Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who represented President Trump in his "hush money" case, announced he plans to meet with Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend and co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, as the push to release files related to Epstein's trafficking case continues.

Washington

The U.S. Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanch, has announced plans to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted co-conspirator of Jeffrey Epstein, as part of ongoing efforts to investigate the Epstein case. This development follows increased bipartisan pressure in Congress to pursue all leads and release credible evidence related to Epstein, whose case remains a significant legal and political issue.

Former President Trump, who has been linked to Epstein in the past, stated he was unaware of the planned interview but expressed support for the investigation. Meanwhile, the House Oversight Committee has unanimously agreed to subpoena Maxwell for a deposition, reflecting bipartisan interest. Political disagreements over the release of Epstein-related files have led to an early congressional recess, leaving the issue unresolved for now.

Deputy attorney general seeks interview with Ghislaine Maxwell

Good evening. At almost the exact same moment today, Congress and the White House were once again interrupted by the Epstein case, something that appeared all but settled four years ago. But growing bipartisan pressure is keeping attention on the case. In announcing plans to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch says he wants to ask, what do you know? And he plans to do so because no lead is off limits. Maxwell is the former girlfriend and co-conspirator of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a one-time associate of President Trump who died by suicide almost six years ago as he faced more federal charges. The push to speak with Maxwell comes as Trump, under pressure from loyal supporters, wants all credible evidence in the case released. But today he claimed he didn't know about plans to talk to Maxwell. I don't know anything about it. They're going to what? Meet her? Deputy Attorney General has reached out to Ghislaine Maxwell's attorney asking for a new interview. I don't know about it, but I think it's something that would be, sounds appropriate to do, yeah. Blanch is a former federal prosecutor who also represented Trump last year in his so-called hush money trial. Do you have any concern that your deputy attorney general, who's your former attorney, would be conducting the interview, given your past relationship with Epstein? He's a very talented person. Seeking to divert attention from the Epstein case, Trump accused former President Barack Obama of treason for how he and his administration investigated allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. It's time to go after people. Maxwell is appealing her conviction for sex trafficking to the Supreme Court. She spoke to CBS Paramount's See It Now studios in August 2022. Meeting Epstein was the greatest mistake of my life and obviously if I could go back today, I would avoid meeting him. Tom Dupree is a former senior Justice Department official. Well, this is very unusual and look, it's an effort by the Justice Department to at least create the appearance that they are continuing to pursue the Epstein case. My guess is that there's a political calculation in this, that by pushing forward hard on Maxwell to try to get that additional information, they perhaps can reduce some of the pressure on the administration to release the Epstein files as a whole. So Ed, why is the Speaker sending lawmakers home early? Well, first of all, the House Oversight Committee today unanimously agreed to subpoena Maxwell to appear for a deposition, so a sign of bipartisanship there. But infighting among Republicans over whether to force the full House to vote on releasing the Epstein files is what forced the Speaker today to adjourn early for the summer recess. Mix of Democrats and rank and file Republicans want the vote. The Speaker initially said he supported releasing everything, but then backed off as it became a political headache. The Congress isn't set to come back to Washington until September, so the Epstein case may linger as a big legal and political issue for at least six more weeks.

The Syrian defense ministry said it was aware of reports of "shocking violations" by people wearing military fatigues in the country's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, and said it would launch an investigation. That came after fighting between Druze militia and government forces sent to the city to quell the unrest has led to hundreds of people killed.

As Suwayda

Middle East Conflict

Syria to probe 'shocking violations' in Sweida after hundreds killed

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee changed its eligibility rules on Monday, effectively barring transgender women from competing in Olympic women's sports. CBS News correspondent Elise Preston has more.

USOPC effectively bars transgender women from women’s sports

President Donald Trump says he's reached a trade deal with Japan that will set tariffs on Japanese imports at 15% and see Japan invest $550 billion into the U.S.

Global Tariffs

Trump says he's reached trade deal with Japan

Photos from Trump’s 1993 wedding and video footage from 1999 Victoria’s Secret fashion show shed light on the Trump-Epstein relationship.

New York

Photos show Jeffrey Epstein attended Trump’s wedding in 1993

Trump announced a new 19% tariff rate for goods from the Philippines after what he called a "beautiful visit" by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the White House, and said U.S. goods would pay zero tariffs.

Trump says U.S. will charge 19% tariff on goods from Philippines

Ozzy Osbourne, the hellraising frontman of Black Sabbath and reality TV star, has died aged 76. CNN’s Stephanie Elam looks back at the legendary career as the Godfather of Heavy Metal.

Los Angeles

Legendary singer Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76

During his Oval Office meeting with Philippine President Bongbong Marcos, President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of treason for his handling of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Trump accuses Obama of treason over 2016 election probe

A SkyWest flight, operating as a Delta connection, with 80 people on board made a sharp maneuver to avoid a B-52 bomber flying over the North Dakota State Fair. The FAA is investigating how the aircraft came so close.

