On Thursday, First Lady Melania Trump addressed reporters, firmly stating that she never had any personal ties with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. During her televised remarks, it was not entirely clear which specific allegations prompted her response.<\/p>\n
“I have never been friends with Epstein,” she asserted in her public statement. “I am not a victim of Epstein. He did not introduce me to Donald Trump.”<\/p>\n
Melania Trump further clarified that while she and the President occasionally attended the same social events as Epstein, this was not unusual in the social environments of New York City and Palm Beach. She specifically characterized her emails to Maxwell as nothing more than “casual correspondence.”<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, on the steps of the Capitol, Democratic Representative Madeleine Dean, who spearheaded the second impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump, expressed that pursuing another impeachment while Democrats hold a minority in Congress might not be the most effective use of their time. “Let us gain a majority, secure a Senate majority, and then hold this president accountable,” she urged.<\/p>\n
In an interview with NBC News, Donald Trump confirmed that he had requested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt a “more low-key” approach in Lebanon as the US aims to negotiate with Iran to resolve the ongoing conflict. “I spoke with Bibi, and he\u2019s going to keep it low-key. I believe Israel is scaling back its operations in Lebanon,” Trump remarked, although there has been no independent verification of this claim.<\/p>\n
Earlier, CNN reported on Trump\u2019s request to Netanyahu to minimize military strikes to facilitate successful negotiations in Islamabad. The US President expressed optimism about reaching a peace agreement with Iran, stating that a diplomatic delegation led by Vice President JD Vance was preparing for critical discussions in Pakistan this weekend.<\/p>\n
“Iran\u2019s leaders communicate differently in meetings than they do in the press. They are much more reasonable,” Trump noted, aligning with his administration\u2019s narrative suggesting a disparity between Tehran’s public statements and private discussions. He added, “They are agreeing to all the necessary terms. Remember, they have been conquered and lack military strength. If they fail to reach an agreement, the consequences will be severe.”<\/p>\n
After Republicans blocked a war powers resolution from being passed unanimously earlier, several Democratic representatives shared their thoughts with reporters outside the US Capitol. They expressed confidence that when Congress reconvenes next week, they would be able to convince a few House Republican members to support the resolution.<\/p>\n
With the Republicans holding a narrow majority in the House, Democrats require only a small number of GOP lawmakers to collaborate with them. Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, who serves on the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, mentioned that she has not yet received an official proposal for a temporary ceasefire from the administration. This follows mixed messages from the White House regarding the terms of a potential multi-point agreement with Iran.<\/p>\n
“This is why we are requesting that Speaker Johnson reconvene us so we can receive briefings and understand what has truly been agreed upon, what the situation is, and what the ceasefire entails. We need to establish a comprehensive strategy to achieve a lasting end to this war, not just in Iran but throughout the broader region,” Jacobs explained to the press.<\/p>\n
In relation to negotiations with Lebanon, CNN reported that Netanyahu\u2019s decision to pursue direct talks was influenced by Trump\u2019s request. During a conversation on Wednesday, Trump urged the Israeli leader to reduce military actions in Lebanon and engage in discussions with the Lebanese government about disarming Hezbollah. It remains uncertain whether Netanyahu agreed to scale back military operations. An Israeli official reiterated to CNN that “there is no ceasefire currently,” emphasizing that “conversations will occur amidst ongoing conflict,” which contradicts the Lebanese government’s demand for a ceasefire prior to negotiations.<\/p>\n
Vice President JD Vance stated that “the Israelis have indeed offered to restrain their actions in Lebanon,” yet no evidence has substantiated this claim. Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the US, will represent Israel in the upcoming negotiations with Lebanon, as confirmed by an Israeli official and sources familiar with the situation.<\/p>\n
The initial meeting between Israel and Lebanon is scheduled to take place in Washington at the US State Department, according to an Axios reporter. Reuters has reported that Lebanon has been advocating for a temporary ceasefire over the past day to facilitate broader discussions with Israel, amid warnings from the IDF for residents in southern Beirut to evacuate due to anticipated military actions that have already caused extensive damage in the Lebanese capital.<\/p>\n
A senior Lebanese official informed Reuters that while no date has been set for negotiations, Lebanon requires the US to act as a mediator and guarantor for any agreement. They indicated that the ceasefire would follow a “separate track but the same model” as the fragile truce negotiated by Pakistan between the US and Iran, which both Islamabad and Tehran claimed included Lebanon, although Washington and Tel Aviv disputed this.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he has instructed for direct negotiations with Lebanon to commence “as soon as possible.” However, a Lebanese government official revealed that Lebanon insists on a ceasefire before beginning any negotiations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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