Congress set a 30-day deadline, which arrived Dec. 19, and comes at a much-needed time on an issue that has dogged President Donald Trump throughout his first year in office, inflaming his MAGA base, causing rifts with allies and exposing the limits of his considerable influence over his supporters.

Epstein, a wealth manager with ties to the rich and famous, committed suicide in prison in 2019 at the age of 66 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Nevertheless, he remained a powerful political issue. Questions about the case have persisted for years, including how Epstein died and whether celebrities may be involved in the sex trafficking allegations against him.

Epstein files: Expectations and reality about what will be released

The Trump administration tried to close the Epstein case in July, but the Justice Department released a memo saying it had found no evidence of a sex-trafficking client list and would not release any more records, reaffirming that Epstein died by suicide. Trump and Epstein were friends for more than a decade in the 1990s and early 2000s.

more: How Trump and ‘great guy’ Jeffrey Epstein’s party-boy friendship finally ended

After Trump’s inner circle fueled a conspiracy to cover up Epstein for years, the MAGA base revolted, Congress pushed to obtain the records, and key Republicans allied with Trump signed a bill requiring disclosure. Mr. Trump initially criticized his supporters for focusing on Mr. Epstein, but ultimately supported the bill.

All eyes will be on how the administration will respond to information disclosure. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department would “follow the law” regarding the Epstein documents.

As the files are filtered, Trump and Congress will leave town. President Trump is speaking in North Carolina, where members of Congress are heading home for the holidays. Watch USA TODAY’s live coverage of the Epstein Files.

The Epstein File Transparency Act, passed by Congress and signed by the president on November 19, requires the government to release records “not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this law.”

Bondi has until Dec. 19 at 11:59 p.m. to release the Justice Department records. The exact timing and method of release is unknown. The law states that documents must be made publicly available in a “searchable and downloadable format.”

What are Epstein’s records already public?

Over the course of two decades of state and federal criminal investigations, considerable information about Epstein has already come to light.

Epstein was first charged in 2006 and ultimately pleaded guilty in 2008 to charges of solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of prostitution of a minor. He was registered as a sex offender. He appeared in court again in 2019 on sex trafficking charges, with the indictment alleging that he “sexually exploited and abused dozens of underage girls in his home.”

new epstein photo Despite all the attention, file dumping is just the beginning

Recent efforts by Congress to obtain records have yielded more information about Epstein’s lifestyle and relationships. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released a copy of a birthday letter to Epstein written inside the outline of a woman’s body, claiming it showed Trump’s signature. He denied writing the memo. Democrats on the committee also released emails in which Mr. Epstein spoke about Mr. Trump, including one in which he said Mr. Trump “knew the girls.”

Other records recently released by the committee from Epstein’s estate mention billionaires Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, MAGA leader Steve Bannon, Prince Andrew and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The committee also released photos from the mansion showing Mr. Trump, former President Bill Clinton and other dignitaries, as well as emails containing correspondence between Mr. Epstein and former Harvard University president and U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers. Following the revelations, Mr. Summers, who served in the Clinton administration, retired from public service and from teaching at Harvard University.

Will the government release the entire Epstein file?

The law passed by Congress requires Bondi to release “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice.”

However, there are exceptions. Bondi can withhold information that identifies the victim, indicates abuse, is classified, or “jeopardizes a federal investigation or ongoing prosecution.”

more: How Epstein fared like no other in Trump’s second term

Donald Trump claims Jeffrey Epstein files are ‘fabricated’

President Donald Trump has claimed that the Jeffrey Epstein files are a “Democrat hoax”, even though Republican leaders support petitions to release them.

This means that some information will not be made public.

Eric O’Neill, a national security lawyer and former FBI counterintelligence officer, said, “There’s no 100% chance of getting the documents.”

Lawmakers will closely monitor the records to ensure they are not unduly suppressed.

“What I would like to see is an honest effort to at least get most of the files out,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), the lead sponsor of the Epstein anti-File initiative.

How did MAGA respond to President Trump’s response to the Epstein scandal?

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released this month found that a majority of Americans disapprove of the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein scandal.

The July Justice Department memo sparked considerable backlash within President Trump’s MAGA base, which the president has struggled to contain, and exposed the limits of the president’s vast influence over his supporters.

After the issue escalated, President Trump took to social media to argue that Epstein was being used to taint his administration and that his supporters “shouldn’t waste their time and energy on Jeffrey Epstein, who no one cares about.”

