Millions of Americans may lose or see changes to their health care coverage if Congress does not extend the expanded Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits by the end of January. The expansion was originally put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic to help more people access health insurance. There is disagreement within Congress about whether to extend these credits, with Democrats mostly in favor and Republicans split on the issue.
Key Facts
ACA tax credits that helped more people get insurance were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These credits are set to expire at the end of January unless Congress acts to extend them.
More than 24 million people have health care coverage through the ACA marketplace.
About 22 million people could see higher premium costs if the credits are not extended.
Some Republicans have introduced their own bill but are not planning to hold a vote on amending it to extend the ACA credits.
Democrats have introduced proposals to extend the credits for one to three years, with some bipartisan support.
KFF and Gallup polls show significant support for extending the credits among ACA Market participants and highlight concerns about the health care system overall.
President Donald Trump will visit Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to attend a dignified transfer ceremony. This ceremony honors two Iowa National Guard members and a U.S. civilian interpreter who were killed in an attack in Syria. The transfer involves moving the remains of the fallen to the base's mortuary facility.
Key Facts
President Trump will be at Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday.
The ceremony is for two National Guard members killed in Syria.
The guardsmen are Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard.
They were part of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment.
A U.S. civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat, was also killed in the attack.
The dignified transfer ceremony involves moving the remains of fallen soldiers.
The ritual is a solemn duty for the President as commander in chief.
President Trump's Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, responded to a Vanity Fair article that presented a negative view of the Trump administration. Wiles disputed the portrayal, claiming the magazine ignored important context. The article includes her remarks on Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Elon Musk.
Key Facts
Susie Wiles is the first woman to be White House Chief of Staff.
Vanity Fair published an article where Wiles discussed aspects of the Trump administration.
Wiles described President Trump as having an "alcoholic's personality."
She stated Vanity Fair ignored significant context to create a negative narrative.
Wiles suggested there could be elements of retribution in Trump's legal actions against rivals.
She criticized tech billionaire Elon Musk's cost-cutting efforts in government.
Wiles had a history with Trump, including managing his 2016 campaign in Florida.
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., stated he is unlikely to stop the construction of a $300 million White House ballroom. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming that the project started without legal reviews. The administration argues that the project follows past practices and is legally justified.
Key Facts
A judge said he probably will not order a stop to the White House ballroom project.
The project is planned to cost $300 million and is located at the former East Wing.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued, claiming the project lacks required legal approvals.
President Trump has made several changes to the White House since taking office again in 2024.
The administration states the ballroom is needed for state events and construction is lawful.
Critics argue the construction began without consulting public or necessary advisory bodies.
The lawsuit claims the project has already caused harm to the historic White House site.
Historical precedents like President Franklin D. Roosevelt's East Wing project were mentioned as justification.
Marla Maples, President Trump's second wife, attended a Christmas party at the White House for the first time. She shared photos and videos from the event with her daughter Tiffany and expressed appreciation for the night. The party also celebrated Donald Trump Jr.'s engagement to Bettina Anderson.
Key Facts
Marla Maples, President Trump's second wife, attended a White House Christmas party for the first time.
Maples shared a video from outside the White House on her Instagram.
She attended the event with her daughter, Tiffany Trump.
Maples was previously at Mar-a-Lago for an event honoring Charlie Kirk in September.
Donald Trump and Marla Maples got married in December 1993 and divorced in June 1999.
At the party, Donald Trump Jr. announced his engagement to Bettina Anderson.
Anderson thanked the Trumps for hosting and praised Melania's decorations.
Some moderate Republicans in the House of Representatives are considering working with Democrats to extend subsidies provided under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This comes after Speaker Mike Johnson decided not to allow a vote on the issue. The House plans to vote on a different GOP health care package, but it's not expected to include the ACA extensions.
Key Facts
Moderate Republicans want to extend ACA subsidies, facing pressure in upcoming elections.
Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to hold a vote on extending these subsidies.
Some Republicans may join a Democratic effort that could force a vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies.
Several discharge petitions, which can force votes, exist aimed at extending the ACA subsidies.
Four Republican signatures are needed on one of the discharge petitions to make a vote happen.
The Democratic Party is waiting to see if Republican moderates will support the discharge petition.
These events reflect ongoing disagreements and strategic moves within Congress over health care policy.
President Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, stated in an interview that Trump was incorrect about claims related to former President Clinton's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. She said there was no evidence that Clinton visited Epstein's private island. The discussion arises as new photos related to Epstein are shared, showing various prominent figures, including President Trump and Clinton.
Key Facts
President Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, said Trump was wrong about Clinton's connections to Epstein.
Trump claimed Clinton visited Epstein’s island 28 times, but Clinton denied it, and Wiles said no evidence supports this.
New photos released by House Oversight Democrats show Trump and Clinton socializing with Epstein.
