By LORNE COOK, Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — A top European Union official on Monday warned the United States against interfering in Europe’s affairs and said only European citizens can decide which parties should govern them.

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European Council President Antonio Costa’s remarks came in reaction to the Trump administration’s new national security strategy, which was published on Friday and paints European allies as weak while offering tacit support to far-right political parties.

It’s “good” that the strategy depicts European countries as an ally, but “allies don’t threaten to interfere in the domestic political choices of their allies,” Costa said.

“What we can’t accept is the threat of interference in European political life. The United States cannot replace European citizens in choosing what the good or the bad parties are,” he said in Paris at the Jacques Delors Institute, a think tank.

The strategy was critical of European free speech and migration policy. U.S. allies in Europe face the “prospect of civilizational erasure,” the document said, raising doubts about their long-term reliability as American partners.

But Costa, who chairs summits of the 27 national EU leaders, said Europe’s “history has taught us that you can’t have freedom of speech without freedom of information.”

The former Portuguese prime minister also warned “there will never be free speech if the freedom of information of citizens is sacrificed for the aims of the tech oligarchs in the United States.”

The security strategy is the administration’s first since President Donald Trump returned to office in January. It breaks starkly from the course set by President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration, which sought to reinvigorate U.S. alliances.

President Donald Trump, right, seated with Sec. of State Marco Rubio, left, at a Kennedy Center Honors reception for recipients at the State Department, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

It comes as the U.S. seeks an end to Russia’s nearly 4-year-old war in Ukraine, a goal that the national security strategy says is in America’s vital interests.

But the text makes clear that the U.S. wants to improve its relationship with Russia after years of Moscow being treated as a global pariah and ending the war is a core U.S. interest to “reestablish strategic stability with Russia.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said the document “absolutely corresponds to our vision.” Over the course of the war, Russia has worked to drive a wedge between NATO allies, particularly between the U.S. and Ukraine’s main backers in Europe.

“If we read closely the part about Ukraine, we can understand why Moscow shares this vision,” Costa said. “The objective in this strategy is not a fair and durable peace. It’s only (about) the end of hostilities, and the stability of relations with Russia.”

“Everyone wants stable relations with Russia,” he added, but “we can’t have stable relations with Russia when Russia remains a threat to our security.”

Top EU officials and intelligence officers have warned Russia could be in a position to launch an attack elsewhere in Europe in three to five years should it defeat Ukraine.

By MARC LEVY and KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Republicans in key battleground U.S. House districts are working to contain the political fallout that may come when thousands of their constituents face higher bills for health insurance coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act.

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For a critical sliver of the Republican majority, the impending expiration of what are called enhanced premium tax credits after Dec. 31 is a pressing concern as they potentially face headwinds in a 2026 midterm election that will be critical to President Donald Trump’s agenda.

One of those is first-term U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., whose victory for the Allentown-area seat last year was among the narrowest in the nation.

Mackenzie is part of a bipartisan group that has been pressing for an eleventh-hour compromise, advocating for an extension of the tax credits that tries to fix perceived flaws and bring down health care costs. But the push is a long shot due to entrenched GOP opposition to the health overhaul known as “Obamacare.”

“I think that we need to deal with the reality of where we are now and even if you have a broken system, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t provide or offer relief to individuals who are dealing with those high costs right now,” Mackenzie said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Democrats have been laying the groundwork, starting with this fall’s shutdown fight, to make the health care issue a focus of next year’s campaigns.

The party’s strategy for capturing the House majority centers on pinning higher bills for groceries, health insurance and utilities on the policies of Trump and Republicans.

Republicans torn over an extension

In Washington, Republicans from competitive House districts have authored or signed onto bills that would temporarily extend the tax credits. A new bipartisan proposal unveiled Thursday has drawn support from roughly 15 Republicans and 20 Democrats so far.

“I have 40,000 people in my district who rely on this health care and doing nothing to prevent a spike in their premiums is wrong,” said U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., a sponsor of the plan.

FILE – Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., center, accompanied by Rep. Zachary Nunn, R-Iowa, left, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., right, speaks at a news conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

Thirteen Republicans — including Mackenzie — signed a letter in late October to the House speaker, Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., encouraging the temporary extension of the tax credits, saying letting them “lapse without a clear path forward would risk real harm to those we represent.”

Johnson hasn’t committed to a short-term extension vote before Jan. 1 and has dismissed the looming premium increases as affecting a small percentage of Americans.

More than 24 million people have ACA health insurance, including farmers, business owners and other self-employed people who don’t have other health insurance options through their work.

Many benefit from subsidies that lower their out-of-pocket cost. Those subsidies include the enhanced premium tax credits, which were added and then extended under Democratic President Joe Biden when his party was the majority in Congress.

Some Republicans — including Mackenzie — couch their support for an extension with the caveat that changes must be made. One is rooting out insurance broker fraud. Another is backing off subsidies for higher earners.

Time is running out

U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley, one of the California Republicans whose districts have been redrawn to favor a Democrat, sponsored a bill to extend the tax credits for two years. His bill would also impose an income eligibility cap to exclude higher earners.

Kiley said the current system isn’t working, but there’s not enough time to make systematic reforms before millions of Americans “just suddenly pay double on their premiums.”

U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., also has a bill to temporarily extend the credit, and said letting the subsidy lapse will make it harder for Republicans to retain the majority next year.

“People say, ‘well, it’s not that many people,’” Van Drew said. “The kind of election we’re going to have in the midterms in multiple districts is going to be decided by one or two points. It’s going to be close. It’s going to be tight, and it does matter. It absolutely matters politically.”

U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the House Republicans’ campaign arm, said the tax credits won’t be “decisive” in next year’s election when other things are likely to be on voters’ minds.

Democrats will run on affordability

But U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington state, who chairs the House Democrats’ campaign arm, said swing-district Republicans won’t be able to distance themselves from the expiration of the tax credits.

“The number one issue across the country is affordability and health care is a key part of that,” DelBene said.

The Congressional Budget Office projects that 3.8 million more people will be uninsured in 2035 if the tax credits aren’t extended. But the tax credits also come with a cost: Extending them would increase the deficit by $350 billion over the next decade.

The expiration of the tax credits means enrollees will see annual premiums more than double — from an average of $888 in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026, according to health care research nonprofit KFF. That’s an increase of 114%.

The size of the increases varies by state, age and income and will be more extreme in Mackenzie’s district, according to state data, which puts the average premium increase at 178%.

FILE – State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally, in Allentown, Pa., Oct. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

A primary field of Democrats is shaping up for the nomination to challenge Mackenzie. They say they’re hearing from people who are struggling to afford rising premiums.

One of those Democrats, Ryan Crosswell, said rising insurance costs are a “breaking of promises” by Trump, Republicans and Mackenzie. Another Democrat, Carol Obando-Derstine, called the impending expiration a “crisis of (Mackenzie’s) own making.”

Mackenzie says he’s made it clear repeatedly that he supports an extension, but that “I am not the speaker, I don’t set the calendar or the agenda. I’m not the leader, I can’t call up bills.”

Enrollees facing hard choices

In Mackenzie’s district, more than 20,000 people received the enhanced tax credits in 2025, according to state data. He won his race last year by 1 percentage point, or about 4,000 votes.

One of those 20,000 people in Mackenzie’s district is Patrick Visconti, who switched to a low-premium, high-deductible plan because he couldn’t afford to keep his plan with a premium that is more than doubling from under $200 to over $500 a month.

Visconti, 59, who works as a self-employed landscaper and a bus driver, said the plan he picked is “crappy coverage.”

“I’d rather pay the $200 a month. But I can’t get anything for $200,” Visconti said.

Lynn Weidner, a home care worker in Mackenzie’s district who works nearly 80 hours a week, said her $400 premium will increase to $680. But, she said, she’s leaning toward selecting the plan because she has various conditions — including an iron deficiency — that require regular medical care.

“So I’m trying to find places where I can cut money so that I can afford my insurance come January, which is stressful,” Weidner said.

Lynn Weidner, a home care worker who worries that the cost of her health insurance plan in the Affordable Care Act marketplace will rise, poses in front of her home, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Allentown, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

Freking reported from Washington. 

It started to feel like the Vikings might not win another game this season. That’s how overmatched they looked in consecutive blowout losses to the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks.

That makes the response on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium that much more impressive as the Vikings rolled to a 31-0 win over the Washington Commanders.

The biggest storyline was young quarterback J.J. McCarthy showing improvement amid a simplified game plan. That said, the Vikings had a bunch of key contributors that played a role in the win over the Commanders.

Here are some takeaways from the game:

J.J. McCarthy built some confidence

The main talking point for the Vikings heading into the matchup was how head coach Kevin O’Connell was going to pare down the playbook to help McCarthy function in the confines of the offense.

The result was McCarthy playing his best game in recent memory, completing 16 of 23 passes for 163 yards for a trio of touchdowns. He got into a rhythm from the onset with some easy completions on the opening drive. That helped him play with conviction throughout the game en route to leading the Vikings to a convincing win over the Commanders.

If anything is clear about McCarthy by now, it’s that confidence is extremely important to his success. He’s put both sides of the spectrum on display amid the roster coaster that has been this season.

The good news for the Vikings? It appears that McCarthy has built some confidence heading into the home stretch.

Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason balled out

It helped that McCarthy got to hand the ball off to running back Aaron Jones and fellow running back Jordan Mason. The dynamic duo in the backfield shouldered the load for the Vikings against the Commanders.

The production spoke for itself, as Jones finished with 14 carries for 76 yards and Mason finished with 11 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. That took some pressure off of McCarthy while also opening up the playbook for O’Connell.

It would behoove the Vikings to continue to lean on Jones and Mason. That’s going to be a recipe for success, even if the Vikings are bound to face opposing units more stout than the Commanders.

Justin Jefferson had another quiet game

After struggling through the worst game of his career last weekend, star receiver Justin Jefferson wasn’t much better this weekend. He was basically nonexistent for the Vikings, finishing with a pair of receptions for a 11 yards while consistently navigating double coverage from the Commanders.

The stat line for Jefferson could’ve looked much better had he been able to haul in a jump ball in the end zone. It went down as a harmless incompletion instead of a 36-yard touchdown that would’ve served as an exclamation point.

To his credit, Jefferson was all smiles after the game, noting that he cares more about the win than putting up big numbers. Nonetheless, the Vikings need to find a way to get Jefferson going moving forward.

Andrew Van Ginkel struck again

It’s become commonplace for edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel to intercept screen passes. He has an innate feel at the line of scrimmage that allows him to snuff out those types of plays as they’re happening in real time.

That’s exactly what Van Ginkel did for the Vikings against the Commanders. He read the eyes of quarterback Jayden Daniels shortly halftime, tipped the ball into the air, and hauled it in for an interception.

That helped the Vikings keep the Commanders off the scoreboard before they added to their lead on the other end.

Harrison Smith turned back the clock

It’s fitting that veteran safety Harrison Smith hauled in an interception in the same game that former linebacker Anthony Barr led the Skol Chant before kickoff. They were teammates for the better part of a decade and always brought out the best in each other.

Asked about having his good friend in attendance, Smith joked that Barr’s presence motivated him turn back the clock. It was an impressive effort from Smith as he hauled in an interception for the Vikings while constantly toying with the Commanders before the snap.

It’s still unclear what Smith plans to do after this season. If he ends up deciding to hang up the cleats for good, this is a performance that won’t soon be forgotten.

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As Minnesota has officially entered the season it’s best known for, local watershed districts are encouraging community members to use a sidewalk salt alternative that can help reduce chloride pollution in the environment.

“Make a simple switch that has the same benefit but doesn’t have the same negative impact on local water, and that’s grit,” Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District communications and engagement program manager Lauren Hazenson said. “Just simple chicken grit.”

Chicken grit is what’s fed to poultry to help them digest their feed. It also can provide traction on your sidewalk or driveway.

To promote their Get Gritty campaign, the Ramsey-Washington Metro, Rice Creek and Coon Creek watershed districts and Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization are partnering with 10 local hardware stores to give free bags of chicken grit to anyone interested in trying a reusable salt alternative this winter. The bags will be available until Jan. 16, Hazenson said.

About 42% of the chloride that enters the environment in Minnesota comes from road salt, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Chloride, which finds its way into groundwater once the ice and snow melts, is harmful to local bodies of water, can kill birds and fish and sicken pets. It negatively impacts the water quality, which includes drinking water, according to Hazenson.

“You think about how much salt people are applying in a given season, and you compound that over 10, 20, 25 years, it starts becoming a real problem,” Hazenson said.

Hazenson said people understand that salt can melt ice, but it doesn’t actually work as well as most probably imagine. When the temperature falls below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, salt becomes ineffective at melting and only adds some traction, she said.

Grit, on the other hand, does not melt ice, but it is an effective traction alternative that is reusable, Hazenson said. Her recommendation is to shovel the snow, use an ice chipper to help remove ice, then lay down the grit. At the end of the season it can be swept up and reused.

Because it does not melt ice, Hazenson said the districts are not recommending that grit be a large-scale solution for local roads, but rather that small businesses, residences and properties try it out instead.

“There’s no limit on the amount of grit that you can put down, and it works incredibly well,” Hazenson said.

Hazenson said many people have been coming out to try the alternative this winter. The districts plan to expand the initiative in the future and give away more free bags.

The free chicken grit is available in St. Paul at Kendall’s Ace Hardware, 840 Payne Ave., and Noll Hardware, 789 Raymond Ave. It’s also available at Frattallone’s Hardware locations in Andover, Arden Hills, Blaine, Circle Pines, Little Canada, Mahtomedi-White Bear Lake, White Bear Lake and Woodbury.

To learn more about Get Gritty and see a map of participating hardware stores, visit getgrittymn.org.

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