Summer 2025 was filled with sunny days, trending videos- including those attempting to exit a window dressed as Alexander Hamilton-, and lots of activity in the White House. While it would be nearly impossible to debrief everything that happened over the summer, here are a few headline topics.
Epstein Files:
The Epstein Files have been at the forefront of the public’s mind since President Donald Trump promised their reveal during his campaign. While the desire for these files varies, citizens from both parties are awaiting their release, but first, it is important to understand the backstory of the case.
Jeffrey Epstein was prominent in the financial markets, starting in the 1970s. After briefly working on Wall Street, Epstein started his own financial company, which allowed his wealth to flourish. As he grew richer, he was seen with many elite circles; according to Britannica, this included Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, and many others. While he continued associating with many prominent people, in 2006, he was detained by the police, and in court, he was convicted of one count of soliciting prostitution,” according to Britannica. Epstein served 13 months in prison. However, following his release in 2009, new allegations emerged, indicating that the legal battle was far from over. His case was revisited in 2018. Epstein was arrested on July 6, 2019. On August 10, 2019, he was found dead in his cell, which investigators concluded was suicide.
The contents of the Epstein files remain only speculative, including the number of pages within the files. However, according to BBC, the files reported include a client list and a list of those affected by Epstein and those around him. This is what has caught the attention of the nation after many years. The speculation suggests that there are people ranging from movie stars to politicians on this list. While on the campaign trail, when Trump was asked in an interview with Fox News if he would declassify the files, he said, “Yeah, yeah, I would”. This comment sent the media into a frenzy. Liberals and conservatives alike anxiously awaited its release. However, after nearly nine months in office, Trump has yet to release the documents as he promised.
This is important because both Democrats and Republicans believe there are important politicians listed on the hypothetical “client list”. Both parties wish to expose the other, as both parties believe there is incriminating evidence against the other. More specifically, MAGA became restless as the files were not released this summer. According to PBS, in mid-July, when there were still no files released, “it prompted anger — and more suspicion and conspiracy theories — from the MAGA faithful.” This was bad news for Trump; as a result, he arguably did the only thing he could think of and created chaos. From tariffs to the national guard, the administration tried to do everything in its power to create a distraction from Trump’s unfilled promise.
On September 2, the Department of Justice released a batch of 33,295 pages of the files. However, according to California Rep. Ro Khanna, about 97% of the recently released pages were already in the public domain. The bottom line is that there is still a lot of information not available. Following the release, protesters took to the capital, demanding the release of the files. Specifically, many of those attending the protest were survivors. As Trump’s term continues, it will be interesting to see what pressure he receives regarding the files, especially from MAGA.
The Big Beautiful Bill:
As many people may remember, at the end of May of this year, there was the big national breakup of Trump and the head of DOGE, Elon Musk. The breakup began when Musk shared his opinion with CBS on the bill Trump was avidly supporting. He said, “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful,” Elon Musk told CBS News, “but I don’t know if it can be both.” While the nation focused on the feud at the time, the bill itself passed on July 4. This bill will have drastic cuts in healthcare, as there is, according to the Center for American Progress, this is a $1 trillion cut in funding for programs like Medicaid and Medicare. There is a decrease in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps over 40 million low-income families afford food. Along with that, the bill extends Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which, according to BBC, “lowered taxes for corporations and for individuals across most income brackets.” However, while it may simulate economic growth, “experts have argued that it has benefited wealthy Americans the most.” According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, this bill will also add $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the course of 10 years. While it also decreases clean energy incentives, the bill does implement no tax on tips or overtime, and it boosts the military’s defense.
The National Guard:
On August 11, Trump declared a national emergency in the District of Columbia, as he said he needed to “rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor and worse.” He also claimed that DC’s crime rates were increasing, when, according to MPDC, “Violent crime overall is down 26% this year compared to the same point in 2024, and robbery is down 28%”. As a result of his claims, according to CNN, there are roughly 2,200 members of the National Guard posted in DC. This deployment led to protests across the country, particularly in Los Angeles.
On September 4, the District of Columbia announced that it would be suing the Trump Administration for deploying the troops. They are suing on the grounds of illegal deployment. According to NBC, Attorney General Brian Schwalb said, “deploying the National Guard for law enforcement purposes was ‘unnecessary and unwanted’ and ‘dangerous and harmful’ to the city’s residents.” Schwalb is claiming that the troops pose a liability for DC and that it is an improper use of the National Guard.
Later that day, the Trump Administration announced that it would be extending the order till November 30, meaning that all of the roughly 2,220 members of the guard will remain.
Trump has also discussed the idea of deploying more troops to Chicago, Baltimore, and New Orleans. This has sparked many protests. While no action has been taken yet, that could change.
RFK Jr.
On September 4, the head of Health and Human Services, Robert J. Kennedy Jr., was publicly questioned by Democrats and Republicans alike regarding his vaccine policies. According to BBC, “Kennedy said in his NPR interview that vaccines were ‘not going to be taken away from anybody’”. However, RFK has just limited the age range for those who can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. According to PBS, you can qualify for the vaccine if you are above the age of 65 or 6 months old and up with at least one health condition. RFK also recently fired the head of the CDC, Susan Monarez. This has left the CDC leaderless and has resulted in many prominent figures in the CDC resigning as well.
Additionally, the state of Florida has become the first state to ban mandated vaccinations. There are currently mandated vaccines in place for school children, which are critical to prevent the spread of illness and diseases.
While there is no shortage of things to follow, it will be interesting to see how everything will continue to play out, as the troops will remain in Washington, D.C. until December, the effects of the Big Beautiful Bill, and how the just-released pages of the Epstein Files will play a role in the nation. For good day-to-day updates, I recommend the free podcast The Daily!
