With his family. We start with rich edson and west palm beach. In a private day, President Trump spends his Christmas Holiday with his family at maralago, the president had no Public Events on his schedule and had a light day on twitter. My fellow americans. A tweet and video message. We see the best of america and the soul of the American People. We renew the bonds of love and goodwill between our citizens and most importantly we celebrate the miracle of christmas. Earlier, President Trump claimed gratings were once admonished and he is responsible for returning those words to public acceptability. He tweeted people are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. Merry christmas last evening, the president and mrs. Trump attended services at the bethesda by the sea, and a episcopal church. The white house this morning he addressed matters, a briefing on a suicide bombing in afghanistans capital. International reports say the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. Killing several victims. In august, President Trump announced the United States would again expand its military presence in afghanistan. A country thats hosted a substantial u. S. Force for more than 16 years. Yesterday the president turned her domestic matters, tweeted the tax cut reform bill, including massive alaska drilling and the repeal of the highly unpopular individual mandate, brought it all together as to what an incredible year we had. Dont let the fake news convince you otherwise. And our insider polls are strong the external polling shows more americans disapprove of the president s job then approve. He had in his republican allies will return to washington next month with unfinished legislation addressing infrastructure, health care, budgeting, and more. We have the immigration issues that need to be dealt with now, i think the manner in which that is handled can set the stage for Congress Working together. If the president wont work with us on that, its going to be tough. The ongoing special counsel investigation into collusion with the russian government and the 2016 campaign. The president has focus on Andrew Mccabe. His wife ran as a democrat. The president is saying we need to know our Civil Servants are doing an honorable thing. Its important to the American People to know what happened. Mccabes report of to return next march. Mccabe has faced several hours of questioning from committees. As for the president , he is expected to spend the rest of the week in south florida. Doug rich edson, thank you. For many in congress some of this Christmas Holiday is the calm before the political storm. When lawmakers return in january, a looming budget fight that could lead to more threats of a government shutdown. Lets get more from senior capitol hill producer chad pergram. Whats the first thing they need to get done . From the government. Deadline is january 19. Senate returns on january 3. That means there is 11 calendar days defunded. The issues they had fun of the government right before christmas, they have not doused those claims. Nothing is resolved. They dont have much turning radius. They have to do with costsharing reduction. These are the extra help they were giving the poor that President Trump cut for health care. Csrs. Its something thats very popular in the senate, bipartisan support, not so much in the house. The other thing is disaster funding. 81 billion package that moved through the house of representatives right before they went on recess. It did not move through the senate. They need to fix that in the senate and send it back to the house. This deals with wildfires in california, hurricanes. Doug all the talk about the deficit increasing. People are saying we are back to this crisis again. Charlie dent, republican congressman from pennsylvania, says we always have this trauma and chaos. The reason people are reluctant to vote for the 81 billion, especially among conservatives, is because they didnt anticipate this extra funding for disasters. You put that together with money theyve already allocated, and its 133 billion. Doug republicans in the senate have lost a senator. The slimmest of margins. What are the prospects for bipartisanship . You would think when you have a more narrow margin there would be bipartisanship. Probably a good move for doug jones, the new democratic senator from alabama. He would think its good for democrats who faced tougher elections in 2018. But its an Election Year in 2018, and democrats want to turn the tax vote on the republicans. They are going to try to hoist them, run against them in high tax states, like in california. Republicans voted yes. Tax reform is not always an electoral lock. In 1982 after the reagan tax cuts, democrats picked up 26 seats in the house after they passed the big tax reform. In 86, democrats got control back. Doug i wouldve thought this would be an advantage for the republicans. Good to see you. President trump is hitting the United Nations right where it hurts, and the wallace. U. S. Is taking almost three and a Million Dollars away from its annual donation to the world body which condemned the administrations decision to move the American Embassy in israel. David lee miller has details. The United Nations has agreed to a budget cut back following negotiations. President trump, a u. N. Critic, has said the World Organization is mismanaged. While the United Nations on the regular budget has increased by 140 and its staff is more than doubled since 2000, we are not seeing the results in line with his investment. Nikki haley says the u. N. Budget of 5. 