative influencer who posted it online.
When asked why she had shared the photo, Boebert responded, “Why not?”
Boebert also sarcastically said she admired Clinton’s blue suit and wanted to show it to everyone.
Hillary Clinton again demands a public deposition after leaked photo
The former secretary of state repeated demands that reporters be allowed into her deposition after a Republican lawmaker shared a photo of her inside the room with a conservative influencer who posted it on social media.
Clinton has been calling for a public hearing before the House Oversight Committee, but the chair, Rep. James Comer, has insisted that it be conducted in the same manner as other depositions.
Democratic lawmakers said that the leaked photo underscored that there needs to be a clear public record of the deposition. They called for a transcript and video to be released within 24 hours of the deposition’s conclusion.
All three Texas Senate GOP candidates to appear with Trump
The president — and Republican Party kingmaker — has declined to endorse in Texas’s hotly-contested Senate primary.
So when Trump appears in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday to talk about energy policies and the economy, all three candidates — incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Rep. Wesley Hunt and state Attorney General Ken Paxton — will be there, too.
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Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, makes a campaign stop in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
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U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, speaks at a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks to a supporter during a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Tyler, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, makes a campaign stop in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
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Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, makes a campaign stop in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
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U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, speaks at a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, speaks at a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks to a supporter during a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Tyler, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks to a supporter during a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Tyler, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Their appearance at Trump’s visit to the southern Te xas town was confirmed by their campaigns and congressional offices.
Cornyn, who is running for his fifth term, is fending off challenges in a primary battle that has gotten vicious and personal.
A candidate must win 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary in order to win outright. If that doesn’t happen, the race will go to a May 26 runoff with the top two vote-getters.
Justice Thomas alludes to threats to explain his remote participation in DC law school conference
Thomas said he changed his plans to appear in person on the American University law school campus because “I wanted to make sure that I didn’t endanger anyone by my mere presence.”
A couple dozen students who protested outside the conference said they were upset that the school provided no notice about or access to the private event. They also distributed a single sheet with excerpts of the testimony of law professor Anita Hill, whose allegations that Thomas sexually harassed her nearly derailed his nomination in 1991.
Spokespeople for the Supreme Court and the school didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Thomas was honored with an award by the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, made up mainly of members of the Church of Latter Day Saints.
Thomas spoke from the Washington office of Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.
Pennsylvania governor vows to block 2 planned ICE facilities
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro vowed Thursday to do whatever he can to block a pair of warehouses slated to become U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in his state as part of a massive expansion.
The Democratic governor met privately for more than an hour with local government officials about plans for the facilities in Berks and Schuylkill counties. Shapiro said they voiced concerns about water and sewer capacity, the impact on roads, the demand for emergency fire and rescue response as well as medical care and other potential effects.
Shapiro said he plans to flex his regulatory authority and legal powers to try to stop them.
First lady Melania Trump to preside over UN Security Council in a historic first
When the wife of President Donald Trump sits in the president’s seat to chair a meeting on Monday afternoon, it “will be the first time a first lady, or first gentleman for that matter, has ever presided over a Security Council meeting,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday.
The United States takes over the rotating presidency of the 15-member council for the month of March and the first lady’s office said the meeting she will preside over on Monday will “emphasize education’s role in advancing tolerance and world peace.”
Asked the significance of Melania Trump’s presiding role, Dujarric said: “Obviously, it’s a sign of the importance that the United States feels towards the Security Council and the subject.”
He said U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo will be briefing the Security Council at the meeting officially entitled “Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict” on behalf of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Pentagon spokesman says they won’t let AI company dictate limits
The Pentagon’s top spokesman reiterated that the military wants to use Anthropic’s AI models in legal ways and won’t let the company dictate any limits ahead of a Friday deadline to agree to the demands.
Sean Parnell said Thursday on social media that the Pentagon “has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement.”
Anthropic’s policies prevent their models from being used for those purposes. It’s the last of its peers to not supply its technology to a new U.S. military internal network.
Parnell says the Pentagon wants to “use Anthropic’s model for all lawful purposes” but didn’t offer details and asserted that Anthropic’s resistance is “jeopardizing critical military operations.”
After meeting Tuesday, the Pentagon told the company to open up its technology or risk losing its contract and be designated a supply chain risk.
