The Senate sent a colossal defense package to President Donald Trump’s desk on Wednesday, checking off one of the last remaining items of the year in the process.

Lawmakers banded together to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a roughly $901 billion package crammed to the brim with defense policy that unlocks funding for several of the Trump administration’s national defense priorities.

The measure passed through the upper chamber on a 77-20 bipartisan vote. It’s a perennial legislative exercise lawmakers undertake, and one that normally comes and goes with little fuss, given that Congress typically bookends the year with it.

But this year, the NDAA hit some snags in the House that threatened its survival. And while the drama was not as fiery in the Senate, there were still lingering issues with certain provisions that gave lawmakers heartburn.

Bipartisan frustration erupted over a provision that would roll back some safety standards in the Washington, D.C., airspace. It comes on the heels of the collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport earlier this year that killed 67 people.

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz, R-Texas, sought an amendment to the package that would have stripped the provision and instead included his ROTOR Act that would mandate technology in aircraft to boost awareness of air traffic.

But any amendment to the package would have sent it back to the House. Cruz instead plans to tack on his legislation to spending bills down the line.

‘I’m seeking a vote on the ROTOR Act as part of any appropriations measure before the current continuing resolution expires at the end of next month,’ Cruz said.

Other provisions, like a requirement for the Pentagon to release the unedited footage of boat strikes in the Caribbean in exchange for fully funding the Department of War’s travel fund, raised eyebrows but didn’t slow down the package’s success.

That provision comes as lawmakers demand more transparency in the Trump administration’s strikes against alleged drug boats, and in particular, as they seek the release of the footage from a Sept. 2 double-strike on a vessel.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed all senators on the strikes this week. Senate Republicans left largely satisfied, while Senate Democrats charged that Hegseth wouldn’t show the unedited footage to every lawmaker in the upper chamber.

‘He refused,’ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. ‘The administration came to this briefing empty-handed. That’s the major question that we face, and if they can’t be transparent on this, how can you trust their transparency on all the other issues swirling about in the Caribbean.’

Still, the package is filled with several provisions that both sides agree to, including guarantees for Ukrainian assistance, and repeals of the 1991 and 2002 authorizations of use of military force (AUMFs) for the Gulf War and Iraq War, respectively, among several others.

With the NDAA now headed for Trump’s signature, the Senate still has more on its agenda before fleeing Washington until the new year.

Senate Republicans want to ram through nearly 100 of Trump’s nominees, and both sides are eyeing a five-bill spending package that could alleviate some concerns heading into the looming Jan. 30 deadline to fund the government.

‘This defense authorization act, although it doesn’t have as much in there for defense as a lot of us would like, is a step in the right direction,’ Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said. ‘And I think the defense appropriations bill, which hopefully we’ll vote on later this week, is another example of the investment that we need to be making, to ensure that in a dangerous world, we are prepared to defend America and American interests.’

Four moderate House Republicans are rebelling against Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to join his Democratic counterpart in forcing a vote on enhanced Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of this year.

Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., all joined a discharge petition by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on his push for a three-year extension of the subsidies.

A discharge petition is a mechanism for overriding the will of House leaders to get a chamber-wide vote on specific legislation, provided it has support from a majority of lawmakers.

In this case, the four House Republicans’ signatures put Jeffries’ petition at 218 — clinching the critical majority threshold.

‘I’ve always supported bipartisan solutions that would bring about healthcare affordability in this country,’ Mackenzie told Fox News Digital on Wednesday of his decision. ‘Leader Jeffries and the Democrats have refused to sign onto either of those bipartisan solutions. And so at this point, our leadership is not calling up a bill to extend the [Obamacare] tax credits.’

He called for a vote on the Democrat-led solution as well as two bipartisan bills offering one and two-year extensions, respectively, with reforms.

It comes despite Johnson warning Republicans earlier on Wednesday not to support Jeffries’ petition, arguing it was not the best way to legislate.

Johnson told CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box’ that it was effectively ‘doing an end-run around the majority party, the speaker or the regular process is not the best way to make law.’

