Trump news at a glance: president ‘sick of meetings’ as Ukraine-Russia peace deal talks drag on | Trump administration
When it comes to Ukraine peace talks, Donald Trump is “fed up with meetings just for the sake of meetings,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday.
Leavitt added that the White House could send a representative to meet with European and Ukrainian officials this weekend if it believes a meeting is “worthy” of U.S. time, adding that Trump is “extremely frustrated with both sides of this war.”
“He wants this war to end, and the administration has spent over 30 hours [on] this over the last two weeks, in meetings with the Russians, the Ukrainians and the Europeans,” Leavitt said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been under immense pressure from Trump to adhere to the US peace plan. In recent days, Trump has attacked Zelensky, saying he “didn’t even read” the draft peace plan, suggesting it lacked legitimacy and that Ukraine should hold elections.
Zelensky said Ukraine’s negotiating team sent its revised plan to Washington on Wednesday and that issues over territory and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were two of the remaining sticking points.
Leavitt said Trump was “aware” of Ukraine’s updated peace proposal, but made no further comment.
Zelensky skeptical about the US plan for a “free economic zone” in the Donbass region
The United States wants Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the Donbass region, and Washington would then create a “free economic zone” in the parts currently controlled by kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Previously, the United States had suggested that kyiv should cede the parts of Donbas it still controlled to Russia, but Ukraine’s president said Thursday that Washington had now suggested a compromise version in which Ukrainian troops would withdraw, but Russian troops would not advance into the territory.
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US lawmakers condemn seizure of Venezuelan tanker
Senior Democratic lawmakers and at least one Republican have condemned the United States’ seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker off the country’s coast, with one saying Donald Trump is “sleepwalking us into a war with Venezuela.”
There is growing unease, at least somewhat bipartisan, in Washington over the administration’s growing military posture in the region. Trump has accused Venezuela of facilitating drug trafficking and has increased the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean to a level not seen in decades.
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Indiana Republicans blast Trump for rejecting redrawn election maps
Indiana Republicans have rejected an attempt to redraw the state’s congressional map, a resounding rebuke of Donald Trump and Republican efforts to reconfigure the state’s congressional districts to add two additional Republican-friendly seats.
The measure failed 19-31, with 21 Republicans joining all 10 Democrats in rejecting the new maps. Republicans currently hold seven of Indiana’s nine congressional districts. The new map would have favored Republicans in all nine districts.
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Senate rejects double health care bills as Obamacare tax credits near expiration
The U.S. Senate on Thursday rejected competing proposals to address the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act health insurance plan subsidies, significantly increasing the risks that health care costs will soon reach unaffordable levels for millions of Americans.
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Protesters interrupt Noem hearing with quote from The Exorcist
Protesters briefly interrupted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a hearing on Capitol Hill, bringing up a quote from the movie The Exorcist.
As Noem delivered her opening remarks to the House Committee on Homeland Security, two protesters disrupted the session, with one shouting, “Stop the ICE raids! The power of Christ compels you! Stop the deportations, the power of Christ compels you!”
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Grand jury again refuses to indict Trump critics
The department twice attempted to bring new charges against James after a judge threw out the indictment against her after determining the prosecutor in the case had not been properly appointed.
It’s an embarrassing blow for Trump’s Justice Department as the president seeks revenge against one of his political rivals.
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Free speech advocates accused Donald Trump of “destroying civil liberties” and “outright censorship” after the White House said it planned to require visa applicants from dozens of countries to provide social media, phone and email histories for verification before being allowed into the United States.
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What else happened today:
A catch-up? Here’s what happened December 10, 2025.
