(WASHINGTON) -- Former President Barack Obama, in a video shared exclusively with ABC News, called on Virginians to vote in favor of a redistricting measure that could give Democrats a boost in the 2026 midterms if it passes.

"By voting yes, you can push back against the Republicans trying to give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterms," Obama said in the video shared with ABC News. "By voting yes, you can take a temporary step to level the playing field. And we're counting on you."

Over a million Virginians have voted early already, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, in an April 21 statewide referendum that will decide if the Democratic-controlled legislature should be allowed to redraw the state's congressional map.

That would allow the legislature to implement a map it already advanced that would reconfigure four congressional seats to favor Democrats, which could be decisive in the midterm elections for the U.S. House of Representatives given Republicans' current slim majority.

Democrats -- including Obama, who previously starred in an advertisement for the "yes" side -- have argued that it's a necessary counterweight to mid-decade redistricting in 2025 that redrew nine seats to favor Republicans.

Republicans and other opponents of the redistricting gambit, which is also still facing a court challenge even as the election was allowed to proceed, have slammed the move as unfair to a large swath of Virginia voters. President Donald Trump received 46% of the vote in Virginia in the 2024 election.

"Virginia is a very purple state, and there's a wide variety of voices in Virginia," U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, a Republican whose district is redrawn by the proposed new map, told ABC News. "And for one political party to come in and assume that it's their way or the highway, and to force that down Virginians' throats -- this will come back to bite them."

The "Yes" side has fundraised and spent millions more on advertisements than the "No" side, according to campaign finance filings and an analysis by AdImpact. It's also been bolstered by celeb power from figures such as Kerry Washington, John Legend and Pusha T.

Yet polling has still shown a close race, despite the seeming momentum behind the "Yes" efforts. A Washington Post-Schar School poll conducted in late March, after early voting had begun in the state, found that 52% of likely voters in the referendum supported the move, while 47% were opposed -- a result just outside the poll's margin of error.

Why does it appear so close? J. Miles Coleman, a political expert and analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told ABC News that could be in part because for Democrats, the stakes may not seem as high as they are for Republicans.

"For Democrats, it would be nice to have these four extra seats out of Virginia if this map gets passed," he said. "But I just think probably something driving enthusiasm on the Republican side is that, from their point of view, this vote probably seems more existential ... they lost their statewide seats last year in a drubbing. They could very well stand to lose a lot of their federal representation."

But Obama, in the video shared with ABC News, framed the stakes as having national importance.

"By voting yes, you have the chance to do something important -- not just for the Commonwealth, but for our entire country," Obama said in the video.

(The video also serves as a way for Obama to reaffirm his support for the ballot measure, after allies of his harshly criticized mailers that used old quotes from Obama about redistricting to portray him as against the initiative.)

Some Democrats are not onboard.

Outside of an early polling site in Virginia on Thursday, Geoff Warrington, who works in tech and identified himself as a Democrat, told ABC News he had chosen to vote no because he believes it is "relatively unfair to essentially have redistricting temporarily to reallocate seats to sway an election."

But for some Democratic "yes" voters, the referendum is a way for Democrats to be able to strike back while being locked out of power in the White House and Congress.

"I mean, the Republicans have been playing dirty, so I think the Democrats are good to play dirty," Adan Hernandez, an engineer, told ABC News at a separate early voting site in Virginia on Thursday.

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(WASHINGTON) -- In the dead of night at 2:09 a.m., the House passed a bill to extend FISA through April 30 by unanimous consent, after Republicans tanked procedural votes on the controversial warrantless surveillance law.

The short-term extension buys GOP leaders more time to continue negotiations amid Republican infighting over the program that was set to expire on Monday.

Despite opposition from some GOP hardliners, Speaker Mike Johnson was this week still trying to determine a path forward to muscle through an 18-month clean extension of the program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

The program allows the federal government to collect communications of foreigners abroad without a warrant, including when those people are interacting with Americans.

According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the U.S. government believes it's a vital tool for protecting the country against "hostile foreign adversaries, including terrorists, proliferators, and spies, and to inform cybersecurity efforts."

House Republican leaders postponed a debate and a procedural vote on FISA that had been scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The Senate now will need to consider the legislation.

President Donald Trump has urged Republicans to back the measure and hosted a group of hardliners at the White House Tuesday night to find a path forward as the law is set to expire on Monday.

"I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor. We need to stick together when this Bill comes before the House Rules Committee today to keep it CLEAN!" Trump wrote on social media on Wednesday.

"Our Military Patriots desperately need FISA 702, and it is one of the reasons we have had such tremendous SUCCESS on the battlefield," Trump added. "It has already prevented MANY such Attacks, and it is very important that it remain in full force and effect."

CIA Director John Ratcliffe attended the House Republican closed-door conference meeting on Wednesday and also advocated for a clean extension of the program.

Hardline Republicans, who oppose a clean extension of the surveillance tool and demand reforms like a warrant requirement, were not convinced to change their position following the meeting.

Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris of Maryland said "no" when asked if progress was made on FISA during the meeting.

"They have to deal with the FISA court's objection to the warrantless searches," Harris said.

There has been a continued debate over Section 702 because it sometimes allows the government to collect Americans' communications without a warrant.

"Discussions are ongoing still," Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona said leaving.

Rep. Keith Self of Texas, who attended the White House meeting on Tuesday night, said he does not believe a clean extension will pass.

"We'll see ... but, I don't think the clean extension will pass," he said.

After the meeting, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise suggested some "minor changes" could be made to the legislation to appease the holdouts but did not divulge specifics.

"FISA has been important for our country's national security," Scalise said. "We've put some important much needed reforms in place the last time it was up for reauthorization and what President Trump has asked is that now we reauthorize it with those reforms in place, and that's what we're working to do. So, we're having some final conversations. Not all of our members are quite there yet."

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said several Republicans "want to see further reforms" to the program.

"We feel like we need improvements. Obviously, we want greater protections for citizens with respect to warrants," he said. "We want to make sure that there's greater penalties, for example, for government officials who abuse their authority and power."

Scalise said Ratcliffe explained to Republicans how FISA is being "used in the real world to stop bad things from happening."

As he was leaving, Ratcliffe said the meeting "went great."

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(WASHINGTON) -- The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, who presided over the agency amid President Donald Trump's controversial immigration crackdown, is planning to leave his post later this spring.

Lyons said he was leaving his role to spend more time with his family, according to his resignation letter reviewed by ABC News.

"My sons are both reaching a pivotal point in their lives and my wife and I wish to spend as much time as possible with them," the letter reads. "This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the right one for me and my family at this time. I am confident that ICE will continue to fulfill its vital responsibilities with integrity and professionalism."

Lyons thanked the president for allowing him to serve.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the move in a statement on Thursday and said Lyons' last day would be May 31.

"Director Lyons has been a great leader of ICE and key player in helping the Trump administration remove murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, and gang members from American communities," Mullin said in the statement. "He jumpstarted an agency that had not been allowed to do its job for four years. Thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer."

The statement went on to say: "We wish him luck on his next opportunity in the private sector."

As acting director, Lyons oversaw the largest expansion of ICE in U.S. history with funding through the massive tax and policy bill Trump championed last year, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill."

During Lyons' tenure, the Trump administration sent ICE officers into cities across the U.S., including Chicago, Los Angeles and Minneapolis, as part of stepped-up federal immigration enforcement efforts that aimed to fulfill one of Trump's key campaign pledges.

