Top Items:
Barak Ravid / Axios:
Trump and Zelensky to meet Sunday to try and close out peace plan … Trump said previously that he'd only meet Zelensky if he felt a deal was close. … We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level — with President Trump in the near future. A lot can be decided before the New Year …
Discussion:
Fox News, New York Post, New York Times, Breitbart, RedState, CBS News, UPI, The Daily Signal, The Daily Wire, The Hill, NewsMax.com, The Post Millennial and PBS NewsHour
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Axios:
Exclusive: Zelensky “ready” to call referendum on Trump plan with ceasefire … - Zelensky also revealed he's willing to bring that plan up for a referendum if Russia agrees to a ceasefire of at least 60 days. … Zelensky is still hoping to improve those terms and said he'll need …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, NewsMax.com and Politico
Associated Press:
Zelenskyy says a meeting with Trump over the war in Ukraine will happen ‘in the near future’ — A meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump will happen “in the near future,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday, signaling progress in talks to end the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war.
Washington Post:
U.S. strikes ISIS in Nigeria after Trump warnings on Christian killings — The U.S. military said it attacked Islamic State militants with the approval of Nigerian authorities. The number of casualties is unknown. — U.S. forces struck Islamic State targets in northwestern Nigeria on Thursday evening …
Discussion:
The Hill, africom.mil, Bloomberg, JURISTnews, Sky Dancing, NPR, CNN, Channels Television, NewsNation, Associated Press, The Guardian, Straight Arrow News, HotAir, MS NOW, The Daily Caller, The Independent, KIFI-TV, NewsMax.com and Al Jazeera
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Ben Ezeamalu / Reuters:
Nigeria averts unilateral US action by cooperating on airstrikes
Discussion:
Associated Press, New York Times, Channels Television, The Guardian and France 24
Will Weissert / Associated Press:
Trump says US struck Islamic State targets in Nigeria after group targeted Christians
Trump says US struck Islamic State targets in Nigeria after group targeted Christians
Discussion:
Reuters, Channels Television, Washington Examiner, BBC, Deseret News, Al Jazeera, France 24, MS NOW, NewsNation, New York Times, Salon, The Guardian, National Review, Bloomberg, Fox News, The Independent, Semafor, IJR, The Daily Signal, NPR, Washington Times, Ace of Spades HQ, The Post Millennial, The American Conservative, New York Sun, NewsMax.com, Newsweek, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, Matzav.com, El País, Metro.co.uk, The Hill, RTÉ, Lawyers, Guns & Money, New York Post, Wall Street Journal, twitchy.com, CBS News, ABC News, The Intercept, Breitbart, The Daily Wire, TMZ.com, One America News Network, VINnews, Military and Veteran …, RedState, Townhall, International Christian …, Blaze Media, al.com and The Gateway Pundit
Gregory Svirnovskiy / Politico:
US forces launch Christmas strike on ISIS in Nigeria, Trump says
US forces launch Christmas strike on ISIS in Nigeria, Trump says
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Channels Television, France 24, Newsweek, American Greatness, NewsMax.com, New York Post, The Floridian, The Hill, CNN, Truth Nigeria, New Republic, Raw Story, UPI, Mediaite and Al Jazeera
Rebecca Falconer / Axios:
U.S. forces strike ISIS targets in Nigeria, Trump says
U.S. forces strike ISIS targets in Nigeria, Trump says
Discussion:
Channels Television and NewsMax.com
Kellen Browning / New York Times:
Northern California Conservatives Are Frustrated They Could Get a Democratic Representative — The passage of Proposition 50, which redrew California's congressional map, means that all of the state's conservative north is likely to be represented by Democrats.
Discussion:
NewsMax.com and Raw Story
Jessica Priest / The Texas Tribune:
Texas A&M System declines to reinstate fired lecturer despite faculty panel's findings — A vice chancellor upheld the firing of Melissa McCoul, seen in a viral video being confronted by a student on her gender identity teachings, saying the termination was done with “good cause.”
Discussion:
New York Times
Ashley Ahn / New York Times:
Trump Administration Emphasizes Religion in Official Christmas Messages — Government officials have traditionally steered clear of such overtly religious language, as the Constitution prohibits the establishment of an official state religion. — The Trump administration celebrated Christmas …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Mother Jones, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Blaze Media and The White House
Katie Martin / Financial Times:
So long, American exceptionalism — For the first time, investors are talking about ‘US risk’ — Make no mistake, global markets really did change in 2025. American exceptionalism may never be the same again. — You have to poke around to see this clearly.
