Supreme Court Denies Trump Emergency Request on National Guard Deployment
On December 23, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 unsigned order, denied the Trump administration’s emergency application to lift lower court orders blocking the immediate deployment of federalized National Guard troops to the Chicago area to support federal immigration enforcement operations. The majority held that the government had failed to identify sufficient statutory or constitutional authority permitting the military to execute laws in Illinois at this preliminary stage, particularly noting the requirement under relevant law that regular forces be unable to handle the situation before resorting to the National Guard. Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch dissented, with separate statements criticizing the decision for departing from standard practices or addressing waived arguments.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Wire
Minnesota Mayors Sound Alarm on State Fiscal Mismanagement
Ninety-eight Minnesota mayors have jointly issued a letter to Governor Tim Walz and state lawmakers expressing deep concern over the state’s fiscal direction, highlighting the rapid disappearance of an $18 billion budget surplus replaced by a projected $2.9 billion to $3 billion deficit for the 2028-29 biennium. These local leaders point to fraud, unchecked spending, inconsistent fiscal management, and unfunded mandates as key factors straining city budgets, leading to workforce shortages, slowed business investment, rising operational costs, families leaving the state, and potential property tax increases to cover shifted responsibilities. The mayors emphasize a growing disconnect between state decisions and local realities, where program expansions without stable funding ultimately burden residents, seniors, businesses, and workers through higher local taxes and reduced services. They stress the need for responsible budgeting that prioritizes fiscal restraint and call on the legislature to reduce spending, eliminate unnecessary mandates, and address fraud to prevent further driving taxpayers away from Minnesota.
Sources: The New York Post, FOX News
John Brennan Grand Jury Target Confirmation
Former CIA Director John Brennan’s legal team, led by attorney Kenneth Wainstein, has formally acknowledged in a letter to the chief judge of the Southern District of Florida that federal prosecutors have designated Brennan as a target in an active grand jury investigation focused on the origins and production of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment regarding alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The letter details subpoenas issued for documents related to Brennan’s central role in that assessment, notes prior reviews by special counsel John Durham that resulted in no prosecutions of government officials, and expresses concerns over venue selection potentially favoring a conservative jurisdiction while referencing declassified materials released under the current Director of National Intelligence, highlighting discrepancies in the historical Russia narrative. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida, including Jason Reding Quiñones, have directly informed Brennan’s counsel of his target status, prompting this proactive disclosure to challenge procedural aspects of the probe.
Sources: ZeroHedge, The Conservative Treehouse
Illegally Residing Foreign National Resists ICE Arrest in St. Paul, Leading to Defensive Shots Being Fired
On December 21, in St. Paul, Minnesota, Immigration & Customs Enforcement officers conducted a lawful vehicle stop after identifying Juan Carlos Rodrigues Romero, a foreign national from Cuba residing illegally in the United States, who entered the United States in 2024 via the CBP One app, entering a white SUV near Westminster Street. Officers approached the vehicle and identified themselves as law enforcement. Romero refused to comply with orders to roll down his window, prompting warnings that the window would be broken if he continued noncompliance. Romero then drove off, striking one officer in his escape attempt. Officers pursued him briefly as he pulled into a parking lot near his residence, where he struck two parked vehicles. Officers stopped his vehicle again and commanded him to exit. Romero responded by ramming his SUV into an ICE vehicle, striking a second officer. The struck officer defensively fired two rounds from his service weapon, though no one was hit by the gunfire. Romero fled again, drove to the front of his apartment complex, rammed another ICE vehicle, exited his SUV, and attempted to flee on foot into his apartment. Officers pursued, brought him to the ground, and subdued him despite his violent resistance, which included biting one officer. Two officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and received hospital evaluation, as did Romero. He remains in ICE custody pending further charges.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, Alpha News
American Economy Surges with Robust 4.3 Percent Third Quarter Growth
The American economy expanded at a robust 4.3 percent annualized rate in the third quarter of 2025, marking the fastest pace in two years and surpassing the revised 3.8 percent growth from the second quarter while exceeding forecasts of around 3 percent. This solid performance stemmed from accelerated consumer spending, a sharp rise in exports at 8.8 percent, and increased government expenditures, with falling imports contributing positively by subtracting less from the total. Inflation indicators remained elevated, as the personal consumption expenditures price index climbed to 2.8 percent and core PCE reached 2.9 percent, both above the Federal Reserve’s target. Despite a weakening labor market with unemployment at 4.6 percent in November, consumer resilience and investments related to artificial intelligence supported the broad-based advance, though economists project slower growth ahead amid challenges like the recent government shutdown.
