Top Items:
Cheyanne M. Daniels / Politico:
Lawmakers say White House ‘covering up things’ in release of Epstein files … “This is all about covering up things that for whatever reason Donald Trump doesn't want to go public,” the Maryland Democrat added, “either about himself or other members of his family, friends …
Discussion:
The Dean's Report, Washington Times, RTÉ, NOTUS, CBS News, Al Jazeera, CNN, Eurasia Review, NBC News, Fortune, Associated Press, The Hill, MS NOW, The Independent and New York Times
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Washington Post:
Two lawmakers seek to find Bondi in contempt over Epstein files — Top Justice Department official defends redactions and deletion of documents on agency's website, including one of a photo that includes Trump. — Reps. Ro Khanna (D-California) and Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Straight Arrow News, Scripps News and Breitbart
Alexandra Marquez / NBC News:
Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie say they're considering inherent contempt charges against Pam Bondi — Khanna and Massie's remarks came after Sen. Tim Kaine said that Congress has other mechanisms to force the release of additional Epstein files. — Add NBC News to Google
Discussion:
NPR, HuffPost, New York Sun, Raw Story, The Guardian, Washington Times and Washington Examiner
Alexandra Marquez / NBC News:
Deputy AG says removing photos from Epstein files release has ‘nothing to do’ with Trump
CBS News:
Transcript: Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Dec. 21, 2025
Transcript: Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Dec. 21, 2025
Discussion:
Fortune, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, Breitbart and Washington Times
Avery Lotz / Axios:
DOJ defends removing Trump photo from Epstein files
DOJ defends removing Trump photo from Epstein files
Discussion:
Fox News, CNBC, NewsMax.com, New York Post, Mediaite, The Independent, The Hill, The Daily Wire, MS NOW, Middle East Monitor, The Guardian, CBS News, Newsweek, New York Times and Democracy Docket
Bloomberg:
US Still in Pursuit of Third Oil Tanker in Venezuela Blockade — The US is still in pursuit of a third oil tanker near Venezuela, according to a US official, as President Donald Trump intensifies an oil blockade on Nicolás Maduro's government. — The Bella 1 tanker …
Discussion:
Reuters, Raw Story, The Independent, Mother Jones, Taipei Times, Military and Veteran … and New York Times
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NBC News:
U.S. Coast Guard ‘in active pursuit’ of third vessel off the Venezuelan coast — The vessel is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion, a U.S. official said. — The U.S. Coast Guard “is in active pursuit” of a sanctioned vessel in international waters off the coast of Venezuela …
Marc Caputo / Axios:
U.S. intercepting third oil tanker as Venezuela hostilities intensify
Discussion:
Townhall, Straight Arrow News, Wall Street Journal, CBS News, Bloomberg, Fox News, HotAir and The Independent
Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Oil Blockade of Venezuela Pushes Cuba Toward Collapse
U.S. Oil Blockade of Venezuela Pushes Cuba Toward Collapse
Discussion:
New York Post, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, NewsMax.com, Semafor, Washington Times, UPI, American Thinker and Taipei Times
Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:
Trump faces narrowing options on Venezuela action
Trump faces narrowing options on Venezuela action
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit
Al Weaver / The Hill:
Senate stares down fraught health care battle with ObamaCare subsidies set to expire — Senate negotiators are set for a high-wire act on health care in the coming weeks after leaving Washington for the holidays without a resolution on the expiring enhanced subsidies, with lawmakers increasingly shifting …
Discussion:
Breitbart
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Max Rego / The Hill:
Jeffries says House ‘will pass’ ObamaCare subsidies extension ‘with a bipartisan majority’
Sarah Fortinsky / The Hill:
Lankford: Americans will decide whether to blame GOP for lapsed ObamaCare subsidies
Lankford: Americans will decide whether to blame GOP for lapsed ObamaCare subsidies
Discussion:
NewsMax.com and CNN
Andrew Howard / Politico:
Vance tries to weather the MAGA storm at Turning Point … “If you miss Charlie Kirk, do you promise to fight what he died for? Do you promise to take the country back from the people who took his life?” Vance asked the crowd. — His speech at the Phoenix Convention Center is the culmination …
Discussion:
Townhall, New York Post and Mediaite
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Mike Allen / Axios:
MAGA media mess deepens at Turning Point convention
Discussion:
Associated Press, Salon and Washington Post
Shaimaa Khalil / BBC:
Israel approves 19 new settlements in occupied West Bank — Israel's security cabinet has approved the recognition of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank as the government continues its settlement expansion push. — Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich …
Discussion:
Associated Press, France 24 and Washington Examiner
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Joe Rivano Barros / Mission Local:
Waymo halts service during massive S.F. blackout after causing traffic jams — Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email — Love what you read? Love that it was free? — Mission Local will never have a paywall. All our articles are free for everyone, always.
Kelsey Ables / Washington Post:
White House threatens Smithsonian funds in sweeping content review — “American people will have no patience” for any museum that is “uncomfortable conveying a positive view of American history,” read a letter from Trump aides. — The Trump administration escalated pressure on the Smithsonian this week …
Discussion:
KIFI-TV, NewsNation, American Greatness and Newsweek
New York Times:
'It's Just Us': The Firefighter, His Son and a Treacherous Choice — For two decades, Luis Martinez has fought wildfires for the U.S. government. Now he's facing down cancer, debt and the threat of separation from his 11-year-old. — Luis Martinez was still trying to figure out how to tell …
John Sakellariadis / Politico:
Acting CISA director failed a polygraph. Career staff are now under investigation. … The incident this July and the subsequent fallout — which has not been reported before — have angered career staff, alarmed fellow Trump administration appointees and raised questions about Gottumukkala's leadership …
Discussion:
NewsMax.com, more at Techmeme »
Stephanie Kaloi / The Wrap:
‘60 Minutes’ Pulls Segment on Trump Deportees Sent to El Salvador Megaprison 2 Hours Before Airtime — The episode Terrorism Confinement Center will reportedly air at a later date — “60 Minutes” abruptly dropped a segment about Trump deportees sent to a megaprison in El Salvador Sunday — two hours before it was set to air.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Deadline, Raw Story, Mediaite and RedState, more at Mediagazer »
CNN:
'They're attacking their own': DC Democrats irked by surge of left-wing challengers with House majority on the line — Congressional news House election US elections Donald Trump — When Rep. Dan Goldman first ran for Congress in 2022, he was cheered on the left as the party's top lawyer …
Discussion:
NBC News
Peter Baker / New York Times:
Trump Takes America's ‘Imperial Presidency’ to a New Level — In his first year back in the White House, President Trump has greatly expanded executive power while embracing the trappings of royalty in ways not seen in the modern era. — When President Trump hosted the crown prince …
Washington Post:
The year Trump broke the federal government — How DOGE and the White House carried out a once-unthinkable transformation of the nation's sprawling bureaucracy. — Government reporters Hannah Natanson and Meryl Kornfield can be reached securely on Signal at (202) 580-5477 and (301) 821-2013, respectively.
Discussion:
OutsideTheBeltway
Matthew Lee / Associated Press:
Trump removes nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial positions — The Trump administration is recalling nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial and other senior embassy posts as it moves to reshape the U.S. diplomatic posture abroad with personnel deemed fully supportive …
