For Trump, ‘a War Every Day,’ Waged Increasingly Alone  —  At the midpoint of his term, the president has grown more sure of his own judgment and more isolated from anyone else's than at any point since he took office.  —  WASHINGTON — When President Trump grows frustrated with advisers during meetings …

Departing Mattis said to cancel Israel trip, as Israel feels ‘betrayed’ on Syria  —  TV report says US defense secretary was set to hold talks with in Israel next week on Iran and Syria; senior Israeli officials said to harshly criticize Syria pullout decision

GOP discord on wall prolongs shutdown fight  —  The government shutdown fight is increasingly shaping up as a battle among Republicans for the president's ear.  —  President Trump summoned a group of Republicans to lunch at the White House Saturday afternoon as negotiators struggled to reach an agreement to reopen the government.

Mystery Filing Appears to Ask High Court to Act in Mueller Probe  — Grand jury dispute has been long been shrouded in mystery  — Special counsel is investigating Russian election meddling  —  A new legal filing appears to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene …

‘A rogue presidency’: The era of containing Trump is over  —  For two years, they tried to tutor and confine him.  They taught him history, explained nuances and gamed out reverberations.  They urged careful deliberation, counseled restraint and prepared talking points to try …

Trump's relationship with Whitaker imperils the rule of law  —  Josh Campbell is a CNN analyst covering national security issues.  He previously served as a supervisory special agent with the FBI, special assistant to the bureau's director, and is currently writing a book on recent attempts …

Simcha Rotem, last surviving fighter in Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, dies at 94  —  Rotem fought Nazis in city streets, later helped rebels flee through sewers; Netanyahu says, ‘His story will forever be with our people’  —  Simcha Rotem, last surviving fighter in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 …

Closed until further notice  —  The government of the greatest country the world has ever known, the wealthiest, most powerful nation on the planet: closed until further notice.  —  This shutdown - hundreds of thousands of our fellow Americans working without pay during the holidays …

Laura Ingraham taunted David Hogg over college rejections.  He just said he got into Harvard.  —  In mid-December, Harvard's early-entry candidates began logging on to the application status portal to learn whether they'd been accepted to one of the world's most prestigious universities.

Here's Everything That's Wrong With The Vanity Fair Hit Job On Brett Kavanaugh's Alma Mater  —  Months after Judge Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court, Vanity Fair decided to run yet another hit piece on him by going after his alma mater, Georgetown Prep.

Christmas Is the Loneliest Time for Qanon Fans  —  The Daily Beast spoke to four Q believers who claim to have been isolated from loved ones, as well as a former Q believer who thinks the isolation helps reinforce QAnon support.  —  Kimberly's boyfriend was tired of hearing the QAnon videos she watched around their small apartment.