The Bite Back: Buried leads: Stories you may have missed up to November 28, 2025

A monthly summary highlighting stories that might have missed your newsfeed.

The algorithm may show you the news, but that doesn’t mean you’re seeing every story. Compiled regularly by analyzing news coverage from multiple different outlets, this series highlights the headlines that you may have missed but shouldn’t overlook.

For a regular update on top stories, check out the Stories behind the soundbites.

1. National Guard shooting raises conflicting claims about refugee screening, casts spotlight on both Biden and Trump era immigration policy: “The D.C. National Guard shooting suspect was not an undocumented immigrant. He was a long-vetted CIA partner, screened repeatedly by U.S. intelligence, and legally admitted through a rigorous process overseen by both major parties.” –Aaron Parnas, Independent Journalist

• A shooting that targeted two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. has triggered a nationwide clash over immigration policy, vetting standards, and the spread of false information. While the White House linked the attack to failures in refugee screening and moved to restrict immigration from multiple countries, intelligence records show the suspect, Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, had worked with the CIA and cleared extensive vetting by the administration. Critics accuse political leaders of pushing misleading claims that he was an undocumented or unvetted migrant, warning that the narrative is being weaponized to justify sweeping crackdowns on Afghan refugees. Supporters of stricter policies argue the rushed 2021 evacuation (Operation Allies Refuge) created unavoidable blind spots. The incident has become a point of conversation at the intersection of national security and refugee resettlement.

2. New Epstein files trigger political infighting, misinformation battles, and fierce backlash from victims over botched redactions: “As soon as the legacy media suddenly started caring about it, and only about one person in particular, it became sus to MAGA,” –Raheem Kassam, Editor-in-Chief of The National Pulse

• A massive release of Jeffrey Epstein–related documents has ignited political turmoil, misinformation disputes, and outrage from victims after dozens of un-redacted survivor names were mistakenly exposed. Democrats and some Republicans are pushing for full transparency, while MAGA figures who once demanded the Epstein files be released are now downplaying or dismissing revelations that include emails in which Epstein claimed Trump “knew about the girls.” At the same time, attorneys for victims are condemning the Justice Department for failing to protect survivors’ identities, warning that the redaction failures have caused panic and violate long-promised safeguards. The DOJ, facing a December deadline to release hundreds of thousands more records, has been ordered by a federal judge to explain its vetting and redaction process amid concerns of incompetence or political maneuvering. The unfolding controversy now spans victim privacy protection, political spin, and competing narratives over what the Epstein files actually reveal.

Read the full blog on the Bite Back Substack.