The New York Times
00:09 (05:09 in your timezone)
THE
HEAR
This page is an archive of main headlines from the US for 20.12.2025.
It displays 137 headlines from many sources chronologically, as they appeared throughout the day, accompanied by AI overviews that were written in real time.
20.12.2025 โข The Day of the Vanishing Epstein Files
โจThe editorial agenda for December 20 was dominated by the Department of Justiceโs massive release of Jeffrey Epstein investigative files. In the morning, media focus split along ideological lines: conservative outlets prioritized images of Bill Clinton and other celebrities, while mainstream sources scrutinized heavy redactions. By early afternoon, the narrative shifted toward the validation felt by survivors, alongside reporting on retaliatory U.S. airstrikes against ISIS in Syria.
In the evening, the story took a sharp turn as AP and NPR reported the disappearance of specific files and a photograph of President Trump from the DOJ website, sparking accusations of government scrubbing. Simultaneously, editorial attention turned to a maritime escalation as the U.S. Coast Guard seized two oil tankers off the Venezuelan coast. The day concluded with reporting on President Trumpโs endorsement of a New York gubernatorial candidate following Elise Stefanikโs withdrawal, and the discovery of the Brown University shooterโs body.
In the evening, the story took a sharp turn as AP and NPR reported the disappearance of specific files and a photograph of President Trump from the DOJ website, sparking accusations of government scrubbing. Simultaneously, editorial attention turned to a maritime escalation as the U.S. Coast Guard seized two oil tankers off the Venezuelan coast. The day concluded with reporting on President Trumpโs endorsement of a New York gubernatorial candidate following Elise Stefanikโs withdrawal, and the discovery of the Brown University shooterโs body.
20.12.2025
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00:16
The New York Times
The Justice Department released more than 13,000 files related to Jeffrey Epstein, with more expected. Read six takeaways about what the files did and did not divulge.
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00:20
The Washington Post
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00:47
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02:10
The president let us into his wifeโs private life in a rambling speech in North Carolina.
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04:36
Trump said the U.S. was targeting "the murderous terrorists responsible" for the deaths of two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
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04:50
Associated Press
The Department of Justice has published thousands of its files related to Jeffrey Epstein. The Friday document dump was long anticipated for its potential to reveal new details about the late sex offender and his connections to powerful people.
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Washington Free Beacon
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06:06
BI Incorporated, a subsidiary of for-profit prison company GEO Group, will help ICE pinpoint the locations of immigrants.
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06:07
Los Angeles Times
Danny Palumbo
06:07 (11:07 in your timezone)
06:35
The release of the files marks a critical moment in yearslong efforts to uncover the scope and network of Jeffrey Epstein.
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06:42
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06:47
Maria Farmer, who made a complaint to the FBI in 1996, called the release "amazing" but said she also felt sadness for others who were abused.
06:47 (11:47 in your timezone)
06:49 (11:49)โขShadows Linger Over Epstein's Ledger
โจU.S. editors are fixated on the Justice Department's massive release of Epstein files, though framing varies by political alignment. While mainstream outlets analyze the legal takeaways and survivor validation (NY Times, CNN, AP News, NBC News), conservative and tabloid sources prioritize salacious details involving Bill Clinton and other celebrities (NY Post, Washington Times, Newsweek, USA Today). Meanwhile, critical voices highlight heavy redactions and the administration's continued withholding of key documents (HuffPost, The Atlantic).
07:06
Takeaways from the latest release of Epstein files including pictures of Bill Clinton and Mick Jagger. DOJ says more records are on the way.
07:06 (12:06 in your timezone)
07:15
The Justice Department released thousands of new photos and records on Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, but at least 550 pages in the documents are fully redacted.
07:15 (12:15 in your timezone)
07:38
The Washington Post
More than 100,000 pages released Friday came just ahead of a deadline to make public a collection of all the records long sought by victims of the deceased financier.
07:38 (12:38 in your timezone)
07:42
07:42
Brown University has been brushing off security issues for years โ ignoring warnings from students, staff and even police, The Post has learned.
