12. December 2025 – Short News

Pentagon: Shooting at demonstrators? “It depends!”!“

In a hearing, a senator asked whether a president can order the military to shoot at demonstrators. The Pentagon lawyer’s answer was: “It depends on the circumstances.” The sentence created a moment of silence. It shows how much the foundations of democratic self-understanding have begun to wobble. The administration is searching for legal openings for military domestic deployments. The opposition sees it as a warning signal. The sentence will remain because it shows how close the country stands to a line that should never be crossed.

Tariff policy as price hammer – dolls are supposed to get more expensive

Question: “Does it make a good impression when a billionaire president tells parents to just buy two or three dolls?” – Leavitt: “They know he is a billionaire … he understands the economy.” Billionaire empathy, apparently. (How many times did the man run his companies into bankruptcy? – editorial remark)

Trump defends his tariffs and suggests parents should simply buy fewer dolls or pencils. His spokeswoman corrects it: yes, things might cost “one or two dollars more,” but they are American. The sentence reveals how far economic reality and political rhetoric have drifted apart. Economists have been warning for months about a wave of price increases that is now becoming visible in everyday life. The administration is trying to portray rising prices as a patriotic duty. For many families, it is simply another warning sign of an economic policy that is more slogan than strategy.

Trump pardons Tina Peters – and nothing changes, she remains in custody

Donald Trump has symbolically pardoned Tina Peters, yet she remains in prison. Her conviction for data theft in Colorado is a matter of state jurisdiction, which Trump cannot touch. A federal judge denied her release despite massive political staging from Washington. The administration is now trying to move Peters to a federal prison without any recognizable legal basis. Trump celebrates himself online, while facts and jurisdictions stand against him. The case shows how far political myths have drifted from reality – and how stable courts remain when Trump applies the most pressure.

Merz, Starmer, Macron – and a Trump who refuses to show up

Karoline Leavitt on President Trump’s frustration with the Russia-Ukraine war. IT IS TIME FOR IT TO END! – “He is SICK of meetings for the sake of meetings. He does NOT want any more TALK … He wants ACTION! He wants the war to END!” (Everyone knows why – editorial remark)

Europe is pushing for a meeting in Paris, but Trump is holding back. He wants to come only when “real opportunities” exist, while the White House complains about the allegedly slow progress of the talks. Kyiv continues to refuse any surrender of land in Donbas, including areas where Russia never gained a foothold. Selenskyj is trying to secure his own position without completely alienating Washington. Europe stands more united than ever to prevent an outcome that would undermine its security. And a president in Washington appears increasingly irritated by a reality that refuses to bend to his tempo. Zelenskyy meets with a coalition of more than 30 states while Washington pushes for quick concessions. Europe warns against a peace that only invites future attacks. Kyiv wants an agreement but not at the price of its own territory. Trump appears increasingly frustrated because reality does not follow his choreography. Europe is closing ranks to give Kyiv support while Russia shows no movement at all. The talks are becoming a milestone for who ultimately sets the course for Ukraine – Kyiv or Washington.

Trump speaks openly about his frustration and declares he is “sick of meetings.” While Europe relies on diplomacy, the White House demands quick signatures instead of slow rapprochement. Zelenskyy attempts to balance Trump’s pressure without destroying his own position. Moscow shows no movement, which makes the entire construct even more fragile. Public impatience from Washington becomes a political weapon. At the same time, the impression grows that Trump is losing patience with a war he does not even superficially understand. A world dependent on painstaking security is confronted with a president who pushes for speed as if it were a campaign event.

Indiana stops Trump’s districts – a rare revolt

In Republican-dominated Indiana, the Senate has rejected Trump’s plan for new electoral districts despite direct threats from the White House. The new districts would have carved up Indianapolis and taken two seats from Democrats. Even conservative senators openly spoke of “outside pressure.” The defeat hits a president who usually immediately punishes internal party criticism. Indiana shows that even loyal allies draw lines when power games become too obvious. The evening marks a rare moment of Republican self-assertion – and an unmistakable no to a president who treats political maps like chess pieces.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia is released – a moment of justice

A federal court has ordered the immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. For the second time, he had been unlawfully detained after previously being mistakenly deported to El Salvador. The judge made clear that the authorities had no legal basis whatsoever for his renewed detention. Abrego Garcia now returns to his family in Maryland, yet we expect new attempts to deport him. The case is a symbol of a system that is increasingly arbitrary under political pressure. And of the importance of independent courts when the administration crosses boundaries. See also our article: “Kilmar is free – A state loses control – and two families pay the price: The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and the renewed arrest of Melissa Tran” – at the link: https://kaizen-blog.org/en/kilmar-ist-frei-ein-staat-verliert-die-kontrolle-und-zwei-familien-zahlen-den-preis-der-fall-kilmar-abrego-garcia-und-die-erneute-festnahme-von-melissa-tran/

FEMA must repay billions – a judicial thunderclap

Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have successfully forced Trump in court to release frozen FEMA funds. The BRIC program had been defamed as a supposed “Green New Deal” project and shut down. The court has now made clear that budgets cannot be deleted by a push of a button from the White House. The decision hits Kristi Noem, who had already been sharply criticized in committee. While she speaks of alleged efficiency, the facts tell a different story. The states will now receive billions they had long budgeted for climate protection and resilience.

National Guard deployment: military leaders begin to falter

In the Senate, generals had to explain what authority National Guard troops actually have in US cities. They may not carry out arrests, but they may “hold people for safety” – an interpretation that leaves dangerously wide room. Duckworth warned of militarizing civil conflicts and of lacking training in handling mental health crises. The Pentagon lawyer dodged the question of whether a president may order shooting at demonstrators. His answer, “it depends on the circumstances,” left the room frozen. The hearing shows how much the line between law and power has begun to slide.

Letitia James – second grand jury rejects Trump’s request

For the second time, a grand jury has rejected a renewed indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump’s attempt to criminally pursue political opponents collapses once again. The Comey indictment had previously imploded as well. These developments show that even massive political pressure does not break the independence of the judiciary. For the administration, it is an embarrassing series of legal defeats. For those who resist political prosecution, it is a rare sign that the system still functions where it matters.

Family separations version 2.0 – the silent tearing apart

While border numbers decline, new families are being torn apart inside the country. People with visas, parents of US children, veterans – anyone caught in the mass operation disappears into detention for weeks. More than 66,000 people were detained in November, the highest number since records began. The administration speaks of order, yet the system looks like a dragnet without distinction. The old image of children at the border has disappeared, but the new reality is no less brutal. It simply takes place inside, far away from cameras.

TIME names the architects of artificial intelligence

The architects of artificial intelligence are Time’s Person of the Year 2025. The magazine sees a turning point this year in which machines reshape thinking and work. The award does not go to a company but to the people driving this development. Trump was also on the list, yet the year belongs to a technology that is transforming debates, markets, and politics. Enthusiasm and fear lie close together. The only certainty is this: the future has begun, and it cannot be pulled back.