Top Items:
Ryan J. Reilly / NBC News:
Jack Smith tells Congress he could prove Trump engaged in a ‘criminal scheme’ to overturn 2020 election — Smith testified about his investigations into Trump during a closed-door hearing with members of the House Judiciary Committee. — WASHINGTON — Former special counsel Jack Smith told …
Discussion:
NPR, The Hill, Democracy Docket, Washington Post, Zeteo and Raw Story
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Hailey Fuchs / Politico:
Jack Smith makes his case against Trump in closed-door deposition … He maintained that this team found evidence to prove “beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power.”
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, CBS News, Washington Times, Fox News and Raw Story
Rebecca Beitsch / The Hill:
Jack Smith says he'd do it all over again in testimony on Trump to House GOP
Discussion:
Associated Press, HotAir, Fox News, Reuters, Mediaite, UPI, Raw Story, Agence France-Presse, IJR, Washington Times, New Republic, Townhall, The Independent, New York Post and CBS News
Politico:
Jack Smith wants to tell Congress about his Trump investigations. That comes with risks.
Jack Smith wants to tell Congress about his Trump investigations. That comes with risks.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, MS NOW, New York Daily News and Fox News
John Dowd / MS NOW:
I was Donald Trump's lawyer. Jack Smith should be celebrated, not vilified.
I was Donald Trump's lawyer. Jack Smith should be celebrated, not vilified.
Discussion:
Civil Discourse …, Politico, The Independent, CNN and Washington Times
Kevin Freking / Associated Press:
Republicans defy Speaker Johnson to force House vote on extending ACA subsidies — Four centrist Republicans broke with Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday and signed onto a Democratic-led petition that will force a House vole on extending for three years an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy …
Discussion:
ABC News, Bloomberg, CNN, The Hill, Associated Press, The Guardian, Straight Arrow News, NBC News, New York Times, MS NOW, The Daily Wire, New Jersey Online, NewsMax.com, The Parnas Perspective, Raw Story, New York Daily News, PoliticusUSA, The Independent, Truthout, CBS News, RedState, Washington Times, Washington Examiner and Salon
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Axios:
House Republicans help Democrats defy Johnson on ACA in stunning revolt — Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) signed Democrats' discharge petition Wednesday to force a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies — a pointed rebuke of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
Discussion:
The Hill, Washington Examiner, Associated Press, New York Times, Punchbowl News, New York Magazine, NOTUS, CBS News, Raw Story, Bloomberg, Fox News, Politico and NewsMax.com
CNN:
GOP centrists choose nuclear option in fight with Mike Johnson over Obamacare
Discussion:
The Hill, PoliticusUSA, Associated Press, NOTUS, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and Axios
Meredith Lee Hill / Politico:
GOP Reps. Fitzpatrick and Lawler join Democrats' Obamacare discharge petition
GOP Reps. Fitzpatrick and Lawler join Democrats' Obamacare discharge petition
Associated Press:
Live updates: Republicans force House vote to extend ACA subsidies, defying Speaker Johnson
Live updates: Republicans force House vote to extend ACA subsidies, defying Speaker Johnson
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Mediaite, Raw Story, So What, Bloomberg, NewsMax.com, Politico and American Greatness
NBC News:
Centrist Republicans revolt, signing a petition to force a vote on Obamacare funding
Centrist Republicans revolt, signing a petition to force a vote on Obamacare funding
Discussion:
Washington Post, CBS News, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, New York Post, Townhall, NOTUS, UPI, Mother Jones, HotAir, MS NOW, Newsweek, Deseret News, NewsMax.com, Washington Examiner, STAT, IJR, Axios and Politico
Carol Leonnig / MS NOW:
FBI's No. 2 quietly tells colleagues he's moving on — Speculation and anticipation have gripped the nation's premier law enforcement agency over the future of one of its top leaders, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. — Bongino has quietly told confidants he plans to formally leave …
Discussion:
CNBC, Washington Times, Raw Story, New York Daily News, Townhall, Mediaite, BizPac Review and Crooks and Liars
Joey Garrison / USA Today:
Trump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado — WASHINGTON ‒ The Trump administration is moving to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, according to a senior White House official, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
Discussion:
Associated Press, NOTUS, NBC News, Watts Up With That?, Axios, Scientific American, Ars Technica and The Colorado Sun
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New York Times:
National Center for Atmospheric Research to Be Dismantled, Trump Administration Says
Discussion:
Politico, NextDraft, The Hill, The Colorado Sun and Crooks and Liars
Ruby Mellen / Washington Post:
Trump administration to dismantle key climate research center
Trump administration to dismantle key climate research center
Discussion:
Politico, E&E News, Washington Times, The Guardian, Raw Story, NewsMax.com, CBS News and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Amanda Marcotte / Salon:
Republicans are quiet quitting on Trump — The White House chief of staff says the president has “an alcoholic's personality” — Donald Trump is worried that Republicans aren't as afraid of him as they used to be. Despite his self-billing as a dealmaker, the president has only ever had one tool to control his party: fear.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Raw Story and Axios
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Justin Glawe / Public Notice:
2025 was a political disaster for MAGA
Discussion:
PBS NewsHour and The Mahablog
Washington Post:
American Academy of Pediatrics loses HHS funding after criticizing RFK Jr. — HHS cuts key AAP grants, citing concerns about “identity-based language” and insufficient focus on agency priorities. The organization said the cuts could harm child health.
