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Politico first reported that the Trump administration has begun pulling back a significant number of U.S. ambassadors, a move that has prompted unease among some members of Congress and the labor union representing American diplomats.

The largest concentration of changes is in Africa, where ambassadors from 13 nations are being recalled: Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, and Uganda.

Asia follows, with six countries affected by ambassadorial turnover: Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Additional recalls span multiple regions. Four European countries—Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovakia—are included. Two countries each are affected in the Middle East (Algeria and Egypt), South and Central Asia (Nepal and Sri Lanka), and the Western Hemisphere (Guatemala and Suriname).

According to two State Department officials who requested anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters, chiefs of mission in at least 29 countries were notified last week that their assignments would conclude in January.

Those officials said all of the ambassadors in question began their overseas postings during the Biden administration. While they initially remained in place after President Donald Trump returned to office and an early round of removals focused largely on political appointees, that status changed this week. On Wednesday, they began receiving formal notifications from Washington that their tours were being cut short.

The administration has emphasized that the affected diplomats are not being dismissed from the Foreign Service. Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president and generally hold their posts for three to four years. Those being recalled may return to Washington and take on other roles if they choose, the officials said.

The State Department declined to provide precise figures or name the ambassadors involved, but defended the action as routine, describing it as “a standard process in any administration.” The department added that an ambassador is “a personal representative of the president and it is the president’s right to ensure that he has individuals in these countries who advance the America First agenda.”

The recalls come as the Trump administration continues reshaping U.S. diplomacy abroad, seeking to ensure that senior embassy leadership aligns fully with President Donald Trump’s America First priorities.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance told a packed audience at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Sunday that the most meaningful way to honor the late Charlie Kirk is to avoid the kind of exclusionary behavior Kirk himself rejected throughout his life.

Vance framed his remarks around the broad appeal of President Donald Trump’s political message, emphasizing that the slogan “Make America Great Again” is rooted in inclusion rather than gatekeeping. He said the strength of the movement lies in the idea that every American is welcome, regardless of background or circumstance.

VP VANCE: "President Trump did not build the greatest coalition in politics by running his supporters through endless, self-defeated purity tests… I didn't bring a list of conservatives to denounce or to de-platform… The best way to honor Charlie is that none of us here… pic.twitter.com/jyMQotlW1O

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 21, 2025

“President Trump did not build the greatest coalition in politics by running his supporters through endless, self-defeated purity tests,” Vance said. “He says ‘Make America Great Again’ because every American is invited. We don’t care if you’re white or black, rich or poor, young or old, rural or urban, controversial or a little bit boring, or somewhere in between. People of every faith come to our banner because they know that the America First movement will make their lives better and they also know that the Democrats don’t care about anything other than maybe transing their kids.”

According to Vance, that open-door approach is precisely why the America First coalition has grown into a political force. He argued that Americans who love their country and want it to be “richer, stronger, safer, and prouder” naturally belong within the movement.

Vance also addressed criticism he expects to receive, saying he deliberately avoided attacking or excluding fellow conservatives. He stressed that Kirk’s legacy was built on bringing people together, not pushing them out.

“I didn’t bring a list of conservatives to denounce or to deplatform, and I don’t really care if some people out there — I’m sure we’ll have the fake news media denounce me after this speech, but let me just say, “the best way to honor Charlie is that none of us here should be doing something after Charlie’s death that he himself refused to do in life,” Vance said. “He invited all of us here.”

He concluded by reiterating that the America First movement remains a home for anyone committed to the country’s strength and future, echoing what he described as the core principle Charlie Kirk championed from the beginning.

{Matzav.com}

Instacart said Monday that it’s ending a program where some customers saw different prices for the same product ordered at the same time from the same store when using the delivery company’s service. The program was meant to help grocers and other retailers learn more about what kinds of prices customers would pay for items, […]

WATCH:

A horrifying antisemitic attack took place in Limassol, Cyprus, on Sunday when a young Israeli man was brutally attacked by a group of youths who heard him speaking Hebrew on his phone at the entrance to his hotel, Israeli media outlets reported. The beating was so vicious that he lost consciousness and was later evacuated […]

A group of Jews who were on their way to the Neve Shalom shul in Istanbul on the last night of Chanukah came under attack by a pro-Palestinian mob. The mob yelled pro-Palestinian chants and shouts of “We don’t want Zionists in this country.” According to reports, the Jews on the way to the shul […]

A Russian general was killed Monday morning after an explosive device detonated underneath his car in Moscow, and investigators said Ukraine could be behind the attack, the third such killing of a senior military officer in a year. Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, […]

Israel warned the Trump administration over the weekend that a missile exercise currently being carried out by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile forces could be preparation for an attack against Israel, Axios reported. One Israeli source quoted in the report said that intelligence shows unusual force movements in Iran. Similar concerns were raised six […]

New details about the massacre at Bondi Beach in Sydney were revealed by Australian media networks based on police statements in documents released by a Sydney court following terrorist Naveed Akram’s video court appearance from a hospital. The documents revealed that during the massacre, Naveed and his father, Sajid, threw four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) […]

A letter from Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, founder of the magnificent Torah kingdom, the Mir Yeshiva, where countless Torah scholars and God-fearing individuals were nurtured.

