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Today marks Monday, December 22, 2025, the 356th day of the year, leaving just nine days until the new year begins.
Today in history:
On this date in 1894, French military officer Alfred Dreyfus was found guilty of treason in a court-martial, sparking global outrage over perceived antisemitism. Dreyfus would later be exonerated, bringing justice to a case that had divided public opinion worldwide.
Also on this date:
In a pivotal moment during World War II on December 22, 1944, U.S. Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe famously responded with a single word, “Nuts!”, when the Germans demanded his surrender during the Battle of the Bulge. This bold defiance was a turning point in the battle, as Allied forces ultimately overcame the German offensive at a significant cost.
On this day in 1984, Bernhard Goetz, a New York City resident, shot and injured four young Black men on a Manhattan subway, claiming they were about to mug him. This incident, known as the “Subway Vigilante” case, resulted in Goetz being acquitted of attempted murder and assault but convicted on a weapons charge, serving eight months of a one-year sentence.
Fast forward to 1990, Lech Walesa was sworn in as Poland’s first president elected by popular vote, a historic step for the nation’s democratic process.
On December 22, 2001, Richard C. Reid, a passenger on a flight from Paris to Miami, attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes. His plan was thwarted by alert flight attendants and passengers, leading to his subsequent life imprisonment in a federal facility.
In 2010, President Barack Obama signed a law allowing gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans to serve openly in the military for the first time, repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that allowed gay and lesbian service members to serve as long as their sexual orientation was not public.
In 2018, a 34-day federal government shutdown began in Donald Trump’s first presidency, following a stalemate between Congress and the White House on appropriations matters including funding for Trump’s proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Today’s Birthdays:
- Actor Hector Elizondo is 89.
- Baseball Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is 81.
- Broadcast journalist Diane Sawyer is 80.
- Golf Hall of Famer Jan Stephenson is 74.
- Rapper Luther “Luke” Campbell is 65.
- Actor Ralph Fiennes is 63.
- Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is 55.
- Actor and singer Vanessa Paradis is 53.
- Actor Brooke Nevin is 43.
- Singer-actor Jordin Sparks is 36.
- Racing driver Josef Newgarden is 35.
- Rapper DaBaby is 34.
- Pop singer Meghan Trainor is 32.
