New Set of Epstein Files Released; Trump’s $100K H-1B Visa Application Fee Upheld by Judge

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Dec 24, 2025

Joining the discussion are Alexander Pearson, Bloomberg's D.C. breaking news editor known for his incisive political analysis, and Michael Barr, a seasoned reporter covering national and global news. They delve into the newly released Jeffrey Epstein files that complicate President Trump's narrative regarding his past dealings with Epstein. The conversation also covers a Supreme Court ruling that halts Trump's plans to deploy National Guard troops, highlighting legal and strategic implications for his administration.

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INSIGHT

New Epstein Files Increase Pressure

The Justice Department released a second tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files with many new references to President Trump.
The slow, heavily redacted rollout is frustrating lawmakers and may continue into the holidays.

INSIGHT

Supreme Court Blocks Guard Deployment

The Supreme Court rejected Trump's request to deploy the National Guard to Chicago in a 6-3 decision.
The court found the statute invoked likely does not allow such deployments absent exceptional circumstances.

INSIGHT

Judge Upholds $100K H-1B Fee

A federal judge allowed the administration to implement a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications.
The ruling is a setback for tech firms and rests on an express statutory grant of authority to the president.

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On today's podcast:
1) The US Justice Department released another tranche of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, including some that add fresh pressure on President Trump over his past relationship with the late, disgraced financier. The trove includes thousands of additional pages of material related to investigations of Epstein, including a 2020 email from a prosecutor that contains new detail about Trump’s trips on Epstein’s private jet in the 1990s, which the president has said never took place. There are also fresh details on Epstein’s relationships with financial firms and figures.
2) The US Supreme Court has refused to let President Trump start deploying National Guard troops in Chicago, dealing a setback to his drive to use the military in liberal cities across the country. Rejecting a Trump request in a 6-3 decision, the court on Tuesday left in force a judge’s ruling that has blocked the deployment since Oct. 9. The president wanted to use hundreds of troops to aid immigration enforcement in the third-largest US city. The court said the legal provision Trump sought to invoke probably doesn’t permit deployment of the National Guard in situations where the president wouldn’t have authority to send in active-duty military. The court said that under federal law, the president can deploy the armed forces to help execute the laws only in “exceptional” circumstances.
3) A federal judge says the Trump administration can move ahead with a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, providing a setback for US technology companies that rely on hiring skilled foreign workers. US District Judge Beryl Howell said in a ruling Tuesday that President Trump’s move to radically increase the cost of the popular visa is lawful. The decision provides a boost to the administration’s campaign to restrict immigration and push demand for US workers. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which sued to block the proposal, can appeal. Howell rejected the Chamber’s argument that the president doesn’t have the power to impose the fee, finding that his proclamation was issued under “an express statutory grant of authority to the President.”

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