NYC mayor-elect tells residents how to resist ICE agents knocking at their door in new video
New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Sunday released a video outlining New Yorkers’ rights during encounters with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after an attempted raid in Manhattan, pledging that his administration will safeguard immigrant communities while protecting the city’s constitutional right to protest. The video comes as immigration enforcement in New York faces renewed scrutiny, underscoring how Mamdani plans to confront federal actions he says threaten immigrant communities and demand that New Yorkers be prepared, informed and confident in asserting their legal rights. In the video, Mamdani opens by recalling an ICE raid last weekend in Manhattan that sought to detain immigrants. “As mayor, I’ll protect the rights of every single New Yorker, and that includes the more than 3 million immigrants who call this city their home,” he said. “But we can all stand up to ICE if you know your rights.” MAMDANI VOWS NYPD WILL ‘NEVER’ GO BACK TO ADAMS-ERA COOPERATION WITH ICE ENFORCEMENT He then offered guidance for immigrants who may encounter ICE. “First, ICE cannot enter into private spaces like your home, school or private area of your workplace without a judicial warrant signed by a judge,” Mamdani advised. “If ICE does not have a judicial warrant signed by a judge, you have the right to say, ‘I do not consent to entry’ and the right to keep your door closed.’” He noted that ICE may present paperwork claiming authority to make an arrest, but said “that is false.” BONDI PUTS SANCTUARY CITIES NATIONWIDE ON NOTICE AFTER DC POLICE FEDERAL TAKEOVER “ICE is legally allowed to lie to you, but you have the right to remain silent,” the mayor-elect said. “If you’re being detained, you may always ask, ‘Am I free to go?’ repeatedly until they answer you.” Mamdani also said that people are “legally allowed to film” ICE agents as long as they do not interfere with an arrest. “It is important to remain calm during any interaction with ICE or law enforcement. Do not impede their investigation, resist arrest or run,” he said. DHS DEMANDS LETITIA JAMES TAKE ACTION OVER NEW YORK’S REFUSAL TO HONOR ICE DETAINERS Mamdani closed by emphasizing New Yorkers’ constitutional right to protest. “New Yorkers have a constitutional right to protest, and when I’m mayor, we will protect that right,” he said. “New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters.” The video comes more than two weeks after the mayor-elect met with President Donald Trump, appearing to forge a new path in their relationship as they found common ground on affordability issues and improving conditions in New York. Despite that meeting, Mamdani reaffirmed New York’s status as a sanctuary city during a speech at a church in the Bronx. “I shared with the president directly that New Yorkers want to follow the laws of our city, and the laws of our city say that, in our sanctuary city policies, city government can be in touch with the federal government on around 170 serious crimes,” Mamdani said last month. “The concern comes from beyond those crimes, the many New Yorkers who are being arrested, they’re being detained, they’re being deported for the crime of making a regular court appearance.” “My focus as the next mayor of this city is going to be to protect immigrants who call this city their home,” the mayor-elect added.
Congress unveils $900B defense bill targeting China with tech bans, investment crackdown, US troop pay raise
Congress released a $900 billion defense bill that reshapes U.S. economic and military competition with China by imposing new investment restrictions, banning a range of Chinese-made technologies from Pentagon supply chains, and expanding diplomatic and intelligence efforts to track Beijing’s global footprint. The legislation, which authorizes War Department spending at $8 billion above the White House’s request, includes a 4% pay raise for enlisted service members, expands counter-drone authorities, and directs new investments in the Golden Dome missile defense shield and nuclear modernization programs. It also extends Pentagon support to law enforcement operations at the southwest border and strengthens U.S. posture in the Indo-Pacific, including funding for Taiwan’s security cooperation program. In a victory for conservative privacy hawks like House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the legislation includes a non-defense provision that would mandate FBI disclosure when the bureau was investigating presidential candidates and other candidates for federal office. That measure was the subject of party in-fighting last week when Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., whom Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had appointed chairwoman of House GOP leadership, publicly accused the speaker of kowtowing to Democrats and allowing that provision to be removed. WAR DEPARTMENT REFOCUSES ON AI, HYPERSONICS AND DIRECTED ENERGY IN MAJOR STRATEGY OVERHAUL Johnson said he was blindsided by Stefanik’s anger and was unaware of her concerns when she had