MORNING REPORT

Monday, December 29 | By Jared Gans

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In today's issue:

▪ Trump, Zelensky discuss peace plan

▪ How Trump changed environmental policy

▪ The top primary battles for 2026

▪ Brigitte Bardot dies

Congress eyes role in 2026 as the executive gains power

Lawmakers are hoping they can reassert their role after a year of President Trump amassing more power than ever before.

The Trump administration has pushed to gradually consolidate power throughout 2025, often sidelining Congress in its policymaking. It has unliterally gutted or shrunk the scope of federal agencies, implemented tariffs, canceled congressionally appropriated spending and conducted military strikes in the Caribbean, all without direct immediate congressional authorization.

The Hill's Al Weaver and Emily Brooks report members of Congress are wondering if any changes will happen in 2026, particularly with the midterm elections approaching.

Democrats and some Republicans have raised issues with how the executive-legislative relationship has gone.

"I don't know that it's getting better," said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). "Seems to be getting worse."

The productivity of Congress has gradually declined, and signs indicate more and more lawmakers are looking to leave. The House and Senate set a modern record this year with the lowest legislative output in the first year of a new presidency, with fewer than 40 bills passed, according to data from C-SPAN and Purdue University.

The most significant legislative accomplishment of the year was the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump signed into law in July.

The law extended and expanded tax cuts implemented during Trump's first term, added funding for defense and immigration enforcement and cut spending on Medicaid and food assistance.

But it was seen as one of congressional Republicans' only chances at enacting their legislative priorities this year. Some Republicans have discussed a second reconciliation bill, which can pass by a simple majority, ahead of the midterms, but they acknowledge they won't pass anything as substantive, Weaver and Brooks report.

The divide between factions of the GOP in Congress also contributed to gridlock.

"A conference that has Andy Harris (R-Md.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) are never going to produce meaningful legislation on things like that … on things that can pass with all Republican support. It's never gonna happen," one GOP operative said.

Meanwhile, the number of retirements in the House and Senate announced so far are outpacing those from the past four legislative election cycles, according to Ballotpedia. And it is likely to increase in the new year.

Still, lawmakers said they view the appropriations process, constitutionally under their purview, as a way to assert their relevance.

▪ NPR: A look back at Congress's year.

3 Things to Know Today

Trump is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today at Mar-a-Lago to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza.
One pilot was killed and another was injured after two helicopters crashed mid-air over New Jersey. No one else was aboard.
China's military said it will conduct major military drills around Taiwan to test combat readiness, CNN reported. It comes after the U.S. announced one of its biggest arms sales to the self-governing island.

LEADING THE DAY

UKRAINE MEETING: U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have agreed to 90 percent of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's peace proposal, he said after meeting with Trump on Sunday.

Trump and Zelensky met at Mar-a-Lago to advance negotiations toward a peace agreement that could bring an end to Ukraine's war with Russia, which has lasted nearly four years.

Zelensky said the Trump administration has completely agreed to sections in the proposal outlining security guarantees for Ukraine, and the U.S., Ukraine and other European countries are "almost" in agreement on joint security guarantees.

Zelensky issued the proposal this month following a wider 28-point plan that the Trump administration put forward last month. Trump's proposal had received criticism as being too favorable to Russia, and negotiators framed it as subject to change.

Trump said a main sticking point is territory control. Russia currently controls Crimea, along with most of the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, but Zelensky has remained insistent that Ukraine does not cede territory.

Under the peace proposal, fighting in Donetsk would be halted along current battle lines with Ukrainian and Russian forces withdrawing to create a demilitarized zone overseen by international forces.

If the U.S. and Ukraine agree on the proposal, it must be presented to Russia to see if President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin will sign off.

Zelensky said the U.S. and Ukraine agreed to meet again in the coming weeks along with a European delegation to finalize all they discussed.

▪ The Washington Post: Trump, Zelensky strike hopeful tone.

▪ The Hill: Three takeaways from the Trump-Zelensky meeting.

TRUMP PRAISES THAI-CAMBODIAN DEAL: Trump praised a new ceasefire deal between Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday, months after the two countries first agreed to end hostilities.

The president first backed a ceasefire in July to end a border dispute that erupted into the Southeast Asian nations exchanging fire. But Cambodia accused Thailand of violating the ceasefire hours after it took effect, and the conflict has continued off and on since then.