The House is expected to vote on a bill that Republicans say is aimed at lowering healthcare costs for all Americans, without extending the subsidies — which they argue are part of a deeply flawed public healthcare system.

Moderate Republicans offered several amendments to the legislation aimed at extending the Obamacare subsidies during a House Rules Committee meeting to advance the bill on Tuesday, but all were rejected by their fellow GOP lawmakers on the panel.

‘While I have been working for a bipartisan compromise with reforms, the failure of leadership to allow a vote on the floor left me with no choice but to sign the Democrats’ discharge petition,’ Lawler said in a statement on X.

‘The speaker should immediately bring it to the floor for an up-or-down vote and let the House do the work of the American people.’

Because of the timing constraints of a discharge petition, the earliest the House could consider the Jeffries bill would be early next year.

Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., one of the few Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump in 2021, announced on Wednesday that he will not seek re-election in 2026.

‘This decision comes with no reservations or remorse, only gratitude for the tremendous opportunity to have represented my home state in Congress,’ Newhouse wrote in a statement.

‘After over 25 years of public service, including more than a decade in the House, I am grateful to the Washingtonians who put their faith in me, as well as the colleagues I have served with on both sides of the aisle,’ he added.

Newhouse’s upcoming departure means that Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., could be the only remaining House Republican who voted in favor of Trump’s impeachment in 2021, if Valadao wins re-election.

Newhouse was one of 10 House Republicans who supported the impeachment effort. In addition to Valadao, the others were Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming; Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio; Jaime Herrera-Beutler of Washington; John Katko of New York; Adam Kinzinger of Illinois; Peter Meijer of Michigan; Tom Rice of South Carolina, and Fred Upton of Michigan.

The latter eight have since left Congress.

Newhouse won re-election in 2024 despite Trump making an effort to oust him.

‘Newhouse has to go! He wished he didn’t do what he did, but it’s too late,’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform just a week before Election Day.

Trump also emphasized his support for Newhouse’s rival. ‘Jerrod Sessler is a fantastic Candidate and will be a GREAT Congressman for Washington State’s 4th Congressional District.’

‘He is running against a Weak and Pathetic RINO named Newhouse, who voted to, for no reason, Impeach me,’ Trump wrote at the time.

Sessler, a Navy veteran, unsuccessfully challenged Newhouse for Washington’s 4th Congressional District. In addition to Trump, he was also backed by the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus.

At the time, Newhouse argued his vote to impeach Trump wouldn’t be a problem.

‘I worked very closely and successfully with President Trump and his first administration and I feel very confident that I can do that again,’ he told the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Gutting the filibuster was once a taboo notion among Senate Republicans, but the idea is gaining traction thanks to President Donald Trump’s repeated calls to throw out the longstanding procedure.

The Senate filibuster is the 60-vote threshold that applies to most bills in the upper chamber, and given the nature of the thin majorities that either party has commanded in recent years, that means legislation typically has to be bipartisan to advance.

It proved a key barrier to reopening the government and advancing several other Republican priorities in recent weeks, like the GOP’s Obamacare fix that was torpedoed by Senate Democrats.

For years, it’s been viewed as a tool of the minority party in the Senate meant to prevent majorities from ramming through partisan legislation that both Republicans and Democrats have taken advantage of.

But near-monthly prodding from Trump and recent frustration with the 43-day government shutdown has some Republicans rethinking their position on the filibuster.

‘It’s something I’m giving serious consideration to now,’ Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital.

Marshall previously told Fox News Digital, ‘Never, never, ever, never, none,’ when asked if he would consider changing the rules after Trump called on Republicans to nuke the filibuster in October.

Just a few months later, Marshall is reconsidering his position.

‘I think between the last government shutdown and the threat of this one, it makes me pause,’ he said. ‘It seems like the appropriations process is being slowed down. It feels like, with healthcare, that the Democrats, really the Democratic Party, doesn’t want to get anything done. So eliminating the filibuster ends all that.’

