Background Briefing: November 18, 2025
The Loophole in the Epstein Files Bill Passed by the House Today 427 to 1 That Allows Trump to Classify What He Does Not Want the Public to See
We will begin with a loophole in the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed today by the House in a 427 to 1 vote to compel the Justice Department to release the files, a loophole large enough for Trump to drive a luxury jumbo jet through. Joining us to discuss how only unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials will be released, thus allowing Trump’s DoJ to classify what they don’t want the public to see is Ken Klippenstein, an American journalist reporting on the U.S. national security state and politics. He previously was an investigative reporter at The Intercept and prior to that was the D.C. Correspondent at The Nation, and a senior reporter for The Young Turks. He now runs a popular substack at KenKlippenstein.com where his latest article we will discuss is “’National Security’ Blocks Epstein Files Release.”
The Former Pariah’s Lavish White House Welcome With Trump Dismissing MBS’s Murder and Dismemberment of a Critic as “Things Happen”
Then we look into the pomp and ceremony with honor guards, a 21 gun salute and a flyover of fighter planes lavished of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince at the White House greeting of the former pariah who ordered to murder and dismemberment of a Washington Post journalist which Trump dismissed today saying “things happen.” Joining us is Sarah Leah Whitson, the executive director of DAWN, an organization that seeks to support democracy and human rights in the Middle East. She was formerly the executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa Division, where she oversaw work in 19 countries. Her latest book with Michael Omer-Man is, From Apartheid to Democracy: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine.
Meta Wins the Antitrust Case on the Basis Facebook Has Lost So Much Market Share to TikTok and YouTube
Then finally, we assess Silicon Valley’s big win in today’s verdict in the antitrust case against Meta, formally Facebook, which found the tech giant’s purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp may have been monopolistic back in 2012 and 2014 but now with competition from TikTok and YouTube, no longer applies because Meta has lost so much market share. Joining us is Brendan Benedict, an antitrust lawyer and a regular contributor to the substack Big Tech on Trial, where he has covered the antitrust case against Meta and other antitrust news in the tech world. His latest article we will discuss is, “The Battle of the Experts: Did the FTC Win the Battle But Lose the War?”