Today in one sentence: Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump in May that his name appeared multiple times in Justice Department documents related to Jeffrey Epstein; House Oversight Chair James Comer issued a subpoena for Ghislaine Maxwell to testify under oath at a Florida federal prison on August 11; a Florida judge denied the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from the 2005 and 2007 federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein; the Trump administration plans to end the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions by repealing the 2009 “endangerment finding,” which established that such emissions harm human health; the International Court of Justice ruled that a “clean, healthy and sustainable environment” is a human right and countries have a legal "duty" to protect the climate; and the Supreme Court let Trump fire three Democratic members of the independent Consumer Product Safety Commission, despite federal law shielding them from removal without cause.

1/ Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump in May that his name appeared multiple times in Justice Department documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the material included unverified hearsay about Trump and “many other high-profile figures.” Weeks later, the department reversed course it refused to release more Epstein files, citing the presence of child pornography and victim information. Following political pressure, Trump directed Bondi to request the release of grand jury transcripts. Trump, meanwhile, denied being told his name was in the files and later blamed former officials like James Comey, calling the documents “made up.” Although Bondi and Blanche admitted briefing Trump, they claimed “nothing in the files warranted further investigation.” White House spokesman Steven Cheung added that the report is “fake news” and claimed Trump expelled Epstein from Mar-a-Lago “for being a creep.” (Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CNBC / Reuters / NBC News)

2/ House Oversight Chair James Comer issued a subpoena for Ghislaine Maxwell to testify under oath at a Florida federal prison on August 11. The move followed a separate subpoena issued the same day by a House Oversight subcommittee demanding Justice Department records related to Jeffrey Epstein, which passed 8–2 after three Republicans joined Democrats. The vote, however, is non-binding and Comer can ignore it unless he formally approves the subpoena himself. Maxwell’s lawyer said she is “taking this one step at a time” and will decide how to respond after an upcoming meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, supported the effort, but questioned whether Maxwell is “a credible witness” and “can be counted on to tell the truth.” (ABC News / Associated Press / CNN / The Hill / Axios / Politico / Washington Post / NBC News)

3/ A Florida judge denied the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from the 2005 and 2007 federal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Robin Rosenberg wrote that “the court’s hands are tied” and said the DOJ “effectively conceded” that the law does not permit disclosure under the narrow exceptions. Trump had ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release after backlash from supporters over the DOJ’s conclusion that no new charges or evidence would be released. A separate request to unseal Epstein-related transcripts in New York is still pending. (NBC News / Politico / New York Times / CNN / Washington Post / CNBC)

4/ The Trump administration plans to end the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions by repealing the 2009 “endangerment finding,” which established that such emissions harm human health. The plan would eliminate the legal basis for current and future limits on carbon pollution from cars, factories, and power plants, including tailpipe rules that support electric vehicle production. The EPA claims the real harm comes from regulation, which it says raises costs and limits consumer choice. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the agency would “formally reconsider” the finding to prevent policies that “throttle our industries, our mobility, and our consumer choice.” (New York Times / Washington Post)

5/ The International Court of Justice ruled that a “clean, healthy and sustainable environment” is a human right and countries have a legal “duty” to protect the climate. In its first-ever ruling on climate issues, the court said failing to act could be an “internationally wrongful act.” The court, however, has no enforcement power and the opinion is nonbinding, but the opinion does provide legal backing to future climate lawsuits and may increase pressure on high-emitting nations like the U.S. (Associated Press / Washington Post)

6/ The Supreme Court let Trump fire three Democratic members of the independent Consumer Product Safety Commission, despite federal law shielding them from removal without cause. Trump gave no reason for the firings. The court issued an unsigned order saying the case was “squarely controlled” by an earlier ruling that expanded presidential power over independent agencies. Without the three members, the five-member commission lacks quorum and is unable to do its job of protecting consumers from defective products. (NBC News / Bloomberg / Associated Press / NPR / Washington Post / New York Times)

The midterm elections are in 468 days.

Four years ago today: Day 185: "The unvaccinated folks."
Six years ago today: Day 915: Still at it.
Seven years ago today: Day 550: Reality distortion field.