He echoed Trump, who on Monday told reporters that he wanted Senate Republicans to ‘knock out’ the filibuster.

‘You wouldn’t have January 30th looming, because you have the 30th of January looming, you know that, right? And if we knocked out the filibuster it would be just a simple approval,’ he said. ‘But you have some Republicans — they’re unable to explain why, you know if you ask them why they’re unable to explain, they cannot win the debate, but they should knock out the filibuster.’

The likelihood that such a change crosses the floor in the Senate is low, given that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has routinely remained rooted in his position that the filibuster shouldn’t be touched.

Still, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., a member of Thune’s leadership team, said that his position had also changed on the filibuster.

Mullin told Fox News’ Will Cain that during a recent meeting with Senate GOP leadership, he asked the room if they truly believed that Senate Democrats wouldn’t try to get rid of the procedural safeguard when they regained a majority again.

‘If we believe that they’re going to do it, then why don’t we just go ahead and get it done,’ he said.

Other Republicans are more skeptical about the odds of the filibuster getting axed. Some, like Mullin, think it could be narrowly tailored to only apply to spending bills, while others see the move as fantasy. 

‘That’s not gonna happen,’ Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

And Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said that lawmakers weren’t even ‘using the tools we have right now’ to pass Republicans’ agenda.

Kennedy has pushed for another round of budget reconciliation, given that Republicans have two more attempts at the grueling process, to tackle the growing affordability issues in the country.

He argued that’s how Republicans passed Trump’s signature legislation, the ‘one, big beautiful bill,’ earlier this year.

‘Yes, you can’t do everything, but you can do a lot, and that’s what I would be concentrating my energies on,’ Kennedy said. ‘And I’ve said respectfully to the president that I don’t think the United States Senate is going to give up the filibuster or the blue slip. He obviously disagrees, and I respect that reasonable people disagree sometimes, but I’m a pragmatist. I deal with the world as it is, not as I want it to be.’

First lady Melania Trump is giving Fox News an exclusive first look at her upcoming film, ‘MELANIA,’ set to hit theaters worldwide next month.

The 104-minute film is set to hit theaters globally on Jan. 30, 2026, appearing in theaters across North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and more. Amazon will also launch a documentary series in the coming months. 

‘History is set in motion during the 20 days of my life prior to the U.S. Presidential Inauguration,’ the first lady told Fox News. ‘For the first time, global audiences are invited into theaters to witness this pivotal chapter unfold—a private, unfiltered look as I navigate family, business, and philanthropy on my remarkable journey to becoming First Lady of the United States of America.’

Fox News exclusively obtained the trailer, which opens with the first lady walking into the U.S. Capitol rotunda ahead of her husband’s second inauguration. She looks to the camera in her now-iconic inauguration outfit, and says: ‘Here we go again.’

The trailer jumps from the first lady and president at the inauguration; to standing together outside of Mar-a-Lago; behind-the-scenes of the inauguration showing Baron Trump and Mrs. Trump’s father; to a series of images of the first lady; Air Force One; the presidential seal and more.

The infamous Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) lion roars and takes over the screen. 

The trailer then shows Mrs. Trump entering a room where President Trump stands at a podium during a meeting and is rehearsing a speech.

‘My proudest legacy will be that of peacemaker,’ Trump said. 

The first lady breaks in and says: ‘Peacemaker and unifier.’ 

The trailer shows the first lady getting out of a vehicle, sporting a pair of black stiletto boots, and jumping to the East Wing residence, where she stands in her stunning white and black inaugural ball gown, and smiles at the camera. 

The trailer invites the audience to ‘witness history in the making.’ 

The trailer also shows the first lady reviewing materials with staff and more. 

It cuts to a scene of Mrs. Trump asking a security detail ‘is it safe?’ and the agent confirming ‘it is safe,’ before the film cuts to sirens and the motorcade driving through a city. 

’20 days to become first lady of the United States,’ the trailer says. 

‘Everyone wants to know,’ Melania Trump says. ‘So here it is.’ 