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08:08
Accommodations, ever since his childhood, were made for Nick Reiner. A source related to The Post that those around Nick were told โnot to upset him.โ The source continued, โThey would basically cater to him.โ
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08:34
Zelenskyyโs five-year term as president was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended since martial law was declared.
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08:55
Some questions will never be answered. But thereโs one that DOJ officials really can clear up โ if they want to.
08:55 (13:55 in your timezone)
09:00
On this day 20 years ago, New York City transit workers launched an illegal strike. It ended in a bitter defeat that hobbled the union for years and discouraged public sector labor militancy more widely. What lessons can we draw from the strike today?
09:00 (14:00 in your timezone)
09:00
Accommodations, ever since his childhood, were made for Nick Reiner. A source related to The Post that those around Nick were told โnot to upset him.โ The source continued, โThey would basically cater to him.โ
09:00 (14:00 in your timezone)
09:07
The Blaze
09:07 (14:07 in your timezone)
09:13
Maria Farmer, who made a complaint to the FBI in 1996, called the release "amazing" but said she also felt sadness for others who were abused.
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09:26
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09:26
Trump Won on Immigration. Now Most Americans Say His Deportations Go Too Far.
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09:32
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09:32
The Washington Post
09:32 (14:32 in your timezone)
09:51
Donald Trumpโs meddling in Hondurasโs national election aims to return the disgraced party of the narcotrafficking ex-president Juan Orlando Hernรกndez to power.
09:51 (14:51 in your timezone)
09:53
The Daily Beast
Throughout his political career, he has fired numerous looks-based insults at female foes
09:53 (14:53 in your timezone)
09:57
Former Democratic President is seen in numerous images released on Friday in relation to the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
09:57 (14:57 in your timezone)
10:06
The Boston Globe
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10:16
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10:22
The Washington Post
U.S. forces late Friday launched a massive attack against Islamic State targets across Syria, fulfilling President Trumpโs vow of โretaliationโ after an ISIS gunman killed three Americans last weekend.
10:22 (15:22 in your timezone)
10:25 (15:25)โขRedacted Secrets of the Epstein Vault
โจEditorial focus has intensified on the Justice Department's massive release of Jeffrey Epstein files, with sources now scrutinizing the 100,000-page document dump for specific celebrity imagery and substantial redactions (Washington Post, CBS, Newsweek, USA Today). While mainstream outlets highlight the validation felt by survivors (NBC News), partisan framing persists regarding the absence of specific records (The Daily Beast) and retaliatory military strikes against ISIS targets in Syria (Washington Times, Newsmax, Common Dreams).
10:35
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10:46
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that Europe risks destroying the โshared cultureโ of the West and in turn weaken bonds with the United States.
10:46 (15:46 in your timezone)
10:46
In the first 2026 midterm speech with President Donald Trump, North Carolina's Rocky Mount got to see the return of the president's patented stump speeches. Trump hailed Michael Whatley's candidacy against former Gov. Roy Cooper and delivered many of his traditional blows on Democrats, including warning of a January government shutdown over more bailouts for Obamacare.
[Fullย Story]
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11:00
The Blaze
11:00 (16:00 in your timezone)
11:01
Gaza used to have twelve higher-education institutions. Over the last two years, Israel partly or totally destroyed every one of them in its campaign to crush Palestinian public life and ruin its chances of recovery.
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11:01
USA TODAY Network journalists spoke with holiday shoppers about the prospect of a tariff rebate in 2026.
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11:12
The Daily Beast
The president ran to Truth Social to praise the โamazingโ crowd at his final rally of 2025, despite reports that many found other ways to spend their Friday night.
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11:19
Danny Palumbo
11:19 (16:19 in your timezone)
11:32
One America News
A jury has found Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan guilty of obstructing federal agents attempting to serve a warrant.
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11:32
USA TODAY Network journalists spoke with holiday shoppers about the prospect of a tariff rebate in 2026.
