Belarus releases political prisoners including Nobel winner  —  Minsk has released jailed Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski along with another 122 political prisoners.  The move comes as Belarus seeks to mend ties with Washington and the US lifts some sanctions.

VA plans to abruptly eliminate tens of thousands of health care jobs  —  Strains on the system could grow with the elimination of as many as 35,000 mostly unfilled health care positions, including doctors, nurses and support staff.  —  Just now … Government reporters Meryl Kornfield …

Inside Republicans' new health bill  —  House Republican leaders plan to take a vote next week on conservative-friendly health policies they've pursued for years.  It's the latest GOP counter to Democrats' push to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies.  Here is what's in the bill, the text of which was released Friday.

Trump's Next Renovation Target: D.C.'s Golf Courses  —  The president wants to play a central role in redeveloping Washington's public courses, including one that sits on a prime stretch of real estate  —  WASHINGTON—President Trump needed a place to dump all the dirt from his demolition of the White House's East Wing.

Colorado Officials Reject Trump's ‘Pardon’ of a Convicted Election Denier  —  The president's stated intention to pardon Tina Peters, jailed for tampering with election machines in 2020, has set off a legal fight over the extent of Mr. Trump's pardon powers.

Trump leans into isolation as challenges mount at home  —  As the administration enters choppy political waters, it has redoubled its pushback against foreign people, products and cultures. … The Trump administration, amid a series of foreign and domestic challenges …

Biden Has Raised Little of What He Needs to Build a Presidential Library  —  His library foundation has told the I.R.S. that by the end of 2027 it expects to bring in just $11.3 million — not nearly enough for a traditional presidential library.  —  Former President Joseph R. Biden Jr …

If He Builds It, Tear It Down  —  The foremost task occupying the attention of United States President Donald J. Trump is the construction of an enormous ballroom.  Like Trump himself, the project is tacky, grandiose to the point of stupidity, and can exist only by destroying a treasured part of America's history.

ICE Holding Chinese Man Who Documented Uyghur Camps  —  Congressman and activists warn of risks to citizen-journalist if returned to China  —  A Chinese citizen who fled the country after gathering evidence of alleged human-rights violations against the nation's Uyghur population is at risk …

Trump seems to wave the white flag on his US attorneys gambit … The administration's tactics with U.S. attorneys — bypassing the Senate or sidestepping federal judges to keep unvetted prosecutors in place — are a crucial component of Trump's effort to deploy the Justice Department against his perceived enemies.

Cincinnati ICE Leader Accused of Strangling Woman Held on $400k Bond  —  Prosecutors say the award-winning ICE agent has a history of domestic violence reports as DHS places him on suspension.  — Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email  —  Audio By Carbonatix

Trump attacks on political opponents spur a surge of threats, NBC News review finds  —  In recent weeks, nearly two dozen elected officials on both sides of the aisle said they were targeted after getting caught in the president's crosshairs.  —  President Donald Trump's heated rhetoric …

Trump called her ‘garbage.’ Rep. Ilhan Omar says she remains unfazed.  —  “There's this creepy obsession that he seems to have on me that just feels pretty obnoxious,” the Minnesota Democrat said of the president.  —  Just now … Over the past two weeks, the leader of the free world …

Kevin Kruse on Trump making Nixon look like a choir boy  —  “Trump is engaged in a constant war with the media like we've never seen from a president before.”  —  ∙ Paid  —  PN is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one ⬇️  —  ✌️ Subscribe to PN ✌️

Trump Is Losing the Reasonable Majority  —  Believing in democracy does not require faith that majorities are always right.  It does mean having confidence that most of your fellow citizens will, over time, approach public questions with a basic reasonableness.

U.S. unseals warrant behind oil tanker seizure near Venezuela  —  A newly unsealed warrant shows the U.S. Coast Guard seized the M/T Skipper, a crude oil tanker intercepted off Venezuela, just before the warrant was set to expire on Wednesday. … - The sanctions escalate …

U.S. Pours More Firepower Into the Caribbean as Trump Ramps Up Threats  —  American leader now has an array of options for Venezuela's Maduro, including land strikes and electronic warfare  —  The U.S. military is moving more weapons and units into the Caribbean that give President Trump powerful …

Greg Bovino's the star of Trump's deportation show.  We trace his roots.  —  As a boy, the Hollywood movie “The Border” set the course for his life.  He couldn't believe the Border Patrol agents in the movie were the bad guys.  Now that he's in charge of deportation efforts causing turmoil …

Today former Alabama senator Doug Jones launched his campaign to become the state's next governor.  He announced on November 24 that he would enter the race, but said in a speech tonight that he chose today for the official launch because the date marks exactly eight years since he won a 2017 special election for the U.S. Senate.

Two U.S. soldiers, one interpreter killed in Syria, Pentagon says  —  Two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an Islamic State attack on Saturday in Palmyra, Syria, where they were supporting counterterrorism operations, the Pentagon said.

Court orders DOJ to return data seized from Comey friend … “This Court concludes that although Petitioner Richman is entitled to the return of the improperly seized and searched materials at issue here,” the Clinton-appointed judge wrote, “he is not entitled to an order preventing the Government …

TSA announces new labor framework on Jan. 11, 2026  —  The new approach eliminates waste, saves crucial time and refocuses employees  —  WASHINGTON - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that a new labor framework will be implemented starting Jan. 11, 2026 …

Trump Is Already Discussing Preemptive Pardons For His Lawless Administration  —  The revelation comes as Pete Hegseth faces scrutiny for a possible war crime, and as a judge pursues a contempt inquiry into the defiance of his order.  —  ∙ Paid  —  Since he was sworn back into office nearly …

Rising tensions and finger-pointing at DHS amid pressure to ramp up deportations  —  Some DHS officials have threatened to quit and are concerned their emails are being monitored, sources say.  —  WASHINGTON — White House pressure to ramp up deportations has sparked rising tension …

DOJ weighs novel federal hate crime case against Charlie Kirk's alleged killer  —  The effort to bring federal charges has been met with resistance by some career prosecutors who argue the crime doesn't appear to fall under any federal statutes.  —  WASHINGTON — Three months after the assassination …