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President Donald Trump made a big pivot on the Epstein files. That's where we're starting the seven from the Washington Post, I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Monday, November 17th. We're lets get you caught up with today's seven stories. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are pushing to pass a measure related to Jeffrey Epstein. It would require the Justice Department to release documents from its investigation into the convicted sex offender. For weeks, Trump has resisted that effort, but late yesterday, he reversed course. In a post on social media, Trump said he believes that Republican lawmakers, quote, quote, should vote to release the Epstein files because we have nothing to hide. That post came after key lawmakers from both parties said that they were gaining support in the House for their measure, which is expected to be voted on this week. Thomas Massie is a Republican representative from Kentucky. He told Jonathan Karl of ABC News yesterday before Trump changed course, why he thought the president was resisting the release of the files.
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Why does he want to prevent this? What is he, what is he afraid of? You know, I've never said that these files will implicate Donald Trump, and I really don't think that they will. I think he's trying to protect a bunch of rich and powerful friends, billionaires, donors to his campaign, friends in his social circles. And that's my operating theory on why he's trying so hard to keep these files closed.
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Trump is mentioned in some emails written by Epstein that have already been released. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing or of taking part in Epstein's sex trafficking operations. But Trump is continuing to insist that the focus on the Epstein files is a hoax promoted by Democrats. And he directed the Justice Department on Friday to investigate the connections of Democrats and only Democrats to Epstein. President Trump appears to be intensifying military pressure on Venezuela. That's our second story. U.S. ships and aircraft are massing in the Caribbean. Forces there now include about a dozen Navy warships, a special operations vessel and a nuclear powered attack submarine. More ships are on the way. The US has already destroyed numerous vessels which Trump says were carrying drug traffickers, but he has not provided evidence and critics say those strikes were illegal. The large scale buildup of US Military forces and assets in the Caribbean suggests that the Trump administration may be preparing to expand operations in the region. But yesterday Trump said he was open to talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Trump's end goal in Venezuela is unclear. 3. The Trump administration is lifting all cuts on flights. Today, during the government shutdown, the FAA mandated restrictions on 40 major airports to try and ease staffing pressures. Those restrictions caused more than 9,500 flight cancellations and tens of thousands of del. The disruptions had fueled worries about the impact on travel around Thanksgiving. But the restrictions will be lifted today, and airline executives say they are in position to have their operations ready for the surge even though the shutdown is over. The disruptions highlighted deficiencies in the US Aviation system that still need to be fixed, in particular a shortage of certified air traffic controllers. Foreign President Trump rolled back some tariffs as Americans face high grocery prices earlier this month I told you about a poll from the Post, ABC News and Ipsos. It found that a majority of Americans said they were spending more on groceries and utilities than they were a year ago and that they blame Trump for the rising prices. A move from Trump on Friday may show that he is feeling that political pressure. The president dropped import duties on some agricultural goods, including beef, tomatoes and coffee. It was a significant shift for Trump on his signature economic policy. The number of newly enrolled foreign college students in the US has fallen. That's our fifth story. The Trump administration has made it harder for foreign students to come to the U.S. it has restricted travel from 19 nations. It has pushed schools to limit the number of foreign students on their campuses. It has temporarily paused student visa screening interviews and it has canceled visas for students who have been accused of crimes, overstayed their visa, or who participated in pro Palestinian protests. A new survey of more than 825 colleges and universities reveals the impact of those policies. The number of newly enrolled foreign college students in the US dropped by 17% this fall, according to an analysis from an educational nonprofit. The loss of foreign students could cost the US nearly $1.1 billion and 23,000 job number six. A new study offers clues about the rise of colorectal cancer in younger women. The study found that women who eat more ultra processed foods on a daily basis have a greater risk of developing colorectal polyps before age 50. That's compared with women who consume far less of the processed foods. Colon polyps don't usually turn into cancer, but some do. One of the study's authors said there's around a 5% risk that the average colon polyp may develop into cancer over time. This study's results highlight an association and not a cause and effect relationship. But still, it might help explain why colorectal cancer rates are rising in younger adults. And at number seven, it might be another sad winter for snow lovers. According to a new analysis from my colleagues, swaths of the Plains, Midwest and East coast have received much less snow than average over the past five winters. Around 70% of states in the contiguous US have seen declining snowfall, and I'm sorry to say that trend may continue this winter. The ingredients needed for persistently snowy wintersaka freezing air and moisture are linking up less frequently, but we may still see bigger storms from time to time. If you want to see how snowy it will be where you live, you can search your area's snow forecast in our newsletter today. If you don't like what you find, you can also see what parts of the country you can escape to. For the best chance at building a giant snowman. Foreign you're all caught up. But before you go, we have something fun for those of you who listen to us on Spotify. It's a poll. If you open your Spotify app, go to today's show and scroll down, you'll see a question about what kinds of stories you most like to hear about on the seven. Or if you don't listen on Spotify, you can just email me@the7podoshpost.com that's the number seven. Your answer gives us valuable feedback on the show. And don't forget to leave us a nice rating while you're there. I'm Hannah Jewell. I'll meet you back here tomorrow.
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