Mediator cites progress as indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran wrap up
Oman’s foreign minister said Thursday that talks between the United States and Iran had ended in Geneva but “will resume soon.”
Badr al-Busaidi wrote on X that there had been “significant progress in the negotiation” without elaborating.
He said technical-level talks would take place next week in Vienna, home to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
There was no immediate comment from either American or Iranian officials. Analysts had been concerned that ending Thursday’s talks without an immediate deal could spark U.S. military action against Iran.
JUST IN: Oman’s foreign minister says talks between Iran and the US in Geneva have ended but ‘will resume soon
Trump hails ruling on White House ballroom construction
“Great news for America, and our wonderful White House!,” Trump posted on his social media site after a federal judge rejected a preservationist group’s request to block continued construction of a ballroom that crews demolished the East Wing to build.
Trump wrote that the project is “ahead of schedule, and under budget” and that the finished project “will stand long into the future as a symbol to the Greatness of America.”
Hillary Clinton deposition resumes
After a pause, the House Oversight Committee’s deposition of the former secretary of state has restarted.
It was put on hold after Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert shared a photo of Clinton at the closed-door proceeding with a conservative influence who posted it on social media.
The photo violated committee rules for depositions, but Boebert posted on social media that the influencer “did nothing wrong.”
Democratic senator says Vance is visiting Wisconsin to help congressman
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin says that Vice President JD Vance is visiting Wisconsin to “shore up” a Republican congressman in a district targeted by Democrats.
Vance’s trip to central Wisconsin on Thursday was touted by the White House as a chance to talk about President Donald Trump’s successes in the wake of the State of the Union address.
But Baldwin says the true purpose is to help Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who she says is in “lock step with this administration.” Van Orden planned to attend Vance’s event at a manufacturing business in Plover, Wisconsin.
Baldwin says it’s good for Vance to come to Wisconsin “so he can see exactly how this administration’s policies are affecting and in many ways harming Wisconsinites.”
She says Van Orden has not been responsive to voters who oppose Trump’s tariffs, cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies and reductions to federal food aid.
Vance speaks in Wisconsin on affordability, fraud

Vice President JD Vance speaks at Pointe Precision in Plover Wis., Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, Pool)
Vice President JD Vance speaks at Pointe Precision in Plover Wis., Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, Pool)
Vice President JD spoke on Thursday in Plover, Wisconsin, about affordability and reducing fraud, making the case for Republicans in the 2026 midterms.
“The question in November is do we give power to the people who fight for corruption, who fight for fraud, who fight for illegal aliens, or do we give the government to the American citizens for whom it was designed and for whom it was created?” he asked during his address at Pointe Precision Inc., a machining facility. “I think I know the answer. Let’s vote for our people .”
Vance blamed Democrats for the current affordability crisis and called out alleged corruption in Minnesota, citing an example that involved money supposedly being taken away from autistic children.
Democratic senator says Vance coming to Wisconsin to help congressman
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin says that Vice President JD Vance is coming to Wisconsin to “shore up” a Republican congressman in a district targeted by Democrats.
Vance’s trip to central Wisconsin on Thursday was touted by the White House as a chance to talk about President Donald Trump’s successes in the wake of the State of the Union address.
But Baldwin says the true purpose is to help Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who she says is in “lock step with this administration.” Van Orden planned to attend Vance’s event at a manufacturing business in Plover, Wisconsin.
Baldwin says it’s good for Vance to come to Wisconsin “so he can see exactly how this administration’s policies are affecting and in many ways harming Wisconsinites.”
She says Van Orden has not been responsive to voters who oppose Trump’s tariffs, cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies and reductions to federal food aid.
Trump, Mamdani to meet at the White House
The New York City mayor is planning on meeting with the president at the White House on Thursday.
That’s according to a person with knowledge of the meeting, granted anonymity to discuss something that was not on Trump’s public schedule. The meeting is expected to be in part about housing.
Despite deriding Mamdani as he campaigned for mayor, Trump has taken a liking to him after their one-on-one meeting late last year.

FILE – President Donald Trump talks after meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
FILE – President Donald Trump talks after meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Judge rejects request to block Trump White House from building its $400 million ballroom project
A federal judge on Thursday rejected a preservationist group’s request to block the Trump administration from continuing construction of a $400 million ballroom where it demolished the East Wing of the White House.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that The National Trust for Historic Preservation was unlikely to succeed on the merits of its bid to temporarily halt President Donald Trump’s project.
