Maxwell invokes Fifth Amendment in House deposition as U.S. Olympians and DHS immigration chiefs face scrutiny
Three Washington storylines converge: Epstein investigation fallout, Olympic-era politics, and immigration oversight
Washington’s political agenda this week is being shaped by three separate developments: a closed-door congressional deposition involving Ghislaine Maxwell, a public dispute between President Donald Trump and U.S. Winter Olympians competing in Italy, and a House Homeland Security Committee hearing with the top leaders of federal immigration agencies.
On Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, Maxwell—serving a 20-year federal sentence tied to the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking network—appeared for a House Oversight Committee deposition by videoconference from a federal prison camp in Texas. The session ended after lawmakers said she declined to answer questions, repeatedly invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Her attorney indicated she would be willing to provide broader testimony if granted presidential clemency, including a commutation or pardon, a condition that immediately became part of the political and legal debate surrounding the committee’s inquiry.
The Oversight panel’s renewed focus is part of a broader effort on Capitol Hill to examine how Epstein was able to abuse underage girls for years while maintaining relationships with prominent figures. Public reporting has documented that both Trump and former President Bill Clinton spent time with Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s, while neither has been credibly accused of wrongdoing tied to Epstein’s criminal conduct.
Olympics in Italy become a stage for domestic political conflict
At the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, U.S. politics has also surfaced in athlete interviews and online exchanges. Freestyle skier Hunter Hess told reporters he had “mixed emotions” about representing the United States amid current events. Trump responded publicly by calling Hess a “real loser.” Other American athletes, including freestyle skier Chris Lillis and figure skater Amber Glenn, have also drawn attention for comments or social-media reactions amid the heightened political environment; Glenn said she stepped back from social media after receiving threats.
The dispute illustrates how national political debates are increasingly intersecting with high-profile international sports competitions, particularly through direct social-media responses that reach global audiences in real time.
Immigration agency leaders testify as DHS funding pressure nears
On Tuesday, Feb. 10, the House Committee on Homeland Security is scheduled to hear testimony from the heads of the federal agencies most central to immigration enforcement and adjudication: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The hearing comes as lawmakers face a deadline that could affect Department of Homeland Security funding, and as Democrats and Republicans weigh competing views on enforcement, oversight, and agency accountability.
Committee members are expected to question leaders about operational priorities, the scope of enforcement activity, and recent incidents involving federal agents. The hearing is also set against a broader national dispute over immigration policy, including local and state-level reactions to federal enforcement decisions.
Feb. 9: Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment in a House Oversight deposition tied to the Epstein investigation.
Olympics week: U.S. athletes’ political comments triggered a direct response from Trump and intensified online backlash.
Feb. 10: ICE, CBP, and USCIS leaders are slated to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee amid funding pressure.
Together, the three developments show how congressional investigations, immigration oversight, and culture-war flashpoints can collide in a single news cycle—spanning court-linked proceedings, agency governance, and the international visibility of American athletes.