INTERNACIONAL
Epstein files divide House Republicans in growing ‘summer of discontent’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
William Shakespeare wrote about «the winter of our discontent» in Richard III. The line which follows that famous quotation suggests a grim winter morphed into a «glorious summer» and that «the clouds» are now «in the deep bosom of the ocean buried.»
Well, that «glorious summer» may have dissipated for House Republicans.
2025 is now the summer of discontent. The party is cleaved over the Epstein files.
Or, as the Bard might say, «To release or not to release. That is the question.»
‘CLEAR CORRUPTION’: JEFFRIES FACES COMPLAINT FOR PRESSING JUDGES TO OUST ALINA HABBA
The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., seen on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Many Republicans want the Epstein issue to disappear. But there’s a cohort of conservative House Republicans – well tapped into the MAGA base – who are apoplectic that the Trump administration hasn’t coughed up the files. That group of lawmakers represents a core component of the Trump coalition which prevailed last year. And it’s growing more disaffected by the day.
«I don’t think this issue is going away over August,» said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. «You don’t lose your base over one single thing. But [President Donald Trump] is eroding his base. More importantly, if we don’t take the right side of this issue, it’s going to cost us votes in the midterms. People are becoming despondent. They’re apathetic.»
Massie teamed several weeks ago with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., to compel the House to vote to demand the release of the files. But that measure doesn’t ripen until late this week. But if the House isn’t in session…
MARK GREEN RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS, FURTHER SHRINKING HOUSE GOP MAJORITY
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, right, speaks at a House committee hearing on Feb. 28, 2023, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Office of Rep. Ro Khanna)
Democrats were more than happy to egg on the Epstein file effort – especially since some Republicans were upset with Johnson and how GOP leaders handled the issue.
«I’m not quite certain what his strategy is,» mused House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., about Massie. «I don’t understand Thomas Massie’s motivation. I really don’t know how his mind works.»
But House GOP leaders cut the House loose a day earlier than planned for the five-and-a-half week «August recess.» Johnson characterized August as «arguably the most important work month on our calendar» as Republicans try to meet with constituents and tout passage of the «big, beautiful bill.» Johnson called releasing the Epstein files running «roughshod.»
By Wednesday, Johnson gaggled with the congressional press corps to combat the narrative that the House was letting out early to avoid dealing with the Epstein issue.
«The published schedule of Congress was decided in December 2024. And it’s been published ever since. We are fulfilling the calendar,» said Johnson.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he doesn’t understand Thomas Massie’s motivations for pressing the Epstein issue. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
But the House didn’t convene for votes as scheduled on Thursday. And even some Republicans weren’t buying Johnson’s argument.
«I guess we’re getting tired of these two-hour work weeks up here,» complained Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. «I’m sick of it. I came here to work.»
But the impasse over the Epstein files forced the House to scrap a bill by Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., to bolster penalties against persons who enter the U.S. illegally and are deported – and then try to come back. That’s one of the reasons the House cashed out Thursday from the schedule.
«I want to get some of these issues put to bed. Certainly the Epstein one seems to be the topic du jour. We’ve got to get past that,» said Bice. «We have to come to some sort of resolution. Sooner rather than later. We cannot let this drag on.»
But with the House done, that subject – which should be a layup for House Republicans – will remain in abeyance until after the recess.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., didn’t mind the House cutting town early.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., arrives for a meeting of House Republicans in the Capitol Visitor Center on the budget reconciliation bill on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
«We weren’t going to do that much this week anyway,» said Norman.
But he pointed out how Democrats were suddenly championing the Epstein issue because the mischief put Republicans in a fix and potentially caused headaches for Trump.
«The Democrats are trying to use this as a wedge issue This is the only thing they’ve got,» said Norman.
Massie said his resolution with Khanna would ripen for a vote when the House reconvenes in September. He suggested it would marinate under the hot, August sun.
«Dogs don’t bark at parked cars, right? This bill is moving. This is coming to a vote. We’ve got enough Republican co-sponsors of the bill. Twice as many as we need right now,» said Massie. «We’re going to force a vote on it. It’s not going away.»
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., arrives for the House Republican Conference caucus meeting in the Capitol on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
In fact, as the House tried to take its last votes until September, Rep. Summer Lee, D-Penn., sprang a vote on the House Oversight Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement, requiring a subpoena of the Epstein files.
