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THE
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This page is an archive of main headlines from the US for 21.12.2025.
It displays 148 headlines from many sources chronologically, as they appeared throughout the day, accompanied by AI overviews that were written in real time.
21.12.2025 ⇢ The Day of the Caribbean Tanker Blockade
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The editorial agenda for December 21 was defined by the Trump administration’s maritime escalation against Venezuela. Morning headlines tracked the seizure of a second oil tanker, while coverage by late afternoon and evening shifted to the U.S. Coast Guard’s active pursuit of a third vessel. Conservative and mainstream editors highlighted the blockade as a major policy shift, while some progressive outlets and lawmakers labeled the maneuvers a provocation or prelude to war. Simultaneously, the fallout from the Justice Department’s Jeffrey Epstein file release intensified. Throughout the day, editors polarized around the 'disappearing' digital records, with mainstream media focusing on redacted photographs of President Trump and conservative outlets highlighting the FBI's historical failures. By evening, attention turned to the AmericaFest convention, where Vice President JD Vance and guest Nicki Minaj signaled the administration’s 2028 ambitions, and a brewing internal revolt at CBS News over a pulled '60 Minutes' segment.
21.12.2025
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The Daily Beast
Author Michael Wolff says the president is becoming increasingly uninhibited, and his evident decline should concern us all.
03:00
04:34
04:41
New York Post
The power failure left a large swath of the northern part of the city in the dark, beginning with the Richmond and Presidio neighborhoods and areas around Golden Gate Park in the early afternoon and growing in size.
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05:08
Washington Free Beacon
05:08
05:37
The Inside Story: How incredible acts of heroism confronted terrorism on a summer Sunday evening at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach.
05:37
05:39⇢Vanishing Shadows in the Epstein Archive
⌨Editorial priorities are divided between administrative transparency and national security. Progressive and mainstream outlets (NBC News, ABC News, AP News, NPR, Common Dreams, USA Today) are scrutinizing the Department of Justice over missing files and redacted photos of President Trump in the Epstein database. Simultaneously, a broad spectrum of media (NYTimes, CNN, The Epoch Times, Newsmax, OANN, Washington Times) is tracking the U.S. Coast Guard's seizure of a second Venezuelan oil tanker under the administration's new blockade policy.
06:04
Los Angeles Times
Rebecca Onion
06:04
06:06
The New York Times
President Trump has expanded executive power while embracing the trappings of royalty in ways not seen in the modern era.
06:06
06:43
The Trump administration recently launched Operation Relentless Justice to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators.
06:43
06:45
The Washington Post
How DOGE and the White House carried out a once-unthinkable transformation of the nation’s sprawling bureaucracy.
06:45
07:08
07:24
An American man fell in love with a woman from Lithuania. ICE detained her. The couple thought she'd be deported right away. They were wrong.
07:24
07:44
New York Post
San Francisco plunged into darkness when nearly 30 percent of the city was struck by a massive power outage on Saturday night.
07:44
08:03
08:05
David Sacks, Trump’s go-to adviser on all things tech, may help decide who wins the AI race between the US and China.
08:05
08:19
The Washington Post
The Treasury secretary’s partisan comments are causing concern among investors and lawmakers as he breaks with tradition and engages in combative rhetoric.
08:19
08:30
Congress is wrapping up the year without a lot of legislative accomplishments under its belt and a growing list of lawmakers who are retiring. Former members say the challenges on Capitol Hill have been brewing for a long time.
08:30
08:36
The Daily Beast
Author Michael Wolff says the president is becoming increasingly uninhibited, and his evident decline should concern us all.
08:36
08:58
Talks over an American-Russian peace plan seek to impose a harsh settlement on Ukraine. Faced with the carve-up of territory, it’s vital to build an international peace movement opposing the logic of imperialist blocs.
08:58
09:02
Black women are flocking to Mexico City. USA TODAY National Columnist Suzette Hackney went there to find out why.
09:02
09:12
More see Trump's policies responsible for economy today than Biden's; there are also concerns about AI impact on jobs.
09:12
09:19
09:21
He Started a Business Legally. Now Trump's Mass Deportations Threaten Him and Other Immigrant Entrepreneurs.
09:21
09:32
09:32
09:34
The Epoch Times
The Kremlin said on Sunday that changes Europe and Ukraine made to the U.S. proposals were not improving the prospect of peace.
