Today in one sentence: A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can share limited Medicaid data with ICE; the U.S. imposed sanctions on 10 people and companies in Iran and Venezuela, claiming they were involved in drone and missile-related weapons trade between the two governments; Trump threatened to "probably bring a lawsuit against" Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for “gross incompetence"; Trump told his supporters that Democrats would “steal” their “tariff rebate checks” unless they send him money within an hour; nearly one in four U.S. workers were “functionally unemployed” in November; and at least three artists canceled performances at the Kennedy Center after Trump’s name was added to the building.

1/ A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, rejecting the claim that the law prevents the agency from receiving money from the Federal Reserve. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said the administration violated an existing court order by refusing to request funding it’s legally permitted to seek. She said the refusal was used to bring the agency’s operations to a halt, calling the rationale “an unsupported and transparent attempt” to evade the injunction. The ruling came as the CFPB warned it could run out of money in early 2026. Jackson wrote that neither the funding statute nor the Fed’s willingness to provide money had changed, only the administration’s determination to eliminate an agency created by Congress. (CNN / New York Times / NPR / Politico / CNBC)

2/ A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can share limited Medicaid data with ICE, but questioned the clarity and scope of the policy behind the data use. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria said HHS and the Department of Homeland Security may share basic biographical, contact, and location information about immigrants living in the U.S. unlawfully, writing that the sharing of such data “is clearly authorized by law.” At the same time, he blocked broader data transfers, finding that ICE’s policies for requesting additional information are “totally unclear and do not appear to be the product of a coherent decisionmaking process.” The decision partially lifts an earlier injunction while keeping limits on how sensitive Medicaid data can be used while the case continues. (Axios / Politico / The Hill)

3/ The U.S. imposed sanctions on 10 people and companies in Iran and Venezuela, claiming they were involved in drone and missile-related weapons trade between the two governments. The Treasury Department said the targets include a Venezuelan aerospace firm accused of purchasing Iranian drones and several Iran-based individuals and companies linked to efforts to obtain chemicals used in ballistic missiles. The sanctions followed warnings from Trump that the U.S. would “knock the hell” out of Iran if it rebuilds its missile or nuclear programs. (Associated Press / Bloomberg / CNBC)

4/ Trump threatened to “probably bring a lawsuit against” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for “gross incompetence,” claiming “the guy is just incompetent.” Trump didn’t identify a legal claim or evidence for a case against the head of the independent central bank, but Trump administration officials have claimed Powell lied to Congress or mismanaged the Fed’s multibillion-dollar building renovation. The Fed has said pandemic-era disruptions drove up costs. Powell’s term as chair ends in May 2026. (Washington Post / New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Business Insider / Bloomberg / CNBC)

5/ Trump told his supporters that Democrats would “steal” their “tariff rebate checks” unless they send him money within an hour. In a fundraising email, Trump urged donors to “STOP THE BOIL NOW BEFORE MY END-OF-YEAR FUNDRAISING DEADLINE,” claimed that “Dems want to send your check to illegals,” warned “WE’RE WALKING ON RAZOR-THIN ICE!” and insisted that “MAGA can’t afford to wait any longer” or “EVERYTHING we’ve worked so hard to accomplish could go BYE BYE.” The email promoted a non-existent $2,000 “rebate check” program. (New Republic / Daily Beast / Alternet)

6/ Nearly one in four U.S. workers were “functionally unemployed” in November. The Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity said 24.8% of workers were either jobless, unable to find full-time work, or earning $26,000 a year or less, compared with the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 4.6% unemployment rate. LISEP Chair Gene Ludwig said standard measures miss whether jobs actually support basic living needs, arguing they are “deceiving” because they exclude underemployment and poverty wages. (Newsweek / Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity)

7/ At least three artists canceled performances at the Kennedy Center after Trump’s name was added to the building. Jazz supergroup the Cookers withdrew from a scheduled New Year’s Eve concert, folk singer Kristy Lee canceled a mid-January show, and Doug Varone and Dancers pulled out of two April performances. Cookers saxophonist Billy Harper said he would not perform in a venue he said represents “overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture.” The latest withdrawals follow earlier cancellations by Issa Rae, the producers of “Hamilton,” and jazz musician Chuck Redd after Trump removed the board, installed allies, and approved the renaming. Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell said shows artists were “unwilling to perform for everyone — even those they disagree with politically.” (New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post / Associated Press)

⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 308 days.

Six years ago today: Day 1075: Admired.