Democrats, immigration advocates and local officials decried ICE tactics, including allegations of racial profiling and aggressive tactics. Scrutiny of ICE intensified after the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis in January at the hands of immigration officers.

Members of the Trump administration praised Lyons' leadership of the agency. In a statement, Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, said: "Todd has served selflessly as a highly respected and effective acting Director of ICE," pointing to what he called a "record number of removals" in the first year of Trump's second term, "despite unprecedented challenges."

In appearances on Capitol Hill before lawmakers, Lyons has faced fierce criticism from Democrats, who have denounced the agency's tactics and a rising number of deaths of detainees held in ICE custody.

The announcement of Lyons' departure came the same day he appeared before a House subcommittee for a budget hearing, requesting $5.4 billion to sustain enforcement operations around the country and another $2.8 billion for Homeland Security Investigations.

"Despite routine villainization, ICE personnel are working around the clock to carry out President Trump’s commonsense agenda to make Americans safe again, restore order to our communities, and implement law-and-order policies," Lyons said in his prepared testimony.

DHS funding remains snarled amid an ongoing partial government shutdown stemming from a dispute on Capitol Hill between Democrats and Republicans over changes to ICE tactics and policies.

Lyons started his service in the Air Force, then with a local police department in Florida before then joining what would become ICE in the late 1990s. He previously served as the head of the Boston ICE field office before becoming acting director.

The announcement of Lyons' departure comes more than a month after Trump fired former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

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(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot-tall "triumphal arch" at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was given initial approval on Thursday by the Commission of Fine Arts, a federal agency, but revisions were requested to address the panel's design concerns.

Five members on the commission, now made up entirely of Trump appointees, voted in favor of moving along with the project. The panel's other two members were not present for the hearing.

The towering arch Trump wants to build near Arlington National Cemetery would be more than twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial and taller than France's Arc de Triomphe.

Protesters gathered outside the National Building Museum, where the commission has its office, and held up signs that read: "Stop Arch Insanity," "No Trump Arch," and "No Vanity Arch."

The commission's vote came after Thomas Luebke, its secretary, said nearly 1,000 public comments were submitted online and that "100% of the comments were against the project."

Luebke said many of the comments characterized the project as "a waste of money and misuse of funds" and others said "that it would obstruct historic views and disrupt the landscape, it was inappropriate imperial or political symbolism, that the design was gaudy, oversized, incompatible, and that it was disrespectful to Arlington National Cemetery and military sacrifice."

James McCrery, the commission's vice chair and the initial architect behind Trump's massive White House ballroom project, voiced a laundry list of concerns that he wants the architects of the arch to address.

McCrery opposed a planned 250-foot underground pathway for visitors to access the arch, saying building under the capital is "a really, really unfortunate thing."

"Sometimes it's absolutely necessary," McCrery told Nicolas Charbonneau, the architect behind the arch. "Here, I think it's not absolutely necessary at all."

McCrery also took issue with proposed lion statues at the base of the arch, arguing they were not culturally American symbols.

"They're not of this continent," McCrery said. "They're noble, they're courageous, and they're strong, they're all those things, but maybe there are alternatives."

And McCrery called on the architects to "open these arches and air them out" so they don't obstruct views of other Washington landmarks.

Zachary Burt, the community outreach manager for the D.C. Preservation League, voiced his opposition to the arch during Thursday's meeting.

Burt said the arch "threatens the solemn vista" between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial and that its proposed size "risks overshadowing the revered landmarks that Americans hold in the highest regard."

Lisa Fuller, who said she was a lifelong Washington-area resident, grew emotional recounting crossing Arlington Memorial Bridge as a kid as she argued the arch would obstruct views of the cemetery.

"I first walked across that bridge with my dad after John Kennedy died. We started at the Lincoln Memorial. My father told me all about it, and then we walked across, and we saw the Eternal Flame," Fuller said.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Prosecutors from the U.S. attorneys office in Washington were turned away Tuesday after they made an unannounced visit to the Federal Reserve, where they allegedly requested a tour of renovations that have attracted scrutiny from the Trump administration, sources familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News.

The unusual visit prompted immediate backlash from an attorney for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who wrote a letter to D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's office, citing the recent ruling from a federal judge that blocked subpoenas to the bank after determining DOJ's criminal probe was driven by President Donald Trump's political animus towards Powell.

Robert Hur, who formerly served as special counsel who investigated former President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents and now represents Powell, warned DOJ in the letter reviewed by ABC News that future efforts to initiate contact with Fed representatives should be negotiated through legal counsel.

"As you know, Chief Judge [James] Boasberg has concluded that your interest in the Federal Reserve's renovation project was pretextual. Should you wish to challenge that finding, the courts provide an avenue for you; it is not appropriate for you to try to circumvent it," Hur said. "I ask that you commit not to seek to communicate with my client outside the presence of counsel."

According to Hur's letter, attorneys from Pirro's office, Carlton Davis and Steven Vandervelden, and a case agent showed up at the Fed's headquarters, stating they wished to "check on progress" and that they asked for a "tour."

A source said they were then told they could not access the site without preauthorized clearance from Fed management and were given the contact information for the Fed's legal counsel, after which the three left the area.

"Any construction project that has cost overruns of almost 80% over the original construction budget deserves some serious review," Pirro said in a statement on X after the prosecutors were turned away. "And these people are in charge of monetary policy in the United States?"

Pirro publicly vented her frustrations about Boasberg's ruling that effectively blocked her office from investigating Powell, which she has vowed to continue appealing despite threats from Republican Sen. Thom Tillis to block any confirmation of Powell's replacement until the criminal probe is resolved.

The probe centered on Powell's testimony to Congress last year about cost overruns in a multibillion-dollar office renovation project.

Trump on Wednesday again threatened to fire Powell if he does not step down when his term as chair ends May 15.

"I'll have to fire him, OK, if he's not leaving on time -- I've held back firing him. I've wanted to fire him, but I hate to be controversial, you know, I want to be uncontroversial," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo.

Legal experts have questioned if Trump has the authority to fire Powell. His attempt to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook last year is currently awaiting a decision at the Supreme Court.

The confrontational visit also comes as Pirro's name has repeatedly been floated as a potential permanent replacement for Pam Bondi as the next attorney general.

Powell rebuked the investigation in a video message in January as a politically motivated effort to influence the Fed's interest rate policy.

Pirro, at a press conference in March, denied that politics played any role in her probe of Powell and the focus was whether public money has been wasted as a result of the Fed's renovations, and potential false statements to Congress by Powell about the operations.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Wednesday is Tax Day, the last day of this year's tax season, and the average refund for filers is up 11% compared to last year's filing season, according to new Treasury Department data.

The average refund this filing season is "over $3,400," the Treasury Department data said.

The data, which is as of Tuesday, also showed that "over 53 million filers claimed at least one of President Trump's signature new tax cuts," which includes provisions from Trump's sweeping legislation that was passed last year.

Treasury has also announced that more than 5 million filers have opened so-called Trump Accounts for children who were eligible under the law. 

“Treasury and the IRS have worked tirelessly to ensure our tax system works for the people it is meant to serve," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a press release on Wednesday. "From the shop floor to the kitchen table, taxpayers are feeling the difference of the largest tax cuts in our nation’s history, and millions of Americans are keeping more of what they earn and seeing their paychecks go further than ever before." 