Mr. Barry Ray z”l, a devoted askan and pillar of the Chicago Torah community for more than four decades, was niftar, leaving behind a legacy of quiet dedication, steadfast leadership, and tireless service to Klal Yisroel.

For over 45 years, Mr. Ray stood at the forefront of communal responsibility in Chicago, where he was widely known as a trusted supporter, advisor, and builder of Torah institutions. With vision and unwavering commitment, he was instrumental in the founding, strengthening, and ongoing support of numerous mosdos, not only in Chicago but also in Baltimore, Florida, and Eretz Yisroel. His involvement was marked by humility and discretion; he worked behind the scenes, motivated solely by a sense of achrayus and love for Torah and its learners.

Mr. Ray understood that strong communities are built through consistency, reliability, and personal responsibility. He was always available when a cause needed backing, when an institution required guidance, or when a communal initiative demanded resolve and follow-through. His impact was felt far beyond the public eye, in the stability and growth of countless Torah endeavors.

He is survived by a distinguished family who continue his legacy of communal service. He was the devoted father of R’ Tzvi Ray, an active board member of Agudah of Illinois and the Midwest Bais Horaah; R’ Shua Ray, a steadfast supporter of Chicago mosdos and deeply involved in a wide range of communal activities; Mrs. Ahuva Feiler, wife of R’ Yanky Feiler, who worked for Agudath Israel of Illinois and continues to be active in political advocacy on behalf of the Jewish community; and Mrs. Shoshana Krupp, wife of R’ Ari Krupp, a prominent and active leader in the Baltimore Jewish community.

The levaya and kevura took place today in Chicago.

The family is sitting shiva at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Shua Ray, located at 3118 W. Wallen Avenue. Tefillah times: Shacharis: 7:30 a.m. Mincha/Ma’ariv: 4:10 p.m.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

A Jewish merchant arrested in Damascus earlier this month was brought before a Syrian judge for the first time on Sunday, as questions mount over the basis for his detention and concerns grow within Syria’s small Jewish community about possible religious discrimination. Salem Hamdani, who has lived and worked in the Syrian capital for decades, […]

Thousands of people took to the streets on Sunday night in the Satmar neighborhood of Bnei Brak for a large procession marking the release of yeshiva students who had been detained.

The event drew vast crowds and unfolded as a celebratory march through local streets, accompanied by energetic dancing and singing.

At the same time, a parallel procession was held in Modi’in Illit, honoring the release of Binyamin Kreif, a talmid of Yeshivas Darchei Chaim. Kreif was freed from military prison after serving close to three months, including more than 50 days in solitary confinement.

In both cities, the atmosphere was jubilant. Participants danced in the streets as the bnei yeshiva being honored were lifted onto shoulders and escorted through the crowds.

PHOTOS:

{Matzav.com}

CBS’ 60 Minutes has pulled a planned report examining the deportation of migrants to El Salvador’s notorious maximum-security prison, CECOT, opting to delay the segment just hours before it was scheduled to air.

Late Sunday, the program issued an editor’s note on X announcing the change.
“The broadcast lineup for tonight’s edition of 60 Minutes has been updated. Our report ‘Inside CECOT’ will air in a future broadcast,” the note read.

In place of the delayed report, the broadcast aired a different segment, “The Kanneh-Masons,” which centers on seven siblings from Britain who “have become sensations in the classical music world.”

A spokesperson for CBS told Fox News Digital that the network “determined it needed additional reporting,” but did not elaborate further on the decision.

Before the postponement, the network had promoted the piece as an in-depth look inside El Salvador’s most severe detention facility. According to the original press materials, correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi was set to speak with deportees who had since been released and who “describe the brutal and torturous conditions.”

“Earlier this year, the Trump administration deported hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, a country most had no ties to, claiming they were terrorists. This move sparked an ongoing legal battle, and nine months later the U.S. government still has not released the names of all those deported and placed in CECOT, one of El Salvador’s harshest prisons,” the press release for the segment read.

Around the same time the delay was announced, the show also made its promotional video for the segment private on YouTube. The preview had included Alfonsi questioning a former inmate about his experience during detention, referencing his account of “four months of hell.”

“Did you think you were going to die there?” Alfonsi asked.

“We thought we were already the living dead honestly,” one prisoner responded.

The deportations themselves have remained a flashpoint for controversy. Earlier this year, Donald Trump’s administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants—many alleged to be gang members—to CECOT. In March, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an emergency order blocking certain removals to El Salvador. Despite that ruling, hundreds of migrants stayed in the prison for months afterward.

Boasberg has since directed the Department of Justice to disclose the whereabouts and current status of the migrants who were transferred to the El Salvador facility.

