Today in one sentence: A federal court blocked Texas from using its newly drawn congressional map for the 2026 elections and ordered the state to revert to its 2021 districts; Congress ordered the Justice Department to release its unclassified files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; Trump called for ABC’s broadcast license to be revoked after an ABC News reporter asked why he didn’t release the Epstein files himself, which he has the authority to do; Trump defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, saying “things happen”; the Trump administration moved to dismantle the Education Department, shifting K-12 and college programs to other federal agencies; and 47% of Americans say they prefer Democrats in the 2026 House races, while 42% prefer Republicans.

1/ A federal court blocked Texas from using its newly drawn congressional map for the 2026 elections and ordered the state to revert to its 2021 districts. The judges wrote that “substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map,” pointing to the state’s response to a Justice Department letter focused on districts’ racial makeup. Gov. Greg Abbott said Texas would appeal to the Supreme Court and argued the map was drawn to reflected “Texans’ conservative voting preferences” and not race. The ruling stop a Trump-backed effort to add up to five Republican House seats. Texas faces a Dec. 8 candidate filing deadline under the 2021 map. (New York Times / Washington Post / Axios / Bloomberg / NBC News / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Axios / Politico)

2/ Congress ordered the Justice Department to release its unclassified files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after the House passed the bill 427-1 and the Senate cleared it by unanimous consent. After months of calling the effort a “Democrat hoax,” Trump said he would sign the legislation when it reaches his desk, claiming: “I’m all for it.” The bill gives Attorney General Pam Bondi 30 days to release all unclassified records and permits redactions only for victims and active investigations, including the reviews Trump ordered last week into Epstein’s ties to Democrats and financial institutions. (Associated Press / ABC News / NBC News / CNN / New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / Politico / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CNBC)

3/ Trump called for ABC’s broadcast license to be revoked after an ABC News reporter asked why he didn’t release the Jeffrey Epstein files himself, which he has the authority to do. “You’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter,” Trump replied. “As far as the Epstein files, I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert. I guess I turned out to be right.” When asked again why he didn’t order the release himself, Trump replied: “I think the license should be taken away from ABC, because your news is so fake and so wrong.” He added that FCC Chair Brendan Carr “should look at that.” The exchange came shortly before Congress voted to force the Justice Department to release all of its Epstein records after the department refused earlier this year to release them despite public commitments from Attorney General Pam Bondi and other Trump officials. On Friday aboard Air Force One, Trump pointed at a Bloomberg reporter and said, “Quiet, Piggy,” after she asked about the Epstein emails. (CNBC / Politico / The Guardian / Mediaite / Reuters / Bloomberg / Deadline)

4/ Trump defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, saying “things happen” and that the crown prince “knew nothing.” Turkish and U.S. intelligence said Saudi agents killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, and a 2021 U.S. report said Mohammed approved an effort to capture or kill him. Trump, nevertheless, criticized the question, saying “You don’t have to embarrass our guest,” while Mohammed called the killing “a huge mistake” and that Saudi Arabia “did all the right steps of investigation.” The visit included Trump’s pledge to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and discussions on a U.S.-Saudi defense pact, nuclear cooperation and access to advanced U.S. AI chips. Mohammed said he would raise Saudi investment in the U.S. from $600 billion to “almost $1 trillion.” He said Saudi Arabia wanted to join the Abraham Accords, but needed “a clear path to a two-state solution” before normalizing ties with Israel. (Washington Post / Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / Bloomberg / Associated Press / NBC News / CNN / CNBC / Axios / NPR)

5/ The Trump administration moved to dismantle the Education Department, shifting K-12 and college programs to other federal agencies. The plan transfers the department’s elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education offices to the Labor Department, while Interior, HHS, and State will take over Indian education, child care and foreign medical accreditation, and international and foreign-language programs. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the moves would “cut through layers of red tape” as part of the agency’s “final mission.” Civil rights, special education, and student aid programs were not moved, though officials said they are reviewing options for future transfers. (Washington Post / NPR / Politico / ABC News / New York Times / Bloomberg / CNN)

poll/ 47% of Americans say they prefer Democrats in the 2026 House races, while 42% prefer Republicans. 54% say Democrats are out of touch, 55% say Republicans are out of touch, and 61% say they don’t feel represented by either party. 41% approve of Trump’s job performance and 57% disapprove. (Strength in Numbers

Five years ago today: Day 1399: "We did it right."