Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released dozens of new photos and documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s private estate on Thursday.
They include images of passports, text messages and several photos that appear to show handwriting on a woman’s body. The writing seems to reference Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, a copy of which is visible in one of the photographs.
“We will continue releasing photographs and documents to provide transparency for the American people,” the Democrats said in a statement. “It’s time for the Department of Justice to release the files.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi is legally required to release the department’s files on Epstein by Friday. The deadline comes after Congress passed a bill to require the files release. President Donald Trump then signed the bill into law.
Trump has said the controversy surrounding Epstein is a “hoax” perpetuated by Democrats. When asked by reporters last week about recently released photos showing him and Epstein together, Trump said it was “no big deal.” Trump has distanced himself from Epstein and has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
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KEY POINTS
- Breaking News: Democrats release new Jeffrey Epstein photos as release deadline for all files looms
Breaking News: Democrats release new Jeffrey Epstein photos as release deadline for all files looms
17:24 , Brendan RasciusDemocrats on the House Oversight Committee released additional photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s private estate on Thursday.
Among the photos is a screenshot of a conversation in which an unnamed person wrote, “I will send u girls now.”
Democrats on the committee said they will continue releasing photos “to provide transparency for the American people.”
The Department of Justice is legally required to release its files on Epstein by Friday.
NEW: Oversight Dems are releasing additional photos from Jeffrey Epstein's estate to the public.
— Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) December 18, 2025
We will continue releasing photographs and documents to provide transparency for the American people. It’s time for the Department of Justice to release the files. pic.twitter.com/ZGAvxVLCUq
'Reprehensible:' New York attorney general reacts to Trump administration's restrictions on gender affirming care
17:12 , Brendan RasciusNew York Attorney General Letitia James characterized the Trump administration’s new restrictions on gender affirming care for minors as “reprehensible.”
“This president would rather target young people than lower costs or expand access to health care,” James said in a statement on Thursday. “It is reprehensible that our federal government is intent on hurting and isolating the adolescents it is supposed to protect. I will use every tool at my disposal to fight this proposal and protect transgender Americans and their families.”
DHS posts Christmas message: "Dear Illegal Aliens, fly home for the holidays!"
16:45 , Brendan RasciusThe Department of Homeland Security shared a Christmas message directed at illegal immigrants on Thursday.
“Dear Illegal Aliens, fly home for the holidays!” the agency wrote on X alongside a graphic that read, “Tis the season for mass deportations.”
Dear Illegal Aliens, fly home for the holidays! https://t.co/YGo3uuNvrE pic.twitter.com/quvV8gzla3
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) December 18, 2025
RFK Jr. announces restrictions on gender affirming care for minors
16:40 , Brendan RasciusSecretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a series of restrictions on gender affirming care for minors.
During a press conference on Thursday, Kennedy said he signed a declaration that says “sex-rejecting procedures are neither safe nor effective treatment for children with gender dysphoria.”
He also said that HHS will bar Medicare from funding “sex-rejecting procedures” and that gender dysphoria will be removed as a disability status.
“So called gender affirming care has inflicted lasting physical and psychological damage on vulnerable young people,” Kennedy said. “This is not medicine it is malpractice.”
White House says US would be ‘lucky’ to have Trump serve third term as it adds more fuel to the unconstitutional fire
16:37 , Brendan RasciusThe White House has said that the United States “would be lucky” to have President Donald Trump in office for “even longer,” despite the Constitution limiting him to two terms.
Over the last year, the president has floated the idea of running for a third term, riling up the media and opponents – though both he and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have also publicly acknowledged that legally he cannot.
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Trump’s former lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, gave the president a draft copy of a book that explored the constitutionality of a third-term president.
When asked if Trump would run a third term, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Axios: “There has never been an Administration that has accomplished as much in less than one year than the Trump Administration. The American people would be lucky to have President Trump in office for even longer."
Ariana Baio reports...
White House says US would be ‘lucky’ to have Trump serve third term
Trump says Susie Wiles made him deliver the primetime address
16:20 , Brendan RasciusPresident Donald Trump claimed Susie Wiles, his chief of staff, made him deliver Wednesday’s primetime address.