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11:38
The Daily Wire
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11:59
New York Post
The tiny legs can be seen poking from the frame of the picture as the shirtless sexual offender smiles for the camera.
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12:18
12:20 (17:20)โขThe Blacked Out Epstein Ledger
โจEditorial focus remains locked on the Justice Departmentโs release of Jeffrey Epsteinโs investigative files. While tabloid and conservative outlets highlight graphic imagery and celebrity links (NY Post, Newsweek, Fox News, USA Today), mainstream and progressive editors analyze the prevalence of redactions and the lack of closure for victims (CBS, NPR, The Atlantic, Vox). Parallel attention is given to President Trumpโs midterm campaigning and economic rhetoric (NY Times, Newsmax, USA Today).
12:24
Los Angeles Times
Danny Palumbo
12:24 (17:24 in your timezone)
12:31
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12:46
The Washington Post
The Justice Departmentโs first release of Epstein files is heavy on photos of Bill Clinton, light on mentions of President Donald Trump and mostly lacking revelations.
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12:51
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12:51
President Donald Trump has nominated Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan of United States Special Operations Command to be the next commander of U.S. Southern Command, overseeing operations in the Caribbean that have included more than two dozen fatal strikes on alleged drug smuggling vessels.
12:51 (17:51 in your timezone)
13:04
Fifty years ago, Polish director Andrzej Wajda produced one of the most astonishing films about the rise of capitalism ever made. The Promised Land is an unforgettable picture of early industrial exploitation that still feels contemporary.
13:04 (18:04 in your timezone)
13:08
The Justice Departmentโs first release of Epstein files is heavy on photos of Bill Clinton, light on mentions of President Donald Trump and mostly lacking revelations.
13:08 (18:08 in your timezone)
13:12
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that Europe risks destroying the โshared cultureโ of the West and in turn weaken bonds with the United States.
13:12 (18:12 in your timezone)
13:15
The Washington Post
The Justice Departmentโs first release of Epstein files is heavy on photos of Bill Clinton, light on mentions of President Donald Trump and mostly lacking revelations.
13:15 (18:15 in your timezone)
13:17
New York Post
As if things couldnโt get worse for Ghislaine Maxwell.
13:17 (18:17 in your timezone)
13:19
The Washington Post
The Justice Departmentโs first release of Epstein files is heavy on photos of Bill Clinton, light on mentions of President Donald Trump and mostly lacking revelations.
13:19 (18:19 in your timezone)
13:39
The Justice Department has released records from the Epstein files, the first documents to come to light under a new law signed by President Trump.
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13:39
The president said the meeting could take place โin Florida this coming weekโ or at the White House in the first week of 2026.
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13:39
The seizure comes comes days after President Trump announced a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
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13:42
Jacobin
How the socialist left and the anti-Trump Resistance are slowly but surely learning to work together.
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13:42
The United States is interdicting and seizing a vessel off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Saturday, a move that comes just days after President Donald Trump announced a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. This would mark the second time in โrecent weeks that the United States has seized a tanker near Venezuela and comes amid a large U.S. โmilitary build-up in the region.
[Fullย Story]
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13:46
USA Today
The seizure comes comes days after President Trump announced a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
13:46 (18:46 in your timezone)
13:59
Associated Press
Idalia Bisbal moved from New York City to Allentown, Pennsylvania, hoping for a cheaper life. Three years later, she feels disappointed by high prices for essentials like food and gas.
13:59 (18:59 in your timezone)
14:05
Breitbart News
Federal prosecutors say the Bidenโera border crisis produced one of the most brazen cybercrime cases in years. The Department of Justice charged 54 alleged members of the Venezuelan terror gang Tren de Aragua with using sophisticated malware to loot millions from U.S. ATMs and funnel the cash back to their criminal network.
14:05 (19:05 in your timezone)
14:06
Claudio Manuel Neves Valente appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was found in a New Hampshire storage facility, the FBI said.
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14:07
LATEST UPDATES: Worst Measles Outbreak In 30 Years, Epstein Survivor 'Vindicated', MOREโฆ
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14:12
An NBC News analysis found that more than 680 pages of documents released yesterday were entirely redacted.
