President Trump on Monday unveiled plans for a new class of U.S. Navy battleships named after himself. https://www.notus.org/defense/trump-new-class-of-navy-battleships-name-golden-fleet

EXCLUSIVE: Four House Republicans, including Colorado Rep. Jeff Hurd, joined Democrats to challenge the Trump administration’s dismantling of the nation’s leading weather and climate research institution.

New: Republican Reps. Jeff Hurd, Jay Obernolte, Brian Fitzpatrick and Jack Bergman have joined Democrats in an effort to stave off President Trump’s dismantling of a key weather center in Colorado. https://www.notus.org/climate-environment/colorado-hurd-republican-letter-stop-trump-dismantling-ncar

Democrats are demanding the DOJ investigate whether the Trump administration committed war crimes — or premeditated murder — by directing the military to conduct the double-tap missile strike in the Caribbean Sea. www.notus.org/congress/dem...

As President Trump escalates U.S. military pressure on Venezuela, Republicans on Capitol Hill are facing a question: When, if ever, does the president need Congress’ permission? https://www.notus.org/defense/congress-republicans-line-war-powers-authorization-trump-venezuela

George Conway — co-founder of the anti-Donald Trump Lincoln Project and ex-husband of Trump political operative Kellyanne Conway — announced he will run for New York’s 12th District. https://www.notus.org/2026-election/george-conway-run-for-congress-new-york-donald-trump-kellyanne

A court filing revealed how Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s office closely oversaw the prosecution of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia after he’d been deported to a Salvadoran prison. https://www.notus.org/courts/abrego-garcia-doj-todd-blanche

Rep. Becca Balint @balint.house.gov joins NOTUS’ Reese Gorman to discuss what it’s like being openly gay and Jewish in Congress, and what her political future might hold. www.notus.org/podcast

The Interior Department is pausing leases for five offshore wind farms on national security grounds, including one in Virginia that is close to being finished. https://www.notus.org/energy/interior-department-pauses-five-major-offshore-wind-projects

NEW: MAHA-coded wellness companies have already made it possible for you to buy a tax-free sauna. Now HSA advocates within HHS could help expand their market. W/ @emilykennard.bsky.social: www.notus.org/health-scien...

In the newsletter: - The Epstein files release remains deeply politicized - Don’t take Roger Stone to karaoke - A huge increase in whistleblower retaliation complaints - And: Performers aren’t happy about the Kennedy Center’s new name www.notus.org/newsletters/...

The EPA’s internal watchdog has received ~6x as many calls about retaliation against whistleblowers in Trump’s first year compared to Biden’s last. DOE’s watchdog is reporting an even higher similar stat, about 9x this year over last year.

The Department of Energy’s IG opened nine times as many whistleblower-retaliation cases in the first year of Trump’s second term than it did in the last year of Joe Biden’s administration. www.notus.org/trump-white-...

The Department of Health and Human Services could exert influence over what qualifies under HSA plans, and some of its top officials have expressed interest in expanding them. www.notus.org/health-scien...

Nicki Minaj, clad in a modest purple turtleneck, sat down with Erika Kirk for a 15-minute conversation in which she commended the leaders in the White House, suggested white women have been the victims of reverse discrimination and doubled down on her opinions about transgender youth.

The DOJ just re-released more than a hundred pages of previously heavily redacted grand jury materials from a 2021 case concerning Ghislaine Maxwell — after Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna threatened to seek impeachment or inherent contempt charges against Pam Bondi and other top DOJ officials.

The FDA withdrew its proposed rule to test talcum powder in cosmetics for traces of asbestos. Several lawmakers told NOTUS they had not heard of the rule withdrawal. https://www.notus.org/health-science/talc-asbestos-testing

When asked whether he was worried about Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna’s Epstein files-related impeachment threats, Deputy AG Todd Blanche replied: “Not even a little bit. Bring it on.”

President Donald Trump made an endorsement over the weekend in the New York governor’s race, just one day after Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik dropped her bid.

Republicans are breaking with President Trump over his labor agenda. https://www.notus.org/economy/republican-party-trump-labor-agenda

New guidance to the NIH dictates staff must use a “text analysis tool” to identify programs deemed “misaligned” with the administration. https://www.notus.org/health-science/nih-funding-grants-review-terms-text-analysis-tool-health-equity-racism

SNAP is now a key part of Democrats’ campaign messaging. https://www.notus.org/2026-election/snap-democrats-campaign-messaging

Congress is ending the year with a lot of infighting and a nearly unprecedented number of lawmakers heading for the exits. https://www.notus.org/congress/house-lawmakers-retirement-republicans-nancy-mace-marjorie-taylor-greene-mtg

The DNC announced that it will not release its long-awaited review of why Democrats lost in the 2024 elections. https://www.notus.org/democrats/dnc-2024-autopsy

Trump DOJ’s First Epstein Files Drop Heavily Features Bill Clinton https://www.notus.org/us-news/epstein-files-trump-doj-bill-clinton