The president gave an 18-minute address to the nation, in which he blamed former President Joe Biden for the current economic woes, rising housing costs, and what he called a “colossal border invasion.” Now, after 11 months of the second Trump White House, he claimed, the U.S. has become the “hottest country anywhere in the world.”
Following the brief address, Trump told reporters that his chief of staff informed him he “had” to give the address.
Kelly Rissman reports...
Kamala Harris defends Biden decision not to release Epstein files
16:07 , Brendan RasciusFormer Vice President Kamala Harris said that the Biden administration acted properly in not pressuring the Department of Justice to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein.
“We strongly and rightly believed that there should be an absolute separation between what we wanted as an administration and what the Department of Justice did,” Harris told late night host Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday evening. “We absolutely adhered to that, and it was right to do that.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi is legally required to release the DOJ’s files on Epstein by Friday.
Gas prices drop below $2.90 for the first time in more than four years
15:52 , Brendan RasciusAmerican consumers continue to catch a break at the gas pump with roadside assistance company AAA reporting Thursday that the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.896.
The average dipped below $2.90 for the first time in more than four years, punctuating what has been a steady decline in prices over the past month. Deriv.com contributor and CEO of financial education site First Information Vince Stanzione said the president’s push for lower gas prices and the global oil supply are helping ease prices across the country.
J.R. Duren reports...
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Gas prices drop below $2.90 for the first time in more than four years
'Completely disconnected from reality:' Schumer reacts to Trump's primetime address
15:37 , Brendan RasciusSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reacted to President Trump’s primetime address, claiming he is “completely disconnected from reality.”
“Trump’s speech last night showed he lives in a bubble completely disconnected from the reality everyday Americans are seeing and feeling,” the New York Democrat wrote on X on Thursday. “People are feeling squeezed harder and harder every day and last night Donald Trump took a victory lap.”
Transportation secretary says it will be safe to fly this holiday season
15:20 , Brendan RasciusTransportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it will be safe to fly this holiday season, though he warned there could be some disruptions and encouraged Americans to “pack their best attitudes.”
“As we look to the Christmas season, yes it’s going to be safe to fly,” Duffy said on Fox News on Thursday morning.
“The problem we always have during Christmas and Thanksgiving is a lot of people fly,” he added. “Oftentimes we get weather…so there gets to be some disruption. I just hope that people pack their best attitudes and best spirits.”
'Warrior dividends' to come from service members' housing subsidies included in Big, Beautiful Bill: report
15:07 , Brendan RasciusPresident Trump’s $1,776 “warrior dividends” for U.S. troops will come from reconciliation funds meant to subsidize housing allowances for members of the military, according to a new report.
An unnamed senior administration official told Defense One that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed the Pentagon to “disburse $2.6 billion as a one-time basic allowance for housing supplement” to eligible service members.
“Congress appropriated $2.9 billion to the Department of War to supplement the Basic Allowance for Housing entitlement within The One Big Beautiful Bill,” the official said.
AOC pulls ahead of JD Vance for first time in 2028 election head-to-head, poll finds
14:50 , Joe SommerladNew York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has come out ahead of Vice President JD Vance for the first time in a 2028 presidential election head-to-head, according to a new poll.
A poll from The Argument magazine and Verasight showed that the self-described democratic socialist, a Democrat from New York, would beat the veep 51 percent to 49 percent.
Ocasio-Cortez later quote-tweeted the post on X, saying simply “Bloop!”
When The Independent asked her about why she posted about the poll, Ocasio-Cortez offered a simple response as she walked to the House floor.
“Because JD Vance is a goober, man,” she said.
Eric Garcia reports.
AOC pulls ahead of JD Vance for first time in 2028 election head-to-head, poll finds
Hegseth says 'warrior dividends' will be sent to service members in 'the coming days'
14:42 , Brendan RasciusSecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said that President Donald Trump’s newly announced “warrior dividends” will be sent to members of the military in the near future.
“More than 1.45 million service members will, in the coming days, receive a one-time, tax-free bonus of $1,776,” Hegseth said in a video posted on X on Thursday morning. “This has never happened before.”
The Pentagon chief called the dividends “a direct investment in the brave men and women who carry on the legacy of our armed forces every single day.”