The trailer ends with Mrs. Trump calling ‘Mr. President’ to say ‘congratulations.’ 

‘Did you watch it?’ President Trump says through the phone. 

‘I did not.  Yeah, I will see it on the news,’ Mrs. Trump says. 

The film is set to hit theaters around the globe on January 30. 

The first lady said that the story ‘has never been told, and because the subject matter is historically consequential, it was imperative for me to produce a film of the highest cinematic standard, suitable exclusively in theaters worldwide.’

‘The 20 days of my life, preceding the U.S. Presidential inauguration, constitutes a rare and defining moment—one that warrants meticulous care, integrity, and uncompromising craftsmanship,’ she said. ‘I am proud to share this very specific moment of my life—20 days of intense transition and planning—with moviegoers and fans across the globe.’

Fox News Digital has learned that the first lady was involved ‘in every aspect’ of the film — from her ‘creative vision,’ to working as a producer on the film and to ensuring the post-production marketing is executed properly. Fox News Digital has learned that the first lady has been very ‘hands on’ from start to finish. 

‘She is giving the audience unprecedented access to her life — and to any first lady’s life — during this 20-day period,’ a source familiar with the planning of the film told Fox News Digital. 

The film takes the audience through the first lady’s life leading up to the inauguration — from her home in Trump Tower in New York City, to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, and behind-the-scenes access in Washington D.C. 

Mrs. Trump first had the idea for the film in November 2024, after President Trump won the election. 

Marc Beckman, Mrs. Trump’s agent and exclusive senior advisor, led negotiations on her behalf with Amazon, specifically with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, beginning on Nov. 18, 2024. 

Fox News Digital has learned that Disney sought to obtain the exclusive rights to the film, as well as Netflix and Paramount. Amazon and MGM had the highest bid, purchasing the license for the film for $40 million — the largest documentary deal in history.

‘I’m honored to be working with Amazon — they’ve been great partners from the minute we started to negotiate the deal, through production and now as we gear up for the film’s release,’ Beckman told Fox News Digital.

‘Speaking of the deal, there has been so much speculation in the press on the bidding and how we ended up with Amazon, that we’re at a point where it’s worth clarifying a few things,’ Beckman said.

First, Beckman told Fox News Digital that some bidders were ‘interested only in a film, and others only in a series.’

‘Amazon ended up bidding on both, and checked all the boxes we were looking for, as they could also deliver a theatrical film release,’ Beckman explained.

Beckman stressed that he negotiated the deal on behalf of the first lady while dealing with ‘all the studios directly.’

‘I’ve seen reporting that Amazon paid nearly three times the nearest other bid, and that’s just false,’ Beckman said. ‘It was an incredibly competitive bidding process with multiple rounds of bids.’

Beckman added: ‘Yes, Amazon had the highest bid, but they also bid on the most product — series and film.’

Filming began in December 2024. The film is executive produced by Trump and Fernando Sulichin of New Element Media, with Brett Ratner of RatPac Entertainment serving as director. 

The film itself is produced in a ‘highly cinematic’ way. Sources familiar with the production told Fox News Digital that the first lady did not want the film to look like a documentary, but rather an ‘elevated film.’ 

The launch of the film comes a year after the release of her first-ever book, ‘Melania.’ The memoir presents an intimate portrait of Melania Trump and includes personal stories and family photos she had not previously shared with the public. 

‘Melania’ has been at the top of the New York Times’ best-selling list since its release to the public. 

Upon the release of the memoir last year, the first lady told Fox News Digital that writing her story was ‘an amazing journey filled with emotional highs and lows.’

‘Each story shaped me into who I am today,’ she said. ‘Although daunting at times, the process has been incredibly rewarding, reminding me of my strength, and the beauty of sharing my truth.’ 

‘Melania’ is the first lady’s first book. She released the original book along with a special collector’s edition that includes photos hand-selected by the first lady, many of which she photographed herself of her home and of various trips she has taken around the world. 

