Trump to Elon Musk:

You are so lucky I am with you, Elon.

Has he ever thanked me properly?

Trump on Fed's Powell:

He has got some real mental problems.

He has something wrong with him.

To be honest, I would love to fire his ass.

Trump:

Coal needs a little help public relations wise, so we refer to it as "clean beautiful coal."

Trump:

I am a little disappointed in Putin right now, he knows that.

BREAKING: Trump:

MBS would like me to do something about Sudan.

We will start working on Sudan.

Putin:

Life expectancy may reach 150 years, but even that would not be enough.

What matters most is how you live those years and for what purpose.

One proposed condition for ending the war in Ukraine is recognizing Russian as an official state language in Ukraine.

Another condition is granting official status to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Source: FT

Trump’s new proposal to end the Ukraine war would have Ukraine cede more territory—giving Russia full control of the Donbas and freezing current lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia—in exchange for a U.S. security guarantee meant to deter future Russian attacks.

The plan would see the U.S. and others recognize Crimea and the Donbas as Russian, though Ukraine would not have to.

Washington says “ball is in Zelensky’s court.”

Source: Axios

Kremlin:

Russia is open for talks on Ukraine.

Kremlin:

We can momentarily set up a Putin–Trump call if needed.

Zelensky:

We are ready to work in any other meaningful formats that can yield results.

But the main thing to stop the bloodshed and achieve lasting peace is that we work in coordination together with all partners and that American leadership remains effective, strong, and brings peace that will last long and provide security to the people.

Trump:

Tremendous atrocities are taking place in Sudan. It has become the most violent place on Earth and, likewise, the single biggest Humanitarian Crisis. Food, doctors, and everything else are desperately needed.

Arab Leaders from all over the World, in particular the highly respected Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who has just left the United States, have asked me to use the power and influence of the Presidency to bring an immediate halt to what is taking place in Sudan.

It is considered a Great Civilization and Culture, unfortunately gone bad, but one that can be fixed with the cooperation and coordination of Countries, including those in the Region of tremendous Wealth, who want this to happen.

We will work with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern partners to get these atrocities to end, while at the same time stabilizing Sudan.

A Ukrainian FPV drone pauses over a Russian soldier stuck in barbed wire.

He flips it off twice—so the drone advances.

U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg plans to leave his post in January after his 360-day term ends.

Source: Reuters

NEW: Colombia says it would support a plan for Venezuela’s Maduro to step down and hand power to a transitional government that would organize new elections.

Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio said Maduro might agree if he’s guaranteed he won’t face prison.

The U.S. Justice Department will release its Jeffrey Epstein investigation files within 30 days, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced.

Q: Ahmed al-Sharaa came in, and Trump sprayed perfume all over him. Did he smell?

Karoline Leavitt: No. That happens all the time. Trump is just showing off.

A longtime FBI employee, David Maltinsky, is suing the FBI, Director Kash Patel, the DOJ, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, claiming he was fired for displaying a Pride flag at his former workstation.

He argues his dismissal—issued while he was training to become a special agent—violated his First Amendment and equal-protection rights.

Niger: EIGS militants stormed the Garbougna gendarmerie post on the Terra–Niamey axis, killing 17 soldiers in a coordinated assault.