09:34
09:40
The Trump administration’s release of the long-awaited Epstein files didn’t provide what survivors were looking for.
09:40
09:51
The Daily Beast
MAGA officials are so busy censoring any information that might publicly identify the late sex trafficker’s victims that they just publicly identified one of his victims.
09:51
09:59
Europe has often called itself a global leader in fighting climate change, even promising to halt the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. Yet now it’s dropped the plan, as part of a broader retreat from the green transition.
09:59
10:01
How DOGE and the White House carried out a once-unthinkable transformation of the nation’s sprawling bureaucracy.
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10:01
The Washington Post
How DOGE and the White House carried out a once-unthinkable transformation of the nation’s sprawling bureaucracy.
10:01
10:02⇢The Vanishing Ledger of Shadows
⌨The American media is currently fixated on the fallout from the Justice Department's release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Mainstream and progressive outlets focus on the 'grave violation' of privacy and the suspicious disappearance of files featuring Donald Trump (The Daily Beast, NBC News, AP News, The Atlantic, ABC News, Common Dreams). Simultaneously, editors are highlighting an expansion of presidential power and administrative upheaval (NYTimes, Washington Post, Vox).
10:12
A massive power outage Saturday darkened 130,000 homes and businesses in San Francisco, according to the city’s main utility firm, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). Self-driving cars stalled in streets and blocked access points across the city as just part of the stoppage.
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The United States has intercepted another vessel off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Sunday, the second such operation this weekend. The move comes days after President Donald Trump announced a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
[Full Story]
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10:18
New York Post
A former employee of late sex predator Jeffrey Epstein alerted the FBI about his fascination with “child pornography” in the mid-1990s and that he threatened to “burn her house down,” but her warning fell on deaf ears, shocking new documents…
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10:18
The Washington Post
10:18
10:35
Todd Blanche said some images from the newly released files would go back up after the Justice Department determines if they require redactions.
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LATEST UPDATES: Widespread S.F. Outage, R.I.P. Penny, Brown Shooting Suspect Update, MORE...
10:44
10:53
The United States has intercepted another vessel off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Sunday, the second such operation this weekend. The move comes days after President Donald Trump announced a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
[Full Story]
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11:01
Don’t buy into the doomerism about music. From Sam Fender and billy woods to Stereolab and Lambrini Girls, artists are using their music to capture the anger and unrest of our era.
11:01
11:10
Who bought Scott Bessent’s soybean farm? Records obtained by USA TODAY show details of the transactions.
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11:22
Trump and the Supreme Court are trying to bring back the Antebellum Constitution.
11:22
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11:43
The Washington Post
11:43
11:51
British Columbia’s housing crisis is severe, but its root causes are familiar: exclusionary zoning, under-building, and chronic neglect of nonmarket housing. Economist Alex Hemingway’s proposals show how governments could reverse course, in BC and elsewhere.
11:51
12:09
New York Post
A former employee of late sex predator Jeffrey Epstein alerted the FBI about his fascination with “child pornography” in the mid-1990s and that he threatened to “burn her house down,” but her warning fell on deaf ears, shocking new documents…
12:09
12:09
12:17
12:17
12:23
Associated Press
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is defending the Justice Department’s decision to release just a fraction of the Jeffrey Epstein files by the congressionally mandated deadline.
12:23
12:34
12:34
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard refuted a report claiming that U.S. intelligence reports are finding that Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to capture all of Ukraine and parts of Eastern Europe formerly under Soviet control.
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12:40
12:42⇢The Disappearing Pixels of Little St. James
⌨The American media remains locked in a confrontation over the Department of Justice's handling of Jeffrey Epstein’s files, with progressive and mainstream outlets scrutinizing the removal of Trump-related images while the administration defends the redactions as standard procedure (AP News, NBC News, The Daily Beast, ABC News, Common Dreams). Simultaneously, editorial attention has shifted toward the administration's maritime blockade and the seizure of a third oil tanker off Venezuela (Newsmax, CNN, ABC News, Washington Times).
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Trump and the Supreme Court are trying to bring back the Antebellum Constitution.
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12:56
In Canada, physician-assisted suicide is available even to people who aren’t suffering from terminal illnesses. In the context of austerity, this often means people are offered death rather than the material support that could alleviate their suffering.
12:56
12:57
Rebecca Onion
12:57
12:57
The Washington Post
Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna said they are drafting an “inherent contempt” measure that would fine Attorney General Pam Bondi until she complies.
