President Trump's self-assessment on the economy: "A-plus ... A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus."

• 🎤 That's what he told Politico's Dasha Burns in a wide-ranging interview that also covered U.S. strikes in the Caribbean, Russia's war with Ukraine and more.

"The word 'affordability' — I inherited a mess," Trump said.

• 📉 "Prices were at an all-time high when I came in. Prices are coming down substantially," he said.

📈 The Consumer Price Index, and a core measure that strips out food and energy costs, both rose 3% for the year ending in September — the latest data available, due to a reporting lapse during the government shutdown.

• 🛞 During remarks at a campaign-style event in Pennsylvania this evening, Trump will road-test his claims that he's tackling affordability woes.

🚤 When asked about the "double-tap" strike by U.S. forces on alleged drug smugglers aboard a boat in the Caribbean, Trump said: "Well, it looked like they were trying to turn back over the boat, but I don't get involved in that."

• "The admiral that did that was — is a highly respected — as you know, a highly respected man."

Watch the interview ... Read the transcript.

Waymo's self-driving taxis are suddenly behaving like they took driving lessons from New York City cabbies, The Wall Street Journal reports.

• 🖕"They're bending traffic laws, getting impatient with pedestrians and embracing the idea that when it comes to city driving, politeness doesn't pay: It's every car for itself," per the paper.

Chris Ludwick, a Waymo senior director of product management, told the Journal that the cars are getting more "confidently assertive" to better mesh with us wild human drivers.

• 💃 Ask anybody who's ever driven in big cities: You either embrace the chaotic dance of it all, or get left in the dust.

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1. 🏈 44-year-old QB Philip Rivers is lacing up his cleats to join the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad. Rivers, who retired in 2021, has been coaching high school football in Fairhope, Alabama. The Colts may end up needing him, with starter Daniel Jones out for the season and backup Riley Leonard nursing a knee injury. Go deeper.
2. 🧑‍⚖️ A federal judge granted the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury testimony in the case against Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted sex offender and Jeffrey Epstein's co-conspirator. Go deeper.
3. 📺 Pay-TV subscriptions grew quarter over quarter for the first time since 2017, fueled by "skinny bundles" and digital offerings like YouTube TV and Sling TV. Go deeper.
4. 🕯️Kent Knutson, 58, a well-known government-relations leader, died yesterday of a heart attack in Connecticut after spending the weekend at the Nantucket Christmas Stroll. He started with Sen. Rudy Boschwitz (R-Minn), then held senior roles with the National Federation of Independent Business, Microsoft and Home Depot. Ford's Theatre memoriam.

Concerns over rink size and readiness are fueling concerns about NHLers playing in February's Winter Olympics, Alex Fitzpatrick writes.

• 🧊 The ice surface at Italy's Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena will be 3 feet shorter than NHL standard, per league deputy commissioner Bill Daly.
• That was a surprise to NHL officials and players, who expected their typical length.

🏗️ There's also fear that the venue won't be ready in time for the Feb. 5 start of Olympic play.

• "The list of outstanding issues at Santagiulia is long ... and includes the fact that the floor of the building is currently covered in construction materials — preventing the boards from being anchored, which allows ice production to begin," The Athletic reports.

🙅 Daly, at an NHL meeting yesterday: "Obviously, if the players feel that the ice is unsafe, we're not going to play."