“I can think of no better Americans to receive this check right before Christmas,” he added.
Introducing the (tax free!) Warrior
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) December 18, 2025
Dividend. pic.twitter.com/TwisOihBc5
Trump team is pushing to yank American citizenship from more foreign-born people
14:25 , Joe SommerladThe administration is planning to strip more foreign-born Americans of their citizenship, marking the latest escalation in the president’s crackdown on immigration, according to a new report.
Guidance provided to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices requests that they “supply Office of Immigration Litigation with 100-200 denaturalization cases per month” in 2026, The New York Times reported.
Individuals may only be legally stripped of their U.S. citizenship for a few specific reasons, such as if they committed fraud during the citizenship application process.
Historically, this has been a rare occurrence. Less than 200 cases had been filed in the past eight years. And between 1990 and 2017, the federal government brought an average of 11 cases, according to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
Brendan Rascius has more.
Trump team is pushing to yank American citizenship from more foreign-born people
Trump’s address branded ‘defensive and hyper-partisan’
14:00 , Joe SommerladThe reviews continue to roll in for the president’s speech last night, with few more withering than ABC News’s veteran White House correspondent Jonathan Karl.
If the president was addressing a crisis last night, it seemed to be a crisis of confidence in his handling of the economy https://t.co/N65iYbBb33
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) December 18, 2025
Former Obama adviser David Axelrod argues that so nakedly political a speech from a sitting commander-in-chief would not have been tolerated in the past by major broadcast networks.
One note: In the past, no broadcast network would have given a president a prime time address for what is a nakedly political speech.
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) December 18, 2025
One more sign of the change Trump has wrought.
Breaking: Inflation spikes 2.7 percent despite Trump’s claims ‘prices are down’
13:40 , Joe SommerladInflation spiked 0.2 percent in November and 2.7 percent in the past 12 months, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report.
The number comes despite President Donald Trump’s persistent claims that prices are declining.
This comes as other economic indicators show signs of an economy slowing down.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its jobs report for November showing the economy added only 64,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate ticking up.
Eric Garcia has the latest.
Inflation spikes 2.7 percent despite Trump’s claims ‘prices are down’
Trump Media to merge with TAE Technologies in $6 billion deal
13:30 , Joe SommerladSome breaking business news for you now regarding the president’s tech venture Trump Media & Technology Group, the power behind Truth Social, which is merging with a nuclear fusion company in a deal expected to be completed next year, according to Quartz.
📣TAE Technologies, a premier global fusion power company, to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group to create one of the world’s first publicly traded fusion companies.
— TAE Technologies (@TAE) December 18, 2025
Join our joint investor call at 9 am ET today to learn more: https://t.co/3ccBmMY5qr
Read more:… pic.twitter.com/f7TYQS4jQp
Shareholders of both companies will reportedly receive equal ownership of the combined entity, which the two sides say will be “one of the world’s first publicly traded fusion companies.”
TMTG has agreed to provide up to $200 million of cash to TAE as part of the agreement, with another $100 million possible at a future date.
TMTG chairman and CEO Devin Nunes, a former Republican congressman, will serve as co-CEO with TAE CEO Dr. Michl Binderbauer, Quartz says.
Trump Media shares spiked at the news, climbing more than 20 percent in value in pre-market trading to $12.58.
"We’re taking a big step forward toward a revolutionary technology that will cement America’s global energy dominance for generations,” Nunes said.
“Fusion power will be the most dramatic energy breakthrough since the onset of commercial nuclear energy in the 1950s – an innovation that will lower energy prices, boost supply, ensure America’s AI-supremacy, revive our manufacturing base and bolster national defense.”
Trump hands out contracts for Mexico border ‘Smart Wall’
13:20 , Joe SommerladThe Trump administration has announced it has awarded five new contracts to companies that will help it to build a “Smart Wall” along the U.S. southern border with Mexico across Texas and Arizona, Fox News Digital reports.
The contract awards bring the total spent on constructing the barrier to $8 billion and the new spend is reportedly expected to include 1,418 miles of new and high-tech “Primary Smart Wall,” 536 miles of a “Waterborne Barrier System,” and 708 miles of “Secondary Border Wall,” Fox states.
