Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are under federal investigation amid their opposition to the Trump administration&#8217;s massive immigration enforcement operation in the state, a source close to the situation <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2012303116897542265?s=20">confirmed</a> to The Daily Wire.
CBS News first <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-investigating-tim-walz-jacob-frey-minnesota/">reported</a> the details of the investigation, which focuses on allegations that Walz and Frey have interfered with federal immigration operations. A U.S. official told the outlet that the Justice Department is looking into statements that Walz and Frey have made regarding the recent surge in federal law enforcement to Minnesota.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche hinted at the federal government taking action against Walz and Frey, <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2011620198751597028?s=20">saying</a> on Wednesday, &#8220;Minnesota insurrection is a direct result of a FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor encouraging violence against law enforcement. It’s disgusting. Walz and Frey — I’m focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary. This is not a threat. It’s a promise.&#8221;
The DOJ investigation focuses on federal statute, 18 U.S.C. § 372, which addresses two or more people who conspire through &#8220;force, intimidation or threats&#8221; to prevent federal law enforcement officers from carrying out their duties, CBS News reported.
Both the governor and the mayor have made inflammatory statements about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents following the deadly shooting of Renee Good last week. In an address on Wednesday night, Walz urged Minnesotans to follow ICE agents and record their actions to help the state “create a database of the atrocities against Minnesotans” that could be used for “future prosecutions.”
In the hours after Good was shot and killed, Frey told ICE to &#8220;get the f*ck out of Minneapolis.&#8221; Later, Frey said that ICE agents were &#8220;causing chaos&#8221; in Minneapolis and suggested that residents were asking for the city police to &#8220;fight&#8221; ICE agents &#8220;on the streets&#8221; before he urged residents to remain peaceful.
As the Minnesota Democratic leaders have denounced ICE&#8217;s actions, demonstrations in Minneapolis continue, some of which have turned violent. On Wednesday night, a federal agent was ambushed and attacked by three illegal immigrants while attempting to make an arrest, according to the Department of Homeland Security. After the second ICE-involved shooting, demonstrators descended on the scene of the incident and confronted federal officers. Some of the agitators threw fireworks at law enforcement, and the crowd was cleared out of the area with tear gas.
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-to-use-insurrection-act-in-minnesota-if-professional-agitators-are-not-stopped?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Threatens+To+Use+Insurrection+Act+In+Minnesota+If+%E2%80%98Professional+Agitators%E2%80%99+Are+Not+Stopped">threatened</a> to invoke the Insurrection Act on Thursday, blasting &#8220;corrupt politicians in Minnesota,&#8221; who &#8220;don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E.&#8221; On Friday, however, Trump told reporters outside of the White House that he doesn&#8217;t think there&#8217;s &#8220;any reason right now right now&#8221; to use the Insurrection Act.

Jacob Frey/Tim Walz

DOJ Opens Investigation Into Tim Walz, Jacob Frey Over Suspected Conspiracy To Impede Federal Agents

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

jacob frey

Minneapolis

Minnesota

Tim Walz

Trump Administration

The Kremlin said on Friday that it is closely monitoring President Donald Trump&#8217;s push to acquire Greenland, calling the proposal by the United States &#8220;extraordinary from the standpoint of international law.&#8221;
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/16/greenland-russia-trump-takeover-threats-annex-denmark.html">said</a> that Trump “has said that international law is not a priority for him,&#8221; adding, &#8220;The situation is developing along a different trajectory, and we, along with the rest of the world, will be watching to see which one,&#8221; CNBC reported. Earlier this week, Russia rejected claims that it has its sights set on Greenland, calling such claims a &#8220;fictitious pretext&#8221; used by NATO to grow its military presence in the Arctic, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-nato-talk-moscow-beijing-being-threat-greenland-is-myth-create-2026-01-15/">Reuters</a>.
Russia is far from a valid judge on the rules of international law. The country is still engaged in a war that it started by invading Ukraine in February 2022. In recent months, Moscow has fired missiles and drones at civilian targets in Kyiv and surrounding cities, with an <a href="https://ukraine.ohchr.org/en/2025-deadliest-year-for-civilians-in-Ukraine-since-2022-UN-human-rights-monitors-find">estimated</a> 2,514 Ukrainian civilians being killed at the hands of Russia in 2025.
Trump has said multiple times that acquiring Greenland is a priority for U.S. national security, arguing that Russia and China have their own plans for taking over the territory. The president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-greenland-is-non-negotiable-for-u-s-security?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump%3A+Greenland+Is+Non-Negotiable+For+U.S.+Security">said</a> earlier this week that Greenland is “vital” for his plans to build a “Golden Dome” of defense to protect the United States.
&#8220;NATO should be leading the way for us to get it. IF WE DON’T, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!” Trump said.
In an interview with The New York Times last week, Trump also suggested he prioritizes his &#8220;own morality&#8221; and his &#8220;own mind&#8221; over international law. The president said that the United States would abide by international law, but then added, “It depends [on] what your definition of international law is.”
Many NATO countries — including Denmark, which oversees Greenland&#8217;s defense — have rebuked Trump over his effort to acquire Greenland while ramping up military presence around the territory. Denmark, France, Sweden, and Norway are conducting joint military exercises in Greenland, a move that has seemingly enraged Moscow. Russia accused NATO of &#8220;using high-profile statements from Washington on the Greenland issue solely to promote an anti-Russian and anti-Chinese agenda.&#8221;
&#8220;We consider the alliance&#8217;s policy of escalating confrontation in the Arctic to be counterproductive and extremely dangerous,&#8221; Russia added.
Louisiana Republican Governor Jeff Landry, who&#8217;s also serving as Trump&#8217;s special envoy to Greenland, said that Russia and China have increased production of icebreaker ships in the past year, suggesting that both countries are seeking &#8220;to gain control of the Arctic.&#8221;
&#8220;China and Russia have built more icebreakers in one year than the United States has built in the history of our country. They aren’t just building them for fun,&#8221; Landry <a href="https://x.com/JeffLandry/status/2012200748243665336">told</a> Fox &amp; Friends Friday morning. &#8220;It is vital that America secures Greenland and reinforces the Monroe Doctrine for the future of national security.&#8221;
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt met with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House earlier this week to discuss Trump&#8217;s push to acquire Greenland. Following the meeting, Rasmussen said that both sides agreed to disagree, with Denmark sticking firm to its “red lines.”
“For us, ideas that would not respect the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of self-determination of the Greenlandic people are, of course, totally unacceptable,&#8221; Rasmussen added.

Vladimir Putin

Russia Scrutinizes Trump’s Push To Acquire Greenland, Rejects Claims That Moscow Wants Territory

Russia Closely Watches Trump's Push To Acquire Greenland, Rejects Claims That Moscow Wants Territory

Donald Trump

Foreign Policy

Greenland

NATO

Russia

Renee Good had apparent gunshot wounds to her chest, forearm, and possibly head, according to documents released by the Minneapolis Fire Department on Thursday.
The fire department sent documents to media outlets, which stated that first responders &#8220;found two apparent gunshot wounds to the patient&#8217;s right chest [and] one apparent gunshot wound to the patient&#8217;s left forearm,&#8221; ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/minneapolis-ice-shooting-live-updates/?id=129124338">reported</a>. The documents also stated that it&#8217;s possible she was struck on the left side of her head.
Good, 37, was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis last week after she drove her SUV toward the agent during a confrontation with federal law enforcement. Video shows Good&#8217;s Honda Pilot striking ICE agent, Jonathan Ross, and three shots are heard before Good&#8217;s vehicle careens down the street and crashes into a parked car.
Minneapolis officials said that after the shooting, first responders removed Good from her vehicle and moved her down the street &#8220;for a more workable scene, better access for ambulances, and separation from an escalating scene involving law enforcement and bystanders.&#8221; When first responders arrived, Good was “unresponsive, not breathing, with inconsistent, irregular, thready pulse activity,” according to the fire department&#8217;s report. She was transported to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Good, who was actively involved in monitoring ICE&#8217;s actions in the city, was in the area of the ICE operation on January 7 as anti-ICE demonstrators followed the federal agents, with some people filming them. Good parked her car in the middle of the road as agents moved down the street in a convoy of vehicles. When one agent attempted to open her car door, Good put the car in reverse and then drove forward while another agent was standing in front of the vehicle. That agent then shot and killed Good.
The shooting death sparked more than a week of protests in Minneapolis, which remain ongoing, as the city&#8217;s leaders condemn ICE and accuse President Donald Trump of &#8220;creating chaos&#8221; with his deployment of federal immigration agents. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has backed agent Ross and said that Good engaged in an act of &#8220;domestic terrorism.&#8221;
Despite his administration labeling Good a domestic terrorist, Trump <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-renee-good-minnesota-ice-solid-wonderful-person-actions-pretty-tough/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CBS News earlier this week that &#8220;under normal circumstances,&#8221; Good was most likely a &#8220;very solid, wonderful person.&#8221; He added that her actions during the confrontation with ICE were &#8220;pretty tough.&#8221;
&#8220;When you look at that tape, it can be viewed two ways I guess, but when you look at the way that car pulled away — there are a couple versions of that tape that are very, very bad,&#8221; Trump said.
In the interview with CBS News, the president defended ICE&#8217;s actions and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=7cpooMjsboE">said</a> that federal immigration agents are &#8220;working very hard&#8221; to detain illegal immigrants, but &#8220;their job is being made very, very difficult.&#8221;

Renee Good

Minneapolis Authorities Reveal Extent Of Renee Good’s Injuries Following ICE Shooting

Immigration

Border czar Tom Homan said on Thursday that the Trump administration needs to be &#8220;better at messaging&#8221; on Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations to push back on what he called &#8220;false&#8221; legacy media narratives.
Homan <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6387789141112">told</a> Fox News host Laura Ingraham that recent polls showing growing disapproval for Trump&#8217;s massive deportation operations are &#8220;egged on by the press.&#8221; Recent surveys conducted by the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/15/trump-ice-foreign-policy-economy-immigration-polls">Associated Press</a>, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/republicans-split-trumps-aggressive-immigration-crackdown-reutersipsos-poll-2026-01-15/">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/14/politics/ice-minnesota-cnn-poll">CNN</a>, and <a href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3945">Quinnipiac</a> show Trump&#8217;s approval rating on immigration slipping, despite immigration being one of the top issues that helped him win the 2024 election.
“Tom, are you concerned about the CNN and Quinnipiac polls that show declining public support for ICE and President Trump’s approach to immigration enforcement? Do you think those are accurate, or are they being egged on by the press?” Ingraham asked.
&#8220;I think they’re being egged on by the press. I think there’s a lot of false media out there. And I think we need to be better at messaging at what we’re doing,&#8221; Homan replied. &#8220;Look, bottom line is 70% of everybody arrested is a criminal. We need to start advertising that every single day and put their pictures all over social media.&#8221;
&#8220;We just gotta push back the lies because a lot of people don&#8217;t get the facts,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And we gotta be better about getting the facts out there.&#8221;
As part of gaining an advantage in messaging, Homan also proposed creating a &#8220;database&#8221; of people who are arrested for impeding ICE operations.
&#8220;These people saying, follow ICE, film ICE — you can protest, they have that right. But when you cross that line, and we&#8217;ve proven it, if you interfere or impede or assault an ICE officer, you will be prosecuted,&#8221; Homan said.
He added that he wants to make people who are arrested for getting in the way of ICE operations &#8220;famous&#8221; and will have their faces &#8220;put on TV.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to make their employers and their communities and their schools know who these people are,&#8221; Homan continued.
Following the shooting death of Renee Good last week, protesters have followed ICE around the city, and in some cases, have confronted and impeded federal agents. Protesters in Minnesota were encouraged by Democratic Governor Tim Walz to record ICE activities to help the state &#8220;create a database of the atrocities against Minnesotans&#8221; that could be used for &#8220;future prosecutions.&#8221;
Demonstrators surrounded federal law enforcement officers on Wednesday night following another ICE shooting, when an agent shot a Venezuelan illegal immigrant in the leg after the agent was attacked by three illegal immigrants, according to the Department of Homeland Security. During the protests following Wednesday night&#8217;s shooting, agitators threw fireworks at law enforcement, and authorities had to clear them out of the area with tear gas.
Some federal law enforcement vehicles were also vandalized on Wednesday night, and one video showed agitators breaking into an agent&#8217;s equipment box, which was in the back of a vehicle.
&#8220;If the hateful rhetoric doesn&#8217;t stop, there&#8217;s going to be more bloodshed. It&#8217;s not over,&#8221; Homan said. &#8220;What scares me the most is there&#8217;s going to be another death.&#8221;

Tom Homan

Border Czar Says Trump Admin Needs To Be ‘Better At Messaging’ To Combat ‘False’ ICE Narratives

Legacy Media

Polls

President Donald Trump praised a &#8220;highly respected Minnesota judge&#8221; on Thursday after she declined to issue a restraining order against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the Democrat-run state.
On Wednesday, Kate Menendez, a Biden-appointed U.S. District Court judge, rejected Minnesota&#8217;s request to temporarily block ICE from continuing immigration enforcement operations in the state as Minnesota&#8217;s lawsuit against the Trump administration&#8217;s immigration enforcement moves forward.
&#8220;A highly respected judge declined to block I.C.E. operations in the very politically corrupt State of Minnesota. I.C.E. will therefore be allowed to continue its highly successful operation of removing some of the most violent and vicious criminals anywhere in the World, many of them murderers, from the State,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;The great patriots of Law Enforcement will continue to make our Country safe. RECORD LOW CRIME NUMBERS!!!&#8221;
Menendez said her decision did not indicate how she would ultimately rule on Minnesota&#8217;s lawsuit against the federal government, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/judge-restraining-order-tro-minnesota-ice-operations/">reported</a>.
&#8220;I think the issues are really important and I don&#8217;t want to suggest by not acting immediately one way or the other that I think they are unimportant,&#8221; Menendez said. &#8220;To the contrary, I understand this is important to everybody.&#8221;
Minnesota argued that a two-week restraining order was needed to give the state time to prepare for the case, arguing that the 3,000 federal agents in Minneapolis and the surrounding areas are violating citizens&#8217; rights.
The federal government must respond to Minnesota&#8217;s lawsuit by January 19, and Judge Menendez denied a federal prosecutor&#8217;s request to postpone the date due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Menendez said the case was too urgent to delay.
Leftist Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Monday that the state filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in an effort to stop its surge of federal agents into the state. Ellison described Trump&#8217;s immigration operation in Minnesota as an &#8220;invasion.&#8221; The lawsuit was filed just days after Minneapolis resident Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent after she drove her vehicle toward him during a confrontation. The shooting death has sparked massive protests, which have continued for more than a week, and the Trump administration has deployed more federal agents to the city.
Another ICE shooting on Wednesday night sparked more outrage in Minneapolis. A federal agent was ambushed and attacked by three people while attempting to detain a suspected Venezuelan illegal immigrant in the city&#8217;s Northside, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-to-use-insurrection-act-in-minnesota-if-professional-agitators-are-not-stopped?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Threatens+To+Use+Insurrection+Act+In+Minnesota+If+%E2%80%98Professional+Agitators%E2%80%99+Are+Not+Stopped">threatened</a> to invoke the Insurrection Act on Thursday as demonstrations continued.
&#8220;If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State,&#8221; Trump wrote on Truth Social. &#8220;Thank you for you [sic] attention to this matter!&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-ice-agent-fatally-shoots-agitator-as-chaos-erupts-in-minneapolis">LIVE UPDATES: Minnesota Dems Angry After Second ICE Shooting, Protesters Throw Fireworks At Police</a>

Trump Praises Minnesota Judge For Declining To Block ‘Highly Successful’ ICE Operations

federal judge

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he could invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota to stop &#8220;professional agitators and insurrectionists&#8221; from attacking federal immigration agents.
Trump said the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to deploy the military and federalize the National Guard, would quickly &#8220;put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State.&#8221; The president has threatened to use the act in the past, but his comments on Thursday morning mark the first time he has said the move is a possibility following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent, which sparked massive protests in Minneapolis.
&#8220;If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221; Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump&#8217;s threat comes just hours after the Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2011632198000976086">said</a> a federal agent shot an illegal immigrant on Wednesday night. According to DHS, a federal agent was ambushed and attacked by three people while attempting to detain a suspected Venezuelan illegal immigrant. The suspects attacked the federal agent with a snow shovel and a broomstick, according to Homeland Security.
During the scuffle, the agent fired a defensive shot, which struck a subject&#8217;s leg, according to Homeland Security, which added that both the agent and the subject were transported to the hospital, and the two other alleged attackers were arrested.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O&#8217;Hara confirmed that a scuffle between a federal agent and another person took place. He did not confirm the federal government&#8217;s account that the officer was ambushed and attacked by multiple people. Protesters descended on the area near the shooting shortly after the incident and shouted at law enforcement. Some of the agitators threw fireworks at police officers, according to O&#8217;Hara.
Following the second ICE shooting in Minneapolis in a week, Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz said he was &#8220;angry,&#8221; adding, &#8220;What Donald Trump wants is violence in the streets.&#8221; In a recorded address that was initially plagued by technical difficulties, Walz urged residents to &#8220;remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, and of peace&#8221; and told Minnesotans, &#8220;Don’t give [Trump] what he wants.&#8221;
Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey also addressed the ICE shooting on Wednesday night and said that ICE and Border Patrol agents are &#8220;creating chaos&#8221; in the Twin Cities area, and said that residents are asking the Minneapolis Police Department &#8220;to fight ICE agents on the street.&#8221;
&#8220;We cannot be at a place right now in America where we have two governmental entities that are literally fighting one another,&#8221; he added.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-ice-agent-fatally-shoots-agitator-as-chaos-erupts-in-minneapolis?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+Minnesota+Dems+Angry+After+Second+ICE+Shooting%2C+Protesters+Throw+Fireworks+At+Police">LIVE UPDATES: Minnesota Dems Angry After Second ICE Shooting, Protesters Throw Fireworks At Police</a>
Trump has suggested numerous times that the anti-ICE demonstrations in Minneapolis are organized and carried out by &#8220;professionals.&#8221; In at least one protest last week, organizers with the AFL-CIO told demonstrators that they were &#8220;moving out&#8221; after they hit their &#8220;goal time,&#8221; The Daily Wire <a href="https://x.com/breccastoll/status/2009307731690172804">reported</a>.
President George H.W. Bush was the last president to invoke the Insurrection Act during the Los Angeles riots in 1992, following the acquittal of police officers who were accused of beating Rodney King. The federal intervention helped restore order within days, but significant destruction had already occurred.

Donald Trump, Minneapolis

Trump Threatens To Use Insurrection Act In Minnesota If ‘Professional Agitators’ Are Not Stopped

insurrection

The White House&#8217;s meeting with Denmark and Greenland on Wednesday did not change any minds on President Donald Trump&#8217;s push to acquire Greenland, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen spoke at a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cn824zzp670t#player">press conference</a> alongside Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt after meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Denmark oversees Greenland&#8217;s defense while the territory is largely self-governing. In recent weeks, Trump has ramped up his push to make Greenland a territory of the United States for national security purposes.
The meeting on Wednesday was &#8220;frank and constructive,&#8221; but ultimately the sides agreed to disagree, with Denmark sticking firm to its &#8220;red lines,&#8221; according to Rasmussen.
&#8220;We, the Kingdom of Denmark, continue to believe that also the long-term security of Greenland can be ensured inside the current framework, the 1951 agreement on the defense of Greenland as well as the NATO treaty,&#8221; he said. &#8220;For us, ideas that would not respect the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of self-determination of the Greenlandic people are, of course, totally unacceptable.&#8221;
&#8220;We therefore still have a fundamental disagreement, but we also agree to disagree,&#8221; Rasmussen added.
Motzfeldt said that it remains important for Greenland to &#8220;strengthen our cooperation with the United States, but that doesn&#8217;t mean that we want to be owned by the United States.&#8221;
Denmark and Greenland agreed to continue the discussions to see &#8220;if we can find a common way forward,&#8221; the Danish foreign minister said. The discussions are expected to continue in the coming weeks. Rasmussen said he agreed with the Trump administration&#8217;s concerns about the security situation in the Arctic, but added that he does not see China and Russia representing an &#8220;instant threat.&#8221;
&#8220;There&#8217;s no Chinese presence in Greenland, but there&#8217;s a concern: would that be the case in 10 or 20 years from now?&#8221; Rasmussen asked. &#8220;It will not because our Greenlandic friends have introduced investments &#8230; and Denmark is, by all means, on the right side of history.&#8221;
Trump disagrees and has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-greenland-is-non-negotiable-for-u-s-security?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump%3A+Greenland+Is+Non-Negotiable+For+U.S.+Security">argued</a> that if the United States doesn&#8217;t take control of Greenland, &#8220;Russia or China will.&#8221;
“The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it,&#8221; Trump said in a Truth Social post Wednesday morning. Trump argued that NATO would also be safer if the United States made a move on Greenland.
“NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES. Anything less than that is unacceptable,&#8221; Trump said.
As Denmark and Greenland met with the White House, multiple NATO countries <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-nato-allies-expand-military-presence-around-greenland?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=European+NATO+Allies+Expand+Military+Presence+Around+Greenland">said</a> that they would expand their military presence around Greenland.

US-DENMARK-GREENLAND-DIPLOMACY-DEFENCE

Denmark Maintains ‘Fundamental Disagreement’ With Trump On Greenland After White House Meeting

Denmark Maintains 'Fundamental Disagreement' With Trump On Greenland After Meeting With Vance, Rubio

Denmark

JD Vance

Marco Rubio

The FBI executed a search warrant at a Washington Post reporter&#8217;s Virginia home on Wednesday morning as the feds investigate a government contractor who&#8217;s accused of leaking classified government materials.
Reporter Hannah Natanson, who focuses on &#8220;covering the Trump administration&#8217;s reshaping of the government,&#8221; was at home when FBI agents showed up at her front door and proceeded to search her house and seize two laptops, a phone, and a Garmin watch, the Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/14/washington-post-reporter-search/">reported</a>. Investigators reportedly told Natanson that she is not the target of the investigation. According to the Post, the FBI is looking into Aurelio Perez-Lugones, a government contractor with top-secret security clearance.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Natanson was reporting on classified information that was &#8220;illegally leaked&#8221; by a &#8220;Pentagon contractor.&#8221; Bondi added that the accused leaker, whom she did not publicly identify, is in jail.
&#8220;This past week, at the request of the Department of War, the Department of Justice and FBI executed a search warrant at the home of a Washington Post journalist who was obtaining and reporting classified and illegally leaked information from a Pentagon contractor,&#8221; Bondi said. &#8220;The leaker is currently behind bars. I am proud to work alongside Secretary Hegseth on this effort. The Trump Administration will not tolerate illegal leaks of classified information that, when reported, pose a grave risk to our Nation’s national security and the brave men and women who are serving our country.&#8221;
Perez-Lugones is a system administrator in Maryland who allegedly took classified intelligence reports to his home. The reports were found in his lunchbox and basement, according to the FBI.
Natanson, who was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize and describes herself as &#8220;the federal government whisperer,&#8221; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/12/24/trump-federal-government-workers/">wrote</a> in an article published last month that she connected with more than 1,000 sources within the Trump administration after posting her phone number to an online forum for federal government employees. She said federal workers who reached out to her often expressed frustration with the administration.
U.S. law protects journalists who publish classified information, provided they obtained it without coercion and did not ask anyone to break the law. Some of Natanson&#8217;s colleagues took to social media to defend her after news broke of the FBI search.
Last year, Bondi ended a policy implemented under former President Joe Biden that prohibited federal agencies from searching reporters&#8217; devices to identify a leaker. Bondi said that under her leadership, federal authorities would search reporters&#8217; devices and records only when necessary and after all other investigative avenues had been exhausted.

FBI/Washington Post

FBI Searches Washington Post Reporter’s Home In Classified Docs Probe, Leaker ‘Behind Bars’

classified documents

journalist

Media

Pam Bondi

Politics

Washington Post

Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin said that she is under federal investigation following her role in a video made by Democratic lawmakers in November, urging military members to &#8220;refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
Slotkin <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/politics/slotkin-pirro-trump-justice-dept-video.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">told</a> The New York Times on Monday that the office of Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, reached out to the Senate sergeant-at-arms to request an interview with the first-term senator or her private counsel. Pirro&#8217;s office told The Daily Wire that it neither confirms nor denies &#8220;the existence of an investigation.&#8221;
Slotkin, a former CIA officer, organized the <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948">video message</a> to military members, which included five other Democratic lawmakers who are also veterans. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Jason Crow (D-CO) all appeared in Slotkin&#8217;s video and told military members, &#8220;This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens.&#8221;
&#8220;Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution,&#8221; the Democrats added. &#8220;Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren&#8217;t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear: you can refuse illegal orders &#8230; you must refuse illegal orders.&#8221;
The Trump administration has referred to the group of Democrats in the video as the &#8220;Seditious Six,&#8221; arguing that their message is an attempt to undermine the commander-in-chief&#8217;s authority over the military. After the video was released, President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115582703277798715">suggested</a> that it constituted &#8220;seditious behavior, punishable by death.&#8221; Trump later said that he was not threatening the Democrats with the death penalty, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-democrats-sedition-death-threat-military-rcna245156">adding</a>, “I think they’re in serious trouble. I would say they’re in serious trouble. I’m not threatening death, but I think they’re in serious trouble. In the old days, it was death. That was seditious behavior.”
Sen. Kelly, a retired astronaut and naval officer, is currently under investigation by the War Department for his role in the &#8220;seditious video,&#8221; and War Secretary Pete Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-moves-to-strip-mark-kelly-of-rank-and-pay-over-seditious-military-video">moved</a> earlier this month to strip Kelly of his rank and retirement pay. Kelly filed a lawsuit against Hegseth on Monday, arguing that Hegseth&#8217;s action violates the First Amendment.
&#8220;Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator whose job is to hold him—and this or any administration—accountable,&#8221; Kelly <a href="https://x.com/SenMarkKelly/status/2010787235549876286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2011151451381498107%7Ctwgr%5E51310249b3c4ab3a335554f0d8d33fc75ab47b7d%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fpete-hegseth-hits-back-at-captain-mark-kelly-he-knows-exactly-what-he-did">said</a>. &#8220;His unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn’t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted.&#8221;
Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pete-hegseth-hits-back-at-captain-mark-kelly-he-knows-exactly-what-he-did?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Pete+Hegseth+Hits+Back+At+%E2%80%98Captain%E2%80%99+Mark+Kelly%3A+He+%E2%80%98Knows+Exactly+What+He+Did%E2%80%99">fired back</a>, saying that Kelly is &#8220;worried and cranky.&#8221;
“&#8217;Captain&#8217; Kelly knows exactly what he did, and that he will be held to account,&#8221; he added.

Elissa Slotkin

Dem Senator Says Feds Are Investigating Her After Urging Military To ‘Refuse Illegal Orders’

Democrats

Jeanine Pirro

U.S. Military

Christians in Syria saw the largest increase in persecution among any country in the world last year as regime change and terrorism threw the Islamic nation into chaos, according to the Christian organization Open Doors, which published its annual persecution watch list Wednesday morning.
The Open Doors <a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/countries/">2026 World Watch List</a> revealed that Syria jumped up to No. 6 in overall Christian persecution, after coming in at No. 18 in last year’s list. Syria is now only behind North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, and Eritrea.
Open Doors CEO Ryan Brown told The Daily Wire that the recent political turmoil in Syria is the main contributing factor to the increase in persecution.
“With the fall of the Assad regime and as HTS [Hay&#8217;at Tahrir al-Sham] came into power, it created a lot of vacuums of control and authority,” Brown said. “The rule of law is weak in a number of areas, and in that, there’s just been a number of extremists that have just stepped into those voids.”
Brown pointed to multiple recent Islamic terror attacks targeting Syrian Christians, such as the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jihadist-suicide-bomber-kills-20-wounds-dozens-more-at-orthodox-church" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suicide bombing</a> in June, when a terrorist opened fire on worshipers and then detonated a suicide vest, killing more than 20 Christians and wounding over 50 more. Christians in Syria are more likely to come under attack from Islamic terrorists who are fighting for control of certain areas in the unstable country, not from the government, which is now led by former HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa.
“The church is coming under attack especially in these areas where the government is not having a strong rule of law as part of this transition,” Brown added. “Traditionally, in some of these areas in Syria where the rule of law has not been strong, the tribalism becomes the ruling force and provides safety. Christian converts from Islam are typically rejected from these tribal infrastructures.”
It remains to be seen if al-Sharaa, a former terrorist leader, will tolerate Christians in Syria if he establishes a firm grip on the country. So far, the new Syrian leader has been actively seeking to take out Islamic terrorists that remain in Syria.
President Donald Trump met with al-Sharaa at the White House as he seeks to broker peace in the Middle East. The meeting marked the first time a Syrian leader and former jihadist met with the President of the United States.
Brown said the 12-spot change in Syria&#8217;s ranking between 2025 and 2026 was the largest year-over-year move for any country on the persecution watch list in more than a decade.
Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan, Libya, and Iran round out the top 10 of countries where Christians experience the most persecution, meaning that eight out of the top 10 countries on the 2026 World Watch List are majority Muslim nations.
<h3>Nigeria Was The ‘Epicenter’ Of Violence Against Christians In 2025</h3>
More Christians in Nigeria, which came in at No. 7 on the list, were killed for their faith than in any other country. Open Doors reported that 3,490 Nigerian Christians were killed last year, which was an increase from the estimated 3,100 killed in 2024. For comparison, 1,359 Christians are estimated to have been killed for their faith in all other countries combined in 2025.
Brown told The Daily Wire that Nigeria didn’t rank No. 1 on the persecution list because Open Doors considers multiple factors, not just violence, when ranking countries.
“The World Watch List looks at danger, but looks at a number of other factors as well. Nigeria would be the deadliest place to be a Christian, not necessarily the most difficult because there are places in the country where Christians are able to freely worship,” Brown said. “But Nigeria continues to be an epicenter of violence in parts of the country, in parts of the middle belt as well as in the northern parts of the country.”
Recent violence against Christians in Nigeria <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-next-peace-push-focuses-on-nigeria-and-sudan-where-christians-are-killed-by-the-thousands?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump%E2%80%99s+Next+Peace+Push+Focuses+On+Nigeria+And+Sudan%2C+Where+Christians+Are+Killed+By+The+Thousands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gained the attention</a> of President Trump, who has pressured the Nigerian government to do more to protect Christians and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-to-completely-wipe-out-the-islamic-terrorists-killing-nigerian-christians?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Threatens+To+%E2%80%98Completely+Wipe+Out+The+Islamic+Terrorists%E2%80%99+Killing+Nigerian+Christians" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> to take out terrorists in the country if they continue to target them.
<h3>Iran Increased Pressure On Christians During Internal Turmoil And Conflict With Israel And U.S.</h3>
Iran, which ranks No. 10 on the World Watch List, has ramped up its crackdown on Christians in the country as they are viewed as “enemies of the state” and “agents of the West,” Brown explained.
The Iranian regime has arrested numerous Christians in recent months as it seeks to keep control amid growing tensions. The regime believes that Christians are influenced by the West and, therefore, plotting the overthrow of the government, and recent events have likely made the regime’s crackdown on Christians even harsher. Iran was humiliated in 2025 in its war with Israel and then by the United States, when President Trump ordered the U.S. military to strike Iranian nuclear sites.
Iran is in the midst of massive demonstrations as protesters have taken to the streets, mainly over the regime’s failure to address an economic collapse. Trump has warned that he could take more action against Iran if it massacres protesters. One report indicates that the Iranian government has killed at least 12,000 demonstrators.
<h3>China Continues To Target Christianity</h3>
China dropped from No. 15 on the list in 2025 to No. 17 this year, but the communist country remains brutal toward Christians. In September, the Chinese government began to monitor the online activity of Christians, especially clergymen, more closely.
“This was in continuation to the churches they closed down the previous year — there’s been an increase in that — but now looking to clamp down on some of the online activity of Christians in the area, making it difficult for them to communicate or to worship,” Brown said.
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-escalates-persecution-of-christians-with-more-shocking-arrests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> earlier this month that China arrested more prominent church leaders, detaining at least seven Christians affiliated with the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, a city in southwestern China.
Brown said that people in China also face persecution from their local communities when they convert to Christianity, adding that many converts lose out on job or school opportunities, while some get their water or electricity cut off.
See the full list, and read a detailed report on each country in this year&#8217;s list <a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Suicide Bombing Targets Church In Damascus, Leaving 20 Dead And Dozens Injured

2026 Watch List Reveals Biggest Increases In Christian Persecution Across The Globe

China

Christian Persecution

Christianity

Iran

Islam

Nigeria

Syria

President Donald Trump argued on Wednesday morning that Greenland is &#8220;vital&#8221; for his plans to build a &#8220;Golden Dome&#8221; of defense to protect the United States as he ramps up his push for the United States to acquire the territory.
Trump also said that NATO would benefit from the United States controlling Greenland, arguing it would keep Russia and China at bay. The president made his early morning comments on Greenland as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepare to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/denmark-greenland-face-vance-high-stakes-meeting-2026-01-14/">meet</a> with Denmark&#8217;s and Greenland&#8217;s foreign ministers at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to acquire the large territory. Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with control over most domestic affairs, while Denmark has authority over foreign policy and defense.
&#8220;The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it. IF WE DON’T, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115893255826342514">wrote</a>.
&#8220;Militarily, without the vast power of the United States, much of which I built during my first term, and am now bringing to a new and even higher level, NATO would not be an effective force or deterrent — Not even close! They know that, and so do I,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES. Anything less than that is unacceptable. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-reveals-new-details-about-golden-dome-missile-defense-system-to-protect-u-s">Golden Dome for America</a>&#8221; would set up a missile defense system encircling the United States, a much larger version of  Israel&#8217;s &#8220;Iron Dome.&#8221; The president hopes to complete the $175 billion defense project by the end of his term. Trump said the &#8220;Golden Dome&#8221; would complete the &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; defense plan conceived by former President Ronald Reagan. The first $25 billion for the plan was appropriated under Trump&#8217;s &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill.&#8221;
“Once fully constructed, the golden dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space, and we will have the best system ever built,” Trump said in May.
In the past month, Trump has focused much of his attention on acquiring Greenland, an idea he floated a few times last year. On December 21, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-taps-republican-governor-as-special-envoy-to-greenland-make-greenland-a-part-of-the-u-s">appointed</a> Louisiana Republican Governor Jeff Landry to serve as special envoy to Greenland, saying that Landry “understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security, and will strongly advance our Country’s Interests for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Allies, and indeed, the World.”
Trump told reporters at the White House last week that the United States would &#8220;do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not.&#8221; He said the United States would take control of Greenland the “easy way” — by making a deal — or the “hard way,” which he didn’t elaborate on. The White House has not ruled out using military force to achieve its goals with Greenland.
On Sunday, the president again <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-u-s-must-acquire-greenland-to-stop-russia-or-china-from-taking-control">stressed</a> the importance of the United States taking control of Greenland, adding that he was &#8220;not going to let&#8221; Russia or China invade the territory. Trump said he &#8220;would love&#8221; to make a deal with Denmark, which oversees Greenland, to acquire the territory. Leaders in Denmark and Greenland, however, have opposed Trump&#8217;s push to take control of Greenland.

Trump: Greenland Is Non-Negotiable For U.S. Security

U.S.

The federal prosecutor at the center of Minnesota&#8217;s massive welfare fraud investigation resigned on Tuesday as the Trump administration ramps up its broader push to uncover additional fraud in the state.
Joseph Thompson announced his resignation in an email without providing a reason for his abrupt departure, the Minnesota Star Tribune <a href="https://www.startribune.com/joe-thompson-us-attorney-who-uncovered-massive-fraud-in-minnesota-resigns-from-office/601563206">reported</a>. Thompson was the second-in-command at the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office in Minnesota and made a name for himself as the lead prosecutor in the Feeding Our Future fraud case, which resulted in more than 50 guilty pleas and seven convictions. He was appointed by President Donald Trump last May to serve as acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota until Daniel Rosen assumed the top position in October.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to represent the United States and this office,” Thompson wrote in his email.
Two other prosecutors from the Minnesota U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office also announced their resignations on Tuesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry Jacobs, who also prosecuted the Feeding Our Future case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda Williams will also be leaving their posts.
Thompson&#8217;s resignation comes as he is being floated as a candidate for the Justice Department&#8217;s new assistant attorney general <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vance-announces-new-assistant-attorney-general-to-crack-down-on-nationwide-fraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener">position</a>, which will focus on combating fraud. The new role was announced by Vice President JD Vance last week, and Vance said that the position&#8217;s &#8220;efforts will start and focus primarily in Minnesota.&#8221;
It&#8217;s unclear if Thompson&#8217;s resignation is related to his potential candidacy for the new DOJ position. The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/3-prosecutors-quit-after-push-to-investigate-ice-shooting-victims-widow.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">reported</a> that &#8220;people with knowledge&#8221; of the situation said Thompson&#8217;s resignation is over disagreements with the Justice Department&#8217;s push to investigate the wife of Renee Good, the Minneapolis woman fatally shot by a federal agent last week. Thompson opposed the Justice Department&#8217;s strategy as well as its decision to shut out state authorities from the shooting investigation, according to the Times.
The Justice Department did not say whether Thompson&#8217;s resignation was related to the shooting investigation. A DOJ official told The Daily, “As with any officer-involved shooting, each law enforcement agency has an internal investigation protocol, including DHS. As such, ICE [Office of Professional Responsibility] has its own investigation underway. This runs parallel to any FBI investigation.&#8221;
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O&#8217;Hara argued that the timing of Thompson&#8217;s resignation raises questions about the Trump administration&#8217;s justification for surging federal law enforcement and immigration agents in Minnesota.
“When you lose the leader responsible for making the fraud cases, it tells you this [immigration enforcement] isn’t really about prosecuting fraud,” O’Hara said.
Thompson&#8217;s work uncovering the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scheme threw Minnesota into the spotlight before more allegations of fraud involving Minneapolis&#8217;s large Somali population got the attention of the White House. Most of those implicated in the Feeding Our Future fraud case were of Somali descent, and now, the Trump administration is looking into claims of fraud being committed at Somali-run businesses and daycares, while swaths of immigration enforcement agents have been deployed to the Twin Cities.

Joe Thompson

U.S. Attorney Who Led Prosecution Of Sprawling Minnesota Fraud Ring Abruptly Resigns

Fraud

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Zach Jewell