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  Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Rebukes Sen. Elizabeth Warren Over Banking Crisis Claims WASHINGTON, D.C. — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sharply pushed back against Senator Elizabeth Warren’s claims that President Donald Trump is setting the United States on a path toward an economic crisis, pointing instead to the 2023 banking failures that occurred under the Biden administration. Speaking during a recent exchange, Bessent cited the collapses of Silicon Valley Bank , Silvergate Bank , and Signature Bank , three of the largest bank failures in U.S. history, all of which occurred in 2023. “With apologies to Senator Warren, you can’t memory hole three of the largest U.S. bank failures,” Bessent said. “Silicon Valley Bank, Silvergate Bank, and Signature Bank all collapsed in 2023 under the Senator’s favored regulatory framework as enforced by the Biden administration.” Bessent rejected the argument that increased regulation alone would stab...

  Marco Rubio Secretary of State Marco Rubio Holds Marathon Press Conference, Fields Questions for Over Two Hours WASHINGTON, D.C. — December 19, 2025 — Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday held one of the longest press conferences of any U.S. Secretary of State in recent history, taking questions from nearly 50 journalists over the course of more than two hours on a wide range of domestic and international issues. The extended briefing took place in the State Department Press Briefing Room , where Rubio emphasized openness, accessibility, and a recalibration of U.S. foreign policy under the Trump administration . Reporters posed dozens of questions—often with multiple follow-ups—covering global security, diplomacy, and the administration’s foreign policy priorities. Rubio began his remarks by thanking members of the press and signaling his intent to prioritize transparency. “I wanted to start — I’m going to be very brief because I just want to get to as many questions as...

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0,  via Flickr Florida State Governor Ron DeSantis Announces $311 Million in Infrastructure Grants for Storm-Impacted Florida Communities TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor DeSantis on Tuesday announced $311 million in grant awards to improve critical infrastructure in 37 Florida communities affected by major storms in 2023 and 2024. The announcement was made during an event in Highlands County , with funding aimed at strengthening storm recovery efforts and enhancing long-term resilience across the state. The grants will support infrastructure repairs and upgrades in areas impacted by Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene, and Milton , as well as the 2024 North Florida Tornadoes . Of the total awards, 32 grants are designated for rural counties and small cities , underscoring a focus on communities with limited resources and heightened vulnerability to severe weather events. Funding is being distributed through two primary programs: the Community Deve...

  Donald Trump at Trump Force One Trump Slams Insurance Industry, Accuses Democrats of Protecting Corporate Profits President Donald Trump on Thursday renewed his criticism of the U.S. health insurance industry, accusing major insurers of profiting at the expense of American families and branding Democrats as the party aligned with “big, rich insurance.” Speaking to reporters, Trump argued that billions of dollars in federal healthcare subsidies are funneled through insurance companies rather than directly benefiting patients. He said the current system allows insurers to reap record profits while consumers face rising premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs. “Insurance companies are ripping off America,” Trump said, adding that healthcare funding should go “directly to the people” so individuals can choose and purchase coverage that best fits their needs. The president also took aim at the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, claiming the law entrenched the pow...

  Kristi Noem Photo credit: Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0,  via Flickr Trump Administration Orders Suspension of Diversity Visa Program Following Campus Shooting President Donald Trump has ordered the suspension of the U.S. Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery Program following revelations that the suspected gunman in recent shootings at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology entered the country through the program. The suspect, identified as Claudio Neves Valente, a Portuguese national, reportedly entered the United States in 2017 under the Diversity Visa program, which provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas annually through a random lottery system. The program is designed to increase immigration from countries with historically low admission rates to the U.S., allowing selected applicants to pursue permanent residency after meeting eligibility requirements. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the action in a statement Thursday, saying ...

  Nikki Haley Nikki Haley Becomes a Grandmother, Welcomes First Grandchild Ahead of Christmas Former U.S. Ambassador and presidential candidate Nikki Haley has shared joyful family news, announcing that she has become a grandmother just days before Christmas. Haley revealed the milestone on social media, calling it an early holiday blessing for her family. “Christmas came early for our family,” Haley wrote. “Michael and I are now proud grandparents! Our hearts could not be happier or feel more blessed. Mom and baby are happy and healthy with a proud ‘girl dad’ by their side. We are thrilled.” The newborn is the first child of Haley’s daughter, Rena Haley Jackson, and her husband, Joshua Jackson. The couple had previously announced they were expecting a baby girl, with Haley celebrating the news earlier this year by sharing photos and videos from a gender reveal gathering. “Our baby girl is having a baby girl,” Haley posted at the time. “We had a fun weekend celebrating with Rena, J...

  Photo credit: Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0,  via Flickr Justice Department Files Lawsuits Against Four States Over Voter Roll Access The U.S. Department of Justice has filed federal lawsuits against four jurisdictions—Washington, D.C., Georgia, Illinois, and Wisconsin—alleging failure to comply with federal requests for full voter registration records. The legal action was announced by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division as part of a broader nationwide effort to enforce federal election laws and ensure voter list transparency. According to the department, the lawsuits stem from the jurisdictions’ refusal or failure to provide complete statewide voter registration lists, despite formal requests made under federal law. The filings bring the total number of voter-roll-related enforcement actions taken by the Justice Department to 22 nationwide. READ MORE:  Federal Civil Rights Investigation Launched Into Boston Housing Program Under Boston Mayor Michelle Wu At th...

Donald Trump & Melania Trump together at the White House US President Donald J. Trump Signs Executive Order Granting Federal Employees Christmas Eve and Dec. 26 Off in 2025 President Donald Trump has signed an executive order excusing most federal employees from work on Christmas Eve (December 24, 2025) and the day after Christmas (December 26, 2025) , effectively creating an extended four-day holiday break around Christmas for many government workers. The order directs all executive departments and federal agencies to close on those two dates, bookending the already established Christmas Day holiday on December 25. As a result, many federal employees will receive a continuous break spanning December 24 through December 26 , with the possibility of an even longer weekend depending on individual schedules. While some media outlets have described the move as creating new “federal holidays,” the White House clarified that the order applies only to 2025 and does not permanently add ...