election

Leftist Mamdani to take over as New York mayor under Trump shadow

  • Before the November vote, the president also threatened to slash federal funding for New York if it picked Mamdani, whom he called a "communist lunatic."
  • Zohran Mamdani, young upstart of the US left, was readying Wednesday to take over as New York mayor for a term sure to see him cross swords with President Donald Trump.
  • Before the November vote, the president also threatened to slash federal funding for New York if it picked Mamdani, whom he called a "communist lunatic."
Zohran Mamdani, young upstart of the US left, was readying Wednesday to take over as New York mayor for a term sure to see him cross swords with President Donald Trump.
After the clocks strike midnight, bringing in 2026, Mamdani will take his oath of office at an abandoned subway stop, taking the helm of the United States' largest city. He will be New York's first Muslim mayor.
His office says the understated venue for the oath-taking reflects his commitment to working people, after the 34-year-old Democrat campaigned on promises to address the soaring cost of living. 
But it remains to be seen if Mamdani -- virtually unknown a year ago -- can deliver on his ambitious agenda, which envisions rent freezes, universal childcare and free public buses. 
Once an election is over, "symbolism only goes so far with voters. Results begin to matter a whole lot more," New York University lecturer John Kane said.
What Trump does could be a decisive factor. 
The Republican, himself a New Yorker, has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, but the pair held surprisingly cordial talks at the White House in November.
Lincoln Mitchell, a political analyst and professor at Columbia University, said that meeting "couldn't have gone better from Mamdani's perspective."
But he warned their relationship could quickly sour. 
One flashpoint might be immigration raids as Trump wages an expanding crackdown on migrants across the United States.
Mamdani has vowed to protect immigrant communities.
Before the November vote, the president also threatened to slash federal funding for New York if it picked Mamdani, whom he called a "communist lunatic."
The mayor-elect has said he believes Trump is a fascist.

 Block party

Mamdani's private swearing-in at midnight to start his four-year term will be performed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud.
A larger, ceremonial inauguration is scheduled for Thursday with speeches from left-wing allies Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Around 4,000 ticketed guests are expected to attend the event outside City Hall.  
Mamdani's team has also organized a block party that it says will enable tens of thousands of New Yorkers to watch the ceremony at streetside viewing areas along Broadway.
The new job comes with a change of address for Mamdani as he swaps his rent-controlled apartment in the borough of Queens for the luxurious mayor's residence in Manhattan.
Some had wondered if he would move to the official mansion given his campaigning on affordability issues. Mamdani said he is doing so mainly for security reasons.
Born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin, Mamdani moved to New York at age seven and enjoyed an elite upbringing with only a relatively brief stint in politics, becoming a member of the New York State Assembly before being elected mayor. 
Compensating for his inexperience, he is surrounding himself with seasoned aides recruited from past mayors' offices and former US president Joe Biden's administration.
Mamdani has also opened dialogue with business leaders, some of whom predicted a massive exodus of wealthy New Yorkers if he won. Real estate leaders have debunked those claims.
As a defender of Palestinian rights, he will have to reassure the Jewish community of his inclusive leadership. 
Recently, one of his hires resigned after it was revealed she had posted antisemitic tweets years ago.
rh-bjt/msp/lb

politics

Trump admin seizes on fraud case to target Somali immigrants

BY ULYSSE BELLIER

  • The Trump administration responded to the outcry immediately, with Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin telling Fox News that hundreds of investigators were targeting local businesses in Minneapolis. 
  • The Trump administration in recent months has latched onto news of a large-scale public benefit fraud scandal to carry out immigration raids and harsher policies targeting Minnesota's large Somali migrant community.
  • The Trump administration responded to the outcry immediately, with Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin telling Fox News that hundreds of investigators were targeting local businesses in Minneapolis. 
The Trump administration in recent months has latched onto news of a large-scale public benefit fraud scandal to carry out immigration raids and harsher policies targeting Minnesota's large Somali migrant community.
Federal charges have been filed against 98 people accused of embezzlement of public funds and -- as Attorney General Pam Bondi stressed on Monday -- 85 of the defendants are "of Somali descent." 
Fifty-seven people have already been convicted in the scheme to divert $300 million in public grants intended to distribute free meals to children -- but the meals never existed, prosecutors said.
"What's happening in Minnesota is a microcosm of the immigration fraud in our system," Vice President JD Vance posted on X. 
"Politicians like it because they get power. Welfare cheats like it because they get rich. But it's a zero-sum game, and they're stealing both money and political power from Minnesotans." 

Investigations mount

Republican elected officials and federal prosecutors accuse local Democratic authorities of turning a blind eye to numerous warnings because the fraud involved Minnesota's Somali community, the largest in the country with around 80,000 members.
"When whistleblowers raised concerns, they were told that they shouldn't say anything out of fear of being called racist or Islamophobic, or because it was going to hurt political constituency of the governor and the ruling party, the Democrats here," state representative Kristin Robbins, a Republican who is running for governor, told AFP.
Democratic Governor Tim Walz -- former vice president Kamala Harris's unsuccessful running mate in 2024 -- rejects the accusation.
While the case became public in 2022, prosecutors ramped it up again this year with hotly politicized revelations.
Another Republican candidate for governor, state house speaker Lisa Demuth, told AFP the case is "finally getting the attention that it's needed."
Right-leaning YouTube content creator Nick Shirley reignited interest in the case over the holidays with a video that he claims shows daycare centers which are siphoning public money.
The video -- which blew up on X with 127 million views and played repeatedly on Fox News -- resonated with Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) circles, who are opposed to what they deem to be overly generous social and immigration policies.
The Trump administration responded to the outcry immediately, with Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin telling Fox News that hundreds of investigators were targeting local businesses in Minneapolis. 
"We believe that there is rampant fraud, whether it be daycare centers, health care centers, or other organizations," she said.
As part of the crackdown, federal health officials announced a broad freeze of funding to Minnesota and across the county. 
"We have frozen all child care payments to the state of Minnesota," Health and Human Services (HHS) deputy Jim O'Neill wrote in an X post Tuesday.
HHS has broad spending oversight for programs for the underprivileged, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, early education of toddlers and foster care.

