Trump News for Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Billionaire Jared Isaacman confirmed as new head of NASA

Emma Roth, The Verge

The Senate confirmed Jared Isaacman's appointment as the head of NASA on Wednesday, a decision that comes just months after President Donald Trump pulled his nomination before picking him yet again in November, as reported earlier by CNBC. Isaacman, the found…

Trump to address nation on 1st year in office, 2026 agenda

Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News

President Donald Trump will address the nation on Wednesday night to reflect on his first year in office and preview next year's agenda.

Trump Officials Celebrated With Cake After Slashing Aid. Then People Died of Cholera.

Anna Maria Barry-Jester, Brett Murphy, and Peter DiCampo, Techdirt

This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. The original has additional imagery which is worth checking out as well. On the one-month anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this year, a…

Dan Bongino says he's leaving as deputy FBI director in January

Meghan Mistry, Luke Barr, ABC News

Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino has been telling colleagues that he will likely leave in the new year, according to sources familiar with his thinking.

Dan Bongino stepping down as FBI deputy director

BBC News

The ex-podcast host "wants to go back to his show", President Trump said on Wednesday.

President Trump Claims He’s Been Declared Healthier Than Barack Obama By Former White House Doctor

Tyler McCarthy, Nationalenquirer.com

President Donald Trump made a bold claim about his health on Tuesday, December 16, during a White House event. Speaking at the Hanukkah reception at the...

Live: Trump to highlight achievements amid Venezuela, economic tensions

Ali Harb, Brian Osgood, Al Jazeera English

Trump is also set to preview his 2026 priorities during Oval Office 'address to the nation'.

China sues after Missouri seeks to collect on $25 billion court judgement, prosecutor says

HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Yahoo Entertainment

Missouri's top prosecutor said China is suing after the state pressed federal officials for help collecting on a roughly $25 billion court judgment related...

Susie Wiles tells magazine Trump 'is in' Epstein files but not 'doing anything awful'

Rachel Scott, Isabella Murray, Justin Gomez, ABC News

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, in an interview published in Vanity Fair, said that President Trump "is in" the Epstein files but not "doing anything awful."

Trump administration seeks to ramp up denaturalization of some US citizens, New York Times reports

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The Trump administration intends to increase its efforts to strip some naturalized Americans of their U.S. citizenship, the...

WATCH: A rare glimpse of the dome-headed dinosaur fossil

ABC News

A remarkably complete skull of Pachycephalosaurus, a dinosaur famed for its domed head, will be on display at the National Museum of Natural History.

Brendan Carr doesn’t regret his threats to broadcasters

Lauren Feiner, The Verge

A defiant Brendan Carr testified before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday in his first public appearance before lawmakers since threatening broadcasters who aired comedian Jimmy Kimmel's show. Over the course of nearly three hours, the Federal Commun…

Trump aide Stephen Miller suggests Venezuelan oil belongs to US

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

White House deputy chief of staff says US 'created the oil industry in Venezuela' as tensions intensify with Caracas.

Latest 2028 Presidential Polls Suggest Surprising Shake-up May Be Incoming

Jason Faulkner, Mandatory

2028 is shaping up to be a heated race. The post Latest 2028 Presidential Polls Suggest Surprising Shake-up May Be Incoming appeared first on Mandatory.

The 6 biggest reveals from WBD's filing on why it rejected Paramount

Lucia Moses, Business Insider

A new filing says Paramount offered pay and a job to WBD CEO David Zaslav, and gives other takeaways from the bidding war.

Trump prosecutor Jack Smith defends record before Republican lawmakers

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Smith defends his decision to prosecute Trump for efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election.

Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell asks court to set aside her conviction

James Hill, Aaron Katersky, ABC News

Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell has asked a judge to vacate her sex-trafficking conviction -- a move that could complicate the release of the Epstein files.

Federal court says troops can stay in D.C., and hints at prolonged deployment

Kat Lonsdorf, NPR

A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. has ruled that National Guard troops can remain in the city for now. That decision comes after a different federal appeals court ruled that troops must leave Los Angeles earlier this week.

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels claim withdrawal from Uvira as peace talks struggle

RUTH ALONGA and WILSON MCMAKIN, Yahoo Entertainment

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels claimed to have begun a withdrawal from the city of Uvira in eastern Congo late Wednesday night, according the leader of the rebel...