«I expect my Republican colleagues to care about this because their constituents certainly care about child sex trafficking, whether it’s through the immigration system like this hearing alleges, or by a U.S. citizen facilitating other powerful U.S. citizens. It’s time for them to prove it right now,» said Lee.
The Pennsylvania Democrat could read the room. Conservative Republicans interested in the Epstein files comprised the membership of the panel: Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., is the subcommittee chairman. Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.; Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.; Brian Jack, R-Ga.; Nancy Mace, R-S.C.; Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.; and Scott Perry, R-Penn., made up the rest of the GOP roster.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said the Epstein files issue have become a «wedge issue» for Republicans. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The panel voted 8-2 to subpoena the Epstein files – but only after Perry amended Lee’s plan by simultaneously issuing subpoenas for former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former FBI Directors James Comey and Robert Mueller, along with former Attorneys General Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, Bill Barr, Jeff Sessions, and Alberto Gonzales.
In short, this isn’t going away.
The House Appropriations Committee scheduled a «markup session» for Thursday to prepare the annual Commerce, Justice and Science spending bill for the floor. But leaders abruptly canceled that meeting Wednesday night. Some of it was due to «exhaustion,» as members have been lingering in Washington so long this summer. Some of it was because the House canceled votes. Appropriations Committee members didn’t want to be in Washington. But the other component was the threat of Epstein-related amendments.
So, they pulled the plug.
This came after both Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., made a point of telling reporters that committees would still meet – even though the House canceled votes for the rest of the week.
House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks to reporters at a press conference following a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol Building on July 18, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
«We have nine or ten committees working through, markups this week. Many tomorrow,» said Johnson on Wednesday.
«We’re going to have committee meetings through Thursday. And there’s still a lot of work being done,» said Scalise. «Most members know that the work of Congress is mostly done in committee.»
But not this time.
Granted, the House Oversight Committee took closed-door testimony from former Biden administration Chief of Staff Ron Klain about President Joe Biden’s cognitive abilities. But that was about it for the House.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
«Today marks the first day of the House embarking on their Epstein recess,» declared Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. «And already the story Republicans hoped would quietly fade is growing louder by the hour.»
«It’s going to keep percolating,» predicted Khanna. «This is just breathing more life.»
August is often a news vacuum. And so something has to fill the void. The Epstein files could be it.
And that only fuels the summer of discontent.
INTERNACIONAL
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Clinic Staffers Face Federal Charges for Obstructing ICE Raid
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening…
– SCOOP: Key GOP group starts work on 2nd ‘big, beautiful bill‘ for Trump
– Democrats have hit ‘rock bottom,’ party leader says. Here’s his unorthodox rebound plan
– Two illegal immigrants charged in NYC shooting of off-duty CBP officer
Medical Staff Face Charges After Allegedly Interfering with ICE Arrest
EXCLUSIVE: Federal authorities arrested a staff member of a clinic in Ontario, California, for allegedly interfering with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest, while another remains at large.
Earlier this month, Honduran national Denis Guillen-Solis, a landscaper, allegedly left on foot to evade law enforcement and went inside the Ontario Advanced Surgical Center, where he was not a patient.
«This story is another example of a false narrative peddled by irresponsible members of the media in furtherance of a political agenda to delegitimize federal agents. The illegal alien arrested inside the medical center was not a patient and was not in any way affiliated with that location. He ran inside for cover and these medical workers attempted to block his apprehension by assaulting our agents,» U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli told Fox News in a statement… READ MORE.
