State of the Union, War and Epstein -- “The Sunday Political Brunch” - March 1, 2026

State of the Union, War and Epstein -- “The Sunday Political Brunch” - March 1, 2026

It was a week in which President Donald Trump gave the annual address to the joint session of Congress. But that speech and reaction to it battled for headlines all week with more revelations from the Epstein-Maxwell sex crimes files. Let’s “brunch” on that and more this week.

 

"Iran Attack Fallout" -- The joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran comes with possible risks and consequences, and not just on the battlefield. Primary voting is underway this month, and the November midterm elections are just eight months away. If the military action is not quick and decisive and drags on, the public can get impatient. If there are significant counterattacks and U.S. casualties, the voters may get angry. And if oil prices spike sharply, people may rage against bad economic news. In launching the attack, President Donald Trump urged the Iranian people, “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will probably be your only chance for generations.” But Trump has opposition, not just from Democrats, but within his own party. Rep. Thomas Massie (R) Kentucky said, "I am opposed to this war. This is not, 'America First.'  The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on the record as opposing or supporting the war."

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“State of the Union” – I’ll be honest, I always liked these national addresses, dating back to the first one I saw with President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was like a “national check-in” with our leaders. But over the years, my fondness for them has waned. They have become so partisan, with members of the party out of power trying to shout down the president. If you like Trump and his policies, you say it was a great speech. If you despise Trump and his policies, then it was a terrible speech. And then the opposing party's formal response is always so stilted and wooden. The whole event becomes a cliché, even though I think it’s still important for every president to deliver the address.

 

“Midterm Mentions” – During the speech, Mr. Trump mentioned this year’s midterm elections numerous times. He touted what he perceives to be a greatly improved economy, a successful crackdown on illegal immigration, and greatly respected power on this international stage, saying, “The golden age of America is upon us.” He also said, “Democrats are destroying this country, and we’ve stopped it in the nick of time.”  In the Democrats’ response, the minority party chose newly elected Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) Virginia to give the rebuttal. Spanberger called tariffs, "Reckless trade policies," and says they are hurting businesses. She also criticized Trump's immigration policies, saying he "has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities." Primary elections are starting this month in many states, and it’s clear both sides are trying to frame their view of the country to persuade voters. Control of Congress is at stake.

 

“The Tenor of the Room” – It was one of the most hostile State of the Union addresses that I can recall. Oftentimes, Republicans stood and applauded, while the Democrats stayed in their seats. That has happened to other presidents who just ignored it. But Trump said, “Stand up!” And he added, “You should be ashamed of yourselves for not standing up.” On the other side, Rep. Al Green (D) Texas was removed from the chamber for holding up a sign during Trump’s entrance that said, “Black people aren’t apes.” This was a reference to Trump’s recent meme that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. Reps. Ilhan Omar (D) Minnesota, and Rashida Tlaib (D) Michigan verbally heckled Trump often regarding his immigration policies. It was a very uncivil night for both sides.

 

“Honoring our Military” – The conflicts aside, there was a touching moment where there was bipartisan applause. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe of the West Virginia National Guard was shot in the head while patrolling the streets of Washington, DC, and he was awarded the Purple Heart. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was shot and killed in that same incident, which was deemed a terrorist act. Her family accepted her Purple Heart posthumously. While I did not know either of them, I am a military parent and worked closely with the West Virginia National Guard for a decade. It was good to see a bipartisan ovation at the State of the Union. “With God’s help, Andrew has battled back from the edge of death, and we’re talking about the edge of death,” Trump said. “(He is) on his way to a miraculous recovery. He’s got a little work to do, but he’s doing great!”

