Week Ahead in Washington: December 28

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Congress remains in recess for the final week of 2025, and President Donald Trump is spending the rest of his year in Florida.

Trump is set to welcome Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Mar-a-Lago on Monday. Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. — his fifth this year — comes as the president and regional mediators are pushing to move to the second stage of the ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported the two leaders are also set to speak about Iran, an Israeli-Syria security agreement, and the ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Brian Cole, the man charged with planting pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committees on the eve of Jan. 6, 2021, is due in federal court Wednesday. The FBI arrested Cole Dec. 4.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the man charged with shooting two National Guard members in Washington on Nov. 26 — killing one of them — is also due in court on Friday. The Department of Justice recently announced the alleged shooter will face federal charges in connection with the attack. If convicted in federal court, he could face the death penalty.