However, Trump’s usual tactics did not quell Republican opposition. A pressure campaign to get Republicans to oppose the file disclosure bill failed with resistance from some of Trump’s top politicians, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.). With the Epstein bill ready to move forward, President Trump has said he agrees and will sign it.

Contributors: Aysha Bagchi, Zachary Schermele

On Thursday Night Football on Dec. 18, the Rams took control in the first half, and Seattle trailed 13-7 at halftime.

Things looked bleak for the Seahawks in the fourth quarter. Sam Darnold had just thrown his second interception and the Rams held a 30-14 lead. Things quickly changed when Rashid Shahid punted and raced down the field for a 58-yard touchdown. The Seahawks made a two-point try on the ensuing play, closing the gap to 30-22. Seattle then scored on its next drive, making a wild two-point conversion on official review to tie the game at 30-30 with 6:23 left in the fourth period.

The actor and comedian, 32, has welcomed a “perfect angel girl” with his model girlfriend Elsie Hewitt, 29, he confirmed on Instagram on Thursday, December 18th. “This is my best work yet. So full of love, gratitude, and disbelief,” Hewitt wrote, while Davidson quipped, “Wu-Tang Forever.”

After a long back and forth, they finally decided on the name of their first son: Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson. The “Saturday Night Live” alum recently revealed that the two were waiting to meet their child before agreeing on a name.

“We thought so, but then we thought we found another name,” he told USA TODAY earlier this month about his change of mind on the name. “We just want to meet it, and then we’re like, look, this is (blank).”

The name Scotty appears to be a nod to the actor’s father, Scott Davidson, who was killed in the line of duty as a New York City firefighter during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The moment was captured on surveillance camera near the University of Southern California on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Wearing jeans and a green track jacket, his dark hair covered by a baseball cap and a red backpack slung over his shoulder, he waited at a bus stop near Expo Park, which was filled with homeless people.

Alexis Hernandez, a security guard at the market, passed the 32-year-old man. Nick’s departure was the start of a typical night shift.

“He was acting normal,” Hernandez said.

Nick walked across the street to the bus stop, where Los Angeles Metro Bus 204 took him all the way to Hollywood.

Hernandez watched as Los Angeles Police Department and U.S. Marshals descended on the busy South Vermont Street, followed by University of Southern California police. A waning crescent moon hovered overhead.

At approximately 9:15 p.m., law enforcement ordered Nick onto the street and handcuffed him face down.

He was 25 miles from home. He is wanted on suspicion of murdering his father. And his mother.

Nick is currently in a downtown Los Angeles jail, charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of acclaimed film director Rob Reiner and his wife, producer and photographer Michelle Singer Reiner. Prosecutors added special circumstances to the charge, meaning he could face the death penalty.

This tragedy struck Americans who grew up with Rob Reiner. Throughout his 60-year career, Rob told heartwarming stories such as “Stand by Me” and “When Harry Met Sally.” He’s taken us through the generations, from playing Meathead on Michael Steivich’s “All in the Family” to playing America’s father on the millennial favorite “New Girl.” Rob changed the way we love, think and laugh. Michele helped drive him with her passion and fierce love for family and friends. (“She’s a Bunsen burner lighting my ass,” he once joked.)

Actors and friends, including politicians and celebrities, shared anecdotes about one of Hollywood’s last greats, calling the couple’s deaths a tragic end to a storied life.

Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner’s children break silence on their parents’ death

The children of Rob and Michelle Reiner have issued a statement asking for privacy following the “terrifying and devastating loss” of their parents.

“He’s in a really good place.”

Rob Reiner spent the fall promoting Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. The sequel comes 41 years after he directed the cult hit metal band mockumentary. (He, his wife, and their three children, Jake, Nick, and Romy, met Paul McCartney on set as the former Beatle filmed scenes for the long-awaited sequel.)

As part of the film’s pre-release press conference, Rob spoke with NPR’s Terry Gross and also asked him about 2015’s Being Charlie.

“Your son co-wrote it and you directed it,” Gross said. “And your son has struggled with drug addiction, so this seems like a semi-autobiography.”

Since that very peculiar collaboration, Rob has rarely been asked about Nick. According to Rob, this was his most personal work. They both spoke about the tumultuous times their family faced while Rob was battling addiction, and the guilt Rob and Michelle felt as parents. The worry and stress Nick was putting on the people who loved him. But it all seemed to be behind them.

“Did you feel like you were sometimes too busy to pay attention to him?” Gross asked, recalling those difficult teenage years.

