Barr doesn't accept key inspector general finding about FBI's Russia investigation  —  Attorney General William P. Barr has told associates he disagrees with the Justice Department's inspector general on one of the key findings in an upcoming report — that the FBI had enough information …

Trump calls French president's criticism of NATO ‘nasty’ and ‘disrespectful’  —  LONDON — President Trump on Tuesday slammed as “very, very nasty” and “very disrespectful” recent comments by his French counterpart about the diminished state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance.

Buttigieg blows up his strategy to win black voters  —  ALLENDALE, S.C. — When Pete Buttigieg goes to Iowa or New Hampshire, he's a Democratic presidential frontrunner who packs campaign venues.  But when Buttigieg goes to South Carolina, he's far from the top — and his campaign is shaking …

Laughable new GOP report: Yes, Trump did it.  But his motives were pure!  —  Boiled down to its essence, the Ukraine scandal is really a tale about a president who has subverted the interests of the nation to his own by putting our foreign policy at the disposal of his naked personal and political needs.

Trump Denies Knowing Prince Andrew, Despite Numerous Photos of Them Together  —  KISS OF DEATH  —  Donald Trump has denied knowing Prince Andrew, despite multiple photos of the two together, including several of them meeting in June this year.  The president, who is in the United Kingdom for a NATO summit …

Ukraine Knew of Aid Freeze in July, Says Ex-Top Official in Kyiv  —  Ukraine's government learned of the military aid freeze during the Trump administration's pressure campaign — and tried to keep that knowledge from going public, says an ex-deputy foreign minister.

Mueller Report Illustrated  —  A book and six-part digital series on the obstruction investigation  —  Written and designed by The Washington Post and illustrated by artist Jan Feindt, “The Mueller Report Illustrated: The Obstruction Investigation” brings to life the findings …

China Uses DNA to Map Faces, With Help From the West  —  Beijing's pursuit of control over a Muslim ethnic group pushes the rules of science and raises questions about consent.  —  TUMXUK, China — In a dusty city in the Xinjiang region on China's western frontier, the authorities are testing the rules of science.

North Dakota company that Trump touted gets $400 million border wall contract  —  A company that President Trump urged military officials to hire for border wall construction has been awarded a $400 million contract to build a span of new barrier across an Arizona wildlife refuge …

Trump loses appeal to block Deutsche Bank, Capital One from handing his financial records to Congress  — A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Deutsche Bank and Capital One can hand over years of President Donald Trump's financial records in compliance with House Democrats' subpoenas.

Trump Sees No Deadline for China Deal as Trade Risks Roar Back  — U.S. president signals no urgency for truce as Dec. 15 looms  — 'We'll see whether not the deal is going to be right,' he says  —  Terms of Trade is a daily newsletter that untangles a world embroiled in trade wars.

Melania Trump's Christmas decorations are lovely, but that coat looks ridiculous  —  First lady Melania Trump unveiled this year's White House Christmas decorations in a gauzy video in which she strolls through the public rooms marveling at their holiday luster.

Rudy Giuliani Isn't the Shadiest Lawyer in the Trump-Ukraine Scandal  —  Meet Joe diGenova and Victoria Toensing, tied to almost every foreigner in the impeachment saga, including an indicted oligarch  —  or the past few months, Rudy Giuliani has chewed up screen time and headlines at a rate he hasn't seen in nearly two decades.

James Madison explained, as a president ‘might lose his capacity after his appointment’ or ‘"might pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation or oppression’ or ‘betray his trust to foreign powers.’  —  Benjamin Franklin, the oldest delegate at the Philadelphia convention and perhaps …