Adam Serwer: “The reason so many of yesterday’s free-speech champions transitioned so easily into today’s pro-Trump censors is that their definition of free speech never included the right of others to talk back.”
Trump Says He’ll Decide Terms of Ukraine Peace Deal
President Donald Trump on Friday cast himself as the ultimate arbiter of any peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, Politico reports.
Said Zelensky: “He doesn’t have anything until I approve it. So we’ll see what he’s got.”
Trump Spent Christmas Posting on Truth Social
Mother Jones: “As the clock struck midnight on Christmas morning at one Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, at least one someone was stirring.”
“Starting in the early hours of December 25 and ending in the evening, President Donald Trump posted over a hundred times on his social media site Truth Social.”
One Relentless Year
“So much has happened since President Trump took office again that it can be hard to keep track of it all,” the New York Times reports.
“At home and abroad, he has driven change at warp speed, upending policy and challenging democratic norms. Along the way, he’s provided an often unfiltered narration of his own presidency, almost in real time.”
“Here, out of the blur of events, are some of the most consequential, illuminating or just plain remarkable moments from his first year back in the White House.”
Quote of the Day
“We want to make sure that he’s not infiltrating, that we’re not infiltrating into our country and ban Santa.”
— President Trump, speaking to a four year old and ten year old on Christmas Eve.
Netanyahu Heads to Mar-a-Lago
“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,” Axios reports.
“White House officials think Netanyahu is slow-walking the peace process, and fear he will resume the war with Hamas. But while the Israeli prime minister is butting heads with Trump’s team, he hopes to bring the president himself over to his more hawkish point of view.”
More Christmas Wishes From Trump
President Trump, on Truth Social last night:
“Merry Christmas to all, including the many Sleazebags who loved Jeffrey Epstein, gave him bundles of money, went to his Island, attended his parties, and thought he was the greatest guy on earth, only to ‘drop him like a dog’ when things got too HOT, falsely claimed they had nothing to do with him, didn’t know him, said he was a disgusting person, and then blame, of course, President Donald J. Trump, who was actually the only one who did drop Epstein, and long before it became fashionable to do so…”
“Now the same losers are at it again, only this time so many of their friends, mostly innocent, will be badly hurt and reputationally tarnished. But sadly, that’s the way it is in the World of Corrupt Democrat Politics!!! Enjoy what may be your last Merry Christmas! President Donald J. Trump.”
More House Republicans Are Leaving Congress
“Congressional Republicans have yet to break the record for most retirements in a single year, but some say it’s only a matter of time before widespread frustration with the current state of Washington leads to a tipping point,” CNN reports.
“The 10 House Republicans seeking gubernatorial offices in their states this election cycle is the most who have run from either party in the available data compiled by CNN dating back to 1974.”
Said one lawmaker: “It’s historic to be there. It’s an amazing honor. But boy, they suck a lot of the life out of you sometimes.”
Can Democrats Reinvent Themselves as Disrupters?
New York Times: “As they try to repair their political brand before the midterm elections, Democrats are rushing to redefine themselves as Washington disrupters, eager to challenge a government that many Americans believe has failed to improve their lives.”
How Democrats Break Through in 2026
Playbook: “Third Way, the center-left think tank, is releasing its latest slate of polling today capturing the mood after the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term — and making the case for the kind of messaging it believes Democrats need to deploy to break through. The poll’s main takeaway? You guessed it: It’s still the economy, stupid.”
“The numbers: Of the 2,000 registered voters surveyed in the poll, shared exclusively with Playbook, 84 percent say they’re experiencing high inflation, 60 percent believe the economy isn’t growing and 66 percent think unemployment is increasing. The survey finds Republicans and Democrats tied at 38 percent on which party is most trusted to handle the economy. Democrats are up by 11 points on handling cost-of-living concerns, up 6 points on energy costs and tariffs, up 20 points on health care … and the list continues.”
“Among the most intriguing points is the issue that broke through the most with voters: food assistance. Following the government shutdown when millions were facing a lapse in food stamps through SNAP, coupled with concerns over grocery prices, food ranked as the most salient issue for voters among the 14 that Third Way tested.”
ICE Taps New Surveillance Tech
“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 — a combination that could lead to a vast expansion of domestic surveillance that goes far beyond immigrants,” Politico reports..
“Federal records show that ICE has increased its spending on surveillance technology, looking to spend more than $300 million under Trump for social-media monitoring tools, facial recognition software, license plate readers and services to find where people live and work.”
Why RFK Jr.’s Plan to Follow Europe Is Getting Panned
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plans to have the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule mirror Denmark’s are also getting pushback from critics who argue that the U.S. doesn’t have European levels of health care access and has different levels of disease, Politico reports.
White House to Present Plans for Trump’s Ballroom
“The White House will unveil new details on President Donald Trump’s planned East Wing ballroom during a hearing early next month,“ Reuters reports.
“The new ballroom, which Trump has said would cost $400 million and would dwarf the adjacent White House building, has been challenged in court by preservationists, while Democratic lawmakers have called it an abuse of power and are investigating which donors are supporting it.”
Zelensky Heads to Mar-a-Lago
“President Trump is expected to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Mar-a-Lago on Sunday to try and reach agreement on the U.S. peace plan,” Axios reports.
“The meeting is a sign of significant progress in the talks. Trump said previously that he’d only meet Zelensky if he felt a deal was close.”
Holiday Mailbag
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Trump Officials Emphasize Religion in Christmas Messages
“The Trump administration celebrated Christmas on Thursday by posting a series of religious messages from official government accounts, using language that drew criticism from those who pointed to the country’s separation of church and state,” the New York Times reports.
“While many lawmakers in both parties posted universal messages of love, joy and peace on the holiday, a number of cabinet members and agencies made references to Jesus and the religious meaning of Christmas.”
U.S. Strikes ISIS in Nigeria
“U.S. forces struck Islamic State targets in northwestern Nigeria on Thursday evening, the U.S. and Nigerian governments said, acting after threats by President Donald Trump to attack the country in an effort to stop killings of Christians,” the New York Times reports.
Merry Christmas!
Our boys are home for the holidays and it’s best gift Sara and I could ask for.
Whatever you celebrate, I wish you a very peaceful holiday.
And thank you for gifting me your precious attention each day.
I truly love doing this.
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