{Matzav.com}

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir issued a warning on Sunday that Israel is prepared to strike its enemies “wherever required, on near and distant fronts alike,” remarks widely understood as a signal that military action against Iran may again be imminent. Speaking at a changeover ceremony for the head of the IDF […]

Amid widespread unease over household finances, a top economic adviser viewed as a leading candidate to chair the Federal Reserve says the administration anticipates a surge in tax refunds and stronger paychecks next year, arguing that improving data will soon be felt by families.

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett outlined those expectations during an appearance Thursday on FOX Business’ Varney & Co., predicting an unprecedented refund season.

“We are going to see the biggest refund cycle ever in the history of America, and people are going to get massive refund checks,” Hassett said.

He added that the magnitude of the refunds could be substantial.

“We’re expecting just that part of it alone to be worth a couple-thousand-dollar refund … the numbers are striking.”

Earlier in the week, Donald Trump echoed that outlook during a Wednesday night address, saying the administration expects “the largest tax refund season of all time” next spring and asserting that many households would save between $11,000 and $20,000 per year.

Hassett also addressed recent polling that paints a more pessimistic picture of the economy. A Fox News Poll found that 44% of respondents say they are falling behind financially, while 74% describe economic conditions as “not so good” or “bad.” He argued that wage growth and inflation trends tell a different story.

“You saw in the jobs report that … wages for the typical worker were up 3.7%. So if you’re running 3.7% wage increases at 1.6% core inflation, then real wages are growing at a rate of about 2 [to] 2.5%. By our estimates right now, blue-collar workers have already seen an almost $2,000 raise this year after inflation, because wages are growing so much faster than prices,” Hassett explained.

Speaking later on FOX Business’ The Big Money Show, Hassett suggested that the benefits of recent policy moves may take time to show up in tax filings, recalling a similar lag during the administration’s earlier legislative push.

“I think that what happens in the end — and this is what happened in the first [Trump] term — is that people will see it in their wallets,” he said. “We didn’t pass the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ until the middle of the summer. And so a lot of the tax changes, which affect last year, weren’t in any tax forms that people filled out at the beginning of the year.”

Overall, Hassett struck an upbeat note on economic conditions, pointing to what he called a “blockbuster” November inflation report that came in cooler than analysts expected. He said supply-side growth is now exerting downward pressure on prices.

“What’s happened is, as we predicted throughout this term, that if you really put the pedal to the metal on aggregate supply, then that’s gonna put downward pressure on prices,” he said.

He concluded by drawing a parallel to earlier performance under President Trump, when growth and inflation appeared to settle into a favorable balance.

“And don’t forget, that’s where we were last time in President Trump’s first term. We were growing in the 3% range, and we had inflation in the 1% range. And it looks like that’s where we are again.”

{Matzav.com}

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A proposal to send $2,000 rebate checks funded by tariff revenue could move to Capitol Hill early next year, according to remarks made Sunday by National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett. Speaking on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Hassett indicated that President Trump is likely to press lawmakers to act.

“I would expect that in the new year, the president will bring forth a proposal to Congress to make that happen,” Hassett said during the interview.

The administration has been publicly advocating for the rebates since last month, with President Trump calling for $2,000 checks to be distributed to most Americans while excluding “high-income people.” The White House has not released details defining which income levels would be eligible, but officials have said the funding would come from revenue generated by the president’s broad import tariffs.

Hassett emphasized that even if the White House advances the plan, Congress would control the outcome. “It could come from tariff revenue, but in the end, we get taxes, we get tariffs, we get revenue from lots of places, and then Congress decides how to spend those monies,” he said. “That’s an appropriation. And so, this would have to be money that would be an appropriation.”

Skepticism remains among some Republicans. Last month, Sen. Ron Johnson told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo that the nation “can’t afford” a rebate of that size.

Recent data show that tariff collections have surged. According to a September statement from the US Treasury Department, the government brought in $195 billion from tariff duties over the first three quarters of the year.

Economists say consumers are bearing part of the cost. The Yale Budget Lab reported that as of Nov. 17, the average effective tariff rate paid by consumers stood at 16.8 percent, the highest level since 1934 and an increase of 14.4 percentage points since early January.

The idea of tariff-funded rebates has circulated in Congress before. In July, Sen. Josh Hawley introduced a bill proposing $600 rebates for most Americans and their dependent children, a plan that would have provided $2,400 to a family of four.

{Matzav.com}

On the final night of Chanukah, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir lit the eighth candle together with soldiers of the Chashmonean Brigade, the IDF’s new Chareidi combat unit, which began drafting its first recruits earlier this year. Addressing the soldiers, Zamir drew a direct parallel between their service and the story of […]

Donald Trump Jr. declared Sunday that the Republican Party is effectively finished, saying that his father now leads what he called the “America First Party” and the “Make America Great Again Party.” Speaking to thousands of activists at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference in Phoenix, Trump Jr. told the crowd that the political landscape has […]