Jesse Watters claimed that Brown University’s head of campus security was fired from a previous position for lacking the required credentials, and alleged that Brown’s president may have removed campus security cameras at the request of Palestinian activists. He also said that Providence’s City Council chief of staff was arrested while protesting at Trump Tower, and noted that the city’s police chief, who was born in Colombia, has a nephew who was involved in running one of the largest fentanyl trafficking rings on the East Coast.

The Trump administration has approved a $10 billion arms package for Taiwan that includes medium-range missiles, howitzers, and drones, according to the Associated Press.

Russia said it has put its first S-500 Prometey air defense unit on active duty, marking the operational debut of the next-generation system designed to counter high-altitude, hypersonic, and near-space threats, according to TASS.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that diversity is one of Australia’s greatest strengths, emphasizing that people who come to the country leave old divisions and hatreds behind. He added that migrants are expected to support a diverse society, noting that this diversity is a core strength and reflects what most Australians want to see.

KIMMEL: “Why didn’t the Biden administration release the Epstein files?” KAMALA: “We strongly and rightly believed there should be a complete separation between what we wanted as an administration and the actions of the Department of Justice.”

Speaking earlier to reporters at Joint Base Andrews about his post announcing a total blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, President Donald J. Trump said, “It’s just a blockade. We’re not going to let anybody through that shouldn’t be going through. You remember they took all of our energy rights. They took all of our oil not that long ago, and we want it back. But they took it. They illegally took it.”

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to attend the arrival and dignified transfer of three Americans—two Iowa National Guard soldiers and an interpreter—killed in Saturday’s ISIS-affiliated terrorist attack in central Syria.

Sec Scott Bessent: "A single $1,000 deposit into a Trump Account at birth will grow to over $600,000 by the age of retirement. Trump is putting the American Dream within reach of every citizen, no matter the circumstances of birth."

Lebanese media report that the Lebanese army has sent heavy engineering equipment to the village of Touline in southern Lebanon to excavate a site where Israel says a Hezbollah tunnel is operating.

Former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton said that Trump believes Vladimir Putin is his friend and assumes that a good personal relationship translates into good U.S.–Russia relations, calling that view a major oversimplification. Bolton argued that Putin does not see Trump as a friend at all, but rather as someone he can manipulate, drawing on his KGB training.

Amid the European Union’s plans to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, China said it continues to oppose sanctions that violate international law and lack approval from the UN Security Council. The statement was made by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gao Jiakun.

The Russian dictator once again delivered his usual “stand-up” routine about the goals of the so-called “special military operation,” openly stating that if Russia’s terms are not accepted—terms that amount to Ukraine’s capitulation—Russian forces will simply continue the war. How many more of these speeches does Putin need to give, and how many more Ukrainian civilians must die, before the U.S. administration accepts that Russia has no interest in ending this war?

Speaking in Qatar, Tucker Carlson questioned why the United States prioritizes Israel over Gulf states such as Qatar, arguing that the strategic value of the relationship with Israel is largely one-sided. He described Israel as “a completely insignificant country” with “no resources” and a population of about 9 million, claiming that its significance comes solely from the U.S. security guarantee. Carlson asked whether the United States is obligated to defend Israel and argued that there is “no overriding strategic interest” for Washington, saying the relationship brings “nothing” but costs. In contrast, he said the Gulf states—particularly the six GCC countries—offer clear and tangible benefits to the United States, calling those relationships far more important than ties with Israel. He concluded that Qatar’s relationship with the U.S. is “infinitely more important” than America’s relationship with Israel.

Overnight, drones struck Russia’s Slavyansk-on-Kuban, with reports indicating that an oil refinery was targeted. In 2025, the facility processed around 5.2 million tons of crude oil and condensate annually and was involved in supplying Russian occupying forces.

An oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov region was also attacked overnight. The facility had been targeted before on December 13. Local residents said they heard at least 10 strong explosions in Saratov as well as in the nearby city of Engels.

Mark Levin: Six years ago I was up here, and I said "this is our first Jewish President." Trump: It's true.

Trump said that Miriam Adelson contributed $250 million to his campaign, both directly and indirectly, making her the largest donor. He added that when someone gives that much, they deserve the opportunity to be acknowledged and welcomed.

Trump said that a decade or so ago the most influential lobby in Washington was the pro-Israel, Jewish lobby, but claimed that this is no longer the case. He warned that Congress, in his view, is becoming increasingly antisemitic, pointing specifically to AOC and three other lawmakers.

President Trump said that many countries—not just Israel—are prepared to move in and eliminate Hezbollah if it comes to that and if the decision is made to do so.

European Commission President von der Leyen: "We Europeans must defend ourselves and be self-reliant. We cannot afford to let the worldview of others define us. Europe must take responsibility for its own security; this is no longer an option but a necessity."