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Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) faces mounting calls to resign from fellow Republicans following allegations of an affair with Regina Santos-Áviles, who ran his congressional office in Uvalde and died after setting herself on fire last year. Newly revealed text messages show Gonzales pressured Santos-Aviles to send him "sexy pics," making her uncomfortable. Both were married. Primary challenger Brandon Herrera called Gonzales a "sexual predator" who abused his power and stated this was not an isolated case. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) posted "RESIGN" and urged redirecting campaign funds to Herrera. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) condemned the behavior as disgraceful. House Speaker Mike Johnson took a cautious approach, calling for investigations to conclude before judgment, though suggesting Gonzales' position would be untenable if allegations were proven true.

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An order by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to keep special counsel Jack Smith's investigation report into the classified document case of President Donald Trump under wraps may face legal challenges that could reverse her decision. Cannon, a Donald Trump-appointed judge accused of running interference for the president, ruled that Smith was illegally appointed and his investigation invalid. She characterized the report's compilation as "a concerning breach of the spirit of the Dismissal Order." However, legal analyst Lisa Rubin noted that while the Department of Justice and indictment-affected parties did not contest Cannon's ruling, two public interest groups—American Oversight and the Knight First Amendment Institute—have attempted to intervene. Though Cannon denied their intervention request, both groups are appealing. If the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals determines these groups have standing in the case, Cannon's order could be reversed.

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The U.S. women's Olympic hockey team declined an invitation to attend President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech on Tuesday. USA Hockey released a statement expressing gratitude for the invitation and acknowledging the team's gold medal achievement, though the statement was widely interpreted as a polite rejection. Social media commentators suggested the team's response amounted to effectively telling Trump to "go to hell." The rejection comes after Trump expressed reluctance about inviting the women's team during a phone call with the men's hockey team, which also won gold at the Olympics. Trump told the men's team he would need to invite the women's team, adding that if he didn't, he "probably would be impeached."

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Joshua Orta, a key witness in the controversial ICE killing of 23-year-old U.S. citizen Rubén Ray Martínez, died Saturday in an unrelated vehicle crash in San Antonio, Texas. Orta's death raises concerns about the ongoing investigation into Martínez's death, which occurred last March but was not reported by the Department of Homeland Security at the time. DHS claimed an ICE agent shot Martínez in self-defense after he struck the agent with a vehicle. However, Orta, who was present during the encounter, disputed this account, stating neither he nor Martínez resisted ICE officers. Alex Stamm, lawyer for Martínez's mother, emphasized that Orta's testimony was critical and called for all evidence to be made public. DHS maintained its original account of the incident following Orta's death.

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President Donald Trump suggested at an Angel Families event Monday that he would like to send unemployed Americans to other countries. Trump claimed other nations have sent their undesirable residents and criminals to the U.S., taking advantage of what he characterized as weak border policies. He stated he understands the strategy and would implement it if given the opportunity. Trump quoted world leaders as saying they saved "hundreds of millions of dollars" by emptying their populations onto the U.S. Angel Families, whose members have lost loved ones to crimes committed by individuals in the country unlawfully, were present at the event. Trump also revisited debunked claims about the 2020 election being rigged, telling attendees that without election fraud, "every single one of the people in this room right now would not be here."

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Dr. John Gartner, a psychologist and psychotherapist, expressed concern about the Trump administration's decision to display a massive banner featuring President Donald Trump's face on the Department of Justice building. During an appearance on "The Daily Beast Podcast," Gartner characterized the move as "particularly creepy" and argued it represents another sign of Trump's declining cognitive health. He suggested Trump may be experiencing "sundowning," a phenomenon associated with dementia, citing Trump's disinhibited behavior and irregular sleep patterns. Gartner noted Trump's lack of intellectual curiosity and concentration, emphasizing his primary interest is self-aggrandizement and displaying his name and image. Gartner underscored the disturbing nature of placing the banner on the Justice Department building, given Trump's documented efforts to persecute political enemies while protecting allies and removing names from Epstein files.

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Former Florida state attorney Dave Aronberg discussed how the Republican Party's attempt to downplay Leslie Wexner's deposition backfired during an appearance on the "All Rise News" podcast. The House Oversight Committee held a nearly five-hour deposition of Wexner, former CEO of Victoria's Secret, with no Republicans in attendance. Wexner denied involvement in Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, claiming he was "conned" out of nearly $200 million paid to Epstein for real estate and tax services. His name appears on a Department of Justice document listing him as a potential co-conspirator. Aronberg characterized the GOP's silence as a "self-inflicted wound," noting that concealment efforts only increase public interest. He also highlighted how Wexner's testimony contradicts Trump's claim that nobody knew about Epstein's activities, citing Trump's own 1999 New York magazine interview acknowledging Epstein's known behavior.

