Don Lemon has been arrested by federal agents.
The former CNN talking head, who went out on his own and formed his own podcast, either trailed or was involved with a protest that pretty clearly violated the FACE Act, which was designed to guarantee access to abortion clinics for people who didn&#8217;t want to go through protests, and also designed to protect churches in their actual attempts to perform their services.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/us/don-lemon-arrest-minnesota-church-protest.html">reported</a>: 
<blockquote>“The former CNN anchor Don Lemon and three other people have been arrested on charges that they violated federal law during a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minn., this month, lawyers and Justice Department officials said on Friday, reviving a case that was rejected last week by a magistrate judge.”</blockquote>
Lemon was arrested late Thursday night on charges that he violated federal law. The case had been rejected last week by a magistrate judge. Lemon claims that he was simply reporting as a journalist when he entered Cities Church on January 18 to observe a demonstration against immigration crackdowns in the area. The protesters then got up and disrupted the service, where an ICE official serves as a pastor, chanting ‘ICE out!’”
The Trump administration attempted to charge eight people over the episode, including Lemon. The magistrate judge approved charges against three of the eight people and rejected the evidence against Lemon and the others as insufficient. So the DOJ petitioned the federal appellate court to force the judge to issue the additional warrants they were denied.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2358-don-lemon-arrested?elementPosition=0&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Jump+Back+In&amp;rowType=Continue+Watching+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
The claim being made by the Trump administration is that when these people invaded a church and disrupted services and started shouting at the pastor in violation of the FACE act, Lemon wasn&#8217;t just a person who followed them in there with a microphone, or even a journalist who knew beforehand that he was complicit in the organization of the event. He was involved in a conspiracy to disrupt services here for political purposes, they claim.
Lemon insists he “didn&#8217;t even know they were going to this church until we followed them there.” It appears that this is not true.
Lemon said, “Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization. That&#8217;s it. That&#8217;s called journalism.”
Again, doesn’t seem particularly true. Lemon claims that once the action started, he did not join them; he was simply reporting on it. Pretty clearly, they&#8217;re blurring the lines.
To be fair to Lemon and speaking legally, there is a fine line between a journalist doing a ride-along, even with people who are committing criminal acts, and journalists being involved in the planning and commission of the crime, which is what he’s accused of.
Naturally, people are claiming that this is a crackdown on the First Amendment. They are suggesting that this is an attempt by the Trump administration to “silence people.” That seems like a stretch to me. We&#8217;ll have to see what evidence they have, particularly in terms of prior planning from Lemon and the people involved in this.
Was he involved in recommending sites they should go to? Was he involved in organizing transportation? Was he involved in determining how they should protest? Those will be the questions that come up in court.
But it&#8217;s pretty clear that Lemon was involved in some capacity. I&#8217;m not going to prejudge this case legally, but for people to claim that the federal government has no case at all, that they&#8217;re just arresting him for being a journalist on the scene, is a stretch to me.
I&#8217;m not going to assume his guilt or innocence for the alleged crime. We&#8217;ll have to see the evidence of that.
But the attempt to treat this as a violation of the First Amendment, as an attempt to destroy journalistic capability and all the rest — that’s not accurate either.

MixCollage-30-Jan-2026-03-55-PM-1994

Don Lemon Arrested. Journalist Or Co-Conspirator?