“Securing our border is key to protecting our country, keeping our communities safe, and making sure our immigration system works the way it should. A border wall with the right technology – a Smart Wall – is an important tool to stop illegal activity and to help agents do their job, which is critical in keeping America safe,” Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott said.
Venezuelan navy escorts oil tankers in direct challenge to Trump blockade
13:00 , Joe SommerladVenezuela’s navy has escorted several commercial tankers to Asia in direct defiance of a U.S. military blockade targeting the country’s oil industry.
Three ships carrying urea, petroleum coke and other oil-based products sailed on Tuesday and Wednesday and were accompanied by naval escorts ordered by President Nicolas Maduro, according to The New York Times.
A U.S. official said that Washington was aware of the escorts and was considering various courses of actions.
The vessels were not on a list of sanctioned tankers maintained by the Treasury and threatened with attack, according to a review by the publication.
PDVSA, the country’s state oil company, said that ships continued to sail “with full security, technical support and operational guarantees in legitimate exercise of their right to free navigation.”
Maira Butt reports.
Venezuelan navy escorts oil tankers in direct challenge to Trump blockade
Democrats respond to Trump broadcast with Epstein reminder
12:40 , Joe SommerladThe opposition made clear its feeling about last night’s primetime broadcast as the clock ticks towards Friday’s deadline for the release of the Justice Department’s files on Jeffrey Epstein, which was set in motion by Trump signing off on the Epstein Transparency Act last month.
Speech sucked. So anyway, pic.twitter.com/iiMaon1XKb
— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) December 18, 2025
Jimmy Kimmel roasts Trump over ‘liar-side chat’
12:20 , Joe SommerladThe late-night host had this to say about the president’s broadcast last night:
“Yesterday, the president announced he’d be giving an impromptu ‘liar-side’ chat tonight in the middle of the season finales of Survivor and The Floor. He interrupted them.
“It’s weird to think that, had a couple of states just gone the other way, he’d be hosting one of those shows. Trump shouldn’t be pre-empting The Floor, he should be mopping it, OK?”
Newsom slams Trump’s ‘bull****’ presidential plaque trolling amid unemployment and affordability woes
12:00 , Joe SommerladCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom has branded Trump’s “Presidential Walk of Fame” as “bull****” in his latest trolling of the president.
His fiery comments come after the administration added plaques to his row of presidential portraits, many of which blasted his opponents as “the most divisive political figures in American History.”
In response, Newsom shared his own parody version of the Walk of Fame, adding that the president’s jab at his enemies comes as costs continue to climb for everyday Americans.
“Inflation is up. Unemployment is up,” Newsom wrote on X. “Grocery prices are up. Electricity costs are up. And Donald Trump is spending his time doing this bull****.”
Owen Scott reports.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announces plans to step down early next year
11:40 , Joe SommerladThe former Secret Service agent and podcast is set to depart his role next month, concluding a brief tenure as the bureau's second-highest official.
“I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you,” Bongino said on X.
Trump was asked about the reason for his departure by reporters yesterday and answered: “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.”
Here’s more.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announces plans to step down early next year
Truth Social: Trump accuses Raphael Warnock of ‘using religion to try and divide the country’
11:20 , Joe SommerladThe president has been relatively quiet on social media these last few days but did launch a broadside yesterday against Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, who is also the senior pastor of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.
The attack accused Warnock of exploiting his faith and included a wild allegation that he once attempted to run over his own wife.
It also included an insult to another female journalist, Meet the Press anchor Kristen Welker, whom he called “one sided and very biased.”
Here’s what the president wrote:
“Raphael Warnock was on Meet the Fake Press with a one sided and very biased Kristen Welker as the Host(ess!). Warnock spent the entire show using Religion to try and divide the Country! If a Republican, in particular ME, made those statements, it would be FRONT PAGE NEWS. He ended by saying that he was going to his Church to preach now, and while I think that’s fine, I do say, ‘What ever happened to separation of Church and State?’
