White House Weighs Order to Curb Defense Contractor Buybacks
The Trump administration is considering an executive order that would pressure defense contractors to reduce stock buybacks and dividends while increasing investment in infrastructure and weapons production, according to a person familiar with the plan.
The draft order would also tie executive compensation more closely to performance in delivering specific defense systems and could be signed as early as this week.
The proposal reflects a broader White House push to speed weapons development and reform Pentagon procurement, which officials say is slow, costly, and inefficient. While enforcement authority remains unclear, the order could prompt a Pentagon review of contractor oversight.
The Trump administration is weighing an an executive order that would pressure defense contractors to spend less on stock buybacks and dividends while boosting investment in infrastructure and weapons production, a source said https://t.co/t8g13ZGzRH
— Bloomberg (@business) December 16, 2025
The move comes as major defense firms continue to return capital to shareholders while also investing billions in new facilities, and as the administration signals a more aggressive stance toward the defense industrial base.
FAA Chief Vows Lasting Safety Changes After Deadly D.C. Midair Collision
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford told lawmakers Tuesday that the agency will not roll back safety measures put in place after a January mid-air collision between a commercial airliner and an Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.
Bedford said the FAA remains committed to keeping aircraft separated in the capital’s congested airspace and requiring location-broadcasting systems, even as critics warn a pending defense bill could weaken those safeguards.
Testifying before a House subcommittee, Bedford also addressed ethics concerns over his delayed divestment from Republic Airways, defended the FAA’s handling of flight reductions during the government shutdown, and backed the selection of contractor Peraton to oversee a multibillion-dollar air traffic control modernization.
FAA administrator Bryan Bedford (@FAA_Bryan) on air traffic overhaul: “Infrastructure is inadequate, systems are based on 1990s technology…it’s woefully inadequate for the needs of the 21st century. WE have a great plan to modernize.” pic.twitter.com/oZLvxQNryP
— CSPAN (@cspan) December 16, 2025
Bedford said the FAA has already committed more than $6 billion toward system upgrades and insisted recent decisions prioritized safety, despite skepticism from some lawmakers and ongoing concerns about oversight and transparency.
Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Oil Tankers Bound for Venezuela
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he has ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, escalating US pressure on President Nicolás Maduro and threatening a sharper squeeze on the country’s oil-dependent economy.
The announcement followed last week’s seizure of a tanker off Venezuela’s coast and a broader US military buildup in the region, though the administration has not explained how the blockade would be enforced in practice.
Venezuela’s government condemned the move as illegal and said it would raise the issue at the United Nations.
US officials say the campaign aims to disrupt drug trafficking, while senior administration figures have acknowledged it is also intended to force Maduro from power.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced tonight that he is ordering “A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS” going into, and out of, Venezuela, adding that the country is “completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South… pic.twitter.com/ddWK270kxj
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) December 17, 2025
Venezuela relies heavily on oil exports, much of which move through sanctioned or shadow channels, primarily to China.
The US Navy has significant assets in the region capable of monitoring maritime traffic, but legal, diplomatic, and operational questions around the blockade remain unresolved.
Trump Expands Travel Ban to 20 More Countries and Palestinian Authority
The Trump administration on Tuesday expanded US travel restrictions to 20 additional countries and to people holding Palestinian Authority travel documents, doubling the scope of limits announced earlier this year.
The changes include a full travel ban on five more countries and new partial restrictions on 15 others, bringing the total number of affected nations and entities to more than 40. The restrictions apply to both visitors and immigrants and take effect January 1, with exemptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, diplomats, athletes, and cases deemed in the US national interest.
NEW: The Trump administration has expanded its FULL travel ban to five countries and people traveling on documents issued by the Palestinian Authority, and imposed new limits on 15 other countries.
Jacqui Heinrich: “The president’s proclamation expands the administration’s… pic.twitter.com/MdS8PdOvgY
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) December 16, 2025
The administration said the move addresses national security, immigration enforcement, and vetting concerns, citing corruption, unreliable documents, visa overstays, and instability in the affected countries.
Critics and advocacy groups condemned the expansion, arguing it unfairly targets entire populations and removes protections for Afghan wartime allies eligible for Special Immigrant Visas.
Several affected governments said they are seeking clarification from US officials as opposition mounts to the broadened policy.
Dozens of Countries Back Claims Body to Compensate Ukraine for War Damage
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and 34 other countries on Tuesday approved plans to establish an international compensation body to handle claims for damage caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Backed by the Council of Europe, the International Claims Commission will allow individuals and entities to seek compensation for losses since the war began in February 2022, though funding sources remain unresolved.
Supporters say Russia should ultimately pay, with frozen Russian assets in Europe among the options under discussion, but no mechanism exists to compel Moscow to comply.
A historic step for accountability in The Hague.
Proud to sign the Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine—an international mechanism to assess and process claims for damage caused by Russia’s aggression. pic.twitter.com/qckwjLs1V4
— Ambassador Jonatan Vseviov (@vseviov) December 16, 2025
The commission will assess claims already filed in a Hague-based register that has received about 80,000 submissions. Participating countries must still ratify the treaty, while the European Union has pledged initial funding to help launch the commission’s operations.
Sydney Charges Suspect in Antisemitic Bondi Beach Massacre
Australian authorities on Wednesday charged an accused gunman with 59 offenses, including 15 counts of murder and one terrorism charge, following an antisemitic mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
The attack on Sunday killed 15 people, all Jewish, and wounded more than 20 others. Police said the suspect, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, was charged from a hospital bed after emerging from a coma. His father and alleged accomplice died at the scene after being shot by police.
As funerals began under heavy security, investigators said the attack was inspired by the Islamic State group and are examining what authorities previously knew about the suspects.
BREAKING: Alleged Bondi Beach attacker Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offences, including a terror charge
Sky’s @jonathansamuels has the latest ⬇️
Live updates: https://t.co/dr05poccdE
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/9oWMo0IGDG
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 17, 2025
The massacre has triggered a national reckoning over antisemitism, police protection for Jewish events, and gun laws. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged tougher action on hate crimes and further restrictions on firearms, as Australia mourns its deadliest hate-fueled attack in modern times.
Sydney Man Hailed for Disarming Gunman in Bondi Beach Massacre
Ahmed al Ahmed, a 44-year-old Syrian-Australian shop owner, intervened during Sunday’s antisemitic mass shooting at Bondi Beach by tackling one of the gunmen and disarming him, helping stop part of the attack that killed 15 people celebrating Hanukkah.
Al Ahmed, who was out for coffee with a friend, was later shot multiple times by the second attacker and remains hospitalized after undergoing surgery.
Australian leaders and international figures praised al Ahmed’s actions as an act of exceptional courage, and a public fundraising campaign raised more than 2.3 million Australian dollars ($1.5 million) to support his recovery.
The Syrian cousin of Ahmed al Ahmed, the man who disarmed one of the attackers on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, praised his cousin’s act of heroism. pic.twitter.com/8HnG79kXv5
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 16, 2025
Al Ahmed, a former police officer in Syria and a father of two, faces months of rehabilitation. His actions, along with other attempts by civilians to stop the attackers, have become symbols of solidarity and resilience in Australia as the country mourns one of its deadliest hate-driven attacks.
Sources: News Agencies
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Morning Brief: Brown Shooting Suspect Still at Large, Trump Expands Travel Ban to 20 More Countries, Sydney Charges Suspect in Bondi Beach Massacre
Brown shooter hunt widens as FAA, White House and Venezuela moves dominate. Here’s your Wednesday morning brief, December 17, 2025.
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