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Barron Trump reportedly saved woman's life after witnessing violent assault on FaceTime call
A woman who said she was violently attacked by her ex-boyfriend last year told a London court that her friend Barron Trump unexpectedly saved her life after she managed to call him during the assault, United Kingdom media outlet Metro reported Wednesday.
After answering the FaceTime call and witnessing the alleged assault, the 19-year-old son of President Donald Trump reportedly contacted emergency operators, prompting UK police to respond to the scene on Jan. 18, 2025, shortly after 2 a.m. local time.
The woman, who cannot be named, reportedly claimed that her former Russian partner, 22-year-old Matvei Rumianstev, of east London, was jealous of her friendship with Trump.
She added that she was raped on the day she called Trump and alleged that her ex-boyfriend, who first became violent six months into their relationship, had a history of assaulting her, including stranglings, Metro said, citing hearings at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
BARRON TRUMP SPOTTED ON NYU CAMPUS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE INAUGURATION
According to bodycam footage from the day of the alleged attack, Trump was heard over the phone telling officials, "I just saw a ceiling and could hear screaming. I could see a guy’s head on the phone, and then the camera turns to her crying and getting hit."
Trump, who reportedly attempted to call his friend for a casual conversation before finally receiving a callback, said the call lasted only 10 to 15 seconds, after which he contacted the authorities.
According to the 999 emergency call played in court, Trump reportedly said, "I just got a call from a girl I know. She’s getting beaten up."
After giving them her address, he emphasized that, "It’s really an emergency, please. I got a call from her with a guy beating her up."
When police arrived, the woman identified their anonymous caller as Trump, explaining, "I am friends with Barron Trump, Donald Trump’s son."
An officer was later heard on bodycam footage telling a colleague, "So apparently, this informant from America is likely to be Donald Trump’s son," he said. "This female is friends with Donald Trump’s son. She was on a Facetime with him when this assault happened, and he’s called us."
To confirm to the police, the woman called Trump again, asking, "Hello, Barron, did you call the police or anything?"
"I had someone call the police," Trump said. "I called you guys, that was the best thing I could do. I wasn’t going to call back and threaten things to him because that would just make the situation worse."
During her testimony, the woman said Trump "helped save my life. That call was like a sign from God at that moment."
BARRON TRUMP, CELEBRATING 19TH BIRTHDAY, PRAISED AS 'SMART GUY' BY HIS FATHER
The trial between Trump’s friend and Rumianstev remains ongoing.
While Rumianstev has denied the allegations, the woman said she has been repeatedly attacked and sexually abused, including being raped in November 2024 and on January 18. She also alleged that Rumianstev has been pressuring her to withdraw her complaints.
The Russian defendant, of New Providence Wharf, east London, has denied assault, actual bodily harm, two counts of rape, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for more information.
ICE reels in the worst of the worst with 'Operation Catch of the Day' in Maine
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched "Operation Catch of the Day" across Maine, arresting criminal illegal aliens convicted of violent crimes as part of a crackdown ordered under President Donald Trump and Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.
The operation was launched on Tuesday and focuses on individuals convicted of violent offenses and crimes involving public safety and child welfare.
On the first day, ICE arrested over 50 people, and according to ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde, there are about 1,400 targets in Maine.
DHS said the initiative prioritizes individuals it describes as the most dangerous offenders – including criminal illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child – residing unlawfully in the state.
DHS LAUNCHES 'WORST OF THE WORST' WEBPAGE TARGETING ALLEGED CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NATIONWIDE
DHS said the operation follows ongoing disagreements with Maine officials over cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and comes as the administration increases pressure on jurisdictions it says limit arrests of criminal illegal aliens.
"Governor Mills and her fellow sanctuary politicians in Maine have made it abundantly clear that they would rather stand with criminal illegal aliens than protect law-abiding American citizens," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. "We have launched Operation Catch of the Day to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in the state."
"On the first day of operations, we arrested illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child," she continued. "Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are no longer allowing criminal illegal aliens to terrorize American citizens."