made them public. Stefanik later claimed victory on X, stating the provision had been reinstated after a conversation between herself, Johnson and President Donald Trump. Coverage of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for military families, which became a flashpoint in recent days, is not included in the final NDAA. Neither are provisions preempting states from regulating AI or banning a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC). Republicans have pushed the CBDC prohibition as a privacy and civil-liberties measure, arguing that a government-issued digital dollar could give federal agencies the ability to monitor or restrict individual transactions. House aides said the anti-CBDC language became tied to a separate housing-policy package known as “Road to Housing,” and the concessions required to keep both items together were unacceptable. The bill also establishes a new “Artificial Intelligence Futures Steering Committee” charged with producing long-range forecasts and policy recommendations for advanced AI systems, including artificial general intelligence. The legislation takes aim at long-standing bottlenecks in the defense industrial base by authorizing new investment tools, expanding multi-year procurement for high-demand munitions and platforms, and overhauling portions of the acquisition system to speed the fielding of commercial and emerging technologies. Alongside those reforms, lawmakers approved new “right-to-repair” style requirements that force contractors to provide the technical data the Pentagon needs to maintain and sustain major weapons systems—a change intended to reduce vendor lock-in and ease chronic maintenance delays across the fleet. One major section of the bill establishes a far-reaching outbound investment screening system, requiring U.S. companies and investors to alert the Treasury Department when they back certain high-risk technologies in China or other “countries of concern.” The measure gives Treasury the ability to block deals outright, forces detailed annual reporting to Congress, and grants new authorities to sanction foreign firms tied to China’s military or surveillance networks. Lawmakers cast the effort as a long-overdue step to keep U.S. capital from fueling Beijing’s development of dual-use technologies. US COULD LOSE NEXT MAJOR WAR DUE TO PENTAGON’S ‘BROKEN’ ACQUISITION SYSTEM The bill also includes a procurement ban targeting biotechnology providers that would bar the Pentagon from contracting with Chinese genetic sequencing and biotech firms linked to the People’s Liberation Army or China’s security services. Additional sourcing prohibitions restrict the War Department from purchasing items such as advanced batteries, photovoltaic components, computer displays, and critical minerals originating from foreign entities of concern, further tightening U.S. supply chains away from China. They also require the department to phase out the use of Chinese-made computers, printers and other tech equipment. Beyond economic measures, the NDAA directs the State Department to deploy a new cadre of Regional China Officers at U.S. diplomatic posts around the world, responsible for monitoring Chinese commercial, technological, and infrastructure activities across every major geographic region, including Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. The NDAA contains several Israel-related provisions, including a directive for the Pentagon to avoid participating in international defense exhibitions that bar Israeli involvement. It authorizes funding for Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow – the missile defense programs the U.S. operates with Israel. The bill also requires biennial reports comparing China’s global diplomatic presence to that of the United States. The Pentagon is separately directed to strengthen U.S. posture in the Indo-Pacific by extending the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and expanding cooperative training and industrial-base initiatives with regional allies, including Taiwan and the Philippines. The legislation reauthorizes the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative at $400 million per year for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Congress will also require more frequent reporting on allied contributions to Ukraine to track how European partners support Kyiv. The bill repeals two long-dormant war authorizations tied to earlier phases of U.S. military involvement in Iraq, while leaving the primary post-9/11 counterterrorism authority untouched. Lawmakers said the final text includes repeals of the 1991 Gulf War AUMF and the 2002 Iraq War AUMF, both of which successive administrations have said are no longer operationally necessary. The 1991 authorization approved the U.S.-led effort to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait, and the 2002 authority permitted the invasion of Iraq under President George W. Bush. Both parties have debated winding down these authorizations for years, arguing they no longer reflect current U.S. missions in the Middle East. Presidents from both parties, including Trump, have maintained that modern military operations in the region do not rely on either statute and that the commander in chief already holds sufficient Article II authority to defend U.S. personnel when required. Repeal also answers long-running concerns in Congress about outdated war authorities being used as secondary legal justifications for actions far from their original intent, such as the 2020 strike on Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The NDAA does not
