13 FEB 26 SITREP

1. Jeffrey Epstein Files Fallout And Pressure On The DOJ

• Attorney General Pam Bondi faced questioning regarding the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files, as public anger intensified over delays in full disclosure and the absence of visible prosecutions tied to Epstein’s network.
• The Department of Justice possesses approximately 3 million additional pages connected to Jeffrey Epstein that remain unreleased, with the disclosure requirement stemming from legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump.
• Jeffrey Epstein’s activities were characterized as part of a large-scale intelligence-linked operation aimed at gaining control and influence over global political and business decision makers, extending beyond isolated criminal conduct.
• Former President Bill Clinton was explicitly referenced in connection with the Epstein network, and continued calls for accountability were linked to potential political consequences in the 2026 midterm elections if prosecutions and full transparency do not occur.

• The United States will send the USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, to the Middle East to reinforce another United States aircraft carrier already deployed there, increasing military pressure on Iran over its nuclear program under President Trump.
• Two carrier strike groups, the Ford and the Lincoln, will operate in the Persian Gulf with cruisers and supporting vessels, concentrating significant United States naval weaponry near Iranian territory.
• Iran fields the Iranian Army, the Iranian Navy, the Iranian Guards Quds Force, and the Basij, with the Basij handling internal problems and playing a direct role in domestic protests.
• Iran has threatened to close the Straits of Hormuz, a key oil transit route supplying Asia and mostly China, while Iran’s economy is collapsing and protests involve citizens angered by economic hardship and lack of freedoms.

• President Trump is sending 200 American soldiers to Nigeria, expanding the United States military presence in Africa’s most populous nation.
• A United States official confirmed on Tuesday that roughly 200 troops will be deployed to Nigeria to train Nigerian forces battling terrorist groups.
• The deployment is a training mission, placing United States troops in Nigeria to conduct training support for Nigerian counterterrorism forces.
• The deployment increases United States military activity in West Africa through a direct troop presence connected to Nigerian operations against terrorist groups.