Newly Released DOJ Epstein Files Expose High-Profile Connections Across Politics and Business 
Norway Opens Corruption Probe Into Former PM and Nobel Committee Chair Thorbjoern Jagland Over Epstein Links 
Marco Rubio Steps Down as Acting U.S. Archivist Amid Federal Law Limits 
Ukraine-Russia Talks Yield Major POW Swap as U.S. Pushes for Path to Peace 
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies 
Pentagon Ends Military Education Programs With Harvard University 
U.S. Announces Additional $6 Million in Humanitarian Aid to Cuba Amid Oil Sanctions and Fuel Shortages 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Trump Rejects Putin’s New START Extension Offer, Raising Fears of a New Nuclear Arms Race 
U.S. to Begin Paying UN Dues as Financial Crisis Spurs Push for Reforms 
Nighttime Shelling Causes Serious Damage in Russia’s Belgorod Region Near Ukraine Border 
Trump Says “Very Good Talks” Underway on Russia-Ukraine War as Peace Efforts Continue 
TrumpRx.gov Highlights GLP-1 Drug Discounts but Offers Limited Savings for Most Americans 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Federal Judge Restores Funding for Gateway Rail Tunnel Project 
New York Legalizes Medical Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Patients 
Iran–U.S. Nuclear Talks in Oman Face Major Hurdles Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
The congressional committee investigating the January 6 Capitol insurrection is steadily making more and more progress into piecing together the events that took place. Another development to the panel’s probe is that they received testimony from former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows’ top aide Ben Williamson.
People familiar with the matter told CNN that Meadows’ top aide, Ben Williamson met with the congressional committee Tuesday. Williamson was in the west wing of the White House when the insurrection was taking place. According to one source, Williamson’s meeting with the committee was done virtually and lasted six to seven hours.
Williamson’s testimony comes as he was subpoenaed by the committee back in November. The subpoena on Williamson cited that he was contacted by former Trump administration official Alyssa Farah Griffin in the midst of the insurrection. Farah Griffin urged Williamson and Meadows to have now-former President Donald Trump issued a statement condemning the violence that ensued.
A text message conversation with Williamson is also cited in the letter requesting information from former first daughter and White House adviser Ivanka Trump. The subpoena also said that Williamson may be able to provide information on Meadows’ communications with election officials in Georgia as well as the organizers of the January 6 “Stop the Steal” rally, the DOJ officials with whom the theory of voter fraud was brought up, and other federal officials Meadows may have contacted during the insurrection.
Williamson’s cooperation with the panel is significant, as Meadows is facing criminal contempt charges for refusing to cooperate with the committee. Meadows initially complied with the panel’s requests, only to walk back on his cooperation later on, likely under the instruction of former Trump.
Other Trump officials have sought to fight the subpoenas made on them or on their phone records by filing lawsuits. Among them is former Trump aide Sebastian Gorka, who filed a lawsuit against the committee to block the subpoena for his phone records. However, according to Kyle Cheney of Politico, Gorka’s lawsuit is already rife with several errors.
Cheney cited that Gorka accidentally posted his personal phone number in the public docket and “had to scramble to rescind it.”