“That would be the first thing they would use against us but, actually, it’s something that never much bothered me. Anyway, Warnock is a LIGHTWEIGHT whose wife correctly states that he tried to run her over with a car. Fortunately, she was able to get out of the way, and only almost lost her foot. Warnock is a bad guy, and NBC News, which is second only to ABC Fake News for being the worst, should be ashamed of themselves in allowing garbage ‘interviews’ with untalented and uncaring people to take place.
“The Public airwaves, which these Networks are using at no charge, should not be allowed to get away with this any longer! They should be properly licensed, and pay significant amounts of money for using this very valuable Public space. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAGA!”
‘Old man yells at cloud’: The internet reacts to Trump’s big speech
11:00 , Joe SommerladThe president’s address did not receive a favorable reception online, with old enemies like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and ex-congressman Adam Kinzinger leading the mockery as Trump was compared to Grampa Simpson.
Rachel Dobkin has this one too.
The internet reacts to Trump’s frustrated national rally style speech in prime time
Trump claims checks are ‘on the way’ to military servicemembers for Christmas ‘warrior dividend’
10:30 , Joe SommerladThe president also used his speech to unveil a“warrior dividend” for more than 1,450,000 military servicemembers and said they would each receive $1,776, which he claimed would be paid for in part by his tariffs.
Here’s Rachel Dobkin with more details.
Trump claims checks are ‘on the way’ to military members for a ‘warrior dividend’
Watch: Trump claims US was 'absolutely dead' before he took office – then bungles the numbers
10:00 , Joe SommerladRecap: Trump delivers rally-style national address blaming Biden for the state of his nation
09:30 , Joe SommerladPresident Donald Trump delivered a televised primetime address on Wednesday evening in which he touted what he sees as his accomplishments over the past 11 months in a speech that featured attacks on his predecessor in the White House Joe Biden and a number of false claims.
Speaking from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, Trump opened by claiming to have “inherited a mess” that he was now “fixing.”
“When I took office, inflation was the worst in 48 years, and some would say in the history of our country, which caused prices to be higher than ever before, making life unaffordable for millions and millions of Americans,” he insisted. “This happened during a Democrat administration.”
What followed was a partisan rant indistinguishable from the signature rallies that have been the centerpiece of his political movement, Andrew Feinberg writes, in which the president rattled off a list of grievances while blaming his predecessor for the state of the country nearly a full year after he took the oath of office.
Trump holds national address speech to blame Biden for the state of his nation
US military kills four in latest strike on alleged narco boat
09:06 , Joe SommerladThe U.S. military has killed another four people in its latest missile strike on an alleged drug boat in the eastern Pacific, taking the death toll to at least 99 from 26 strikes since the beginning of September.
The attack came hours after the House of Representatives rejected two efforts to limit President Donald Trump’s power to use military force against the drug cartels.
Here’s more.
US military strikes another alleged drug boat in eastern Pacific, killing 4
Gavin Newsom trolls Trump on social media off the back off remarks
08:30 , Rhian LubinCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom has trolled President Donald Trump on social media again after his White House remarks.
This could have been an email.
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) December 18, 2025
Trump tonight:
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) December 18, 2025
Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me…
Steven Cheung hails Trump address as 'epic'
07:30 , Rhian LubinWhite House communications director, Steven Cheung, hailed President Donald Trump’s address to the nation as “epic” in a post on social media.
Cheung then said that Trump was “back in the Oval Office at 10 p.m.” following the remarks.
After giving an epic address to the nation, President Trump is back in the Oval Office at 10:00PM to continue working on behalf of the American people. 🇺🇸🦅
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) December 18, 2025
Watch: Trump says US was 'absolutely dead' before he turned it into 'hottest country'
07:00 , Rhian LubinFact-checker: 'Trump's claims of cutting drug prices by 400% mathematically impossible'
06:30 , Rhian LubinFact-checkers have been going over claims made tonight by President Donald Trump, many of which he has made before.
CNN’s Daniel Dale highlighted how one claim made by the president was “mathematically impossible.”
Trump claimed during his address that the negotiations he’s made with drug companies mean that he has cut prices “on drugs and pharmaceuticals by as much as 400, 500, and even 600 percent.”
“In other words, your drug costs will be plummeting downward,” Trump said.
“Those figures are mathematically impossible,” said Dale. “If you cut it by more than 100 percent, people would get paid to get their medications, which of course is not happening.”