Two California clinic staffers are facing federal charges for interfering with an ICE arrest earlier this month. (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
White House
‘DOESN’T MATTER’: Trump shrugs off Macron’s Palestine recognition plan while GOP hawks fume over decision
‘OWES ME BIG’: Trump says SCOTUS immunity ruling likely helps Obama in light of Gabbard, DNI findings
World Stage
‘A HUGE WIN’: US-Mexico Tijuana River sewage crisis deal is ‘massive’ win for Americans, EPA says
STATEHOOD PUSH: French President Emmanuel Macron to recognize ‘State of Palestine’ in September at UN General Assembly
BAGPIPES & BARGAINS: Trump heads to Scotland to talk golf, politics and trade
Former US president Donald Trump playing golf at his Trump Turnberry course in South Ayrshire during his May 2023 visit to the UK. (Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images)
Capitol Hill
TRUTH BURIED DEEP: ‘Louder by the hour’: Senate GOP wants the Epstein drama to end, but Democrats aren’t letting it go
SAFETY UNDER REVIEW: FDA chief has no ‘plans’ for abortion pill policy changes but continues safety review
TRIFECTA TAKEOVER: SCOOP: Key GOP group starts work on 2nd ‘big, beautiful bill’ for Trump
BACKING THE PATRIOT: Trump-backed Republican who lost 2024 Senate bid scores president’s endorsement while trying again
MAKING A COMEBACK: Democrats have hit ‘rock bottom,’ party leader says. Here’s his unorthodox rebound plan
‘FABULOUSLY YOURS’: Former Congressman George Santos makes ‘glamorous’ farewell before going to prison: ‘The curtain falls’
Former U.S. Rep. George Santos arrives at court in Central Islip, N.Y., Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
THE NEXT GENERATION: Pelosi confident about Dems’ chances to win House, predicts Jeffries will be speaker
PALMETTO PLAN: House Freedom Caucus conservative to enter race for South Carolina governor
GAME ON: SCOOP: Trump ally to launch key battleground state campaign in bid to flip Democrat-held Senate seat
SILENT NO MORE: Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell could be eyeing three outcomes as she meets with DOJ again: expert
‘TREMENDOUS JOB’: DeSantis-appointed US senator scores major endorsement ahead of 2026 special election: ‘Tremendous job’
Across America
BLAST FROM THE PAST: Mamdani outlines ‘unabashed’ commitment to supporting anti-Israel sanctions as lawmaker in unearthed video
STREAMLINE IN MOTION: Youngkin unleashes cutting-edge AI technology in effort to slash Virginia’s government red tape
‘FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT’: Federal appeals court rules California ammunition background checks unconstitutional
‘NEAR-DEADLY ATTACK’: Two illegal immigrants charged in NYC shooting of off-duty CBP officer
HOSTAGE NIGHTMARE: Columbia University janitors settle case after being held hostage by anti-Israel rioters on campus
WRONG RING, BROTHER!: Heckler hijacks Florida governor’s Hulk Hogan tribute with profane tirade against ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
DeSantis recently pledged nearly $250M to the Florida immigration detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
NOT BRIEFED: Los Angeles mayor says ‘hell yeah’ she regrets Ghana trip during wildfires
JUSTICE DENIED: Grieving parents of American terror victim plead with top criminal prosecutor for justice
Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
INTERNACIONAL
Cómo funciona Aeneas, la inteligencia artificial que reconstruye inscripciones romanas perdidas en piedra
La arqueología suele evocar imágenes de excavaciones silenciosas y hallazgos cubiertos de polvo que solo unos pocos expertos pueden descifrar. Sin embargo, el avance de nuevas tecnologías está transformando este universo milenario, dando un giro inesperado a la forma en que reconstruimos nuestro pasado. La inteligencia artificial ya no es solo terreno de ingenieros y programadores: ahora se convierte en una aliada esencial para quienes exploran los misterios del Imperio Romano.
Descubrir una losa antigua, grabada con palabras casi desvanecidas por el tiempo, y que una máquina revele en segundos un mensaje que permaneció oculto durante siglos, que hasta hace poco parecía ciencia ficción. Sin embargo, ahora es una realidad gracias a Aeneas, un software de inteligencia artificial que redefine la reconstrucción de inscripciones romanas.
Esta herramienta permite restaurar textos latinos fragmentados y aporta datos inéditos sobre su origen y datación. El desarrollo, realizado por un equipo internacional dirigido por Thea Sommerschield de la Universidad de Nottingham, junto a Google DeepMind, ya marca un hito en la aplicación de tecnologías emergentes al estudio del patrimonio histórico, según publicó The Art Newspaper.
Con este avance, el pasado cobra otra dimensión: las voces de quienes escribieron en piedra hace siglos vuelven a ser audibles, y detalles que parecían perdidos resurgen gracias a la inteligencia artificial. Así, la frontera entre historia y tecnología se borra, y se abre un universo de posibilidades para comprender cómo vivían, pensaban y se comunicaban los antiguos romanos.
Cada año, los arqueólogos encuentran aproximadamente 1.500 inscripciones latinas en edificios, artefactos y restos del mundo romano. Muchas llegan incompletas, con daños por roturas o erosión, lo que dificulta la tarea de reconstruir su contenido y comprender su contexto original.
Tradicionalmente, estas restauraciones exigen un profundo conocimiento del latín y la comparación meticulosa con cientos de textos similares. Esta labor es lenta y compleja, porque supone analizar una vasta colección de ejemplos para inferir las palabras y frases perdidas.
