Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) has emerged as a leading candidate for former President Donald J. Trump‘s vice-presidential pick following a poll of attendees at Turning Point Action’s People’s Convention held this weekend. The poll, which surveyed 1,986 attendees in Detroit, found that 43 percent preferred Vance over his competitors.
The three-day event, organized by Turning Point Action, saw Governor Doug Burgum (R-ND), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) also in contention. However, Scott was a distant second with 15.4 percent, followed by Rubio at 7.7 percent and Burgum at 7 percent. The poll was conducted by Big Data Poll on behalf of Turning Point Action, a grassroots movement founded by Charlie Kirk.
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Despite Vance‘s lead in the poll, insiders suggest Trump has yet to make a final decision and could still consider Scott, Rubio, or Burgum. Trump, who spent Saturday in Michigan addressing attendees, is known for keeping his options open and often surprises with his choices.
Attendees at the convention also expressed strong opinions regarding House and Senate Republican leaders, as well as U.S. foreign policy. A significant portion disapproved of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)’s performance as leader of the House of Representatives—with over 50 percent saying they disapproved of his leadership. Meanwhile, a stunning 80 percent of respondents said they disapproved of Sen. Mitch McConnell‘s tenure as Minority Leader in the U.S. Senate. Additionally, there was overwhelming opposition—93.7 percent—against sending further aid to Ukraine.
The National Pulse polled its readers in May regarding their preference for Trump‘s vice-presidential pick. That poll found a plurality of support for Sen. Vance, with 32 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ben Carson came second, tied at 14 percent.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow would expand its territorial gains in Ukraine if peace talks fail to progress.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, U.S. officials, and NATO allies.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements were made during Putin’s annual meeting with military officials and amid peace talks in Berlin, Germany.
💬KEY QUOTE: “If the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means.” – Vladimir Putin
🎯IMPACT: Territorial control and Ukrainian NATO membership remain key points of contention in the peace talks.
IN FULL
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia will seek to expand its territorial gains in Ukraine if Kiev and its Western allies reject what Moscow sees as reasonable terms in peace negotiations, signaling that the Kremlin remains prepared to pursue its objectives through military force.
Speaking at an annual meeting with senior military officials, Putin said Russia favors diplomacy but will not hesitate to continue the war if talks fail. “If the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means,” he said. Putin also claimed that Russian forces currently hold the strategic initiative along the front line and boasted about ongoing military modernization, including the deployment of the new nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile.
The remarks come amid continued fighting nearly four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties, widespread destruction, and deepened tensions between Russia and NATO countries, which have provided Ukraine with extensive military and financial support.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been working closely with U.S. and European officials on a potential peace framework. He described the current draft proposal as “not perfect” but “very workable,” while acknowledging that territorial control remains the most difficult unresolved issue. Zelensky has rejected Russia’s demands that Ukrainian forces withdraw from areas not currently occupied by Moscow and continues to push for strong, binding security guarantees from the West for Ukraine.
The Kremlin has insisted that any peace deal must include Ukraine abandoning its NATO membership ambitions and formally recognizing all territories seized by Russia, including Crimea, as Russian. Moscow has also warned that any NATO troops deployed to Ukraine would be treated as a “legitimate target.”
Recent diplomatic discussions have raised the possibility that Ukraine’s future integration could focus more on European Union (EU) membership rather than NATO, a shift some analysts see as a potential compromise aimed at reducing Russian opposition while still anchoring Ukraine in Western institutions.
Meanwhile, the United States continues to play a central role in supporting Kiev. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a majordefense bill that includes roughly $800 million in additional assistance for Ukraine, despite growing domestic debate over the wisdom of American involvement in the war.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A coalition of Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that the federal government unlawfully halted funding for electric vehicle charging infrastructure authorized by Congress.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The plaintiffs include attorneys general from 16 states and the District of Columbia, along with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D), California Governor Gavin Newsom (D), and other state agencies. The defendants include the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and senior officials from the Trump administration.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
🎯IMPACT: The case could shape how future administrations handle federally funded programs and determine whether the executive branch can withhold congressionally mandated funds.
