President Donald Trump signs an executive order in Washington on Dec. 15, 2025. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Dec. 18, authorizing $901 billion in military and national security programs for Fiscal Year 2026. The $901 billion topline authorization comes as a compromise between the House, which
The U.S. Capitol Christmas tree after the lighting ceremony on the West Front Lawn of Congress on Dec. 2, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday closing the federal government on Dec. 24 and 26. All federal departments and agencies will be closed the day before and after
Washington — TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. operations to a consortium of American investors, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to CBS News. Axios was first to report the deal. Under a law passed last year, TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, must either sever ties with the social media platform’s
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington on Dec. 18, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times The Republican-led House passed a permit reform bill designed to trim environmental reviews and judicial timelines for the development of federal public lands in a 221–196 vote on Dec. 18. The Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, co-filed in
NEW YORK—Former aide to New York governors Linda Sun has been on a month-long trial over allegations that she acted as a Chinese agent while employed by the state. The prosecution presented evidence suggesting Sun’s connections with Chinese authorities, including text messages, transaction records, and photos involving both Sun and Chinese officials and agents. We
President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the Diplomatic Room of the White House on Dec. 17, 2025. Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images President Donald Trump’s Dec. 17 primetime speech touting his economic record landed with an added tailwind after fresh inflation data on Dec. 18 showed a sharp slowdown. Affordability has been top of mind for
Washington — House Democrats called on GOP leaders to hold a last-minute vote on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits on Thursday as lawmakers are poised to head home for the holidays without addressing the expiring subsidies. “We’re demanding a vote today on extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits today — not tomorrow, not