Over 25 million filers have claimed No Tax on Overtime, with an average deduction of over $3,100, the department's data noted, while more than 30 million seniors have claimed the Enhanced Deduction for Seniors, with an average deduction of over $7,500.

The data also showed that more than 105 million filers have claimed the permanently doubled standard deduction -- the specific dollar amount that reduces the amount of income on which people are taxed.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Olivia Troye, a former aide to Vice President Mike Pence who was among the highest-profile Trump administration officials to become a vocal critic of the president during his first term, is launching a bid for Congress as a Democrat in Virginia.

Troye served as Pence's homeland security adviser but spoke out against President Donald Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and has since become a fierce critic of Trump. She also spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention as one of the Republicans supporting then-Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential bid.

"They sent MAGA after me. Tried to bankrupt me. Threatened to kill me. They thought they could silence me. They obviously don't know me very well," Troye said in a video released by her campaign.

"In 2024, nothing could keep me from telling the truth on the stage of the Democratic National Convention. Because I believe in fighting for what's right -- for those who can't fight for themselves. That's why I'm a Democrat and that's why I'm running for Congress." 

A press release from her campaign says that Troye is set to run in the "new proposed seventh district" in Virginia. That refers to the district lines in a new congressional map proposed by Democrats; voters are deciding in an April 21 statewide ballot measure vote in Virginia if the Democratic-controlled legislature should be allowed to implement it. 

The current 7th district is represented by Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman, although under the proposed map Vindman would be in the new 1st district. Troye's campaign says she is working on helping the measure pass, but would not mount a primary challenge to Vindman if it does not. 

Multiple other notable candidates such as former Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, former federal prosecutor JP Cooney, and state Delegate Dan Helmer are also running for the proposed 7th district.

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(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump said Monday that a U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz has begun, a new development in the now seven-week war after peace talks failed over the weekend.

Taking questions from reporters outside the Oval Office, Trump was asked what he hoped to achieve from the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports: Is it to force Iran back to the negotiating table or to reopen the critical waterway and bring down oil prices?

"Maybe everything," Trump responded. "Both of those things, certainly, and more."

"We can't let a country blackmail or extort the world, because that's what they're doing," he continued. "They're really blackmailing the world. We're not going to let that happen."

Earlier Monday, Trump threatened any Iranian ships that come close to the new U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, writing they will be "ELIMINATED."

Trump said while Iran's navy has been "obliterated" by U.S. attacks, any smaller ships that near the U.S. barricade will be wiped out "using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea."

"It is quick and brutal," Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform.

Iran has warned of consequences if the security of Iranian ports is threatened, with a spokesman for the country's joint military command saying "no port in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman will be safe."

There are many outstanding questions about how the U.S. blockade will work and what impact it will have on the conflict.

Trump first said the U.S. would block "any and all Ships" trying to enter or leave the strait, through which roughly 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies typically passes.

U.S. Central Command, however, said the blockade will be enforced against any ships entering Iranian ports or coastal areas but clarified its forces "will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports."

Abroad, some U.S. allies have said they won’t back Trump’s Hormuz blockade.

"We're not supporting the blockade," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told BBC radio in an interview Monday morning.

French President Emmanuel Macron said France and the U.K. will instead organize a "peaceful multinational mission" aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait.

Trump on Monday was asked if he expected other countries to assist in the U.S. naval blockade.

"We don't need other countries, frankly. But they've offered their services," Trump said, though when asked Trump did not list any specific countries. "We'll let it be known, probably tomorrow."

At home, Trump faces potential political backlash over rising gas prices. Americans are now paying on average more than $4 for a gallon of gas, according to data from AAA.

Trump, in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, conceded that energy prices may not fall by the November midterm elections, and that they could even be "maybe a little bit higher."

The U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz comes after peace talks between the U.S. and Tehran in Islamabad on Saturday ended with no resolution. Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation, said the U.S. needed a firm commitment from Iran that it would not seek a nuclear weapon.

Trump on Monday echoed that the sticking point was the enrichment question.

"Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," Trump said. "And we agreed to a lot of things, but they didn't agree to that. And I think they will agree to it. I'm almost sure of it. In fact, I am sure of it. If they don't agree, there's no deal. There'll never be a deal. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon."

Trump on Monday said the "right people" in Iran still want to reach an agreement.

"We've been called this morning by the right people, the appropriate people, and they want to work a deal," Trump said.

ABC News' Zoe Magee and Nicholas Kerr contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) -- An AI-generated image that President Donald Trump posted Monday on his social media platform that depicted him as a Jesus-like figure and drew criticism from some of the president's religious backers was removed roughly 13 hours after it was posted.

Trump posted the image late Sunday night amid a flurry of posts and shortly after lashing out at Pope Leo XIV for his calls to end the war in Iran, saying, "Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy." He later added: "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon."

At an unscheduled news conference at the White House Monday afternoon, Trump acknowledged he posted the image, but said he thought it depicted him as a "doctor."

"Well, it wasn't a picture, it was me," the president said. "I did post it, and I thought it was me as the doctor and it had to do with Red Cross as a Red Cross worker there, which we support."

The post triggered a backlash from a number of Trump's MAGA supporters.

Riley Gaines, a popular conservative activist and staunch ally, said she "cannot understand" why Trump would post the image and that "a little humility" would serve the president well. 

"Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he'd post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this?

Either way, two things are true. 

1) a little humility would serve him well 

2) God shall not be mocked" Gaines said in a post on X.

Megan Basham, a prominent Christian influencer in the MAGA movement, wrote on X: "I don't know if the President thought he was being funny or if he is under the influence of some substance or what possible explanation he could have for this OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy. But he needs to take this down immediately and ask for forgiveness from the American people and then from God."

And former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of Trump's staunchest allies in Congress before breaking with him over the Jeffrey Epstein files and the war in Iran said of the image, "This comes after last week's post of his evil tirade on Easter and then threatening to kill an entire civilization. I completely denounce this and I'm praying against it!!!"

Trump did not apologize for the post or admit fault for apparently misinterpreting the photo when asked about the image and the backlash and instead blamed the media.

"Only the fake news could come up with that one," he said.

He later added, "So I just heard about it, and I said, ‘How did they come up with that? It's supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better, and I do make people better and make people a lot better."

Trump said he would not apologize to the pope despite being called to do so by one of his closest Catholic allies, Bishop of Diocese of Winona-Rochester Robert Barron who attended an Easter lunch at the White House with Trump last week. 

"No, I don't, because Pope Leo said things that are wrong," Trump said. "So, there's nothing to apologize for. He's wrong. And the other thing is, he didn't like what we're doing with respect to Iran, but Iran is a -- wants to be a nuclear nation so they can exterminate the world? Not going to happen."

On Saturday night during Leo's prayer vigil inside St. Peter's Basilica, the pope said, "Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!" and added, "True strength is shown in serving life."

The first American pope said in response to Trump's threat to destroy the Iranian civilization: "Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran. And this is truly unacceptable!"

"Attacks on civilian infrastructure is against international law, but that it is also a sign of the hatred, the division, the destruction the human being is capable of," he said.

Leo has repeatedly addressed the war in the Middle East since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28 and called on leaders to "come back to the table, let's talk. Let's look for solutions in a peaceful way."

