Watch live: White House holds press briefing amid Epstein drama, trade moves

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will brief reporters Wednesday afternoon as the Trump administration wades through controversy around its handling of the probe into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein’s case.

The Justice Department (DOJ) is facing pressure to release more files related to the investigation after a memo issued by the administration earlier this month offered few answers.

Wednesday’s briefing comes as Trump seeks to distance himself from the drama and instead focus on potential trade deals ahead of the Aug. 1 tariff deadline. In recent weeks, following a 90-day pause, the president has sent letters to foreign trading partners revealing new import tax rates.

Trump will also give remarks later Wednesday after unveiling a new framework for artificial intelligence (AI) and boosting U.S. innovation.

The White House briefing is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. EDT.

Watch the live video above.