OVER 1,000 ARRESTED IN ‘MASSIVE’ MINNESOTA OPERATION, INCLUDING MURDERERS, RAPISTS, PEDOPHILES
Those taken into custody include Dominic Ali, a criminal illegal alien from Sudan convicted of false imprisonment, aggravated assault, assault, obstructing justice and violation of a protective order.
ICE also arrested Ambessa Berhe, a criminal illegal alien from Ethiopia convicted of aggravated assault and cocaine possession.
Elmara Correia, a criminal illegal alien from Angola who was previously arrested for endangering the welfare of a child, was also taken into custody.
‘WORST OF THE WORST’: ICE ARRESTS CHILD PREDATOR, VIOLENT CRIMINALS AMID SURGE IN ANTI-AGENT ATTACKS
Another arrest involved Dany Lopez-Cortez, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala convicted of operating under the influence of alcohol.
The Maine operation is part of Trump’s broader nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration, a central pledge of his campaign.
Portland, Maine Mayor Mark Dion last week released a statement opposing a potential ICE presence in the area.
"Our community is anxious and fearful regarding the understanding that ICE is planning to send agents to Portland and Lewiston next week," Dion said. "There is no evidence of unchecked criminal activity in our community requiring a disproportionate presence of federal agents. In that view, Portland rejects the need for the deployment of ICE agents into our neighborhoods."
He added that the Portland Police Department does not cooperate with ICE and does not participate in enforcing federal immigration law.
Todd Blanche warns Americans 'should be worried' about Minnesota protests after church disruption
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche warned that Americans "should be worried" amid escalating protests in Minnesota, including the disruption of a St. Paul church service, saying these demonstrations are "being encouraged by local officials."
The Justice Department served grand jury subpoenas Tuesday to Minnesota offices, including the governor’s office, the attorney general’s office and the Minneapolis mayor’s office, Fox News Digital previously reported.
"We said for the past two weeks that the federal government and this administration would not tolerate local officials doing what they were doing and have been doing," Blanche said Tuesday on "The Ingraham Angle."
Renee Good, 37, was shot and killed Jan. 7 during a confrontation with an ICE agent. Activists have since used her death to protest immigration enforcement in Minnesota, with some demonstrations leading to confrontations with federal agents.
Blanche said federal authorities warned local leaders before launching the probe. He said local leaders are accused of encouraging rioters and impeding federal officers.
"You didn’t see the governor or the mayor reacting in horror at what happened in that church," Blanche said.
"You saw a feigned claim by them that they wanted peaceful protest, and that should worry every single American."
RENEE GOOD’S FORMER FATHER-IN-LAW SAYS DEADLY SHOOTING WAS RESULT OF 'BAD CHOICES'
Gov. Tim Walz responded to a headline about the subpoenas in a post on X, formerly Twitter, writing, "Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.
"The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her," Walz said.
The Department of Homeland Security defended the agent’s actions, saying Good attempted to "weaponize her vehicle" against officers. Minnesota state officials have disputed that account and announced a separate investigation, independent of the federal probe.
Whoopi defends new Star Trek show from Musk, Miller criticism, says franchise was 'woke' from the start
"The View" host Whoopi Goldberg defended the widely criticized "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" series on Wednesday by arguing that the Star Trek franchise has always been progressive.
The latest installment in the "Star Trek" franchise is facing mounting backlash from fans who say it’s gone "woke," even as many critics praise the new show and studio executives have already approved a second season. Goldberg, who was in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," mocked how conservatives are complaining about the new show in 2026, noting, like other actors associated with the show, that the franchise has always been socially liberal.
"These people are b----ing about a TV show," Goldberg said of American conservatives, recapping that figures like Stephen Miler and Elon Musk are "complaining that the show has gone ‘woke.’".
ROB SCHNEIDER: GO WOKE, GO BROKE ISN'T A SLOGAN — IT'S BECOMING HOLLYWOOD’S REALITY
Goldberg then played a clip of one of the show’s stars, Gina Yashere, who defended the franchise during a CNN appearance, agreeing with the claim that creator Gene Roddenberry was focused on the ideas of inclusion and diversity, arguing that "Star Trek" has been "woke from day one, and woke is a good word."