Trump adds his birthday as free national park day while axing MLK Day and Juneteenth
The Trump administration is reshaping when Americans can enter national parks for free – adding President Donald Trump’s birthday as a fee-free day while eliminating Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth in a move already drawing criticism from civil rights leaders. Although presidents often revise the list, the changes are sparking criticism from civil rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers who say the removals undercut holidays that honor Black Americans’ history and contributions. The shift in free-entry days marks a notable break from the 2025 calendar, which leaned heavily on long-established public lands celebrations and civil rights observances. This year’s lineup included Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, National Public Lands Day, and the kickoff to National Park Week – all of which disappear under the 2026 schedule. TOP TRUMP DEPARTMENT ROLLS OUT CHRISTMAS TREE SAVINGS PLAN: ‘MAKING THIS SEASON BRIGHTER’ In their place, the Trump administration has added a slate of historically themed or presidentially-aligned dates. President Donald Trump’s birthday – which also happens to be Flag Day – on June 14 becomes a fee-free day for the first time, as do Constitution Day, the 110th anniversary of the National Park Service, and the birthday of Theodore Roosevelt. The agency is also shifting some observances to federal holidays with broader national recognition, including Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day and a three-day Independence Day weekend. YOSEMITE RANGERS BUST OUTLAW JUMPERS OFF EL CAP — ZERO TOLERANCE, SHUTDOWN OR NOT Veterans Day remains the lone date carried over from both years, underscoring how dramatically the free-day calendar is being remade heading into 2026. FOX 5 in DC reported that some civil rights leaders have voiced opposition to the changes. National Parks Conservation Association spokesperson Kristen Brengel told the station that the elimination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is concerning, adding that the day had become a popular day of service for community groups that use it to conduct volunteer projects at the parks. SQUATTERS TAKE OVER YOSEMITE AS SHUTDOWN LEAVES POPULAR NATIONAL PARK WITH FEW RANGERS: REPORT Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., also weighed in on the changes in a post on X on Friday. “Let’s be clear here: both MLK Jr. Day and Juneteenth were free entry days last year,” she wrote. “The President didn’t just add his own birthday to the list, he removed both of these holidays that mark Black Americans’ struggle for civil rights and freedom. Our country deserves better.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House regarding the changes. AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS ARE AT A CROSSROADS. HERE’S HOW CONGRESS CAN PROTECT THEM The Department of Interior is pairing the new free-day schedule with a broader overhaul of how visitors access national parks beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The agency is rolling out fully digital America the Beautiful passes – including annual, military, senior, fourth-grade and access passes – that can be purchased and displayed on mobile devices through Recreation.gov. Visitors will be able to activate passes instantly and still link them to physical cards if needed. Officials say updated validation tools and new training for park staff are intended to speed up entrance lines and simplify visitor experiences across the system. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ANNOUNCES IT WILL RESTORE, REINSTATE STATUE HONORING CONFEDERATE GENERAL ALBERT PIKE “President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said. “These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations.” The department is also refreshing annual pass designs with new patriotic artwork that will appear on both digital and physical versions. Alongside the digital rollout, the administration announced it is shifting its fee structure to emphasize lower costs for U.S. residents and higher prices for international visitors. The annual pass will remain $80 for Americans but jump to $250 for nonresidents. Foreign visitors who do not hold a pass will pay an added $100 per person at 11 of the most visited national parks. The agency is also broadening access for motorcycle riders by allowing all America the Beautiful passes to cover two motorcycles instead of one. Interior officials say the increased revenue from higher nonresident fees will be directed toward facility upgrades, maintenance projects, and visitor services across the park system.
