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December 12, 2025
White House on the defensive when asked how billionaire Trump can tell average Americans to limit kids' Christmas gifts
(The Independent) With an estimated net worth between $5 billion and $7 billion and a penchant for coating every surface in the White House with what he claims to be 18-karat gold leaf paint, President Donald Trump isn’t exactly an expert on personal cost-cutting. But after the uber-wealthy ex-real estate developer claimed that record-high toy prices caused by his tariffs are just fine because young girls “don’t need 37 dolls” and can make do with “two or three” instead, his official spokesperson was left scrambling when asked to defend the eyebrow-raising remarks.
Go to discussion'We don't have a lot of time': Congress comes to terms with an all-but-certain lapse in Obamacare subsidies
(Politico) Hopes for a quick patch saving millions of Americans from sharply higher health insurance premiums have given way to expectations of a long slog on Capitol Hill. It is now all but certain that enhanced Obamacare subsidies first implemented by Democrats as a Covid relief measure will expire Dec. 31 after the Senate voted down competing partisan health plans Thursday and House GOP leaders indicated they had no plans to bring an extension up for a vote this year.
Go to discussionThis holiday season isn't very merry for consumers, an AP-NORC poll finds
(AP) This holiday season isn’t quite so merry for American shoppers as large shares are dipping into savings, scouring for bargains and feeling like the overall economy is stuck in a rut under President Donald Trump, a new AP-NORC poll finds. The vast majority of U.S. adults say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity and holiday gifts in recent months, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Go to discussion'Roads Will Not Be Paved': GOP Think Tank Says Trump Will Cut Off All Funding to Red State Unless It Passes New Map
(Mediaite) The GOP-aligned Heritage Foundation think tank sparked a wave of condemnation on Thursday after it posted a threat from President Donald Trump to defund Indiana if the state doesn’t pass his gerrymander. “President Trump has made it clear to Indiana leaders: if the Indiana Senate fails to pass the map, all federal funding will be stripped from the state,” wrote Heritage Action on X, adding: "Roads will not be paved. Guard bases will close. Major projects will stop. These are the stakes and every NO vote will be to blame."
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Mike Johnson says boat strike hit "able-bodied" survivors, operation "entirely appropriate"
(CBS News) House Speaker Mike Johnson, after viewing a video of the U.S. military's controversial Sept. 2 boat strikes and receiving a briefing from the commander who oversaw the mission, said Thursday that two initial survivors who were killed in a follow-on strike were "able-bodied," and the attacks were "entirely appropriate." He reviewed the classified video of the follow-on strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat and was briefed by Adm. Frank Bradley on the operation.
Go to discussionU.S. military members fear personal legal blowback tied to boat strikes
(NPR) U.S. service members — including staff officers and at least one drone pilot — are seeking advice from outside groups, fearing they could face legal consequences for any involvement in the Trump administration's lethal strikes on suspected drug boats. Over the past three months, the U.S. has blown up more than 20 vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific that the administration says were running illicit narcotics. More than 80 people have been killed in the strikes.
Go to discussionKristi Gnome Testifies DHS Hasn't Deported Any Veterans. Seconds Later, a Kicked-Out War Hero Calls into the Hearing
(People) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was challenged during a hearing today about her department's controversial deportation practices. Noem, 54, testified before the House on Thursday, Dec. 11, about national security threats, where she was questioned by a representative about the deportation of military veterans by the Trump administration.
Go to discussionWhite House weighs tapping substitutes for Trump on the road after affordability rally veers off-script: 'He's stubborn'
(The Independent) The White House may lean on surrogates to drum up support for President Donald Trump’s economic agenda ahead of next year’s midterms, according to a new report, which comes after the president veered off script at a recent rally on affordability. While many Trump supporters are glad to see him back on the campaign trail, some allies acknowledged the president is an “imperfect messenger” when it comes to his ability to quell voter concerns about the economy, Politico reported.
Go to discussionTrump officials 'conspiring to illegally intimidate' non-citizens via new VA report, lawmakers say
(The Guardian) More than 20 members of Congress are demanding answers from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and homeland security officials after the Guardian revealed the VA is compiling a report on all non-US citizens “employed by or affiliated with” the government agency that will then be shared with other federal agencies, including immigration authorities.
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