LOADING ERROR LOADINGPresident Donald Trump sparked a wave of outrage on Wednesday with the unveiling of his latest addition to his so-called “Presidential Walk of Fame” at the White House. Other plaques appear to offer a Trump-centered view on American history ― and not necessarily a historically accurate one. “History will also judge him.”Win McNamee via Getty Images Many of the plaques appear to offer a Trump-centered view on American history. “And then Donald Trump gets his power from being the guy that is fighting these folks and having this powerful enemy he needs to go against. And the reason that Donald Trump doesn’t want to do that is because he doesn’t get any power from that.”Taken together, the plaques may say less about the presidents they target than about Trump himself and his fixation on legacy.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGWASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that could reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug and open new avenues for medical research, a major shift in federal drug policy that inches closer to what many states have done. The switch would move marijuana away from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. Similarly, the Justice Department under Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, proposed reclassifying marijuana to a Schedule III substance. More than 20 Republican senators, several of them staunch Trump allies, signed a letter this year urging the president to keep marijuana a Schedule I drug. As for decriminalizing marijuana, Trump has not previously committed to such a move, though he had considered reclassifying it for much of his second term.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGWASHINGTON — Senate Democrats don’t seem to have the appetite to force another painful and protracted government shutdown when they’ll have the chance at the end of January, with many arguing the party has already seized the upper hand on health care. “Our goal was to extend the premiums so people would keep their health care in 2026,” he said. “We lost that, but fought hard, and the only takeaway is that we’re for health care and they’re not, so on the messaging, it’s pretty clear who’s on who’s side.”AdvertisementMore progressive members, though, don’t want to give up the fight. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has been completely checked out of health care talks on Capitol Hill. AdvertisementStill, many GOP lawmakers and pundits have sounded the alarm about losing their congressional majorities next year due to concerns about affordability, including the cost of health care.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGWASHINGTON ― Democrats on the House Oversight Committee on Thursday released a new batch of photos from the thousands of documents obtained from the late sex predator Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. Other images appear to show Epstein socializing with the likes of Noam Chomsky, Sergey Brin, Bill Gates and David Brooks. Advertisement“Oversight Democrats will continue to release photographs and documents from the Epstein estate to provide transparency for the American people,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the committee, said in a press release. The estate handed over 95,000 images last week, including several that showed Trump and former President Bill Clinton. “The Democrats try to spoon-feed the media into thinking there’s something wrong with Trump or whatever.”The images from Epstein’s estate are separate from the files at the Justice Department.

Wrap Up The Year With PurposeThis newsroom tells stories that reflect real lives and real stakes. Your support ensures that work continues. Join as a member today and close the year by strengthening independent reporting for all. Already a member? Log in to hide these messages.

No Recess For UsCongress may be heading home for the holidays, but the work of holding them accountable does not stop. Support independent reporting that keeps watch when others clock out. Become a HuffPost member today. Already a member? Log in to hide these messages.

Keir Starmer and Donald Trump Loose Women/GettyKeir Starmer has just claimed he would “call out” someone for using Donald Trump’s “quiet, piggy” insult. The prime minister was on ITV’s Loose Women to promote the government’s new scheme to halve violence against women and girls by calling out misogyny when panellist Myleene Klass asked Starmer about the US president’s remarks. AdvertisementShe said: “You know someone very close, one of our closest allies shall we say, recently used the language – ‘quiet, quiet, piggy’. The prime minister replied: “No, I wouldn’t. The prime minister has also tried to call out misogyny repeatedly in recent weeks, saying his female cabinet colleagues such as chancellor Rachel Reeves had been victim to it.

No Recess For UsCongress may be heading home for the holidays, but the work of holding them accountable does not stop. Support independent reporting that keeps watch when others clock out. Become a HuffPost member today. Already a member? Log in to hide these messages.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGWASHINGTON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - White South Africans coming to the U.S. as refugees could get a biography of President Donald Trump for children as part of a welcome packet proposed last week by an administration official, emails reviewed by Reuters showed. Trump has praised Jackson, a fellow populist, although Jackson has faced historical criticism for owning slaves and driving Native Americans from their lands. “I imagine these books wouldn’t be an issue?” Cooper said in the email, linking to the Trump and Jackson biographies. President Donald Trump speaks at a Hanukkah reception on Dec. 16, 2025 at the White House in Washington, D.C. Peter W. Stevenson/The Washington Post via Getty ImagesThe planned welcome packet, if finalized, would support Trump’s effort to bring thousands of white South Africans to the U.S. as refugees. Cooper also proposed the welcome packet include “The 1776 Report,” published in January 2021 as Trump ended his first term in office.

However, I have to confess that when my doctor asks me something seemingly ‘random’ question, I do wonder why that would ever matter. When my doctor asks about my sexual activities and soon after asks if I’m married, my first instinct is to get defensive. However, one expert has explained why these questions occur and, well, I stand corrected. Why doctors ask ‘weird’ questionsWriting for The Conversation, Jill Inderstrodt, an Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management, Indiana University says: “For those of us who use demographic data collected during health care encounters to conduct research and design interventions, it does matter whether patients answer their doctor’s demographic questions. Research shows that race and racism can be major contributing factors to this disparity.”AdvertisementAs for why doctors ask if you’re married...

In his address, Trump said he inherited a “mess” from the previous Democratic administration, assuring viewers he was making progress “fixing” the country’s ills. Many Republican lawmakers have also urged the White House to focus on addressing affordability concerns. AdvertisementTrump’s Oval Office address on the economy comes as health insurance premiums are set to spike for millions of Americans next month. But Trump ignored the expiring Obamacare subsidies in his speech, insisting that Democrats are to blame for the coming premium hikes. He touted instead a website on an initiative lowering prescription drugs, which was originally passed by Democrats under President Joe Biden.

Sustain Our Essential ReportingThe end of the year brings noise. Your membership ensures our newsroom remains a clear, reliable source of facts for the whole community. Help us keep the signal strong for the year ahead. Already a member? Log in to hide these messages.

Sustain Our Essential ReportingThe end of the year brings noise. Your membership ensures our newsroom remains a clear, reliable source of facts for the whole community. Help us keep the signal strong for the year ahead. Already a member? Log in to hide these messages.

Photo by Vitali Adutskevich: https://www.pexels.com/photo/christmas-gifts-in-snow-on-mini-cooper-15900210/ Car in snow with Christmas presents on top. According to the road safety experts at RAC, 37.5 million of us will be driving to see friends and family this Christmas season. However, before you rush to get behind the wheel, one Car Care Expert, Katie Newman from Carfume has shared the five car checks every driver should be doing before setting off this festive season. AdvertisementWhat to check before driving on a long journeyCheck your tyre pressuresNewman urges: “Winter roads can be wet, icy and unpredictable. “Ensuring your tyres are properly inflated and have adequate tread is essential before setting off on any long journey this month.

All practicalities aside, isn’t the thought of waking up to snow on Christmas day just a bit magical? Especially if, like me, you enjoy a quite Christmas at home and don’t have to travel anywhere on the big day. However, according to the Met Office, some parts of the UK are more likely to see a snowy Christmas day this year. Unfortunately, it looks like most of us will not get to enjoy a snowy Christmas. Even if it’s not a white Christmas, a festive period with frost and less rain may be a welcome change for many.”Advertisement