Trump has removed a post from his social media platform before. Earlier this year when a White House staffer shared a video that included images depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as monkeys, the post was deleted from the president’s social media platform, but he refused to apologize when asked about the video saying he didn’t see the portion of the video with the Obamas before it was posted.

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(SAN FRANCISCO) -- Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell announced he is suspending his California governor's race campaign after accusations made by a former staffer to the San Francisco Chronicle that he sexually assaulted her, which the congressman has denied.

It comes amid a growing push from his party to not only get out of the race, but to resign from Congress.

"I am suspending my campaign for Governor. To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past," Swalwell wrote in a post to X Sunday night.

"I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s," he wrote.

On Monday, the bipartisan House Ethics Committee announced it had started an investigation into the allegations.

In a statement, the committee said it would gather information on whether he had violated the House Code of Conduct or other standards of conduct "with respect to allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards an employee working under his supervision.”

“will gather additional information regarding the allegations that Representative Eric Swalwell violated the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other applicable standard of conduct in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities, with respect to allegations that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct, including towards an employee working under his supervision.”

The San Francisco Chronicle published the account of a woman, who it did not identify, who says she was hired at the age of 21 to work as an intern in Swalwell's district office.

She claims Swalwell began pursuing her and sent her a nude photo. In 2019, she went out for drinks with Swalwell and woke up naked the next morning in Swalwell's hotel bed and "felt the effect of vaginal intercourse," according to the article.

The woman alleges that five years later, at a gala in New York, when she was no longer working for him, Swalwell pursued her while she was inebriated and forced himself on her, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

In the wake of the accusations, at least three other women have detailed allegations of inappropriate conduct by Swalwell. ABC News has not been able to corroborate all of the alleged accounts, including those reported by The San Francisco Chronicle and CNN.

ABC News spoke with Ally Sammarco, who accused the lawmaker of sending her inappropriate messages and an unsolicited nude picture of himself in 2021.

Sammarco, a social media content creator who said she was 24 at the time she met Swalwell, told ABC News that she was working on Terry McAuliffe’s race, as he was running to be governor of Virginia, and was looking for a job on Capitol Hill.

She says she sent the congressman a direct message on Twitter in August of 2021, asking about his upbringing growing up in a Republican family. 

She says they spoke about the race in Virginia, and then Swalwell gave Sammarco his personal cell number, where she says he started to ask her “more personal questions.”

In September 2021, she says they began messaging on Snapchat, where she said he offered to help send her resume and find a job. He invited her to his office on Capitol Hill, according to text messages reviewed by ABC News. 

She says he initially said she could meet his staff, but when she arrived, she said he escorted her in his office, and she "didn't meet anybody but him.”

Sammarco told ABC News that sometime in October of 2021, Swalwell allegedly sent her an unsolicited picture of his penis. 

She said the alleged photo made her feel “gross” and that he was “pushing a sexual agenda.”

In a video posted to social media late Friday evening, Swalwell called allegations made against him "flat false. They're absolutely false."

"They did not happen. They have never happened, and I will fight them with everything that I have," he said.

Swalwell did not address the allegations in detail in the video statement.

Fellow Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, also from California, called the allegations against Swalwell “sick and disgusting.”

Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., told CNN's "State of the Union," "The accusations are absolutely heinous, and his admissions betraying his family are deplorable. So Eric Swalwell needs to resign. He needs to drop out of the race.”

Vindman emphasized the need to hold leaders accountable, regardless of party or stature. 

“And we have grown far too accustomed to having our senior leaders, our elected officials, uh, fall far below what we expect their behavior to be morally, ethically ... And Representative Swalwell needs to go,” Vindman said.

The top three House Democrats, including Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have called on Swalwell to end his bid for governor.

"Following the incredibly disturbing sexual assault accusations against Congressman Eric Swalwell, we call for a swift investigation into these incidents and for the Congressman to immediately end his campaign to be California's next Governor," Jeffries, Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a joint statement released Friday.

Pressed Sunday on whether Swalwell should resign, Jeffries told CNN's Jeff Zeleny, “Our statement for the moment speaks for itself. We’ll reconvene in Washington early next week and we'll have more to say.”

In his Friday video, Swalwell said the allegations "come on the eve of an election where I have been the frontrunner candidate" and cited his career as a public servant and prosecutor who went to court for sexual assault victims, he said.

"I do not suggest to you in any way that I am perfect or that I am a saint," he said. "I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past. But those mistakes are between me and my wife and to her I apologize deeply for putting her in this position."

Fellow Democrats started calling for Swalwell to drop his gubernatorial campaign shortly after news of the allegations broke.

In a statement, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: "This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability. As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign."

Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., who chaired Swalwell's campaign for governor, announced that he was stepping down from the campaign and referred to the accusations as "the ugliest and most serious accusations imaginable."

"I cannot in good conscience remain in any role with this campaign, and I am stepping down from it effective immediately," Gomez said. "The congressman should leave the race now so there can be full accountability without doubt, distraction, or delay."

Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who had in recent days defended Swalwell from online rumors of misconduct, posted Friday that he was withdrawing his endorsement and said that he "regret[s] having come to his defense on social media."

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., also said he is pulling his endorsement "immediately" and called on Swalwell to withdraw.

Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida said Saturday that she plans to force a vote next week to expel Swalwell if he does not resign.

"Eric has an option. I am going to bring this vote next week. If Democrats want to protect this type of garbage, I wouldn’t recommend it, but they are going to put on the board for that. I am tired of this," Luna said on Fox News.

Swalwell added that he is willing to pursue legal action to combat the accusations. 

"I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies," Swalwell said. 

In the wake of the Chronicle's reporting, several of Swalwell's Democratic opponents in the governor's race, including San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, and former State Controller Betty Yee have also called on Swalwell to drop out of the race.

The two frontrunners in the race, billionaire businessman Tom Steyer and former Congresswoman Katie Porter, expressed support for the alleged victim but stopped short of calling on Swalwell to drop out of the race.

Earlier this week, Swalwell's campaign told ABC News that Swalwell has not received any complaints and has not asked anyone to sign non-disclosure agreements.

"This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race," campaign spokesperson Micah Beasley said in a statement provided to ABC News on Tuesday. 

"In 13 years, no one in Eric Swalwell's Congressional office has ever been asked to sign an NDA. Ever," Beasley said. "In 13 years, not a single ethics complaint by any staff in his office or any other office has ever been lodged. Ever."

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is investigating allegations against Swalwell, a source familiar with the investigation said Saturday.

"We urge survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division at 212-335-9373," the Manhattan DA’s office said. "Our specially trained prosecutors, investigators, and counselors are well-equipped to help you in a trauma-informed, survivor-centered manner."

Swalwell's campaign has not responded to a request for comment. An attorney representing Swalwell said "no comment" on Saturday.

House ethics rules prohibit sexual relationships between members and interns or staffers but the House cannot investigate an incident occurring more than three terms of Congress ago.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify the allegations against Swalwell. 

-ABC News' Aaron Katersky, Victoria Arancio and Oren Oppenheim contributed to this report.

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(ALGIERS and LONDON) -- Pope Leo XIV on Monday responded to criticism from President Donald Trump, telling reporters while traveling to Algeria that he has "no fear" of the White House.

"I have no fear of the Trump administration, nor speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel," the pontiff said on Monday, as he began a dayslong visit to four African nations. "That's what I believe in. I am called to do what the church is called to do."