Sources: US Bureau of Economic Analysis, FOX Business
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Bureau of Land Management Restores Energy Development in Alaska Petroleum Reserve
The Bureau of Land Management announced on December 22, an updated Integrated Activity Plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska on the North Slope that reopens nearly 82 percent of the 23-million-acre reserve to oil and gas leasing. This decision reverses restrictions imposed during the previous administration that had limited development. The update aligns management with the reserve’s statutory purpose under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act to support an expeditious program of competitive leasing for domestic energy production while maintaining protections for surface resources consistent with exploration needs. Acting BLM Director Bill Groffy stated that the plan restores the reserve to its intended role as a strategic energy asset established by Congress. The agency is preparing for an upcoming lease sale, marking the first since 2019.
Sources: US Bureau of Land Management, The Epoch Times
CBS Reporter’s Baseless Censorship Claims Reveal Pattern of Inaccurate Reporting
A CBS News correspondent has leveled serious accusations of corporate censorship against the network’s leadership, claiming in an internal email that an investigative segment on conditions in an El Salvador prison holding deported individuals was improperly delayed due to interference from executives reporting to Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss. The correspondent asserted that the public would rightly view this as censorship, with the email gaining widespread attention online. However, no evidence was provided to substantiate these claims of interference or improper influence. This incident follows a prior instance where the same correspondent produced a segment falsely suggesting favoritism in Florida’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution to a major retailer based on political donations, a narrative thoroughly debunked by state officials involved, who confirmed the selection was based solely on logistical readiness recommendations from health authorities. Such unsubstantiated allegations and documented inaccuracies undermine trust in journalistic standards at a time when factual reporting on government actions, including immigration enforcement, is essential for public accountability.
Sources: Public.news, FOX News
Chicago’s Guaranteed Income Programs Discourage Work and Reduce Opportunity
Cook County’s taxpayer-funded guaranteed income pilot provided 3,250 low- to moderate-income participants with $500 monthly payments for two years using $42 million in federal funds, yet a separate rigorous Chicago-area pilot with a control group revealed that such unconditional cash transfers discouraged employment, lowered participants’ earned income by $1,800 annually excluding payments, decreased workforce participation by 3.9 percentage points, and prompted recipients along with other household members to reduce weekly work hours. These outcomes highlight how no-strings-attached payments can diminish self-reliance and economic mobility, as children raised in homes with full-time workers are more likely to advance economically, while the high costs of such programs burden taxpayers and risk fiscal instability for local governments. Despite these findings, Cook County has moved to continue the initiative with local funds and make it permanent, even as similar experiments underscore that promoting work remains the proven path to lasting prosperity.
Sources: Illinois Policy, ZeroHedge
Mainstream Media Silent About Brutal Assault on Elderly Seattle Woman by Repeat Offender
A 75-year-old woman named Jeanette Marken suffered permanent loss of sight in one eye, a broken nose, and a broken cheekbone after being struck in the face with a wooden board equipped with a protruding screw during an unprovoked attack outside the King County Courthouse in downtown Seattle on December 5, 2025. The assailant, 42-year-old Fale Vaigalepa Pea, a known repeat violent offender with a lengthy criminal history including prior assaults and stabbings, swung the weapon with both hands in a random assault captured on surveillance video. Pea had been booked into King County Jail eight times in 2025 alone for various offenses such as assault and unlawful weapon use, yet faced no charges from those arrests prior to this incident, allowing his release back onto the streets where police described him as notorious for random attacks. He now faces a first-degree assault charge with prosecutors highlighting his ongoing danger to the community.
Sources: FOX13 Seattle, Seattle PD Blotter
Treasury Crackdown on Border Money Services Businesses
The United States Department of the Treasury, through its Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, has initiated a significant enforcement operation targeting more than 100 money services businesses operating along the southwest border with Mexico. These non-bank financial providers, including currency exchanges, check-cashing firms, and money transmitters, are under scrutiny for potential noncompliance with anti-money laundering regulations designed to detect and disrupt illicit finance. Announced on December 22, the operation involves issuing six notices of investigation, referring dozens of cases to the Internal Revenue Service for examinations, and sending over 50 compliance outreach letters. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that this data-driven effort aligns with President Trump’s directive to secure the border and pursue the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations. Money services businesses along the border face heightened risks of involvement in laundering proceeds from drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other serious crimes. This action aims to root out potential cartel-related money laundering from the American financial system.