“Estos textos suelen estar dañados y normalmente no sabemos dónde ni cuándo fueron escritos”, explicó Sommerschield, quien lo comparó con “resolver un gigantesco rompecabezas, solo que este tiene decenas de miles de piezas más de lo habitual y el 90% de ellas faltan, porque eso es todo lo que ha sobrevivido a lo largo de los siglos”.
Frente a este escenario, Aeneas es la primera herramienta de inteligencia artificial creada para contextualizar inscripciones antiguas. Su nombre rinde homenaje al héroe de la mitología grecorromana y el sistema se apoya en una base de datos de 176.861 inscripciones latinas, que abarcan desde el siglo VII a.C. hasta el siglo VIII d.C. recogidas desde la antigua Britania romana hasta Mesopotamia.
La tecnología de Aeneas puede predecir el texto perdido de una inscripción incluso cuando se desconoce la longitud de la sección faltante, sugerir el lugar probable de origen del texto, identificar inscripciones similares y establecer un rango aproximado para su creación, en ocasiones con una precisión de solo trece años. Estas capacidades, basadas en la comparación automática con la enorme base de datos del sistema, agilizan y mejoran el proceso de reconstrucción textual, posibilitando reconstrucciones más fundamentadas y rápidas.
Sommerschield, líder del proyecto, resaltó: “Aeneas ayuda a los historiadores a interpretar, atribuir y restaurar textos latinos fragmentarios”. La investigadora precisó que el objetivo no es reemplazar a los expertos, sino proporcionarles un respaldo tecnológico que optimice su labor, ampliando así el alcance de sus investigaciones y el análisis de documentos históricos.
Las primeras pruebas de Aeneas incluyeron inscripciones emblemáticas. Entre ellas, la Res Gestae Divi Augusti, grabada en el Templo de Roma y Augusto en Ankara, Turquía. Esta inscripción sigue siendo objeto de debate en cuanto a su datación exacta, por lo que ofrecía un escenario ideal para testar el sistema.
Aeneas asignó fechas a la Res Gestae que coincidieron con las estimaciones de los historiadores y con inscripciones comparables, demostrando así su capacidad para contextualizar textos de extrema complejidad.
En Mainz, Alemania, el sistema también fue probado con una inscripción de un altar votivo, estimando correctamente su fecha en torno al año 214 d.C., identificándola como propia de la provincia romana de Germania Superior y proponiendo lecturas para las partes dañadas del texto. Sommerschield calificó estos logros como “momentos asombrosos” para el grupo de investigación.
Estos resultados no solo validan la precisión de la herramienta, sino que permiten nuevas posibilidades para el estudio de inscripciones menos conocidas, o en peor estado de preservación. El desarrollo y las pruebas de Aeneas recibieron reconocimiento en la revista Nature, lo que subraya su relevancia científica y abre la puerta a aplicaciones más ambiciosas en museos y yacimientos arqueológicos.
Sommerschield enfatizó que la llegada de este avance no desplaza la labor tradicional de los historiadores, sino que representa una oportunidad para potenciarla. La investigadora imagina un futuro en el que la colaboración entre expertos y sistemas como Aeneas acelere la comprensión de textos antiguos y enriquezca la visión sobre el pasado romano.
INTERNACIONAL
Decision to remove West Point crest from chapel Bibles reversed by secretary of the Army
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
EXCLUSIVE: The secretary of the Army has ordered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to restore the school’s crest on the Bibles at the West Point Cadet Chapel, reversing a Biden-era decision to not include the crest when replacing the Bibles.
«Since the founding of West Point and before, generations of cadets, officers, and Soldiers have drawn strength and inspiration from God’s word,» Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. «The decision to remove the Academy’s historic crest from the Bibles in the Cadet Chapel is yet another example of the previous administration pushing far-left politics into our military institutions. I am directing West Point to reverse this decision immediately and restore this important symbol of Duty, Honor, Country.»
WEST POINT BIBLE CREST CONTROVERSY SPURS PENTAGON LAWSUIT FROM CONSERVATIVE WATCHDOG
The Class of 2026 unveiled its crest during Plebe-Parent Weekend in March 2023. (U.S. Army)
Driscoll’s statement comes after Fox News Digital first reported that a conservative judicial and government watchdog group had filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit Tuesday against the Department of Defense over documents regarding why the crest was absent from the new Bibles.
