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12:20 PM ET, December 12, 2025

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 Top Items: 
Andrew Egger / The Bulwark:
Trump's Hand-Picked RNC Chair Predicts Doom  —  Another day, another discharge petition short-circuiting the power of House Speaker Mike Johnson.  Yesterday, the House passed a bill overturning a Trump executive order stripping union protections from some federal workers …
RELATED:
New Republic:
Trump Rages at Cratering Polls as GOP Losses Reveal Surprise Weakness  —  President Trump erupted Thursday in a wild rage on Truth Social in which he appeared to blame pollsters for failing to register his world-historical success.  “When will Polls reflect the Greatness of America at this point in time? …
Discussion: The Nation, Raw Story, Mediaite and Grabien
Jill Lawrence / The Bulwark:
Worst.  Senate.  Ever.  —  THE EMAILS COME POURING IN at all hours, day in, day out, and the headlines are fill-in-the-blank riddles that could refer to anyone or anything.  It's a multiple-choice horror show.  —  “The Malignant Incompetence of ...” shows up, incomplete, on the phone screen, and I wonder who: Pete Hegseth?
Eric Bradner / CNN:
The deeply personal reasons why many Indiana Senate Republicans said no to Trump  —  Donald Trump Congressional news  —  Jean Leising spoke at a breakfast this fall at her 8th grade grandson's school.  Hours later, when she was set to give him a ride home from basketball practice …
Christian Paz / Vox:
3 theories that explain Trump's collapsing support  —  The second Trump administration started off with a bang: riding the high of 2024's historic levels of new multiracial and working class support, bullying law firms and universities, flinging out executive orders and DOGE restructurings like nobody's business.
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
GOP defectors raise the heat on Republicans over health vote subsidies  —  GOP leaders in both chambers of Congress are under growing pressure from rank-and-file Republicans to address health insurance premiums that are expected to soar next year, fueling concerns the nation faces a health care crisis.
Mitch Smith / New York Times:
Indiana Senate Republicans Reject Trump's Redistricting Effort
Washington Post:
The minority voters who powered Trump to a second term are drifting away
Discussion: The Hill
CNN:
New photos released from Epstein's estate showing Trump, Bannon, Bill Clinton and other high-profile people  —  Donald Trump Congressional news  —  Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released photos from Jeffrey Epstein's estate Friday showing the many powerful figures …
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
New Epstein Photos Released by Democrats Show Donald Trump, Bill Clinton  —  The images are undated selections from thousands turned over by Epstein's estate to Congress  —  Congressional Democrats have released a selection of photos obtained from Jeffrey Epstein's estate that include pictures …
April Rubin / Axios:
Most Republicans approve of Trump's handling of Epstein files: poll
Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia / CourtListener:
Memorandum and Order — Document #114  —  District Court, D. Maryland  —  Citation: Abrego Garcia v. Noem, 8:25-cv-02780, (D. Maryland Dec 12, 2025) ECF No. 114  —  Add Note Search this PDF Download PDF  —  MEMORANDUM ORDER granting 112 Motion for Temporary Restraining Order …
RELATED:
Michael Kunzelman / Associated Press:
Abrego Garcia won release from detention.  He must check in with immigration officials 14 hours later  —  Kilmar Abrego Garcia walked away after a scheduled appointment at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office on Friday to the cheers of a crowd assembled outside.
Chris Geidner / Law Dork:
The Trump administration's authoritarian house of cards is starting to fall down  —  It's not over.  Not by a long shot.  It could — and likely will — still get worse on many fronts in many ways before this is all over.  —  But, on Thursday, a series of developments only connected insofar …
Washington Post:
National Trust sues to stop Trump's ballroom construction  —  The organization, which is charged by Congress with historic preservation, has retained President Barack Obama's former lawyer as it seeks to pause the project.  —  Just now … Historic preservationists begged President Donald Trump …
Discussion: NOTUS, Joe.My.God. and CNN
Arash Azizi / The Atlantic:
Why the Cinnabon Story Doesn't Make Me Happy  —  The left should be promoting working-class solidarity, not delighting in seeing workers summarily dismissed.  —  Crystal Wilsey, a cashier at a Cinnabon franchise in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, said some unforgivable things to a Somali couple …
Discussion: Chicago Sun Times
ProPublica:
The Shakedown: Trump's DOJ Pressured Lawyers to “Find” Evidence That UCLA Had Illegally Tolerated Antisemitism  —  Co-published with The Chronicle of Higher Education  —  ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power.  Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they're published.
Associated Press:
Shoppers say 'tis the season for inflation, an AP-NORC poll finds  —  This holiday season isn't quite so merry for American shoppers as large shares are dipping into savings, scouring for bargains and feeling like the overall economy is stuck in a rut under President Donald Trump, a new AP-NORC poll finds.
Cecilia Kang / New York Times:
Trump Moves to Stop States From Regulating AI With a New Executive Order  —  The order would create one federal regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.  —  President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that aims …
RELATED:
President Donald J. Trump / The White House:
Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence
Mychael Schnell / MS NOW:
Marjorie Taylor Greene's farewell gift to Mike Johnson: a longshot plot to oust him  —  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been gauging whether there's enough support among her GOP colleagues to remove Rep. Mike Johnson from the speakership.  —  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene may be resigning …
RELATED:
Adam Wren / Politico:
Hoosier daddy  —  With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine, Ali Bianco and Rachel Umansky-Castro
Discussion: The Hill and HuffPost
Paul Krugman:
Donald Trump, Security Threat  —  The call is coming from inside the White House  —  To update Samuel Johnson, these days national security is the last refuge of a scoundrel.  According to Donald Trump, anything he doesn't like is a threat to national security.  Question his clearly illegal tariffs?
