December 11, 2025 - Short News

Trump's "Gold Card" - Citizenship at the price of one million!!

Donald Trump is opening a new chapter in migration policy that reads like something dreamed up in a corporate boardroom: a "Gold Card" that is supposed to give foreign professionals a path to citizenship - as long as enough money flows. One million dollars for individuals, two million for companies that want to "keep" their preferred candidate. The president claims that CEOs like Apple boss Tim Cook told him it was too risky to hire international graduates without a guarantee they could stay. Now, he says, the solution has arrived: simply buy. At the same time, the administration is forcing universities to reduce their foreign student numbers, and new applications have already dropped sharply since the immigration apparatus began scrutinizing every detail of a person’s origin with suspicion. The program looks like a deal for the wealthy that pretends to protect skilled workers while shutting many others out. America is becoming an auction house where visas are traded like financial products.

278 million for drilling rights - Trump's fossil fueled vision of the future

In the Gulf of Mexico, the Interior Department has completed the first offshore lease auction since 2023, with bids totaling 278 million dollars. It is only the first of thirty planned sales, part of the Republican project to massively expand fossil fuel production. Even Republican lawmakers from Florida and California are warning about the consequences for tourism and coastal ecosystems, but the administration is pushing for maximum extraction. The auction was baked into the gigantic budget and tax package passed over the summer. Chevron, Shell, and BP are among the companies securing new drilling rights; the signal to the industry is clear: the fossil path is being locked in politically. While other sectors modernize, the administration is investing in an energy era that is already crumbling globally. The future is supposed to be pumped out of the depths of the Gulf - whatever the cost.

Trump pressures Zelensky to "reality" - and casually questions democracy

Donald Trump is once again putting pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, declaring that he must "be realistic" about the war against Russia. After talks with the leaders of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, Trump claims that Europe wants a meeting this weekend at which Washington and Kyiv must "make a decision." For days, the president has been pushing Zelensky to accept his controversial peace plan, which in practice follows Russian demands. While he talks about territorial concessions, Trump publicly asks when Ukraine is finally going to hold elections again - a jab that is wildly out of place in the middle of an existential defensive war. The war began in 2022 with the Russian invasion; since then, Ukraine has organized its political life under martial law. Trump’s tone makes clear that he is less interested in Ukraine’s situation than in his own agenda. For Zelensky, every one of these sentences means additional pressure at a moment when his country is fighting for its survival militarily and politically.

Federal judge off the rails - Emil Bove and a political misstep

Judge Emil Bove is at the center of an ethics complaint after attending a Trump speech in Pennsylvania. Fix the Court accuses him of violating the Code of Judicial Conduct, which demands strict political neutrality. The event was a campaign rally full of sharp attacks on political opponents, and Bove could hardly have overlooked how charged it was. The episode is particularly explosive because Trump himself appointed him to a lifetime seat on the Third Circuit, and the visit now looks like a gesture of loyalty. The complaint is before the circuit's judicial council, which must decide how far the boundaries of judicial independence reach. At a time when trust in institutions is eroding, this incident feels like another crack in the facade. A judge who shows up where a president is working the crowd is gambling with his own credibility.

Brooklyn on the move - Brad Lander challenges the party establishment

Brad Lander, outgoing comptroller of New York City and a close ally of incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani, is challenging Democratic Representative Dan Goldman. In a video, he promises "courageous leadership," especially at a time when Trump is putting New Yorkers under pressure. The city’s progressive wing sees a chance to expand its influence after Mamdani won the party’s mayoral primary in the summer. Lander and Mamdani backed each other at the time, a strategic alliance under the city’s ranked choice election system. Now Lander is taking on an incumbent with money, name recognition, and a secure place in the national party machinery. But the political climate is shifting, and Brooklyn has never been a place that shied away from confrontation. Lander is betting that the grassroots have had enough of cautious positioning and internal deals and would rather see a real fight.

