Trump’s hand bruise is on the move. While the White House still claims it’s a handshaking injury, the bruise is now on Trump’s left hand, too.

In an off-hand comment on a radio show, Donald Trump claimed that the U.S. struck a ‘big plant’ in Venezuela on Christmas Eve.

Two qualities of Zohran Mamdani’s — the scintillating political skill and the strangeness of a 34-year-old democratic socialist pledging enormous change without compromise — exist side by side, and how they resolve will define his mayoralty. intelligencer.visitlink.me/vRAfkW

Zohran Mamdani is going into his inauguration backed by a tight-knit group of appointed fixers, deputy mayors, strategists, and DSA organizers, all of whom will work to advance his agenda at City Hall and in Albany.

Zohran Mamdani is a brilliant political talent with dizzying ambitions to change New York City as its new mayor. Is he ready for the actual job, though?

Why history points to huge 2026 losses for Trump’s GOP. A few presidents — like Bush, Clinton, Reagan, and JFK — have pulled off what Trump is trying to do in the 2026 midterms. None have much in common with Trump or his party.

From the spread-out Winter Olympics to the Trump-heavy World Cup to a looming MLB lockout, there’s a lot on the horizon.

2025 was a rough year for a lot of people in Washington. But few had as bad a year as Elise Stefanik and Andrew Cuomo. Here’s the full list of 2025’s biggest political losers.

Noah Shachtman reports that while Mayor Eric Adams may be living it up during his final days in office, a number of his former aides aren’t so lucky. A look at the many investigations and cases against them.

The president’s back in the polling doldrums where he spent most of his first term, with particularly bad numbers on the economy.

From the Oklahoma City Thunder’s dominance to multisport gambling scandals to a truly epic World Series, this year has been quite a ride.

In a highly technical decision backed by six justices, the U.S. Supreme Court seemed to put a big roadblock in front of Trump’s plans to used armed military units — including the National Guard — in Democratic cities like Chicago.

The biggest news from the new Epstein files release: a handwritten suicide note sent to Larry Nasser. The prison letter accuses Trump of sharing the pedophiles’ love of ‘young, nubile girls.’ But the DOJ claims it’s ‘FAKE.’

Running a major news outlet that is trying to placate a president few Americans, beyond hard-core Republicans, like is very hard job, writes columnist Ross Barkan.

Insiders subscribe to the newsletter of Apollo’s chief economist, Torsten Slok, to read the tea leaves.

J.D. Vance rebrands MAGA revenge as a Christian crusade. In his Turning Point speech, the vice-president blamed the left for Charlie Kirk’s murder and portrayed fighting for MAGA causes as a religious obligation.

This Trump-Epstein Photo wasn’t fishy — until the DOJ deleted it. The Justice Department deleted File 468 with no explanation, then replaced it. Yet again, DOJ bungling is making Trump’s Epstein files appearances look even worse.

Why did Bari Weiss pull the 60 Minutes CECOT segment? She has said the story needed ‘additional reporting’ while correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi believes it was spiked for political reasons.

In 2025, Intelligencer’s most-read stories included articles on RFK Jr. hijacking the Kennedys, ChatGPT cheating in college, Barry Diller’s relationship with Diane von Fürstenberg, and more.

Candace Owens has pissed off Turning Point, alienated Trump, shed her Republican identity — and is gaining more listeners than ever, writes Brock Colyar.

‘Battling Bella’ Abzug’s remarkable life and tireless activism set an example that more people should follow today, Errol Louis writes.

Discharge petitions that bypass the Speaker’s control of the House were once rare. But they’re becoming common under Johnson. He may not survive until, much less beyond, the midterms.

Trump’s Justice Department is blowing past its legally mandated deadline to release all the Epstein files it can, and what it has released on time is so far heavily redacted and hard to access.

The Republican explains why she’s leaving politics.

New Epstein files will be released today. So what do the photos of Trump and Epstein show? What’s in the birthday card? What are the Epstein files, anyway? Here’s the Trump-Epstein relationship timeline, and a guide to their relationship.

