December 4

Supreme Court lets Texas use its racially challenged congressional map for 2026

The U.S. Supreme Court issued an unsigned emergency order on December 4, 2025, allowing Texas to use its newly redrawn congressional map for 2026 elections despite a three-judge district court having blocked it as racially discriminatory. The map, challenged by the League of United Latin American Citizens, was drawn to give Republicans up to 5 additional House seats. The Court's order paused the lower court ruling blocking the map pending further review.

At least 17 Republican-led states provide or agree to provide voter data to Justice Department

At a December 4, 2025 hearing, DOJ Voting Section Chief Eric Neff said 11 states had expressed a willingness to comply with the DOJ's demands for voter data based on a proposed memorandum of understanding. Those states were Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. Four states—Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, and Wyoming—had already complied by that time. As of February 2026, only Alaska and Texas had signed the memorandum of understanding. At least 10 states—home to over 37 million registered voters—had provided their full voter lists to the federal government. The DOJ proposed a confidential memorandum of understanding that would give states 45 days to fix any problems the DOJ found in their voter rolls. The agreement shows the DOJ's plans to interfere with states' authority to run elections and how dangerously insecure the sensitive data would be in the department's hands.

Supreme Court lets Texas use its contested GOP-drawn redistricting map for 2026

The Supreme Court issued an unsigned emergency order on December 4, 2025, allowing Texas to use its new GOP-drawn congressional map while legal challenges proceeded, overruling a three-judge panel that found evidence of racial gerrymandering. Two judges had found that Republican lawmakers manipulated racial demographics to eliminate Black and Latino majority-influence districts. Justice Elena Kagan dissented, criticizing the court for reversing a 160-page ruling over a holiday weekend on a cold paper record.

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U.S. military kills 87 in 22 strikes on alleged drug boats as Trump declares armed conflict with cartels

Cumulative Pentagon reporting confirmed U.S. forces had conducted 22 strikes killing approximately 87 people aboard alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific as part of a campaign Trump called an "armed conflict" with cartels. The administration notified Congress it was engaged in a "non-international armed conflict" with "unlawful combatants" under Title 10 authority. Legal scholars raised War Powers Act concerns; survivors of some strikes disputed drug-trafficking claims.

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Supreme Court stays block on Texas Plan C2333 in 6-3 vote

The Supreme Court granted Texas an emergency stay in a 6-3 vote, allowing Plan C2333 to take effect while litigation continued in the lower courts. The six Republican-appointed justices formed the majority; Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissented without published opinion. The stay allowed Texas to proceed with filing candidate qualification under the new map for the 2026 primaries. The full merits case was expected to return to SCOTUS before the April 2026 primary filing deadlines.

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Harvard youth poll finds 64% of young Americans say US democracy is in trouble or failed

The Harvard Institute of Politics released its 51st Youth Poll on December 4, 2025, finding that 64% of Americans aged 18 to 29 described US democracy as either in trouble or already failed. More than four in ten young people reported struggling financially or having only limited financial security, consistent with the spring finding. The fall edition documented accelerating social fragmentation, with fewer young Americans believing political opponents share good-faith goals for the country.

Pentagon inspector general finds Hegseth risked troop safety by sharing Yemen strike plans on Signal

The Pentagon Inspector General released a report finding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth endangered U.S. forces by sharing Yemen strike timing, aircraft types, and quantities on Signal chat groups — including one that added Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg and another including Hegseth's wife, brother, and personal lawyer. The operational details were shared 2–4 hours before strikes over hostile Houthi-controlled territory. The Pentagon did not open a standard national security damage investigation.

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FBI arrests Brian Cole Jr. for 2021 Capitol-area pipe bombs nearly five years after the attack

The FBI arrested Brian Cole Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia on December 4, 2025 — nearly five years after he allegedly planted pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic national headquarters in Washington, D.C. on January 5, 2021, the night before the Capitol attack. Cole was identified through purchases of galvanized pipes, batteries, timers, and wires, plus cell tower data placing him near the RNC and DNC on the night of the bombing. AG Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest jointly.

The Minnesota Supreme Court dismisses a presidential certification challenge

Minnesota state legislators, candidates, and voters filed or pursued Kistner v. Simon in Minnesota after the 2020 election. The case sought to delay certification of Minnesota presidential election results. The primary court document records that the Minnesota Supreme Court dismissed the petition on December 4, 2020.