Calls to strip US citizenship

Minnesota congressman Tom Emmer, a leading figure in the Republican majority of Congress, called for mass "denaturalization and deportation of every Somali engaged in fraud in Minnesota," in an X post Monday.
President Donald Trump preceded Emmer's call with similar sentiments at the end of November, when a conservative outlet claimed money embezzled in Minnesota was being used to fund Somalia's Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda linked Islamist militant group.
That accusation has since been denied by the prosecutor in the case.
But the US president was quick to accuse "Somali gangs" of "terrorizing" Minnesotans and ended their Temporary Protected Status, a program that exempted Somalis from deportation to their war-torn country.
A week later, Trump escalated the rhetoric, saying Somalia "stinks" and calling Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar -- who is of Somali origin -- "trash."
A surge in immigration raids followed those comments, creating "a dangerous atmosphere of chaos and instability that is making it harder for our police officers to keep Minneapolis safe," mayor Jacob Frey said at the time.
Democratic lawmaker Zaynab Mohamed, whose family emigrated from Somalia when she was a child, decried the Trump administration's actions.
"Trump is scapegoating a tiny piece of the population," she said. "This is not about crime. It's not about safety. This is about purging people like me from this country."
ube/ev/sla/jgc

health

Trump v 'Obamacare': US health costs set to soar for millions in 2026

BY CHARLOTTE CAUSIT

  • We're anticipating to go to about $1,300 a month," Lehman, who is president of the Iowa Farmers Union, told AFP. "It's more than double."
  • Iowa farmer Aaron Lehman was already paying a hefty price for health insurance, but his premium is set to skyrocket in January when major government subsidies expire, after US President Donald Trump's Republican party declined to extend them.
  • We're anticipating to go to about $1,300 a month," Lehman, who is president of the Iowa Farmers Union, told AFP. "It's more than double."
Iowa farmer Aaron Lehman was already paying a hefty price for health insurance, but his premium is set to skyrocket in January when major government subsidies expire, after US President Donald Trump's Republican party declined to extend them.
That imminent change to the "Obamacare" health insurance program means that Lehman, 58, a fifth-generation grain farmer in the US Midwest, may have to postpone improvements in his farm.
"My wife and I have been paying about $500. We're anticipating to go to about $1,300 a month," Lehman, who is president of the Iowa Farmers Union, told AFP. "It's more than double."
More than 20 million Americans from lower and middle-income brackets are facing a significant increase in the cost of their health insurance in 2026. 
The hike comes as persistent inflation weighs on households and adds to political pressure on Trump, who had promised to bring down the cost of living when he took office nearly a year ago.
"It's pretty stressful for a lot of people," said Audrey Horn, a 60-year-old retiree from another Midwestern state, Nebraska, that Trump comfortably won in the 2024 presidential elections. She told AFP that her monthly increase will be $300. 
"Most Americans can't afford a bill of (an) extra 300 or whatever a month on top of, you know, their mortgage... car insurance and groceries," she said.

Dipping into savings

For their first payment in January, Horn and her husband will be tapping into some of her retirement savings. Her husband works for a small construction company where he is paid by the hour and doesn't get health insurance. 
"Next year, we probably won't be going out to eat as much. We don't go out to eat as much anyway," Horn said, adding, "And I'm going to keep driving my old 2008 Honda for a few more years." 
Created in 2010 under then President Barack Obama, so-called Obamacare allowed millions more people to access health coverage. The program included financial aid, which was expanded and strengthened during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is this temporary boost that is now coming to an end.
This issue was at the heart of the budget standoff between Republicans and opposition Democrats in October and November that led to a 43-day shutdown of the federal government.
The Democrats demanded the extension of the enhanced subsidies, which the Republicans opposed, arguing it was too expensive for taxpayers, subject to abuse, and failed to control the rising cost of health insurance. 
"It is frustrating to me that that these subsidies were cut in order to make tax breaks for billionaires," said Andrea Deutsch, 58, owner of a pet supply store in Pennsylvania, referring to the Trump-backed legislation that Congress eventually passed.