14:12 (19:12 in your timezone)
14:14 (19:14)โขThe Blacked Out Epstein Ledger
โจEditorial focus remains dominated by the Justice Department's release of Jeffrey Epstein's investigative records, with outlets diverging on the significance of the documents. Conservative and tabloid media emphasize graphic photos of Ghislaine Maxwell and Bill Clinton (NY Post, Newsweek, Fox News), while mainstream and progressive sources highlight extensive redactions and the lack of new insights into potential accomplices (CNN, NBC News, NPR, Washington Post). Concurrently, several outlets report on the U.S. Navy's seizure of ships off the Venezuelan coast following President Trump's declared blockade (USA Today, Newsmax).
14:20
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14:26
Jacobin
How the socialist left and the anti-Trump Resistance are slowly but surely learning to work together.
14:26 (19:26 in your timezone)
14:27
The Daily Beast
House Oversight Democrats posted an image from Epsteinโs desk featuring a picture of Trump and Epstein.
14:27 (19:27 in your timezone)
14:28
The Washington Post
Rep. Ro Khanna said articles of impeachment are possible against Attorney General Pam Bondi over the Department of Justiceโs failure to release all of the Epstein files as required by the law signed by President Trump.
14:28 (19:28 in your timezone)
14:33
Paul Finkelman
14:33 (19:33 in your timezone)
14:34
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14:34
The Washington Post
Sen. Lindsey Graham, who served as a House impeachment manager during President Bill Clintonโs impeachment, is urging the House Oversight Committee to review the voluminous amount of unreleased Clinton impeachment documents.
14:34 (19:34 in your timezone)
14:39
Sen. Dick Durbin criticized the DOJ's rollout of records relating to the to the sex offender, which included nearly 700 pages totally redacted.
14:39 (19:39 in your timezone)
14:53
The presidentโs approval rating has declined over this year, polls show.
14:53 (19:53 in your timezone)
15:05
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15:05
President Donald Trump has held his last rally of 2025 in North Carolina, praising his economic agenda.
15:05 (20:05 in your timezone)
15:12
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15:12
An NPR analysis of the Epstein files shows some documents, originally available on Friday, are no longer on the Department of Justice's "Epstein Library" website as the DOJ releases more files.
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15:30
The Daily Caller
15:30 (20:30 in your timezone)
15:43
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16:15
A Maryland man, who formerly worked for Voice of America, pleaded guilty of making death threats against Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, as well as her family and staff.
16:15 (21:15 in your timezone)
16:23
The Washington Post
The provocative podcaster has an audience โ online, among influencers and inside the White House. That worries some on the right.
16:23 (21:23 in your timezone)
16:30
Associated Press
The Justice Departmentโs webpage for documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is missing at least 16 of its files a day after they were released.
16:30 (21:30 in your timezone)
16:30
The Washington Post
U.S. forces stopped another vessel off the coast of Venezuela as President Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
16:30 (21:30 in your timezone)
16:41
The military is supporting with helicopters that are dropping off Coast Guard personnel and observing overhead, one official said.
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16:47
LATEST UPDATES: Mourners Gather For Penny's Funeral, Trump Heaps Praise On Youtuber-Turned-Boxer, MOREโฆ
16:47 (21:47 in your timezone)
16:48 (21:48)โขVanishing Files in the Epstein Library
โจEditorial focus has shifted to allegations of government interference within the Epstein document dump. Progressive and mainstream outlets report on the disappearance of files and a specific photo of President Trump from the DOJ website (AP News, NPR, HuffPost, Common Dreams). Simultaneously, the administration has escalated its maritime blockade, with multiple reports of U.S. forces seizing oil tankers off the Venezuelan coast (NBC News, Washington Times, Newsmax, Daily Caller).
16:52
The Washington Post
16:52 (21:52 in your timezone)
16:59
Authorities have identified 1,200 alleged victims who were trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, or by relatives of those victims.