A spokesperson for West Point declined to provide comment to Fox News Digital on Friday.
Judicial Watch first submitted a FOIA request in December 2024 seeking records related to the Bibles, after the MacArthur Society, a group for West Point graduates concerned about potential politicization at the military academy, notified them of the removal of the crest from the Bibles.
WEST POINT DECISION TO CUT ‘DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY’ FROM MISSION STATEMENT UNDER FIRE AGAIN’
Daniel Driscoll, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the Department of Defense’s Secretary of the Army, testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (AP)
When asked for comment about the new Bibles, a spokesperson for West Point told Fox News Digital that the chapel’s Bibles now feature the name of the military academy.
«The bibles purchased for the West Point Cadet Chapel are emblazoned with ‘The United States Miliary Academy, West Point, New York,’» the spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital Wednesday.
Judicial Watch filed the original FOIA request to learn more about the decision, due to concerns that the military academy is seeking to eliminate ties with what the group labels «traditional values.»
But after receiving no response for the documents, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense for the documents Tuesday.
«Judicial Watch’s heavy lifting gets results,» Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. «Goes to show again how our lawsuits exposing corruption can fix corruption. The US Army and West Point can’t go wrong in honoring God.»
HEGSETH QUIPS ‘99.9%’ OF DEI INITIATIVES ARE GONE FROM THE MILITARY UNDER TRUMP’S WATCH
The graduating class of the United States Military Academy arrive for their graduation ceremony at West Point in Michie Stadium on May 24, 2025, in West Point, New York.
The Pentagon told Fox News Digital that it does not comment on pending litigation.
Combining religious content or symbols with military material has faced backlash historically.
In 2012, all four branches of the military pulled approval for a military series of Holman Christian Standard Bibles that had been sold in military exchanges amid concerns that the series indicated that the Bible served as the official religious text of the military services, according to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
The West Point crest has undergone several iterations but historically has included an eagle above the school’s mascot, the Black Knights.
West Point is one of several U.S. military academies that train students to become military officers.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Clinic Staffers Face Federal Charges for Obstructing ICE Raid
Qué dijo Javier Milei sobre los residentes médicos que se habrían copiado en el examen de ingreso
Urtubey le abrió las puertas a un acuerdo electoral con Cristina Kirchner: “Las diferencias que pudo haber habido son una anécdota”
Nintendo reescribe una patente relacionada con la demanda de Palworld – Nintenderos
Canales para ver el Sarmiento vs. Lanús por el Torneo Clausura
«Que la campaña no nos paralice»: Milei exige acelerar todas las privatizaciones, obras y reformas posibles
Juan Carlos Maqueda defendió la condena contra Cristina Kirchner: “Hay una sensación de que se hizo Justicia y que no hay impunidad”
Expulsada del Gobierno, Victoria Villarruel empieza a tomar distancia, pero no tiene proyecto político para este año
🗳️ El chamuyo de las elecciones en la Provincia: se postulan, pero no a asumen
La CGT evalúa adelantar a octubre el recambio de sus autoridades y define una movilización contra Milei
Fuerte malestar en la CGT por la ausencia de gremialistas en las listas bonaerenses del peronismo
YPF aplica un nuevo aumento en los combustibles desde la medianoche: a cuánto sube el litro de nafta
El análisis de Jorge Fernández Díaz sobre la política económica: “Veo una tragedia detrás del dólar barato”
Después de ser premiado con la distinción Mariano de Cavia en Madrid, el periodista Jorge Fernández Díaz analizó la situación...
Patricia Bullrich ratificó el derecho de admisión para Toviggino en los partidos con doble hinchada: “No debe ingresar”
Luego del intercambio de acusaciones entre Pablo Toviggino y funcionarios del gobierno nacional, la ministra de Seguridad, Patricia Bullrich, ratificó...
Día del Cerebro: por qué se celebra hoy y recomendaciones para mantener una mente ágil
El Día del Cerebro se conmemora el 22 de julio de cada año, con el objetivo de concientizar acerca de...
POLITICA2 días agoMáximo Kirchner declaró una fortuna de 8.300 millones de pesos: representa un 76% más que el año anterior
- POLITICA1 día ago
La justicia de Santa Cruz desafío a la Corte Suprema e incluyó a Cristina Kirchner en el padrón electoral
- POLITICA2 días ago
Qué dijo Javier Milei en la Derecha Fest: las frases más impactantes
