The Political Markup for December 16, 2025
Trump's base is unhappy with him, economic worries continue, more U.S. attacks in the Pacific, a warning on Russia.
Politics
Pollsters and conservative leaders are saying Trump’s base is unhappy with him.
Fundraising and planning for Joe Biden’s presidential library are off to a slow start.
Tina Smith and two other retired U.S. Senators did a roundtable interview with The New York Times on the state of Congress and politics.
A former Instacart employee alleged in a lawsuit that the company fired her because it was worried her Democratic congressional campaign would impact its relationship with the Trump Administration.
The U.S. House Oversight Committee is threatening to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt for refusing to testify on the Jeffrey Epstein case. The committee’s chairman, Congressman James Comer, appears to be holding the Clinton’s to a different standard than how the committee has treated other potential witnesses, in an attempt to deflect the Epstein case away from President Trump.
Legal questions surround President Trump’s intent to pardon a county clerk who was prosecuted by Colorado for messing with voting machines in 2020 that she believed were rigged against Trump.
Trump Administration
Vanity Fair interviews a handful of children of Trump Administration officials and supporters.
President Trump sued the BBC over its documentary on him and January 6.
Jared Kushner’s private equity firm pulled out of a Trump Hotel project in Serbia after allegations of local officials falsifying documents and removing cultural protections.
The Trump Administration is creating controversy with the coins that will be minted for the country’s 250th anniversary. The Treasury Department appears to be ignoring both a law passed by Congress and an advisory committee.
Economy
Constant inflation and inaction by the Trump Administration are forcing Americans to purchase affordable basic items as Christmas gifts.
Bloomberg details research on how Trump’s tax cuts will marginally benefit average people.
U.S. homebuilder sentiment improved over last month but is still generally low due to high costs and economic uncertainty.
Canadian home prices have dropped in part due to economic uncertainty.
The United Kingdom’s economy stalled for a second month in a row.
Business
The Wall Street Journal details how the Trump Administration has inserted the government into ownership of U.S. companies.
A former Trump official is now head of government relations for Intel. In August, Trump had the U.S. government take a 10 percent stake in the computer chip company.
Private equity firms are buying EMS software companies then raising the software costs on local volunteer fire departments.
The New York Times details how the Winklevoss twins — known after being portrayed in The Social Network — have become close to President Trump.
Agriculture
President Trump disrupts the global fertilizer market after lifting restrictions on Belarus and threatening tariffs on Canada.
Mexico is investigating imports of U.S. pork.
Trade
A trade agreement between the U.S. and the United Kingdom is facing setbacks, after President Trump heralded it in May as the first trade deal struck by his Administration.
The United Kingdom and South Korea finalized a trade agreement.
International
The Trump Administration is planning to reduce the number of G-20 finance minister meetings once the U.S. chairs the group next year.
In 2026 the Chinese government will pay for all childbirth costs for its citizens.
Lawmakers from a far-right political party in Germany are trying to get the country’s government to release military strategies that would benefit Russia in its fight against Ukraine.
Jose Antonio Kast, a conservative, was elected as the next president of Chile.
National Security
The U.S. took out three more boats in the Pacific Ocean for alleged drug trafficking.
Ukraine hit a Russian sub with an underwater drone.
The United Kingdom’s new intelligence chief said Russia is poised to cause turmoil across the West.
Venezuela’s oil export system was down following a cyberattack. The country has been at odds with the U.S.
Near Venezuela, a JetBlue plane almost hit a U.S. Air Force plane that did not have its transponder on. The U.S. has an increased military presence in the region.
Federal prosecutors charged four far-left activists with plans to place bombs around Los Angeles.
Canada is partnering with tech companies from its country to develop a military satellite system for the Arctic.
The U.S. and Paraguay signed a military and security agreement.
The story of the CIA trying to install — and then losing — a small nuclear generator on a Himalayan mountain in 1965, to help spy on China’s nuclear bomb tests, was documented by The New York Times.