Top Stories • December 18, 2025

President Donald Trump delivered a prime-time address from the White House, defending his economic record as new data showed inflation cooling. Trump announced a $1,700 “warrior dividend” bonus for more than 1.4 million U.S. service members to be paid before Christmas and renewed attacks on Democrats over affordability and the cost of living. On Capitol Hill, millions of Americans face higher health-care costs after enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies failed to advance in the Senate and are set to expire December 31, with no further votes scheduled before the recess. In Brussels, European Union leaders are divided over a proposal to use more than €210 billion in frozen Russian central-bank assets to back a major loan for Ukraine’s economic and military needs in 2026 and 2027. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned the move could escalate the war, while Russia threatened further territorial seizures if the plan proceeds. Economically, new data show U.S. inflation slowed unexpectedly to 2.7 percent in November. Meanwhile, the Pentagon approved more than $11 billion in new arms sales to Taiwan, drawing strong objections from China.