Robert Mendick / Telegraph:
Teacher ‘likened to terrorist’ after showing Trump videos to students — Safeguarding officials seek Prevent referral after films of US president shown to A-level pupils — A teacher in an English school was accused of posing a risk to children and referred to the Government's counter-terrorism programme …
Discussion:
NewsMax.com and Breitbart
Alfred Ng / Politico:
ICE's interest in high-tech gear raises new questions: ‘What is it for?’ … The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is buying millions of dollars' worth of new surveillance tools at the same time President Donald Trump has scaled back protections for use of civilian data …
Discussion:
NewsMax.com and Mock Paper Scissors
Andy Paden / WTSP:
Billboard campaign urging troops to disobey orders from Trump administration launches in Tampa — Two nonprofits placed a billboard near the MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa to send a message. … TAMPA, Fla. — If you've driven down Gandy Blvd. or even the Selmon Expressway over the course …
Discussion:
The Independent and RedState
Will Saletan / The Bulwark:
The Politics of Plunder — Trump's domestic and foreign policies have one consistent theme. — Will Saletan, Cathy Young, Andrew Egger, and 2 others — MAGA Christmas was a choose-your-own-adventure affair this year. Did you want to hear Donald Trump wax eloquent …
Alexandra Marquez / NBC News:
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announces she's pregnant with second child — Leavitt announced that she and her husband are expecting their second child in May 2026. — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday announced that she's expecting a second child with her husband, due in May.
Discussion:
New York Post, ABC News, Fox News, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, One America News Network, New York Daily News and KIFI-TV
Jordan Rubin / MS NOW:
Trump touts plummeting federal employment: ‘Big news for the USA!’ — The president gleefully cited stark cuts in federal employment, even as polls showed Americans' dissatisfaction over his handling of the economy. — President Donald Trump this week touted his administration's dramatic cuts …
William Vaillancourt / The Daily Beast:
Trump Posts Nearly 200 Times in Unhinged Christmas Day Spree — UNSILENT NIGHT — The president amplified conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and called for a member of Congress to be deported. — President Donald Trump gifted the world with nearly 200 Truth Social posts …
Discussion:
Raw Story, PoliticusUSA, The Independent and NBC News
New York Times:
With Help of Lina Khan, Mamdani Looks to Quickly Cut Costs for New Yorkers — Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's signature plans for New York City will take time. Lina Khan, the former chair of the Federal Trade Commission, has ideas for making a swift impact. — Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani …
emptywheel:
Much of Todd Blanche's Perceived Cover-Up Is Actually Incompetence — Something hilarious happened this week. — On Tuesday, Trump's White House got Marc Caputo to write a credulous column platforming their laughable claims that they're not responsible for how chaotic the release …
Discussion:
Futurism
Daniel Lippman / Politico:
Embattled top Hegseth aide wins promotion … Buria updated his LinkedIn profile on Friday to note the change to chief of staff from “senior adviser.” — The retired Marine has clashed repeatedly with other Pentagon Trump appointees. He recently tried unsuccessfully to oust fellow Hegseth …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner
Cory Doctorow / Wired:
US Trade Dominance Will Soon Begin to Crack — Savvy countries will discover there's a way to mitigate the harm incurred by Trump's tariffs—and it'll boost their own economies while making goods cheaper too. — In 2026, the leaders of America's (former) trading partners are going to have to grapple …
Barak Ravid / Axios:
Netanyahu's Mar-a-Lago visit “crucial” for future of Gaza deal — President Trump plans several big announcements on Gaza in early January, but the next steps hinge on his meeting on Monday at Mar-a-Lago with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Discussion:
The Daily Wire, israelhayom.com, Democracy Now, Matzav.com, New Republic, Middle East Monitor and NewsMax.com
Ben Blanchet / HuffPost:
Indiana Republican Blasts ‘Snowflakes’ Upset With His AI Santa Beatdown — Critics put Chris Garten on the naughty list over his mock Christmas Day assault on St. Nick. — Talk about a violent night! — Indiana state Sen. Chris Garten (R) is facing backlash after he kicked off Christmas …
Discussion:
Newsweek, The Independent and New Republic