In Texas cattle country, one rancher welcomes Trump’s focus on decades of thin margins
LA GRANGE, TEXAS — Along the bends of Highway 71, a string of steady Texas towns dot the wind-swept pastures. It’s here where most folks earn a living with their hands, wear dust on their boots, sun on their skin and easy smiles on their faces. This is the soft edge of the Hill Country, where limestone gives way to red dirt and family ranches stitch the land together. Folks here haul their own hay, do things right the first time and don’t wait for daylight to start the day. Among those who know the grind is Cole Bolton, owner of K&C Cattle Company, who welcomes the Trump administration’s renewed focus on the razor-thin margins ranchers have endured for years. “What the real issue is, is the price differential between the big four packers and what they’re paying us for the product,” Bolton told Fox News Digital. Known as the “big four,” Tyson, JBS, Cargill and National Beef anchor the U.S. beef supply chain, commanding pricing power that reaches from pasture to plate. Combined, the packing titans process about 85% of the grain-fattened cattle that become steaks, roasts and other supermarket cuts. AMERICA’S SMALLEST CATTLE HERD IN 70 YEARS MEANS REBUILDING WILL TAKE YEARS AND BEEF PRICES COULD STAY HIGH And those margins, Bolton said, have been squeezed for decades. “Ranchers have dealt with such thin margins of profitability for the last 20 years.” It’s the kind of sustained financial strain that federal officials say could signal deeper problems in the supply chain. The revelation comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing food supply chain security task forces within the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to address risks from price fixing and anti-competitive behavior. TRUMP’S BEEF IMPORT PLAN IGNORES KEY ISSUE SQUEEZING AMERICAN CATTLE RANCHERS “My administration will act to determine whether anti-competitive behavior, especially by foreign-controlled companies, increases the cost of living for Americans and address any associated national security threat to food supply chains,” Trump said in the order released on Saturday. According to the order, the attorney general and the FTC chairman may bring enforcement actions or propose new regulatory measures if the investigation uncovers anti-competitive behavior. In a related move, the Trump administration called on the Justice Department to investigate the major meatpacking companies, accusing them of driving up beef prices through “illicit collusion, price fixing and price manipulation.” The probe did not identify any targets. BEEF PRICES ARE CLOSE TO RECORD HIGHS — BUT AMERICANS AREN’T CUTTING BACK Meanwhile, beef prices have climbed to record highs. According to USDA data, the average price of beef in grocery stores climbed from about $8.40 per pound in March to $9.18 per pound by August 2025, a roughly 9% increase over that period. Despite that rise, beef demand continues to hit new highs. But that strong appetite comes as ranchers are contending with the smallest U.S. cattle herd in 70 years. Years of punishing drought, rising costs and an aging ranching workforce have thinned herds across the country. Ranchers and agricultural economists alike say rebuilding will take years, and beef prices aren’t likely to ease anytime soon. “I think it’s going to take a while to fix this crisis that we’re in with the cattle shortage. My message to consumers is simple: Folks, be patient. We’ve got to build back our herds,” Bolton told Fox News Digital. He noted that the cattle industry has weathered one setback after another, from market turmoil to extreme conditions, over the past five years.
Newsom team torched for image posted in response to mocking of gov’s ‘testicle-crushing’ sitting pose
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office responded to a New York Post article mocking his “testicle-crushing” sitting pose with a photo of the politician in an exaggerated, contorted position that quickly went viral. “Democracy requires flexibility,” Newsom’s office wrote in the post accompanying the image. HALLE BERRY STUNS CROWD BY CRITICIZING GAVIN NEWSOM, SAYS HE ‘PROBABLY SHOULD NOT BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT’ The California governor had been ridiculed online after video from his appearance at The New York Times DealBook Summit on Wednesday showed him sitting with his legs tightly crossed, prompting a wave of joking commentary on social media. “I have never seen a man crush his testicles harder than this dude,” said one user. LIBERAL COMEDIAN HAS HAD ENOUGH OF NEWSOM’S TRUMP-LIKE TWITTER ANTICS The press office’s exaggerated photo sparked another round of memes and quips from users, questioning whether the governor’s team had actually meant to post it. “They… Posted this?” one man wrote. “Gavin illustrating his taxation policy on your average California residence,” said another user. “What the. When they say ‘the Left can’t meme,’ they’re really not kidding,” another man chimed in. Newsom himself responded to the viral photo, writing on X, “WOW!”