Shane O'Neill / Washington Post:
His Vanity Fair photos of Trumpworld blew up online. We called to talk. — Every line, spot, blemish and blood vessel was captured by Christopher Anderson's lens. What was he thinking? — On Tuesday, Vanity Fair published a two-part story by Chris Whipple about the inner circle …
Discussion:
Raw Story, HuffPost, New Republic and The Independent
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Jenny Goldsberry / Washington Examiner:
Byron York points out Susie Wiles ‘invited’ Vanity Fair controversy
Byron York points out Susie Wiles ‘invited’ Vanity Fair controversy
Discussion:
NewsMax.com, The Red Letter, CNN, People, Townhall, Raw Story, Modern Diplomacy, Fox News, Poynter, CBS News, New York Times, The Message Box, Axios, Agence France-Presse, Politico, Daily Caller News Foundation, The Atlantic, The Daily Signal, MS NOW, Mediaite, PoliticusUSA, Associated Press, Reuters, The Daily Caller, Megyn Kelly, New York Magazine, E&E News, New York Post, Fortune, NBC News, al.com, The Wrap, TMZ.com, Plain Dealer, Newsweek, The Gateway Pundit, Deseret News, The Daily Wire and Vanity Fair, more at Mediagazer »
Reuters:
They prosecuted the Capitol rioters. Now the rioters and the DOJ are after them. — After Trump's mass pardons of the U.S. Capitol rioters, some have gained influence inside the Justice Department, meeting with officials to push for prosecutions of the federal lawyers who once helped convict them, Reuters found.
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Connor O'Brien / Politico:
Senate passes defense bill that defies Trump and forces sharing of boat strike videos … Lawmakers are using the sprawling policy bill to demand the Pentagon hand over unedited videos of strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats near Latin America. The bill restricts a quarter …
Discussion:
New York Times, Associated Press, Fox News, The Hill, Washington Post, RedState, UPI, Mother Jones, Washington Examiner, The Independent and New York Sun
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Caitlin Yilek / CBS News:
House Democrats to force war powers votes as Trump teases strikes on Venezuela
House Democrats to force war powers votes as Trump teases strikes on Venezuela
Discussion:
Reuters, Florida Politics and Raw Story
New York Times:
Trump Dangles Cash Payments to Buoy Voters' Views of the Economy — With tariffs unpopular and prices still high, the White House has teased the promise of tariff rebates and large tax refunds next year. — Tariffs are unpopular, prices remain stubbornly high and Americans are souring on President Trump's handling of the economy.
Discussion:
19FortyFive, Raw Story, Reason, The Independent and Fox News
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ProPublica:
Inside the Trump Administration's Man-Made Hunger Crisis — On July 18, a mild, overcast night in Nairobi, Kenya, a team of President Donald Trump's top foreign aid advisers ducked into a meeting room at the Tribe Hotel, their luxury accommodations in the city's diplomatic quarter, for a private dinner.