America’s Dirtiest Carbon Polluters, Mapped to Ridiculous Precision

Ellyn Lapointe, Gizmodo.com

“The U.S. taxpayers have a right to this data.”

US Senate confirms Jared Isaacman as new NASA administrator

jdinner@space.com (Josh Dinner) , Josh Dinner, Space.com

More than a year after his initial nomination, the U.S. Senate has voted to confirm billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator.

Jared Isaacman Confirmed to Head NASA at Pivotal Moment for the Space Agency

Claire Cameron, Scientific American

Billionaire Jared Isaacman is taking the reins at NASA at a challenging time for the space agency, as it faces budget cuts and technical hurdles that could scuttle its most ambitious missions

US Senate passes $901bn defence bill

Caolán Magee, Al Jazeera English

Legislation reflects Democrats' efforts to seek tighter oversight of Trump administration's military action.

California threatens Tesla with 30-day suspension of sales license for deceptive self-driving claims

MICHAEL LIEDTKE, Yahoo Entertainment

California regulators are threatening to suspend Tesla's license to sell its electric cars in the state early next year unless the automaker tones down its...

FCC Chair Brendan Carr clashes with Democrats in Senate hearing

STEVEN PORTNOY, ABC News

Sen. Markey calls him "chairman of the 'Federal Censorship Commission.'"

‘Non-Political’ Creators Have Outsized Influence on Audience’s Politics, Study Finds

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

Measuring the Joe Rogan effect.

Twitch’s Controversial, Gambling-Heavy Rival Just Got An App On Xbox

Alyssa Mercante, Kotaku

Kick, the controversial streaming platform, announced a partnership with Xbox The post Twitch’s Controversial, Gambling-Heavy Rival Just Got An App On Xbox appeared first on Kotaku.

Trump to address the nation as his popularity dips in the face of economic concerns

Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR

The year-end speech will address his accomplishments so far and look ahead to next year

Meet the 4 Republicans who defied House Speaker Mike Johnson on ACA subsidies

MEG KINNARD, Yahoo Entertainment

Four moderate House Republicans — from swing districts Democrats are already eyeing for next year's midterms — have broken ranks with Speaker Mike Johnson...

ICE Ramps Up Deportation Efforts In Minneapolis After Trump Claims Somalians Are ‘Garbage’

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Trump was always going to target Minnesota and, specifically, the home of its most liberal residents, Minneapolis. Trump hates the state’s governor, Tim Walz. He also hates one of the state’s congressional reps, Ilhan Omar, who was born in Somalia. This is on…

The oil blockade threat creates anxiety in Venezuela but people stick to their daily lives

REGINA GARCIA CANO, Yahoo Entertainment

U.S. President Donald Trump is threating to blockade sanctioned oil tankers from Venezuela, a move that could devastate a country already wrangling with...

Senate passes $901 billion defense bill that pushes Hegseth for boat strike video

The Associated Press, NPR

The Senate has given final passage to the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which raises troop pay by 3.8%. It also pressures Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide lawmakers with video of strikes on alleged drug boats near Venezuela.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr Lucked Out That His Senate Hearing Is After The 'South Park' Finale

Keegan Kelly, Cracked.com

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are probably watching C-SPAN right now

Billionaire Ray Dalio joins Michael Dell to back Trump Accounts

Lakshmi Varanasi, Business Insider

Billionaire Ray Dalio and his wife said they would donate $250 to the Trump Accounts of about 300,000 children in Connecticut.

How, and why, I invented OnlyFans. In 2004

Samuel Agboøla, Themosthandsomemanintheworld.com

Sometimes having a multi-billion dollar idea a decade ahead of the competition is the problem. The story of how, and why, I managed not to become a billionaire after inventing "OnlyFans".

The Lumbee Tribe's federal recognition is assured, with a final push by Trump

GRAHAM LEE BREWER, Yahoo Entertainment

With the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act by the Senate on Wednesday, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is all but assured to become a...

Shock Dem has lead for first time over Republican JD Vance in 2028 prez poll

Tom Wrobleski, SILive.com

Survey suggests that the next White House race could be very competitive.