Democrats escalate war-crime accusations as White House calls ‘innocent fisherman’ the new ‘Maryland Man’ hoax
Democrat lawmakers are increasingly turning up the heat on the Trump administration over its series of military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean since September, most recently focusing on alleged drug runners who survived an initial strike and were killed by a follow-up. “If the reports are true, [Secretary of War] Pete Hegseth likely committed a war crime when he gave an illegal order that led to the killing of incapacitated survivors of the U.S. strike in the Caribbean,” Nevada Democrat Sen. Sen. Jacky Rosen said in a statement earlier in December of strikes that killed suspected traffickers. The White House told Fox News Digital on Friday that the Democrat criticism echoes the “Maryland Man” hoax, referring to the arrest of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an accused MS-13 gang member who was illegally residing in Maryland. Abrego Garcia received an outpouring of support from Democrat lawmakers in March over his deportation to El Salvador, with lawmakers traveling to El Salvador to meet with him, and media outlets describing him as a “Maryland man.” EXPERT REVEALS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR TRUMP TO DEPLOY TROOPS TO VENEZUELA: ‘POSSIBILITY OF ESCALATION’ “’Innocent fisherman’ is the new ‘Maryland Man’ hoax – just like the media tried to paint MS-13 human smuggler Kilmar Abrego Garcia as ‘father of the year,’ they are now running cover for foreign terrorists smuggling deadly narcotics intended to murder Americans. President Trump is using every element of American power to take on the cartels and stop deadly drugs from flooding into our country – just like he promised on the campaign trail,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Fox Digital. Trump has long vowed to take on the ongoing opioid epidemic and stop foreign drugs and precursor chemicals from flowing into the U.S. The administration has defended the at least 22 strikes, which have killed dozens of suspected drug criminals, on suspected narco-boats as protecting the U.S. from cartels looking to “poison Americans.” “These narco-terrorists are bringing drugs to our shores to poison Americans at home – and they will not succeed,” Hegseth wrote in a post on X in November. “The Department will treat them EXACTLY how we treated Al-Qaeda. We will continue to track them, map them, hunt them, and kill them.” Democrats have increasingly taken issue with a pair of strikes on Sept. 2 against an alleged drug boat from Venezuela. The White House confirmed the military carried out an initial strike on the boat before firing off a second that killed two suspected traffickers, sparking Democrats to claim the administration committed potential war crimes. “You have two individuals in clear distress, without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel, who were killed by the United States,” Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters earlier in December of the strikes. While Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly shot back, “Going after survivors in the water, that is clearly not lawful.” Fox News Digital reached out to Kelly’s and Himes’ respective offices for comment on the White House statement and the opioid epidemic in the U.S., but did not immediately receive replies. Rosen’s office told Fox News Digital on Friday in response: “If Donald Trump is serious about fighting drug smuggling, why did he pardon the former President of Honduras who was convicted for smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States? And why did the Trump Administration threaten to cut millions of dollars in funding to address the opioid epidemic? The American people deserve to know.” Republicans such as Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, remarked that video of the survivors allegedly showed individuals who wanted to “stay in the fight.” “I saw two survivors trying to flip a boat, loaded with drugs bound for the United States, back over so they could stay in the fight,” Cotton said. Morgan Murphy, an Alabama Republican Senate candidate, told Fox News Digital that he’s seeing “utter hypocrisy from a party of theater kids who just don’t care about the lives being lost to the drug trade” when asked about Democrats sounding off about the strikes. “For nearly a decade, Democrats lauded President Obama as the ‘Prince of Peace,’ even though his bomb strikes in Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia killed hundreds of civilians. None of those countries were at war with the United States or targeted American civilians,” Murphy said, referring to how former President Barack Obama faced war-crimes accusations from critics over his administration’s drone strikes and civilian casualties in countries like Pakistan, Yemen and Afghanistan. Murphy served as the head of public diplomacy for the president’s special envoy to Russia and Ukraine in the Trump administration before launching his Senate campaign earlier in the fall. He is a captain in the U.S. Navy Reserves, as well as a veteran of the Afghanistan war, where he was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, among others. “But when President Trump pushes his own effort to stop human smugglers and drug dealers who have done untold harm and killed millions of