Hillary Clinton deposition paused over leaked photo
The House Oversight Committee’s deposition of Hillary Clinton is being paused after Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert sent a photo of the closed-door proceeding to a conservative influencer.
Benny Johnson, a right-wing Youtuber, posted a photo of Clinton at the deposition online and said Boebert had provided it.
The deposition is being recorded on video, but Comer has said that will only be released after Clinton’s attorneys have a chance to review it. The committee’s rules do not allow outside press or photographers to take photos of the proceedings.
JUST IN: Federal judge rejects request to block Trump White House from building its $400 million ballroom project
GOP chair of House Oversight panel says it’s possible lawmakers will question Lutnick on Epstein ties

FILE – Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens during an event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
FILE – Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens during an event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Outside the House Oversight Committee’s deposition for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. James Comer told reporters that it’s “very possible” that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is called to testify in the House investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
Comer is seeking to cast the investigation as a bipartisan effort that is also willing to question Republicans.
Lutnick was Epstein’s neighbor in New York City. He had previously claimed that he cut all ties with Epstein after 2005, but the release of case files on Epstein showed that they had several interactions in the years after that.
JUST IN: Convoy carrying US diplomats in Geneva arrives to resume indirect talks with Iran
Noem says more than 250 DACA recipients arrested and dozens deported in 2025
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a letter to Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and other senators that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program provides just that, a deferral of removal “for a period of time.”
Dubin and Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Ca., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., blasted the treatment of DACA recipients, known as Dreamers.
“News of DACA recipients being arrested and deported is deeply troubling,” the senators said in a statement.

FILE – Susana Lujano, left, a dreamer from Mexico who lives in Houston, joins other activists to rally in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 15, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
FILE – Susana Lujano, left, a dreamer from Mexico who lives in Houston, joins other activists to rally in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 15, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
The DACA program was created during the Obama administration to provide a way for young people who arrived in the U.S. illegally as children to remain in the country, so long as they register, undergo a background check and meet other requirements, such as attending school or working. Many have spent much of their lives in the U.S., and have since become adults with families of their own.
From Jan. 1, 2025 to Nov. 19, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported 261 DACA recipients were arrested and 86 had been removed from the country, according to Noem’s letter.
It said of those arrested, 241 had criminal histories, but didn’t provide further information, citing privacy issues. The senators demanded DHS provide more information on the rationale for arresting and deporting Dreamers.
Hillary Clinton testifies she has no information on Epstein’s criminal activities
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is telling U.S. House lawmakers she had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s or Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes.
“I had no idea about their criminal activities. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein,” Hillary Clinton said in an opening statement she shared on social media.
Her testimony starts off two days of depositions that will also include former President Bill Clinton.
JUST IN: Hillary Clinton in testimony says she has no information on Epstein’s criminal activities and never recalls meeting him
Hillary Clinton’s deposition is getting underway
The House Oversight Committee’s closed-door deposition of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is getting underway in Chappaqua, New York, as lawmakers start two days of depositions that will also include former President Bill Clinton.
Hillary Clinton has previously told the committee she has no memory of ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who killed himself in 2019 while facing charges for sexually abusing and trafficking underage girls.
“There is no indication — zero, zip, zilch, nada — that Secretary Clinton had any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes,” Rep. James Walkinshaw, a Virginia Democrat, said just before the deposition.
Clinton did have connections to Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, through the Clinton Foundation. Maxwell was also a guest at the 2010 wedding of their daughter Chelsea Clinton.
WATCH: Hillary Clinton’s motorcade arrives
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers in New York as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Democrats call for Trump to answer questions in House Epstein investigation

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. Speaks outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center before the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. Speaks outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center before the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are arguing that former President Bill Clinton’s appearance for a deposition sets a precedent that should apply to President Donald Trump as well.
” Let’s get President Trump in front of our committee to answer the questions that are being asked across this country from survivors,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the Oversight panel.
The Republican chair of the committee, Republican Rep. James Comer, has previously said the committee can’t deposition Trump because he’s a sitting president. Trump, however, has expressed regret that the Clintons are being forced to testify in the committee’s probe.