A new report released Wednesday from Polaris National Security details what the group says are 100 foreign policy achievements from President Donald Trump’s second term. The document is organized chronologically, starting with his return to office in January and tracking each major foreign policy move through the present day.

The report, titled ‘100 Trump Foreign Policy Wins From 2025 the Media Wants You to Miss,’ is an advocacy and policy analysis document that reflects the authors’ evaluation of U.S. foreign policy developments over the past year. 

‘Since January, the Trump administration has moved with historic pace to restore America’s strength and security,’ the report states, arguing that the administration has emphasized deterrence, alliance burden-sharing and direct engagement with adversaries.

Venezuela and Western Hemisphere strategy

The report groups several Venezuela-related actions into what it describes as a broader U.S. policy shift in the Western Hemisphere. It highlights expanded counter-narcotics operations off Venezuela’s coast, including airstrikes on maritime vessels linked to organizations such as Tren de Aragua and the National Liberation Army. The campaign, called Operation Southern Spear, is described as underscoring a commitment to ‘defending the homeland from the influx of fentanyl and other illicit drugs ravaging American communities.’

The administration also raised the U.S. reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, citing a public announcement from Attorney General Pam Bondi accusing Maduro of central involvement in narcotics trafficking. Venezuela has rejected the allegations. Polaris links these actions to the 2025 National Security Strategy, calling it ‘the most significant hemispheric reorientation of U.S. foreign policy in decades.’ 

Cale Brown, chair of Polaris National Security and former State Department principal deputy spokesperson, said the administration’s posture marks a reset on the global stage. ‘President Trump has taken the world stage by storm, reasserting American strength after four years of weakness,’ he said.

Gaza ceasefire and hostage releases

A substantial section of the Polaris report focuses on the October Gaza ceasefire, which it calls a central diplomatic breakthrough involving the United States, Israel and Hamas. According to the document, the agreement ‘secured an immediate ceasefire and the return of all surviving hostages,’ including Americans, with one hostage still unaccounted for. It also outlines plans for prisoner exchanges, Gaza’s demilitarization, an international stabilization force, transitional governance and large-scale reconstruction.

The report also highlights a November U.N. Security Council vote in which a U.S.-led Gaza resolution passed 13–0, with Russia and China abstaining. The resolution is described as providing ‘an international legal framework for the next phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.’

Additionally, the administration’s prohibition on U.S. taxpayer funding for UNRWA is noted, citing U.S. concerns over alleged ties between some personnel and Hamas. UNRWA denies institutional involvement in terrorism, while U.S. officials say the move was based on national security considerations.

Iran nuclear strikes 

The report cites U.S. military strikes carried out in June against Iranian nuclear facilities using B-2 bombers and bunker-buster munitions, framing the mission as proof that the United States ‘will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran.’ Iran denies pursuing a military nuclear program.

Nathan Sales, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council and former State Department counterterrorism coordinator, said the administration views regional diplomacy primarily through the lens of countering Tehran. ‘The Trump administration gets that the Iranian regime is the fundamental source of violence and instability across the Middle East,’ Sales said.

However, some analysts say the administration’s record presents sharp contrasts. Foreign policy analyst and editor-in-chief of the Foreign Desk Lisa Daftari said that while Trump has delivered on several strategic priorities — including strong support for Israel, terrorist redesignations, aggressive action against drug cartels and renewed momentum behind the Abraham Accords — other moves warrant closer scrutiny.

‘This record is tempered by concerning diplomatic overtures that urge caution. The characterization of Syria’s president as ‘young, attractive tough guy’ appears premature given unverified claims about severing ties with terrorist organizations—particularly troubling in light of recent attacks on U.S. servicemen. Similarly, the administration’s approach to Turkey and Saudi Arabia suggests a willingness to extend trust and strategic concessions that may exceed what these relationships warrant, potentially squandering leverage on critical issues like the Abraham Accords. Whether these calculated diplomatic gambles yield strategic gains or prove costly remains an open question. The true measure of this foreign policy doctrine will ultimately depend on how these relationships and decisions unfold in 2026.’

