Good afternoon, everyone, and Happy Sunday. There is a lot breaking today. Russia is openly praising Trump’s new national security strategy as aligned with the Kremlin’s worldview. Donald Trump Jr. is signaling that his father may soon walk away from Ukraine entirely. The FBI has been ordered to assemble a sweeping list of so-called American “extremists,” a category that now includes immigration advocates and people Trump labels “anti-Christian.” And Trump is lashing out at a Democratic congressman who refuses to bend to him even after receiving a presidential pardon.
I also want to extend my deepest thanks to all of you who have supported and subscribed to this work. Your backing is what makes it possible for me to report full-time and deliver unflinching, real-time coverage as these extraordinary events unfold. At a time when censorship is tightening across major platforms and the White House is actively targeting journalists, your subscriptions are what keep independent reporting alive.If you haven’t yet, I hope you’ll consider subscribing today.
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Here’s what you missed:
Russia publicly praised President Trump’s newly released national security strategy, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying that the policy “corresponds in many ways to our vision” and welcoming indications that the Trump administration is “in favour of dialogue and building good relations,” while warning that the US “deep state” might attempt to undermine it, as the White House pushes for a Ukraine peace deal that US officials say is entering a decisive stage even though neither Kyiv nor Moscow has signaled willingness to accept Trump’s proposed framework.
This has prompted President Zelenskyy to seek European backing during meetings with leaders in London, and raising concerns in Ukraine over inadequate security guarantees, continued Russian strikes that are severely damaging energy infrastructure, fatigue entering the fourth winter of war, and internal political strain following corruption scandals.
A leaked Justice Department memo shows Attorney General Pam Bondi directing the FBI to create a list of Americans deemed potential “domestic extremists,” including those with “opposition to law and immigration enforcement,” “extreme views in favor of mass migration,” or “radical gender ideology,” while expanding tip lines, surveillance, and cash reward informant programs to operationalize Trump’s NSPM-7 directive, raising fears of a sweeping new domestic intelligence dragnet targeting millions of political dissenters.
Donald Trump Jr told a conference in Doha that the United States “may walk away” from supporting Ukraine’s war effort, launching into a long critique of President Zelenskyy, claiming Ukraine’s wealthy had fled while “the peasant class” was left to fight, arguing Ukraine is “far more corrupt than Russia,” dismissing EU sanctions as ineffective, insisting Americans do not see the war as a priority, and saying that under his father the US would no longer be “the idiot with the chequebook,” while suggesting Trump could abandon the conflict altogether because he is unpredictable.
President Trump blasted Rep. Henry Cuellar for “a lack of loyalty” after pardoning him, criticizing the Texas Democrat for running again as a Democrat despite the pardon, while Cuellar defended his independence and said he’ll work with the president as he continues his reelection bid amid lingering corruption charges he denies.
Marjorie Taylor Greene claimed many House Republicans only pretend to support Donald Trump publicly because they fear he might post something negative about them on Truth Social.
NBC news has confirmed that nearly 75,000 of the roughly 220,000 people arrested by ICE in the first nine months of the Trump administration had no criminal record, revealing that large numbers of non-criminal immigrants were swept up despite the administration’s stated focus on targeting serious offenders.
A woman detained by ICE, Bruna Ferreira, publicly condemned White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for “disgusting” attempts to distance herself and portray her as an absent or criminal parent, contradicting Leavitt’s claims by detailing their once-close relationship and alleging the family helped create a false narrative as Ferreira, a longtime U.S. resident and DACA recipient, faces what her attorney calls a targeted and misleadingly justified detention.
According to Task and Purpose, the Marine Corps will again require official photos for certain career-selection boards, including command screening and key education opportunities, beginning April 1, partially reversing the 2020 Pentagon-era ban intended to reduce bias, while photos will remain prohibited in promotion boards under federal law; officials say the change supports the Corps’ “professional appearance ethos,” though experts like retired Lt. Col. Joe Plenzler warn that photos can reinforce unconscious bias and contradict the Defense Department’s stated goal of a merit-only system.
A federal judge blocked the Justice Department from using emails and computer files seized years ago from James Comey’s former lawyer, ruling that the government likely violated his Fourth Amendment rights by retaining and searching a full copy of his personal computer without a warrant, further complicating DOJ’s already faltering effort to re-prosecute Comey after his earlier indictment was dismissed and raising broader concerns about investigative overreach that other judges have also criticized.
The Trump administration is tying billions in rural health-care grants to whether states adopt a slate of Trump- and RFK Jr.–backed policies — from SNAP food restrictions to telehealth expansion and Presidential Fitness Test mandates — prompting warnings from Democrats and health advocates that the funding scheme is “sort of blackmail” and could advantage political allies while forcing states to pass contentious laws on an extremely tight timeline.
Swing-district GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick warns his party that “doing nothing is not an option” on rising costs and expiring ACA subsidies, urging Republicans to back his compromise plan, focus on affordability, take a tougher stance on Russia, and empower rank-and-file members, while emphasizing his independence ahead of a difficult reelection.
CNBC has confirmed that beef prices have surged nearly 15 percent because the United States is experiencing its smallest cattle herd since 1951, a result of years of drought, high feed costs, low heifer retention, and new pressures from tariffs and cattle disease abroad, leaving ranchers and meat companies struggling with sharply higher input expenses and signaling that prices may stay elevated until the herd can be rebuilt.
U.S. layoffs reached 1.17 million in 2025, up 54% from last year and the highest since the 2020 pandemic, with November alone adding 71,321 cuts driven by restructuring, AI-related reductions, tariffs, and major moves like Verizon’s 13,000-plus layoffs, signaling a weakening labor market even as government jobless claims remain unexpectedly low.
The U.S. Transportation Department waived Southwest Airlines’ final $11 million penalty from its 2023 settlement over the 2022 holiday meltdown, citing major improvements in the airline’s operations and on-time performance, even though the original crisis stranded more than 2 million travelers and led to 17,000 canceled flights.
The FAA has opened an investigation into whether U.S. airlines violated an emergency order requiring 3% to 6% flight cuts during the 43-day government shutdown, warning carriers they could face fines of up to $75,000 per excess flight after more than 10,000 cancellations and safety concerns prompted the unprecedented mandate.