'Largest rollback in health coverage'

Deutsch, who has suffered from type one diabetes since childhood, said that Obamacare was life-changing as it mandated that insurance companies provide coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions. So, she's resigned herself to paying $160 more per month for her insurance in 2026.
But others are expected to forgo insurance rather than pay much bigger premiums.
According to a government estimate, the expiration of the subsidies is expected to cause four million Americans to lose their health insurance over the next 10 years. 
But Matt McGough, at the health policy think tank KFF, said there are estimates that an additional 10 million could become uninsured because of changes under the budget bill to health insurance marketplaces and the state-funded Medicaid program that serves low-income Americans.
"This is the largest rollback in health coverage in US history, certainly in modern times," he told AFP.
He warned that could lead to increased mortality and higher health care costs for all Americans, with insured individuals paying for the unpaid bills of the uninsured.
But things could still change. 
While Republicans are still refusing to extend the subsidies, they want to limit the surge in costs which will come less than a year before midterm Congressional elections.
Democrats have made the issue key to their election platform to claw back control of both houses of Congress from Republicans.
Faced with this risk, Trump has floated the idea of summoning health insurance executives to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where he is spending the holidays, "to see if they can lower prices."
cha/aem/msp/dw 

culture

Performers cancel concerts at Kennedy center after Trump renaming

  • Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed president of the arts center, denounced the artists canceling shows and said they "were booked by the previous far left leadership."
  • A prominent jazz group and a dance company have canceled shows at Washington's premier performing arts center to protest its renaming to include US President Donald Trump.
  • Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed president of the arts center, denounced the artists canceling shows and said they "were booked by the previous far left leadership."
A prominent jazz group and a dance company have canceled shows at Washington's premier performing arts center to protest its renaming to include US President Donald Trump.
Family members of late president John F. Kennedy and Democratic politicians have already expressed outrage over the change this month at the Kennedy Center rebaptizing it the Trump-Kennedy Center.
Now artists are voicing their disapproval. Several who were scheduled to perform end-of-year and 2026 shows at the center have pulled out.
The Cookers, a veteran jazz ensemble, voiced "deep regret" they would not be performing on New Year's Eve as planned.  
"Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice," the group said in a statement that did not give a reason for the cancellation.
But the band’s drummer, Billy Hart, told The New York Times that the center’s name change had "evidently" played a role in their decision. 
Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed president of the arts center, denounced the artists canceling shows and said they "were booked by the previous far left leadership."
"Boycotting the Arts to show you support the Arts is a form of derangement syndrome," he wrote on X late Monday.
Late last week, Grenell accused another jazz artist, Chuck Redd, of a "political stunt" and said the center would be seeking $1 million in damages after the musician cancelled a performance he hosts there annually on Christmas Eve, according to a copy of a letter from Grenell seen by AFP. 
A New York dance company, Doug Varone and Dancers, withdrew from a performance scheduled for April. They posted on Instagram Monday, "With the latest act of Donald J. Trump renaming the Center after himself, we can no longer permit ourselves nor ask our audiences to step inside this once great institution."
And last week, folk singer Kristy Lee announced on social media that she was cancelling a January 14 performance as "losing my integrity would cost me more than any paycheck."
Trump has stamped his mark on the Kennedy Center since the start of his second term as part of an assault on cultural institutions that his administration has accused of being too left-wing.
A number of musicians and other artists had already pulled out of performing at the center after Trump named himself its chairman and replaced most of its board with people loyal to him.
The new management of the center has cut drag shows and events celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, and it has hosted conferences for the religious right and invited more Christian artists.
According to US media reports, ticket sales have declined since the new board of directors took over.
vla/msp/ksb

conflict

Trump warns Hamas, Iran after Netanyahu talks

BY JIM WATSON WITH DANNY KEMP IN WASHINGTON

  • "If they don't disarm as they agreed to do, then there will be hell to pay for them," Trump told reporters at his lavish Mar-a-Lago resort.
  • US President Donald Trump warned Iran of fresh strikes and said Hamas would have "hell to pay" if it fails to disarm in Gaza, as he presented a united front with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
  • "If they don't disarm as they agreed to do, then there will be hell to pay for them," Trump told reporters at his lavish Mar-a-Lago resort.
US President Donald Trump warned Iran of fresh strikes and said Hamas would have "hell to pay" if it fails to disarm in Gaza, as he presented a united front with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
Speaking at a news conference with Netanyahu in Florida, Trump threatened to "eradicate" any attempt by Tehran to rebuild its nuclear program or ballistic missile arsenal following US and Israeli strikes earlier this year.
Trump also downplayed reports of tensions with Netanyahu over the second stage of the fragile Gaza ceasefire, saying that Israel had "lived up" to its commitments and that the onus was on Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"If they don't disarm as they agreed to do, then there will be hell to pay for them," Trump told reporters at his lavish Mar-a-Lago resort. "They have to disarm in a fairly short period of time."
Hamas's armed wing reiterated earlier on Monday that it would not surrender its weapons.
A top political adviser to Iran's supreme leader on Monday said any aggression against his country would be met with an "immediate harsh response."
"Iran's #Missile_Capability and defense are not containable or permission-based. Any aggression will face an immediate #Harsh_Response beyond its planners' imagination," Ali Shamkhani wrote on X.