IN FULL
The Trump White House is facing a new lawsuit brought by 16 Democrat attorneys general and the District of Columbia seeking to prevent the slashing of federal funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and other infrastructure. In the lawsuit filed on Tuesday with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the plaintiffs—joined by Governors Josh Shapiro (D-PA) and Gavin Newsom (D-CA)—contend that the funding halt is unlawful, as the federal money was already appropriated by Congress.
According to the Democrat state officials, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) indefinitely suspended funding approvals for new obligations under two EV charging programs authorized through former President Joe Biden‘s 2021 “stimulus” bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The specific programs halted by the DOT are the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program and the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator Program, which have provided billions of dollars in federal funding to expand and maintain a nationwide EV charging network.
The plaintiffs, including attorneys general from California, Colorado, Washington, Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, as well as the District of Columbia, contend that the DOT has “categorically and indefinitely” suspended funding approvals since the spring of 2025, violating the separation of powers outlined in the U.S. Constitution.
In March of 2024, it was revealed that the EV infrastructure program had become a wasteful boondoggle. Despite the $7.5 billion investment authorized by Congress, only seven electric vehicle stations were built in the two years following the authorization.
The lawsuit follows a similar legal challenge over the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, in which a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in June, ruling that the administration’s suspension of funding was likely unlawful. The current case seeks to permanently block the administration from withholding EV charger funding and to require the DOT to resume approvals.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Jewish bakery in Sydney, Australia, announced its closure following a mass shooting targeting Jews at Bondi Beach, citing concerns for the safety of its staff and customers.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Avner’s Bakery, owned by celebrity chef Ed Halmagyi, and the Jewish community in Sydney. The attack was allegedly carried out by Indian immigrant Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Sunday. Avner’s Bakery announced its closure on Wednesday.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We have made the only decision available, one that truly breaks our hearts. Avner’s is closed.” – Avner’s Bakery statement.
🎯IMPACT: The attack has prompted members of Sydney’s Jewish community to consider leaving Australia.
IN FULL
Avner’s, a Jewish bakery in Sydney, Australia, owned by celebrity chef Ed Halmagyi, has closed its doors following a mass shooting targeting Jews at Bondi Beach. The bakery cited its inability to ensure the safety of its staff and customers as the reason for the closure.
The attack, which took place during a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, left at least 15 people dead and dozens injured. Indian immigrant Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, were identified as the alleged attackers. Sajid Akram was shot dead by police, while his son was critically injured and is currently in hospital under guard.
In a statement, Avner’s Bakery said it had endured “almost ceaseless antisemitic harassment, vandalism and intimidation” over the last two years. “We have made the only decision available, one that truly breaks our hearts. Avner’s is closed,” the statement read. The bakery had initially closed earlier in the week to process the events at Bondi Beach.
The attack has left Sydney’s Jewish community shaken, with some members now considering emigrating to Israel. Chavi, a 27-year-old mother who was at the event with her baby, described using her body as a shield to protect her child during the attack. “I love Australia, I was born here, and I know [Israel] is in the Middle East… but we were just sitting ducks here,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued demand letters to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D), and the Somali-linked nonprofit Feeding Our Future as part of an investigation into potential misuse of federal funds to support illegal migration.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Tim Walz, Jacob Frey, Feeding Our Future, and HHS Assistant Secretary Alex Adams.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The letters, covering fiscal years 2019 to 2025, demand a response by December 26, 2025, in Minnesota.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We’re trying to get data from them that will help give us confidence that there’s not fraud.” – Alex Adams
🎯IMPACT: The investigation raises serious questions about oversight and potential fraud in Minnesota’s use of federal funds for social services programs.
IN FULL
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey (D), and the Somali-linked nonprofit Feeding Our Future have received demand letters from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a federal investigation into whether taxpayer funds were improperly used to support illegal immigration. HHS Assistant Secretary Alex Adams confirmed the inquiry, saying the agency is seeking detailed information about how federal money was spent.
The letters request records related to approximately $8.6 billion distributed through more than 1,000 federal grants covering fiscal years 2019, when Walz became Governor, through 2025. State and local entities have been ordered to respond by December 26, 2025.