The pope on Saturday called for an end to conflict, without explicitly mentioning the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. "Enough of war," Leo said during a peace vigil in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

The pope also suggested "delusion of omnipotence" is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, imploring the country leaders to come to a peace agreement.

Trump on Sunday night posted on social media calling the pope "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy."

The pope, who was born in Chicago and is the first American to lead the Catholic Church, was elevated to his position in May 2025, a few months into Trump's second term. The president at that time congratulated Leo, saying on social media that it was "such an honor" for an American to become pope.

The pontiff has voiced concern about several armed conflicts, repeatedly calling for peace, including mentioning the civil war raging in Sudan, the Russia-Ukraine war and the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He has called for peace in Iran and the broader Middle East since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The pontiff has been a strong messenger for global peace since the start of his papacy last May.

He has repeatedly called for the parties involved to engage in negotiations, including saying on March 1 that he was making "a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm." He has said that "God does not bless any conflict."

Leo said on Monday that his comments "are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone and the message of the Gospel is very clear, 'Blessed are the peacemakers.'"

"I will not shy away from pronouncing the message of the Gospel, of inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges for peace and reconciliation, of looking for ways to avoid war any time that's possible," Leo continued. "To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is and I'm sorry to hear that."

Trump early on Monday had called for the pope to focus on "being a Great Pope, not a Politician."

"It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!" Trump wrote on his social media network.

Responding to a question from reporters hours later, Leo said of the apparent tensions with Trump, "I do not look at my role as being political ... I don't want to get into a debate with him. I don't think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing."

"I will continue to speak out loud against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue, multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems," he said. "Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say, 'There's a better way to do this.'"

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(WASHINGTON) -- Congress returns from its two-week recess early this week -- thrusting lawmakers back into the debate surrounding the Iran war as the President Donald Trump's strategy faces continued scrutiny.

House and Senate Democrats plan to force separate votes in both chambers on Iran war powers resolutions this week. These resolutions would call on the president to terminate the use of U.S. armed forces in hostilities against Iran or any part of the Iranian government or military unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force is enacted.

Previously these efforts have narrowly failed, but as the conflict drags on and lawmakers continue to face questions about the president's actions, additional Republicans could decide to support the efforts.

Expulsion votes possible for four lawmakers
The House could move as early as this week to expel several members of Congress.

Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida said she will force a vote to expel Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., next week amid allegations of sexual assault. Texas GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales could also face a similar vote after he admitted to having an affair with a former staffer. And Florida Democrat Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is expected to face an expulsion vote, likely following a House Ethics Committee sanction hearing on April 21. The congresswoman was indicted on charges of stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, which she is accused of laundering to support her 2021 congressional campaign.

Expelling a member of Congress -- which is a rare occurrence -- requires a two-thirds majority vote, a higher threshold than the simple majority needed to pass most legislation. Only six lawmakers in U.S. history have been expelled, including George Santos in 2023.

As the expulsion resolutions stack up, Democrats are also clamoring for the expulsion of Florida Republican Rep. Cory Mills, who has faced his own allegations of misconduct.  

Speaker Mike Johnson has previously been opposed to expulsion efforts and has argued that lawmakers deserve due process.

Awaiting Johnson's next move on DHS funding
Lawmakers return as the Department of Homeland Security's partial shutdown drags on -- hitting Day 66 on Monday when the Senate returns to session.

The partial shutdown is the longest in U.S. history.

Johnson has not yet acted on the Senate's DHS funding bill, which stripped out funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.

It's not clear what Johnson's next move will be to attempt to reopen the agency, as he balances threats to the gavel against an arduous path to fully fund DHS' breadth of agencies via reconciliation. 

The Senate plans to move forward with a narrow budget reconciliation bill to fund ICE and CPB for the next three years with Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham leading the charge, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.

Trump said on Friday that he met with senators Graham and John Barrasso to discuss the matter.

"Reconciliation is ON TRACK, and we are moving FAST and FOCUSED in keeping our Border SECURE, and getting funding to the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department to continue our incredible SUCCESS at MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!" Trump wrote on his social media platform on Friday.

While reconciliation is a lengthy process that sidesteps the filibuster, Trump has demanded that the bill land on his desk by June 1 -- an enormous challenge for Republicans navigating small margins in both chambers.

As the next legislative blitz approaches, House Republicans get a smidgeon of relief with the arrival of Rep.-elect Clay Fuller, who won a special election in Georgia's 14th Congressional District earlier this month to fill the seat once occupied by Marjorie Taylor Greene. Fuller is expected to take the oath of office during the House's first vote series on Tuesday, April 14.

The addition means that Johnson can afford to lose two GOP votes with all members voting and present.

Cabinet members defend their budgets
Trump's FY2027 budget requests also take center stage as several Cabinet secretaries and administration officials are slated to testify before lawmakers including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Director of the United States Office of Management and Budge Russ Vought, United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Secret Service Director Sean Curran and more. 

Bipartisan backlash over Bondi
While first lady Melania Trump brought the saga around convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein back into the headlines, the GOP-led House Oversight Committee is not slated to hold any depositions this week as part of their ongoing investigation into Epstein. The Department of Justice said former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear for a closed-door deposition with the committee on Tuesday, April 14 -- which has prompted bipartisan backlash from lawmakers on the committee. The next scheduled deposition is expected April 30. 

Conservatives present challenge for Johnson on FISA
House Republican leadership are also aiming to put a clean extension of FISA Section 702, known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, on the floor for a vote sometime this week. The federal law sets out rules and procedures for gathering foreign intelligence through electronic surveillance, physical searches, pen registers and more.

Johnson and Trump have publicly backed a clean extension through October 2027. However, several House conservatives do not support a clean extension -- presenting Johnson a challenge to pass the bill relying on help from Democrats, who are mostly reluctant to help Republicans and Trump accomplish anything legislatively.

Once the House passes FISA legislation, the Senate will need to take up the measure by April 20 -- when the law is set to expire.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Republican Sen. Ron Johnson said Sunday he was not surprised that peace talks between the U.S. and Iran stalled over the weekend, and that securing U.S. goals in Iran could be a "long-term project."

"I'm not surprised at all," Johnson told ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. "The ayatollahs, even though they have been so degraded in terms of their capabilities, nobody thought this would be easy. They've been preparing for this for 47 years."

Peace talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad ended over the weekend after Vice President JD Vance said Iran would not agree not to seek a nuclear weapon, a key sticking point for President Donald Trump and his administration.

But just before the peace efforts failed, Trump told reporters that he did not care if the U.S. made a deal with Iran, saying that the U.S. would win either way. But as the fate of the war remained uncertain Sunday, Johnson said that the job was not finished in Iran.

"We will not have won until we have completely defanged the Iranian regime," Johnson said. "There's multiple ways of potentially doing it. Short-term, long-term there are multiple avenues we can approach here. But we have not yet finished the job."

Johnson later added that he did not think preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon would require ground troops, but he also emphasized the need to remove Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, which others have speculated would require ground troops.

Another sticking point for both countries was control over the Strait of Hormuz, critical to the world's oil traffic. Iran's blockade of the strait has sent global oil prices skyrocketing, leading to higher gas prices in the U.S.

Johnson raised the possibility Sunday that the U.S. could block oil coming from the strait from going to China or Russia, as reports have emerged saying the two countries may be helping Iran in the war.