'Productive' meeting

Netanyahu said his meeting with Trump had been "very productive" and announced that Israel was awarding the US leader its highest civilian honor -- the first time it has gone to a non-Israeli citizen.
Trump, the self-proclaimed "president of peace," has been keen to move onto the next phase of the Gaza truce, which would see a Palestinian technocratic government installed and the deployment of an international stabilization force.
While some White House officials fear Netanyahu is slow-walking the process, Trump said he had "very little difference" with the Israeli premier and was "not concerned about anything that Israel's doing."
During their fifth meeting in the United States since Trump's return to power this year, Netanyahu also appeared to have steered the US leader toward focusing on Israel's concerns about Iran.
Israeli officials and media have expressed concern in recent months that Iran is rebuilding its ballistic missile arsenal after it came under attack during the 12-day war with Israel in June.
Trump said Iran "may be behaving badly" and was looking at new nuclear sites to replace those targeted by US strikes during the same conflict, as well as restoring its missiles.
"I hope they're not trying to build up again because if they are, we're going have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that buildup," Trump said, adding that the US response "may be more powerful than the last time."
But Trump said he believed Iran was still interested in a deal with Washington on its nuclear and missile programs. Tehran denies that it is seeking nuclear weapons.

Focus on Gaza

Trump and Netanyahu's talks also focused on other regional tension points, including Syria and the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.
Trump said he hoped Netanyahu could "get along" with Syria's new president, a former Islamist rebel commander who toppled long-term ruler Bashar-al-Assad a year ago, despite a series of Israeli strikes along their border.
Netanyahu's visit caps a frantic few days of international diplomacy in Palm Beach, where Trump hosted Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday for talks on ending Russia's invasion.
The Gaza ceasefire in October is one of the major achievements of Trump's first year back in power, and Washington and regional mediators have hoped to keep their foot on the gas.
The Axios news site said Trump seeks to make announcements as soon as January on an interim government and an international force.
But Trump gave few details beyond saying that he hoped "reconstruction" could begin soon in the Palestinian territory, devastated by Israeli attacks in response to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks.
The disarmament of Hamas however continued to be a sticking point, with its armed wing again saying that it would not surrender its arms.
"Our people are defending themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation remains," the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in a video message.
dk/aha/sla

election

New year, new mayor for New York City

BY RAPHAëLLE PELTIER

  • - Policy agenda - The mayor-elect, an avowed socialist, campaigned on addressing the prohibitive cost of living in the metropolis of 8.5 million. 
  • New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is set to become the US city's first Muslim mayor, and the youthful optimism of his Democratic Socialist platform will be put to the test as he takes office Thursday with high expectations.
  • - Policy agenda - The mayor-elect, an avowed socialist, campaigned on addressing the prohibitive cost of living in the metropolis of 8.5 million. 
New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is set to become the US city's first Muslim mayor, and the youthful optimism of his Democratic Socialist platform will be put to the test as he takes office Thursday with high expectations.

Festive swearing in

At the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, New York Attorney General Letitia James -- friend to Mamdani, foe to President Donald Trump -- will swear in the new mayor in a private ceremony at a subway stop called Old City Hall Station. 
The underground venue reflects his "commitment to the working people who keep our city running every day," his office said.
At midday, left-wing stalwart Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will preside over a much larger swearing-in ceremony open to the public outside City Hall.
At a neighborhood celebration, festivities will echo "one of his core messages... that this is a great city, and we like living here," said Lincoln Mitchell, a Columbia University political science professor. 

Policy agenda

The mayor-elect, an avowed socialist, campaigned on addressing the prohibitive cost of living in the metropolis of 8.5 million. 
One of his key proposals is freezing rent on more than a million apartments, but it's unclear if the city board that handles rent control -- packed with appointees of outgoing Mayor Eric Adams -- will be supportive.
Details of Mamdani's other campaign promises -- the construction of 200,000 units of affordable housing, universal access to childcare, publicly owned supermarkets and free buses -- have yet to be spelled out.
But Mamdani has one ace in his pocket: an excellent relationship with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who approves measures like the tax hikes he seeks.
Once an election is over, "symbolism only goes so far with voters. Results begin to matter a whole lot more," New York University lecturer John Kane said.

Opposition to Trump

Despite expectations to the contrary, the late November Oval Office meeting between Trump and Mamdani was cordial and calm. 
Mamdani "wisely sought a point of common ground with Trump: wanting to make New York City a better place to live," Kane said.
Trump can "be surprisingly gregarious toward those that he perceives to have little leverage over," Kane added.
But federal immigration officers are increasingly active in New York, which could become a flashpoint.

Reassuring the public

At 34, Mamdani is one of New York's youngest mayors and his political resume is short -- he's held office once previously, as a local representative in the State Assembly.
To compensate, he is surrounding himself with seasoned aides, recruited from past mayor's offices and former president Joe Biden's administration.
Mamdani has also already opened dialogue with business leaders, some of whom predicted a massive exodus of wealthy New Yorkers if he won. Real estate sector leaders debunked those claims in recent weeks.
As a defender of Palestinian rights, the mayor -- Muslim and of Indian origin -- will also have to reassure the Jewish community of his inclusive leadership style. 
Recently, one of his hires resigned after it was revealed she had posted antisemitic tweets years ago.

