December 2

Trump calls Somali immigrants garbage four times in seven seconds, says we do not want them

At a White House cabinet meeting on December 2, 2025, President Trump called Somali immigrants "garbage" four times in seven seconds and said "We don't want 'em in our country" five times about the 260,000 Americans of Somali descent. Trump said Somali Americans "come from hell" and "contribute nothing," claiming they do "nothing but bitch" and "their country stinks." He called Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American congresswoman, "garbage" directly. Trump also revived his "shithole countries" characterization of immigrant-sending nations. On December 9-10, he called for "a permanent pause on Third World migration, including from hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia." These remarks came weeks before an attacker sprayed Omar at a Minneapolis town hall on January 27, 2026 — specifically angered, according to Omar, that Trump's deportations of Somalis were not happening fast enough.

EPA issues final methane rule for oil and gas will prevent 1.5 billion tons CO2-equivalent emissions

The EPA issues a comprehensive final rule requiring the oil and gas industry to detect and repair methane leaks, phase out routine flaring, and plug abandoned wells across existing and new facilities. The rule is the strongest methane emissions standard in US history, estimated to prevent the equivalent of 1.5 billion metric tons of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions through 2035. Methane is 80 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year period. The rule also implements the Inflation Reduction Act's methane emissions fee, $900 per metric ton starting in 2024, rising to $1,500 by 2026, on oil and gas facilities that exceed emissions thresholds. The rule is part of Biden's broader strategy under the Global Methane Pledge to reduce global methane emissions 30% by 2030.

Biden signs bill forcing railroad contract on workers averting strike

President Biden signs legislation imposing a labor agreement on freight railroad workers after four of twelve unions rejected the White House-brokered contract due to the lack of paid sick leave. The bill, which passed the Senate 80-15 and the House on near-party-line votes, invokes the 1926 Railway Labor Act to force workers to accept the contract and prevents a strike that Biden says would cost 765,000 jobs and $2 billion per day. The Senate separately votes 52-43 to add seven days of paid sick leave, failing to reach the 60-vote threshold needed for passage. Rail unions condemn Biden for blocking their strike right despite his "most pro-union president" label. The East Palestine, Ohio train derailment occurs two months later.

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A Nevada court dismisses April Becker's mail-ballot machine challenge

April Becker filed or pursued Becker v. Gloria in Nevada after the 2020 election. The case requested a new election based on allegations about machines used to process mail ballots. The primary court document records that the Nevada court granted a motion to dismiss.

Nixon creates the EPA through Reorganization Plan No. 3

President Nixon's Reorganization Plan No. 3 took effect, consolidating environmental functions from 15 agencies into the new Environmental Protection Agency. The Senate confirmed William Ruckelshaus as first Administrator the same day. EPA gained authority over air pollution, water pollution, pesticides, radiation, and solid waste from a starting budget of $1.4 billion and 5,743 staff transferred from other agencies.