Programs under scrutiny include Parents in Community Action, the Community Services Block Grant, the Social Services Block Grant, Title IV-E Foster Care, Refugee Cash Assistance, Refugee Medical Assistance, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and the Child Care and Development Fund. The letters seek extensive personal data, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and state identification numbers, to allow federal officials to check for irregularities. Adams said, “We’re trying to get data from them that will help give us confidence that there’s not fraud.”
The correspondence also references allegations from Minnesota Department of Human Services employees who allege that repeated warnings about fraud were ignored, whistleblowers faced retaliation, and misuse of federal funds continued under current leadership. The U.S. Treasury Department and the Republican-led House Oversight Committee are also conducting separate investigations.
The HHS probe comes amid heightened scrutiny of Minnesota following a series of high-profile fraud cases, including the Feeding Our Future scandal, in which federal prosecutors allege more than $250 million in child nutrition funds were stolen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Court filings show that many defendants in that case were connected to nonprofits serving Minnesota’s Somali community, with prosecutors alleging funds were diverted to shell companies, luxury purchases, and overseas accounts, potentially including al-Qaeda franchise al-Shabaab.
Additional whistleblower accounts have alleged that state officials were alerted as early as 2019 to potential fraud tied to Somali-run organizations but failed to intervene. Federal authorities have since charged dozens of suspects in multiple cases involving welfare, Medicaid, and pandemic-era aid programs, with total losses exceeding $1 billion. The investigations have intensified political pressure on Walz’s administration as federal agencies continue reviewing Minnesota’s handling of social services funds.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Dan Bongino will step down from his position early next year, President Donald J. Trump confirmed.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Dan Bongino, FBI Director Kash Patel, and President Trump
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Bongino is expected to announce his departure as early as Friday, with his official exit slated for early 2026.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.” – President Trump
🎯IMPACT: Bongino’s exit marks the first significant departure by a Trump administration official, though staff turnover after the first year in government is not unusual.
IN FULL
President Donald J. Trump confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Dan Bongino, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Deputy Director, will be stepping down from the position early next year. Bongino, a former police officer and Secret Service agent, has reportedly informed people close to him of his decision, but has not yet made a formal public announcement—though it is believed that could come as soon as Friday.
“Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show,” Trump said. Bongino was recently credited by colleagues with the FBI finally bringing in a suspect in the January 6 pipe bomb case, following a thorough reexamination of evidence that had been neglected under the former Biden regime.
When asked by MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) about the reports of his resignation prior to Trump’s statement, Bongino declined to confirm or deny them, stating, “Print whatever you’d like. No one believes you anyway. Thanks.”
Before being appointed by President Trump as Deputy Director of the Bureau, Bongino was prominent in conservative media circles and hosted a popular political commentary show, The Dan Bongino Show.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Venezuelan Navy has begun escorting oil tankers following U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s blockade order on Tuesday.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, President Trump, and Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA)—a state-owned oil and natural gas company.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, from Venezuela’s east coast.
💬KEY QUOTE: According to PDVSA, vessels carrying its petroleum byproducts are departing Venezuela “with full security, technical support and operational guarantees in legitimate exercise of their right to free navigation.”
🎯IMPACT: The move by the Maduro regime marks a significant escalation in the simmering conflict between Venezuela and the United States, with the risk of armed confrontation between the naval forces rising significantly.
IN FULL
Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has ordered his regime’s small navy to begin escorting vessels carrying oil and petroleum byproducts as they depart the country’s ports. The escorts began late Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday morning, coming in response to U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s December 16, 2025 announcement of a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers attempting to either enter or depart Venezuelan waters.
According to ship-tracking data, the vessels were transporting urea, petroleum coke, and other oil-based products from the Port of José, destined for Asian markets. It is believed the ships are operating on behalf of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA)—a state-owned oil and gas company. In a statement, PDVSA said its vessels continue to depart Venezuela “with full security, technical support and operational guarantees in legitimate exercise of their right to free navigation.”