"As a Starfleet Academy member, please also allow me to respond," Goldberg said, referring to her own time as part of the franchise. "If you’ve never been asleep, you can’t be woke. See? This was a show that was created with the idea that people from other planets would come, and we would all find a way to exist together. This was Gene’s idea, this was his dream, and when you watch ‘Star Trek,’ that’s what it shows you."
"Here’s the point," Goldberg said. "Why are you concentrating on a television show when people are being shot and killed, when people are going hungry, when farmers are losing their farms, kids can’t get meals at school. Why are you paying attention to this?"
'STRANGER THINGS' FANS REVIEW-BOMB 'WOKE' COMING-OUT SCENE IN SHOW'S FINAL SEASON
The star went on to suggest that politicians should focus on doing their jobs while entertainers do theirs.
"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" premiered last week on Paramount+ to relatively high reviews from critics, including an 87% "Certified Fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes. But audience scores suggest a far more divided response, although the show could be a victim of its poorer score due to coordinated "review bombing."
Star Trek has indeed been known for its emphasis on liberal diversity and pluralism. As culture website Polygon summarized, "When the original series launched in 1967, in the midst of the Cold War and the American civil rights movement, the idea of a crew that included a Black woman and a Russian man represented a radical vision of the future. Beyond breaking barriers with the first interracial kiss on television, Star Trek regularly mocked intolerance with episodes like ‘Let That Be Your Last Battlefield,’ in which depicted a war between people who divide themselves based on which side of their face is black and which side is white."
Richard Pryor strangled wife during cocaine-fueled psychosis episode, widow claims
Richard Pryor's widow, Jennifer Pryor, claimed that he once threatened to kill her during a drug-fueled psychosis.
Jennifer appeared on Howie Mandel's podcast, "Howie Mandel Does Stuff," in an episode released on Jan. 20.
She said that the ordeal began when she went to tell Richard that he had to do reshoots for his 1980 film "Stir Crazy."
"And he was basically out of his mind at that point," Jennifer said. "And I was in danger again."
NICK REINER BELIEVES HE'S A VICTIM OF 'CONSPIRACY' WHILE IN JAIL FOR PARENTS' MURDERS: DOCUMENTARY
When Mandel asked her to clarify if she ever felt threatened by him, she said, "Yeah. He threatened my life."
When Mandel pressed further, she said, "He said, 'I'm going to kill you.'"
Jennifer explained that she wasn't living with Richard at this point.
"He was just out of his f---ing mind. He was in drug psychosis. So I woke up, and there's a pile of coke on the desk, and I said, 'Oh Richard, I got to go now.' And he said, 'No, now the sun's coming up.' And he said, 'You're gonna die.'"
She added, "And I said, 'Richard?' And I had a cross around my neck and I grabbed it. And I said, 'Give me the words. Give me the words.'"
"And I calmed him down. I talked him off the ledge. I said, 'Everything is going to be OK. There's no need for any violence here. Everything's going to be fine,'" she said.
"And he had his hands around my neck at one point during this episode. And I calmed him down. I went and got my slacks, put on my slacks and I hightailed out of there."
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When Mandel stated that she always seemed to go back to him, Jennifer agreed.
Richard, known as a comedian and actor, won five Grammy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award during his career.
He starred in "Stir Crazy," "Silver Streak," "See No Evil, Hear No Evil," "Harlem Nights" and more.
Richard also hosted his own shows: "The Richard Pryor Show" and "Pryor's Place."
Richard and Jennifer first married in August 1981, but their marriage lasted only 14 days. The divorce was finalized in October 1982.
The duo remarried in secret in 2001, and they remained together until Richard's death in 2005.
Jennifer was his fourth wife; he was married to five different women in seven marriages. He was married to Patricia Price from 1960 until 1961; Shelley Bonus from 1967 to 1969, Deborah McGuire from 1977 until 1978; Jennifer in 1981; Flynn Belaine in 1986, with the marriage ending two months later and their divorce being finalized in 1987.