These photos are part of 95,000 new images provided by Epstein's estate, with 19 made public.
Wiles defended Trump’s appearance in Epstein’s files, saying they were young, single men at the time.
Trump dated the future first lady, Melania Knauss, around 1998, and Epstein's accuser met Epstein while working at Trump's property in 2000.
A law requires the government to release the Epstein files by December 19.
President Donald Trump's approval rating fell to 39 percent in mid-December 2025, as reported by a Reuters/Ipsos poll. This drop is linked to growing voter dissatisfaction with the U.S. economy, particularly due to high inflation and economic policies like tariffs. The decline reflects a broader trend of discontent among Americans, including some Republicans.
Key Facts
President Trump's approval rating decreased to 39 percent in December 2025.
Voter frustration is mainly due to high inflation and economic policies.
Only 33 percent of people approve of how Trump is handling the economy.
Among Republicans, approval dropped from 78 percent to 72 percent in December.
Inflation remains around 3 percent, above the Federal Reserve's target of 2 percent.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll had 1,016 nationwide respondents with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
Trump returned to office in January 2025 with a 47 percent approval rating.
A recent government shutdown affected economic data collection.
President Donald Trump has added five more countries to the U.S. travel ban. This means citizens from these countries cannot enter the United States. The policy also places restrictions on travelers from several other countries.
Key Facts
The new travel ban includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria.
Full travel restrictions are also applied to those with travel documents from the Palestinian Authority.
An additional 15 countries face partial travel restrictions.
This policy is an extension of a previous travel ban announced in June.
In June, the travel ban targeted citizens from 12 countries and placed restrictions on travelers from seven more countries.
The new travel ban follows a recent incident involving an Afghan national accused of a crime against U.S. National Guard members.
The suspect involved in the incident has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A group of states led by Democrats has dropped a lawsuit against Elon Musk that challenged his role in President Trump's administration. The lawsuit argued that Musk was given too much power in the Department of Government Efficiency without proper approval. The case ended after the department stopped operations and Musk left his government role.
Key Facts
A group of Democratic-led states sued Elon Musk over his role in the Department of Government Efficiency.
The lawsuit claimed Musk was given power without congressional approval or Senate confirmation.
The states filed the lawsuit in February 2025 in Washington, D.C.
The case questioned whether President Trump could give Musk such power without going through formal channels.
DOGE, where Musk served, ceased operations, leading the states to drop the lawsuit.
The lawsuit argued that the department accessed sensitive federal systems and influenced state programs.
Despite the concerns, little legal progress was made after Musk departed his government position.
The states voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit in December after questioning from the court.
The Trump administration is continuing with a construction project for a new ballroom at the White House, citing security reasons. The Justice Department argues that halting the project would affect Secret Service operations. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is challenging the construction, claiming it needs proper review before proceeding.
Key Facts
The Trump administration states that the ballroom construction is necessary for security reasons.
The Justice Department says stopping the project would impact the Secret Service's duties.
The Secret Service notes improvements are needed but didn't specify what they are.
The East Wing, originally above an emergency bunker, was demolished earlier this year.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued to stop the construction until reviews are done.
The government plans to start certain construction work in January or February.
Drafted drawings for the project will be submitted to relevant planning commissions.
A court hearing regarding the construction is scheduled for Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
Two Republican Senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, have joined a bipartisan effort to overturn an executive order from President Donald Trump. The House of Representatives recently voted in favor of repealing the order, which limits union rights at federal agencies. The bipartisan effort now moves to the Senate.
Key Facts
President Trump issued Executive Order 14251, which restricts union rights at federal agencies.
The House voted 232 to 194 to advance the Protect America’s Workforce Act to repeal this executive order.
22 House Republicans voted with Democrats to repeal the order.
Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins support this repeal effort.
The measure is now being considered by the Senate.
The executive order in question affects collective bargaining and workplace protections.
President Donald Trump responded to remarks reportedly made by White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, stating her comments were taken out of context. The report said Wiles referred to Trump as having an "alcoholic's personality," which he explained by saying he has often described himself as having a "possessive and addictive personality."
Key Facts
President Trump defended Susie Wiles, his chief of staff, after comments attributed to her in a Vanity Fair article.
Trump said Wiles’ remarks were taken out of context.
The Vanity Fair article mentioned Wiles describing Trump as having an “alcoholic’s personality.”
Trump stated he has called himself “possessive and addictive” before.
Trump added that he does not read Vanity Fair and did not read the full article.
He expressed strong support for Wiles, calling her performance "fantastic."
This is a developing news story with more updates expected.
Alan Jackson, a well-known attorney, has been hired to defend Nick Reiner, who is in jail on suspicion of murdering his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. Nick Reiner has not been able to appear in court yet due to needing medical clearance, and a hearing has not been scheduled.
Key Facts
Alan Jackson is Nick Reiner’s defense lawyer.