Americans, they want to place the president and secretary of war on a show trial,” he said. CAPITOL HILL REVOLT THREATENS TRUMP’S VENEZUELA PLAYBOOK AMID CARIBBEAN STRIKE OVERSIGHT The Trump administration launched the strikes after the president campaigned to end the flow of narcotics into the U.S. from nations such as China, Mexico and Central and South America. The Trump administration turned its attention toward Venezuela, which is led by dictatorial president Nicolás Maduro, saying the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels after the groups evolved into transnational terror organizations. The administration has defended the strikes as necessary to curb the flow of opioid deaths in the U.S., while experts have also said the pressure campaign on Venezuela is likely aimed to also oust Maduro as leader of the oil-rich nation. HEGSETH DID NOT ISSUE ‘KILL THEM ALL’ ORDER DURING VENEZUELA STRIKES, ADMIRAL TELLS
Congress faces holiday crunch as health care fix collides with shrinking calendar
Congress has been back after the week-plus Thanksgiving Day break. And days are slipping off the calendar as lawmakers struggle to assemble a plan to address health care or defray the cost of spiking premiums. The deadline is the end of the calendar year. But Fox is told that the insurance companies just need action by Jan. 15. Still, that doesn’t give Congress much time to act. And, depending on the metric, the House is only scheduled to meet for nine days for the rest of 2025. The Senate is not as clear, but, unofficially, the Senate will only meet for nine more days as well. GOP WRESTLES WITH OBAMACARE FIX AS TRUMP LOOMS OVER SUBSIDY FIGHT The House is scheduled to be in Tuesday through Friday. Then Dec. 15 through Dec. 19. The Senate meets Monday. But it’s unclear if the Senate would meet Friday. The Senate also meets Dec. 15 through at least Dec. 18. But anything beyond that is a little sketchy. CONGRESS RACES AGAINST 3-WEEK DEADLINE TO TACKLE MASSIVE YEAR-END LEGISLATIVE AGENDA However, this is where things get interesting. The House originally was not scheduled to meet Dec. 19. But that date was added to the schedule a few weeks ago. Some would interpret that added date as “code” for the possibility that the House may need to be in town the weekend of Dec. 20 to Dec. 21, and perhaps beyond. There is a possibility that the House could add days to the calendar around that period because Christmas Day isn’t until that Thursday. DEMS PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS TO KEEP OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES FIGHT ALIVE AFTER VOTE TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT So, in theory, the House has a few extra days at its disposal to address issues before Dec.25. It would be a different matter if Christmas itself fell on say a Monday or Tuesday. So let me fillet the meaning of this. House Republicans are aiming to release a health care plan in the coming days. But developing a coalition to support such a package — without bipartisan support and full-throated support from President Donald Trump — likely stymies any health care package. CONGRESS MELTS DOWN: MEMBERS UNLEASH PERSONAL ATTACKS AFTER WEEKS OF SHUTDOWN DRAMA Keep in mind, Republicans have talked about an alternative plan to Obamacare since 2009, but have never passed anything. So, it’s truly hard to believe they can pass anything in the next 26 days. The Senate is expected to take votes related to competing health care plans late next week. The GOP offering is still unclear. Senate Democrats just unveiled a three-year extension of the current Obamacare subsidies. Any bill needs 60 yeas. So expect the Democrats’ plan to die immediately. OBAMACARE STICKER SHOCK: THREE FACTORS PUSHING PREMIUMS TO RECORD HIGHS Frankly, it’s likely that the failure of both plans in the Senate makes everyone get serious. Often in the Senate, something must first fail until the sides get serious about a compromise and begin to hustle. That takes us back to the calendar. Thus, with the deadline of skyrocketing health care premiums, it’s possible that Congress races up to and/or through the holidays to pass some sort of a health care fix before the end of 2025. That’s why that weekend and days between Dec. 20 and Dec. 23, which are not on the congressional calendar, could be prime targets for Congress to work to pass something. HOUSE GOP SPLITS OVER OBAMACARE FIX AS COSTS POISED TO SPIKE FOR MILLIONS That’s to say nothing of Congress returning after Christmas and trying to approve something before or around the New Year. Both bodies are technically slated to return to session Jan. 5. And don’t forget, that the Senate passed its version of the original Obamacare plan just after dawn on Christmas Eve morning, 2009. BIPARTISAN DEAL ON OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES FADES AS REPUBLICANS PUSH HSA PLAN Also lurking in the background: spending bills to fund the government. Government funding expires at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 30. Nine of the 12 annual spending bills for Fiscal Year 2026 remain unfinished. The House expects to tackle a few bills before the end of the year. But if Congress fails to address anything on health care before the end of January, the probability of another government shutdown increases exponentially. So, I bid you “tidings of comfort and joy.”
