Washington pressure campaigns are paying off, a public health scare is unfolding inside a Texas detention center, and President Trump is reshaping global trade flows with a phone call.
The Clintons Reverse Course on Epstein Testimony
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, marking a sharp reversal after months of resistance.
The decision comes just days before the full House was expected to vote on criminal contempt of Congress resolutions tied to their refusal to comply with earlier subpoenas. Committee Republicans had accused the Clintons of stonewalling, while the former president and former secretary of state argued the subpoenas were legally invalid and politically motivated.
The turnaround followed weeks of negotiations—and escalating pressure. The House Oversight Committee had already voted to advance contempt measures, and the House Rules Committee was preparing to send them to the floor. According to The Hill, the Clintons’ agreement came as those votes were being actively scheduled.
Oversight Chair James Comer appeared to learn of the development in real time during a Rules Committee meeting on Monday, triggering a tense exchange as Democrats pressed him on whether contempt proceedings would still move forward. Comer said he had not yet reviewed the letter from the Clintons’ attorneys.
In a pointed response on X, Clinton spokesperson Angel Ureña accused Republicans of acting in bad faith but confirmed the Clintons would appear under oath, writing that they “look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.”
Notably, several Democrats had previously joined Republicans in advancing the contempt measures, underscoring bipartisan frustration—and the political risk of continued defiance in an Epstein-related investigation.
Measles Outbreak Locks Down ICE Family Detention Center
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has halted all movement inside a family detention facility in Dilley, Texas, after a measles outbreak was confirmed, according to CBS News.
The Dilley Immigration Processing Center recently held 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Ramos, whose detention gained national spotlight after images of the child wearing a blue bunny hat and carrying a Spider-Man backpack went viral. The pair were released Saturday under a judge’s order and escorted back to Minnesota by Rep. Joaquin Castro.
According to DHS, two individuals at the facility tested positive for active measles infections on Friday, prompting ICE Health Services Corps to quarantine exposed detainees and lock down the center. Officials said medical staff are monitoring the situation and providing care while taking steps to prevent further spread.
The outbreak comes as measles cases reached a three-decade high in the United States in December, with clusters reported across multiple states.
The case of Liam Ramos became a flashpoint in the immigration debate, with critics accusing ICE of using the child as “bait”—a claim the Department of Homeland Security has flatly rejected. The facility’s lockdown now adds a public health dimension to an already volatile political issue.
Trump Announces Trade Deal With India, Oil Shift Included
President Trump announced Monday that the United States has reached a new trade deal with India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to dramatically shift the country’s energy purchases away from Russia.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said India agreed to stop buying Russian oil and instead purchase significantly more oil from the United States and “potentially” Venezuela—a change he argued would help end the war in Ukraine by cutting off Moscow’s revenue.
As part of the deal, the United States will lower its reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from 25 percent to 18 percent. In return, India agreed to reduce its tariffs and non-tariff barriers against American products to zero and commit to what Trump described as “BUY AMERICAN” at a much higher level.
Trump said India will purchase more than $500 billion in American energy, technology, agriculture, coal, and other products.
Modi confirmed the agreement on X, thanking Trump for the tariff reduction and calling the conversation “wonderful,” while highlighting the benefits for India’s exporters.
The deal follows months of pressure from Trump, who last year imposed tariffs on countries purchasing Venezuelan oil and earlier this year warned India it could face higher tariffs if it continued buying Russian crude.
“Modi is a good guy,” Trump told reporters over the weekend. “He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy.”
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Seijah Drake was born in Boston, MA, where she developed a penchant for writing early on and a passion for politics in college. After college she worked briefly for a conservative media in New York before relocating to the Greater D.C. Area to pursue a career in political marketing. She now resides in the free state of Florida.