Nick Reiner was arrested after the deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
Jackson works at the law firm Werksman Jackson & Quinn.
Nick Reiner has not appeared in court because he needs medical clearance.
Alan Jackson has a high career success rate, having tried over 85 cases.
Jackson has represented other high-profile clients, including Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein.
Before his private practice, Jackson was involved in major crime prosecutions in Los Angeles.
Jackson is a U.S. Air Force veteran and teaches law at two universities.
A new poll shows that more Americans believe the U.S. health care system is in a "state of crisis" than ever before. Health care costs and issues with the system are important topics for many people. These concerns may be significant in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
Key Facts
A recent Gallup poll found that 23% of Americans think the health care system is in a "state of crisis."
This is the highest percentage since Gallup started asking this question in 1995.
47% of people believe the health care system has "major problems."
Only 16% of Americans are satisfied with the general cost of health care, a record low.
57% of respondents are satisfied with their own health care costs, showing a difference between personal and general views.
64% of Americans think the government should make sure everyone has health care coverage, the highest percentage since 2006.
The potential expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits may cause more concern among Americans about their health care costs.
Congress is divided over whether to extend these ACA tax credits, making future solutions uncertain.
The article discusses how President Trump is losing support from some of his main Republican allies. It suggests that Trump is facing difficulties due to his actions and is becoming a liability for the Republican Party as they prepare for future elections.
Key Facts
President Trump is losing support from key figures in the MAGA movement.
Instances of Trump's inappropriate behavior on social media are highlighted as problematic.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a significant Trump supporter, is distancing herself from him.
Elon Musk, once close to Trump, publicly criticized him, showing a loss of former loyal allies.
The article forecasts that after the 2026 midterm elections, Trump's influence in the Republican Party may diminish.
Trump's behavior and health are discussed, citing concerns from his chief of staff and others.
There is a pattern of former allies distancing themselves from Trump, similar to past political figures.
President Donald Trump plans to give a live speech on Wednesday night from the White House. He announced the speech on his social media and mentioned it will be at 9 p.m. EST. On the same day, President Trump will visit Delaware to honor two Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria.
Key Facts
President Trump will address the nation live from the White House at 9 p.m. EST on Wednesday.
He announced the speech on his social media platform, Truth Social.
The topics of the speech have not been specified.
These speeches typically air live on TV, radio, and online platforms.
On Wednesday, Trump will also visit Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
This visit is for a dignified transfer of two National Guard members who died in Syria.
The soldiers were Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29.
The Powerball jackpot is currently at $1.25 billion, with the next drawing scheduled for Wednesday night. Since 2016, the United States has had more than 10 lottery jackpots that went over $1 billion. The article lists the top 10 largest lottery jackpots in the U.S. and where the winning tickets were sold.
Key Facts
The current Powerball jackpot is estimated at $1.25 billion.
The U.S. had more than a dozen $1 billion-plus lottery jackpots since 2016.
The largest U.S. lottery jackpot was $2.04 billion, won in November 2022.
The second largest was $1.787 billion, won in September 2025.
A $1.765 billion jackpot was won on October 11, 2023.
Mega Millions' largest jackpot was $1.602 billion, won in August 2023.
Winning tickets for these jackpots were sold in various states, including California, Missouri, and Florida.
Susie Wiles, Chief of Staff to President Donald Trump, criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case during an interview with Vanity Fair. She defended President Trump’s agenda and addressed various issues, including his tariffs and deportation plan. The interview drew significant attention and response from the West Wing, with Wiles maintaining her loyalty to President Trump.
Key Facts
Susie Wiles is President Trump's Chief of Staff and managed his 2024 campaign.
Wiles criticized Pam Bondi’s management of the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Wiles described President Trump as having “an alcoholic’s personality.”
She acknowledged some issues with Trump’s mass deportation program.
Wiles defended Trump’s aggressive agenda, including actions against Venezuela.
She and others in the West Wing disputed the portrayal of the interview in Vanity Fair but did not deny specific comments.
Wiles said Trump wants to continue actions against alleged drug boats near Venezuela.
The Justice Department faces a deadline to release files on Jeffrey Epstein.
A statue of Barbara Rose Johns, a civil rights activist, will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol starting Tuesday. The statue replaces one of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and recognizes Johns' role in challenging school segregation in Virginia in 1951.
Key Facts
Barbara Rose Johns was a teenager when she led a protest against school segregation in 1951.
Her actions contributed to the Brown v. Board of Education case, which ended segregation in public schools.
The statue of Johns replaces the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the U.S. Capitol.
The unveiling ceremony will include House Speaker Mike Johnson and other political figures.
Johns' statue shows her holding a book and features quotes emphasizing leadership and change.
Steven Weitzman, a Maryland artist, sculpted the statue.
The statue is part of the National Statuary Hall Collection, representing Virginia.
