WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
1. 🇺🇸 Trump administration bans five European censors. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that five European officials have been barred from entering the US for pressuring American tech companies to suppress speech. The ban includes former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and executives from the Global Disinformation Index and HateAid, all accused of colluding with US agencies under Biden.
2. 🇺🇦 Ukraine and US near peace deal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine and the US are finalizing a 20-point plan covering security and economic guarantees. Russia dismissed the framework as one-sided and rejected a Christmas ceasefire, signaling it will demand major revisions before any agreement.
3. 🇮🇱 Israel investing $108B in arms production. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a ten-year plan to build a self-sufficient weapons industry, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers after Western restrictions on arms sales. Netanyahu said Israel must become a “super-Sparta” to maintain regional air dominance.
4. 🇨🇳 China sanctions US defense firms over Taiwan. China slapped sanctions on 20 American defense companies and 10 executives after the US approved a record $11.1 billion weapons sale to Taiwan. Beijing warned Washington to stop arming the island, while the US said the sales are standard policy to help Taiwan defend itself.
INSIDER RADAR
Pope Leo XIV’s discussion with Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL)
Insiders behind the paywall: Pope Leo XIV, JB Pritzker, Giorgia Meloni, Venezuela’s foreign minister, Vladimir Putin, and Denmark’s top diplomat.
MEDIA BIAS SPOTTER
How left and right outlets frame the US banning European officials over censorship
Mentioned behind the paywall: The Guardian and NPR on the left, and The Daily Wire and New York Post on the right.
_THE DAILY DEBATE_
📊 Did the Trump administration go too far in banning European officials over censorship?
POLLS RESULTS FROM YESTERDAY
Do you approve of Trump's airstrikes on ISIS in Nigeria?
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ✅ Approve (1,516)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ ❌ Disapprove (41)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤔 Unsure (70)
✅ Approve: “The fact that Nigeria requested help in taking out terrorists is quite telling. It was long overdue.” — Philip
❌ Disapprove: ”I'm not convinced we should be spending resources on eliminating anti-Christians on another continent.” — Marc
🤔 Unsure: ”It worries me to go on the offensive and start a war that may be untenable.” — Kim
_WE WANT YOUR QUESTIONS_
Have a question you want somebody on the team to answer? Upgrade here to send it in, and it may be featured in the newsletter.
_POP QUIZ_
Why is Israel investing in domestic arms production?
Today’s newsletter was written by Brandon Goldman, Anthony Constantini, and Ariel David. We scoured 100s of sources to bring you stories and insights you won’t find in the mainstream media.
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