NATO defense spending commitments

The report also points to commitments made at the NATO summit in The Hague, where alliance members pledged to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, far above the longstanding 2% benchmark. The document says the pledge followed sustained U.S. pressure for ‘fairer burden-sharing among allied nations.’

Armenia–Azerbaijan peace pledge

The report highlights an August agreement signed at the White House by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan aimed at ending the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The declaration includes commitments on border security, regional transit routes and economic cooperation involving the United States.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a total blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, declaring the Nicolás Maduro regime a foreign terrorist organization and accusing it of using stolen U.S. assets to finance terrorism, trafficking and other criminal activity.

‘Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,’ Trump said on Truth Social. ‘It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before – Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.

‘The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using Oil from these stolen Oil Fields to finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping,’ he continued. ‘For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.

‘Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,’ Trump added. ‘The Illegal Aliens and Criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration, are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace. America will not allow Criminals, Terrorists, or other Countries, to rob, threaten, or harm our Nation and, likewise, will not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States, IMMEDIATELY.’

Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. had seized an oil tanker called the ‘Skipper’ off the coast of Venezuela, sharply escalating U.S. tensions with the nation. The tanker was seized for allegedly being used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The ‘Skipper’ is a vessel that secretly ferries oil in defiance of sanctions, while also being part of an armada of roughly 1,000 tankers that quietly navigate global sea routes to move oil from sanctioned countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela, according to the administration.

The so-called ‘ghost ships’ sail under foreign flags to obscure their origins, repeatedly change names, shift ownership through shell companies, disable transponders to evade tracking and conduct mid-sea transfers to mask their cargo.

The ‘Skipper’ was loaded with an estimated 1.8 million barrels of oil earlier in December before transferring an estimated 200,000 barrels just before its seizure, Reuters reported.

The oil on the tanker is likely worth $60 million to more than $100 million, based on current average oil prices. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for any additional comment on the estimated price tag of the oil but did not immediately receive a reply. 

The U.S. military has carried out strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats near Venezuela since September as part of Trump’s mission to end the flow of drugs into the nation.

There have been at least 22 strikes on suspected narcotraffickers near Venezuela, killing 87, since September.

The boat strikes are viewed as part of a U.S. pressure campaign on Venezuela likely aimed to not only curb the flow of drugs, but also to oust Maduro as leader of the oil-rich nation. 

Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

A federal judge on Tuesday said he was ‘inclined to deny’ a bid to force the Trump administration to halt construction of the White House ballroom but warned officials not to undertake any irreversible work before a January hearing that could still stop the project.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said he will hold another hearing during the second week in January and hinted he may still order a pause.

‘Any below ground construction’ in the coming weeks that dictates above-ground work should be avoided, Leon said, adding, ‘be prepared to take that down.’

Lawyers for the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the U.S. argued the case is not about the need for a ballroom but about the need to follow the law.

They said any construction on federal land requires congressional approval.

Lawyers representing the National Park Service countered that President Trump has authority to direct construction at the White House, saying ‘work must continue for national security issues.’

‘See you in January,’ Leon said as he warned the government not to pursue anything irreversible.

Attorney General Pam Bondi weighed in Tuesday evening.

‘Today @TheJusticeDept attorneys defeated an attempt to stop President Trump’s totally lawful East Wing Modernization and State Ballroom Project,’ she wrote on X. ‘President Trump has faced countless bad-faith left-wing legal attacks – this was no different. We will continue defending the President’s project in court in the coming weeks.’

On Monday, the Trump administration argued in a court filing that pausing construction would undermine national security, citing a Secret Service declaration warning that halting work would leave the site unable to meet ‘safety and security requirements’ necessary to protect President Donald Trump.

The declaration said the East Wing, demolished in October and now undergoing below-grade work, could not be left unfinished without compromising essential security measures.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued last week to stop the project, arguing the government had to follow federal review procedures before any irreversible work began.

