☕ Melania Trump's rare Epstein statement

Good morning!

Keep your eyes on the sky at 5:07pm PT - if you’re a San Diego local, you may see the four astronauts return to earth from their ten-day mission to the other side of the moon.

56 years after the last lunar mission, the voyage (should it end safely) will be praised as a massive success for NASA, and likely trigger a new wave of ambitions for the space agency. Experts also predict an uptick in enrolments in space-related college degrees, as an inspired generation looks even further outside our solar system.

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Some headlines from this morning:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would begin ceasefire talks with Lebanon "as soon as possible." The announcement came as Iran accused Israel of violating a recent ceasefire by continuing to bomb southern Lebanon. Israel launched its southern Lebanon campaign to neutralize Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group it says threatens northern Israel. Netanyahu said military operations would continue while negotiations with the Lebanese government focused on disarming Hezbollah. A dispute remains over whether the ceasefire with Iran was intended to cover Lebanon.

• The White House announced Thursday that tax refunds are running 24% above the four-year average before President Trump took office. The increase was credited to a Republican-led tax cut signed into law last year. The average refund this year stands at $3,521, an 11% increase on the typical $3,170. That falls short of the $1,000 average boost the Trump administration projected in January. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the cuts will add $4.2 trillion to the national debt by 2035.

• March 2026 was the most abnormally hot month in 132 years of U.S. federal weather records. Temperatures averaged 50.85 degrees Fahrenheit, a 9.35-degree jump above the March norm. It follows a string of broken climate records in 2026, including the hottest winter on record. Climate Central, a nonprofit science research group, warned that some March temperatures would have been impossible without man-made climate change. The heat may also fuel a powerful El Niño in 2026-27, bringing hotter and drier conditions to the U.S.

• Pentagon Under Secretary Emil Michael is being investigated for potentially making a $23 million profit selling xAI stock in January, according to new government ethics records. Michael is the Pentagon official responsible for evaluating AI companies' contract bids, including those submitted by xAI. The department awarded xAI 2 major contracts while Michael held the stake, including deploying its Grok chatbot across the department. The deals have raised conflict-of-interest concerns, which Michael denies. He said he was "in full compliance with all ethics laws and regulations. Any claims otherwise are false."

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First Lady Melania Trump held a rare press conference at the White House on Thursday night, denying any ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. Here's what you need to know.

What were the accusations?

Author Michael Wolff first reported that Epstein had introduced Melania and President Trump - a claim she disputes. She has filed a defamation lawsuit against Wolff.

The Department of Justice also released emails showing that Melania and Maxwell corresponded on October 23, 2002. The emails show the pair discussing a meetup in Palm Beach. A photo taken shortly afterwards shows Melania, President Trump, Epstein, and Maxwell together at a Dolce & Gabbana event.

What did the First Lady say?

Melania Trump told reporters she had "never been friends with Epstein" and was not his victim. She said Epstein did not introduce her to President Trump, but acknowledged knowing Epstein and said they occasionally moved in the same social circles in New York City and Palm Beach.

The First Lady described emails she had exchanged with Maxwell as "casual correspondence." She called on Congress to hold public hearings for Epstein's victims. "Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record," she said.

Reaction

Epstein survivor Lisa Phillips told the BBC she was "optimistic" about the First Lady's intervention. The family of Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre said victims had done enough. "Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice," a family statement read.

California Rep. Robert Garcia said he agreed with Melania's call for public hearings and urged Congress to act immediately. The defamation lawsuit against Wolff remains ongoing.

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Vice President JD Vance cut short his trip to Hungary on Wednesday after it was announced that he would lead ceasefire negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan.

His visit coincided with the final week of a closely fought election between Hungary’s incumbent Fidesz party, led by Trump ally Viktor Orbán, and the centre-right Tisza party, led by rising star Peter Magyar.

So, why was JD Vance in Hungary so close to their election?

Background

Hungary is a central European country that was a communist state before Viktor Orbán took power in 1998. He served as Prime Minister until 2002, when he was ousted.

He has served as Hungary's prime minister since 2010 - the longest-serving in the country's history. His Fidesz party is estimated to control around 80% of Hungary's media. Fidesz has also used its European Union (EU) veto power to block measures opposing Russia's war in Ukraine.

The election

For the first time in 16 years, Orbán faces a serious electoral challenge. His opponent is 45-year-old Peter Magyar, a former ally leading the center-right Tisza party. Most polls show Tisza set to win comfortably on Sunday. Hungary's economy has stagnated over the past 3 years, and the cost of living has risen sharply.

Magyar has pledged to end corruption, reform healthcare, and end Hungarian dependence on Russian energy by 2035. He has also taken a strongly anti-Russia position. "This is a very last chance... to prevent our country from being a Russian puppet state... Let's not allow Fidesz... to lead Hungary out of the EU," Magyar said at a rally on Wednesday.

Vance’s visit

Vance attended a Fidesz rally Tuesday in support of Orbán, who has earned favor with Trump for his pro-Christian policies, including those targeting migrants and LGBTQIA+ rights.

During the rally, Vance called Trump and broadcast the call to the crowd. "I love that Viktor, I'll tell you, he's a fantastic man, we've had a tremendous relationship," Trump said. Vance also accused the EU of targeting Hungary. "The bureaucrats in Brussels have tried to destroy the economy of Hungary. They have tried to make Hungary less energy-independent. They have tried to drive up costs for Hungarian consumers. And they've done it all because they hate [Orbán]," he said.

Will Orbán lose?

Most polls favor Tisza, but some election analysts warn the results could differ. Hungary recently redrew its electoral maps in a change that favors Orbán.

A large overseas Hungarian population, not surveyed by pollsters, also tends to support him. Both sides have accused the other of foreign interference: anti-Orbán parties say Russia is backing Orbán, while Orbán's supporters say the EU and Ukraine are working to elect Magyar.

A Tisza win would be expected to significantly shift Hungary's position: Magyar has pledged to end Russia's energy dependence by 2035 and to cooperate more fully with EU funds.

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