Oil tanker seized, jets, drone war - Trump's risky Venezuela show is increasingly becoming a case for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

The video of the oil tanker seizure has been released. It is striking that the first post did not come from Pete Hegseth’s Department of Defense but from Pam Bondi’s office

Donald Trump has an oil tanker seized off the Venezuelan coast and sells the operation as a show of strength. Officially, anonymous administration officials describe it as a U.S. Coast Guard action supported by the Navy. At the same time, U.S. Navy F/A-18 jets are circling over the Gulf of Venezuela, closer to Venezuelan airspace than they have been in a long time. In Washington this is called "pressure on Nicolás Maduro," in Caracas it looks like the preparation for something bigger. Trump had already announced "upcoming ground attacks" without saying where exactly. In parallel, a months long series of deadly strikes has been hitting boats labeled "suspected drug boats." Each one of these blows pushes the line between law enforcement, covert operations, and open war a bit further. Congress is seeing only fragments of the picture and is already arguing over potential war crimes. For people in the region, the new course means that any movement at sea can turn into a deadly encounter with the U.S. military. Trump is also using the escalation domestically, as proof that he is being "tough" wherever diplomacy would be uncomfortable. Venezuela is becoming a playing field for a campaign narrative whose costs are paid by others. See also our article "Oil tanker seized, jets, drone war - Trump's actions are increasingly becoming a case for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights" at the link: https://kaizen-blog.org/en/oeltanker-gekapert-jets-drohnenkrieg-trumps-handlungen-werden-mehr-und-mehr-zum-fall-fuer-den-interamerikanischen-gerichtshof-fuer-menschenrechte/

Epstein Files: Judge brings the 2019 indictment into the light

In New York, Judge Richard Berman is reversing his earlier position and allowing the release of parts of the sealed grand jury transcripts from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case. He cites the new Epstein Files Transparency Act, which forces the government to open its files. At the same time, two other rulings are forcing the justice system to release material from Maxwell’s 2021 trial and from an old, aborted Epstein investigation in the 2000s. Berman warns that the roughly 70 pages will "not change everything," but the breach is political. The Trump administration is staging the law as a big step toward transparency while continuing to stonewall in other areas. For victims and their lawyers, the issue is something else entirely: making visible a mosaic of coverups that stretches over decades. Every released footnote can show who was protected while girls were being abused. Ghislaine Maxwell is also being pushed further into the glare of public attention. The real question remains which names and networks will continue to hide behind legal formulas. The state is not opening its archives voluntarily - it is being forced to.

Boat strike in the Caribbean war: Hegseth stalls on the video

In a strike on a suspected drug boat, two survivors were killed as they clung to the wreckage. Legal experts are now openly saying that this second hit may have crossed the boundaries of the laws of war. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are demanding access to the full mission video to examine the exact sequence of events. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tells party leaders in a classified briefing that the department still has to "study" the release. In the meantime, suspicion is growing that the Caribbean campaign is much more than classic drug enforcement. Boats ripped apart from the air, intelligence that is barely verifiable, and a public that only ever sees snippets. The Republican majority in Congress has suddenly discovered its oversight role after months of silence. For the families of the dead, the argument over "release or not" looks like a cynical farce. They have no lobby, only questions: Who was on board, who fired, who is taking responsibility. A war that hides behind "drug war" vocabulary needs transparency - or it remains an experiment with human lives.

Judge stops Trump's National Guard deployment in California

In Los Angeles, a federal judge has drawn a clear line for the administration. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer is ordering Trump to return control of the California National Guard to the state. The administration had deployed thousands of soldiers in the summer without the governor’s consent, officially because of protests and "domestic unrest." California argued that the president was abusing the troops as a personal security force, contrary to the separation between military and police. Breyer essentially adopts this view but puts his order on hold until Monday so that appeals can be considered. In the meantime, National Guard units are still patrolling in Washington, Memphis, and around New Orleans. What were once temporary emergency measures are quietly becoming the new normal. Legally, the question is whether a president can permanently invoke the language of insurrection to deploy soldiers inside the country. Politically, the issue is a model of power in which governors become extras. California has decided not to accept that and is now forcing Trump’s team onto the defensive. See also our article "The broken city: Los Angeles in June 2025 - A journalistic reconstruction after weeks of research" at the link: https://kaizen-blog.org/en/die-zerbrochene-stadt-los-angeles-im-juni-2025-eine-journalistische-aufarbeitung-nach-wochenlangen-recherchen/