“No, no, I was never too busy,” Rob told her. “I think I made a mistake. You know, he’s been great. He hasn’t done drugs in over six years. I mean, he’s in a really good place.”

The second son of the great director, who candidly talked about how difficult it was growing up with his famous father, Carl Reiner, who also struggled in the shadow of his famous father, Carl Reiner, until he found his own path, was coming of age.

Nick told podcaster Paul Meculio in 2016 that talking about addiction isn’t difficult. The difficult part was that he shared his vulnerable story and people told him, “You’re just a spoiled white rich kid.”

But he and his father agreed that talking about addiction can help others.

“That’s what we’re doing, to start a conversation,” Nick said on the podcast. “I feel lucky because I have parents who care about me. … If I go out and do drugs, I feel a tremendous amount of guilt. My parents care about me and want me to do good.”

A family of five celebrated the movie premiere of the Spinal Tap sequel in Los Angeles on September 9th and posed for photos on the “black carpet.”

Photos and videos of Rob posted to his daughter’s Instagram account in May show their closeness, including sweet conversations and silly interactions.

Romy, 27, who lives near her parents’ home, shared the photo with her father two days after Thanksgiving.

She and her father are floating in turquoise ocean waves in their swimsuits, and Rob is wearing a Spinal Tap baseball cap. “I’m grateful for my family, my health, and my supporters of all ages, but I’m not grateful for the president and the nation of this country,” she wrote.

Sources close to the Reiner family told The New York Times that nothing in recent weeks suggested Nick was capable of committing violent murders. Rob and Michelle also said they aren’t concerned about Nick’s recent behavior.

“Being Charlie” cinematographer Barry Markowitz told The Wall Street Journal that he stayed at Liners during a visit to Los Angeles three weeks ago. He also said that he was watching Nick play tennis because he seemed to be doing well.

Friends said Nick lived in a guesthouse at Reiners’ home in the Brentwood neighborhood. This is the same guest house where he once told a podcaster that he “had a heart attack from cocaine and started hitting things.”

night with friends

Conan O’Brien’s annual Christmas party is a household name in Los Angeles comedy circles. Past guests have included Martin Short, Adam Sandler, and Tom Hanks.

Social gatherings are filled with laughter and lots of food, but one year, a gust of wind blew embers from the patio fire pit onto an outdoor couch, setting it ablaze. Comedian Bill Hader said O’Brien’s wife put out the fire with a fire extinguisher.

Rob and Michelle attended with Nick on December 13th of this year. Mr. O’Brien lives near the Reiners, 2.7 miles away in the windy Pacific Palisades area, in a mansion surrounded by gates and hedges that survived this year’s fires.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nick was not invited to the party, but was brought by his parents who were reluctant to leave him alone due to his recent behavior.

Hader was there, Jane Fonda was there.

While others wore formal attire, Nick wore a hoodie. According to media reports, he caused a disturbance at O’Brien’s home, stared at guests, asked them their first and last names and whether they were famous, and yelled at his father.

A family friend told People magazine that Nick acted like he was “entitled.” Others said the episode was exaggerated. Others say Nick was simply trying to make his own way in the shadow of his father and grandfather.

What people agree on, and even Nick said, is that the Reiner family really wanted to help their son.

At some point during the Dec. 13 party, the three left O’Brien’s home. It is unclear whether they left together or all returned home.

The next day, Rob and Michelle were scheduled to get massages at their home and have dinner with Barack and Michelle Obama.

One masseuse said she called the Reiners’ daughter when she arrived on Sunday, Dec. 14, and no one answered the wooden gate of her parents’ home.

Romy came home.

Police were called at 3:38 p.m.

Yellow warning tape soon surrounded Reiners’ home, and neighbors said they saw Reiners’ close friends Billy Crystal and Larry David heading toward the house that afternoon.

The Los Angeles Police Department held a press conference just before 9 p.m., announcing only that two bodies had been found inside the home.

By that time, police had already zeroed in on the couple’s youngest son, Nick.

According to reports, Nick was not far from his parents’ home. Sometime on Dec. 14, possibly early Sunday morning, he went to the Pierside Santa Monica Hotel, officials said. Hotel employees told the Times that police began investigating on December 14. It’s unclear what led them to the beach-themed hotel, a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean and 11 miles from Reiners’ Brentwood-area home. They couldn’t find Nick.

By 9pm on December 14th, Nick had apparently traveled on foot and stopped at a morning/afternoon market 29 miles from his hotel. Security cameras showed him going in and out and coming back to buy a blue Gatorade. he wasn’t in a hurry. He strolled across the parking lot.