The group said the proposed 90,000-square-foot addition, now estimated at more than $300 million, would overwhelm the Executive Residence and permanently alter the White House’s historic design.

The administration countered that the lawsuit was premature, noting regulatory reviews were still coming and above-grade construction was not scheduled to begin until April 2026.

The National Trust said early intervention was necessary, citing warnings from architectural historians who said the ballroom would mark the most significant exterior change to the White House in more than 80 years.

Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., is being sued by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for tens of billions of dollars in damages for a lawsuit he filed against the country during his time as Missouri’s attorney general.

Schmitt is being sued by the People’s Government of Wuhan Municipality, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Wuhan Institute of Virology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for roughly $50 billion, several years after the lawmaker sued the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lawsuit, first obtained by Fox News Digital, accused Schmitt, FBI co-deputy director Andrew Bailey, and the state of Missouri of damaging the reputations of China, Wuhan and the associated research facilities through ‘malicious vexatious litigation, fabricating enormous disinformation, and spreading stigmatizing and discriminating slanders.’

Schmitt said in a statement to Fox News Digital that he’d been ‘banned from Communist China, and now I am being sued and targeted by Communist China in a $50 billion lawfare campaign, and I’ll wear it like a badge of honor.’ 

‘China’s sinister malfeasance during the COVID-19 pandemic led to over a million Americans losing their lives, economic turmoil that rocked our country for years, and an enormous amount of human suffering, and as Missouri Attorney General I filed suit to hold them accountable,’ Schmitt said. ‘Instead of trying to defend its indefensible behavior, Communist China responded with frivolous lawfare, attempting to absolve themselves of all wrongdoing in the early days of the pandemic.’ 

‘This novel lawsuit is factually baseless, legally meritless, and any fake judgment a Chinese court issues in this lawsuit we will easily beat back and keep from being enforced against the people of Missouri or me,’ he continued. ‘This is their way of distracting from what the world already knows, China has blood on its hands.’

Schmitt, who served as attorney general for the Show-Me state from 2019 to 2023, sued the PRC, several Chinese government ministries, the Communist Party of China, the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in early 2020, shortly after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time, Schmitt accused the Chinese government of withholding information on the COVID-19 virus, failing to contain the outbreak of the virus, and actively hoarding high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE) while producing and selling lower-quality PPE for the rest of the world.

That case resulted in an eventual $24 billion judgment earlier this year.

The lawsuit against Schmitt, Bailey, who resigned as Missouri’s attorney general after he was tapped by President Donald Trump to serve as co-deputy FBI director in September, and Missouri contended that the preceding lawsuit, and statements published across a variety of media outlets, led to severe reputational and economic harm.

They’re demanding that apologies be published in several outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Chinese media outlets. The apologies come with a price tag, too.

Wuhan and the Chinese government demanded compensation of over 356 billion Chinese Yuan, which converts to just over $50 billion dollars.

There’s a year-end rush in all aspects of life.

Businesses try to run up profits in December. Supervisors want to finish employee reviews. Professors must grade exams.

Congress is no different.

There’s always a race to the finish line in December on Capitol Hill. 

This year’s adventure is health care. But it’s a practical impossibility that Congress can actually make law on health care before the calendar flips. Premium spikes for 24 million Americans loom on January 1st. Congress tried — kinda — to address this problem. But not really.

So, if you’re that professor handing out the grades at the end of the semester, prepare to flunk some pupils, if not the entire Congressional student body.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., hermetically sealed any possibility of addressing health care in 2025 on Tuesday afternoon.

‘We’re not going to pass anything by the end of this week. But I do think there is a potential pathway in January if Democrats are willing to come to the table,’ said Thune.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., rapidly assembled a bill to allow groups of people – like a bunch of small businesses or a coalition of carpenters – to purchase what they call ‘association’ health plans. In other words, this alliance of people would suddenly have ‘buying power’ if they operate as a team. So if they purchase a set of plans as an ‘association,’ that would defray the cost.