Republicans divided over whether to salvage Obamacare — or replace it — ahead of subsidy deadline
Republicans across the board harbor deep frustrations with the rising costs of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. But while some lawmakers believe it’s time to scrap the system, others fear a wholesale change may do more harm than good. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., said she struggles to imagine what that change would have to look like. “I don’t know that you can completely remove it,” Hageman said. “We have to have stability and certainty in the market.” SCALISE ANNOUNCES GOP HEALTHCARE OVERHAUL COMING IN ‘NEXT FEW WEEKS’ AMID BATTLE OVER EXPIRING SUBSIDIES Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, agrees with Hageman. “It’s not going away anytime soon. I think there are some parts of the Obamacare policies that are positive,” Kennedy said. “I don’t think people want to see [it] go away. But there are ways to reform this, and it’s not just sending more money to insurance companies.” On the other hand, lawmakers like Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., had a quick answer ready for whether Republicans should consider finding an alternative. “Well, yeah! Obamacare is a failure,” Fine said. “That much is very clear.” “Borrowing money from your kids and grandkids to hide what something actually costs doesn’t lower costs. That’s just lying about what they are. I don’t think we have a choice because if we stay on the Obamacare path, we will bankrupt the country.” Amid other healthcare-related questions, the GOP’s divisions over Obamacare come as Republicans consider whether to extend COVID-era emergency Obamacare subsidies or let the assistance expire at the end of the month. Republicans concerned about the country’s fiscal picture hope the elimination of the federal assistance will help bring the country closer to its pre-COVID spending levels. Democrats, by contrast, worry that letting the subsidies expire could leave 90% of the 24 million Obamacare enrollees with higher premiums overnight. REPUBLICAN PITCHES HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS ‘ON STEROIDS’ THAT AMERICANS COULD USE TO BUY INSURANCE — AND STEAK According to the Committee on a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal policy think tank, continuing the subsidies could cost upwards of $30 billion a year. As a part of those conversations, Republicans have explored how they can reform Obamacare to make it more affordable. To Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., the change can’t be marginal. “I would say we can’t be tinkering around the edges here. Like if we tinker, we’re really not gonna fix this problem,” Burlison said. In some ways, Burlison believes replacing Obamacare shouldn’t be the focus of the GOP. By creating a better alternative, he believes Republicans can encourage policyholders to walk away from Obamacare voluntarily. “I think we need to do a new option and introduce that. And honestly, I think that this option will be so great no one will want to be in Obamacare anymore,” Burlison said. SCHUMER UNVEILS DEMOCRATS’ OBAMACARE FIX PLAN, LIKELY DEAD IN THE WATER Other Republicans would like to explore more substantive reforms — perhaps even scrap the program — but are skeptical of large-scale change in the face of current political realities. “The question is, can you pass it? Sixty votes in the Senate. Not gonna happen. That’s just not realistic. So, let’s talk about things we can pass,” Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., said when asked about whether Republicans should be looking for an alternative. To advance most legislation, Senate Republicans need 60 votes. They hold just 53 seats in the chamber. Instead, McCormick believes Republicans can make changes that make the healthcare space more competitive to drive down costs — even if Obamacare remains in place. “The reason that you have a competitive market in non-insured products such as LASIK eye surgery, which now is about the same as it was 40 years ago, 50 years ago. Why? Because it’s competitive. Even despite all the inflationary costs to everything else, it didn’t increase. Because we have better competition, because it’s not paid for by insurance,” McCormick said. “When insurance gets involved, when government gets involved, it becomes more expensive by design,” McCormick said.
Judge rules evidence linked to James Comey’s ally is off limits to DOJ
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled that certain evidence linked to an ally of former FBI Director James Comey is off limits to the Justice Department in its efforts to prosecute the ex-director. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the DOJ may not use information pertaining to Daniel Richman. “Upon consideration of Petitioner Daniel Richman’s Motion for Temporary Restraining Order, the relevant legal authority, and the entire present record, the Court concludes that Petitioner Richman is entitled to a narrow temporary restraining order to preserve the status quo while the Court evaluates his Motion for Return of Property and awaits full briefing and argument from the parties,” the ruling reads. The facts “weigh in favor of entering a prompt, temporary order to preserve the status quo now, before the Government has filed a response,” it added.
