The Trump administration has turned its focus to a years-long fraud scandal in Minnesota, expanding the federal government’s presence in the state, as 2025 draws to a close.
Several agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, Small Business Administration, Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department, have taken action since a viral video about a day care center in Minnesota made headlines over the weekend. This has prompted criticism from state leaders.
“This is Trump’s long game,” Gov. Tim Walz (D) wrote Tuesday in a post on social platform X. “We’ve spent years cracking down on fraudsters. It’s a serious issue — but this has been his plan all along.”
The Trump administration has also upped the ante in Venezuela after a recent CIA drone strike left the door open for additional action in the region.
Meanwhile, a whirlwind year in Washington officially comes to an end Wednesday. Here are some important ballot measures to watch as well as the new laws going into effect and key primaries to keep an eye on in 2026.
President Trump on Wednesday will attend a New Year’s Eve party at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. The House and Senate are out of session.
Here’s what you need to know as 2025 wraps.
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