Watch the clip below.
Dale: He spoke of cutting prescription drug prices by 400 to 600%. Those figures are mathematically impossible if you cut it by more than 100%, people would get paid to get their medications, which of course is not happening. pic.twitter.com/vWAX7M5SHt
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 18, 2025
Recap: What did Trump say in his address to the nation?
05:30 , Andrew Feinberg, Rhian Lubin, Rachel Dobkin- President Donald Trump used a nationally-televised address to deliver a campaign-style rant that lasted just under 20 minutes.
- He blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the economic woes Americans are feeling a year into his presidency, while offering little in the way of proposals to address the higher prices caused, in large part, by the massive tariffs he has placed on almost all American imports.
- Speaking from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, Trump opened by claiming to have “inherited a mess” that he was now “fixing.”
- What followed was a partisan rant indistinguishable from the signature rallies that have been the centerpiece of his political movement.
- He rattled off a list of grievances while blaming Biden for the state of the country nearly a full year after he took the oath of office.
- The president announced a $1,776 dividend for 1.45 million servicemembers.
- Trump repeated the claim that he has “settled eight wars in 11 months,” including “ending the war in Gaza.”
- He claimed he had negotiated a deal to cut drug and pharmaceutical prices by 400, 500 and 600 percent.
- He claimed grocery prices were “falling rapidly”
- Trump claimed a national average gas price of $2.50 per gallon, though the AAA average nationally is $2.90.
- Without providing evidence, Trump also said household energy costs have dropped by $3,000.
- Trump also claimed he has secured “an $18 trillion investment into the United States,” a figure fact-checkers have disputed and that appears to contradict the White House’s own figure of $9.6 trillion, which is also disputed.
Trump claims checks are ‘on the way’ to military service members for Christmas ‘warrior dividend’
05:15 , Rachel DobkinPresident Trump claims checks are “on the way” to military service members for a Christmas “warrior dividend” of $1,776.
He announced the initiative during his prime time address to the nation Wednesday night. More than 1,450,000 military service members will receive the checks, according to the president.
“In honor of our nation's founding in 1776, we are sending every soldier $1,776 and the checks are already on the way,” Trump said, adding, “Nobody understood that one until about 30 minutes ago.”
The White House clarified who in the military will receive a check: “Active-duty Service members in the pay grades of 0-6 and below and on active duty as of November 30, 2025, as well as reserve component members on active-duty orders of 31 days or more as of November 30, 2025.”
The estimated total cost of the checks is nearly $2.6 billion. It’s unclear how these dividends will be funded. Congress has the power of the purse, meaning federal spending cannot be allocated without its approval.
Trump credited tariffs for bringing money in for the country but he didn’t say directly how the military checks would be funded.
Rachel Dobkin has more ...
Trump claims checks are ‘on the way’ to military service members for Christmas ‘warrior dividend’
‘Old man yells at cloud’: The internet reacts to Trump’s frustrated national rally style speech in prime time
04:50 , Rachel DobkinThe internet has reacted to President Donald Trump’s frustrated national address — which came off more like a campaign rally speech — with many concerned over his sanity.
Trump delivered a loud and seemingly angry speech, something viewers at home picked up on.
One social media user summed up the presidential address with a photo from the cartoon sitcom The Simpsons that showed a newspaper article with the headline, “Old man yells at cloud.”
Rachel Dobkin rounds up the reaction...
The internet reacts to Trump’s frustrated national rally style speech in prime time
Trump promises 'economic boom' in 2026 following grim polling on the economy
04:31 , Rhian LubinPresident Donald Trump promised an “economic boom” in 2026 during his Wednesday night address to the nation.
“We're poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen,” Trump said as he brought his White House remarks to a close.
The pledge followed grim polling for his administration that found Americans are growing frustrated with his handling of the economy.
The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist survey found that 57 percent of respondents disapprove of Trump’s economic management, compared with 36 percent who approve — the lowest rating on this issue across his two terms in office.
Democrats troll Trump over imminent Epstein files release
04:15 , Rhian LubinThe Democrats bluntly delivered their verdict on President Donald Trump’s speech tonight and simultaneously trolled him over the imminent release of the Epstein files.
