US: Donald Trump says he signed the bill to release Epstein files

Premier Scott Moe has had a busy week, participating in the First Ministers meeting on Monday and then traveling to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to engage with U.S. government officials.

The funeral of former Vice President Dick Cheney took place at Washington National Cathedral, attended by a bipartisan group of former presidents and dignitaries. Notably absent were Donald Trump and JD Vance, highlighting ongoing political divisions. The event was marked by tributes from figures like George W. Bush and Liz Cheney, but there was no memorial for those killed in Iraq, raising questions about the legacy of Cheney's policies.

Nancy Pelosi, the US speaker emerita, criticized Donald Trump's anti-climate remarks made at the UN General Assembly, labeling him as 'the biggest con job in American history.' Trump had described the climate crisis as 'the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.' Pelosi's comments were made during a press conference addressing the US's absence from the upcoming Cop30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, where 195 countries will be represented.

Democrats expressed outrage after Donald Trump labeled a group of Democratic lawmakers as 'traitors' and suggested they should be punished 'by death' for urging military personnel to refuse illegal orders in a video. The video featured six lawmakers, including military veterans, advocating for the refusal of unlawful commands.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to negotiate with Donald Trump regarding a US-backed peace plan that requires Ukraine to make significant concessions to end the ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelenskyy's office confirmed that he has received the draft plan, which was developed by US and Russian officials, and he will discuss it with Trump in the coming days.

Republican senators, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to release documents related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This legislation, signed into law by President Donald Trump, aims to increase transparency regarding the actions of the Department of Justice related to Epstein's case.

Documents released to mark the 50th anniversary of a Senate report reveal that the Gerald Ford administration attempted to block the report detailing the CIA's involvement in assassination plots against foreign leaders. This effort ultimately led to significant changes in how the agency was held accountable. The release coincides with speculation that Donald Trump may have authorized CIA actions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amid heightened U.S. military presence in the region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received a draft peace plan from the United States, expressing support for proposals that could lead to genuine peace. In a related development, Ukraine reported the repatriation of 1,000 bodies claimed by Russia to belong to Ukrainian soldiers, marking a rare instance of cooperation between the two nations amidst ongoing conflict.