16:59 (21:59 in your timezone)
17:01
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17:06
MORE: AT LEAST 16 FILES VANISH
17:06 (22:06 in your timezone)
17:08
The Boston Globe
17:08 (22:08 in your timezone)
17:13
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz threw down the gauntlet on the Alex Marlow Show, contending that the Trump administration will aggressively target fraudsters in Minnesota and beyond.
17:13 (22:13 in your timezone)
17:20
One America News
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that United States military forces have intercepted a second merchant ship off the coast of Venezuela.
17:20 (22:20 in your timezone)
17:38
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17:49
The Epoch Times
Trump announced a blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil ships after the U.S. government seized a tanker on Dec. 10.
17:49 (22:49 in your timezone)
17:49
U.S. forces on Saturday stopped an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in less than two weeks as President Donald Trump continues to ramp up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolรกs Maduro.
[Fullย Story]
17:49 (22:49 in your timezone)
18:04
The Blaze
18:04 (23:04 in your timezone)
18:20
The military is supporting with helicopters that are dropping off Coast Guard personnel and observing overhead, one official said.
18:20 (23:20 in your timezone)
18:20
Authorities have identified 1,200 alleged victims who were trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, or by relatives of those victims.
18:20 (23:20 in your timezone)
18:20
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18:48
At least 15 pictures are no longer available, including one that shows two printed photos of Trump. The DOJ did not return a request for comment.
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19:02
The Daily Caller
19:02 (00:02 in your timezone)
19:16
Democrats and media outlets noted around 16 files had disappeared from the DOJ website, including a photo of Donald Trump.
19:16 (00:16 in your timezone)
19:16
Authorities have identified 1,200 alleged victims who were trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, or by relatives of those victims.
19:16 (00:16 in your timezone)
19:30
โBruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning.โ
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19:43 (00:43 in your timezone)
19:45 (00:45)โขVanishing Pixels in the Epstein Library
โจThe American media ecosystem is dominated by the 'disappearing' files from the Justice Department's Epstein database, with progressive outlets highlighting the removal of a photograph featuring Donald Trump (NBC News, Newsweek, HuffPost, The Daily Beast, AP News, NPR, Common Dreams). Concurrently, editorial attention is tracking the administrationโs aggressive blockade of Venezuelan oil, following the seizure of a second tanker (The Epoch Times, Newsmax, OANN, Washington Times).
19:56
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19:57
The New York Times
Both parties are now preparing for โaffordabilityโ to play a major role in the midterm elections next year. How did it emerge so quickly?
19:57 (00:57 in your timezone)
20:10
The New York Times
The vessel, which was flying a Panamanian flag, was not on a list of tankers under U.S. sanctions.
20:10 (01:10 in your timezone)
20:17
The New York Times
Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, said a vessel had been โapprehended.โ It was the second action this month against a tanker carrying Venezuelan oil.
20:17 (01:17 in your timezone)
20:54
Trump announced a blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil ships after the U.S. government seized a tanker on Dec. 10.
20:54 (01:54 in your timezone)
20:57
The Daily Beast
A publicly available photo of Diana Ross and Michael Jackson with their kids ended up redacted and included in the Epstein files.
20:57 (01:57 in your timezone)
21:07
The tanker is not on a list of vessels sanctioned by the U.S., a source said.
21:07 (02:07 in your timezone)
21:34
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21:52
The Daily Beast
Author Michael Wolff told the Daily Beastโs Joanna Coles that the president is becoming increasingly uninhibited.
21:52 (02:52 in your timezone)
22:00
Lawmakers demanded transparency after 15 pictures were removed from the DOJ's website, including one that shows two printed photos of Trump.
22:00 (03:00 in your timezone)
22:54
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23:06
Breitbart News
In a radio appearance on Breitbart News Saturday, Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle hosted a wide-ranging conversation with Olivia and Jonny Pollock, siblings featured in a new documentary that explores their roles in the January 6 Capitol protest, their time in hiding or under court supervision, and their eventual pardons by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office.
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