Discussion: USA Today and MS NOW
Catherine Rampell / The Bulwark:
The Sleeper Issue That Could Destroy the Economy  —  THERE ARE MANY ITEMS on President Trump's agenda that are hurting the U.S. economy: the pointless trade wars, the socialization of the private sector, the mass deportations, and much more.  —  But in the long run, the most damaging policy …
Dasha Burns / Politico:
'Nobody Wants to Take Responsibility for the Tragedy That's Going on Here' … To this day, Bill Gates remains a relatively mild-mannered, non-political guy.  But he's also not going to ignore reality. … And it's not a coincidence, he says, that it's coming after the Trump administration …
Discussion: The Independent and The Guardian
Gregory Svirnovskiy / Politico:
Trump to honor 1980 ‘Miracle on Ice’ team at the White House … The ceremony, which comes nearly 46 years after Mike Eruzione's historic game-winning goal against the Soviets, will celebrate the Americans' “historic and symbolic victory,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement.
Stef W. Kight / Axios:
Scoop: Hawleys launch dark money group to revive anti-abortion politics  —  Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and his wife Erin Hawley are launching a new dark money group to shine a spotlight on anti-abortion ballot measures and pro-family policies. … The Hawleys want to revive the issue.
Washington Post:
Trump seeks to cut restrictions on marijuana through planned order  —  The president is expected to direct agencies to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug, similar to some common prescription painkillers.  —  Just now … President Donald Trump is expected to push the government …
New York Times:
U.S. Issues New Sanctions Targeting Maduro's Family and the Oil Sector  —  The United States is escalating its pressure campaign on Venezuela's leader, Nicolás Maduro, after seizing an oil tanker off the coast.  —  The United States on Thursday issued new sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector …
Francesca Regalado / New York Times:
HUD Accuses Boston of Racial Discrimination in Housing Policies  —  The Department of Housing and Urban Development is investigating whether the city's focus on affordable housing for people of color violated federal law.  —  The Department of Housing and Urban Development said on Thursday …
US Department of Justice:
Executive Director of Black Lives Matter OKC Charged with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering  —  For Immediate Release  —  U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Oklahoma  —  OKLAHOMA CITY - A federal grand jury Indictment has been unsealed, charging TASHELLA SHERI AMORE DICKERSON, 52 …
Peter Pinedo / Fox News:
Whistleblower warns massive fraud is happening in Ohio Somali community, Minnesota ‘just tip of the spear’  —  Ohio attorney Mehek Cooke said, 'What we're seeing in Minneapolis is just a snippet of what's happening in Ohio'  —  FIRST ON FOX: On the heels of Minnesota's still-unfolding massive …
Matt Sepic / MPR News:
FBI: Man, woman drive to police station with Homeland Security agent trapped in vehicle  —  {"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"parag raph", “content”:[{"text":"A man and a woman are facing charges of assaulting a federal officer after Homeland Security Investigations agents tried to arrest …
Discussion: Sahan Journal
Phil Stewart / Reuters:
US admiral leading US troops in Latin America to step down  —  The admiral in charge of U.S. military forces in Latin America will retire two years early on Friday, amid rising tensions with Venezuela that include Wednesday's seizure of an oil tanker and more than 20 deadly strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats.
Discussion: Associated Press
Joe Heim / Washington Post:
Military admits ‘mistake’ in viral arrest of U.S. civilian in Japan  —  Kareem El, a civilian from Washington, D.C., visiting Okinawa, was held by U.S. military police for declining to provide identification. … Kareem El was standing outside of a bar in Okinawa, Japan …
Politico:
Democrats think they've found their 2026 message — and Miami just backed it up … To party officials, the through line is unmistakable — and increasingly central to how Democrats want to frame the midterms.  —  “This is going to help the Democratic Party and continue to make our case …
Lisa Needham / Public Notice:
We're the baddies now.  Our new Security Strategy shows it.  —  PN is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one ⬇️  —  🌍 Subscribe to PN 🌍  —  The Trump administration recently dropped its National Security Strategy and, like all things Trump, it's equal parts nonsense and vitriol.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Greg Olear / PREVAIL:
The Ultimate Transgression: Kompromat Culture & the Competitive Depravity Olympics
Kelly McCarthy / ABC News:
6 more states approved for waivers to remove unhealthy foods from SNAP benefits
Discussion: The Hill, IJR, NewsMax.com and WUSA
Sean Durns / Washington Examiner:
Taiwan indeed needs a gun culture
The Detroit News:
Senate Democrats mull retaliation after House GOP makes unilateral spending cuts
Discussion: Gothamist
Media Matters for America:
Mainstream news coverage almost totally ignored Bannon's extensive ties to Epstein
Discussion: Raw Story
Bill Scher / Washington Monthly:
What Maine's U.S. Senate Primary Tells Us About the Democratic Party
Discussion: MS NOW, Lone Star Left, Axios and Politico
 Earlier Items: 
Andrew Prokop / Vox:
Why America gave up on economists
Discussion: NPR and Bloomberg
Matthew Yglesias / Slow Boring:
Gavin Newsom is the 2028 front-runner and that's bad
Axios:
Trump embraces great power cooperation with China and Russia
Gabriela Aoun Angueira / Associated Press:
Federal judge orders FEMA to restore billions in canceled disaster mitigation funding
Washington Post:
Trump asserts he has pardoned county clerk convicted in Colorado case
Susan B. Glasser / New Yorker:
The Curse of Trump 2.0  —  What does it say that the President doesn't even feel he needs …
Discussion: Pharyngula, Raw Story and CNN