December 30, 2025
President Donald Trump’s critics are complaining that the world is ending because not everything he campaigned on has been completed. And his popularity is suffering.
But the facts say otherwise: inflation is down significantly, the markets are up, GDP is growing, borders are far more secure, and trade is booming.
Another of the good things that Trump worked on was to end or reduce conflicts between countries. And agreements have been achieved between Israel and Gaza; Israel and Iran; the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda; Armenia and Azerbaijan; India and Pakistan; Thailand and Cambodia; and Egypt and Ethiopia.
Trump has had a varying degree of involvement with resolving these conflicts, being more involved in some than with others. But he has done quite a lot to broker peace among nations in conflict. And, he has been credited for his role by nearly all of these nations.
Crime analyst Jeff Asher has said the United States is on track for the largest one-year drop in murders ever recorded. He cited year-over-year data from the Real Time Crime index showing that the murder rate has decreased nationally from 2024 to 2025 by almost 20 percent.
The growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2024 was just slightly higher than recessionary levels, a pitiful 2.4 percent. However, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis tells us that by the third quarter of 2025 — the last complete quarter — the rate was 4.2 percent. This shows that the economic policies of the Trump administration have increased the growth rate of GDP by 79 percent over the last year of the pathetic Biden administration.
This was accomplished in less than a full year, and the Trump team calls this an historic economic achievement.
The Washington Examiner reported that since Trump took office about 595,000 illegal aliens have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) between Jan. 20 and Dec. 11, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
According to ICE, 70 percent, or approximately 416,000 illegals, had "criminal convictions or pending criminal charges" in the United States. This supports Trump’s promise to focus on getting the "worst of the worst.”
ICE officials also noted that even those without criminal records in the U.S. can still pose threats to public safety, saying that many are wanted for violent crimes in other countries, or are tied to gangs, terrorism and serious crimes.
And, illegal border crossings are at the lowest level ever recorded, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.
“In President Trump’s first year back in office, more than 2.5 million illegal aliens have left the U.S. because of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, including an estimated 1.9 million self-deportations and more than 622,000 deportations,” as reported on the DHS website.
As deportations — both voluntary and by government — continue, and border security virtually stops illegal entry, the country is much safer. Murders, rapes, drug and child trafficking and other crimes caused by illegal aliens are much less common now.
Gas prices in 2024 were averaging around $3 per gallon for regular. Today, that per gallon average price is $2.85, but some much lower prices are available. Prices are as low as $2.25 in some places.
It should be recognized that reducing prices is much more difficult and takes longer than raising prices. Prices can be raised at any time, and for no reason at all. Lowering prices, however, depends on other factors, such as the price of components used in producing products, transportation costs, and economic conditions, and can take a fairly long time.
Some good things have happened in 2025.
And now for something completely different.
One of the bright spots for many people is following the comments of Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana. He has a way with words that is certainly entertaining.
Some examples:
“For my first eight years I lived in a small, overpriced one-bedroom apartment. … I would describe the design aesthetic as ‘early Salvation Army.’”
“Either way, I have to dodge reporters, who are like stray dogs — once you feed them, you can’t get rid of them. … Reporters are also like hyenas. They hunt in packs.”
“This amendment is all Henry and no Kissinger.”
“But it’s undeniable that many Americans believe that the brain is an amazing organ — it starts working in the mother’s womb and doesn’t stop until you get elected to Congress.”
“For as long as I can remember, one thing has been true about me: I have the right to remain silent, but not the ability.”
“Welfare, I believe, was meant to be a bridge, not a parking lot.”
“Most nights, when I come home to my little Capitol Hill apartment, I’ve got two wheels down and my axle dragging.”
“Put another way, you don’t have to be crazy to serve in the Senate; they will happily train you.”
“I observed to a reporter one time that you can lead a person to Congress but you can’t make him think.”
“Maybe it’s because we both understand that you can’t make everyone happy unless you are alcohol.”
Happy New Year!
