Trump declares ‘American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again,’ rebrands Monroe Doctrine with his own name hours after seizing Maduro.
New York Times and Washington Post held Venezuela raid story after administration warned reporting could endanger troops, 40 killed in operation.
FAA restricts Caribbean airspace after Venezuela strike, canceling nearly 300 flights to Puerto Rico alone and stranding travelers across US territories.
Rubio warns Cuba’s leaders “I’d be concerned” hours after US forces seize Maduro, accuses Havana of colonizing Venezuela’s security apparatus.
Milwaukee judge resigns after jury convicts her of felony obstruction for helping defendant evade ICE agents in her courtroom.
Maduro indicted on narco-terrorism, machine gun, and cocaine conspiracy charges, jailed in Brooklyn after staged “perp walk” at DEA headquarters, court appearance possible Monday.
Trump announces US will “run” Venezuela, promises American oil companies will “fix infrastructure” and “start making money for the country.”
DHS begins cutting FEMA disaster response staff on New Year’s Eve, terminating contracts within days as task force prepares recommendation to cut agency workforce in half.
Danish energy company Ørsted files legal challenge over Trump’s suspension of Revolution Wind project that is 85% complete with all federal permits secured since 2023.
Trump claims he “aced” third cognitive exam and is in “perfect health” a day after admitting October imaging was CT scan, not MRI as he originally stated.
Trump posts AI-generated image depicting Illinois Gov. Pritzker holding a cheeseburger in a burning Chicago days after Supreme Court blocked National Guard deployment.
Trump threatens to intervene in Iran’s domestic protests with “locked and loaded” warning, seven months after US strikes on nuclear sites prompted Iranian missile attack on US base in Qatar.
Trump’s motorcade stops at industrial park stone supplier that furnished Mar-a-Lago’s ballroom in 2004 so he can personally select marble for $400 million White House addition.
Louisiana will use existing congressional map with two majority-Black districts in 2026 after Supreme Court failed to rule in time for Republicans to redraw boundaries.
Kentucky woman faces capital fetal homicide charge after disclosing medication abortion to medical clinic, which then reported her to state police.
Ninth Circuit strikes down California’s ban on openly carrying firearms in counties with more than 200,000 residents, ruling state failed to prove law consistent with historical tradition of gun regulation.
Stephen Schwartz, who performed at the Kennedy Center’s 1971 opening, says he will not appear at planned May opera gala after board voted to add Trump’s name to the venue.
FBI arrests 18-year-old who planned ISIS-inspired New Year’s Eve attack on NC grocery store and restaurant after investigation that began when he was a minor in 2022.
Minnesota has until January 9 to hand over identifying data on all child care fund recipients despite state inspections of nine centers targeted by right-wing influencer finding no operational issues.
Trump orders HieFo Corp. to divest $2.9 million defense chip technology within 180 days, citing owner’s Chinese citizenship in deal that closed during Biden administration.
SBA suspends 6,900 Minnesota borrowers over suspected COVID-era loan fraud totaling $400 million, a week after HHS froze child care payments citing YouTuber’s video.
Trump family business blames government shutdown for delayed delivery of $499 gold smartphone customers pre-ordered with $100 deposits in August.
Trump now says he did not receive an MRI in October as he claimed, telling Wall Street Journal “it was less than that” after physician confirms it was a CT scan.
IRS retirees who took government’s Deferred Resignation Program have received no income since September 30, with 29,000 retirement applications still pending at OPM.
Trump moves to reconstitute Commission of Fine Arts with loyalists months after firing all six Biden holdovers, as panel faces reviews of his ballroom and triumphal arch.
Russia asks White House to end Coast Guard pursuit of oil tanker whose crew painted Russian flag on hull after U.S. military tried to board it in Caribbean.
Federal employees file class action complaint against Trump policy eliminating gender-affirming care coverage from federal health insurance as ban takes effect New Year’s Day.
Trump attributes hand bruises to 25-year daily aspirin regimen and minor cuts he covers with makeup, months after physician diagnosed chronic venous insufficiency.
Enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expire overnight, with 20 million subsidized enrollees facing average 114% premium increases in 2026.
Trump says construction of his “Triumphal Arch” will begin within two months on federally protected land near the Lincoln Memorial, bypassing all legal requirements that took the Women’s Suffrage Monument years to complete.
Somali-owned Minneapolis daycare reports break-in and threats after month of Trump attacks on Minnesota’s Somali community, administration amplification of influencer fraud video, and federal child care funding freeze.
Federal judge vacates Noem’s termination of temporary protected status for 60,000 immigrants from Nicaragua, Honduras and Nepal, ruling the decision was “preordained” and motivated by racial animus.
Trump signs last-minute proclamation delaying his own tariff increases on furniture and kitchen cabinets for one year, hours before rates were set to rise to 50% and 30%.
NASA closes its largest research library Friday, with 100,000 volumes including irreplaceable Soviet-era space documents to be warehoused or thrown out as Goddard campus shrinks from 10,000 to 6,600 employees.
Oil tanker fleeing U.S. Coast Guard for nearly two weeks painted a Russian flag on its hull in apparent attempt to claim Russian protection and complicate seizure.
Ninth Circuit orders California National Guard returned to Governor Newsom’s control after DOJ withdrew its motion for a stay, ending seven months of federalization that began with LA immigration raids.
Trump issues first vetoes of second term, rejecting bipartisan tribal land bill because the Miccosukee Tribe sued over his Everglades detention facility and a Colorado water pipeline bill a senator called part of a “revenge tour.”
ICE launches $100 million “wartime recruitment” campaign with ads asking “Want to deport illegals with your absolute boys?” and $8 million in influencer deals targeting Gen Z and Millennials.
Kennedy Center revised bylaws in May to strip congressional trustees of voting rights, months before Trump appointees “unanimously” voted to add his name to the building.
Energy Secretary orders third coal plant in one week to remain on standby, this time a Colorado facility that broke on December 19 and would cost $20-85 million to restart, despite state finding it “is not required for reliability.”
Trump administration terminates nonprofit’s 50-year lease to manage D.C.’s three public golf courses, claiming default the organization “fundamentally” disputes, weeks after Trump said he might redo them “really beautifully.”
Federal appeals court allows Medicaid funding cuts to Planned Parenthood to continue while 21-state lawsuit proceeds, one week after Maine Family Planning shut down and dropped its case.
U.S. military kills 8 more people in strikes on 5 alleged drug boats, bringing total to at least 115 dead since September across 35 attacks.
Montana Supreme Court dismisses 41-count ethics case against Attorney General Austin Knudsen, ruling that years of public litigation were sufficient sanction for his nearly year-long defiance of a court order.
Jack Smith testified that Trump’s 2020 election scheme has “no historical analog,” that Trump caused and exploited Jan. 6 violence, and that one tweet endangered Mike Pence’s life.
Trump pulls National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland one week after Supreme Court rejected his request to maintain troop deployment in Illinois.
Trump claims “real” approval rating is 64% despite Gallup showing him 23 points underwater and Fox News poll recording his lowest economy approval ever at 38%.
Senate Democrats ask Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to explain under what authority she accessed Epstein files after telling Vanity Fair she read them.
New USPS rule effective December 24 says postmarks may not reflect the day mail was dropped off, affecting ballot counting in 14 states plus DC that accept late-arriving ballots with Election Day postmarks.
Dominion Energy sues Trump administration over stop-work order on $11.2 billion Virginia offshore wind project, calling the national security pause “arbitrary and capricious” after spending $8.9 billion.