'Cultural figure'

"The mayor of New York is always a cultural figure," Mitchell said.
Mamdani has already reflected some of his generation's cultural tastes with his brief forays into rap music, improv classes in Manhattan, and wearing what the New York Times called "the quintessential entry-level suit for a 30-something striving to be taken seriously."
New Yorkers have also noted his enthusiastic support of his wife, Syrian-born artist Rama Duwaji, with approval.
Her Instagram account has gained more than a million followers since November, according to Social Blade statistics.
And on the cover of The Cut, New York magazine's revered fashion and culture publication, she recently marked her own path -- the hallmark of every young generation of city dwellers striving to make it there.
"At the end of the day, I’m not a politician. I'm here to be a support system for Z and to use the role in the best way that I can as an artist," she said.
pel/sla/ksb/lb/bgs

conflict

Trump says Ukraine deal closer but no talks breakthrough

BY JIM WATSON, WITH SHAUN TANDON IN WASHINGTON AND STANISLAV DOSHCHITSYN IN KYIV

  • "I really believe we're, Mr. President, probably closer than -- far closer than -- ever before with both parties," Trump said with Zelensky at his side in the tea room of his Mar-a-Lago estate.
  • US President Donald Trump said Sunday that a deal was closer than ever to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine but reported no apparent breakthrough on the flashpoint issue of territory after new talks with the warring countries' leaders.
  • "I really believe we're, Mr. President, probably closer than -- far closer than -- ever before with both parties," Trump said with Zelensky at his side in the tea room of his Mar-a-Lago estate.
US President Donald Trump said Sunday that a deal was closer than ever to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine but reported no apparent breakthrough on the flashpoint issue of territory after new talks with the warring countries' leaders.
Trump, who had promised a peace deal on day one of his nearly year-old presidency, said it would become clear within weeks whether it was possible to solve the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.
In a pre-New Year's diplomatic sprint, Trump brought to his Florida estate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who described a peace plan as 95 percent complete despite Russia unleashing major new attacks a day before on Kyiv's residential areas.
Much like when Zelensky last met Trump in October, Russian President Vladimir Putin also spoke shortly beforehand by telephone with the US leader, who immediately insisted that Moscow was "serious" about peace despite the assault.
"I really believe we're, Mr. President, probably closer than -- far closer than -- ever before with both parties," Trump said with Zelensky at his side in the tea room of his Mar-a-Lago estate.
"Everybody wants it ended," Trump said.
Zelensky looked on politely, only betraying the slightest look of disbelief as Trump told him that Putin, who ordered the February 2022 invasion that has included major attacks on infrastructure, "wants to see Ukraine succeed."
"President Putin was very generous in his feeling toward Ukraine succeeding, including supplying energy, electricity and other things at very low prices," Trump said.
Zelensky has been careful not to annoy Trump, mindful of his disastrous White House meeting on February 28 where he pushed back and saw the United States briefly snap off key support.
Zelensky also nodded politely as Trump insisted the Ukrainians enjoyed the club's food but stayed stoic as Trump digressed into familiar grievances about his predecessor Joe Biden.

Call to Europeans

After their talks, Zelensky and Trump spoke jointly by telephone with key European leaders, who have been particularly alarmed about any decisions that would embolden Russia.
Zelensky said that he and European leaders could return jointly for talks with Trump in Washington in January.
French President Emmanuel Macron also announced a new meeting of Kyiv's allies in early January in Paris.
Trump acknowledged continued disagreement between Kyiv and Moscow on territory. The current plan, revised after weeks of intense US-Ukrainian negotiations, would stop the war at the current frontlines in the eastern Donbas region and set up a demilitarized area, while Russia has long demanded territorial concessions.
"It's unresolved, but it's getting a lot closer. That's a very tough issue, but one that I think will get resolved," Trump said.
Trump offered to address the Ukrainian parliament to promote the plan  -- an idea, however unlikely, that Zelensky quickly welcomed.
Zelensky's openness to the revised US plan marks Kyiv's most explicit acknowledgement yet of possible territorial concessions, although Ukrainians would need to vote in a referendum.
By contrast, Russia has shown no signs of compromise, as it sees hope in the grinding gains it has made over four years against tough Ukrainian defenses.
The Kremlin in its readout of talks between Putin and Trump called on Kyiv to make a "bold and responsible decision" and immediately withdraw troops from Donbas and cast European leaders as the impediment to Trump.
Trump and Putin agree that a "temporary ceasefire" would "merely prolong the conflict and risk a renewed escalation on the battlefield," Kremlin diplomatic advisor Yuri Ushakov said.
He said that Trump and Putin would speak again "promptly" after the Zelensky meeting, although there was no immediate news of a second call.

'90 percent' agreed by Ukraine

Trump's advisors have previously floated the idea of offering NATO-like security guarantees to Ukraine, meaning in theory that the alliance's members would respond militarily if Russia attacks again.
Zelensky said that the peace framework laid out by Trump was "90 percent agreed" and that "US-Ukraine security guarantees: 100 percent agreed."
Russia had adamantly rejected any entrance of the former Soviet republic into NATO.
bur/sct/sla