The files are due to be released sometime Friday, which marks the end of the 30-day deadline the Justice Department was given last month.
Speech sucked. So anyway, pic.twitter.com/iiMaon1XKb
— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) December 18, 2025
Trump entourage in the room during his speech as president sipped Diet Coke
03:55 , Rhian LubinPresident Donald Trump’s entourage was in the room watching him make his national address, according to reporters in the White House press pool.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, director of communications Steve Cheung, chief of staff Susie Wiles, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, and aide Natalie Harp were all watching Trump speak from the Diplomatic Reception Room.
Right before the remarks started, an usher brought in three Diet Cokes and ice and the president took a sip of his favorite beverage right before the speech started.
The group of advisors stood in the back corner during the remarks.
Their live reactions were limited and there was some head nodding when the president talked about wages going up.
Harp reportedly had a smile on her face for the entirety of the speech while Leavitt watched much of it on the monitor, viewing how it looked on TV.
When the remarks wrapped and the president was given the all clear, he turned to the press and said, “You think that’s easy?” and then took a swig of Diet Coke.
To photo pooler Doug Mills, he said, “I’d rather be doing your job, just click click.”
He turned to his staff and asked how he did. They all responded with some version of “great.”
Trump made 16 mentions of Biden and Democrats during 20 min speech
03:40 , Rhian LubinDuring his relatively short address tonight, President Donald Trump mentioned his predecessor Joe Biden seven times and the Democrats nine times, according to a transcript.
Trump spoke for just under 20 minutes, which is much shorter than most of his speeches.
The president had previewed that he intended to talk about how he had “inherited a mess” from the previous administration and he delivered on that.
He told the press pool after the address that he was told by chief of staff Susie Wiles that he must deliver the speech in 20 minutes.
“I told you 20 minutes, and you were 20 minutes on the dot,” Wiles said.
Trump omits mention of Venezuela as Hegseth orders another strike on vessel
03:25 , Rhian LubinPresident Donald Trump made no mention of the rapidly growing tension with Venezuela during his speech tonight, despite speculation that he would address it.
On the same evening, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the U.S. military carried out another lethal strike on a vessel in the Pacific at his direction, killing four people.
So far, the administration’s strikes have killed at least 99 people.
“Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the U.S. Southern Command X account said. “A total of four male narco-terrorists were killed, and no U.S. military forces were harmed.”
The strike followed Trump calling for a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers.
On Dec. 17, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was transiting along a known… pic.twitter.com/Yhu3LSOyea
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) December 18, 2025
President touts his TrumpRx website on prescription drugs
03:05 , Rhian LubinPresident Donald Trump touted his TrumpRx website during his Wednesday night address to the nation, part of his plan, he says, is to save Americans money on prescription drugs.
“The first of these unprecedented price reductions will be available starting in January through a new website, TrumpRx.gov,” he said. “And these big price cuts will greatly reduce the cost of health care.”
He first announced the plan back in October.
Katie Hawkinson has the details.
How TrumpRx will work — and why insured Americans may not save any money
Survivor fans complain about missing parts of finale for Trump's address
03:03 , Rhian LubinFans of Survivor are complaining online about missing parts of the show's three-hour finale Wednesday night, which was put on hold for the duration of the president's address to the nation.
“I'd rather be watching Survivor,” one X user claimed. Another said, “Why is my Survivor finale being interrupted by that orange felon...I'M CANADIAN.”
“Someone tell me when he's done yapping so I can go back to watching the finale,” said another.
CBS announced that the 3-hour finale would begin at 8 p.m. ET and “will resume where it left off immediately following the president’s address for Eastern and Central Time Zone viewers.”
Trump’s national address left people questioning his state of mind
02:55 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump gave a national address Wednesday night that came off as loud and angry, leaving people on social media to question his state of mind.
Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger wrote on X, “Someone come get grandpa he’s yelling again, and we’re concerned.”
“He's really losing it,” journalist John Hardwood said.
Jon Ralston, CEO of the Nevada Independent, wrote, “Just turned on the TV. You mad, bro?”
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press team took the opportunity to make a sarcastic comment: “Many are saying that was a better speech than the Gettysburg Address.”