Dozens have been killed and thousands have been displaced in recent weeks in the renewed conflict. The terms of the deal include the return of 18 Cambodian soldiers held in Thai custody since July and clearing the shared border of land mines, The Associated Press reported.

"I am pleased to announce that the breakout fighting between Thailand and Cambodia will stop momentarily, and they will go back to living in PEACE, as per our recently agreed to original Treaty. I want to congratulate both great leaders on their brilliance in coming to this rapid and very fair conclusion," Trump said in a Truth Social post.

▪ Reuters: China praises ceasefire ahead of trilateral talks.

WHEN & WHERE

The president will meet with Netanyahu at 1 p.m.
The House and Senate are out today.

ZOOM IN

ENVIRONMENTAL SHAKEUP: Trump has greatly transformed energy and environmental policy in his first year back in office, shifting national policy toward fossil fuels while rejecting renewable energy and climate regulations, The Hill's Rachel Frazin reports.

The policies are a sharp break from those of the Biden administration that embraced climate policies and pollution limits to address climate change.

Trump declared an "energy emergency" on his first day in office to boost production of the energy sources he supports — fossil fuels and nuclear power. He's ordered the federal government to open up drilling in Alaska, proposed cutting regulations on coal and gas power plants and delayed limits on planet-warming methane from oil and gas drilling.

Meanwhile, the administration has halted permits that were already issued for constructing offshore wind projects and directed agencies to phase out a wide range of environmental regulations. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut tax credits for electric vehicles.

The administration has also stepped back from global efforts to combat climate change, pulling the U.S. from the Paris Agreement and declining to send representatives to global climate negotiations at the COP30 summit in Brazil.

Read more about Frazin's reporting on Trump's energy and environmental actions this year here.

▪ The Hill: Majority says climate change raising cost of living.

▪ The Hill: Energy Department overturns plan to close two coal plants.

ELSEWHERE

PRIMARIES TO WATCH: Some of the most highly anticipated primaries will take place in various states throughout the next year, giving hints of both parties' directions going into the midterms.

The Democratic primary races are setting up proxy battles between the progressive and moderate factions of the party.

The Democratic primary in Michigan to succeed retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D) is a lively three-way race among Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens is a moderate seen as the favorite of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), while El-Sayed is running as a progressive and McMorrow has positioned herself as somewhere between them.

Another prominent battle is set in Maine between Gov. Janet Mills (D), an establishment favorite to challenge Sen. Susan Collins (R), and progressive oyster farmer Graham Platner. Polling has been mixed on which candidate leads in the primary and is better positioned to face the longtime incumbent Collins.

On the Republican side, Texas Sen. John Cornyn is trying to keep his political career alive as he faces a primary challenge from state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt. His opponents have questioned Cornyn's conservative credentials and support for Trump.

Cornyn has more recently promoted his ties to Trump and argued his challengers wouldn't be able to win the general election.

The power of Trump's endorsement will be tested in Georgia, where a competitive race is taking place for governor. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) has Trump's backing, but he's also facing state Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for the GOP nomination.

The Democratic race for governor is also competitive as the party hopes to pick up the seat with popular Republican Gov. Brian Kemp being term limited.

The Hill's Caroline Vakil reports on the exciting primaries to watch in the new year.

▪ The Hill: The key ballot measures to watch in 2026.

▪ The Hill: Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) predicts Dems will win back House.

OPINION

One bipartisan solution can revolutionize how Medicaid patients get primary care, Lawson Mansell writes in The Hill.
Ben Sasse is exiting the stage far too soon, Jim Geraghty writes in The Washington Post.

THE CLOSER

And finally … French actress Brigitte Bardot, who received widespread attention for her film appearances throughout the 20th century before becoming an animal rights advocate and outspoken right-wing supporter, died Sunday at age 91.

Bardot died at her home in southern France, but no cause of death was immediately given.

She first broke into international stardom in the film, "And God Created Women," and quickly became known as a sex symbol. She also appeared in various other films such as "A Parisian," "Private Life" and "Don Juan."

Bardot spoke out against animal abuse, denouncing the use of animals in laboratory experiments and traveling to the Arctic to oppose the slaughter of baby seals.

But she also stirred controversy with comments condemning an influx of immigrants, particularly Muslims, into France. She was fined in French courts on five occasions for inciting racial hatred.

The Associated Press reported that Bardot once said she identified with the animals she advocated for.

"I can understand hunted animals, because of the way I was treated," she said. "What happened to me was inhuman. I was constantly surrounded by the world press."