He remarried Belaine in 1990, but they split once more in 1991.
Richard died on Dec. 10, 2005, from a heart attack at age 65. He had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986, and eventually had to use a mobility scooter.
Richard struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for much of his life.
Jennifer also talked about an incident during which Richard allegedly pointed a gun at her.
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She noted that the Rob Reiner case triggered her, and brought back a memory of "when Richard had a .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum in the house, in his bedroom. Kept loaded. And one night, he shot off three rounds. One on the bedroom wall. One in the ceiling. And another ... I was at that point, in the front hall ... back hall vestibule. He had the gun behind his back and he shot off another round."
"And then he brings it forward, and I'm counting how many bullets are in the gun. And he cocks the trigger, and he says, 'Get out, b----.' Cocked it. And I said, 'No problem.' Walked outside. Sat on the back step. Had a cigarette. Ten minutes later, I walk back in."
She continued, "He's in the bedroom. I said, 'What was that about?' And he said, 'Oh, I'm so glad you didn't make me shoot you.'"
She explained that the Reiner murder triggered her because she was so codependent on Richard that she thinks she could have died.
"I'm lucky to be here," she said.
Super Bowl champion coach slams Bills for firing Sean McDermott after crushing playoff loss
The Buffalo Bills’ decision to fire head coach Sean McDermott after an overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the playoffs drew rebuke from a Super Bowl champion.
Bruce Arians, who guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title during the 2020 season, ripped the Bills’ organization for the move on Tuesday.
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"This one baffles me," Arians said on "The Pat McAfee Show." "How Brandon Beane got elevated and Sean McDermott got fired, that just blows my mind, because they didn't have any damn players.
"The guy is one of the best coaches in the league and a great leader of men. He’s taken that team as close as you could get – couldn’t beat (Patrick) Mahomes. He didn’t throw any damn interceptions and the referees screwed him bad and he gets fired. I mean, come on man. And Brandon Beane gets a f---ing raise? I don’t get that one. That one blows my mind."
The Bills failed to get back to the AFC Championship Game after losing to the Broncos in overtime, following a controversial interception call. The defeat marked another crushing blow to McDermott’s tenure as the Bills’ head coach.
BILLS QUARTERBACK'S WIFE PENS HEARTFELT SOCIAL MEDIA POST TO FIRED COACH SEAN MCDERMOTT'S FAMILY
McDermott took the job before the start of the 2017 season. Buffalo only finished under .500 once since then. He helped guide the Bills to the playoffs in eight of the nine seasons. The team made the conference title game twice but never got back to the Super Bowl.
NFL fans had confidence that the Bills could have been Super Bowl contenders going into the 2025 season. The Bills’ odds got better when their nemesis, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was lost for the season with a knee injury.
Buffalo fell short of winning the AFC East – falling to the New England Patriots. They made the playoffs via the wild card and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars by three points. But the loss to the Broncos ultimately doomed McDermott’s tenure as head coach.
McDermott was 98-50 as the Bills’ head coach. He was 8-8 in the playoffs and only missed out on the postseason once.
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Sunny Hostin urges 'defamed' alleged criminals arrested by ICE to sue Trump
"The View" co-host Sunny Hostin claimed that President Donald Trump may have "defamed" alleged criminals arrested by ICE after he presented their mugshots to the media during a press conference on Tuesday.
On Wednesday's episode of "The View," Hostin said she found it "distasteful and disgusting" that Trump held up pictures of mostly "Black and Brown people," calling them "predators… rapists and murderers."
She argued that "there is no data" confirming that any of the people whose mugshots were shown were actually criminals, and that "if you look at whatever data that we have, 70% of the people that ICE has detained don’t have criminal convictions."
TRUMP SAYS CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS ‘MAKE HELLS ANGELS LOOK LIKE THE SWEETEST PEOPLE ON EARTH’
"I’ll tell you, if he defamed somebody, they better sue the President of the United States," Hostin suggested. "Or they better sue somebody."
