Today's Headlines: Trump, in an Escalation, Calls for Republicans to ‘Nationalize’ Elections
Clintons Capitulate on House Epstein Inquiry, Agreeing to Testify
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

February 3, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Trump, in an Escalation, Calls for Republicans to ‘Nationalize’ Elections

The comments, made on a conservative podcast, follow a string of moves from his administration to try to exert more control over American elections.

Clintons Capitulate on House Epstein Inquiry, Agreeing to Testify

Former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the ex-secretary of state, agreed to depositions they had long resisted days before the House was to vote to hold them in contempt.

Immigration Officers in Minneapolis Will Wear Body Cameras, Noem Says

The change comes as the federal government has provided accounts of fatal shootings that have sometimes conflicted with local officials and witness videos.

World

China’s Disappearing Generals

For three years, Xi Jinping has been cleaning out the Chinese military elite, bringing high-level dismissals and disappearances to nearly every arm of the military.

How Trump Took Up the ‘Christian Genocide’ Cause in Nigeria

A yearslong effort to convince Washington of religious persecution is shifting foreign policy toward the West African nation, with major consequences.

U.S. and Iranian Officials to Meet as Trump’s Threats Loom

President Trump’s Middle East envoy and his son-in-law were expected to meet Iran’s foreign minister in Istanbul on Friday amid tensions between the countries.

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U.S.

Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks End of Protection for Haitians in U.S.

The ruling pauses the Trump administration’s plan to end a program that has allowed more than 350,000 people from Haiti to remain in the United States.

‘Today’ Host’s Missing Mother ‘Did Not Leave on Her Own,’ Sheriff Says

Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, 84, was last seen on Saturday near her home in Tucson, Ariz. A sheriff said on Monday that investigators were treating her disappearance as a crime.

Unusual Stretch of Frigid Temperatures Is Expected to Continue This Week

Arctic air will chill much of the United States, but New York’s streak of consecutive freezing days ended on Monday.

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Politics

Justice Dept. Sidelines Ed Martin as Chief of Weaponization Group

The move represents a consolidation of the authority of the deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, in bringing Mr. Martin’s operation inside his office.

Trump Is Said to Have Dropped Demand for Cash From Harvard

Hours after The Times reported that President Trump had lowered the bar for a deal, he denied backtracking and made new threats against Harvard.

Trump Had Unusual Call With F.B.I. Agents After Election Center Search

Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, brokered the call and President Trump directly questioned frontline agents on the inquiry, The Times has learned.

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Business

Waymo Raises $16 Billion to Fuel Global Ambitions

The self-driving car company, an arm of Google’s parent company, is rapidly expanding its service beyond a handful of cities.

Wall St. Lawyer Brad Karp Says He Regrets Epstein Interactions

Newly released emails between Mr. Karp, the chairman of Paul Weiss, and Jeffrey Epstein reveal a number of social interactions between them.

Trump Unveils $12 Billion Critical Minerals Stockpile

The “Project Vault” initiative is intended to reduce U.S. reliance on China for key technology components.

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Technology

Elon Musk Merges SpaceX With His A.I. Start-Up xAI

The deal further intermingles Mr. Musk’s companies and creates the most valuable private company on earth.

A Social Network for A.I. Bots Only. No Humans Allowed.

A new website called Moltbook has become the talk of Silicon Valley and a Rorschach test for belief in the state of artificial intelligence.

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New York

Trump Administration Sued Over Cutting Off Funds for $16 Billion Tunnel

The Gateway Development Commission said that if the federal government continued to withhold funding for a rail link under the Hudson River, it would have to stop construction this week.

Woman’s Dismembered Body Is Found in a Brooklyn Basement, Officials Say

The police are investigating the death of Michelle Montgomery, whose remains were found in a public housing building in the Williamsburg neighborhood.

Epstein Victims Ask Judge to Shut D.O.J. Website After Names Disclosed

A judge will hold a hearing on Wednesday after attorneys for victims in the Epstein case said the recent batch of documents released by the government included their names.

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Arts

‘I’m Not Ripping It Down’: Trump Says He’s Only Renovating the Kennedy Center

Even though President Trump held a movie premiere for his wife’s new film there last week, he said the state of the building was “actually sort of dangerous.”

From ‘Hamilton’ to Issa Rae to Philip Glass: Here’s a List of Kennedy Center Cancellations

More than two dozen musicians, dancers, theater companies and other creative groups have pulled out of performing at the Kennedy Center since President Trump returned to the White House.

Cher’s Grammy Flub Joins a Pantheon of Award-Show Gaffes

“I don’t do this part very well,” the singer said, just before she seemed to award a