Billionaire Ray Dalio joins push to fund Trump Accounts, pledging $75 million to Connecticut kids

THALIA BEATY, Yahoo Entertainment

The U.S. Treasury asked major philanthropic donors to contribute to new investment accounts for children Wednesday as part of what Secretary Scott Bessent...

Warner Bros Discovery rejects Paramount’s hostile takeover bid

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Board's decision comes day after Affinity Partners, fund backed by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, pulled out of deal.

How to Watch Trump’s National Address Online Tonight

Oscar Hartzog, Rolling Stone

The president will give a live speech on Wednesday amid waning approval ratings. Here's where to livestream the address online

Is Trump about to wage war in Latin America?

Al Jazeera English

Fears are growing in Latin America over a US military build-up in the Caribbean, as Washington expands airstrikes.

Jimmy Wales trusts the process

Joshua Dzieza, The Verge

Wikipedia will be 25 years old in January. During that time, the encyclopedia has gone from a punchline about the unreliability of online information to the factual foundation of the web. The project's status as a trusted source of facts has made it a target …

Faced with Trump’s deportation push, US teachers fear leaving the classroom

Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan, Al Jazeera English

The US has increasingly looked abroad to fill teaching shortages. But some educators fear uncertainty under Trump.

The Misguided Temptation to Exaggerate Poverty

Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic

The misguided temptation to exaggerate poverty

Jack Smith defends Trump prosecutions in testimony to Congress

BBC News

The former US Special Counsel is facing questions about his two defunct criminal investigations into President Donald Trump.

Trump prosecutor Jack Smith defends probes in House testimony

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Jack Smith, the former U.S.

WATCH: Oscars reveal 2026 shortlist

ABC News

Ahead of nominations in January, The Academy Awards revealed the list of top movies set to be in the running for the 98th Oscars.

Trump will address the nation tonight. Here’s what to know

Nick Moyle, nj.com

The president's December 17 speech will air at 9 p.m. EST across all major networks as his administration confronts economic concerns and the Venezuela...

Susie Wiles: What top Trump aide said in her Vanity Fair interview

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

US president's chief of staff describes Trump as having 'alcoholic's personality' and calls Elon Musk 'odd, odd duck'.

Oil prices rise after 4-year low: What Trump has to do with it

Yahoo Finance Video, Yahoo Entertainment

Crude oil (CL=F, BZ=F) prices hit their lowest level since 2021 on Tuesday but have since rebounded during Wednesday's trading session. This comes as...

More than 10% of Congress won't return to their seats after 2026

Stephen Fowler, NPR

NPR is tracking the record number of congressional lawmakers – now more than one in ten current members – who have announced plans to retire or run for a different office in 2026.

Warner Bros. Urges Shareholders To Reject Paramount's Rival Bid For The Studio

Blair Marnell, GameSpot

The battle for Warner Bros. may be down to Netflix and Paramount, but the studio has a clear favorite. Earlier this month, Netflix bid $82.7 billion dollars for Warner Bros., jilting Paramount in the process. Paramount responded with a hostile takeover bid of…

Nato pledge to increase defence spending is Trump's biggest foreign policy success, Rutte tells BBC

BBC News

The Nato chief said Nato countries' pledge to spend 5% of GDP on defence is Donald Trump's "biggest foreign policy success".

Scientists Denounce Trump’s Plan to Kill Crucial Atmospheric Science Center

Andrea Thompson, Scientific American

The U.S. government is dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research, jettisoning key climate science projects in the process

Federal Government Sued By 16 States Over Trump's Decision To Pull EV Charger Programs

staff@jalopnik.com (Andy Kalmowitz), Jalopnik

A sizable chunk of U.S. states are suing the feds over President Trump's suspension of EV charging programs, and more.

Gracie Abrams Slams Donald Trump’s ‘Poisonous & Vile Narcissism’ After Rob Reiner’s Death

Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone

Gracie Abrams addressed Donald Trump's 'indefensible' mocking of Rob Reiner's death, as well as recent tragedies around the world, in a moving post.

The Pentagon is pushing for speed, but sloppy weapons testing is slowing it down, watchdog says

Chris Panella, Business Insider

The Defense Department wants troops to have new weapons quickly. But testing processes don't include the best ways to do that, a new report documents.