On Sunday morning, Trump announced on his social media platform a blockade of all traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

"Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz," Trump wrote.

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(WASHINGTON) -- A senior adviser to first lady Melania Trump, Marc Beckman, said she wanted to "set the record straight" when she delivered her surprise statement at the White House denying any ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Beckman elaborated on the first lady's decision to publicly address the Epstein controversy during an appearance Friday morning on "Fox & Friends."

"If she can't stick up for herself, if she can't defend herself and make sure that her reputation is impeccable, who will do it? Nobody's done it to date," Beckman said.

"She's ready to fight," he added.

The press was not given advance notice on the topic of the first lady's Thursday remarks, in which she said she never had any knowledge of Epstein's crimes and that she had no relationship with Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, his co-conspirator who was convicted of sex trafficking.

The first lady also called for public hearings into the Epstein controversy and to allow survivors to testify before Congress if they wish to do so.

"The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today," Melania Trump said.

A spokesperson for the first lady's office said the West Wing was aware she would make a statement.

But sources told ABC News that White House officials were caught off guard by the topic of her address, with some questioning why she was commenting on the subject now.

President Donald Trump said he did not know the first lady was going to make a statement today about Epstein, according to an MS Now reporter who said she had a brief phone interview with the president.

Asked by ABC News for clarification, a spokesperson for the first lady directed any questions about Trump’s knowledge about her statement to the West Wing. But the White House has said any questions related to the statement should come from her office.

President Trump has tried to shift focus away from the Epstein controversy, repeatedly calling it a "Democratic hoax." Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, in a recent interview, said the Epstein files matter "should not be a part of anything going forward" at the Department of Justice.

Beckman was asked on "Fox & Friends" why Melania Trump decided to come forward at this moment.

"First, enough is enough. This has been ongoing and it's time for the public to refocus their attention on what achievements our first lady has done," Beckman said, pointing to her foster care and education initiatives.

Beckman echoed the first lady's comments that fake images and stories about her and Epstein have circulated for years, prompting her to come out and address them -- despite headlines in recent weeks moving on from the Epstein files.

"The first lady accomplished three things yesterday as it relates to the disgraceful Epstein," he said. "First, she cleared her record. She set the record straight. She debunked all of the lies surrounding her and Epstein. Second, she became a champion for these women, for the victims. Finally, third, she is a real leader in Washington, D.C. She is calling on Congress to act now."

ABC News asked the White House if the president agrees with the first lady that Epstein's victims should testify before Congress but has not gotten a response.

A group of 13 Epstein survivors and the brother and sister-in-law of another accused the first lady of "shifting the burden onto survivors," rather than pushing for accountability.

"Survivors have done their part. Now it’s time for those in power to do theirs," they said.

ABC News' Rachel Scott and Isabella Murray contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) -- Former Vice President Kamala Harris kept the door open on a possible third presidential run, saying that she’s "thinking about it," eliciting cheers from a majority of the crowd at the National Action Network Convention on Friday.

"Listen, I might, I might. I'm thinking about it, I'm thinking about it," Harris responded when Rev. Al Sharpton, during their chat at the New York City convention he hosts, flatly asked her if she's planning to run again.

Harris, who said she has spent the last year traveling parts of the country, said that the status quo in government and politics is not working.

"I've been traveling the country the last year, I've been spending a lot of time in the South and many other places, and the one thing I'm really clear about, also, is the status quo is not working, and hasn't been working for a lot of people for a long time, and part of the issue is the need to get rid of some of the bureaucracy in government and to understand that the people want -- they don't want process, they want progress. And that's the work that needs to be done," Harris said.

During her discussion with Sharpton, Harris was met with different chants during her remarks, including "run again."

The National Action Network Convention is expected to be the biggest gathering of possible Democratic 2028 presidential hopefuls with appearances by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Sen. Mark Kelly and Rep. Ro Khanna.

Nearly all of the hopefuls have either expressed interest or have not shut down the idea about running for president.

So far, many potential presidential candidates have discussed the Iran war as they have chatted with Sharpton during the four-day convention -- including Harris.

On Friday, she rebuked Trump’s handling of the Iran war and said that he has deteriorated America's relationship with foreign allies, leading the country to lose its global standing.

"Let us understand, first of all, this president is the first president of the United States since World War II who does not believe in the alliances that we have with friendly nations, does not believe in the strength of them, the recognition of the history with them, and the importance that that relationship bears on our standing around the world, our influence around the world, not to mention our national security," Harris said.

Harris said that under Trump’s second term, America is losing its global influence, and it will take "serious" work to regain it.

As Trump has maintained that the U.S. "obliterated" Iran’s nuclear program last June, Harris seemed to say that the war in Iran is evidence that it did not actually happen.

"The man said he got rid of their nuclear arsenal. 'Obliterated' it he said, you know how he likes to use those kind of words, 'obliterated' it, which is not an ambiguous term -- that means you took it out," Harris said. "Well, evidently he didn't do that."

Harris is set to take part in fundraisers for Democrats across the South this spring, turning her focus to helping the party win next fall during the midterm elections as her book tour winds down.

Her April schedule includes fundraisers for the North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia Democratic parties, and remarks at the Arkansas Democratic Party's annual dinner.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Members of the Democratic National Committee voted down a symbolic resolution aimed at curbing the "growing influence" of "dark money" corporate groups in Democratic primaries that specifically called out the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Committee members gathered on Thursday in New Orleans, where a majority of members objected to the resolution for singling out AIPAC and argued it was redundant, since they had already approved a broader measure earlier in the meeting condemning the influence of dark money in the midterms without naming specific groups.

Allison Minnerly, who sponsored the resolution, responded to the criticism that her resolution was singling out AIPAC, the pro-Israel political lobbying group.

"Members like to say that we don't want to single out AIPAC, but AIPAC will entirely single out them and all of our different progressive leaders when it comes to primary elections," said Minnerly.

AIPAC’s influence has become a flashpoint inside the Democratic Party, as leaders struggle to respond to rapidly shifting views about Israel among progressives, especially in the wake of the war in Gaza and amid the current U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

DNC Chair Ken Martin posted on X, stating, "We had various resolutions that focused on different industries and groups, and instead of going one-by-one, we passed a blanket repudiation."

The panel's rejection of the AIPAC resolution means it will not go before the full body for a final vote on Friday.

"The DNC made clear today that all Democrats, including millions who are AIPAC members, have the right to participate fully in the Democratic process, and we plan to do just that," AIPAC spokesperson Deryn Sousa told ABC News.

Minnerly's resolution stated that "the use of massive outside spending to support or oppose candidates based on their positions regarding international conflicts or foreign governments raises concerns about undue influence over democratic debate and policymaking, potentially constraining elected officials' ability to represent the views of their constituents," and referenced the millions of dollars spent by AIPAC in the recent Illinois Democratic primaries.

Andrew Lachman, a DNC member and the former president of California Jewish Democrats, said that it was "troubling" that the resolution was focused on calling out AIPAC.

"There are a lot of super PACs, a lot of right-wing organizations out there. There are a lot of left-wing ones out there that take advantage of the super PAC status as well. We need to address that," Lachman said. "None of those were mentioned ... I think respectfully, if it's about our campaign finance system, let's take it on. But when you mention only one group, it comes across like you're not actually interested in the campaign finance issue and transparency issue. It's about something else."