Miami turns away: Eileen Higgins and the end of the politics of fear

For the first time in almost 30 years, Miami has elected a Democratic mayor again. Eileen Higgins defeats the Trump-backed candidate by almost 19 percentage points. In a city with a Hispanic majority, the campaign was a referendum on dehumanization and deportation rhetoric. Higgins speaks of "deeply hurtful language" directed at immigrants and announces that she will review the agreement between the city police and federal immigration authorities. Her victory comes in the run-up to the 2026 midterms and sends a clear signal to Tallahassee and Washington. Democrats see Miami as proof that even in Florida, patience with Trump’s line is wearing thin. Republicans, meanwhile, see how fragile their supposed bonus with voters whose roots lie in Cuba, Venezuela, or Nicaragua has become. The idea that "Hispanics automatically belong to Trump" is turning out to be wishful thinking. Miami shows that people who fled authoritarian regimes do not have to accept a copy of one in their own city hall. This election could be the starting point for politically remapping Florida.

Fed cuts rates - and Trump's pressure on the central bank grows

The Federal Reserve is cutting its key interest rate to around 3.6 percent, the lowest level in nearly three years. At the same time, it is signaling that there will probably be only one more cut next year. For mortgages, car loans, and business loans, the easing could eventually be felt, but there are no guarantees. Trump, on the other hand, is loudly demanding drastic rate cuts and accuses the Fed of "slowing" the economy. In the background, everyone knows this: Jerome Powell’s term ends in May, and the president is already searching for a new chair. The financial markets are therefore focused not only on the numbers but also on the person. A Fed chief who follows Trump’s line could turn the central bank into a political extension of the White House. The current decision looks like a balancing act: sending signals against inflation without choking off growth. But the real storm may only arrive once Powell clears his desk. That is when it will be decided whether the Fed can survive as an independent institution or becomes the next stage for a power struggle.

Mike Johnson dodges - and still ends up defending Trump's bad behavior

Asked whether he finds Trump’s renewed use of the term "shithole countries" acceptable, Speaker Mike Johnson ties himself into a now familiar knot. He says he is "baited every day" to comment on statements by the president and insists that this is not how he himself speaks. But instead of drawing a clear line, he offers the saving sentence: Trump was simply "expressing his frustration." It is the typical combination of apparent moral reserve and political loyalty that defines Johnson’s time in office. The insult of entire countries is reframed as an emotional outburst that deserves understanding. Johnson signals loyalty to his base without openly joining in and at the same time gives the impression of moderation. In the end, what remains is the image of a political leader who does not dare state the obvious: that a president who demeans people and nations is damaging the dignity of his office himself.

New York Times vs. Trump: The health fight escalates

The New York Times is making it clear that it will not be intimidated by Trump’s threats when it comes to reporting on the president’s health. The trigger was a series of articles and a column comparing Trump to Joe Biden and asking whether his public appearances mirror those of his predecessor. Trump rages on Truth Social and fantasizes that it might be "treasonous" to publish "FAKE" reports about his condition. He writes that "something should be done about it," words that sound like an invitation to clamp down on critical media. The Times speaks of "false and inflammatory language" and makes clear that it will not back down. This is no longer just about lab results or doctor’s notes, but about whether the media are allowed to discuss the health of a 79-year-old president. In Biden’s case, that was standard for years; in Trump’s case, it is suddenly supposed to be taboo. The conflict is a test of how much truth a personalized style of politics can tolerate. And it shows how quickly the accusation of "treason" becomes a weapon against uncomfortable reporting.