Ben Shapiro

Church

Don Lemon

FACE Act

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Minneapolis

Minnesota

A CNN correspondent gave a report from Tehran that effectively served as a puff piece for the despotic Iranian regime, omitting the fact that the murderous government had killed thousands of protesters while warning of the Iranian regime’s defiant message to the Trump administration.
“Iran’s leadership is sending a strong and very defiant message to the United States, and specifically, of course, to the Trump administration,” CNN International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen said.  “You could see it here on this gigantic poster on Revolution Square in central Tehran. The message on this massive poster is, ‘If you sow the wind you will reap the whirlwind,’ obviously meaning if the United States attacks Iran, Iran will retaliate in a massive way, which could, of course, lead to a major military confrontation between the United States and Iran.”
The Iranian Islamic regime has a history of braggadocio; in 2020, after a U.S. strike killed terror master Qasem Soleimani, Iran vowed “harsh revenge&#8221; and the expulsion of all U.S. forces from the Middle East. In 2024, after an Israeli airstrike destroyed a building in Damascus used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Iran threatened an &#8220;unprecedented&#8221; response and launched 300 drones and missiles; 99% were intercepted. Iran immediately declared the matter &#8220;concluded.&#8221; In 2025, after pledging &#8220;all-out total war&#8221; that would &#8220;end the Zionist regime,” barrages were largely neutralized by superior Israeli technology. Retaliation against the U.S. for its bombing of Iran&#8217;s nuclear facilities was limited to a symbolic strike on a base in Qatar to save face.
The regime often &#8220;talks big&#8221; for its proxies (Hezbollah, Houthis, militias in Iraq). However, when these proxies face existential threats — such as the fall of the Assad regime in Syria or the degradation of Hezbollah in 2024-2025 — Tehran has historically been unwilling to enter a direct, high-stakes war to save them.
Pleitgen made sure to feature Iranians who propagandized on behalf of the Iranian regime, saying, “And that’s also something that’s on the minds of many of the people that we’ve been speaking to here as well.” One woman derisively laughed and told him, “I’m not sure what to say; I think they’re all collaborating with one another against the interest of the Iranian people.” A man echoed, “I don’t think Trump dares to attack. He’s more bluffing.”
Pleitgen continued his puffery thus: “All this comes, of course, as President Trump weighs his options on what to do next. The U.S. has pulled together a substantial military force here in this region but the Iranians also say they’ve replenished their stockpiles of ballistic missiles and are ready to hit back hard any time.”
He referred to the protests in which the regime murdered possibly tens of thousands of protesters without detailing the massive number of dead: “Now, of course, all this comes in the wake of those large protests that happened here in Iran in the early part of January.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Iran’s leadership is sending a defiant warning to the United States as tensions soar. <a href="https://twitter.com/fpleitgenCNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fpleitgenCNN</a> reports from inside Iran, and speaks to residents on the streets of the capital Tehran. <a href="https://t.co/iXNlRQCLzc">pic.twitter.com/iXNlRQCLzc</a>
&mdash; CNN International PR (@cnnipr) <a href="https://twitter.com/cnnipr/status/2016201365224108519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;

Chancellor Merz meets NATO Secretary General Rutte

CNN’s Report From Tehran Echoes Regime Propaganda While Glossing Over Massacres

Iran

Trump Administration

CNN anchor Kasie Hunt attempted to use an old tweet from the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk to defend protesters coming armed to demonstrations against federal immigration officers, whether they be with Border Patrol or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Hunt claimed that video from Minneapolis protests — particularly video showing the fatal confrontation between Border Patrol agents and Alex Pretti — was proof that President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration had become &#8220;tyrannical&#8221; and justified civilians taking up arms against the government.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CNN&#8217;s Kasie Hunt suggests people should be pointing guns at the Trump administration because it has become &#8220;tyrannical&#8221; citing &#8220;what we saw on the streets&#8221; of Minneapolis: 
&#8220;I want to bring back a tweet from Charlie Kirk in 2018. He says this, &#8216;The Second Amendment is not for… <a href="https://t.co/qZq6Z2qnTu">pic.twitter.com/qZq6Z2qnTu</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/2015903686434701725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I want to bring back a tweet from Charlie Kirk in 2018. He says this, &#8216;The Second Amendment is not for hunting. It&#8217;s not for self protection. It is there to ensure that free people can defend themselves if, God forbid, government became tyrannical and turned against its citizens,'&#8221; Hunt said, reading the tweet. &#8220;And I think a lot of people are pointing to this because, I mean, what — what we saw in the streets.&#8221;
Hunt did not mention the fact that federal immigration officials had only been sent by the Trump administration to enforce existing federal laws, nor did she address the intentional roadblocks to federal law enforcement — namely sanctuary policies — that have been put into place by Democratic leaders in states like Minnesota.
Officials within the Trump administration have repeatedly stated that it would be unnecessary to surge federal resources and personnel to states like Minnesota and Maine — where the next major surge has already begun — if local and state law enforcement would simply cooperate with ICE detainers and coordinate with federal immigration officials to make safe prisoner exchanges at jails or courthouses.

