Monday, Dec. 17

· A report prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee of emails turned over by social media platforms found that Russia’s disinformation campaign during and after the 2016 election used every major social media platform to deliver words, images and videos tailored to voters’ interests to help elect President Trump and to support him while in office.

· The report prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee also said that after the election, Russian disinformation teams launched a propaganda attack on Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

· U.S. stock markets declined again as criticism about the Federal Reserve’s pace of interest rate increases, including from President Donald Trump, also increased volatility. The Dow and S&P 500 are now down about 5 percent for 2018. The Nasdaq is down about 2.45 percent.

Tuesday, Dec. 18

· In an agreement with the New York attorney general, Trump agreed to shut down his charity, the Donald J. Trump Foundation, amid a lawsuit filed by the state that alleges he used the foundation for his political and personal benefit including to pay off legal settlements for his private business, to purchase art that decorated one of his golf clubs and to make a prohibited political donation.

· U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan, poised to issue Michael Flynn’s sentence for lying to the FBI, blasted the former Trump national security adviser for lying to the FBI and questioned whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller's prosecutors could have tried him for treason. Flynn’s attorneys and the judge agreed to postpone sentencing so Flynn could continue to cooperate with investigators.

· Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker signed a rule, expected to take effect March 21, 2019, banning bump stocks, which accelerate the rate of fire of semi-automatic weapons 

Wednesday, Dec. 19

· Incoming House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings sent more than 50 letters to multiple agencies and departments as well as to the Trump Organization and Trump's personal attorneys requesting documents on a series of scandals the administration’s handling of hurricanes Irma and Maria, Trump’s family separation policy at the border, the White House decision to revoke the security clearances of high ranking former officials who became Trump critics.

· U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan struck down most of a Trump administration policy that turned away asylum seekers who claimed to suffer domestic violence or gang violence.

· The United States will move quickly to withdraw all forces from Syria, the White House announced, as Trump defied warnings from his top advisers and upended plans for a continued mission against the Islamic State.

· With bipartisan support, the Senate approved legislation that would extend funding for several major government departments until Feb. 8, 2019, a measure that would avert a partial government shutdown at the end of the week but does not include any new funds President Trump sought for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The House will vote next on the measure.

Thursday, Dec. 20

· Trump told legislators at an emergency meeting that he will not sign the just-passed legislation that would avert a government shutdown.

· U.S. stocks dropped deeper into the red as investors reacted to the Federal Reserve’s rate increase and its softer outlook for 2019. They sank deeper still on the news that President Trump would not sign the spending bill that would avert a government shutdown. The Dow and the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index are on pace for their worst quarter since 2011

· Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned after clashing with Trump over the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and Afghanistan, saying in a parting letter that the president deserves someone atop the Pentagon “better aligned” with his views.

· The Trump administration announced it had reached a deal with Mexico that would force asylum seekers to wait in that country as their cases are processed.

· Trump signed a farm bill with $867 billion in agricultural subsidies, food stamps and conservation programs. His signing ended months of wrangling over a House GOP/Trump endeavor to reduce food stamp benefits.

· The House passed bi-partisan legislation already approved by the Senate for an overhaul of the criminal justice system that shortens sentences for some offenders and expands job training and other programs for prisoners.

· Speaking at his annual news conference in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Trump’s move to withdraw troops from Syria was appropriate because the U.S. presence in Syria is “illegitimate.”

· House Republicans passed legislation that would keep the government funded until February and allocate $5.7 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but Senate Democrats are opposed and have enough votes to block the measure in that house.

Friday, Dec. 21

· Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had surgery to remove two malignant nodules in her left lung, the Supreme Court announced, adding that there was no evidence of any remaining disease and that no further treatment is planned.

Saturday, Dec. 22

· Major parts of the federal government began shutting down when their funding expired without legislation for new funding after Trump insisted any funding bill must contain money for his border wall, although Republicans lack the votes in the senate to pass such legislation.

Sunday, Dec. 23

· Trump announced he was removing Mattis on Jan. 1, not two months later on the date Mattis had named for his departure, and installing Patrick Shanahan as acting defense secretary.