Republicans relishing the chance to question the Clintons
It’s hardly the first time congressional Republicans have pressured the Clintons to answer their questions, but this time it comes as both former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are more than a decade removed from public office.
None the less, the Clintons have emerged as a top target for Republicans in the House investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and they were successful in forcing them to appear for depositions in Chappaqua, New York, over the next two days.
“No one’s accusing at this moment the Clintons of any wrongdoing,” Rep. James Comer, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters just before the deposition for Hillary Clinton began.
Comer added that Republicans were hoping to understand how Epstein accumulated his wealth and influence with high-powered men around the world.
IN PHOTOS: The press awaits Hillary Clinton’s arrival ahead of testimony
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A New Castle police officer sets up barricades outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as members of the media await the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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Members of the media set up outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as awaiting the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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Members of the media set up outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as awaiting the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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A New Castle police officer sets up barricades outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as members of the media await the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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A New Castle police officer sets up barricades outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as members of the media await the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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Members of the media set up outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as awaiting the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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Members of the media set up outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as awaiting the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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Members of the media set up outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as awaiting the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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Members of the media set up outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as awaiting the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Republican chair pledges long days of depositions for the Clintons

FILE – House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., joined at left by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters after a closed-door deposition with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and confidante of sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
FILE – House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., joined at left by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters after a closed-door deposition with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and confidante of sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Rep. James Comer, the GOP chair of the House Oversight Committee, previewed lengthy interviews for both Hillary and Bill Clinton as lawmakers question them about Jeffrey Epstein.
“This is going to be a long deposition,” Comer told reporters outside the convention center in Chappaqua, New York, where the depositions are being held.
Hillary Clinton has said she doesn’t remember ever meeting with Epstein, although she does have some connections to his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.
House Democrats to force war powers vote on Iran
House Democratic leaders say they’ll force a vote next week on legislation requiring President Trump to terminate military force against Iran unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war from Congress.
The U.S. has gathered a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the Middle East and the two nations are engaged in indirect talks to reach a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program and potentially avert a war.
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries was joined in the announcement by several Democrats who serve as the ranking member on committees with jurisdiction.
Their news release says the Iranian regime is “brutal and destabilizing,” and cited the killing of thousands of protesters.
“However, undertaking a war of choice in the Middle East, without a full understanding of all the attendant risks to our servicemembers and to escalation, is reckless,” the news release stated. “We maintain that any such action would be unconstitutional without consultation with and authorization from Congress.”
Trump administration appeals to the Supreme Court in immigration case
The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow it to end legal protections for migrants from Syria for now. It’s the administration’s latest emergency appeal to the nation’s highest court.
The government wants the court to lift a New York judge’s ruling halting the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to end temporary protected status for Syrians.
The justices have previously allowed immigration authorities to end legal protections for migrants from Venezuela while lawsuits continue to play out. The federal government argued the Syria case is similar.
About 6,000 people from Syria have temporary legal status after fleeing armed conflict. Ending those protections could mean people lose work authorization and be exposed to possible deportation.
White House drug czar is in Mexico following operation that killed powerful cartel leader
Sara Carter, who heads the administration’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, is in Mexico for talks with government officials following this week’s operation that killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the country’s most powerful drug lord.
“The Mexican government is demonstrating a sincere ongoing commitment to the shared counternarcotics cause which has plagued both of our nations for decades,” Carter said in a statement. “Defeating the cartels is an ongoing mutual effort necessary for the safety and security of both our nations.”

Newspapers hang on display for sale in Mexico City, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, a day after the Mexican army killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.” (AP Photo/Jon Orbach)
Newspapers hang on display for sale in Mexico City, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, a day after the Mexican army killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.” (AP Photo/Jon Orbach)
U.S. intelligence officials provided support to the Mexican government for the operation that killed the cartel leader known as “El Mencho,” according to the White House.
The operation follows President Trump repeatedly pressing the Mexican government to more aggressively target the country’s illegal drug trade. The U.S. president has threatened to send U.S. troops to take out cartels, if Mexico’s government can’t.
Carter and U.S Ambassador Ronald Johnson have met with Mexico’s security cabinet and offered condolences to Mexico’s defense secretary, Gen. Ricardo Trevilla, for the deaths of 33 Mexican national guardsmen and three special operations members killed in the operation.
