memeorandum: Trump rings in Christmas Day with a flurry of posts denouncing perceived foes and casting doubt on the 2020 election (Peter Nicholas/NBC News)

6:50 PM ET, December 25, 2025

Top Items:

Francesca Regalado / New York Times:

Kennedy Center's Christmas Eve Jazz Show Canceled After Trump Name Added to Building — Chuck Redd, a jazz musician, said he canceled his annual concert after President Trump's name was affixed to the Washington building's facade. — An annual Christmas Eve jazz concert scheduled for Wednesday …

Discussion: RedState, Deadline, TMZ.com, New York Post, Showbiz411 and Associated Press

Steven Nelson / New York Post:

Trump fans blast musician who canceled holiday concert to protest Kennedy Center rebrand: ‘Super bad TDS’ — WASHINGTON — President Trump's supporters are attacking jazz musician Chuck Redd for abruptly canceling an annual Christmas Eve concert in protest of the recently rebranded Trump-Kennedy Center …

Discussion: Fox News, NewsMax.com, The Hill, Rolling Stone, Mediaite and KIFI-TV

Rebecca Falconer / Axios:

19 states sue to block Kennedy's plan to curb trans care — Nineteen states and D.C. sued Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his health department to block the Trump administration's plan to curb young people's gender-affirming care. … - He said the Department of Health and Human Services' move …

Discussion: New York Sun, Raw Story, Truthout, doj.state.or.us, NewsNation, WTTG-TV, Advocate, Washington Examiner, MS NOW and New York Times

Motoko Rich / New York Times:

Pope Leo Makes Christmas Call for Dialogue to Address World's Conflicts — Leo XIV's Christmas address was his first since being elected pontiff and was scrutinized for comparisons with those of his predecessor, Francis. — Pope Leo XIV on Thursday used his first Christmas message as pontiff to call for …

Discussion: Chicago Tribune and CBS News

Joshua McElwee / Reuters:
Pope Leo, on Christmas Eve, says denying help to poor is rejecting God

Discussion: Associated Press, Washington Times, New York Times, Letters from Leo and NewsMax.com

Peter Nicholas / NBC News:

Trump rings in Christmas Day with a flurry of posts denouncing perceived foes and casting doubt on the 2020 election — The president posted on Truth Social over 100 times overnight, also touting his own economic policies and efforts to end foreign wars. — Christmas Eve found President Donald Trump …

Discussion: Forbes, Salon, Meidas+, Breitbart, Axios and The Hill

Sarah Fortinsky / The Hill:

2 hospitalized after ICE officers shoot driver during operation in Maryland — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Wednesday shot a migrant who drove a van toward them while fleeing an immigration enforcement operation, resulting in a crash that injured his passenger …

Discussion: Breitbart, Mediaite, RedState, CNN, Al Jazeera, Fox News, NewsMax.com, New York Times, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Times, The Post Millennial, Washington Examiner and New York Post

Gary Fineout / Politico:

After 20 years of Florida's gift ban, some would like to make a return … A spokesperson for the commission did not acknowledge if legal concerns led to the decision to gather up the swag bags. — But the incident suggests that knowledge about the law known informally as the “gift ban” …

NBC News:

All in the family: In 2026, a surge of politicians' kids are running for office — As voters clamor for change, a new generation of Pelosis, Kennedys, Kings and other powerful families are stepping up to keep their political legacies alive. — Listen to this article with a free account

Discussion: NewsMax.com

Meryl Kornfield / Washington Post:

Federal government's charity drive doing far worse under Trump — Donations are down by more than 40 percent after a year when federal workers faced major agency downsizing and a lengthy government shutdown. — The federal workers' charity drive, the largest of its kind in the country …

Discussion: The Independent and Raw Story

Dan Merica / Washington Post:

Two vulnerable senators stand to benefit from intense focus on constituents — Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia) are two of the chamber's staunchest believers in the value of constituency services. — Justin Juray didn't know where to turn.

Discussion: NewsMax.com

Amanda Chu / Politico:

The ultraprocessed food makers have an answer for RFK Jr. … In late October, major industry trade groups and food companies, including Kraft Heinz as well as frozen-pizza-maker Nestle, and PepsiCo, which along with its signature drink makes all-American favorites Doritos and Cheetos …

Politico:

Why RFK Jr.'s plan to follow Europe on vaccines is getting panned … “If [Kennedy] would like to get us universal health care, then maybe we can have a conversation about having the schedule adjusted,” Demetre Daskalakis, who led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center …

Rebecca Carballo / Politico:

What Republicans think Trump is getting wrong about nurses … Deans of nursing schools and associations representing nurses fear the omission from the list will ultimately discourage people from becoming nurse practitioners, the medical professionals who can treat and prescribe medications to patients …

Discussion: The Independent

ABC:

Police investigate fire attack on ‘Happy Chanukah’ car in St Kilda East — In short: — Police are investigating the apparent firebombing of a car adorned with Jewish symbols in Melbourne overnight. — A nearby family was evacuated as a precaution, but no injuries were reported.

Discussion: Metro.co.uk, Breitbart, The Times of Israel, VINnews and COLlive