Minot

Investigation underway after jet narrowly avoids Air Force bomber

A judge on Monday sentenced ex-Louisville police officer Brett Hankison to 33 months in prison and three years of subsequent supervised release, following the 2020 shooting death of Breonna Taylor.

Louisville

Judge sentences ex-officer in Breonna Taylor raid to nearly 3 years

A six-week-old infant and three other children have died of starvation in Gaza in the past 24 hours, local health officials said, with malnutrition and starvation now killing Palestinians faster than at any point in the 21-month war. This video includes images some may find distressing.

Jerusalem

Medics say four Gaza children starve to death in hunger crisis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Russia will hold a new round of peace talks on Wednesday. The announcement comes as Russian drones hit parts of Ukraine, officials said.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy says Russia, Ukraine to hold new round of peace talks

The Trump administration released thousands of records related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., despite objections from his family. CBS News' Weijia Jiang has the latest.

Trump admin releases Martin Luther King Jr. assassination records

Students gather to protest in Bangladesh outside the school where a military jet crashed Monday, killing at least 30 people, including dozens of children.

Dhaka

Protests break out as death toll passes 30 in Bangladesh jet crash

CBS News has learned that a new assessment of the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June finds that only one of three facilities was possibly destroyed. CBS News senior national security correspondent Charlie D'Agata has the details.

Tehran

U.S. strikes may have destroyed one Iranian nuclear facility

For the first time, Taiwan has combined two major civil defense exercises and staged them in conjunction with its largest-ever military simulation. CNN’s Will Ripley explains why the self-governing island is bolstering its preparations for a potential war with China.

Taipei

Taiwan holds unprecedented military drills

With questions continuing around the so-called Epstein files, U.S. President Donald Trump has made several controversial social media posts. Some political scientists say the posts are likely a way to distract the public from talking about Trump’s past ties sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump posts fake AI video of Obama arrest amid Epstein furor

The next set of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia - the first meeting in seven weeks - is planned for Wednesday in Turkey, President Zelenskyy quoted the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council as saying.

Zelenskyy says new peace talks planned for Wednesday

Israel’s latest offensive in Gaza is targeting humanitarian hub Deir al-Balah because officials believe Hamas is hiding hostages there. The move comes as 25 countries, including Canada, called for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of aid.

Israeli offensive targets humanitarian hub of Deir al-Balah

A sweeping cyber espionage operation targeting Microsoft server software 'SharePoint' compromised about 100 different organizations as of the weekend, two of the organizations that helped uncover the campaign said on Monday (July 21).

Redmond

Microsoft server hack hit about 100 organizations, experts say

Protestors showed up at the federal courthouse in Boston on Monday amid Harvard's $2 billion legal battle with the Trump administration.

Boston

Protestors gather outside courthouse amid Harvard-Trump hearing

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, an actor and artist who rose to fame as a child as Theodore Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” has died in a drowning accident in Costa Rica, where he was on vacation with his family, according to a source close to the actor.

‘The Cosby Show’ star Malcolm-Jamal Warner dead at 54

An off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent was shot after an apparent robbery went wrong in New York, officials say. New York Mayor Eric Adams said a 21-year-old undocumented immigrant was taken into custody. The agent is in stable condition and is expected to survive.

Off-duty Border Patrol agent shot in NYC by undocumented migrant

The jet crashed onto the campus of Milestone School and College in Dhaka's Uttara neighbourhood, where students were taking tests and attending regular classes.

At least 20 killed after Bangladesh Air Force jet crashes into school

An investigation into Jeju Air's fatal plane crash in December has found "clear evidence" that pilots shut off the less-damaged engine after a bird strike in South Korea, a source told Reuters. But a progress report was not released as planned, after families of the bereaved protested some of its phrasing.

Muan-gun

Report says pilot shut wrong engine before Jeju Air crash

Iran, China and Russia will discuss Tehran's nuclear activities and sanctions on Tuesday, with the E3 nations set for talks on Friday amid threats of reimposing sanctions.

Iran to consult with Russia, China ahead of European nuclear talks

Hundreds of Bedouin civilians were evacuated from Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida on Monday (July 21) as part of a U.S.-backed truce meant to end fighting that has killed hundreds of people, state media and witnesses said.

Bedouin civilians evacuate Syria's Sweida as tense truce holds

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba vowed to remain in office on Monday after his ruling coalition suffered a bruising defeat in upper house elections, prompting some of his own party to deliberate his future as the opposition weighed a no-confidence motion.

Tokyo

Japan PM Ishiba vows to stay on after bruising election defeat

Police say Fernando Ramirez drove onto a crowded sidewalk outside a Los Angeles nightclub early Saturday, injuring dozens. He was later shot by a bystander who fled the scene, prompting a citywide search.

Police search for gunman after car-ramming attack in L.A.

Japan's ruling coalition is certain to lose control of the upper house in election, public broadcaster NHK reported, an outcome that further weakens Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's grip on power as a tariff deadline with the United States looms.

Breakdown