government

Trump's Christmas gospel: bombs, blessings and blame

BY AURéLIA END

  • Across the administration, Christmas messaging leaned hard into Christianity. 
  • Christmas under Donald Trump brought air strikes abroad and political threats at home, as the US president used the holiday to project a vision of power rooted less in peace than grievance, even as aides leaned into their Christian faith.
  • Across the administration, Christmas messaging leaned hard into Christianity. 
Christmas under Donald Trump brought air strikes abroad and political threats at home, as the US president used the holiday to project a vision of power rooted less in peace than grievance, even as aides leaned into their Christian faith.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the president flooded his Truth Social feed with posts that ditched the usual holiday cheer. Instead of goodwill to all, Trump announced military action against jihadists in Nigeria and hurled insults at his enemies.
Trump said Friday that the strikes, conducted the day before, had "decimated" jihadist camps in northern Nigeria, describing the operation as a surprise blow delivered as a "Christmas present."
In an interview with Politico, the president said he had personally delayed the action until Thursday to catch militants off guard -- hitting "every camp" involved.
The strikes, he said, were retaliation for a "slaughter of Christians" in the west African nation. 
Then came a caustic Christmas greeting aimed at his political rivals, branding them "radical leftist scum."
On Thursday, Trump dropped an even darker line: "Enjoy what may be your last Merry Christmas." The cryptic warning appeared to hint at Democrats he believes will be exposed when files tied to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are all released.
The White House, by contrast, issued a traditional message later that day -- heavy on scripture -- signed by the president and First Lady Melania Trump.
The statement invoked God seven times, celebrating "the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" and praying for "God's abiding love, divine mercy, and everlasting peace."
Trump has long claimed credit for restoring "Merry Christmas" to public life, accusing his first-term predecessor Barack Obama of pushing "Happy Holidays" -- a greeting seen as more inclusive of multiple faiths. In reality, Obama regularly said "Merry Christmas." 
This year, though, Trump skipped formal worship entirely. The official schedule shows the 79-year-old billionaire spent the holiday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida without attending church.
Across the administration, Christmas messaging leaned hard into Christianity. 
The Homeland Security Department urged Americans to "remember the miracle of Christ's birth," while Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted a nativity scene and spoke of "the hope of Eternal Life through Christ." 

'Always... a Christian nation'

The Pentagon even hosted its first-ever Christmas Mass on December 17.
Religious language is nothing new in the politics of the United States -- a country that calls itself "one nation under God." But the First Amendment bars any official creed. 
That hasn't stopped Vice President JD Vance from pushing Christian doctrine into every corner of policy, from diplomacy to immigration.
"A true Christian politics, it cannot just be about the protection of the unborn... It must be at the heart of our full understanding of government," he told a recent rally organized by the conservative group Turning Point USA.
"We have been, and by the grace of God, we always will be, a Christian nation," Vance added. The crowd roared.
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, offers a disciplined Christian nationalist vision. But Trump's version is more personal -- and messianic.
In his January inauguration speech, he claimed God saved him from assassination so he could fulfill America's destiny. 
Since then, he has sold $60 "God Bless The USA" Bibles, launched a White House Office of Faith under televangelist Paula White, and posted photos of himself praying at his desk, pastors hovering around him.
Trump, never known as a committed churchgoer, now speaks often of his own salvation. 
"I want to try and get to heaven if possible," he told Fox News in August, suggesting brokering peace in Ukraine might help. 
At other moments, however, he has sounded far less confident.
"I hear I'm not doing well -- I hear I'm really at the bottom of the totem pole!" he has said, again linking any improvement in his prospects to a potential peace deal in Ukraine.
His bleakest assessment came on October 15, when he remarked: "I don't think there's anything that's going to get me into heaven."
aue/ft/mlm

Trump

Trump's press secretary Leavitt announces pregnancy

  • Leavitt, 28, who is married to real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, became the youngest ever White House press secretary when appointed in January at the start of Trump's second term.
  • White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Friday she is expecting her second child, becoming the first person in the high-profile role to be pregnant.
  • Leavitt, 28, who is married to real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, became the youngest ever White House press secretary when appointed in January at the start of Trump's second term.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Friday she is expecting her second child, becoming the first person in the high-profile role to be pregnant.
"The greatest Christmas gift we could ever ask for -- a baby girl coming in May," Leavitt posted on Instagram.
She thanked President Donald Trump for his support and for "fostering a pro-family environment in the White House."
Leavitt, 28, who is married to real estate developer Nicholas Riccio, became the youngest ever White House press secretary when appointed in January at the start of Trump's second term.
She has won a reputation for ruthlessly effective appearances at press briefings, fiercely defending the president and quashing critical journalists.
bgs/msp

tech

UK tech campaigner sues Trump administration over US sanctions

  • Ahmed faces the "imminent prospect of unconstitutional arrest, punitive detention, and expulsion" from the United States, the court filing said.
  • The chief of a prominent anti-disinformation watchdog has sued President Donald Trump's administration over a US visa ban, calling it an "unconstitutional" attempt to expel the permanent American resident, court filings show.
  • Ahmed faces the "imminent prospect of unconstitutional arrest, punitive detention, and expulsion" from the United States, the court filing said.
The chief of a prominent anti-disinformation watchdog has sued President Donald Trump's administration over a US visa ban, calling it an "unconstitutional" attempt to expel the permanent American resident, court filings show.
Imran Ahmed, a British national who heads the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), was among five European figures involved in tech regulation whom the US State Department said this week would be denied visas.
The department accused them of attempting to "coerce" US-based social media platforms into censoring viewpoints they oppose. The European Union and several member states strongly condemned the move and vowed to defend Europe's regulatory autonomy.
The campaigner filed his complaint Wednesday in a New York district court against Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, US Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
Ahmed, a critic of billionaire Elon Musk, holds US permanent residency, commonly known as a "green card."
"I am proud to call the United States my home," he said in a statement. "My wife and daughter are American, and instead of spending Christmas with them, I am fighting to prevent my unlawful deportation from my home country."
Ahmed faces the "imminent prospect of unconstitutional arrest, punitive detention, and expulsion" from the United States, the court filing said.
However, a district judge granted a temporary restraining order barring Ahmed's arrest or detention, with a further hearing scheduled for Monday.
When reached for comment Thursday, the State Department expressed defiance.
"The Supreme Court and Congress have repeatedly made clear: the United States is under no obligation to allow foreign aliens to come to our country or reside here," a spokesperson said.
Rogers said earlier that Ahmed was sanctioned because he was a "key collaborator" in efforts by former president Joe Biden's administration to "weaponize the government" against US citizens.

'Not be bullied'

"My life's work is to protect children from the dangers of unregulated social media and AI and fight the spread of antisemitism online. That mission has pitted me against big tech executives -- and Elon Musk in particular -- multiple times," Ahmed said.
"I will not be bullied away from my life's work."
The crackdown also targeted former European commissioner Thierry Breton, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of the German nonprofit HateAid, and Clare Melford, who leads the UK-based Global Disinformation Index.
Condemning the move, the European Commission said it was seeking clarification from Washington, and if needed "will respond swiftly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures."
Breton, the EC's former top tech regulator, often clashed with tycoons including Musk -- a Trump ally -- over their obligations to follow EU rules.
The State Department has described him as the "mastermind" of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which imposes content moderation and other standards on major social media platforms operating in Europe.
The DSA stipulates that major platforms must explain content-moderation decisions, provide transparency for users and ensure researchers can carry out essential work, such as understanding how much children are exposed to dangerous content.
But the act has become a bitter rallying point for US conservatives who see it as a weapon of censorship against right-wing thought in Europe and beyond, an accusation the EU furiously denies.
Ahmed's CCDH also frequently clashed with Musk, reporting a spike in misinformation and hate speech on X since the billionaire's 2022 takeover.
bur-ac/mlm

Trump

Trump takes Christmas Eve shot at 'radical left scum'

  • "Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
  • US President Donald Trump seized on the occasion of Christmas Eve to assail opposition Democrats, branding them "radical left scum" as he sent out holiday greetings.
  • "Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
US President Donald Trump seized on the occasion of Christmas Eve to assail opposition Democrats, branding them "radical left scum" as he sent out holiday greetings.
From his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, the Republican spent the day before Christmas spreading some yuletide cheer. He participated in NORAD Santa tracker calls and sent Christmas greetings to American troops worldwide.
Trump did not share that same bonhomie with rival Democrats.
"Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
"We no longer have Open Borders, Men in Women's Sports, Transgender for Everyone, or Weak Law Enforcement. What we do have is a Record Stock Market and 401K’s, Lowest Crime numbers in decades, No Inflation, and yesterday, a 4.3 GDP, two points better than expected," he added.
Trump lashed out at the opposition, which has criticized his administration over its handling of the cost of living, a day after Commerce Department data showed the economy had grown by 4.3 percent in the third quarter -- the highest GDP in two years.
But the report also showed the price index for domestic purchases rose 3.4 percent -- a much higher inflation reading compared with 2.0 percent in the second quarter.
In the week before Christmas, Democrats had criticized the Justice Department over its slow release and heavy redaction of thousands of records from the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, once a friend of Trump.
Trump also sent greetings to troops worldwide, including those who are part of a major US naval buildup in Caribbean waters, where Washington has mounted a campaign to pressure Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro to leave office.
iv/mlm

justice

US Justice Dept says may have a million more Epstein documents

  • It said the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI had "uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case."
  • The US Department of Justice said Wednesday that more than a million more documents potentially related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been discovered and are being reviewed for release.
  • It said the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI had "uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case."
The US Department of Justice said Wednesday that more than a million more documents potentially related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been discovered and are being reviewed for release.
The DOJ began releasing records last week from the investigation into Epstein, a wealthy financier who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking underage girls.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act passed nearly unanimously by Congress last month and signed into law by President Donald Trump mandated the release of all of the Epstein files by December 19.
The Justice Department failed to meet that deadline, however, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche blaming the delay on the need to painstakingly redact the identities of Epstein's victims from the files.
The DOJ said Wednesday it would need a "few more weeks" to sort and redact the new material.
It said the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI had "uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case."
"We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible," the DOJ said on X.
"Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks."
cl/mlm

television

Trump says comedian Colbert should be 'put to sleep'

  • Colbert has hosted the "The Late Show" since 2015 and it has been the highest-rated late night talk show on US television.
  • On the eve of Christmas, President Donald Trump has unleashed a fresh blast of vitriol at late-night comedy talk shows, saying comedian Stephen Colbert is a "pathetic trainwreck" who should be "put to sleep."
  • Colbert has hosted the "The Late Show" since 2015 and it has been the highest-rated late night talk show on US television.
On the eve of Christmas, President Donald Trump has unleashed a fresh blast of vitriol at late-night comedy talk shows, saying comedian Stephen Colbert is a "pathetic trainwreck" who should be "put to sleep."
Colbert's "The Late Show" is scheduled to end in May 2026, a decision his fans say smacks of censorship.
In a late night Truth Social post, Trump wrote that Colbert "has actually gotten worse" since being "terminated by CBS, but left out to dry." 
"Stephen is running on hatred and fumes ~ A dead man walking! CBS should, 'put him to sleep,' NOW," Trump wrote.
Colbert has hosted the "The Late Show" since 2015 and it has been the highest-rated late night talk show on US television. His opening monologues often take aim at the Republican president.
There was no immediate public response from Colbert or CBS to Trump's post. 
CBS announced the sunsetting of Colbert's show after one more season in July, the same month its parent company reached a $16 million settlement with Trump. CBS called the cancellation "a purely financial decision."
Trump had sued Paramount, alleging that CBS News' "60 Minutes" program deceptively edited an interview with his 2024 election rival, Kamala Harris, in her favor.
In another overnight post, Trump repeated threats to yank the broadcast licenses of networks whose content he deemed overly critical. 
"If Network NEWSCASTS, and their Late Night Shows, are almost 100% Negative to President Donald J. Trump, MAGA, and the Republican Party, shouldn’t their very valuable Broadcast Licenses be terminated? I say, YES!" 
On Sunday, CBS's new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, pulled a "60 Minutes" segment on alleged torture at El Salvador's CECOT prison -- where Trump sent hundreds of deported Venezuelans -- saying it needed more reporting. 
In August, Disney-owned ABC briefly suspended its late-night star, Jimmy Kimmel, before bringing him back on a one-year contract.
Kimmel had annoyed conservatives with comments in the wake of the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Trump appears to be aiming to reshape the US media landscape, which he says is biased against conservatives.
His appointee to head the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, turned heads when he told a Congressional hearing that "the FCC is not formally an independent agency," implying that his actions could justifiably be aligned with the political priorities of the White House.
aue/ksb/msp

AI

David Sacks: Trump's AI power broker

BY ALEX PIGMAN

  • "Even among Silicon Valley allies, he has outperformed expectations," said a former close associate, speaking anonymously to discuss the matter candidly.
  • From a total Washington novice, Silicon Valley investor David Sacks has against expectations emerged as one of the most successful members of the second Trump administration.
  • "Even among Silicon Valley allies, he has outperformed expectations," said a former close associate, speaking anonymously to discuss the matter candidly.
From a total Washington novice, Silicon Valley investor David Sacks has against expectations emerged as one of the most successful members of the second Trump administration.
He is officially chair of President Donald Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. 
However, in the White House he is referred to as the AI and crypto tsar, there to guide the president through the technology revolutions in which the United States play a central role.
"I am grateful we have him," OpenAI boss Sam Altman said in a post on X.
"While Americans bicker, our rivals are studying David's every move," billionaire Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff chimed in.
Those supportive posts responded to a New York Times investigation highlighting Sacks's investments in technology companies benefiting from White House AI support.
Sacks dismissed the report as an "anti-truth" hit job by liberal media.
But the episode confirmed that this South African-born outsider has become a force in Trump's Washington, outlasting his friend Elon Musk, whose White House career ended in acrimony after less than six months.
"Even among Silicon Valley allies, he has outperformed expectations," said a former close associate, speaking anonymously to discuss the matter candidly.

'Mafia' member

Unlike many Silicon Valley figures, the South African-born Sacks has been staunchly conservative since his Stanford University days in the 1990s.
There he met Peter Thiel, the self-styled philosopher king of the right-wing tech community.
In the early 1990s, the two men wrote for a campus publication, attacking what they saw as political correctness destroying American higher education.
After earning degrees from Stanford and the University of Chicago, Sacks initially took a conventional path as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company.
But Thiel lured his friend to his startup Confinity, which would eventually become PayPal, the legendary breeding ground for the "PayPal mafia" -- a group of entrepreneurs including Musk and LinkedIn billionaire Reid Hoffman -- whose influence now extends throughout the tech world.
After PayPal, Sacks founded a social media company, sold it to Microsoft, then made his fortune in venture capital.
A major turning point came during the COVID pandemic when Sacks and some right-wing friends launched the All-In podcast as a way to pass time, talk business and vent about Democrats in government.
The podcast rapidly gained influence, and the brand has since expanded to include major conferences and even a tequila line.
Sacks began his way to Trump's inner circle through campaign contributions ahead of last year's presidential election.
With Musk's blessing, he was appointed as pointman for AI and cryptocurrency policy.
Before diving into AI, Sacks shepherded an ambitious cryptocurrency bill providing legal clarity for digital assets.
It's a sector Trump has enthusiastically embraced, with his family now heavily invested in crypto companies and the president himself issuing a meme coin -- activity that critics say amounts to an open door for potential corruption.
But AI has become the central focus of Trump's second presidency with Sacks there to steer Trump toward industry-friendly policies.
However, Sacks faces mounting criticism for potential overreach.
According to his former associate, Sacks pursues his objectives with an obsessiveness that serves him well in Silicon Valley's company-building culture. But that same intensity can create friction in Washington.
The main controversy centers on his push to prevent individual states from creating their own AI regulations. His vision calls for AI rules to originate exclusively from Washington.
When Congress twice failed to ban state regulations, Sacks took his case directly to the president, who signed an executive order threatening to cut federal funding to states passing AI laws.

'Out of control'

Tech lobbyists worry that by going solo, Sacks torpedoed any chance of effective national regulation.
More troubling for Sacks is the growing public opposition to AI's rapid deployment. Concerns about job losses, proliferating data centers, and rising electricity costs may become a major issue in the 2026 midterm elections.
"The tech bros are out of control," warned Steve Bannon, the right-wing Trump movement's strategic mastermind, worried about political fallout.
Rather than seeking common ground, Sacks calls criticism "a red herring" from AI doomers "who want all progress to stop."
arp/sms