More and More Americans Can't Afford to Heat Their Homes in a Brutal Winter

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

With average heating costs rising almost 10% in the U.S. this winter, utility shut-offs are projected to dangerously surge as well.

Democrats Sound Like They’re in Doha

Daniel B. Shapiro, The Atlantic

My fellow liberals are wrong about Israel.

Opinion - China is furious over geopolitical changes in Latin America

Arturo McFields, opinion contributor, The Hill

The return of President Trump has reduced and reversed its powerful influence in the region.

Exclusive-How China built its ‘Manhattan Project’ to rival the West in AI chips

Fanny Potkin, Yahoo Entertainment

In a high-security Shenzhen laboratory, Chinese scientists have built what Washington has spent years trying to prevent: a prototype of a machine capable of ...

Federal judge signals he may side with Trump on White House ballroom project. Here’s why

Associated Press, Ap.org

A federal judge said Tuesday he’s leaning toward denying a preservationist group’s request to temporarily halt President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project, saying the organization failed to show that “irreparable harm” would be caused if the project…

US dramatically escalates air strikes on Somalia under Trump this year

Faisal Ali, Al Jazeera English

Tump's strike total on conflict-ridden East African nation exceeds Bush, Obama and Biden administrations combined.

The 14 Best TV Shows of 2025

Sophie Gilbert, Shirley Li, The Atlantic

The series that stood out in a year of noise

The Latest: Jack Smith set for private interview with lawmakers about Trump investigations

The Associated Press, Yahoo Entertainment

Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith is set for a closed-door interview with House Republicans on Wednesday after lawmakers rebuffed his...

WATCH: Polar bear mom adopts cub during migration

ABC News

A polar bear mom emerged from her den with one cub, but was later seen in Churchill, Manitoba, with two. Researchers say she likely adopted an abandoned cub, only the 13th case observed in 45 years.

Putin warns that Russia will seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if peace talks fail

The Associated Press, Yahoo Entertainment

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday that Moscow will seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies reject the Kremlin's...

Trump orders naval blockade targeting Venezuelan oil

Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump has ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.

Melania Trump Does 1 Thing in New Doc Trailer: Wear Black Sunglasses

Lauren Tousignant, Jezebel

The First Lady is once again lending her image to try and glamourwash an administration gutting reproductive rights and civil liberties.

WATCH: Tow truck driver arrested after allegedly towing car with child still inside

ABC News

The 4-year-old girl jumped out of the moving vehicle and sustained minor injuries, according to authorities.

Trump's economic approval at new low. And, Congress set to let ACA subsidies expire

Brittney Melton, NPR

A new NPR poll finds that President Trump's economic approval has hit a new low at 36%. And, Congress has two days to take action on health care subsidies.

'Boycotting the US': Economic blow from lack of Canadian tourists hits

Amanda Luberto, Arizona Republic, AZCentral

Canadian snowbirds usually pack Arizona this time of year. Due to Trump's insults, they're boycotting. Here's how it's affecting Arizona's economy.

Trump Issues Late-Night Threat to Arrest His Enemies

Yahoo Entertainment

WATCH: 'H-Town Frankie' spreads holiday cheer with wild lights, music

ABC News

One Texas dad is enjoying viral fame for his over-the-top Christmas light display.

Mr. President, You're Not Supposed to Admit We're Going to Steal Venezuela's Oil

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

Trump has so little respect for us, he doesn't even try to justify an invasion of Venezuela by pretending it's about anything other than oil.

Why a Critical Orca Community Is Slipping toward Extinction

Kendra Pierre-Louis, Kelso Harper, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura, Jeffery DelViscio, Scientific American

A scientist, a journalist and a remarkable scent‑detecting dog race to learn what’s endangering the last southern resident orcas

Why Are Democrats So Afraid to Even Mention the Source of Trump’s Political Power?

Dahlia Lithwick, Slate Magazine

We're not doing this country any favors by steering people away from the truth.

US economy flashes warning signs in new data, some analysts say

Max Zahn, ABC News

The unemployment rate remains low but rose to its highest level since 2021.

Amy Schumer Has 2nd Thoughts About Her Cool Girl Divorce Announcement

Lauren Tousignant, Jezebel

She deleted it.

