Trump Reportedly Offered Support for Israeli Strikes on Iran, While Controversy Surrounds Epstein Files and ICE Officer Safety
WASHINGTON - Former President Donald Trump offered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu his support for potential Israeli strikes on Iran's ballistic missile program during a December meeting at Mar-a-Lago, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to CBS News. This offer came amidst ongoing internal discussions within the U.S. military and intelligence community about how the United States might assist Israel, including providing aerial refueling for Israeli aircraft.
The discussions regarding potential Israeli strikes on Iran's ballistic missile program occurred in December. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, indicated that Trump's offer was contingent on a failure to reach a deal between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, controversy continues to swirl around the handling of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Key House Democrats, including Representatives Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal, and Robert Garcia, demanded that the Department of Justice (DOJ) cease tracking lawmakers' review of unredacted Epstein files, according to ABC News. They urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to develop a new protocol to allow for a "meaningful" review of the documents. Rep. Thomas Massie also expressed his disapproval of Bondi's conduct, stating he did not have confidence in her, according to ABC News. Massie criticized Bondi's performance during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, where she presented "a book full of insults," according to Massie.
In response to the release of documents detailing the relationship between former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Jeffrey Epstein, Israeli intelligence sources and senior political leaders forcefully rejected claims that Epstein worked for Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, as reported by Fox News. Former Israeli intelligence officials described the allegation as "baseless and inconsistent with how the agency operates."
In other news, White House border czar Tom Homan addressed the issue of safety for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Homan stated that while he doesn't like that ICE officers wear masks, they are necessary to protect themselves against threats and violence, according to CBS News. Homan cited a surge in assaults and threats against ICE officers, with assaults increasing by 1,500 and threats by 8,000, although neither he nor the Department of Homeland Security provided a specific timeframe for the increases.
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