Sources: US Treasury Dept, The Epoch Times
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Mistrial in Chinese Influence Operation Targeting New York Government
A federal judge declared a mistrial in the case against former New York gubernatorial aide Linda Sun and her husband Chris Hu after jurors remained deadlocked following a week of deliberations despite reporting fundamental differences over evidence and legal interpretations. Prosecutors charged Sun with acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government by advancing Beijing’s interests, including blocking Taiwanese officials’ access to state leaders and steering pandemic-era protective equipment contracts to Chinese vendors in exchange for millions in kickbacks that funded luxury purchases. Evidence presented at trial included communications where Sun influenced state messaging to align with Chinese priorities and described one governor as more compliant than another. The jury indicated near-unanimity favoring conviction on most counts but could not resolve a holdout. Federal authorities announced plans to retry the defendants promptly, underscoring ongoing efforts to counter foreign interference in American institutions.
Sources: The Washington Times, The Daily Caller
Ukraine Restores Voter Registry Amid Wartime Election Considerations
Ukraine’s Central Election Commission announced on December 23, the full restoration of the State Register of Voters, a critical system suspended since February 2022 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. This registry serves as the foundational database for any national election in the country. The reactivation follows extensive technical efforts to enhance cybersecurity and protect data amid ongoing threats. It enables renewed interaction with citizens through online portals and updates to voter records impacted by war-related demographic changes. The move aligns with heightened discussions in Kyiv about the feasibility of conducting elections during martial law, prompted by sustained external calls from the United States leadership emphasizing democratic processes even in conflict.
Sources: The Epoch Times, Euromadian Press
Iran Mass Espionage Crackdown Following Israel Conflict
Iran’s armed forces spokesman, General Abolfazl Shekarchi, announced that authorities infiltrated and dismantled a large foreign espionage network built over years with significant effort and cost, resulting in the arrest of over 2,000 alleged agents linked to orchestrating attacks during the 12-day war with Israel in June. Arrests commenced several months prior to the conflict due to preparedness measures and persisted through its conclusion and aftermath as part of a broader postwar security operation targeting individuals accused of collaborating with Israeli intelligence services. Shekarchi emphasized that reconstructing such a network would demand years of time and resources. This action occurs amid ongoing executions, including 17 prisoners in recent days on spying charges related to Israel and over 1,500 total executions in 2025 characterized by human rights monitors as a mass killing effort.
Sources: Iran International, The Washington Times
Hezbollah Funding Shifts to Venezuelan Drug Trade
Hezbollah operatives are increasingly relocating to Venezuela and intensifying involvement in drug trafficking operations there to compensate for diminished financial support from Iran, which has been strained by domestic crises, sanctions, and military setbacks following Israel’s campaigns against the group and its allies. Over 400 Hezbollah commanders have been directed to evacuate to Latin America, with Venezuela highlighted as a key destination, joining thousands of prior arrivals who benefit from the regime’s cooperation. The terror organization focuses on trafficking “black cocaine,” disguised to evade detection, generating substantial revenue that funds its activities while the Venezuelan government receives a portion to sustain itself. A 2016 DEA assessment estimated Hezbollah’s annual cocaine proceeds at up to $400 million through Latin American networks, a figure likely elevated amid recent funding shortfalls that previously relied on Iran providing hundreds of millions yearly.
Sources: The Washington Free Beacon, FOX News
Israel Welcomes Thousands of Christian Pilgrims for Christmas
Israel stands as the only nation in the Middle East where Christmas celebrations proceed openly and vibrantly, with the Ministry of Tourism anticipating approximately 130,000 visitors in December 2025, including about 40,000 Christian pilgrims gathering at sacred sites in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem following the Gaza ceasefire and resumption of international flights. Tourism recovery continues strongly, evidenced by peak passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport since October 2023 and rising visitor numbers from key markets. The ministry has allocated substantial funds for enhancements in Nazareth, including infrastructure improvements, festive decorations, lighting, fireworks, and a Christmas market in Acre’s Old City, while maintaining close coordination with Christian leaders and ensuring robust security measures through police collaboration with church authorities. Christianity flourishes securely within Israel, in stark contrast to declining Christian communities under Palestinian Authority control.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, Israel365 News