Check out Mini-memeorandum for simple mobiles or memeorandum Mobile for modern smartphones.
4:40 PM ET, December 2, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Wall Street Journal:
White House Says Second Strike on Alleged Drug Boat Was Legal  —  Press secretary says admiral who ordered strike, which is reported to have killed survivors of initial attack, was acting under Hegseth's authority  —  WASHINGTON—The White House attempted to defuse a growing controversy …
RELATED:
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
Lies, Coverup, and Videotape  —  It's special-election day in Tennessee's 7th congressional district, where Republican Matt Van Epps is trying to stave off an unexpectedly strong challenge from Democratic state lawmaker Aftyn Behn in a district Donald Trump won last year by 22 points.
Associated Press:
Hegseth cites ‘fog of war’ in defending follow-on strike in scrutinized attack on alleged drug boat  —  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cited the “fog of war” in defending a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-carrying boat in the Caribbean Sea earlier this year.
Andrew Kaczynski / CNN:
In 2016 video, Hegseth says US troops 'won't follow unlawful orders' from the president
Discussion: The Hill
NBC News:
Hegseth denies seeing survivors after initial boat strike, calling it ‘the fog of war’
Discussion: ABC News and CBS News
Leo Sands / Washington Post:
‘Franklin the Turtle’ publisher slams Hegseth post joking about boat strike
Heather Cox Richardson / Letters from an American:
December 1, 2025  —  President Donald J. Trump's behavior over the holiday weekend has increased concern about his mental acuity.
Discussion: Forbes
Washington Post:
Hegseth, with White House help, tries to distance himself from boat strike fallout
Avery Lotz / Axios:
Hegseth says U.S. has “only just begun” sinking alleged drug vessels
Reuters:
Former Honduran president released from US prison after Trump pardon  —  President Donald Trump, who has cast himself as a relentless foe of illegal drugs, pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, freeing him from a 45-year sentence for conspiring to import tons of cocaine into the United States.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Former Honduras President Hernández freed after Trump pardon
Ben Blanchet / HuffPost:
Trump Launches Into Massive, Unhinged Late Night Posting Spree  —  The president made over 160 posts and reshares in just a matter of hours including one “WILD” claim from far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.  —  President Donald Trump on Monday launched into a late night meltdown …
RELATED:
Ben Meiselas / Meidas+:
Trump Attacks MeidasTouch in Midnight Mental Breakdown
Discussion: Raw Story and Wonkette
Zolan Kanno-Youngs / New York Times:
Trump Calls Somalis ‘Garbage’ He Doesn't Want in the Country  —  The president delivered xenophobic comments during a publicly broadcast cabinet meeting.  —  President Trump unleashed a xenophobic tirade against Somali immigrants on Tuesday, calling them “garbage” he does not want in the United States …
RELATED:
RELATED:
New York Times:
Elon Musk's Foundation Grows to $14 Billion, but Gives Little to Outsiders  —  The philanthropy has become one of America's biggest, but most of its giving went to charities closely tied to the world's richest man.  —  Elon Musk's charitable foundation grew larger than ever in 2024.
Paul Waldman / Public Notice:
This is what a white supremacist administration looks like  —  🚨 LAST CHANCE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PN'S THANKSGIVING SPECIAL 🚨 Click the button to sign up for an annual paid subscription for the special price of $40 ⬇️  —  ⌛️ Last chance for PN's special offer ⌛️
RELATED:
Dan Merica / Washington Post:
Why Republicans are sweating Tuesday's special election in Trump country
Meredith Lee Hill / Politico:
House Republicans sweat Tennessee election, despite Hudson's assurances
Discussion: CBS News
Asawin Suebsaeng / Zeteo:
BREAKING: Trump White House Slams Sabrina Carpenter After Using Her Song in ‘Evil’ Video  —  On Tuesday morning, pop star Sabrina Carpenter responded to the Trump White House using her song “Juno” in one of its many pro-mass-deportation videos.  “This video is evil and disgusting.
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Trump: Jack Smith classified documents report should remain secret … Trump's request is a break from the Justice Department's handling of all special counsel reports in recent decades.  Typically, those reports are provided to Congress and made public, even when they have included damaging findings about the incumbent administration.
Discussion: Raw Story and Newsweek
Sahil Kapur / NBC News:
Hopes fade in Congress for a health care deal before premiums soar in January  —  Billions of dollars in tax credits under the Affordable Care Act are poised to expire at the end of the year.  Lawmakers in both parties say they're nowhere close to a deal to renew them.
RELATED:
Wired:
DOGE Isn't Dead.  Here's What Its Operatives Are Doing Now  —  Contrary to popular reports, DOGE has “burrowed into the agencies like ticks,” government sources tell WIRED.  —  To one member of Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency, the last few months have been “crazy.”
aeaweb.org:
Statement from the American Economic Association  —  The American Economic Association (AEA) has accepted Lawrence H. Summers' voluntary resignation from membership and, pursuant to the AEA's Policies, Procedures, and Code of Professional Conduct, has imposed a lifetime ban on his membership.
Michelle Goldberg / New York Times:
Olivia Nuzzi Isn't Telling All  —  One thing I almost respect about “American Canto,” Olivia Nuzzi's chaotic and elliptical new book about the simultaneous implosions of her life and of America, is that she doesn't pander.  The former Washington correspondent for New York magazine …
Erkki Forster / The Daily Beast:
Why Trump's Presidency Is All But Over: James Carville  —  YOU OOZE, YOU LOSE  —  Democratic strategist James Carville is already writing President Trump's political obituary.  —  Democratic strategist James Carville says Donald Trump's presidency is circling the drain as voters sour …
Discussion: The Hill, PBS NewsHour and Raw Story
Hayley Cuccinello / CNBC:
Michael and Susan Dell to donate $6.25 billion to fund ‘Trump accounts’ for 25 million U.S. kids … Michael and Susan Dell announced Tuesday that they have committed $6.25 billion to fund investment accounts for some 25 million American children.  —  The couple's donation …
RELATED:
Reuters:
Dell family to donate $6 billion to ‘Trump accounts’ of 25 million US children
Associated Press:
Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP food aid from Democrat-led states over data  —  The Trump administration said Tuesday that it will move to withhold SNAP food aid from recipients in most Democratic-controlled states starting next week unless they provide information on those receiving the assistance.
Discussion: CNBC, Associated Press and twitchy.com
Jason Wilson / The Guardian:
Pete Hegseth told US soldiers in Iraq to ignore legal advice on rules of engagement  —  Defense secretary shares anecdote in The War on Warriors and rails against ‘rules and regulations’ governing war  —  Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, told soldiers under his command in Iraq …
Dominic Casciani / BBC:
Jury trials scrapped for crimes with sentences of less than three years  —  Dominic Casciani,Home and legal correspondent and  —  Jury trials in England and Wales for crimes that carry a likely sentence of less than three years will be scrapped, the justice secretary has announced.
David Roth / Defector:
The Conservative Grievance Business Is Always Hiring  —  Given his age when he first came to the world's attention and assuming continued good health in the intervening decade and change, Marine Todd would be in his late 30s today.  That would be if he was a real person, though …
Discussion: KARE-TV
Tal Kopan / The Boston Globe:
Pressley won't challenge Markey, will run for re-election  —  Representative Ayanna Pressley of Boston will run for re-election to the House next year, forgoing a run for Senate and a challenge to incumbent Senator Ed Markey.  —  A fourth-term lawmaker and former Boston City Council member …
Mark Gongloff / Bloomberg:
Erasing a Home's Risks on Zillow Doesn't Make Them Go Away  —  We live in a golden age of magical thinking, and I'm not just talking about the trillions of dollars being burned on artificial intelligence.  When it comes to our rapidly heating planet and its effects on our future …
Discussion: KVIA-TV and The Guardian
Ben Berkowitz / Axios:
AI bubble a “key downside risk” to U.S. economy, OECD warns  —  Growth will slow and inflation will rise in the U.S. next year, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development forecast Tuesday, as the labor market weakens and tariff price pressures remain.
Discussion: Bloomberg and Associated Press
Lena H. Sun / Washington Post:
RFK Jr.'s vaccine advisers plan biggest change yet to childhood schedule  —  The new chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said the panel plans to vote to end universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth and to scrutinize if childhood shots cause allergies.
 
