December 19, 2025
Deadly strike on US troops tests Trump’s counter-ISIS plan — and his trust in Syria’s new leader
A deadly insider attack that killed two U.S. service members in Syria is prompting fresh scrutiny of the Trump administration’s counter-ISIS approach and its rapid embrace of Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa. While Republican lawmakers largely urge a stronger campaign to contain ISIS, the shooting has exposed vulnerabilities inside Syria’s fledgling security institutions and raised […]
December 19, 2025
Rubio unloads on ‘alarmists,’ touts State Dept disaster response after USAID closure
Those worried about shuttering the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were wrong, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who touted the agency’s record in delivering support in the wake of Hurricane Melissa that ravaged the Caribbean in October. Although USAID historically functioned as an independent agency to deliver aid to impoverished countries and […]
December 19, 2025
Jack Smith’s lawyers ask Jordan for open hearing after closed-door testimony
After appearing in a closed-door deposition with the House Judiciary Committee earlier this week, Jack Smith, the former special counsel who led the criminal cases against President Donald Trump, still wants the chance to defend his work in a public hearing – and defend himself against continued Republican attacks. Attorneys for Smith are pressing for […]
December 19, 2025
House Democrats assert themselves as Republicans struggle to set agenda
On paper, Democrats are locked out of legislative power in the majority-rules House. In practice over the past several months, they have been a swaggering force. Time and again this year, Democrats under Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have maneuvered to successfully undercut the GOP agenda and put its leaders on the back foot. From a […]
December 19, 2025
US military strikes narco-terrorist vessels in latest Eastern Pacific drug trafficking operation
Joint Task Force Southern Spear forces struck two alleged narco-terrorist vessels moving along a major drug corridor in the Eastern Pacific on Thursday, killing five militants without suffering any U.S. casualties. U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) released a video on X showing the opening strike and the aftermath, with the targeted boat engulfed in flames. ‘On […]
December 19, 2025
Maria Shriver slams Trump over Kennedy Center name change decision: ‘Beyond comprehension’
Maria Shriver slammed President Donald Trump on Thursday after the Kennedy Center’s board voted unanimously to rename the institution to the ‘Trump-Kennedy Center,’ accusing him of trying to attach his name to a memorial dedicated to her uncle, President John F. Kennedy. Shriver, a high-profile member of the Kennedy family, said it is ‘beyond comprehension’ […]
December 19, 2025
Trump quietly signs sweeping $901B defense bill after bipartisan Senate passage
President Trump signed into law a nearly $1 trillion defense policy bill Thursday and approved what looks to be the largest military spending package in U.S. history. The fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act authorizes $901 billion in military spending, roughly $8 billion more than the administration requested, according to Reuters. It also delivers a […]
December 19, 2025
Trump gets 417 nominees confirmed by Senate in 2025, surpasses Biden’s first-year total in record pace
Senate Republicans confirmed nearly 100 of President Donald Trump’s nominees, leapfrogging previous administrations and his own first term in the process in their sprint to finish off the year. The confirmation of 97 of Trump’s picks on Thursday with a 53-43 vote marked one of the final bits of floor action in the upper chamber […]
December 19, 2025
AOC predicts triumph over JD Vance in hypothetical 2028 matchup: ‘Let the record show: I would stomp him’
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is incorporating Gen Z messaging and viral jabs at Vice President J.D. Vance into her playbook as she builds momentum for a 2028 presidential run, a Republican political strategist has claimed. The strategist’s comments came after the New York Democrat used meme-style language and mocked Vance on Dec. 17 over a poll and […]
December 18, 2025
Scandal leaves International Criminal Court grasping for legitimacy amid probe of Israel
The International Criminal Court, or ICC, is in the fight of its life. Its top prosecutor, Karim Khan, faces serious allegations of criminal misconduct, including claims of repeated sexual assault. Khan has strongly rejected the accusations, instead blaming Israel for his problems. The ICC is scrambling for an off-ramp, one that cuts Khan loose while salvaging […]
December 18, 2025
201 House Democrats vote against blocking Medicaid dollars for kids’ transgender surgeries
More than 200 House Democrats voted against banning Medicaid dollars from funding transgender treatments for minors. The Do No Harm in Medicaid Act was introduced by Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, and received support from all House Republicans when it was put to a vote Thursday afternoon. The measure passed 215-201, with all opposition coming from […]
December 18, 2025
Magnitude ‘cannot be overstated’: Feds say Minnesota fraud may be more than $9B
In a Thursday press conference, federal authorities in Minnesota announced new charges in the fraud scandal that has grabbed national headlines and spoke on the scope of the crisis, saying that it goes beyond what has previously been reported. ‘Minnesotans and taxpayers deserve to know the truth of the fraud,’ First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe […]