Here's the latest
• Trumps offer prayers: President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump both mourned this weekend’s mass shootings in Rhode Island and Australia during remarks at a White House Christmas reception today. “I want to pay my respects to the people,” the president said, noting those who remain hospitalized and the two deceased, who he said are “looking down on us right now from heaven.”
• Syria retaliation: Trump said there will be “a lot of damage done” in retaliation after two US soldiers and one civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush in Syria.
• Ukraine talks: Delegations led by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US special envoy Steve Witkoff met today in Berlin as the Trump administration’s push for a peace deal has run up against some of the most intractable issues for ending Russia’s war.
• Health care costs: With Obamacare recipients facing skyrocketing costs in the new year, the latest health care plan from GOP lawmakers does not fulfill Trump’s call to send federal funds directly to enrollees.
“Progress was made” in US-Ukraine peace talks in Berlin, special envoy Witkoff says
Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, said Sunday that progress was made during lengthy US-Ukraine talks in Berlin and that discussions will continue Monday.
The special envoy’s office said on X that the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and US and Ukrainian delegations lasted more than five hours.
The talks come as the Trump administration intensifies its push for a peace deal, an effort that has run up against some of the most intractable issues in ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.
US-Ukraine talks in Berlin lasted over 5 hours and will resume Monday, Ukrainian presidency says
Talks in Berlin between US negotiators and a Ukrainian delegation lasted more than five hours today and are set to continue Monday morning, the Ukrainian presidency said.
The discussions, which are being led on the Ukrainian side by President Volodymyr Zelensky, have ended for the day, presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn told reporters.
Lytvyn said Zelensky would comment on the talks Monday once they were completed.
Syria arrests 5 suspects after Americans killed in ambush
Five suspects were arrested by Syrian forces Sunday in connection with an ambush in central Syria that killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter, the country’s Interior Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said its forces carried out a “qualitative and decisive” operation in the city of Palmyra in coordination with the international coalition fighting ISIS following the Saturday attack, which left three others wounded.
The arrested suspects were “immediately placed under investigation,” the statement added.
The statement came as President Donald Trump said Sunday there will be “a lot of damage done” in retaliation after the Americans were killed.
“I can tell you, in Syria, there will be a lot of damage done to the people that did it,” Trump said at the White House.
US Central Command and the Department of Defense said the attack was carried out by a single ISIS gunman.
Melania Trump offers prayers for grieving families after deadly weekend attacks
First lady Melania Trump said Sunday she is praying for grieving families around the world following a deadly weekend that included a mass shooting in Australia, a shooting at Brown University and an ambush in Syria that killed three Americans.
The first lady opened her remarks by acknowledging the loss felt by families affected by the violence while speaking alongside President Donald Trump at a Christmas reception at the White House.
“My heart is with them,” the first lady added.
Christmas reception: Melania Trump concluded her remarks by welcoming guests to the White House and encouraging them to enjoy the event. She urged guests to “enjoy the time,” and suggested they visit Santa Claus in one of the White House rooms.
“He’s waiting for you. You could take pictures and maybe whisper to him what you would like to have as a present for Christmas,” she said.
Hassett says Fed should remain independent but Trump’s opinion matters
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said today the Federal Reserve should remain independent but its board should consider the president’s opinions on the economy.
The comments on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” come as Donald Trump prepares to announce his pick for Federal Reserve chair, which the president has said he expects to announce “early next year.”
Trump said Friday he thinks he “certainly should have a role in talking to whoever the head of the Fed is, or the Fed. … I think my voice should be heard.”
Hassett is one of the top contenders to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell, but Trump is also considering former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, who was interviewed Wednesday for the top job at the central bank.
Hassett added on Sunday that he thinks Trump has “well-founded views” and that he would like to talk to Trump even if doesn’t get the position, and “would hope that Kevin Warsh would be talking to the president, as well, if he were Fed chair.”
When asked whether Trump’s voice would have equal weighting to the Fed’s voting members, Hassett said the president “would have no weight. It’s just that (Trump’s) opinion matters, if it’s good — if it’s based on data.”
Trump has repeatedly said the Federal Reserve should cut interest rates. He has referred to Powell as “Too Late Powell,” citing how the central bank has left rates unchanged for the first half of 2025. Last week, the Fed voted to cut interest rates for a third time this year.
Trump quickly pivots from somber remarks on shootings to lighter tone at a White House Christmas reception
President Donald Trump began remarks at a White House Christmas reception Sunday by referencing two shootings over the weekend and the killing of three Americans in Syria, before quickly pivoting to lighter topics including his family, golf and snake bites.
“Brown University, nine injured, two are looking down on us right now from heaven,” Trump said as he opened his comments, referring to the mass shooting in Providence, Rhode Island.
The president also referenced the deadly attack targeting the Jewish community in Australia during Hanukkah. “We’re here to celebrate Christmas and … I think today we can first say loudly, we celebrate Hanukkah. That was such a horrible attack, that was a purely antisemitic attack,” Trump said, referring to the shooting on Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
The president then quickly went on to tout his administration’s record: “To really celebrate the new year, we have an amazing couple of achievements. We’ve taken in more investment money than any country has ever taken in by four times.”
Trump acknowledged members of his family in attendance. “We have Don, we have his children. We have Vanessa, the children: Kai, Tristan, Spencer, Chloe,” Trump said, naming his grandchildren, before adding, “And all of them, they’re great athletes.”
He invited American golfer Bryson DeChambeau to the stage, saying, “We have a man who just won the US Open.”
The president also spoke at length about snake bites, telling an anecdote about Dr. James Jones, a White House physician who Trump said was bit by a viper on a trip to Peru.
“It’s a terrible Christmas story, but it’s a hell of a story, because I’ll tell you what happened,” he said.
Trump mourns deadly shootings in Rhode Island, Australia at White House Christmas reception
President Donald Trump mourned two deadly attacks this weekend — the mass shooting at Brown University and an attack targeting Australia’s Jewish community — at the top of his remarks at a White House Christmas reception.
“Likewise, in Australia, as you know, that was a terrible attack — 11 dead, 29 badly wounded. And that was an antisemitic attack, obviously,” he said of the shooting targeting a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
“Think of that and Brown University — great school, great, great, really, one of the greatest schools anywhere in the world. Things can happen,” he said.
Trump wished the nine injured at Brown to “get well fast,” and told the families of the two students killed, “I pay my deepest regards and respects from the United States of America.”
He also said he had “great respect” for the man who tackled the alleged attacker in Australia, calling him a “a very, very brave person.”
“We’re here to celebrate Christmas and … I think today, we can first say, loudly, we celebrate Hanukkah. That was such a horrible attack, that was a purely antisemitic attack,” he told the crowd gathered in the adorned White House to celebrate the holidays.
Trump says there will be “a lot of damage” in retaliation after deadly Syria attack
President Donald Trump said Sunday there will be “a lot of damage done” in retaliation after two US soldiers and one civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush in Syria.
“I can tell you, in Syria, there will be a lot of damage done to the people that did it,” Trump told the crowd at a White House Christmas reception.
“We had three great patriots terminated by bad people, and not the Syrian government, it was ISIS,” he said, adding that the new president of Syria has “fought by our side.”
He said of the three Americans injured, two are out of the hospital.
Some context: Trump said Saturday there will be “very serious retaliation” after the attack, which was carried out by a single ISIS gunman, according to US Central Command and the Department of Defense
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office said in a statement late Saturday that the soldiers were members of the state’s National Guard..
The statement said about 1,800 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers began deploying to the Middle East in late May to support Operation Inherent Resolve, the US mission to defeat ISIS.
Ukrainian and US delegations are in talks in Berlin
The Ukrainian delegation led by President Volodymyr Zelensky begun talks in Berlin with US negotiators led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner earlier Sunday, according to a German government official.
The delegations are meeting at the Federal Chancellery, the official said. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz greeted them at the state entrance and addressed them briefly before withdrawing.
Zelensky said earlier Sunday there will have to be compromises on proposals to end the war with Russia.
“The (peace) plan will not be one that everyone will like. There are certainly many compromises in one form or another of the plan,” he told reporters in a WhatsApp chat ahead of meetings with US and European officials in Berlin.
“Most importantly, it must be effective, so that the plan is not just a piece of paper, but an important step towards ending the war. And what is also important is that the plan should be such that after its signing, Russia will not be able to start another, third aggression against Ukraine,” Zelensky added.
Territorial issues, security guarantees, the future size of Ukraine’s armed forces and funds for Ukraine’s reconstruction are among issues still being negotiated.
Zelensky said he “will be ready for dialogue, which will begin today,” describing Sunday as “Ukrainian-American Day in Berlin.”
“If America puts pressure on, if partners put pressure on, if America wants to end this war, as they are demonstrating today at a high level, I believe that the Russians will have to compromise,” he said.
US Syria envoy says troop presence in the country protects Americans "from far greater threats"
US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack today defended the US military presence in the country after Saturday’s ambush attack on American soldiers, even as some lawmakers are questioning the need for troops on the ground.
American forces have operated for years across multiple locations in Syria, training Syrian partner forces as part of the wider fight against ISIS.
“The recent attack does not invalidate (the US strategy in Syria); it reinforces it,” Barrack wrote in a statement on X. “Terrorists strike precisely because they are under sustained pressure from Syrian partners operating with U.S. support, including the Syrian military under the command of President (Ahmed) al-Sharaa. As our investigation continues and new facts emerge, that reality remains unchanged.”
The attack comes a month after Syria joined the US-led coalition against ISIS, which was formed in 2014. Barrack said US partnerships within the coalition amplify “efforts to neutralize ISIS wherever it hides.”
“By confronting and defeating ISIS on Syrian soil, our limited troop presence in partnership with local forces is actively shielding America from far greater threats,” Barrack said. “Preventing ISIS’s resurgence in Syria blocks potential terrorist flows through Europe and onward to our shores.”
GOP Sen. Rand Paul calls on US to reassess military presence in Syria after attack
Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky on Sunday called on the US to reconsider its involvement in Syria, after two American soldiers and a civilian translator were killed in an ambush attack in the Badia region Saturday.
“Yes, the people who killed our soldiers should be punished, but really we need to reassess whether or not we should have troops in Syria to begin with,” Paul said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
He added that “a couple of hundred troops in Syria are more of a trip wire than a strategic asset. I don’t think they deter war.”
President Donald Trump vowed to “retaliate” after Saturday’s attack, which was carried out by a lone ISIS gunman, according to US Central Command.
The soldiers were on a mission “in support of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the region,” a Pentagon spokesperson said in a statement.
US troops have operated for years across multiple locations in Syria, including at the Al-Tanf garrison in Homs province, where they trained Syrian partner forces as part of the wider fight against ISIS. The attack comes a month after Syria joined the US-led coalition against ISIS, which was formed in 2014.
Poll: Trump's support among MAGA Republicans softens as concerns on economy remain widespread
A new poll from NBC News and SurveyMonkey finds President Donald Trump’s approval rating remains deeply underwater, as the economy remains a top concern.
Overall, the survey finds Trump’s approval rating at 42% approve to 58% disapprove. That’s similar to the current CNN Poll of Polls, which finds Trump’s approval rating at 40% approve to 59% disapprove among high-quality surveys conducted between mid-November and early December, including the new poll.
Among all Americans, just 21% strongly approve, down from 26% close to the 100-day mark of Trump’s second term. Among Republicans who say they support the MAGA movement more than the party, there’s been a larger drop: 70% strongly approve of Trump now, down from 78% in April. Republicans who align more with the party than with MAGA already expressed much lower strong approval for Trump, and it remains at a significantly lower level (38% strongly approved in April, 35% do now).
That shift comes at the same time the share of Republicans who consider themselves primarily MAGA has declined. While 57% of Republicans said they felt more a part of the MAGA movement than a supporter of the party back in April, that’s dropped to 50% in the new poll.
The survey finds that 27% of Americans call the economy the issue that matters most right now, slightly ahead of threats to democracy at 23%, with health care third at 17%.
Methodology: The NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll was conducted online November 20 to December 8 among 20,252 adults nationwide, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.
Key Trump administration headlines from around the world
As we bring you the latest on health care subsidies and the Epstein files, catch up on the other headlines from the Trump administration:
Syria attack: President Donald Trump said that there will be “very serious retaliation” after two US soldiers and one civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush in Syria on Saturday. Three others were wounded in the attack, which was carried out by a single ISIS gunman, per US officials.
Ukraine talks: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will travel to Berlin to speak with European leaders as Germany hosts peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. US envoy Steve Witkoff, as well as European and Ukrainian delegations are expected to attend the further negotiations on a US-backed plan. The French presidency said the goal is “finally having a very solid common ground between Americans, Europeans, and Ukrainians” in peace negotiations with Russia, after talks among these countries’ officials in Paris on Friday.
Venezuela tensions: The US ratcheted up sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government and seized an oil tanker last week. Trump has left the door open for further military intervention in the region. Three nephews of Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, as well as another Maduro-affiliated businessman, were named in the sanctions list. Two of the sanctioned nephews were previously convicted of drug trafficking charges in the US before being released in a prisoner swap.
The DOJ’s deadline to release Epstein case files is approaching. Catch up here
Last month, President Donald Trump signed a bill directing the Department of Justice to publicly release all its Jeffrey Epstein-related files. The deadline to do so is this Friday.
It isn’t clear how the Justice Department will release the related files or if the information will remain tied up in ongoing investigations.
Here’s what you should know:
What are the Epstein files: The Epstein files are made of over 300 gigabytes of data, paper, video, photographs and audio that live within the FBI’s main electronic case management system, “Sentinel.” These records would include investigative reports and records from the FBI Miami field division’s original Epstein investigation.
Why there’s interest in the case: The case has continued to fascinate the public years after Epstein’s death due to his ties to powerful people. Epstein’s death by suicide before trial launched conspiracy theories and deprived many of his accusers a public airing of his conduct. Division between Republican lawmakers mounted this year, with some calling for transparency from Trump and the Department of Justice.
House Oversight Committee: In November, the House Oversight Committee released 20,000 pages of documents the GOP-led panel received from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein. He mentioned Trump by name multiple times in emails over the last 15 years with an associate and an author in Trump’s orbit. It’s unclear what new information, if any, is stuffed in the boxes of evidence within the Justice Department set to release this week.
Photos released: Last week, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released photos from Epstein’s estate showing the many powerful figures in the late sex trafficker’s orbit, including Trump, former President Bill Clinton, Steve Bannon, Bill Gates, Richard Branson and others. In a statement, a White House spokesperson said House Democrats were “selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative.”
The Epstein legislation: The bill, formally titled the Epstein Files Transparency Act, was passed by the House in November by a vote of 427 to 1. The Senate then agreed through unanimous consent to deem the bill passed as soon as it was received from the House. Upon announcing his signing of the bill, Trump framed the release of the files as a transparency effort he pushed through Congress and using the moment to criticize Democrats over their past associations with Epstein.
What Americans think: A recent Reuters-Ipsos poll asked whether Americans believed that Trump was not aware of Epstein’s alleged crimes before they became public. Just 18% said it was “somewhat” or “very” likely that Trump didn’t know. Fully 60% said it was “not too” or “not at all” likely that Trump didn’t know. Even among Republicans, slightly more felt Trump was probably aware (39%) than leaned toward him not knowing (34%). Trump, again, has not been accused of wrongdoing in the Epstein case, and has denied involvement.
CNN’s Samantha Waldenberg, Alejandra Jaramillo, Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, Kara Scannell, Evan Perez, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Julia Benbrook, Alayna Treene, Annie Grayer, Kaitlan Collins and Aaron Blake contributed reporting.
Congress doesn't appear on track to extend enhanced Obamacare subsidies. Here's what to know
House Republicans unveiled a narrow health care package on Friday that does not extend soon-to-expire enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies — the latest sign that Congress is unlikely to avert skyrocketing insurance premiums for millions of Americans in the new year.
What’s in the proposal: The GOP plan includes measures aimed at reducing drug costs and lowering premiums for certain Obamacare enrollees, but it would not extend the enhanced subsidies. It also fails to fulfill President Donald Trump’s call to send federal funds directly to enrollees to offset health costs.
How we got here: The fight over extending the enhanced subsidies was central to this year’s government shutdown, and has remained bitterly contested on Capitol Hill in recent weeks as the benefits’ expiration on December 31 approaches.
The release of the House GOP plan came after the Senate tried and failed to pass dueling health care plans last week, the latest sign of partisan stalemate over the issue.
What comes next: GOP leaders plan to put the package on the floor this week, which will be the House’s final work week of 2025. But it remains unclear whether the proposal has the support to pass out of the chamber, much less win over the entirety of the House Republican conference.
Americans are feeling the squeeze: Monthly premiums under Affordable Care Act policies will soar next year. With the lapse of enhanced subsidies looming, some Americans face agonizing trade-offs between cutting back on necessities or forgoing coverage altogether.
Week in review: Trump's economic message, feud with Venezuela and more
Last week was another busy one at the White House, with President Donald Trump issuing mixed messages on the economy and deepening his pressure campaign against Venezuela’s government, among other top headlines.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins was in Washington to cover it all:
