House Oversight Democrats released 19 photos on Friday that show sex offender Jeffrey Epstein hanging out with prominent figures, including President Donald Trump.
The <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/fq3vn18ltfd83re8ggtle/AHYB3CbERvyT38o_vHllVx4?dl=0&amp;e=2&amp;rlkey=tz5pq4zr9i6nofkpi2g7l5vne&amp;st=rxoz19hb">images,</a> which belong to the Epstein estate, are part of the roughly 95,000 photos in the hands of lawmakers on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Some of the 19 photos also include former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, filmmaker Woody Allen, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
The photo of Trump that Democrats have zeroed in on is a black-and-white image of a young Trump standing with six women whose faces have been censored to protect their privacy. It&#8217;s unclear where or when the photo was taken.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014219 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein--725x576.jpeg" alt="" width="725" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein--725x576.jpeg 725w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein--300x238.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein--768x610.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-.jpeg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></div>
Other images from Epstein&#8217;s estate show sex toys, and one photo features a bowl of &#8220;Trump Condoms&#8221; sold for $4.50. The packaging on the condoms shows Trump&#8217;s face with the text, &#8220;I&#8217;m Huuuuge!&#8221; The condoms were made in 2016 as political satire and designed by Fishs Eddy, a housewares and novelty shop in New York City, according to the National Museum of American History. It&#8217;s unclear where or when the photo of the sex toys and condoms were taken.
In another photo released by House Democrats, Trump is standing alongside Epstein and a woman who appears to be model Ingrid Seynhaeve. The photo is from a 1997 Victoria&#8217;s Secret Party in Manhattan, the Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15379413/Supermodel-dazzles-newly-released-Trump-Epstein-party-photo-rumors-secret-romance-Donald.html">reported</a>. Trump and Epstein were pals in the 1990s and early 2000s, before Epstein was charged with sex trafficking.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014223 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2-725x576.jpeg" alt="" width="725" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2-725x576.jpeg 725w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2-300x238.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2-768x610.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Epstein-2.jpeg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></div>
None of the photos of Trump released by House Democrats on Friday implicate the president or any of the other men shown in the images. The White House ripped House Democrats for &#8220;selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative.&#8221;
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“The Democrat hoax against President Trump has been repeatedly debunked and the Trump Administration has done more for Epstein’s victims than Democrats ever have by repeatedly calling for transparency, releasing thousands of pages of documents, and calling for further investigations into Epstein’s Democrat friends,” added White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson. “It’s time for the media to stop regurgitating Democrat talking points and start asking Democrats why they wanted to hang around Epstein after he was convicted.”
Democrats <a href="https://x.com/OversightDems/status/1999498082493280689">called</a> the photos &#8220;disturbing&#8221; and believe they &#8220;raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world.&#8221;
&#8220;Time to end this White House cover-up. Release the files!&#8221; the Oversight Democrats added.
Other powerful men appeared in the photos from Epstein&#8217;s estate, including Bill Gates, who was pictured alongside Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince whose royal title was stripped earlier this year after fallout over his close relationship with Epstein and allegations leveled against him by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014233 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bill-Gates-Prince-Andrew--436x576.jpeg" alt="" width="436" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bill-Gates-Prince-Andrew--436x576.jpeg 436w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bill-Gates-Prince-Andrew--227x300.jpeg 227w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bill-Gates-Prince-Andrew-.jpeg 640w" sizes=" (max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px" /></div>
Former President Clinton was also seen in one of the newly released photos, where he was standing alongside Epstein and Epstein&#8217;s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. Clinton was close to Epstein for years, and rode in the sex offender&#8217;s infamous private jet on multiple occasions. The former president has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s crimes.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014255 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein-725x576.jpeg" alt="" width="725" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein-725x576.jpeg 725w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein-300x238.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein-768x610.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Clinton-Epstein.jpeg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></div>
Trump&#8217;s former adviser Steve Bannon showed up in three of the photos released on Friday, one of which included him talking to Epstein and another that showed him talking to Woody Allen. Bannon was working on a documentary about Epstein up until Epstein&#8217;s arrest on federal sex trafficking charges. On the day Epstein was arrested, Bannon was <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/bannon-epstein-doc-wolff-1236433536/">messaging</a> the financier about potentially filming on Epstein&#8217;s notorious Little St. James island. Bannon also has never been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein&#8217;s crimes.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1014267 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein-725x576.jpeg" alt="" width="725" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein-725x576.jpeg 725w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein-300x238.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein-768x610.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Bannon-Epstein.jpeg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px" /></div>

Epstein Photos

Democrats Release Batch Of Epstein Photos Featuring Trump, Clinton, And Bill Gates

Bill Gates

Congress

Democrats

Donald Trump

Ghislaine Maxwell

Jeffrey Epstein

Politics

Steve Bannon

Woody Allen

Earlier this week, The Washington Post launched a customizable artificial intelligence podcast format targeting younger adults, but the episodes are causing headaches for news and standards editors at the paper, Semafor <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/12/11/2025/washington-posts-ai-generated-podcasts-rife-with-errors-fictional-quotes">reported</a> on Thursday.
The Post&#8217;s new AI format, called “Your Personal Podcast,&#8221; allows users to customize their listening experience by choosing the topic, host, and length of a show, per a <a href="https://digiday.com/media/the-washington-post-debuts-ai-personalized-podcasts-to-hook-younger-listeners/">report</a> from marketing and media website Digiday. But according to Semafor, which viewed internal communications from the Post, the AI podcasts are spitting out fake quotes and adding commentary to stories that are supposed to be simple news reports.
Washington Post staff began flagging issues immediately after the AI podcasts were released to the public. The AI behind &#8220;Your Personal Podcast&#8221; has made significant changes to story content, including inventing quotes and presenting them as the Post&#8217;s editorial position on a particular issue.
The disastrous AI podcast rollout has reportedly infuriated editors who are already trying to push back on the Trump administration after it recently <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/mediabias/">labeled</a> the Post one of the worst &#8220;media offenders.&#8221;
“It is truly astonishing that this was allowed to go forward at all,” one Post editor said, according to Semafor. “Never would I have imagined that the Washington Post would deliberately warp its own journalism and then push these errors out to our audience at scale. And just days after the White House put up a site dedicated to attacking journalists, most notably our own, including for stories with corrections or editors notes attached. If we were serious we would pull this tool immediately.”
Karen Pensiero, the Post&#8217;s head of standards, added that the AI debacle has been &#8220;frustrating for all of us.&#8221;
The Daily Wire reached out to the Post, seeking comment.
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The Washington, D.C., newspaper has been looking for ways to incorporate AI-generated content into its audio platforms and signed a multi-year deal with AI voice-generating software company ElevenLabs in May 2024. Media outlets, including the Post, Time, and The Atlantic, have used ElevenLabs to create audio versions of articles on their websites, but the Post&#8217;s &#8220;Your Personal Podcast&#8221; project took AI generation to a new level in media production.
Bailey Kattleman, the Post’s head of product and design, said that &#8220;Your Personal Podcast&#8221; would give news consumers a &#8220;flexible way&#8221; to access the paper&#8217;s wide array of stories, according to Digiday. Kattleman said that she is excited to learn what the customizable AI-generated content says about listeners&#8217; habits and interests.
“It’s early, and it’s an experimental product in a lot of ways,” she said. “It’s kind of inventing a new category in a way. It’s so different from traditional podcasts. We’ll definitely be looking at habit-based metrics rather than volume in the early going.”
Semafor&#8217;s report on the Post&#8217;s plunge into AI-generated content, however, suggests that the move could come back to bite the newspaper that is attempting to redefine its image. The Post, which was purchased by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2013, is supposedly in the process of making major changes to its opinion section per orders from Bezos.
Bezos told the Post’s staff in an email in February, “We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.”
The Post&#8217;s news team has continued to face criticism after publishing a story late last month claiming that War Secretary Pete Hegseth issued an order for a second strike on a suspected drug boat after he saw survivors in the water and gave the command to “kill them all.” The Post&#8217;s reporting, which relied on &#8220;two people with direct knowledge of the operation,&#8221; was refuted by Navy Admiral Mitch Bradley, who told Congress that Hegseth did not give a &#8220;kill them all&#8221; order.

WaPo AI

The Washington Post’s AI Podcast Rollout Has Been A Train Wreck

Artificial Intelligence

Legacy Media

Media

Podcast

U.S.

Washington Post

Indiana Governor Mike Braun blasted his fellow Republicans on Thursday who voted against a Trump-backed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/indiana-senate-rejects-trump-backed-redistricting-bid-dealing-blow-to-gops-2026-outlook?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Indiana+Senate+Rejects+Trump-Backed+Redistricting+Bid%2C+Dealing+Blow+To+GOP%E2%80%99s+2026+Outlook">redistricting proposal</a>, vowing to help President Donald Trump launch primary challenges against the &#8220;misguided state senators.&#8221;
Braun, a former U.S. senator who is serving his first term as governor, <a href="https://x.com/GovBraun/status/1999234066680512867?s=20">accused</a> &#8220;a small group&#8221; of Republicans of working with Democrats to stop a new Congressional map that would have likely flipped two more House seats to the GOP in the 2026 midterm elections.
&#8220;I am very disappointed that a small group of misguided State Senators have partnered with Democrats to reject this opportunity to protect Hoosiers with fair maps and to reject the leadership of President Trump,&#8221; Braun said. &#8220;Ultimately, decisions like this carry political consequences. I will be working with the President to challenge these people who do not represent the best interests of Hoosiers.&#8221;
While Braun claimed it was &#8220;a small group&#8221; of Republicans who rejected the redistricting effort, the Congressional map was opposed by the majority of GOP state senators. Braun&#8217;s statement on X was hit with a community note to add that context.
The Daily Wire reached out to Braun&#8217;s office for comment.
The redistricting proposal failed in a 19-31 vote on Thursday, which included 21 of the 40 Republican state senators opposing the Congressional map that aimed to flip two Democratic House seats to Republican control. Senator Sue Glick, who voted against the map, said, &#8220;You have to know Hoosiers, we can’t be bullied.&#8221; Senator Greg Walker argued that the map was &#8220;unconstitutional.&#8221;
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In a fiery floor <a href="https://x.com/Indy_reporter_/status/1999224442237714806">speech</a> before the vote, Republican Majority Floor Leader Chris Garten urged his colleagues to support the new map, arguing, &#8220;Some will say these maps are political. Let me be clear, you&#8217;re damn right they are! Political policy is political. Safe streets are political. Look at Indianapolis. Affordable electricity is political. A drug-free Indiana is political. Peace in the Middle East is political.&#8221;
Following the vote, Trump ripped Senate Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, who voted against the GOP-favored map.
&#8220;He’ll probably lose his next primary, whenever that is. I hope he does, because he’s done a tremendous disservice,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-criticizes-indiana-senate-republicans-rejection-of-redistricting-effort">said</a> of Bray. &#8220;I&#8217;ll certainly support anyone who wants to go against him.&#8221;
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he could have done more to support the redistricting effort in Indiana, which would have added two seats for Republicans in next year&#8217;s elections.
&#8220;I won Indiana all three times by a landslide,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;And I wasn&#8217;t working on it very hard. It would&#8217;ve been nice. I think we would&#8217;ve picked up two seats if we did that.&#8221;
Vice President JD Vance traveled to Indiana in recent months to meet with Governor Braun and help kickstart the redistricting plan, as Trump called on red states to pass new Congressional maps. On Thursday, Vance accused Bray of telling the White House that he wouldn’t fight the redistricting effort “while simultaneously whipping his members against it.” Bray denied the accusations leveled against him by the vice president, saying, “Typically my style is to let people vote like they want. They could come with a yes or come with a no. It’s exactly what I did this time.”
Republican-led states, including Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina, have all passed new Congressional maps that will likely help Republicans, while California voters approved a new map that could help Democrats.

Mike Braun

Indiana Governor Vows To Help Trump Primary ‘Misguided State Senators’ Who Rejected Redistricting

Indiana Governor Vows To Help Trump Primary 'Misguided State Senators' Who Rejected Redistricting

2026 Midterms

Indiana

Redistricting

The Justice Department&#8217;s mortgage fraud case against New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James was dealt another blow on Thursday when a grand jury in Virginia declined to indict her, according to multiple reports.
After prosecutors presented evidence before a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday, the jury refused to sign off on an indictment. Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for James, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/grand-jury-again-rejects-charges-trump-sought-against-ny-attorney-general-james-2025-12-11/">said</a> that the grand jury&#8217;s decision &#8220;makes even clearer that this case should never have seen the light of day.&#8221;
James has argued that the Justice Department&#8217;s case against her is &#8220;retribution&#8221; for her civil fraud case against President Donald Trump and his company. James was indicted by a federal grand jury in October on felony charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, but the case against her hit a roadblock last month when a federal judge <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-tosses-charges-against-james-comey-letitia-james?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Federal+Judge+Tosses+Charges+Against+James+Comey%2C+Letitia+James">dismissed</a> it and threw out the initial indictment after finding that the Trump-appointed prosecutor overseeing the case was unlawfully appointed.
The federal grand jury&#8217;s rejection on Thursday is the second time the Justice Department has been rebuffed after accusing James of fraudulently claiming a house in Virginia as her primary home in 2023 while serving as New York&#8217;s attorney general. Last week, after the Justice Department refiled the case against James, a grand jury declined to indict her.
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The mortgage fraud allegations against James stem from her purchase of a three-bedroom home in Norfolk, Virginia, in 2020. James secured favorable loan terms by claiming that the house was her secondary residence, according to the indictment. However, the indictment states that James did not use the house as a residence, instead renting it out to a family, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-secures-indictment-of-new-york-attorney-general-letitia-james-0cc2ce4f?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAjz3_xVxqjqGd7DOAjeW9OF_fgoGbzqZNeWtCjLpTn-BtEnWes9wDcj_m33JUg%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68e822e1&amp;gaa_sig=8uhDExWB_EYX_l_bkm5ln2OOTBmY2wZMaB-DdqgJDjcxIxhcKe5QqAAS2ER6wvES1alU0eaHvP7KW_UXYdeMtA%3D%3D">reported</a>. James allegedly saved nearly $19,000 from the favorable loan rates.
The Justice Department could attempt to indict James again, but with a second grand jury rejection, a judge could be skeptical of another push by the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia to bring a case against James.
Charges against former FBI Director James Comey were also tossed after the federal judge found that President Donald Trump&#8217;s appointment of Lindsey Halligan as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia was unlawful. The Justice Department could also refile charges against Comey after accusing him of giving false statements and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. The charges stemmed from testimony Comey delivered to Congress in 2020 on his handling of the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Letitia James

Grand Jury Refuses To Indict Letitia James In Another Blow To DOJ’s Effort To Revive Case

Courts

Department of Justice

Trump Administration

The Republican-led Indiana Senate voted against a proposal backed by President Donald Trump to change the state&#8217;s Congressional map, which would have likely flipped two Democratic seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The effort to pass a new map failed in a 19-31 vote despite Trump&#8217;s public pressure on Indiana Republicans to follow in the steps of red states such as Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina and give the GOP a better advantage in next year&#8217;s pivotal elections. The Republican-favored proposal passed the Indiana House last week by a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/indiana-house-passes-new-republican-drawn-congressional-map-rcna246750">vote</a> of 57-41, but ran into Republican opposition in the state Senate.
On Wednesday, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115698333420423237">warned</a> that any Republican who voted against the redistricting proposal would be met with a &#8220;MAGA primary,&#8221; adding, &#8220;If Republicans will not do what is necessary to save our Country, they will eventually lose everything to the Democrats.&#8221;
Last month, Trump blasted Indiana state senators who pushed back on his redistricting calls, saying that he was &#8220;very disappointed in Indiana State Senate Republicans, led by RINO Senators Rod Bray and Greg Goode, for not wanting to redistrict their State, allowing the United States Congress to perhaps gain two more Republican seats.&#8221;
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“The Democrats have done redistricting for years, often illegally, and all other appropriate Republican States have done it,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;Because of these two politically correct type ‘gentlemen,’ and a few others, they could be depriving Republicans of a Majority in the House, A VERY BIG DEAL!”
Vice President JD Vance <a href="https://x.com/JDVance/status/1999188621417419011">accused</a> Indiana Senate Republican leader Rodric Bray of telling the White House that he wouldn&#8217;t fight the redistricting effort &#8220;while simultaneously whipping his members against it.&#8221; Bray denied the accusations leveled against him by the vice president, saying, &#8220;Typically my style is to let people vote like they want. They could come with a yes or come with a no. It&#8217;s exactly what I did this time.&#8221;
After Indiana Republican Governor Mike Braun called for state lawmakers to reconvene for a special session on redistricting, Bray warned that there wasn&#8217;t enough support among GOP state senators to pass a new map.
&#8220;Over the last several months, Senate Republicans have given very serious and thoughtful consideration to the concept of redrawing our state&#8217;s congressional maps. I&#8217;m announcing there are not enough votes to move that idea forward, and the Senate will not reconvene in December,&#8221; Bray <a href="https://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/statement-from-senate-president-pro-tem-rodric-bray-regarding-possibility-of-redrawing-indiana-s-congressional-maps">said</a> in a statement on November 14.
Trump said on Wednesday that if the redistricting vote failed, &#8220;Rod Bray and his friends won’t be in Politics for long, and I will do everything within my power to make sure that they will not hurt the Republican Party, and our Country, again.&#8221;
The redistricting effort is just one of several around the country, with the Supreme Court ordering that Texas’ map with five additional Republican-favored districts could go forward. California passed Prop. 50 in November, which would allow five more Democrat-favored districts in the Golden State, and it is facing an ongoing lawsuit from the Justice Department. Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana are among the states with active redistricting battles, but it could end up leading to similar numbers favoring both parties overall, according to Cook Political Report’s Dave Wasserman.
The battle comes amid tight margins in the House ahead of 2026, with Republicans currently holding 220 seats compared with Democrats, who hold 213 seats. Two seats are currently vacant.
Cameron Arcand contributed to this report.

Indiana Redistricting/Trump

Indiana Senate Rejects Trump-Backed Redistricting Bid, Dealing Blow To GOP’s 2026 Outlook

Indiana Senate Rejects Trump-Backed Redistricting Bid, Dealing Blow To GOP's 2026 Outlook

Republicans

President Donald Trump celebrated the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting an all-time high on Thursday morning, arguing that polls showing a poor approval rating on his handling of the economy are &#8220;fake.&#8221;
The Dow <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/stock-market-today-dow-hits-record-high-while-nasdaq-sp-500-slide-as-oracle-earnings-revive-ai-spending-fears-233526385.html">reached</a> 48,661.94 shortly after the opening bell on Thursday, while the Nasdaq Composite and S&amp;P 500 dropped slightly. The Dow has climbed steadily since late April after a dramatic plunge following the rollout of Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs. Trump argued the new record high for the Dow is proof that his economic policies are working.
&#8220;STOCK MARKET JUST HIT AN ALL-TIME HIGH!!! When will the Fake Polls show that I am doing a great job on the Economy, and much more??? Thank you!&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115701697468059580">said</a>.
According to recent polls, Trump is losing the approval of many Americans on his handling of the economy. The president&#8217;s approval rating on the economy has fallen to 31%, according to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-poll-approval-economy-immigration-inflation-crime-9e5bd096964990e040bc4bacd9fcac21">survey</a> the Associated Press released on Thursday. That was down from 40% who approved of his handling of the economy in March. Another <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/699221/trump-approval-rating-drops-new-second-term-low.aspx">poll</a> released by Gallup in November showed Trump&#8217;s approval rating on the economy sitting at just 36%.
Trump has focused much of his attention on boosting the American economy during his second term, including imposing massive tariffs on countries throughout the world and cutting taxes for many Americans through the &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill.&#8221; Trump has also pressured the Federal Reserve to drastically lower interest rates and give Americans more financial room to buy a house.
Inflation has remained relatively low during Trump&#8217;s second term, hovering around 3%, and the stock market has made strong gains in 2025. Still, many Americans continue to worry about the costs of housing and groceries. Democrats have latched onto &#8220;affordability&#8221; messaging in recent months as leftist candidates in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia saw success running on economic issues in their elections last month.
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As the economy and cost of living jump to the top of the list of issues for voters, Trump is focusing on his economic agenda while arguing that the Democrats&#8217; claims of an &#8220;affordability crisis&#8221; are a &#8220;hoax.&#8221;
&#8220;They use the word &#8216;affordability,&#8217; and that&#8217;s their only word,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.wcvb.com/article/hoax-affordability-president-trump-addresses-inflation-pa-rally/69684055">said</a> while speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.
&#8220;They say, &#8216;Affordability,&#8217; and everyone says, &#8216;Oh, that must mean Trump has high prices.&#8217; No, our prices are coming down tremendously,&#8221; he added. &#8220;They have a new word. They always have a hoax. The new word is &#8216;affordability,&#8217; so they look at the camera and they say this election is all about affordability.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s stop in Pennsylvania was the first on a planned tour across the United States for the president to deliver his economic messaging directly to his supporters. The White House has pointed to gas prices and rent dropping across the United States, while Trump has also moved to roll back some of his tariffs in an effort to bring down the cost of certain grocery items, such as beef and coffee.
The economy will likely remain a top issue heading into the 2026 midterm elections, and whether Trump&#8217;s controversial tariffs survive a looming Supreme Court decision will have a major impact on how the economy will look heading into the important election season.

Trump Celebrates New All-Time High For Stock Market, Calls Polling On Economy ‘Fake’

Economy

Stock Market

María Corina Machado, the exiled Venezuelan opposition leader and newest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said on Thursday that the Venezuelan regime is &#8220;weaker than ever&#8221; thanks to President Donald Trump&#8217;s pressure.
Machado visited Norway on Thursday, where she answered questions from reporters and spoke positively about Trump&#8217;s recent moves to ramp up pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/world/americas/maria-corina-machado-nobel-venezuela-maduro-trump.html">reported</a>. Her comments came one day after the United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela that the Trump administration believes was part of an illegal shipping network transporting oil from Venezuela and Iran.
While Machado did not address the oil tanker seizure, she said that Trump&#8217;s recent &#8220;actions have been decisive to reach the point where we are right now, in which the regime is weaker than ever.”
“Venezuela has already been invaded. We have the Russian agents, we have the Iranian agents, we have terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, operating freely in accordance with the regime. We have the Colombian guerrilla, the drug cartels,&#8221; Machado added while speaking at a press conference alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
Maduro&#8217;s regime has close ties to China, Russia, and Iran, and the United States has accused the Venezuelan dictator of taking part &#8220;in a corrupt and violent narco-terrorism conspiracy&#8221; that has shipped deadly drugs to American shores.
Machado fled Venezuela after she helped organize protests against the socialist government after it claimed that Maduro won the 2024 presidential election over opposition leader Edmundo González despite evidence showing that Maduro lost. Machado said on Thursday that she escaped the country with &#8220;support from the United States government.&#8221;
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Trump and Machado have spoken positively about each other in recent months after the Venezuelan leader beat out Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, a recognition that Trump has been aggressively seeking since coming back to the White House. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Machado said she was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nobel-peace-prize-winner-dedicates-award-to-trump-for-his-decisive-support">dedicating</a> the award to President Trump “for his decisive support of our cause.” Trump said that Machado called him after she was announced as the Nobel Prize winner.
“A very nice thing to do,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/10/politics/trump-nobel-peace-prize-winner-machado">said</a> of Machado&#8217;s call in October. &#8220;I didn’t say, ‘Then give it to me,’ though I think she might have. She was very nice.&#8221;
“I’ve been helping her along the way,” he added. “They need a lot of help in Venezuela, it’s a basic disaster. So, and you could also say it was given out for ’24 and I was running for office in ‘24.”
Trump also praised Machado in January, shortly after the Venezuelan opposition leader was forced to flee the country. Trump said that Machado was &#8220;peacefully expressing the voices and the WILL of the Venezuelan people with hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating against the regime.&#8221;

NORWAY-VENEZUELA-NOBEL-PEACE-PRIZE

Venezuelan Opposition Leader Says Maduro Regime ‘Weaker Than Ever,’ Praises Trump’s Actions

Venezuelan Opposition Leader Says Maduro Regime 'Weaker Than Ever,' Praises Trump's Actions

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

The Venezuelan socialist government accused the United States of committing &#8220;blatant theft&#8221; and &#8220;international piracy&#8221; after American forces, in coordination with the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-seizes-venezuelan-oil-tanker-amid-pressure-campaign-against-maduro">took control</a> of an oil tanker near the Venezuelan coast on Wednesday.
The Trump administration said that the oil tanker was involved in an &#8220;illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations&#8221; and would regularly transport oil from Venezuela and Iran. The Venezuelan government, led by dictator Nicolás Maduro, condemned the United States and said on Wednesday that the seizure was part of President Donald Trump&#8217;s &#8220;long-standing plan to seize [Venezuelan] resources.&#8221;
&#8220;The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounces and strongly repudiates what constitutes a blatant theft and an act of international piracy, publicly announced by the President of the United States, who confessed to the assault on an oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea,&#8221; the socialist government <a href="https://correodelorinoco.gob.ve/venezuela-denuncia-acto-de-pirateria-internacional-por-el-robo-descarado-de-un-buque-petrolero-en-el-caribe/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a>.
Maduro has remained defiant following pressure from Trump and has attempted to rally his country against the United States. Earlier on Wednesday, Maduro spoke at a rally and told Venezuelans to be prepared to act like &#8220;warriors&#8221; and &#8220;smash the teeth of the North American empire if necessary,&#8221; the Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/10/us-forces-reportedly-seize-oil-tanker-off-venezuela-coast">reported</a>. Maduro has kept a tight grip on Venezuela after declaring himself the winner of the 2024 presidential election despite evidence showing that he lost.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-seizes-venezuelan-oil-tanker-amid-pressure-campaign-against-maduro">confirmed</a> the oil tanker seizure after he was asked about the news by Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan.
&#8220;As you probably know, we’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large — largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump said during a roundtable event on Wednesday afternoon. The president added that the tanker was seized &#8220;for very good reasons&#8221; and suggested that the United States would keep the oil on board.
The Trump administration released video of the seizure, showing American forces deploying out of a helicopter onto the large ship in the South Caribbean.
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&#8220;If you threaten our nation, or break the law, there is no place on land or sea where we won’t find you,&#8221; the Department of Homeland Security posted on social media alongside a video of the operation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
KNOCKOUT.
If you threaten our nation, or break the law, there is no place on land or sea where we won’t find you.
Thank you to the brave service members from <a href="https://twitter.com/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCG</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICEGOV</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/FBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBI</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofWar</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a>. <a href="https://t.co/KUCRjES267">pic.twitter.com/KUCRjES267</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1998909254854746523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The oil tanker seized by the United States has often attempted to hide its location while transporting oil from sanctioned countries, The New York Times reported. The vessel, called &#8220;Skipper,&#8221; hides by broadcasting fake location data. Tracking experts believe that the tanker &#8220;has transported nearly 13 million barrels of Iranian and Venezuelan oil since joining the global dark fleet of tankers in 2021,&#8221; according to the Times.
Venezuela&#8217;s oil-rich land is its main source of revenue and is often sold at steep discounts to American nemeses such as Iran and China. Trump has ramped up the pressure on Maduro in recent weeks, deploying U.S. battleships and forces to the Caribbean and taking out suspected drug boats near the Venezuelan coast. The White House accuses Maduro&#8217;s regime of funneling deadly drugs to the United States and has placed a $50 million <a href="https://www.state.gov/nicolas-maduro-moros">bounty</a> on Maduro for engaging &#8220;in a corrupt and violent narco-terrorism conspiracy.&#8221;

Nicolás Maduro

Venezuela Cries ‘International Piracy’ After U.S. Seizes Oil Tanker

Global Politics

Foreign visitors could soon be required to reveal their social media history before entering the United States, according to a proposal from the Trump administration revealed on Wednesday.
The <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/10/2025-22461/agency-information-collection-activities-revision-arrival-and-departure-record-form-i-94-and">proposal</a> from U.S. Customs and Border Protection would require tourists entering the United States on the Visa Waiver Program to provide the last five years of their social media activity to the U.S. government. Border Patrol said the requirement would be in step with President Donald Trump&#8217;s executive order on &#8220;Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.&#8221;
People from dozens of countries qualify for the Visa Waiver Program, which allows foreigners to enter the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa. The program includes many European countries, such as Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It also includes Australia, Israel, and Qatar. The current system only makes foreign visitors pay $40 and provide an email address, home address, phone number, and emergency contact information.
The Trump administration&#8217;s proposal would also require foreigners to provide information from what it refers to as &#8220;high value data fields,&#8221; such as phone numbers they have used over the past five years and email addresses they have used over the past 10 years. Foreign visitors would also be required to reveal the names of close family members and the phone numbers of family members used in the last five years.
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The Border Patrol proposal is open to public comment for 60 days. The Trump administration&#8217;s move to increase oversight on people coming into the United States comes as the country prepares for the 2026 World Cup, which could bring over one million international visitors to the United States. Some <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/12/10/esta-social-media-united-states/">immigration lawyers</a> and people in the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/travel/social-media-tourists-visa-border-patrol.html">travel industry</a> have pushed back on the Trump administration&#8217;s new requirements for foreign visitors.
The State Department under Trump has pushed for more vetting of foreigners&#8217; social media accounts. In April, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to investigate the social media feeds of student visa applicants. Rubio has especially targeted foreign students suspected of supporting terrorist organizations such as Hamas.
&#8220;Coming to the United States on a visa is a privilege, not a right,&#8221; Rubio <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1899892869332173133?lang=en">said</a> in March. &#8220;The Trump Administration is determined to deny or revoke your visa if you&#8217;re here to support terrorists.&#8221;
Rubio also recently told U.S. diplomats to “maintain extra vigilance” when vetting H-1B visa applicants, and the United States will require H-1B applicants to make their social media accounts public by December 15, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/12/06/trump-censorship-h1b-visas/">reported</a>.

Social media

Trump Admin Proposal Would Require Foreigners To Reveal Social Media History To Visit U.S.

Customs and Border Protection (CPB)

Foreigner

Tourism

Visas

President Donald Trump will tout his economic agenda during a speech in Pennsylvania on Tuesday evening as Americans continue to express concerns about the cost of living.
Trump is <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/1726288/sources-trump-to-speak-at-mount-airy-casino-resort-on-tuesday-dec-9">expected</a> to speak at 6:00 p.m. ET at Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, where he will discuss the Republican Party&#8217;s plans to ease the strain on Americans&#8217; bank accounts. The president&#8217;s rally-style event will be the first stop on a &#8220;travel blitz&#8221; to tout the administration&#8217;s economic actions ahead of the vital 2026 midterm elections, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/04/trump-comeback-travel-economy-2026">reported</a>.
The economy has come back to the forefront of the political debate ahead of the midterms as voters <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/economy-remains-top-concern-for-voters-in-2025-election-ap-voter-poll-finds">expressed</a> their concerns about the cost of living during the elections that took place across the country last month. Leftist Democrats had success focusing on economic issues in blue states, such as New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, during their 2025 campaigns. In New York City, voters overwhelmingly elected democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor after Mamdani focused much of his campaign on helping struggling New Yorkers afford housing, groceries, and transportation. Democrats also won gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, running on similar messaging.
Last week, Trump said that Democrats are throwing around the word &#8220;affordability&#8221; but that &#8220;it doesn&#8217;t mean anything.&#8221; He argued that the so-called affordability crisis is a &#8220;fake narrative&#8221; pushed by Democrats to score political points.
Yet, in the weeks following Democratic election victories, Trump has ramped up his messaging on his economic agenda and taken action to help relieve economic strain for some Americans. The president gave himself an &#8220;A+++++&#8221; on the economy during an <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09/donald-trump-full-interview-transcript-00681693?experience_id=EXYF89KVT5UQ&amp;template_id=OTJIR2CRKUD6&amp;variant_id=OTV632IE7RALS&amp;is_login_link=true">interview</a> with POLITICO that was released on Tuesday.
On November 14, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-rolls-back-tariffs-on-dozens-of-food-imports-heres-what-will-be-affected">issued</a> an executive order rolling back tariffs on certain imported foods, such as beef, coffee, and bananas. On Monday, Trump also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-provide-billions-in-relief-to-farmers-impacted-by-tariffs?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+To+Provide+Billions+In+Relief+To+Farmers+Impacted+By+Tariffs">provided</a> $12 billion of relief to American farmers who have been affected by his massive tariffs on countries around the world.
While the president has rolled back some of his tariffs, he insists that his unprecedented trade actions will energize the American economy and eventually pay off for American consumers.
&#8220;We’ve got $18 trillion coming into our country,&#8221; Trump said, crediting his tariffs. &#8220;Biden had less than a trillion for four years, and he was heading south. Our country was falling apart.&#8221;
The president <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09/donald-trump-full-interview-transcript-00681693?experience_id=EXYF89KVT5UQ&amp;template_id=OTJIR2CRKUD6&amp;variant_id=OTV632IE7RALS&amp;is_login_link=true">told</a> POLITICO that he &#8220;inherited a total mess&#8221; after taking the reins from former President Joe Biden.
“Prices were at an all-time high when I came in. Prices are coming down substantially,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09/donald-trump-full-interview-transcript-00681693?experience_id=EXYF89KVT5UQ&amp;template_id=OTJIR2CRKUD6&amp;variant_id=OTV632IE7RALS&amp;is_login_link=true">said</a>. &#8220;Look at energy &#8230; energy has come down incredibly. When energy comes down, everything [comes down] &#8230; it’s so much bigger than any other subject.&#8221;
The White House has also focused on falling gas prices around the country, arguing that Trump&#8217;s &#8220;pursuit of American energy dominance&#8221; is helping ease Americans&#8217; pain at the pump. Average gas prices recently dropped to under $3 per gallon in 37 states, with the median gas price in the United States falling to $2.79, according to <a href="https://x.com/GasBuddyGuy/status/1998040188950614213?s=20">GasBuddy</a>.
The Trump administration also <a href="https://x.com/SecretaryTurner/status/1996294100220350935">said</a> last week that the president&#8217;s massive deportation operation has coincided with housing costs dropping for four straight months. CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/02/apartment-rents-vacancies-november.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that increased housing supply in the multifamily housing market, combined with slowing demand, &#8220;is pushing vacancies up and rents down.&#8221;
&#8220;Prices are coming down. You talk about affordability, the Democrats love to say affordability, but then they never talk about it,&#8221; Trump told POLITICO. &#8220;They’re the ones that gave us the high prices. I’m the one that’s bringing them down.&#8221;

Trump To Focus On Economy During Pennsylvania Rally As Cost-Of-Living Worries Persist

Executive

Pennsylvania

Records related to the sex-trafficking case against Jeffrey Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell will be released after a federal judge granted a request from the Justice Department on Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer said that grand jury transcripts and materials from the investigation into Maxwell could be unsealed following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act last month, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5640270-judge-grants-release-maxwell-records/">reported</a>.
“The Act unambiguously applies to the discovery in this case,” Engelmayer ruled. With Engelmayer’s decision, hundreds more documents related to the investigation into Epstein and Maxwell’s sex trafficking crimes could soon be available to Americans.
The Justice Department asked two federal judges in New York to unseal the grand jury transcripts in November as the Trump administration seeks to release more information and move past the Epstein case, an issue that has plagued the administration throughout President Donald Trump’s second term. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by Trump on November 19, requires the Justice Department to make Epstein-related documents public by December 19.
Engelmayer said he remains concerned about the identities of victims being released and criticized the Justice Department for moving to unseal the grand jury documents in July “without giving notice to Maxwell’s and Epstein’s victims,” NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/new-york-judge-orders-release-ghislaine-maxwell-related-grand-jury-rec-rcna248191">reported</a>.
Engelmayer’s order comes days after another federal judge ruled that grand jury documents related to the 2005 and 2007 investigations into Epstein should also be made public. U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith said that the bill calling for the release of the Epstein files signed by Trump last month prevails over the standard rules safeguarding the secrecy of grand jury documents.
Maxwell, who preyed on young girls and brought them to Epstein’s multiple estates and infamous island, was convicted of five federal counts related to sex trafficking. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Earlier this year, Maxwell agreed to sit down with the Justice Department and answer questions on Epstein and his connections to wealthy and powerful people, including Trump. During her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ghislaine-maxwell-gave-doj-info-on-100-people-linked-to-epstein-her-lawyer-says">interview</a> with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Maxwell said that she “never saw any man doing something inappropriate with a woman of any age.” When asked about Trump, she said he was “always very cordial and very kind to me” and was “a gentleman in all respects.”
Maxwell also said she disagreed with the Justice Department’s conclusion that Epstein died by suicide in his Manhattan jail cell in 2019.
“I do not believe he died by suicide,” Maxwell said, but added that she had no idea who could have been behind his death.
Maxwell is <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/10/ghislaine-maxwell-seek-commutation-document-00644139">reportedly</a> planning to ask the Trump administration to review an application for commutation. After her interview with the Justice Department, Maxwell was transferred to a minimum-security women’s prison.

Ghislaine Maxwell Records To Be Released After Judge Grants DOJ Request

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remained committed to retaining all Ukrainian territory on Monday, pushing back against a key demand in the Trump-initiated proposal to end the war.
After meeting with European leaders to discuss the peace proposal, Zelensky suggested that Ukrainian leaders lacked the authority to give up land and would continue to fight to defend all of its territory.
“Under our laws, under international law — and under moral law — we have no right to give anything away,” Zelensky said, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/12/08/europe-ukraine-leaders-trump-plan/">The Washington Post</a>. “That is what we are fighting for.”
President Donald Trump told <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09/donald-trump-full-interview-transcript-00681693">POLITICO</a> in a wide-ranging interview that was released on Tuesday that Ukraine needs to &#8220;play ball,&#8221; adding that &#8220;Russia has the upper hand.&#8221;
&#8220;They’re much bigger. They’re much stronger in that sense. I give the people of Ukraine and the military of Ukraine tremendous credit for the bravery and for the fighting and all of that. But you know, at some point, size will win, generally,&#8221; Trump added.
Trump&#8217;s 28-point peace plan, which is on the table before Zelensky and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/trump-zelenskyy-hasnt-read-russia-ukraine-peace-plan-war-europe-putin-rcna247956" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> requires Ukraine to hand over some of its territory to Russia in exchange for the United States giving Ukraine security guarantees. Trump told POLITICO that Zelensky needs to &#8220;get on the ball and start accepting things.&#8221;
The two biggest hurdles to a peace deal are territorial disputes over Ukraine&#8217;s Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, according to U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg. Russian forces now control most of the Donbas, but Ukraine has not given up the region. Kellogg said over the weekend that Ukraine and Russia are &#8220;really, really close&#8221; to a deal, but Zelensky&#8217;s latest remark and comments from Russian officials suggest otherwise.
Putin’s top foreign policy aide said on Sunday that the United States needs to make “radical changes” to its proposal before Russia moves forward with a deal.
The president said that Russia&#8217;s continued missile strikes on Ukraine, which have killed dozens of civilians in recent weeks, are &#8220;a sad thing for humanity.&#8221;
On Sunday, Trump said that he was &#8220;disappointed&#8221; in Zelensky&#8217;s lack of movement on peace negotiations, accusing the Ukrainian leader of not reading the proposal to end the Ukraine-Russia war.
&#8220;His people love it, but he has it. Russia is fine with it … but I’m not sure Zelensky is fine with it,&#8221; Trump said.
Trump also called on Zelensky to hold an election, something Ukraine has not done since the beginning of the war in February 2022.
&#8220;I think it’s an important time to hold an election. They’re using war not to hold an election, but, I would think the Ukrainian people should have that choice,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;And maybe Zelensky would win. I don’t know who would win. But they haven’t had an election in a long time. You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.&#8221;

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Zach Jewell