Trump: Would Sign Bill To Release Epstein Files; Trump Touts Economic Agenda, Tariff Dividend Checks

In the meantime, uh, the president is changing course on his previous opposition to a bill ordering the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. And the president touting his economic agenda, saying Americans will likely see tariff dividend checks sometimes sometime into next year. We'll go live now to NTD's Washington correspondent, Mari Otsu, who is standing by live at the White House. Good evening to you, Mari. So, what's President Trump's latest take on the Epstein files and what did you make of his speech there uh in front of the folks from McDonald's? >> Steve, good evening. Yes, President Trump is changing course on the Epstein files, saying today that he would like to sign a legislation that compels the Department of Justice to release uh the files of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein uh if that bill passes the House and Senate and ends up on his desk. And in a change of course, he's also calling on House Republicans to vote to release those files, saying that Republicans have nothing to hide and that it's time to move on from what he calls a hoax and a trap manufactured uh to detract from his administration's successes. Take a look. >> We have nothing to do with Epste. The Democrats do. All of his friends were Democrats. You look at this Reed Hoffman. You look at Larry Summers, Bill Clinton, they went to his island all the time. and many others, all Democrats. All I want is I want for people to recognize a great job that I've done on pricing, on affordability, because we brought prices way down. What I just don't want uh Epstein to do is uh detract from the great success of the Republican party, including the fact that the Democrats are totally blamed for the shutdown. You know, they cost our country hundreds of billions of dollars with that and a lot of And this is coming just a day before the House is expected to vote on that bill. And meanwhile, as we just saw, President Trump is touting his economic agenda, ramping up his uh administration's messaging on affordability before the midterm elections. And as Democrats ascribed their off-year election wins in New Jersey, New York, and Virginia to their messaging on affordability, a President Trump says that Republicans should reclaim the word affordable. uh calling Democrats focus on affordability a quote hollow catchphrase rather than serious policy. The president also adds that he's been relentlessly focused on the economy and that he's undoing damage from the previous administration. Take a look. >> And I'm honored to stand before you as the very first former McDonald's fry cook ever to become president of the United States. We took over a mess. We had the highest, think of it, the highest inflation in the history of our country. We have it down to a low level, but we're going to get it a little bit lower. We want perfection. We have over $17 trillion being invested in our country in 9 months. That's more by 10 times the highest amount ever invested in any country ever before. And it's largely because of tariffs. And >> President Trump hails what he calls hundreds of billions of dollars coming into the country in tariff revenue and announces that he'll likely be issuing these $2,000 tariff dividend checks sometime in the middle of 2026. And turning to President Trump's schedule tomorrow, he's expected to host the Saudi crown prince here at the White House for an all-day visit that starts with the morning ceremony, a lunch, and then a black tie dinner. And today, President Trump said that part of that visit will include the US selling F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. Steve, back to you. >> And today's Mari Otsu live from the north lawn of the White House. Thank you, Mari.