News On Tap For Thursday, December 18, 2025

President Scrooge & His MAGA Stooges

Today’s “News On Tap” is almost overflowing, as though Trump were terrified of the ghost of Epstein coming to see him tomorrow. We’ve got news updated on Trump’s Scrooge-like unhinged screed last night, & his failing economy. We’ve also got updates on Republican’s failures on health care - and who they did have time to attack. Plus, news updates on the ghosts of Trump’s past crimes - like Jack Smith & Ghislane Maxwell - his currently failing government, and a terrifying look at what could be the future. Plus, we’ve got updates on Donalds many wars, and the impending Epstein files. And we’ve got John Fugelsang joining us at the bar one more time in 2025. Read up and get informed!

First Round - Old Man Screams Pointlessly

• Trump Screams At Americans To Like Him In Bizarre Rapid-Speed 20 Minute White House Speech

• In Screaming Speech, Trump Claims Credit For Basic Housing Allowance (BHA) That Congress Already Approved This Summer

• Daniel Dale’s Fact Check Of Trump’s Insane Prime Time Address

• Trump Spills Real Reason For Manic Address When Cameras Stop: Susie Wiles Made Him Do It

• Colby Hall: Trump’s Bizarre Prime-Time Speech Was An Argument With Observable Reality

Second Round - The Affordability Crisis Is Real

Trumponomics Is Failing

• New CPI Report Shows November Consumer Prices Continued To Rise 2.7% Despite Trump Claims They Are ‘Rapidly’ Falling

• New Quinnipiac Poll Shows Voters Are Unhappy With Trump On Major Issues, Say The Struggling Economy Is His Fault Not Biden’s

Republican Health Care Failures

• House Republican Majority Rams Through Last Minute “Health Care Bill” - That Does Not Include ACA Subsidy Extension

• House Republicans Advance Sweeping Anti-Trans Health Care Bills Ahead Of Holiday Break - But Leave Without Tackling ACA Subsidies

• Republican-Controlled Congress Leaves Work Undone Again, Heads Home Leaving Health Care Mess For January

Third Round - Trump's Three Ghosts Arrive

Ghosts Of Trump’s Past Crimes

• Jack Smith Tells Congress He Can Prove Trump Engaged In A ‘Criminal Scheme’ To Overturn 2020 Election

• Fani Willis Backs Up Jack Smith’s Comments, Gives Full-Throated Defense Of 2020 Election Subversion Case

• Newly Obtained Recording Proves Trump Pressed Georgia Speaker To Overturn State’s Election Vote In 2020

• Epstein’s Criminal Partner Ghislaine Maxwell Asks Court To Set Aside Her Conviction

Ghosts Of Trump’s Presently Failing Govt.

• **Breaking News ** Trump’s Handpicked Board Votes To Rename Washington Performing Arts Center The Trump-Kennedy Center

• Trump Judges On DC Appeals Court Continue Allowing National Guard To Remain In D.C., For Now

• Nebraska Plans To Be The First State To Implement Trump & Republicans’ New Medicaid Work Requirements

• Coast Guard Reverses Its Reversal, Downgrading Swastikas And Nooses As ‘Potentially Divisive’ From ‘Hate Speech’

• Fighting Back: Democratic Senators Stop Coast Guard Admiral’s Promotion Over Downgrade Of Swastika & Noose Policy

Ghosts Of A Terrifying Near Future

• CDC Officials Urge Immediate Mass Flu Vaccination In U.S. After Record Number Of Child Deaths Last Year

• Measles Outbreaks Won’t End In 2025 As Cases Mount In Utah, Arizona, And South Carolina

• Whooping Cough Cases Soar As Vaccine Rates Drop Among Kids, Due To Parents Not Vaccinating Their Kids

• Republican Sen. John Kennedy Grills Trump Judicial Nominee On Statement That Marriage Is Not Intended For Disabled People

Fourth Round - Trump's Many Wars

Donny Wants A New War

• Venezuelan Navy Now Escorting Vessels To Protect From Trump’s Threats [Gift Link]

• Military Commanders Tell Congressmembers Second Strike Video Can Be Released, Contradicting Hegseth Claim

• Senate Passes Defense Bill That Defies Trump And Forces Sharing Of Boat Strike Videos

Immigration Wars

• Trump Administration Aims To Strip More Foreign-Born Americans Of Citizenship [Gift Link]

• Chris Geidner: 100 Days Of Kavanaugh Stops And The Justices Who Silently Allowed Them — And A Bill To Change That

War In The Courts

• Federal Judge Rules Trump Admin. Broke Spending Deal Agreement To Halt Mass Layoffs

• Judge Lifts Trump Admin. Rules Limiting Lawmaker Visits To ICE Jails

Fifth Round - More News To Drink About

The Epstein Files Are Coming

• Deadline Nears For Release Of Epstein Files – What We Know So Far

• New NYTimes Investigation Released: How Epstein And Trump Bonded Over The Pursuit Of Women [Gift Link]

Foreign Affairs

• Trump Admin. And Russian Officials To Meet In Miami This Weekend Over Ukraine Peace Proposal

• Putin Vows To Conquer ‘Historic Lands’ In Ukraine, Calls European Leaders ‘Piglets’ For Backing Kyiv

Sixth Round - Entertainment News

• MS NOW To Air Primetime Special With Michelle Obama Tonight

• ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest’ Adding Live Central Time Countdown In Chicago For The First Time Ever

• The Oscars Set New Contract To Start In 2029, Moving To YouTube From ABC Where They’ve Been Since 1976

• Chicago Bears Consider Move To Northwest Indiana With Effort To Secure Public Funding For Stadium In Illinois Stalled

Tonight’s Bar Regular:

John Fugelsang, our friend, comedian, broadcaster, podcaster, Host of “Tell Me Everything with John Fugelsang” weeknights on Sirius XM and author of the bestselling book “Separation of Church and Hate” is back tonight for one more time in 2025. We’ll talk about Donald’s insane speech last night, the failure of Republicans on health care & the economy, some of the topics John’s written about recently on his Substack, and we’ll pull a few more rounds from the News On Tap. Plus we’ll talk about our hopes for the year ahead. Join us!

---

Join us today, on any of our radio affiliates, or subscribe and listen ad-free anytime!

• Detour Talk Radio - Tri-Cities Area Of Tennessee

• Georgia Now Radio - Atlanta

• WCPT AM 820 – Chicago

• AM 950 - Minneapolis/St. Paul

• Progressive Voices Radio - Worldwide, Via Tune In