The presence of Venezuelan Navy vessels alongside oil tankers significantly raises the risk of a direct conflict with the U.S. Navy forces operating throughout the Caribbean. Notably, Venezuela possesses only a small number of combat-capable ships, including just one submarine, one frigate, over two dozen patrol boats, and several landing craft and auxiliary vessels. Many of the ships are several decades old, and international sanctions on the Maduro regime have prevented the import of equipment and parts necessary for regular maintenance.
U.S. officials have indicated that the Trump administration is currently considering potential responses to Maduro’s actions. Whether the PDVSA vessels or other escorted ships are subject to U.S. sanctions remains unclear.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte has credited alliance members pledging to spend five percent of their GDP on defense as a majorforeign policy success for U.S. President Donald J. Trump.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Mark Rutte, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The NATO summit in The Hague in June and ongoing discussions into 2023.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Thanks to Donald Trump, NATO is stronger than it ever was.” – Mark Rutte
🎯IMPACT: NATO’s increased defense spending aims to counter long-term threats such as Russia and terrorism.
IN FULL
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte has described NATO member states’ commitment to increase defense spending to five percent of GDP by 2035 as President Donald J. Trump’s “biggest foreign policy success.” During a BBC interview, Rutte attributed the alliance being “stronger than it ever was” to the America First leader.
The spending commitments build on longstanding pressure from Trump, who had repeatedly faulted European partners for not meeting prior spending targets and suggested reducing U.S. commitments. The pledge emerges against a backdrop of escalating strains with Russia, although Russian President Vladimir Putin has brushed off warnings about a wider war in Europe as “hysteria.”
Although Putin has expressed openness to negotiations in the ongoing war in Ukraine, he has cautioned that Russia is prepared to pursue its objectives militarily if it does not receive the concessions it feels entitled to. Under Trump’s leadership, U.S. officials have put forward a settlement framework that includes de facto concessions of land in eastern Ukraine to secure a compromise peace.
European partners are considering the establishment of a “multinational force” aimed at supporting the reconstruction of Ukraine’s armed forces and protecting its frontiers after a peace settlement. Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, argues that “Russia will see that, with the security guarantees in place, [Putin] should never ever try again to attack Ukraine because our reaction will be devastating.”
However, Western Europe’s arms manufacturing trails Russia’s significantly, despite its larger population and combined economy.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: New DNA evidence reveals that the “Beachy Head Woman,” previously pushed by academics and media as the “first Black Briton,” was likely a local white woman from Eastbourne.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Researchers at the Natural History Museum in London, England, conducted the genetic study.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The skeleton was found in Eastbourne Town Hall in 2012; the study was completed recently.
💬KEY QUOTE: “By using state-of-the-art DNA techniques we were able to resolve the origins of this individual.” – Dr. William Marsh
🎯IMPACT: The findings challenge previous, politically driven narratives about “diversity” in ancient Britain.
IN FULL
New DNA analysis has revealed that the “Beachy Head Woman,” previously presented as the earliest known black Briton, was actually a white woman local to the Eastbourne area. Her skeleton, found in 2012 at Eastbourne Town Hall, had initially been linked to sub-Saharan Africa due to her cranial features, with academia and the media rushing to push this as evidence that Britain has always been ethnically diverse.
Advances in DNA technology have now enabled scientists at London’s Natural History Museum to perform a comprehensive genetic examination. The results indicate that her ancestry actually matches that of people living in Roman-era Britain far more closely than anyone from Africa.
“By using state-of-the-art DNA techniques we were able to resolve the origins of this individual,” said Dr. William Marsh, who co-led the museum’s genetic study.
The earlier assumption of African heritage had inspired facial reconstructions and stories about her life that are now under review. A plaque installed in 2016 asserting her African roots has been taken down in light of the updated evidence.
Previously, academics and media members attempted to push a narrative that the prehistoric Cheddar Man was black-skinned, only for researchers to quietly admit that testing could not prove his skin color, partly because the DNA had degraded over 10,000 years in Cheddar Gorge. Nevertheless, Cheddar Man was featured as a “black Briton” by the BBC in children’s programming intended to prove ethnic minorities have “been [in Britain]” from the start, alongside other historical figures such as Roman Emperor Septimus Severus—who was also not black, and not even from Britain.
