Trump administration turns Epstein files into WikiLeaks 2.0 … The daily drip is a remarkable result for President Donald Trump, who has urged his allies to move past the Epstein files — prompting jeers from Democrats who say he's trying to conceal details about his own longtime relationship with Epstein.

Witkoff's Other Backer in His Unlikely Diplomatic Ascent: Putin  —  The Kremlin release of an American prisoner and a Saudi backchannel bolstered the rise of Trump's longtime friend. … Steve Witkoff, a billionaire real-estate developer and longtime golfing partner of Donald Trump …

LSU nursing grad, detained by ICE for 6 months, may self-deport: ‘I feel hopeless all the time’  —  Vilma Palacios had just graduated from the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing and accepted a job with Touro Infirmary when she was arrested by ICE agents and sent to the processing center in Basile …

Candace Owens Is the Conservative Movement's Frankenstein Monster  —  This week, Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, traveled to Nashville to meet with Candace Owens, a podcaster who has become the premier purveyor of conspiracy theories about her husband's murder.

U.S. boards un-sanctioned tanker with Venezuelan oil to tighten blockade  —  The U.S. military early Saturday boarded a tanker that is not under U.S. sanctions as it shipped Venezuelan oil in hopes of escaping a blockade imposed by President Trump, according to two sources familiar with the action.

Trump talks about neuroses, selecting chairs and his wife's underwear drawer in latest affordability speech  —  President Donald Trump came to North Carolina on Friday to talk about the economy.  —  He ended up explaining how his wife organizes her lingerie drawer.

Netanyahu plans to brief Trump on possible new Iran strikes  —  Israeli officials believe Iran is expanding its ballistic missile program.  They are preparing to make the case during an upcoming meeting with Trump that it poses a new threat.  —  WASHINGTON — Israeli officials …

12/20/25 📝 The Readback … Our weekend digest features the best of Punchbowl News this week, including a roundup of our scoops, analysis and Capitol Hill insight you won't find anywhere else.  We've also included a few of our favorite outside reads from the week.

This Indiana Democrat wants a redistricting ceasefire … While Indiana's attempt at mid-decade redistricting is now in the rearview mirror, other states have not ruled it out.  The GOP-controlled Florida legislature is now exploring new maps, but so are the Democratic majorities in Maryland and Virginia.

Man accused of towing ICE SUV during LA immigration operation found not guilty … A Los Angeles tow truck driver accused of towing a federal SUV during an immigration enforcement operation was found not guilty by a federal jury Friday.  —  Bobby Nuñez, 33, was arrested and charged …

Ramaswamy Challenges Conservatives on Surging Bigotry on the Right  —  The leading Republican candidate for Ohio governor is calling out his party for rising intolerance, including against Indian American immigrants and their children, like him.  —  Vivek Ramaswamy, the front-running Republican candidate …

How Democrats Used One Word to Turn the Tide Against Trump  —  Both parties are now preparing for “affordability” to play a major role in the midterm elections next year.  How did it emerge so quickly?  —  On President Trump's first day back in office, Representative Mikie Sherrill …

White House Made Bizarre Demands for Trump's Bogus Peace Prize  —  THE BIGGER THE BETTER  —  A report has outlined how the White House dictated FIFA's Peace Prize ceremony to Donald Trump.  —  President Donald Trump's aides demanded that FIFA's made-up “peace prize” awarded to him be literally as big as the World Cup.

RFK Jr. wants states to ban junk food.  No one knows what counts. … “It's just a classic government operation where they've thrown this out there, and well-meaning though they may be, it's caused mass confusion, and it's making some retailers question whether they're going to stay with the program or not …

December 19, 2025  —  This past week feels like the final, chaotic days of a political era.  —  Last weekend was marred by horrific incidents of violence that drew attention even in a nation sadly accustomed to violence: a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island …

Lou Cannon, Post reporter and preeminent Reagan biographer, dies at 92  —  His books on Reagan “have never been transcended,” said presidential historian Douglas Brinkley.  —  Just now … Lou Cannon, a Washington Post reporter who became the preeminent biographer of Ronald Reagan …

The Fight Over the Next Fed Chair Is Spilling Out Across D.C. and Wall Street  —  Industry titans, Trump allies weigh in during the final days of a sharp-elbowed campaign to succeed Jerome Powell  —  President Trump told aides and allies in early December that he wasn't sold …

Bulgarian Chicago business owner dies in ICE custody, sparking calls for ‘immediate investigation’  —  Nenko Gantchev, 56, lived in Chicago for 30 years, died Monday at North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin, Michigan: Officials  —  CHICAGO (WLS) — A Bulgarian man from Chicago arrested during …

Koch Political Operation Spent Nearly $550 Million During 2024 Cycle  —  The huge sum shows that while the Koch network may not hold significant power at high levels of the Republican Party, it remains a financial juggernaut.  —  The political operation founded by Charles and David Koch raised …