EXCLUSIVE: Trump-led Kennedy Center nearly doubles fundraising from Biden era, smashing record with $23M haul
EXCLUSIVE: The Kennedy Center Honors has raised a record $23 million for its 48th annual celebration, nearly doubling the $12.7 million raised last year under President Biden, as President Donald Trump begins his tenure as chairman of the Kennedy Center, Fox News Digital has learned. According to the Kennedy Center, the $23 million total marks the largest fundraising haul in the 48-year history of the Honors, which was launched in 1978 as the institution’s highest recognition of lifetime artistic achievement. While Kennedy Center Honorees have visited the Oval Office privately in past years, Trump on Saturday hosted the first official, on-camera ceremony recognizing the recipients inside the Oval Office, introducing each honoree ahead of Sunday night’s gala. Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell told Fox News Digital that the center “nearly doubled last year’s fundraising, reaching a historic $23 million dollars,” calling the Honors “one of our nation’s highest celebrations of the performing arts.” Trump’s expanded role as chairman and his direct involvement in the weekend’s events, officials say, have contributed to what they describe as “intense interest and momentum” around the program. TRUMP TOUTS 2026 WORLD CUP DRAW SUCCESS, CLAIMS MASSIVE VIEWERSHIP Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, told Fox News Digital the new benchmark reflects unprecedented donor enthusiasm. “The record-breaking $23 million in contributions to the Kennedy Center Honors is a testament to the extraordinary support for our mission and affirms a vibrant future for this beloved American institution,” she said. During Saturday evening’s Oval Office ceremony, a first in Honors history, Trump personally introduced each of the 2025 honorees. “Great honor,” he began. “And I’m delighted to welcome to the Oval Office… our truly exceptional 2025 Kennedy Center honorees.” He went on to call the group “perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled.” This year’s recipients include George Strait, members of the rock band KISS — Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley (posthumous) — Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor and Sylvester Stallone. Trump singled out each in turn, praising Strait as a “country music legend,” Crawford as a “great star of Broadway,” Gaynor as “the disco queen,” Stallone as “one of the true great movie stars,” and KISS as “the incredible rock band.” KENNEDY CENTER BOARD MEMBER SAYS FAMILIES ARE ‘WELCOME’ AGAIN AS GALA BREAKS FUNDRAISING RECORDS Trump also unveiled the Honors’ new medallions, redesigned and donated by Tiffany & Co. “We will be presenting this year with the Kennedy Center Honors medallions, which will be designed this year with the help of the fantastic team at Tiffany and Company,” he said. The new medallion features a gold disc etched with an image of the Kennedy Center, flanked by rainbow colors representing the breadth of art disciplines celebrated by the Honors. The reverse side includes each honoree’s name in script above the date of the 2025 Medallion Ceremony, and the medallion hangs from a navy-blue ribbon “associated with dignity and tradition,” according to the institution’s description. The honorees will be formally recognized Sunday evening during a star-studded celebration at the Kennedy Center following a State Department reception, which Trump noted “was never done before” because “we never had a president hosting the awards before. This is the first.” This year’s class spans five decades of American cultural achievement. Strait, known as the “King of Country Music,” holds more than 100 million RIAA certifications and remains the only artist to chart a Top 10 hit every year for more than thirty years. KISS has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and remains one of America’s most enduring rock groups. Crawford is internationally known for originating the title role in “The Phantom of the Opera.” Gaynor has achieved global stardom across five decades and is a two-time Grammy winner. Stallone, an Academy Award–nominated actor, writer and director, has shaped generations of filmgoers through the “Rocky” and “Rambo” franchises. NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TO OPEN ALL OF ITS KENNEDY CENTER SHOWS WITH THE NATIONAL ANTHEM The Kennedy Center itself, founded in 1971 as the national living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, hosts more than 2,000 performances each year. The Honors began in 1978 and have become a defining fixture of Washington’s cultural calendar. Trump also highlighted ongoing renovations to the Kennedy Center building, which he said are being carried out “at a level that nobody’s ever seen before,” noting congressional funding for major upgrades — including improvements to acoustics. “The sound is so fantastic,” he said. “If it’s built with bad sound, you never get it fixed.” The 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors will air Dec. 23 on CBS and will stream on Paramount+, with live access for Premium subscribers and next-day streaming for Essential subscribers. Officials say the weekend’s events, from the FIFA World Cup draw to the Oval Office reception to Sunday’s gala, reflect a new chapter for the institution as it enters its first full year under Trump’s leadership and prepares for the next phase of renovations, programming, and donor expansion.