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Current and former Republicans criticized President Donald Trump at the sixth annual Principles First summit held outside Washington, D.C., over the weekend. The event, estimated to draw around 750 attendees, was reportedly about "half empty," with no currently elected Republican officials in attendance. Former Republican lawmaker Joe Walsh called Trump "everything our founders feared" and described his MAGA movement as an "authoritarian-embracing cult" that threatens democracy. Retired Gen. Mark Hertling, former commander of U.S. military forces in Europe, noted that U.S. allies questioned whether American institutions "can ever be trusted again," stating the nation's institutions, alliances, credibility, and values have been compromised. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie cited a poll showing 25 percent of Republicans disapprove of Trump's job performance, predicting the summit's attendance will double by next February after the midterms.

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A 2020 email unearthed from the Justice Department's 3.5 million Epstein files shows a DOJ attorney referring to Jeffrey Epstein's death as a "murder," contradicting the official suicide ruling. Epstein was found dead in his cell on August 10, 2019, and Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson ruled it a suicide six days later, despite oddities surrounding the circumstances. An Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York wrote that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner had signed a confidentiality agreement "in connection with the investigation into the murder of Jeffrey Epstein." This reference came nearly a year after the suicide ruling. The revelation occurred during Trump's first term and conflicts with a DOJ memo released last year concluding Epstein died by suicide. Journalists expressed shock at the discovery, with critics noting Trump's DOJ was investigating the death as a murder in 2020.

Bisa Hall, former wife of Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), told The Daily Mail that Donalds used a fake Jamaican patois accent when they met at Florida A&M University. It disappeared within days, she added. Hall claimed Donalds explained he adopted the accent to stand out, noting there were many students from New York but few from Jamaica. The couple was married between 1999-2002, in what Hall described as an arrangement for "financial reasons." She said they separated after Donalds impregnated his then-girlfriend, now-wife Erika. Hall also noted they haven't spoken in decades. Donalds did not deny Hall's allegations in his statement to The Daily Mail, saying only that he wished he had "handled that chapter differently." Donalds is a Trump supporter running for Florida Governor in 2026.

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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's family stands to profit significantly from the Supreme Court's decision striking down President Donald Trump's tariffs. Lutnick, who led Cantor Fitzgerald for 30 years before handing control to his sons before joining the Trump administration, publicly championed the tariffs. However, documents obtained by Wired reveal that Cantor Fitzgerald purchased rights to tariff refunds from affected companies, paying 20-30% of what companies paid out in tariffs. The firm now stands to reap returns of up to five times its initial investment. Cantor Fitzgerald denied involvement in positioning against the tariffs. Critics on social media condemned the apparent conflict of interest, with journalist Adam Cochran calling it "the 53rd scheme by a Trump official to profit from government policy." Others described it as "pure criminality and graft," noting Lutnick was also tasked with implementing the tariffs.

During the National Governors' Association breakfast on Friday, President Donald Trump became enraged when informed of the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision striking down his tariffs as illegal. According to CNN senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes, the breakfast had been proceeding smoothly until Trump learned of the ruling. He immediately began ranting, calling the decision "a disgrace" and attacking the court with profanity. Holmes emphasized that the tariff policy represents a significant loss for Trump, as much of his economic and foreign policy agendas depend on tariffs. Trump has used tariffs as leverage in international meetings and consistently promoted them as central to his economic strategy.

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Democrats are mobilizing to defeat the SAVE Act, which House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark described as part of Trump's plan to control elections. The measure would require proof of citizenship, end mail-only voter registration, implement photo ID requirements nationwide, and mandate rules to purge noncitizens from voter rolls. Clark stated the bill "has nothing to do with voter ID laws" and "is all to do with voter suppression and rigging the election." Rep. Pete Aguilar emphasized the GOP's immediate intent, noting the Act would take effect immediately if passed, impacting 2026 primaries in states like Texas. Critics highlight that the documentation requirements disproportionately burden married women who changed their names, as the bill doesn't allow name-change proof. Notably, Rep. Ami Bera argued the measure would hurt Republican voters more than Democrats. And Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) said, “That is an unmitigated disaster for voters across America, Republicans as much as if not more than Democrats."

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