Trump seems to be borrowing J.D. Vance’s strategy of blaming immigrants for every problem. It’s the VP’s way to help Trump’s failure to deal with affordability and keep his coalition united as he looks to 2028.

Pam Bondi’s obsequious attempts to prosecute Trump’s enemies aren’t just doomed to fail, they’re a terrible embarrassment for her and the Justice Department.

Is Eleanor Holmes Norton, 88, still fit for office? Is she even in charge? Alex Shultz reports on the case of the congresswoman from Washington, D.C., who was recently conned at her home.

The White House congratulated JFK on the renamed ‘Trump-Kennedy Center.’ Karoline Leavitt announced the possibly illegal move to rename the arts institution by saying Trump and the deceased JFK will be a’truly great team long into the future.’

The president tried to play Santa Claus in his Oval Office speech, announcing a ‘warrior dividend’ for active-duty troops. But the bonus was money already promised by Congress in military housing supplements, rebranded and hijacked by Trump.

Trump used his big speech to angrily insist the economy is great. Trump announced a bonus for troops, but otherwise his Oval Office address last night was a warmed-over tirade meant to convince Americans they’re not struggling.

Gamers are extremely mad about AI. In-game slop is widely despised, and now AI is driving up prices.

With a gunman on the loose, Brown University students build barricades, frisk classmates, and prepare to fight. Inside their 12 hours on campus.

Anti-abortion groups try to get restrictions past Trump. Though Trump took a national abortion ban off the table, they’re still pushing to restrict abortion pills via FDA and EPA regulations.

Trump turns White House wall into ex-president burn book. He made his “Presidential Walk of Fame” next to the Rose Garden even more stunningly stupid by adding plaques insulting Biden, Obama, and his other predecessors.

Trump alone can fix Obamacare subsidies crisis. GOP moderates joined Democrats to force another House health-care vote. But it’s all moot unless Trump decides to make his party compromise.

Democrats don’t need a huge ‘wave’ to win big in 2026. Democrats probably can’t repeat 2018’s blue wave. But a net gain of just three House seats in the midterms would bust up Trump’s control of Washington.

Susie Wiles’s big slip is a test of her power. If she survives the fallout from her comments to ‘Vanity Fair,’ it will prove that her control as White House chief of staff is truly extraordinary.

The Don Jr. & Bettina Anderson engagement is a MAGA fairy tale. A year after Trump sent Don Jr.’s ex-fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle off to Greece, he announced his son’s new engagement, and Laura Loomer spread the happy news.

Zohran Mamdani is now even more popular. A new poll shows that the mayor-elect’s favorability rating has grown both in the city and statewide and that more voters support his policies.

Susie Wiles swears the Trump White House is actually a historically awesome success, regardless of what Susie Wiles said.

In 2025, ‘New York’ Magazine readers’ most-read stories included AI cheaters, crypto maniacs, MAGA cool kids, and furious Canadians.

Five years ago, Bari Weiss left New York for Hollywood, where she cultivated powerful new friends and paved the way for a triumphant return at CBS News.

Another government shutdown may be just weeks away. Republicans won’t bend on Obamacare subsidies, and a January shutdown is the only leverage Democrats have on health care and other issues.

Trump’s Truth Social post on Rob Reiner’s death is truly deranged. Suggesting that the acclaimed director was murdered due to his ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ is vile and unhinged, even for the president.

The manhunt for the gunman who opened fire at Brown University on has resumed. Authorities detained then released a person of interest on Sunday, now they appear to be back to square one.

Australia and the global Jewish community are reeling after gunmen killed at least 15 people in a horrifying attack on a Hanukkah celebration. Here’s what we know.

Since the bell-to-bell device lockup, teens in New York have rediscovered the simple pleasures of conversation, board games, and poker.

The deadly missile strikes and seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela show how Hegseth’s defense policy mirrors Trump’s domestic priorities.

Trump and Melania have themselves an awkward little Christmas. Melania shared an unflattering video from the Congressional Ball after Donald reminisced about her décor debacles and admitted he’s clueless about her 2026 project.