Tuesday, Dec. 16
Trump Sues BBC for defamation, seeking $10 million
In a 33-page lawsuit, President Donald Trump accuses the BBC of broadcasting “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory and malicious depictions of President Trump” and attempting to influence the 2024 presidential election, according to the Associated Press.
The lawsuit claims BBC’s documentary, “Trump: A Second Chance?”, which aired days before the presidential election, intentionally misrepresented Trump with the editing of his Jan. 6 speech.
The BBC apologized for the incident last month and stated it had led to the resignations of several BBC executives. The BBC told the AP it intends to defend the case but will not make further comments, as it is an ongoing legal proceeding.
Wednesday, Dec. 17
Trump announces blockade of ‘all-sanctioned oil tankers’ into Venezuela
The AP reported Trump’s decision to enact a blockade of “all-sanctioned oil tankers” into Venezuela, following a buildup of military forces in the area.
Trump’s administration is attempting to hinder the economy of Venezuela and the authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, according to the AP. Venezuela’s government released a statement condemning Trump’s announcement and has plans to denounce the situation to the United Nations.
Venezuela’s primary export is oil, with nearly 1 million barrels being produced daily. It is estimated that around 850,000 barrels of the 1 million are exported.
Thursday, Dec. 18
Trump gives a partisan speech on the economy
In a Dec. 17 television speech, Trump blamed economic issues on democrats, claiming he is fixing the mess Biden left him when Trump became president in January, according to the AP.
Trump announced the economy is stronger than voters realize, despite inflation remaining high and a weakened job market, according to the AP.
Trump also announced a $1,776 bonus check for military troops, the amount likely a nod to next year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Friday, Dec. 19
Suspect from Brown University attack found dead
Claudio Neves Valente, 48, was found dead in a New Hampshire storage facility on Dec. 18. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the AP.
Valente was the prime suspect for the Dec. 13 Brown University attack, which left two students dead and nine others wounded. Authorities also suspect Valente in the death of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, who died on Dec. 16 after being shot the previous night.
Valente was a Portuguese national who had come to the U.S. on a student visa to Brown University in 2000 and obtained status as a permanent resident in 2017. The university claims Valente “has no current affiliation with the university,” according to AP.
Sunday, Dec. 21
Epstein files disappeared from DOJ website with no explanation
At least 16 files about Jeffrey Epstein went missing from the Department of Justice’s website, the AP reported. The files, which were present on Dec. 19, were taken off the website without explanation, according to the AP.
The missing files contained photographs of nude women, images of a crezada and of drawers. In one, there is a photo of Donald and Melania Trump with Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The Justice Department said in a post on X, “photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information,” according to the AP.
Monday, Dec. 22
Vance refuses to exclude controversial conservatives from Turning Point
Vice President JD Vance refused to denounce conservatives from Turning Point USA and said the movement should be open to everyone as long as they “love America,” according to the AP.
Turning Point and the conservative movement have been met with debate on whether the movement should exclude certain figures, such as political commentator Nick Fuentes, who expresses antisemitic views.
“We have far more important work to do than canceling each other,” Vance said at the Turning Point conference, according to the AP.
Tuesday, Dec. 23
US strikes alleged drug-smuggling boat, kills one person
The U.S. military announced Monday it struck another boat said to be smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing one person, according to the AP.
The U.S. Southern Command provided no evidence of drug smuggling on the boat.
“Intelligence confirmed the low-profile vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” Southern Command said in a social media post, according to the AP.
Since September, at least 105 people have been killed across 29 known strikes in an effort by the Trump administration to stop drugs from entering the U.S. and to put pressure on Maduro, according to the AP.
Wednesday, Dec. 24
New Epstein document release includes Trump
The Justice Department released a new batch of documents related to Jefferey Epstein that included mentions of Trump, according to the AP.
The release was the largest so far, but did not include any new, relevant information, according to the AP.
The mentions of Trump mostly came from news clippings, but an email from a prosecutor confirms the flights Trump took on Epstein’s private jet in the 1990s.
Thursday, Dec. 25 - Merry Christmas!
Sunday, Dec. 28
Zelenskyy, Trump to meet as Russia, Ukraine both want peace
Trump invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to talk at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, and said he believes both Russia and Ukraine want peace, according to the AP.
Before speaking with Zelenskyy in Florida, Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone for over an hour. Russia continued its attacks on Ukraine while Zelenskyy was traveling to the U.S.
According to the AP, Trump said, “Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed.”
