1. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta defended himself amid calls to resign because of his previous role in a lenient plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein, who was charged on Monday with sex trafficking.

Mr. Acosta, pictured above in April, said the plea agreement from more than a decade ago was the “toughest deal” available in a complex and difficult case. Mr. Epstein served 13 months after being accused of sexually abusing dozens of young women and underage girls.

Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor, explains in an Op-Ed how that deal may end up sending Mr. Epstein to jail again.