1A The News Roundup For December 19, 2025
Dec 19, 2025
Megan Scully, Congress editor at Bloomberg News, teams up with HuffPost's Arthur Delaney and U.S. News & World Report’s Olivier Knox to dissect the week’s major political events. They delve into Trump's economic messaging and the implications of his controversial drug pricing claims. Gun violence in the U.S. and a deadly shooting in Australia raise urgent concerns. They also explore the ongoing tensions with Venezuela and Ukraine, alongside the shifting landscape of global security and legislative dynamics.
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Affordability Unites Voter Frustration
- Americans across parties are unified by anxiety over affordability and rising costs.
- Polling shows President Trump's economic approval is weakening as voters feel prices pinch their daily lives.
Health Subsidy Cliff Creates Immediate Risk
- Enhanced ACA subsidies that help millions are expiring and lawmakers failed to lock in relief before recess.
- That uncertainty risks millions facing much higher premiums or forgoing coverage, per the CBO estimate.
CPI Drop Comes With Important Caveats
- The delayed November CPI report showed inflation at a four-year low but with big caveats due to missing data.
- Economists warn the report has 'holes' and should be treated cautiously when judging the trend.