US Readies New Russia Sanctions If Putin Rejects Peace Deal

Eric Martin, Kate Sullivan, Alberto Nardelli and Natalia Drozdiak, Yahoo Entertainment

The US is considering options, such as targeting vessels in Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to transport Moscow’s oil, as well as traders who...

Recent attacks have been 'inspired' by Islamic State. What does that mean?

Scott Neuman, NPR

A decade ago, the self-proclaimed Islamic State group held vast swaths of territory across Iraq and Syria, but President Trump declared it destroyed in 2019.

Trump Reportedly Pausing $40 Billion AI and Quantum Deal With UK

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

The President is allegedly leveraging the pause to push for looser food and online safety regulations in the UK

Troops are self-censoring and scrubbing social media amid a Pentagon crackdown on political speech

Sam Fellman, Business Insider

The Pentagon is policing troops' speech in ways experts call an "abuse." Some service members are self-censoring and scrambling to scrub social media.

Trump expands travel ban and restrictions to include an additional 20 countries

The Associated Press, NPR

The Trump administration announced Tuesday it was expanding travel restrictions to an additional 20 countries and the Palestinian Authority, doubling the number of nations affected by sweeping limits.

Japan's exports rise 6% in November as shipments to the US bounce back

ELAINE KURTENBACH, Yahoo Entertainment

Japan's exports climbed 6% in November from a year earlier, with shipments to the United States rising for the first time since March as uncertainties over...

Trump announces 'TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE' of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers

Michelle Stoddart, Luis Martinez, Matt Rivers, ABC News

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday what he called a "blockade" of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, ratcheting up American pressure on the Venezuelan regime.

Trump stands by chief of staff after shock remarks about Vance, Bondi, Musk

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

White House's Susie Wiles gives bombshell interview about US administration, including Trump's views on Putin, Ukraine.

Jared Kushner's Affinity is stepping away from the Paramount-Warner Bros. bid

Aditi Bharade,Lucia Moses, Business Insider

Kushner's private equity firm, Affinity Partners, is backing out of Paramount's $108 billion WBD bid.

Trump targets defense giants' shareholder payouts as cost overruns mount, sources say

By Joey Roulette and Mike Stone, Yahoo Entertainment

By Joey Roulette and Mike Stone WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is planning an executive order that would limit dividends, buybacks...

MetaX soars 700% in debut as China AI chips push lures investors

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

MetaX Integrated Circuits jumped 700% in its Shanghai market debut as the Chinese AI chipmaker tapped into strong momentum triggered by Beijing's push to...

FBI widens net in hunt for Brown University shooter

Gregory WALTON, Yahoo Entertainment

FBI experts on Tuesday combed through the vicinity of a weekend mass shooting that killed two students at the elite Brown University, as the hunt for the...

Marjorie Taylor Greene warns the ‘dam is breaking’ in the GOP and slams Trump for being tone deaf on multiple issues

Aleena Fayaz, CNN, CNN

GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Tuesday slammed President Donald Trump for his comments on the murders of Rob and Michele Reiner, as she predicted more...

Trump says orders blockade of 'sanctioned' Venezuela oil tankers

AFP, Yahoo Entertainment

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a blockade of "sanctioned oil vessels" heading to and leaving Venezuela, sharply escalating his pressure campaign...

WATCH: Video shows moment stolen Ferrari crashes into utility pole in Miami

ABC News

A driver in a stolen Ferrari crashed into a utility pole after being hit by a police cruiser, knocking out power to nearby buildings.

Trump orders blockade of sanctioned oil tankers in and out of Venezuela

BBC News

It comes a week after the US seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela and as the Trump administration increases pressure on the country's government.

Trump orders ‘total’ blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers

Lyndal Rowlands, Al Jazeera English

The order comes a week after the US military seized an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast.

US military build-up in Caribbean has shadows of the past - but differences are stark

BBC News

A look at the similarities and differences between the current US-Venezuela tensions and the 1989 invasion of Panama.

Trump team plans to break up ‘global mothership’ of climate science

Alexandra Witze, Nature.com

Much of the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s non-climate portfolio will be dispersed, the White House says.

Immunological sin: how a person’s earliest flu infections dictate life-long immunity

Amanda B. Keener, Nature.com

Researchers are striving to understand the impact a phenomenon known as original antigenic sin has on immunity to the virus.