 

“Clintons v. Epstein” – In a historic and unusual circumstance, former President Bill Clinton and former First Lady Hillary Clinton were compelled to testify before a Congressional committee about their relationship with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and his pimp-partner Ghislaine Maxwell. The House Oversight Committee convened in New York. The hearings were closed to the press and public, but on social media Mrs. Clinton said, “The Committee justified its subpoena to me based on its assumption that I have information regarding the investigations into the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Let me be as clear as I can. I do not.” Clinton added. “I had no idea about their criminal activities. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices. I have nothing to add to that.” But at least nine Congressional Democrats joined the GOP in forcing the Clintons to appear. Committee Chairman James Comer (R) Kentucky said, “It is a bipartisan investigation. The American people have a lot of questions. To my knowledge, the Clintons haven’t answered very many, if any, questions about their knowledge or involvement with Epstein and Maxwell.” On Friday, Bill Clinton told the committee, “I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong.” Clinton said Epstein had only had a “brief acquaintance,” although White House logs have Epstein visiting 17 times. Epstein’s flight logs show Clinton on 17 private plane trips.

 

“Trump v. Epstein” – An investigation by National Public Radio, NPR, says the U.S. Department of Justice has withheld certain documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files, even though the DOJ has said it had released all of the documents. NPR says it has obtained FBI notes concerning a woman who claimed Donald Trump sexually abused her decades ago, when she was a minor. But Rep. Robert Garcia (D) California says he was able to view the files, saying, “I reviewed unredacted evidence logs at the Department of Justice. Oversight Democrats can confirm that the DOJ appears to have illegally withheld FBI interviews with this survivor who accused President Trump of heinous crimes." The White House says the DOJ never pursued the case because, in its legal opinion, the 1983 case was unverifiable. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said, "Just as President Trump has said, he's been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein."

 

“Another Epstein Friend Arrested” – Former British Ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, has been arrested for his involvement with convicted sex offender Epstein. No, it’s not another sex case. It’s financial. He’s charged with suspicion of misconduct in public office. There are concerns that Mandelson leaked confidential financial information on the United Kingdom to Epstein, in a case of insider trading. Last week, the former Prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on similar charges. In his royal role, Andrew was also the UK Trade Ambassador and is accused of feeding Epstein proprietary insider information.

 

“More Epstein Fallout” – At the end of this academic year, Professor Larry Summers will completely separate his remaining ties to Harvard University. He had greatly reduced his role there after details of his friendship with Epstein became public. According to emails from 2018 and 2019, Epstein described himself as Summers’ “wing man” and encouraged his persistence in trying to have a relationship with a female student, even though Summers was married. Elsewhere, Microsoft founder Bill Gates admitted he had affairs with two Russian women while he was still married to his wife, Melinda. In an email released by the Department of Justice, Epstein claimed he had arranged “sex with Russian girls” for Gates. But Gates says he did nothing illicit with Epstein’s young employees. Gates said, “To be clear, I never spent any time with victims, the women around him.”

 

“And it Doesn’t End There” – Self-help author, Dr. Deepak Chopra, is also taking heat for his friendship with Epstein. In one email, Chopra told Epstein he was "deeply grateful for our friendship" and also discussed attending various events with Epstein and his "girls." In another email, Chopra invited Epstein on a trip with him to Israel and said, “If you want use a fake name. Bring your girls.” But Chopra posted on social media that he was never intimate with those girls, saying he “was never involved in, nor did I participate in, any criminal or exploitative conduct. Even if these exchanges produce no smoking gun, the chats are just creepy.

 

“A Congressional Affair” – This past week, Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R) Texas announced he will not resign. The Congressman had an affair with a female staffer last year. After he ended the affair, she committed suicide by setting herself on fire. Rep. Jim Jordon (R) Ohio, who is part of the leadership, says it’s not for him to tell Gonzalez to quit, saying, “I’d leave that up to the voters in San Antonio and South Texas, in Mr. Gonzales’s district, that’s a call for the vote— I’ve always sort of taken that position.” Jordan added, “In the end, it’s we the people who decide who represents us.” The primary election is on March 3, and three other Republicans are challenging Gonzales. The latest Political Intelligence polling has challenger Brandon Herrera leading with 45 percent of the vote, to just 21 percent for Gonzalez. Another 26 percent remain undecided, and the other two challengers each poll at 4 percent. My prediction: Gonzalez is a goner.