‘This is going to be a great piece of legislation that everybody will unite around,’ said Johnson.

But many Republicans groused privately that it’s one thing to do ‘a health care bill.’ It’s another thing to actually short-circuit the astronomical leap in premiums which hit on January 1.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., spoke frankly about simply re-upping the existing subsidies.

‘We need to do deeper fixes. This is throwing good money after bad. There is some truth to that. But we have constituents. They’re going to have their premiums go up. That doesn’t help them. That’s why I think we need a temporary extension,’ said Bacon.

Many conservatives adamantly oppose continuing the subsidies. Even if that would help their constituents.

But Bacon addresses the realpolitik of the moment. 

‘It’s not our fault that these things are skyrocketing. But we are in charge. When you’re in charge, you’ve got to deal with it,’ said Bacon. ‘They’re going to have to find some compromise.’

A Christmas Congressional crunch often compels lawmakers to solve big legislative headaches before the holidays.

‘What intensifies the pressure is January 1st is coming,’ said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash. ‘It’s having a huge impact on people. I think that is definitely a forcing mechanism.’

The push from Democrats — and some vulnerable Republicans — was to renew the subsidies.

‘I don’t understand why we can’t just do a clean extension of what we just had in place earlier this year,’ said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. ‘I think that is the easiest and most accessible, no nonsense thing for us to do. Especially as the year is coming to an end.’

But that wouldn’t fly with conservative Republicans.

‘I pity the Republican that has to explain why they would propagate or perpetuate a fraud-ridden subsidy from the COVID-era to prop up a failed health care program,’ said House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas. 

Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., also opposes extending Obamacare help. But he worries what voters will think of Republicans if the party doesn’t address health care costs. 

‘I think that we fail the American people. We fail our base. We fail the Republican Party. Before I got up here, I was frustrated the Republicans didn’t repeal Obamacare,’ said Burlison. 

‘Repealing Obamacare’ probably won’t happen. That’s because the GOP has tried to unwind the measure since Democrats passed the first versions of it in late 2009. That’s why even through everyone was talking about health care on Capitol Hill, most were skeptical that lawmakers could solve this in a matter of days.

Despite possible Christmas magic.

And even as Thune punted health care into 2026, the House still nibbled around the edges. Critics argued this was only so House Republicans could inoculate themselves from denunciations that they did nothing on health care.

On Tuesday morning, Johnson nixed an idea from GOP moderates for a temporary extension of expiring Obamacare subsidies because it didn’t comply with Congressional budgetary rules.

But by afternoon, Johnson reversed himself to entertain another plan backed by Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y. 

Rather than simply extending federal Obamacare subsidies on an interim basis — which means that insurance companies receive the money — LaLota’s idea provides a two-year tax deduction for those who previously received the Obamacare aid.

President Trump said he would not sign a bill which continued to send money to the insurance companies. So the revamped approach cuts out insurance companies from the equation and policyholders score the tax relief.

‘There’s a real possibility they’ll get a vote on it,’ said Johnson. ‘I’ve tried everything I can to get them that vote on the floor.’

But a roll call vote is a far cry from an actual fix. And it’s uncertain that the House would adopt any amendment and copy it onto the underlying GOP health care bill.

However, a vote on the amendment could give Republicans from swing districts a fig leaf to say they tried to defuse the health care premium crisis. And it’s still unclear if voters might blame Republicans for not addressing health care — now that Democrats copied that issue onto the fall government funding fight.

Health care will be a major issue in the 2026 midterms.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. appeared skeptical that Congress could address the skyrocketing premiums in the near year.

‘You can’t do it after January 1st,’ said Schumer. ‘It’s expired already. It’s not the same as it was before. Once it expires, the toothpaste is out of the tube. 

Schumer also refused to commit to deploying the same maneuver about health care as the next government funding deadline approaches on January 30.

In short, Congress isn’t going to solve health care by Christmas.

But perhaps by Groundhog Day?

If that’s the case, any discussion about health care tied to Groundhog Day, probably resembles, well, Groundhog Day.