Fellow co-host Joy Behar noted that she also watched the president's Tuesday press conference and "felt like [Trump] kept showing the same picture because he’s not all there."
Earlier in the segment, co-host Sara Haines argued that Trump displayed the mugshots "in the name of ICE and all the seizures," but that there was a better way to show Americans that his administration is tough on crime.
"You know what everyone could get on board with when you have a negative 38 approval rating on — is the friggin’ Epstein files," Haines asserted. "You have bipartisan support, and it feels like with every dodge he’s missing the fact that there are actual criminals among us, and they happen to be [Trump's] friends."
"Why don’t we go ahead and get that out in the open and figure that out," she added.
The White House did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for comment.
TRUMP SAYS MEDIA FOCUSES TOO MUCH ON MINNESOTA ICE COVERAGE, NOT ENOUGH ON CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS
On Tuesday, the same day Trump presented the mugshots of the alleged criminals, he also called on ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to do more to highlight the arrests of illegal immigrants with criminal records.
"The Department of Homeland Security and ICE must start talking about the murderers and other criminals that they are capturing and taking out of the system. They are saving many innocent lives! There are thousands of vicious animals in Minnesota alone, which is why the crime stats are, nationwide, the BEST EVER RECORDED!" Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.
"Show the numbers, names, and faces of the violent criminals, and show them NOW," he added. "The people will start supporting the patriots of ICE, instead of the highly paid troublemakers, anarchists, and agitators! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN."
DHS regularly announces the arrests of illegal immigrants and will often publish the alleged offenders' names, mugshots and criminal histories.
Fox News' Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Trump to host major sports commissioners in Oval Office for America 250 planning: report
The commissioners of the four major sports leagues — the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB — will reportedly meet with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office next week as he unveils plans for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The NFL’s Roger Goodell, NBA’s Adam Silver, MLB’s Rob Manfred and NHL’s Gary Bettman are all scheduled to attend the event next week, per The Athletic. The exact date is subject to change.
The White House and the four sports leagues did not immediately answer Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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"America 250" will have a sports connection, including the announced UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House scheduled for June 14.
Trump also announced the White House would host the Patriot Games, a high school athletic event that will span four days with athletes participating from all over the country. Trump said "one young man and one young woman from each state and territory" would be competing in the games.
The leagues have also taken action as part of the 250th anniversary, with the NFL announcing in November it will participate in the anniversary with on-field promotions and commemorative footballs featuring the America 250 logo.
"America 250" will be stenciled on the sidelines during playoff games, and officials will have special America 250 coins for the coin toss before kickoffs.
And the FIFA World Cup will be hosted by the U.S. this summer, starting in June and running through mid-July, with the final game hosted at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Trump has frequented many sporting events since beginning his second term in office, including the 2025 Super Bowl, the Ryder Cup at Bethpage on Long Island, the FIFA Club World Cup final and, most recently, the College Football Playoff national championship game in Miami, where he watched the Indiana Hoosiers defeat the Miami Hurricanes.
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Cellphone health risks are focus of new government study: 'Very concerned'
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a study on whether radiation from cellphones could harm Americans' health.
"The FDA removed web pages with old conclusions about cellphone radiation while HHS undertakes a study on electromagnetic radiation and health research to identify gaps in knowledge, including on new technologies, to ensure safety and efficacy," HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The study is part of a strategy report released last year by President Donald Trump’s MAHA Commission, Nixon added.
FOOD PYRAMID FACES SCRUTINY AS BEN CARSON REVEALS WHY AMERICANS DON'T HAVE TO EAT MEAT
The report urges officials to address electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure stemming from the widespread use of cellphones, Wi-Fi routers, cell towers and wearable, such as smartwatches.
In 2018, the National Institutes of Health did a study concluding there is "clear evidence" that high exposure to radio frequency radiation (RFR) was associated with cancer in male rats.
"In our studies, rats and mice received RFR across their whole bodies. By contrast, people are mostly exposed in specific local tissues close to where they hold the phone," said senior scientist John Bucher at the time.