 
 Archived Page Info: 
This is a snapshot of memeorandum at 4:40 PM ET, December 2, 2025.

View the current page or another snapshot:


 
 See Also: 
memeorandum: site main
memeorandum River: reverse chronological memeorandum
memeorandum Mobile: for phones
memeorandum Leaderboard: memeorandum's top sources
 
 Subscribe: 
memeorandum RSS feed
memeorandum on Mastodon
 
 
 More Items: 
Jim Saksa / Democracy Docket:
Trump Administration Snubs States Asking Why the DOJ Wants Their Voter Data
NBC News:
Suspect in D.C. shooting of National Guard members pleads not guilty to murder charge
Ryan Tarinelli / Roll Call:
Senate panel sets up hearing on impeachments of ‘rogue judges’
Discussion: IJR
Meredith Lee Hill / Politico:
Luna pushes to force a vote banning congressional stock trading
Discussion: CBS News
Jim Saksa / Democracy Docket:
GOP Advances Bill Limiting Census Counts For Congressional Seats to Citizens
Shefali Luthra / The 19th:
Her baby was in the NICU. She was in ICE detention.
 Earlier Items: 
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling / New Republic:
Trump Shares More Than 150 Brainrot Posts in Late-Night Rampage
O. Rose Broderick / STAT:
STAT+: CDC staff with disabilities feel stranded as HHS implements new policy
Discussion: The Atlantic and HotAir
Frank Landymore / Futurism:
Grok Says It Would Kill Every Jewish Person on the Planet to Save Elon Musk
Discussion: Bloomberg and Raw Story
Politico:
Stefanik accuses Johnson of lying, ‘blocking’ her defense bill provision
Greg Olear / PREVAIL:
Infrequently Asked Questions About Jeffrey Epstein, Part One: The Money Thing
Brad Heath / Reuters:
Trump promised a San Francisco crime crackdown. His administration did the opposite.
Irena Hwang / New York Times:
The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine
 

 
From Techmeme:

Kurt Wagner / Bloomberg:
Sources: Meta is considering deep budget cuts to its metaverse efforts in 2026, potentially as high as 30% and most likely including layoffs as early as January

Kif Leswing / CNBC:
Apple says general counsel Kate Adams and policy chief Lisa Jackson will retire, and Jennifer Newstead, Meta's former chief legal officer, will replace Adams

Will Oremus / Washington Post:
Two studies suggest AI chatbots can shift political views more effectively than TV campaign ads, especially by presenting many claims, regardless of accuracy

 
Sister Sites:

Techmeme
 Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web
Mediagazer
 Top news and commentary for media professionals from all around the web
WeSmirch
 The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page