Led by new generation, Democrats prioritize transparency on Epstein over defending former leaders
Several Democratic lawmakers joined with Republicans on the Oversight panel to advance the contempt of Congress charges against the Clintons last month. Several said they had no relationship with the Clintons and owed no loyalty to t hem.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the Oversight panel, said both Republican and Democratic administrations “have failed survivors in not getting more information out to the public.” He also said he wanted to ask about Epstein’s possible ties to foreign governments.
Democrats are also coming off an effort this week to confront Trump about his administration’s handling of the Epstein files by taking women who survived Epstein’s abuse as their guests to Trump’s State of the Union address. Even senior Democrats, such as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, said it was appropriate for the committee to interview anyone, including the former president, who was connected to Epstein.
World Economic Forum head Børge Brende steps down following pressure over Epstein links

FILE – CEO of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende talks during of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)
FILE – CEO of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende talks during of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)
Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, said in a statement Thursday that he’d decided “after careful consideration” to step down as president and chief executive of the forum, known for its annual January summit in the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos.
“I am grateful for the incredible collaboration with my colleagues, partners, and constituents, and I believe now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions,” Brende said in a statement released by the WEF.
Brende was Norway’s foreign minister from 2013-2017 and is one of several prominent Norwegians who’ve faced scrutiny following the latest release of Epstein files.
He didn’t refer directly to that controversy in Thursday’s statement, but the WEF announced earlier this month that it was opening an internal review into Brende to determine his relationship with Epstein after files indicated the two had dined together several times and exchanged messages.
Iran would be outgunned in any war with the US but could still inflict considerable pain
As U.S. forces mass in the Middle East, Iran faces the threat of major strikes by the world’s most powerful military, potentially targeting its leaders, military, nuclear sites and critical infrastructure.
Iran has nowhere near the same capabilities, and is even more vulnerable after last year’s war launched by Israel and recent anti-government protests. But it could still inflict pain on American forces and allies, and may feel it has to if the Islamic Republic’s survival is at stake.
While Iran suffered major losses last June, it still has hundreds of missiles capable of hitting Israel, according to Israel’s estimates. Iran boasts a much larger arsenal of shorter-range missiles capable of hitting U.S. bases in Gulf countries and offshore American forces, soon to be joined by a second aircraft carrier.
Iran has previously threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the global oil tradeand claimed to have done so partially during military drills last week.
Slightly more Americans now see Iran and the US as enemies: AP-NORC poll
Most Americans, 61%, say Iran is an “enemy” of the U.S., according to the new AP-NORC poll. That is up slightly from 53% in a Pearson Institute/AP-NORC poll conducted in September 2023.
Roughly 3 in 10 Americans currently say the countries are “not friendly, but not enemies,” and only about 1 in 10 Americans consider the two nations “friendly” or “close allies.”
At the same time, there’s a bit of an age gap on that perception. Only about half of U.S. adults under 45 say Iran is an enemy, compared with about 7 in 10 Americans ages 45 and older.
Most US adults have low trust in Trump’s judgment on military force: AP-NORC poll
Most Americans have significant reservations about Trump’s judgment on foreign conflicts, the AP-NORC poll shows.
Only about 3 in 10 of U.S. adults have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of trust in Trump’s judgment on the use of military force, relationships with U.S. adversaries or the use of nuclear weapons. More than half trust him “only a little” or “not at all.”
On each measure, Republicans are more likely than Democrats and Independents to trust that the president will make the right decisions. About 6 in 10 Republicans have a high level of trust in Trump, while roughly 9 in 10 Democrats have a low level of trust in him.
Most Americans see Iran as an enemy but doubt Trump’s judgment on military force, AP-NORC poll finds
As the U.S. and Iran head into their next round of nuclear talks in Genevaa new AP-NORC poll finds that many U.S. adults continue to view Iran’s nuclear program as a threat — but they also don’t have high trust in Trump’s judgment on the use of military force abroad.
About half of U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” concerned that Iran’s nuclear program poses a direct threat to the United States, according to the new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About 3 in 10 are “moderately” concerned and only about 2 in 10 are “not very” concerned or “not concerned at all.”
The survey was conducted Feb. 19-23, as military tensions built in the Middle East between the United States and Iran. The U.S. is seeking a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program and ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons, while Iran says it is not pursuing weapons and has so far resisted demands that it halt uranium enrichment on its soil or hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
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