Today is shaping up to be an extremely busy and consequential news day. This evening, the President will deliver a live address to the nation, which I will be covering in real time and updating you immediately if any major developments emerge during the speech. At the same time, Republicans just broke from Mike Johnson to force a vote on ACA subsidies, and the White House is reeling after yesterday’s Vanity Fair interview with Susie Wiles, with insiders describing the mood as “extremely demoralized” as visible cracks inside the Republican Party widen.
For those who have asked, I’m feeling better—thank you sincerely for all the well wishes—and the timing couldn’t be more critical. We are now just two days away from the release of the Epstein files, while tensions continue to escalate toward a potential conflict with Venezuela. This is a volatile moment in the news cycle, and the stakes are only rising.
I will be providing around-the-clock coverage throughout this week and into next week, because even during the holiday season, the news does not slow down—especially not now.
To everyone who has already subscribed, thank you. To those who have gifted subscriptions this holiday season, thank you as well. Your support makes this work possible and allows me to do this full time, and I am deeply grateful. As the Epstein files near release, pressure inside and around the White House is intensifying, and public attacks are accelerating. If you value this coverage, subscribe today to support my work—and let’s keep building together.
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Here’s what you missed:
In a major development, four Republicans have signed onto a discharge petition to force a vote of the full House of Representatives to extend ACA subsidies for a period of three years. This is a major loss for Mike Johnson who did not want a full vote of the House.
A sweeping Vanity Fair profile of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles triggered private alarm and frustration among Republicans and West Wing aides, who described the interview, according to Politico, as “extremely demoralizing” and questioned why the administration granted such extensive access.
The article featured pointed critiques of President Donald Trump and senior officials, fueling concerns about internal discipline and media strategy at a time of falling approval ratings and political setbacks. Despite the backlash, Trump publicly reaffirmed his confidence in Wiles, while allies dismissed the story as a biased hit piece and closed ranks around her leadership.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said cracks are widening within the GOP against President Donald Trump, calling his response to filmmaker Rob Reiner’s death “classless,” warning he is out of touch with voters on affordability, and expressing doubt that Republicans can win the midterms if internal frustration with Trump continues to grow.
President Donald Trump ordered a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, sharply escalating pressure on President Nicolás Maduro by targeting oil revenues, prompting Venezuela to accuse the U.S. of violating international law and threatening to take the dispute to the United Nations.
President Donald Trump announced a 9 p.m. live White House address to the nation, saying he will highlight his administration’s accomplishments and preview possible policy actions for the coming year, according to statements from press secretary Karoline Leavitt. I will be watching it and will cover it for you so that you don’t have to watch if you do not want to.
Overnight, Trump suggested arresting former FBI Director Christopher Wray and former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
USA Today is reporting that the Trump administration is moving to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, labeling it a hub of “climate alarmism” and planning to eliminate or relocate programs it deems “woke,” while preserving core weather modeling functions. The move would shutter key facilities, threaten hundreds of research jobs, and mark a major escalation in Trump’s broader effort to roll back federal climate science, drawing sharp criticism from scientists who call NCAR a cornerstone of U.S. weather and climate research.
The New York Times has confirmed that Harvard secretly opened a disciplinary investigation into two students who filmed and shared videos of former president Larry Summers discussing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, focusing on possible violations of rules against unauthorized recording and attending classes they were not enrolled in, with potential penalties up to withdrawal from the university.
Warner Bros. Discovery urged shareholders to reject a hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance and the Ellison family, saying the offer undervalued the company and that its previously announced deal to sell its studio, HBO and HBO Max to Netflix is superior and in shareholders’ best interests.
Democrat Gary Clemons won a special election to fill Kentucky’s 37th Senate District seat with about 73% of the vote, becoming the first union leader elected to the General Assembly and set to be sworn in at the start of the 2026 legislative session. This was a 42 point over performance year over year in favor of the Democrats.
According to Politico, Denver’s City Council voted 11–1 to block an expansion lease for Key Lime Air at Denver International Airport, citing opposition to the airline’s role in operating ICE deportation flights and using the decision as a symbolic stand against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.
A federal judge rejected preservationists’ bid to immediately halt President Donald Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom project, allowing below-ground construction to continue while signaling he will later consider whether the project violates federal preservation and environmental laws.
Maryland lawmakers overrode Gov. Wes Moore’s veto to create a commission that will study possible reparations for slavery, arguing further analysis is needed to design legally sound and meaningful remedies, even as Moore said he prefers immediate action and pledged to work with legislators.
According to the Wall Street Journal, a Chinese citizen-journalist who documented alleged abuses against Uyghurs is being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New York and faces possible deportation to China, prompting warnings from activists at Human Rights in China that he could face severe punishment if returned; supporters, including Rep. James P. McGovern, are urging U.S. officials to grant him asylum as an immigration judge prepares to hear his case.
Reuters has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow will expand its territorial gains and a “buffer security zone” in Ukraine if peace talks fail, saying Russia prefers a diplomatic solution but is prepared to achieve its goals militarily, while Kyiv and its Western allies reject Kremlin demands as violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty amid ongoing U.S.-led negotiations.
Australian authorities charged the surviving suspect in the Bondi Beach shooting with terrorism and 15 counts of murder, alleging the ISIS-inspired attack targeted a Hanukkah celebration and killed members of the Jewish community, as funerals were held under heavy security and investigators probed possible extremist links abroad.
