Good evening everyone. It has been a massive news day, and while everything is included below, I want to spotlight a few critical developments. First, the Supreme Court appears prepared to dramatically expand Trump’s presidential power. Second, Trump is refusing to commit to releasing the video at the center of possible war crimes, and Congress is now cutting Hegseth’s travel budget until the Pentagon hands it over. Third, Alina Habba has stepped down as U.S. Attorney in New Jersey after courts ruled she was serving unlawfully.
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Congress inserted language into the annual defense bill withholding a quarter of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget until the Pentagon hands over unedited videos of U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats, escalating scrutiny of a controversial Sept. 2 follow-up strike that killed survivors and prompting calls for a full investigation as lawmakers dispute what the footage shows.
Donald Trump says that he never said that he would commit to releasing the video of the boat strikes:
The Supreme Court appeared open to overturning a 90-year precedent that protects members of independent federal agencies from being removed without cause, as it considered whether President Trump could lawfully fire FTC commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, a case that could significantly broaden presidential power and weaken the independence of multimember regulatory agencies.
Newly unearthed 2016 footage from CNN shows Pete Hegseth repeatedly warning that troops must refuse unlawful orders from a President Trump, a stance that now clashes with his role as defense secretary defending controversial boat strikes and attacking Democrats for issuing similar cautions about illegal commands.
Trump demanded an apology from Paramount and 60 Minutes following last night’s 60 Minutes interview with Marjorie Taylor Greene:
Paramount launched a $108.4bn hostile all-cash bid to acquire all of Warner Bros Discovery, aiming to outmaneuver Netflix’s $82.7bn offer for WBD’s studio and streaming business, arguing its proposal offers greater value, faster regulatory approval, and full-company ownership, while political ties, employee anxieties, and antitrust concerns shape the high-stakes battle over the future of the entertainment giant.
Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners joined Paramount’s $108 billion hostile bid for Warner Bros Discovery, bolstering Paramount’s argument that it offers a cleaner regulatory path than Netflix, while sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar also invested on a non-governance basis in a deal that marks Kushner’s second major takeover involvement this year.
Former Trump lawyer Alina Habba resigned as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor after courts ruled she was serving unlawfully without Senate confirmation, even as the Trump administration tried to keep her in the role, and she will now serve as a senior adviser while the justice department seeks further review that could potentially reinstate her.
President Trump announced a $12 billion aid package for U.S. farmers, funded by tariff revenue, aimed at providing stability as China resumes major soybean purchases and including one-time payments, regulatory rollbacks for machinery companies, and promises of lower food prices amid ongoing cost-of-living and trade-policy pressures.
Judge Boasberg ordered former DOJ whistleblower Erez Reuveni to testify on Dec. 15 in revived contempt proceedings over the March 15 migrant flights, with Drew Ensign required to testify the following day.
According to NBC News, the Trump administration abruptly canceled naturalization ceremonies for immigrants from 19 countries it labeled high-risk, halting their final step to U.S. citizenship as USCIS implements stricter screening measures, prompting outrage from local officials and leaving affected applicants with vague cancellation notices and no clear next steps.
According to the Daily Beast, although President Trump continues to praise Mike Flynn publicly, multiple sources say he privately derides the longtime MAGA ally as erratic and a “loser,” even as Flynn seeks a major DOJ settlement and pressures Trump over the Epstein files, highlighting growing tension between the two men despite Flynn’s long record of loyalty and involvement in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Sean Duffy, the Transportation Secretary said he asked RFK Jr. to begin installing pull-up bars in airports.
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett has launched a U.S. Senate campaign, reshaping a contentious Democratic primary as the party sees a rare opportunity to flip the historically Republican state amid GOP infighting, with Crockett entering the race against fellow Democrat James Talarico while Republicans face a bruising primary between Sen. John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, and Wesley Hunt.
NBC has confirmed that ICE detained Ukrainian refugee Viktoriia Bulavina during what was supposed to be her green card interview, despite her pending TPS renewal, leaving her husband and attorney arguing she followed every rule and should not have been taken into custody as she now awaits a hearing from the Otay Mesa Detention Center under reportedly harsh conditions.