In a statement to ABC News, Brian Romick, the president and CEO of the Democratic Majority for Israel said, "We're pleased that the DNC Resolutions Committee rejected a set of divisive, anti-Israel resolutions. These measures would be a gift to Republicans, would further fracture our party, and do nothing to bring Israelis and Palestinians closer to peace."

“They should have voted for the AIPAC resolution given the pernicious influence they had in Illinois,” progressive Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told ABC News.

In a video posted on X, Khanna said, "anyone who wants to lead the party must condemn and reject AIPAC money.

2 other measures deferred

During the resolutions committee hearing, members also deferred action on two broad resolutions addressing Middle East conflicts, one of which would recognize Palestinian statehood and another that urged the party to support conditioning military aid to Israel. Instead, the proposals were sent to the party's newly formed Middle East working group.

The question of how productive this group has been was a topic of conversation from DNC members and was mentioned during the resolutions committee hearing.

"We recommend this going back to the task force, but then we can put som. ... expectations that we hear back," said Ron Harris, co-chair of the DNC's resolution committee, referring to the measure on Palestinian statehood.

Minnerly told ABC News she sponsored a measure to oppose the war in Gaza last August, but the resolution was defeated. In the wake of that, DNC Chair Ken Martin established a Middle East working group.

"I'm not surprised that members of the resolutions committee are eager for an update ... Since that meeting [in August], there has not been consistent progress or even forward motion, and the characterizations of the task force were accurate," said Minnerly, who is a member of the DNC's Middle East working group.

In recent weeks, progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Khanna have said they do not support any U.S. military aid to Israel, including defensive systems like the Iron Dome.

When asked if opposing funding for Israel's defensive systems is a stance more of the Democratic Party should represent, Minnerly told ABC News last week in advance of Thursday's meeting, "The further escalation has gone, the longer the war has been, we have seen the Democratic Party really migrate towards this ideal of de-escalation and not funding conflict."

Lachman, however, also speaking in advance of Thursday's meeting, said that he just sees this change in tune from some Democrats as "pressure from certain segments within the [Democratic Socialists of America]" and "some people who may be future candidates, particularly for president, are just trying to pander to them."

He added, "I don't think this is a mainstream view within the party, by any stretch of the imagination."

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(WASHINGTON) -- First lady Melania Trump on Thursday denied having any knowledge of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, saying, "The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today."

The first lady's office and the White House did not immediately respond to ABC News when asked what prompted her to publicly speak out about the issue.

President Donald Trump said he did not know the first lady was going to make a statement today about Epstein, according to an MS Now reporter who said she had a brief phone interview with the president.

At the beginning of her remarks, Melania Trump said, "The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect." She did not elaborate who those individuals were.

She went on to say that she never had a relationship with Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's co-conspirator who was convicted of sex trafficking.

"I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell. My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a trivial note," she said.

"I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in detail in my book 'Melania,'" she added.

"The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000 at an event Donald and I attended together. At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings," she said.

The first lady said that fake images and stories about her and Epstein have circulated for years, prompting her to come out and address them.

"Be cautious about what you believe," she said. "These images and stories are completely false."

The first lady also said that she had never been legally accused of any crimes with Epstein and that she is not featured in any of court documents, depositions or victim statements related to Epstein. 

"I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epstein," she said.

Melania Trump said that several individuals and companies have been forced to retract claims about her and Epstein.

The first lady called for public hearings into the Epstein controversy and to allow survivors to testify before Congress. 

"Now is the time for Congress to act. Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesn't amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth," she said.

"Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony, 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. "Then, and only then we will have the truth.

In February, Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, indicated on CNN that President Donald Trump and Melania Trump would be subpoenaed to testify in front of the committee about their ties to Epstein if Democrats take the majority in November -- similar to how former President Bill Clinton and former first lady Hillary Clinton were. The Clintons testified before the Oversight Committee in February. 

Pressed on whether the committee would bring in Melania Trump, Garcia said: "We're going to have a very long list of people, anyone that we believe had a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein -- on Day One will have a subpoena from our committee."

Following the first lady's announcement on Thursday, Garcia echoed the call for a public hearing. 

"We agree with First Lady Melania Trump's call for a public hearing with the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. We encourage Chairman [James] Comer to respond to the First Lady's request and schedule a public hearing immediately," he said in a post on X. 

Oversight Democrats have a "shadow" hearing scheduled for May with Epstein survivors in Palm Beach, Florida, where the president's Mar-a-Lago club is located.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Despite President Donald Trump saying that the United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, congressional Democrats are pushing forward to hold the president accountable.

“The president has promised to commit war crimes. He's promised to eradicate an entire civilization we have never ever seen that in the history of this country. That's why I and many other people have been talking for the last 24 hours about the 25th amendment,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said on CNN Tuesday of the potential vehicle for removing the president from office.

Murphy said Trump has "lost touch with reality" -- mentioning the president’s Tuesday morning social media post in which he threatened that a "whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again."

However, hours before an 8 p.m. ET self-imposed deadline for Iran to make a deal to fully reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz or face broad strikes on its critical infrastructure, Trump said he had agreed to suspend planned bombing for two weeks if Iran agreed to reopen the strait.

"We just can't accept a president who is literally promising to destroy an entire civilization, to murder hundreds of thousands of innocent human beings. That alone should be grounds for the removal of this President," said Murphy, who was one of several lawmakers who mentioned the 25th Amendment after Trump's latest threats.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that Senate Democrats will once again force a vote on an Iran war powers resolution when they return from recess next week. The resolution would call on the president to terminate the use of U.S. armed forces in hostilities against Iran or any part of the Iranian government or military unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force is enacted.

"Republicans will once again have the opportunity to join Democrats and end this reckless war of choice. The public must demand that Republicans join with us to approve a war powers act," Schumer said at a New York press conference.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House’s top Democrat, said that "as soon as it becomes available to us to do so," Democrats will present a war powers resolution on the House floor.

“A two-week ceasefire is insufficient. We need a permanent end to Donald Trump’s reckless war of choice, which is why House Democrats have demanded that Speaker Mike Johnson immediately reconvene the House back into session so we can move a War Powers Resolution that will end this conflict permanently,” Jeffries said on CNN Tuesday night.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson have not yet commented on the matter.

In a statement on Tuesday, Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar said he would support the House’s war powers resolution when it comes up for a vote – a change after Cueller was one of four Democrats who voted against it last month.

Cueller, in a post on X, said the war powers resolution is "a reaffirmation of Congress' constitutional role and our shared responsibility to the American people."

The Senate and the House have both failed several times to advance war powers resolutions.

Republican Sen. John Curtis said last week that he won't support military operations in Iran beyond the 60-day window without congressional approval. He had previously voted with Republicans, aside from Sen. Rand Paul, to block the Iran war powers resolution from advancing, arguing Trump was within his legal authority to act.

In an April 1 op-ed for Deseret News, Curtis wrote that 60 days is a "sufficient window" for Trump to take emergency measures to combat the threat Iran poses, but that a declaration of war should be authorized by Congress for operations to continue.

There are no indications that other Republicans would change their votes on the war power resolution.

Democratic Rep. John Larson on Tuesday filed articles of impeachment to remove Trump from office – however, without Republican support, his effort is not likely to move forward and serves more as a signal of Democratic aspirations if they win back the majority in the midterm elections this fall.

A number of Senate Democrats have continued their calls for Congress to return early from their recess to "vote to end this war."

