The New York Times confirmed on July 24th that President Donald Trump was listed as a contributor to Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday book, publishing a page from the book featuring a handwritten letter by Ghislaine Maxwell and a 1997 inscription from Trump to Epstein. Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on July 25th that the United States "strongly rejects" France's plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly, calling the decision "reckless" and a setback for peace. The New York Times also reported that Trump inscribed a book to Epstein in 1997 with the message "You are the greatest!" and published a previously undisclosed photo of Trump with Epstein and James Brown. In response to the Epstein-related reports, President Trump referred to the matter as the "Jeffrey Epstein SCAM," stating, "Hopefully, the grand jury files will put an end to this hoax." A representative questioned the validity of the reports, stating, "The contention is that the book is entirely fake? Or Trump being a contributor is fake, or all that is real but someone created a totally fake Trump letter and stuck it in the real book?" The representative further argued that The Wall Street Journal published a "hit piece" without showing the book or letter. Secretary Rubio's statement on July 25th further elaborated that France's decision "only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace" and is "a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th." On the same day, Governor Greg Abbott made a statement regarding other states considering redistricting. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement on France's recognition of a Palestinian state was noted. In legal news, a judge is weighing a disciplinary referral for Department of Justice lawyers in a Venezuela deportations case, according to a report on July 24th. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement on France's recognition of a Palestinian state was released. In other developments, the Department of Homeland Security made an administrative reveal. The U.S. Central Command posted an image of an F-15E Strike Eagle conducting a combat air patrol in their area of responsibility. The Secret Service highlighted the role of their counter snipers, noting their deployment atop the Federal Reserve for the President's visit. The Democrats posted a message advocating for increased American wages. Separately, a statement from the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. on July 24th encouraged smoking less for health benefits and later shared a post about Chinese brands capturing global attention, asking for favorites. An official also noted a meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell, stating the Department of Justice would share additional information at the appropriate time. Furthermore, an official commented on the performance of Powell, stating, "The fact that Powell looked at a piece of paper and didn’t recognize that it’s his own numbers shows gross incompetence combined with incredible arrogance."