12:57
12:58
The state had secured grants to protect communities from flooding before the administration attempted to cancel roughly $182 million in FEMA funds.
12:58
13:06
The U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday was pursuing another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea as the Trump administration appeared to be intensifying its targeting of such vessels connected to Venezuelan government.
[Full Story]
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Publishing giant HarperCollins has unveiled the official cover for “Code Red: The Left, the Right, China, and the Race to Control AI,” a forthcoming book on AI politics that #1 New York Times bestselling author Peter Schweizer hails as “urgent, elegant, and one of the most important books in years.”
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13:15
More than a dozen Epstein files vanished from the DOJ database on Dec. 20, raising further questions over the handling of the Epstein file release.
13:15
13:23
Trump allies thrived in Washington, Democrats found new voices, and Elon Musk’s political gamble turned into a costly backlash.
13:23
13:25
Without a fix from Congress, costs for many people who buy health care on the Affordable Care Act marketplace have gone up. Here's what's to know about cheaper choices — and pitfalls to be aware of.
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An official said the vessel is part of an "illegal sanctions evasion" and is "flying a false flag."
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13:56
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The Daily Beast
Scott Bessent is making cash too conservative, officials warn.
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14:03
DAMAGE CONTROL ON PARTIAL EPSTEIN FILES DROP
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14:03
The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing a third oil tanker in international waters on Sunday as the Trump administration continues to enforce its blockade of all Venezuelan oil tankers under sanctions, according to reports from several outlets.
14:03
14:03
The Washington Post
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14:12
14:14⇢The Caribbean Blockade Tightens
⌨The American media focuses on the Trump administration's maritime escalation, with reports of the Coast Guard pursuing a third oil tanker off Venezuela to enforce sanctions (NYTimes, Newsmax, NBC News, OANN, Common Dreams). Simultaneously, editors are polarized over the Department of Justice's handling of Epstein files, specifically regarding the disappearance of Trump-related records and potential inherent contempt charges against the Attorney General (HuffPost, Washington Examiner, USA Today).
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15:02
15:10
More than a dozen Epstein files vanished from the DOJ database on Dec. 20, raising further questions over the handling of the Epstein file release.
15:10
15:17
15:17
15:20
New York Post
Blanche, President Trump’s former defense attorney, said that the Justice Department is making redactions to protect victims’ identities and to comply with court orders.
15:20
15:29
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly set to pitch President Donald Trump on renewed plans to strike Iran, citing concerns over the country’s efforts to rebuild and expand its ballistic missile program, which was damaged during the Twelve-Day War earlier this year, according to an NBC News report.
15:29
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15:46
The Epoch Times
The Kremlin said on Dec. 21 that changes Europe and Ukraine made to the U.S. proposals were not improving the prospect of peace.
15:46
15:46
Experts caution those using these services to be careful, as you may not always get what you want from biological relatives.
15:46
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16:02
16:02
16:03
New York Post
One imagine, displayed on a wall, shows a naked infant in a bath.
16:03
16:16
Known for targeting celebrities like Ms. Rachel, the pro-Israel blacklist also goes after private individuals who post in solidarity with Palestine.
16:16
16:16
The New York Times
U.S. forces had boarded a different tanker on Saturday. The actions signaled an escalation of President Trump’s pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro.
16:16
17:09
Rap megastar Nicki Minaj praised President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Sunday. “This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and they make me proud of them,” she said, adding that Trump and Vance make her “feel proud to be American.”
17:09
17:17
The Atlantic
The president’s appetite for plastering his name on every available surface appears insatiable.
17:17
17:17
17:18⇢Steel Nets Tighten in Caribbean Waters
⌨The American media is divided by the administration's maritime and judicial maneuvers. Outlets focus on the U.S. Coast Guard's active pursuit of a third sanctioned oil tanker near Venezuela, signaling an escalation of the blockade (NYTimes, ABC News, CNN, Newsmax, NBC News). Simultaneously, the Justice Department faces intense scrutiny over redacted Epstein files, with new stomach-turning photos surfacing as officials defend the removal of Trump-related records (NY Post, MSNBC, AP News, Washington Examiner).
17:22
An official said the vessel is part of an "illegal sanctions evasion" and is "flying a false flag."