Discussion:
Futurism
New York Times:
Harvard Secretly Investigates Students Over Larry Summers Video on Epstein — The students face discipline for recording Mr. Summers, the former Harvard president, discussing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein in a Harvard class. — Harvard officials have opened a secret disciplinary investigation …
Discussion:
The Washington Free Beacon, Salon and IJR
Ron Dicker / HuffPost:
Senator Reaches Damning Conclusions After Classified Briefing With Hegseth, Rubio — Sen. Chris Murphy trashed a meeting with the Cabinet duo about the Trump administration's boat bombings. — Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said a classified meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth …
Discussion:
twitchy.com, New Republic, UPI, Raw Story, Reuters, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Straight Arrow News, New York Sun, ABC News, NewsMax.com and CBS News
Washington Post:
A retired policeman was jailed over an anti-Trump meme. Now he's suing. — Attorneys for 61-year-old Larry Bushart say a Tennessee sheriff violated the First Amendment: “In America, we do not jail people for political speech.” … A retired Tennessee policeman who spent more than a month …
Jamelle Bouie / New York Times:
The Man Who Rules the Country Presides Over Nothing — There is a presidency at work in Washington, but it is not clear that there is a president at work in the Oval Office. — Ask Donald Trump about the goings on of his administration, and there is a good chance he'll defer to a deputy rather than answer the question.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Paul Krugman:
An A+++++ Economy, My A++ — Trump made big boasts but he isn't delivering — When Politico recently asked Donald Trump to grade the current U.S. economy, he replied “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.” He made this boast at a time when actual economic data were still scarce …
Discussion:
MS NOW, Raw Story, Fortune, Truthout, Eye On Housing, UPI, The Post Millennial and Blue Virginia
John Podhoretz / Commentary Magazine:
Norman Podhoretz, 1930-2025 — My father died tonight, December 16, a month shy of his 96th birthday. Norman Podhoretz passed peacefully and without pain, with a new translation of The Odyssey on his desk that had been sent to him by his friend Roger Hertog.
Washington Post:
Senators freeze Coast Guard admiral's promotion over swastika, noose policy — Adm. Kevin Lunday had condemned both symbols and directed they be prohibited, but a new workplace harassment policy downgrading them to “potentially divisive” was allowed to take effect. — Just now
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, Truthout, MS NOW, Jewish Insider, LGBTQ Nation and The Independent
Vivek Ramaswamy / New York Times:
What Is an American? — There are two competing visions now emerging on the American right, and they are incompatible. One vision of American identity is based on lineage, blood and soil: Inherited attributes matter most. The purest form of an American is a so-called heritage American …
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Examiner, Raw Story and Mediaite
Wall Street Journal:
Senators Press FBI Over Failure to Investigate Epstein's Lawyer and Accountant — The FBI never interviewed Darren Indyke or Richard Kahn about their work for Epstein; they deny knowing about Epstein's crimes — A group of Democratic senators is asking the Justice Department to explain …
Washington Post:
Trump administration admits to targeting blue states for energy grant cuts — Justice Department lawyers argue in a court filing that it is constitutional for the administration to withhold funding based on partisan politics. … Government reporters Meryl Kornfield and Hannah Natanson …
Discussion:
Associated Press, NewsMax.com and Raw Story
The New York Editorial Board:
John Catsimatidis on Donald Trump, Immigration, and New York Republicans — John Catsimatidis — a businessman, Republican, political donor, radio host and station owner, 2013 candidate for New York City mayor, Donald Trump ally, and (former) Curtis Sliwa employer — spoke with The New York Editorial Board …
Politico:
Appeals court clears way for Trump to keep National Guard on DC streets … In particular, the judges said it would be “constitutionally troubling” for the president to borrow National Guard troops from one state to conduct law enforcement missions in another “non-consenting” state.
Discussion:
HotAir, NPR, Fox News, Straight Arrow News, NOTUS, New York Times, Washington Examiner, Associated Press, RedState, Bloomberg, Democracy Docket, Wall Street Journal, UPI, The Hill, Law & Crime, Townhall and Washington Times
Evanston RoundTable:
Federal agents, including CBP Commander Bovino, back in Evanston Wednesday — U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino and federal agents were in at least two places in Evanston on Wednesday morning and reportedly took several individuals into custody. The activity marks …
Discussion:
Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, The Daily Northwestern and Block Club Chicago
Tara Suter / The Hill:
Hegseth overhauling chaplain corps, targeting ‘new age’ concepts — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday he is overhauling the military's chaplain corps, which provide religious and spiritual support to members of the armed forces and their families, saying he intended to target “new age” concepts.
Discussion:
NewsMax.com, The Daily Signal, The Post Millennial and UPI
Fox News:
EXCLUSIVE: First look at ‘MELANIA’ film — EXCLUSIVE: First lady Melania Trump is giving Fox News an exclusive first look at her upcoming film, “MELANIA,” set to hit theaters worldwide next month. — The 104-minute film is set to hit theaters globally on Jan. 30, 2026 …
Discussion:
New York Times, New York Post, Breitbart, Raw Story, Washington Examiner, Vanity Fair, NewsMax.com, New York Sun, RedState, Deseret News, New York Daily News, The Wrap, WWL-TV, Variety, Daily Mail, The Hollywood Reporter, israelhayom.com, New York Magazine, IJR, Newsweek, The Hill, New Jersey Online, Deadline and Mediaite