4 billion will be reduced by 285 million. No specifics on how the money in the new budget would be saved. A statement from the u. N. U. S. Missions as an addition to the cost savings, we reduced the u. N. s management and support functions. Support for key u. S. Priorities throughout the world and and a stillborn discipline and accountability throughout the u. N. System. The u. S. Has by far the largest contributor to the budget. Its more than double japan, followed by china, germany, and france. 31 of the poorest Member States pay 1 100th of a percent. About 28,000. The budget cutting announcement follows a vote rejecting President Trumps decision to recognize jerusalem as israels capital. Ambassador haley underscored the lopsided contributions following the u. N. General summary vote against the u. S. When we made generous contributions of the um, we also have a legitimate expectation that our goodwill is recognized and respected. When a nation is singled out for an attack in this organization, that nation is disrespected. That nation is asked to pay for the privilege of being disrespected. Stick with the latest Budget Reduction follows another u. N. Budget cut urged by the u. S. The u. N. Peacekeeping mission which has separate funding slashed its 8 billion budget by 600 million. Washington still pick up the largest portion of the peacekeeping tab of 2 billion a year. Doug david lee miller. Thank you. There will be at least one other embassy in jerusalem. Guatemala says it will follow the u. S. Lead and move its embassy there. The Central American nation has long had close ties to israel. Chinese media says they claimed that 10,000 people died in a tin menswear protest is impossible. Newly released documents make that assertion. Previous estimates of those skilled in the 1989 protests arranged in the hundreds to more than 1,000. China is a big worry for the pentagon, so are many other suspects. Heres Lucas Tomlinson. The u. N. Security Council Voted to crank up sanctions on the rogue communist regime. The first set of sanctions instructors longrange missile test last month. Which flew higher and longer than any in its history. Pyongyang responded in a statement sunday. Translator redefined the sanctions resolution rigged up by the United States and its followers as an act of war by letting peace and stability. One and a host of challenges facing the u. S. Military. The Trump Administration approves the shipment of antitank missiles to ukraine control of destroying russian armor. I support the administrations decision should provide these types of defensive weapons for the ukrainians. Its a clear message to the russians that we will not allow them to continue to compromise the sovereignty of ukraine. In yemen, the u. S. Military has conducted more air strikes in 2017 than the last four years combined against al qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and isis. Recent u. S. Intelligence estimates indicate the terror group has the kernel doubled in yemen over the past year. It is in the United States interested to see this conflict brought to a close. A former senior director of the National Security council warned of an old foe. A lot of folks, they think about al qaeda, probably still think of it center of gravity as being on the afghanistanpakistan border. But i think of the center of gravity for al qaeda shifting to syria. China conducted full flight operations. Beijing boasts four ships and will overtake the United States by 2030. The head of the Pacific Command has long complained about the shortage of attack submarines needed to collect intelligence on china and north korea. If congress doesnt pass a budget next month, expect shortages to continue. Doug Lucan Tomlinson the pentagon. With us is a professor of International Relations and political science. Merry christmas to you. Merry christmas to you and all the viewers. Doug lets talk about the arms sale. 50caliber sniper rifles. Selling 40 million worth to the ukraine. Later they agreed to sell javelin antitank missiles to ukraine. What is the intention . Of the president has made a decision that his secretary of state and defense have wanted, along with the National Security council many, many months ago. It really is a response to whats going on on the ground. The russians have pulled out of the joint russianukrainian observation group. Monitors are saying ceasefire violations are happening in the last few days in staggering numbers, around 16,000. The russians will not attempt to help the crisis end. Its a violation of sovereignty and the president is responding by living up to the dashes commitments related to sovereignty of nations. Doug what are the risks of the deal . I think there are some risks in terms of russia may be escalating the conflict, but if the United States really does provide antitank munitions to the ukrainians, the lethality of the ukrainian response to any escalation goes up, and the russians have to really calibrate what they do to what could happen to their own forces along with the separatists. The risk also includes the faculty russians just wont come to the negotiating table. There is a United Nations, american, european call for u. N. Peacekeepers to be put in place. The russians have balked on that. If they follow through on what i just described, they will further isolate themselves in the international system, and perhaps the biggest risk of all. Doug to those who buy into the russian inclusion strike, this would be antithetical. The wall street journal pointed that out in an oped. It wrote critics of the arms sale could increase the u. S. Russian tensions but those are some of the same people who say President Trump colluded with mr. Putin to end the election and wants to appease him now. What do you make of it . The way i see it is this decision, which has been supported by the National Security leadership of the Trump Administration, with the president having had many months to think through means that the administration is taking on russia very firmly. Think also about the National Security strategy just issued a few days ago. It also fingers russia is a great power competitor that spent on expanding its influence around the world. One that the United States has to combat. Doug would you say this is a component of a trump agenda, Foreign Policy agenda . I think the administration is come to really understand those around the president one America First means and what the trump doctrine means in particular. At the core of it is a commitment to promises around sovereignty of nations, around taking on any adversary or even ally or Strategic Partner that violates the interests of nations. Thats what ukraine is really about. Earlier this month, the secretary of state said the seniormost issues facing u. S. And russia is the situation in eastern ukraine. The president is making good on the commitment to helping shore up a nation thats been violated in terms of its political and territorial survival. Doug professor skinner, we appreciate your perspective. Thanks for joining us. New years day could be a lot different this year in california. We are going to tell you why when we come back. With zicam cold remedy. It shortens colds, so you get better, faster. Colds are gonna call. Answer them with zicam zicam. Get your better back. Now in delicious fruit drops. When this guy got a flat tire in the middle of the night. Hold on dad. Liberty did what . Yeah, Liberty Mutual 24hour roadside assistance helped him to fix his flat so he could get home safely. My dad says our insurance doesnt have that. Dont worry i know what a lug wrench is, dad. Is this a lug wrench . Maybe . You can leave worry behind when liberty stands with you™. Liberty stands with you™. Liberty mutual insurance. Doug we are awake away from illegal Recreational Marijuana in california. As will carr tells us from los angeles, not everybody in the golden state is ready. It will certainly be a mary 2018 for Recreational Marijuana companies in california but the regulations are still of it hazy for an industry expected to bring in billions. Can you walk into a los angeles pot store on january 1 and start the new year on a high . Is not going to take place. The state of california did not finalize its regulations for the recreational industry until midnovember. Cities scrambling. Businesses will have to come to the department, get temporary approval for sales. In los angeles and san francisco, companies will be able to start telling Recreational Marijuana in 2018 for a week or longer. We wouldve preferred to have it by january 1 but i think the fifth or sixth is on target. A complex set of regulations. It takes time. Then there is the Law Enforcement side. Duis, we expect to go up. Minor usage, we expect to go up. Since marijuana can stay in the body for weeks or longer, 30s have to figure out if drivers are really under the influence. I think for most of the officers, impaired is impaired. They concede based on training. Five states, colorado, washington nevada, oregon allow pot sales and three more will join in. The golden state will be the biggest by far and is not shied away from bucking the Trump Administration another big national issues. It is the beginning of the end of the war marijuana. He cant criminalize your way to good behavior. Marijuana is still illegal on the federal level. Jeff sessions has called the drug dubious. Doug will carr in los angeles. Thank you. From marijuana to opioids. Abuse of opioids is blamed for a second Straight Year of decreased Life Expectancy in the United States. Correspondent ellison barber looks at the numbers. This is occurring across the country. It doesnt matter. Black, white, rich, poor. This epidemic does not discriminate. Three weeks ago in a Northern Virginia company, 22 miles away from the heart of d. C. , five people died from opioid war resources. In a single week. The victims ranged from 222 mack 44 in 2016 the centers for Disease Control says the Life Expectancy was 78. 6 years. Down 0. 1 from 2015. The rate dropped last year as well. Whats contributing is more concerning than the number itself. Officials say drugs, opioids in particular, are a significant factor. 64,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2016. The rate of deaths when it comes to synthetic opioids doubled from 2015 to mack jamies daughter was 17n she overdosed. I miss my daughter every second of every day. Her husband found the teen unconscious the morning of a fatherdaughter dance. He called 911, gave her mouth to mouth. She was already gone. I always ask myself how did we go from picking rings, College Campus visits, to picking out a casket. With my own children, i can see what path they were going down. But