President Donald Trump kicked off the week with discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and wrapped it up with a meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani. He also signed a bill requiring the Justice Department to release documents tied to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein File
On Wednesday evening, Trump announced he had endorsed a bill that directs the Justice Department to release Epstein-related documents after Congress passed it the previous night.
“I just signed a bill to release the Epstein file!” Trump posted on the Truth Social platform. “As everyone knows, I asked House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to push for this bill in both chambers. Thanks to my request, the vote was nearly unanimous.”
He added, “The Justice Department has already provided Congress with almost 50,000 pages of documents. It’s worth noting that the Biden administration hasn’t released a single document regarding Democrat Epstein, and we’ve rarely discussed him.”
Trump’s ties to Epstein became a topic of discussion recently, especially after the Justice Department and FBI concluded their investigation into Epstein without unveiling any related documents.
On November 16, Trump made it clear that he was in favor of releasing the documents, claiming he had “nothing to hide.” The House voted overwhelmingly, 421-1, to release the files after extended advocacy from Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna and other Democrats. The Senate later passed the bill unanimously.
Mamdani Meeting
Mamdani met with Trump at the White House on Friday, and they seemed to have a positive rapport, discussing issues like affordability and improving conditions in New York. Trump shared that he discovered they had more in common than he initially thought, expressing his willingness to support Mamdani as he leads the city.
“I look forward to assisting him, not hindering him. That’s a significant support,” Trump remarked.
He responded to comments during Mamdani’s victory speech that labeled him a tyrant, suggesting he had faced much worse in his own career. “I’ve been called a lot worse than ‘tyrant.’ It’s not very insulting,” Trump noted, hinting that Mamdani’s perspective might shift once they start working together.
Saudi Crown Prince Meeting
Trump also welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Tuesday, treating him to a formal reception, which included a red carpet rollout and military honors.
During bin Salman’s visit, the U.S. disclosed plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and establish military cooperation, recognizing Saudi Arabia as a “major non-NATO ally.” The White House declared, “President Trump has greenlit a significant defense sales package, which includes future F-35 deliveries, solidifying the U.S. defense industrial base and ensuring Saudi Arabia continues to acquire American-made products.”
Trump’s warm welcome differs notably from the Biden administration’s stance. Biden had previously labeled Saudi Arabia a “pariah” due to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
U.S. intelligence found that bin Salman authorized the operation responsible for Khashoggi’s death in 2018. Yet, during the meeting, Trump defended him against reporters’ queries about the intelligence report linking the crown prince to Khashoggi’s assassination.
“Many people didn’t appreciate that gentleman you’re referring to,” Trump said on Tuesday. “Regardless of your feelings, a lot is at stake, and he was uninformed about what happened. There’s no need to embarrass the guest with these questions.” Bin Salman dismissed the report as false, stating that hearing about Khashoggi’s death was painful and assuring that he was working to prevent such tragedies in the future.