Trump misrepresents gas prices with big claims and promises
02:45 , Associated PressEnergy prices, including gasoline, have dropped, and they will continue to drop more, Trump promises. But they aren’t at the levels he claims.
Trump claimed a national average gas price of $2.50 per gallon. The AAA average nationally is $2.90. Without providing evidence, Trump also said household energy costs have dropped by $3,000.
Trump promised that “within the nest 12 months” the U.S. will have opened 1,600 new electrical generating plants — reversing what he again called “the Democrat inflation disaster.”
Fact-checkers are out in force following Trump's claims
02:40 , Rhian LubinFact-checkers have been quick to swoop on claims made by President Donald Trump during his address, most of which he has said before.
CNN’s Daniel Dale said that Trump “repeated some of his oft-debunked lies tonight.”
Trump repeated his claim that he “settled eight wars in 10 months,” including “ending the war in Gaza,” and said that grocery prices were falling “rapidly.”
“Trump hasn’t settled eight wars,” Dale said in a post on X. “He hasn't secured anything close to $18 trillion in investment; crime wasn’t anywhere close to record levels under Biden; Trump didn’t inherit anything close to the worst inflation in US history; nowhere close to 25 million migrants entered the US under Biden; while the price of eggs and some other products has fallen this year, it’s not true that “everything else is falling rapidly,” since overall prices and grocery prices continue to rise...”
President Trump has repeated some of his oft-debunked lies tonight. Trump hasn’t settled eight wars; he hasn't secured anything close to $18 trillion in investment; crime wasn’t anywhere close to record levels under Biden; Trump didn’t inherit anything close to the worst…
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) December 18, 2025
Full story: Trump holds national address in rally style speech blaming Biden for the state of his nation
02:30 , Andrew FeinbergPresident Donald Trump on Wednesday used a nationally-televised address to deliver a campaign-style rant in which he blamed his predecessor for the economic woes Americans are feeling a year into his presidency, while offering little in the way of proposals to address the higher prices caused in large part by the massive tariffs he has placed on almost all American imports, writes Andrew Feinberg.
Speaking from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, Trump opened by claiming to have “inherited a mess” that he was now “fixing.”
What followed was a partisan rant indistinguishable from the signature rallies that have been the centerpiece of his political movement, in which he rattled off a list of grievances while blaming his predecessor for the state of the country nearly a full year after he took the oath of office.
Read on...
Trump holds national address speech to blame Biden for the state of his nation
Trump announces military members will get ‘warrior dividend’
02:22 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump announced in his address to the nation Wednesday night that every service member in the military will get a “warrior dividend” worth nearly $2,000.
“More than 1,450,000 military service members will receive a special, we call, warrior dividend before Christmas,” Trump said. “We are sending every soldier $1,776 and the checks are already on their way.”
Trump said “nobody understood” the situation with checks until about 30 minutes before his speech.
Trump takes a victory lap during his address to the nation
02:21 , Rhian Lubin“We are making America great again tonight,” Trump said.
“After 11 months, our border is secure. Inflation has stopped. Wages are up, prices are down. Our nation is strong. America is respected, and our country is back stronger than ever before.
“We're poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen. Soon, we will host the World Cup and the Olympics, both of which I got but most importantly, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
“There could be no more fitting tribute to this epic milestone, than to complete the comeback of America that began just one year ago.”
Trump blames Biden for the economy
02:09 , Andrew FeinbergTrump's opening pitch for defending his record: Blame Biden, writes Andrew Feinberg.
There's nothing new here, just the usual rally attacks packaged like a solemn address usually reserved for important matters and national tragedies.
“We have achieved more than anyone could have imagined,” Trump says.
Two minutes in, he still hasn't done much to explain why Americans should feel good about the economy.
Trump begins his speech by saying he 'inherited a mess'
02:05 , Rhian LubinPresident Donald Trump has begun his address to the nation by saying he “inherited a mess” and he is “fixing it.”
“When I took office, inflation was the worst in 48 years, and some would say in the history of our country, which caused prices to be higher than ever before, making life unaffordable for millions and millions of Americans.”
“This happened during a Democrat administration, and it's when we first began hearing the word affordability.”