Exclusive: Artists are threatening to cancel over President Trump’s Kennedy Center renaming. https://www.notus.org/donald-trump/kennedy-center-name-change-artists-cancel

Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming will retire from the Senate after one term, making her the fifth Republican senator to opt out of running for reelection in 2026. https://www.notus.org/2026-election/cynthia-lummis-wyoming-retirement-announcement

Rep. Elise Stefanik is dropping out of the New York governor’s race. https://www.notus.org/2026-election/rep-elise-stefanik-drops-out-new-york-governor-race

The DOJ dropped its first batch of Epstein files. https://www.notus.org/trump-white-house/justice-department-releases-epstein-files-dec-19

The Trump administration announced deals with nine additional pharmaceutical companies to provide drugs at reduced prices. https://www.notus.org/healthcare/trump-nine-drug-pricing-deals-pharmaceutical-companies-most-favored-nation

Democrats previously told NOTUS they didn’t believe the Trump administration would release all of the Epstein files. “Ideally, they release everything. I highly doubt that’s going to happen,” said Rep. Robert Garcia. https://www.notus.org/democrats/epstein-files-doj-strategy

The Trump administration says it won’t release all of the Epstein files by Congress’ 30-day deadline. https://www.notus.org/trump-white-house/todd-blanche-trump-administration-epstein-files-deadline-delay

Mandela Barnes is an early front-runner in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin’s gubernatorial race. Strategists and party operatives don’t necessarily expect the field to clear for him. https://www.notus.org/2026-election/wisconsin-democrats-governor-race-barnes

In the newsletter: - How the Epstein files era changes after today - The Senate says no to the House ACA discharge petition before the House even has a chance to vote on it - A scoop about the transgender care debate in Congress https://www.notus.org/newsletters/careful-what-you-wish-for

As the Democratic Party focuses on affordability, some see Sherrod Brown — who considers himself a “true populist” and often speaks about the “dignity of work” — as uniquely well-positioned to speak on labor and wages in Ohio. www.notus.org/2026-electio...

President Trump’s affordability agenda may take months, if not years, before Americans can feel the impact. “Everyone would love immediate gratification, but that’s just not how it works,” said one senior White House official. www.notus.org/trump-white-...

Sen. Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Thursday that he has seen “no evidence of war crimes” during the double-tap strike in the Caribbean Sea. https://www.notus.org/defense/senate-armed-services-chair-says-no-evidence-of-war-crimes-in-double-tap-strike

“I can’t predict votes. People are going to have to make their own individual decisions, but what is clear is that the bill that is on the floor today is the most extreme anti-LGBTQ bill that has likely ever come before a Congress,” Rep. Sarah McBride said.

A coalition of environmental groups and state and city offices sued the Internal Revenue Service over what they are calling an “all-out attack on solar and wind technologies” by President Donald Trump.

SCOOP: House Democrats suspected a few in their caucus would support a bill criminalizing gender-affirming care for trans youth So Sarah McBride reached out to Republicans Four Rs — Fitzpatrick, Lawler, Kennedy, Evans — joined Dems in opposing the bill www.notus.org/congress/mcb...

The House passed a major permitting reform bill — but the inclusion of anti-wind-energy language risks it moving forward. https://www.notus.org/energy/trumps-energy-agenda-congress-permitting-reform-ambitions

If you thought "The Trump Kennedy Center" name would just be symbolic, check the center's website and twitter account. Via @notus.com: www.notus.org/donald-trump...

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker reposted the White House’s “Patriot Games” announcement with a still from “The Hunger Games” film, comparing Donald Trump to the fictitious dictator Coriolanus Snow. www.notus.org/trump-white-...

“It could pass the House, right?” Republican Sen. John Hoeven said, referring to the ACA subsidy discharge petition. “But for it to pass the Senate, we’re going to have some reforms.” https://www.notus.org/senate/aca-subsidies-senate-republicans-discharge-petition

President Trump signed an executive order to downgrade marijuana’s drug classification. https://www.notus.org/trump-white-house/trump-signs-executive-order-downgrade-classification-of-marijuana

Scoop: Brooke Rollins received a $300,000 bonus from America First Policy Institute last year before leaving to join the Department of Agriculture. https://www.notus.org/money/brooke-rollins-america-first-policy-institute-donald-trump

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees voted to rename the historic arts institution to the “Trump-Kennedy Center.” https://www.notus.org/donald-trump/kennedy-center-board-votes-name-after-trump-washington-dc

Health Secretary RFK Jr. announced two proposed regulations that would ban Medicaid and Medicaid funds from going to hospitals that provide gender-affirming health care to transgender youth. https://www.notus.org/healthcare/hhs-proposed-rules-cut-funds-hospitals-gender-affirming-care-trans-youth

The DNC announced that it will not release its long-awaited review of why Democrats lost in the 2024 elections. https://www.notus.org/democrats/dnc-2024-autopsy

The Trump administration is urging white men to file claims with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if they believe they’ve faced discrimination based on race or sex. https://www.notus.org/trump-white-house/urge-eeoc-complaints-white-men-discrimination