Image via Face Lab at Liverpool John Moores University.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Mexican fuel-theft cartel “Cartel de Santa Rosa de Lima” (CSRL), along with its imprisoned leader, Jose Antonio Yepez Ortiz.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The CSRL cartel, its leader Jose Antonio Yepez Ortiz (“El Marro”), and the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
📍WHEN & WHERE: Sanctions were announced on Tuesday, targeting operations in Mexico and the U.S., including regions near the U.S.-Mexico border.
🎯IMPACT: The sanctions freeze U.S.-based assets of CSRL and Yepez Ortiz, bar Americans from doing business with them, and aim to disrupt a black market worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
IN FULL
The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on the Mexican fuel-theft organization Cartel de Santa Rosa de Lima (CSRL) and its leader, Jose Antonio Yepez Ortiz, known as “El Marro,” as part of the Trump administration’s broader campaign to dismantle cartel operations and cut off their access to the U.S. financial system.
According to the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), CSRL has built a lucrative criminal enterprise by stealing fuel and crude oil from Mexico’s state-owned energy company, Pemex. The cartel allegedly bribes Pemex insiders, taps pipelines, hijacks tanker trucks, and intimidates employees to facilitate the theft. The stolen fuel and crude oil are then sold throughout Mexico, the United States, and Central America, with crude oil frequently smuggled into the U.S. while falsely labeled as “waste oil.” U.S. officials say the proceeds are funneled back to cartel networks, fueling corruption, violence, and organized crime.
Yepez Ortiz is currently serving a 60-year prison sentence in Mexico, but U.S. authorities allege he continues to direct CSRL’s operations from behind bars, communicating through lawyers and relatives. CSRL’s activities have been linked to escalating violence in Guanajuato, now considered one of Mexico’s deadliest states due to cartel infighting and criminal activity.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions reflect President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to “eliminate” cartels by severing their financial lifelines. Under the measures, any U.S.-based assets tied to CSRL or Yepez Ortiz are frozen, Americans are barred from conducting business with them, and violations can result in civil or criminal penalties.
The CSRL sanctions come amid a broader escalation in U.S. policy toward cartels. The Trump administration has designated certain major cartel organizations as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) and is targeting drug trafficking boats. Recent anti-cartel strikes and enforcement actions have reportedly disrupted trafficking routes and pressured criminal groups operating in Mexico and beyond, signaling a more aggressive approach to confronting what U.S. officials describe as “narco-terrorist” networks.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on hepatitis B vaccines, advising women who test negative for the virus to consult health care providers about vaccinating their newborns within 24 hours of birth.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The recommendation was accepted on Tuesday, following a vote earlier this month by the advisory committee, and applies nationwide.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We are restoring the balance of informed consent to parents whose newborns face little risk of contracting hepatitis B.” – Jim O’Neill
🎯IMPACT: The decision has sparked criticism from some lawmakers on Capitol Hill with deep ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
IN FULL
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revised its guidance on hepatitis B vaccinations for newborns. Women who test negative for the virus are now advised to consult with health care providers before deciding whether to administer the first dose of the vaccine to their babies within 24 hours of birth.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices proposed the change earlier this month, and Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill formally approved it on Tuesday. O’Neill explained the decision, stating, “We are restoring the balance of informed consent to parents whose newborns face little risk of contracting hepatitis B.”
Notably, the new guidance still maintains that infants born to mothers who test positive for hepatitis B or whose infection statuses are unknown should receive the vaccine within the first 24 hours of life. For other infants, the CDC now advises delaying the first dose until at least two months of age. Pediatricians are expected to continue recommending the vaccine for newborns, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has assured that insurance coverage for the shots will remain unchanged.
However, the change is drawing some pushback—especially from lawmakers with deep ties to the pharmaceutical industry. “Ending the recommendation for newborns makes it more likely the number of cases will begin to increase again,” Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) complained in a post on X (formerly Twitter) following the announcement of the updated guidance. “This makes America sicker,” he claimed.
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