Bucher added, "The exposure levels and durations in our studies were greater than what people experience."
The study did not investigate the RFR that is used for Wi-Fi or 5G networks.
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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told USA TODAY on Friday that "electromagnetic radiation is a major health concern," adding that he is "very concerned about it."
A spokesperson for CTIA, the mobile carrier industry trade group, told Fox News Digital there is no credible evidence linking wireless devices to health problems.
"Radiofrequency energy from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices, mobile phones and wireless infrastructure has not been shown to cause health problems, according to the consensus of the international scientific community and independent expert organizations around the world," said the spokesperson.
The World Health Organization has noted on its website that research shows "no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies."
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In the U.S., cellphones must comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) limits on radiofrequency (RF) exposure.
The FCC uses a metric called specific absorption rate (SAR), which tracks how much RF energy the body absorbs. To be sold in the U.S., mobile phones and similar wireless devices must be tested and certified to ensure that they do not exceed 1.6 W/kg (watts per kilogram), averaging over 1 gram of tissue.
The FCC states on its website that there is "no scientific evidence currently establishing a definitive link between wireless device use and cancer or other illnesses."
However, the agency does share ways that Americans can reduce exposure — such as shortening the amount of time spent on wireless devices, putting a phone on speaker or using an earpiece "to reduce proximity to the head and thus head exposure."
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The FCC also recommends increasing the distance between wireless devices and the body, and texting instead of talking when possible.
Fox News Digital reached out to HHS and NIH for additional comment, as well as several major cellphone carriers.
Ghislaine Maxwell to testify before House committee investigating handling of Epstein case
Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has agreed to appear before the congressional committee investigating the federal government's handling of the notorious Epstein case to provide testimony under oath, Fox News has learned.
Maxwell is scheduled to sit for a virtual deposition by the committee on Feb. 9, according to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, who is leading the investigation.
"Her lawyers have made it clear that she's going to plead the Fifth," Comer said. "I hope she changes her mind, because I want to hear from her."
CLINTON SPOKESMAN LASHES OUT AT COMER OVER EPSTEIN PROBE AS CONTEMPT VOTE NEARS
In a letter from Maxwell's legal team submitted to the committee on Tuesday, her lawyers insisted she would refuse to comply with the testimony, according to the BBC.
"Put plainly, proceeding under these circumstances would serve no other purpose than pure political theater and a complete waste of taxpayer monies," the attorneys wrote. "The Committee would obtain no testimony, no answers, and no new facts."
MORE THAN 2M EPSTEIN FILES STILL UNPUBLISHED, DOJ CONFIRMS
The move comes on the same day a federal judge ruled that he lacks jurisdiction to appoint an outside expert to ensure the Justice Department complies with a legal mandate requiring it to release all files pertaining to the prosecution of Epstein to the public.
The seven-page ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer effectively put a stop to efforts by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., looking to participate in Maxwell's case.
"The only parties to the case are Maxwell and the United States, the latter represented, as is always the case, by DOJ," the judge wrote. "The Indictment against Maxwell brought charges under six federal criminal statutes. Those were not brought under the EFTA, which did not exist at the time and is not a criminal statute. And this case is now effectively closed."
FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS LAWMAKERS' EFFORT TO FORCE DOJ RELEASE OF EPSTEIN FILES
The pair had asked the court to appoint them as amici curio, or "friends of the court" to serve as a special master to oversee the release of the files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA).
"We appreciate the judge’s thoughtful consideration of our letter, and we remain determined to force the DOJ to follow our law using other avenues available to us and the survivors," Massie said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 and is currently serving 20 years behind bars in federal prison for her involvement in the trafficking and recruitment of underage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein, primarily at his Florida residence.
In July 2025, Maxwell's request to exchange her testimony for legal immunity was denied by the committee.
One month later, the committee filed a legal summons requiring Maxwell to submit evidence under oath.
The House committee is also set to discuss if former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, should be held in contempt of court over their refusal to appear before officials regarding the investigation into Epstein.
Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this report.