Human rights group FairSquare files complaint against FIFA boss

Gianni Infantino is back in the spotlight - and once again it is not about football. The FIFA president has publicly praised Donald Trump and handed him a "peace prize" while the latter is ordering boat strikes in the Caribbean. Human rights organization FairSquare has now filed formal complaints with the world governing body’s ethics mechanisms. Their core accusation: Infantino is breaking the duty of political neutrality enshrined in FIFA’s statutes. In the worst case, he could face a ban of up to two years from football activities. Whether the current FIFA ethics system will really go that far is an open question - it seems too dependent on the top leadership. Former president Sepp Blatter was once pushed out by a more independent judiciary. Today the distance between watchdogs and power no longer seems so large. Infantino is gambling with the image of world football when he flatters a president who is simultaneously responsible for deportation machinery and boat attacks. It is a symbol of an era in which sports officials believe they can engage in politics without accepting responsibility.

Impeachment against RFK Jr.: The rebellion from Michigan

In the House of Representatives, a Democrat from Michigan is pulling the emergency brake on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Haley Stevens is introducing articles of impeachment and calls him "the biggest, self-created threat to our health and safety." She points to exploding health care costs and massive cuts to research and public health programs. Kennedy, once romanticized as a "provocative dissenter," now stands as a cabinet member for policies that undermine prevention and science. Stevens is herself running for her state’s open Senate seat and is taking a full risk. Her message: anyone who wrecks the health sector has no business in the cabinet. The impeachment effort has little chance in a Republican dominated Congress - but enormous symbolic weight. It forces every representative to take a position: do you stand by a minister who is slashing vaccination programs and research, or do you admit that this appointment was a mistake. In the fight over RFK Jr., the question is crystalizing of how much anti science a democracy can endure before people start paying with their lives.

Elon Musk and DOGE: The failed campaign against the "fat state"

Elon Musk is looking back on his Washington interlude and sounds unusually sober. On a podcast he explains that he would not take over the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, again. He calls the experiment "only somewhat successful," even though his people allegedly identified billions in "zombie payments." What never happened was the promised radical dismantling of government structures. Instead, tech visions collided with statutes, unions, and bureaucratic reality. Musk admits that Tesla and other companies faced boycotts as long as he was wielding Trump’s budget axe. Only after his departure did the mood on the markets improve, and shareholders approved a package that could make him the world’s first trillionaire. What remains are cut programs, unsettled employees, and a president who used DOGE as a fig leaf for "cutting the state." The richest man in the world tested out Washington and then went back to his own empire. Others are stuck with the consequences - in forms, waiting lines, and vanished services.

Rubio’s war on fonts: Times New Roman against "woke" Calibri

Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio is turning typefaces into a front line in the culture war. In a cable to all embassies he orders that diplomatic correspondence must once again be written in Times New Roman. The sans serif Calibri font introduced under Biden is branded as the product of misguided diversity policies. His predecessor’s reference to accessibility is brushed aside, even though many people with visual impairments benefit from clear screen fonts. Rubio claims the switch cost 145,000 dollars but offers no evidence. It is a small but telling move: symbolic politics instead of substantive modernization of diplomacy. While AUKUS, Ukraine, and the Middle East dominate the agenda, the State Department is busy with font samples. The message to his own base is: we are reversing every "woke" decision, no matter how small. To the outside world, it looks like a superpower apparatus wasting energy on line spacing. The real question of what American foreign policy should stand for in the 21st century remains unanswered.

Kamala Harris looks ahead again - and toward 2028

Kamala Harris is relaunching her 2026 tour. The former vice president wants to spend less time talking about her defeat to Trump and her book "107 Days." Instead, her team says she will focus more on the state of the country and possible solutions. The new route will take her through 15 cities starting January 13, from New Orleans to her hometown of Oakland. It was there in 2019 that she launched her first presidential campaign, which later failed. The fact that she is returning there now while setting new themes across the country is fueling speculation. Many in the party see the tour as a test run for 2028. Harris is collecting impressions, contacts, and images that go far beyond a simple book promotion. She is positioning herself as someone who does not just criticize Trump in retrospect but wants to offer an alternative. Whether the base will trust her a second time is an open question - but she has begun to make sure that others do not answer it for her.