Within 15 minutes, Nick was taken into custody. He was booked into the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, a county jail in downtown Los Angeles, in the early morning hours of December 15th.

On Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m., prosecutors charged Nick with two counts of first-degree murder. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office said Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner died from “multiple sharp impact injuries.” Prosecutors have not yet disclosed why police focused on him as a suspect or any potential motive.

On December 17, Nick appeared briefly in a special holding area of ​​a Los Angeles courtroom, away from cameras, wearing a blue protective smock.

Nick’s lawyer Alan Jackson asked the court for patience and asked that the arraignment be postponed until January 7.

The judge asked the defendant if he would waive his right to a speedy arraignment.

“Yes, sir,” Nick said quietly.

Two hours after their brother’s court appearance, Jake and Romy Reiner released the following statement: “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. They were more than just our parents, they were our best friends.”

Friends say the couple lived a storybook life.

Rob Reiner was considered America’s father in many ways. Most importantly, he and Michelle were mom and dad to Jake and Romy. And Nick.

Biffle, his wife Christina Biffle, their son Ryder and Gregg’s daughter Emma were among the seven people killed in the crash involving a Cessna C550 at the end of the runway at Statesville Regional Airport at 10:20 a.m. local time.

“We are devastated by the loss of our loved one. The entire family is heartbroken beyond words by this tragedy,” the family said in a statement.

Biffle has raced in multiple NASCAR series for nearly 20 years. The 19-time Cup Series winner was a champion in NASCAR’s third and second division series before making the jump to the top level in 2003.

With the release of more Epstein documents currently pending from the Justice Department, the nation waits to hear the next details about the disgraced wealth adviser and how it will affect President Donald Trump, a former associate of Mr. Epstein.

Trump met Epstein in the 1990s, when both were high-finance celebrities. Although President Trump said he severed ties with Epstein decades ago, their relationship has remained a constant companion for the president, who has changed his stance on releasing Epstein’s documents.

Here’s a look at how Trump and Epstein bonded over 30 years and then parted ways.

Trump flies on Epstein’s private jet seven times

If you can’t see the graphic, click here to reload the page.

2004

Trump is the host of the TV show “The Apprentice,” where contestants compete to run Trump’s companies. It lasted 13 seasons and increased Trump’s popularity among the public.

Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, 48, of Portugal, was a doctoral student in physics at Brown University, Providence police said.

Police broke the case after a tipster noticed a rental car driving in the area, according to the affidavit. He provided police with a description of the gray Nissan Altima and the license plate. Police then tracked an image of Neves Valente renting a car at an Alamo store in Boston.

Neves Valente entered the country in 2000 on an F-1 student visa. He was recognized as a legal permanent resident in 2017.

The first teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday has arrived, revealing for the first time that Chris Evans will be returning to the next Marvel movie. The trailer was shown in theaters before the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash on Thursday, December 18th, but has not been released online.

The video begins with former Captain America Steve Rogers arriving at the house he shares with Peggy Carter, where they settled at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Steve gets off his bike and enters the house, where he is seen picking up an old Captain America suit.

The trailer features a somber version of the Avengers main theme and ends with a shot of Steve holding a baby, presumably with Peggy.

Chris Evans makes surprise return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

“Steve Rogers returns in ‘Avengers: Doomsday,'” the screen reads. There will also be a timer counting down to the release of “Avengers: Doomsday” in December 2026.

But Pentagon officials acknowledged that the $2.6 billion so-called “warrior dividend” was funded by the Pentagon and not from the president’s high tariffs on imports.

The official said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed last summer, directed the Pentagon to pay the bonuses out of the $2.9 billion military housing fund appropriated by Congress in President Trump’s expansive “One Big Beautiful Bill” law.

“We made a lot more money on tariffs than anyone thought possible. This bill helped us,” Trump said in a 19-minute address to the nation on Dec. 17. “No one deserves it more than our military.”

Adding to the revelations in this case, authorities were also investigating a possible connection between Brown’s murder and the shooting of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor on Dec. 16. This was reported by the Providence Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, citing a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation but who requested anonymity.

CBS News, The New York Times and The Associated Press, citing anonymous sources, reported that New England police have identified a person of interest and are searching for him.

Investigators are searching for a car believed to have been rented by the person. The vehicle was identified in connection with the shooting of MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro in Brookline, Massachusetts, anonymous sources told the Times. CBS and CNN reported that authorities have also issued a warrant for the arrest of a person in connection with the Brown shooting, citing law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation.