Trump: Hezbollah in Lebanon is a bit of a problem. We will see what happens there.

Vanity Fair published a striking series of unusually candid interviews today with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, recorded by author Chris Whipple during the first year of President Donald J. Trump’s second term. In the interviews, Wiles described Trump as having “an alcoholic’s personality,” said Vice President JD Vance “has been a conspiracy theorist for a decade,” and characterized his shift from Trump critic to ally as “sort of political,” driven by his Senate ambitions rather than principle. She called Elon Musk “an avowed ketamine” user and “an odd, odd duck,” saying his behavior was not always rational and at times left her “aghast.” Wiles also labeled OMB Director Russell T. Vought “a right-wing absolute zealot” and said Attorney General Pam Bondi “completely whiffed” in her handling of the Epstein files. Wiles further revealed that she urged Trump to abandon his campaign of “score settling” after the first 90 days of his term, but conceded that the administration’s continued push for prosecutions has been fueled in part by the president’s desire for retribution against perceived enemies. While she said Trump is not constantly focused on revenge, she noted that “when there’s an opportunity, he will go for it.” She also acknowledged that Trump was not telling the truth when he accused former President Bill Clinton of visiting the private island of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Senate Minority Leader Schumer: "If they don't release the Epstein documents, there's gonna be such an outcry from one end of America to the other that I think they'll be forced to do it"

In a spectacular display of Nordic cooperation, 18 Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighters were joined by two Danish F-35s and one Danish F-16 to form a massive Christmas tree shape in the skies over Copenhagen and eastern Denmark on December 16, 2025. This annual Swedish Air Force tradition, enhanced this year with Danish participation, highlights joint training and festive spirit amid strengthened regional defense ties.

Elon Musk has officially kicked off the Republican political campaign funding season for the 2026 midterms. Despite the feud with Trump in the middle of the year and Musk having created a new political party in the US to, according to him, "compete with the Republicans and Democrats," the billionaire ultimately made peace with Trump and will return to funding the party. In the presidential elections, Musk directed about $250 million to Trump's campaign, with sources close to the party expecting a similar amount for funding campaigns of congressmen and senators for the November 2026 elections. In this video, recorded during the Saudi Crown Prince's visit to the US, we can see the level of the "re"-rapprochement between Trump and Musk.

Nearly every member of the Trump administration issued coordinated statements this morning in defense of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, following the release of today’s Vanity Fair article.

Polymarket puts the odds of a U.S.–Venezuela military engagement by the end of the month at around 20%. Low probability — but potentially a big profit opportunity if you’re willing to take the risk 👀

The Islamists attacked Israel two years ago. Two days ago, they struck Australia. If you believe they’re finished, you haven’t learned the lesson.

New U.S. Census Bureau projections paint a dramatic demographic reshaping of the planet: China’s population is expected to plunge from 1.4 billion to just 662 million by 2100 — the steepest decline ever recorded for a single nation. Africa, by contrast, is set for explosive growth of roughly 155%. The Democratic Republic of Congo alone is projected to soar from 139 million to 584 million, becoming one of the world’s largest populations. Regional trends diverge sharply: Asia overall declines by 9%, Europe by 16%, and South America by 12%. North America grows modestly at 4%, driven largely by immigration. India remains the world’s most populous nation at 1.5 billion, while the U.S. is projected to reach 370 million. Analysts warn that aging populations in shrinking regions will pressure labor forces, pension systems, and military recruitment, while booming African cities will face immense infrastructure and governance challenges. China is attempting to reverse its downturn with pro-birth incentives and looser immigration rules, but most experts agree its demographic slide is now essentially irreversible.

UK MI6 Chief Blaise Metreweli warned: “AI-driven robots and drones are transformative for mass production, but catastrophic when weaponized. Breakthroughs capable of curing disease can just as easily be turned into tools of war. Power is becoming increasingly diffuse and unpredictable, as control over these technologies shifts away from governments and into the hands of corporations — and in some cases, individuals.”