Democratic Sen. Andy Kim posted a video on Tuesday night from inside a train he was taking back to Washington -- imploring his fellow members of Congress to return as well.

"We need to have answers immediately for the American people. What Trump said earlier is unacceptable, it's dangerous, it is absolutely unhinged and we should all be concerned about him helming this war, this illegal unconstitutional war. We need Congress back in session immediately,” Kim said in the video. “I call on all my colleagues to get back so we can have a vote to end this war and stop this insanity before it goes any further."

Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell echoed calls for congressional action.

"A return to diplomatic regional discussions will save lives and dollars and protect America's long-term interests, while President Trump’s irresponsible words and actions undermine them Congress must impose constraints on this President’s wrongheaded use of force," Cantwell said in a post on X.

For some Republicans, Trump's announcement on the ceasefire seemed to be met with cautious optimism.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a top Trump ally, said he is hopeful the "reign of terror" can be ended through diplomacy but that he is "extremely cautious regarding what is fact vs fiction."

"As I stated before, I prefer diplomacy if it leads to the right outcome regarding the Iranian terrorist regime. I appreciate the hard work of all involved in trying to find a diplomatic solution," Graham posted on X. "At this early stage, I am extremely cautious regarding what is fact vs. fiction or misrepresentation. That’s why a congressional review process like the one the Senate followed to test the Obama Iranian deal is a sound way forward. Fair and challenging questions with a full opportunity to explain, and a healthy dose of sunlight is generally the right formula to understand any matter. Simply put, kick the tires."

ABC News' John Parkinson and Lauren Peller contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) -- Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is not expected to sit for a closed-door deposition next week, after the Department of Justice informed the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday that its subpoena is essentially moot because it sought Bondi's testimony in an "official capacity as Attorney General" -- and President Donald Trump removed her from office last week.

Bondi had been expected to testify behind closed doors on April 14, pursuant to the committee's bipartisan subpoena -- following bipartisan consternation of her handling of the Epstein documents and the department's compliance with the Epstein Transparency Act.

"The Committee issued the subpoena to Ms. Bondi in her official capacity as Attorney General, rather than her personal capacity," Assistant Attorney General Patrick D. Davis, wrote House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer on Wednesday. "Indeed, the subpoena is specifically addressed to 'Pamela J. Bondi, Attorney General of the United States' and the accompanying cover letter specifically seeks information from her '[a]s Attorney General[.]'"

The letter says that since Bondi is no longer attorney general, she "no longer can testify in her official capacity as Attorney General" and that "the Department's position is that the subpoena no longer obligates her to appear on April 14."

"We kindly ask that you confirm that the subpoena is withdrawn," Davis wrote.

Nevertheless, the House Oversight Committee signaled it will continue to pursue Bondi's testimony as its investigation stretches deeper into the summer. A source close to the matter told ABC News that Comer has not yet withdrawn the subpoena.

"The committee will contact Pam Bondi's personal counsel to discuss next steps regarding scheduling her deposition," an Oversight Committee spokeswoman said.

It's unclear whether Bondi has retained counsel in the aftermath of her abrupt departure from the department last week.

Ranking Member Rep. Robert Garcia said Bondi must come in to testify in the committee's Epstein probe "immediately" -- arguing that the subpoena applies to Bondi even though she is no longer leading the DOJ.

"Now that Pam Bondi has been fired, she’s trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify before the Oversight Committee about the Epstein files and the White House cover-up," Garcia said in a statement. "Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the Attorney General or not. She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress."

Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, a member of the House Oversight Committee who called for Bondi to testify, reacted on Wednesday, encouraging Comer to "hold the line" and publicly call for the former attorney general to testify.

"Bondi’s removal as Attorney General doesn’t erase her obligation to testify and does not end Congressional oversight," Mace wrote in a social media post. "The American people deserve to know whether Congress was misled and whether information about Jeffrey Epstein and his associates is being withheld. Pam Bondi has answers."

In a statement, a DOJ spokesperson reiterated that Bondi didn’t need to testify because of the “leadership transition at the Department."

On Tuesday, in Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's first news conference as acting attorney general, ABC News asked him whether he expected Bondi would comply with the House Oversight subpoena.

"Look, as everybody knows, the Attorney General and I went to the House Oversight a few weeks ago. We answered every single question asked for a couple hours," Blanche said. "What happens now that she's the former attorney general and there's the subpoena out there is, I think I'll leave it to -- to Chairman Comer and others to figure out."

But pressed on whether the DOJ would seek to invoke any kind of privilege over Bondi's testimony, Blanche declined to rule it out.

"I definitely did not say that," Blanche said. "I said I will leave it to Chairman Comer to work out with others. I just don't have an answer for you. But I'm not committing to anything. I'm just saying I don't -- I don't know."

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(NEW YORK) -- What is expected to be the biggest gathering of possible Democratic 2028 presidential hopefuls is set to happen at the convention for the National Action Network, an organization dedicated to fighting for civil rights and equality. In New York City this week, the potential candidates will gather to look to engage with Black civil rights leaders and voters.

The event, hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton, has become a hub for those considering a presidential run and will offer a preview of what the jostling for the Black vote in the 2028 election will look like.

"Two years out, we’ll see some of the people that have been thinking of running, and they’ll see us," Sharpton told POLITICO in an interview about the gathering.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Sen. Mark Kelly and Rep. Ro Khanna are among the potential 2028 Democratic candidates who will attend the convention, according to the National Action Network website.

Nearly all of the lawmakers have either expressed interest or have not shut down the idea about running for president. All of them are set to take part in a conversation with Sharpton. 

The four-day-long National Action Network's 35th anniversary convention is an opportunity for potential 2028 presidential candidates to connect with Black voters and test out their messaging ahead of the 2028 cycle.

Harris has not closed the door on running for president again, saying in a February podcast interview that she has not yet decided whether she would run again, adding that she might.

Sharpton told POLITICO not to count Harris out, calling her a strong force in the Black community.

“I wouldn't ignore the fact that she’s absolutely a potent force in the Black community,” Sharpton told POLITICO. "I do not have any idea whether she's going to try to go again, but I think she's due all the respect for what she did, and the fact that she got more votes than any presidential candidate in American history, other than Trump. I think she has been ignored, and we're going to raise that at our convention."

The 2024 election showed President Donald Trump -- who made an appearance at the convention in 2002, 14 years before he was first elected president -- made gains with Black voters, a group that has been critical to the Democratic Party for decades.

According to the Pew Research Center, Trump nearly doubled his support among Black voters between 2020 and 2024, with 8% voting for him in 2020 compared to 15% in 2024. Still, 83% of Black voters backed Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Janiyah Thomas, who served as Trump’s Black media director during the 2024 election, told ABC News in a phone interview that Trump’s gains with Black voters stemmed from his focus on issues that matter most to American households.

"Overall, the president made gains with Black voters because I think we cut out all the noise and just spoke to the kitchen table issues that really matter to all people, no matter what race, and I think people really love the president's authenticity,” Thomas said.

And while Democrats are looking to win back Black voters who supported Trump, the convention will also give potential Democratic presidential candidates a chance to connect with the Black community, including those who previously struggled to garner support from Black voters.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a potential 2028 presidential candidate who struggled to garner support from Black voters during the 2020 presidential election, has increased his engagement with Black candidates by campaigning with Shawn Harris in his congressional election in Georgia and Chedrick Greene in his state Senate election in Michigan.

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