17:22
17:39
17:39
One America News
Vice President JD Vance closed out Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 on Sunday, declining to join calls to condemn or cancel movement leaders following a clash between conservative commentators Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson on Friday.
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17:50
‘It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order,’ a U.S. official said.
17:50
17:50
An American man fell in love with a woman from Lithuania. ICE detained her. The couple thought she'd be deported right away. They were wrong.
17:50
18:02
18:06
The Daily Beast
A video of the president exiting the plane has drawn attention online for his peculiar hand movements and slow descent down the stairs.
18:06
18:06
The Washington Post
18:06
18:37
In Kashmir, Dec. 21 is said to mark the start of the 40 harshest days of winter. A woolen robe called a pheran is key to keeping warm — and a reminder of how to face and overcome hardships.
18:37
18:46
19:10
19:17
The Daily Beast
The show announced a programming change just before its Sunday night timeslot.
19:17
19:17
One America News
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul criticized President Donald Trump’s military actions and increased hostility to Venezuela, labeling the seizure of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers as “a provocation and a prelude to war.”
19:17
19:29
The New York Times
U.S. forces had boarded a different tanker on Saturday. The actions signaled an escalation of President Trump’s pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro.
19:29
19:34
19:34
The New York Times
After the U.S. tried to intercept it, the vessel began sending distress signals as it headed northeast from the Caribbean into the Atlantic.
19:34
20:03
Maury Povich and Connie Chung have been married for more than 40 years. Here's their secret to marital success.
20:03
20:14
The Justice Department is defending its initial release of documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying lawyers are still going through them to ensure victims are protected.
20:14
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20:21
New York Post
Nick was accused of murdering his famous parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, after their bodies were found on Dec. 14.
20:21
20:23
New York Post
Nick was accused of murdering his famous parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, after their bodies were found on Dec. 14.
20:23
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20:47
The Washington Post
20:47
20:49⇢Steel Shadows Off Venezuela
⌨The U.S. media is increasingly focused on the maritime blockade near Venezuela, with reports of the Coast Guard actively pursuing a third oil tanker in international waters (NYTimes, NBC News, The Epoch Times, CNN, Newsmax, ABC News). Concurrently, editorial attention shifts toward domestic political maneuvers, specifically potential contempt charges against the Attorney General regarding redacted Epstein files and rising 2028 ambitions at conservative forums (NPR, AP News, Washington Times, Daily Caller).
20:55
Israel is warning President Donald Trump that Iran is rebuilding its nuclear weapons program, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., echoed it Sunday. "We obliterated their nuclear facilities, but we did not obliterate their desire to have a bomb," Graham said.
[Full Story]
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22:00
White House border czar Tom Homan said the number of arrests will increase sharply as ICE expands detention capacity with the new funding.
22:00
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22:41
The New York Times
Sharyn Alfonsi, a “60 Minutes” correspondent, criticized the network’s decision to remove her reporting from Sunday’s edition of the show.
22:41
22:48
The New York Times
Vice President Vance’s plea for a big-tent coalition at a conservative gathering belied the cracks in his party over antisemitism, racism and conspiracy theories.
22:48
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22:56
The Daily Beast
New reports claim the story was “spiked” as a political decision.
22:56
22:56
An Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps missile exercise could be cover for a surprise attack on Israel, IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned the Trump administration over the weekend.
[Full Story]
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The remarks came after Sen. Tim Kaine said that Congress has other mechanisms to force the release of additional Epstein files.
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23:13
The Washington Post
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23:29
23:29
“The broadcast lineup for tonight’s edition of 60 Minutes has been updated. Our report ‘Inside CECOT’ will air in a future broadcast,” the network said.
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The FBI got a complaint in 1996 that Jeffrey Epstein had nude photos of young girls, a document shows. The woman who made it feels redeemed.
23:30
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23:37
New York Post
“The broadcast lineup for tonight’s edition of 60 Minutes has been updated. Our report ‘Inside CECOT’ will air in a future broadcast,” the network said.
23:37
23:37
The Washington Post
China’s Ministry of State Security intelligence service disclosed in October that the U.S. National Security Agency has been engaged in a three-year cyber campaign to break into the official National Time Service Center.
23:37
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23:45
The Washington Post
Vice President J.D. Vance did not explicitly declare his intentions to run for president in 2028 at Turning Point Action’s AmericaFest on Sunday, but he offered plenty of hints that he wants to continue the movement President Trump started.
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