Charlie Kirk

CNN Anchor Drags Out Charlie Kirk Tweet To Defend Anti-ICE Rioters Bringing Guns To Protests

Media

Politics

Protesters

While Winter Storm Fern blanketed much of the southeastern United States with snow — and, of course, ice — media outlets continued to foment panic over President Donald Trump&#8217;s use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (the other kind of ICE) and Border Patrol in major cities like Minneapolis.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
Tensions ramped up over the weekend after a fatal shooting involving Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis, where federal immigration officials continue their efforts to apprehend and remove criminal illegal aliens. Sanctuary policies — promoted both by Mayor Jacob Frey and by failed vice presidential candidate and Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) — have left federal agents working not only without the coordination and cooperation of local law enforcement, but sometimes directly in opposition to them.
The end result is the impasse that made a surge of federal resources and personnel necessary in the first place: local officials claim that having federal agents in the streets make the people less safe, while federal officials maintain that if state and local police would honor ICE detainers and allow federal officers to apprehend criminal illegals in jails and courthouses, federal officers would not need to be on the streets.
By Sunday, the lines in the snow had been drawn and reinforced — and the legacy media outlets brought in Democrats (and a few Republicans) who would question the Trump administration, at least in light of the latest fatal confrontation.
ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl began his broadcast of &#8220;This Week&#8221; with a brief profile of Alex Pretti, 37, who was shot by Border Patrol agents — and quoted Pretti&#8217;s mother as saying, &#8220;He loved his country, but he hated what people were doing to it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“He loved his country, but he hated what people were doing to it,” Alex Pretti’s mother told the AP.
ABC News’ <a href="https://twitter.com/jonkarl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JonKarl</a> reports on what we know about the 37‑year‑old, who was shot and killed by federal agents Saturday in Minneapolis. <a href="https://t.co/nzQJ9tYzE4">pic.twitter.com/nzQJ9tYzE4</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2015456870299742298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Karl then brought in Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) — who is expected to jump into the gubernatorial race in the coming months — to discuss the situation. Klobuchar claimed she would have supported efforts to root out fraud and to apprehend the worst of the worst when it came to criminal illegal aliens — but she believed it was clear that was not what the Trump administration had been doing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“If your goal was to go after fraud, that’s a righteous goal. But that’s not what this is. If your goal was to apprehend violent offenders — good. But that’s not what you’re doing anymore.”
Sen. Klobuchar’s message to federal officials after escalating tensions in Minneapolis. <a href="https://t.co/FRz5VoRNvy">pic.twitter.com/FRz5VoRNvy</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2015457301939802182?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Klobuchar addressed the Pretti shooting directly, saying that some Republicans had spoken to her quietly about their concerns regarding the actions of federal agents but that was not enough. &#8220;At this point, silence is complicity,&#8221; she said, claiming that federal agents were violating constitutional rights at every turn.
Klobuchar argued, among other things, that the agents cracking down on violent protests were violating First Amendment rights to assemble — and then claimed that Border Patrol agents were violating the Second Amendment because Pretti had been a legally-permitted gun-owner.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sen. Amy Klobuchar criticizes her Republican colleagues who she says have not spoken about the federal actions in Minneapolis: “At this point, silence is complicity.” <a href="https://t.co/Q4LlxAFJW9">https://t.co/Q4LlxAFJW9</a> <a href="https://t.co/Jmda2AVYSx">pic.twitter.com/Jmda2AVYSx</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2015466555245498871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Karl wrapped up the broadcast by giving New York City&#8217;s democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani a chance to double down on his calls to defund ICE. &#8220;ICE is an organization that cares little for the rules. It&#8217;s an organization that operates with reckless impunity and seems to revel in the flouting of those kinds of rules. And that&#8217;s what gives people a real sense of fear,&#8221; Mamdani claimed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NYC Mayor Mamdani on his calls to abolish ICE: “ICE is an organization that cares little for the rules. It&#8217;s an organization that operates with reckless impunity and seems to revel in the flouting of those kinds of rules. And that&#8217;s what gives people a real sense of fear.” <a href="https://t.co/i3n9c6Np6N">pic.twitter.com/i3n9c6Np6N</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2015483794371789101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On CBS News, &#8220;Face the Nation&#8221; host Margaret Brennan brought in Senator Angus King (I-ME) to discuss the surge of agents coming to his state in the same way they&#8217;d dispatched to Minnesota, and he drew a hard line: &#8220;I believe what we&#8217;re seeing is an attempt to intimidate the American people. Again, armed people with masks and telling people they can&#8217;t photograph what they are doing and intimidating protesters, that&#8217;s not American.&#8221;
King joined Democrats making noise about another possible government shutdown as he said that he couldn&#8217;t possibly vote for a bill that funded ICE.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sen. Angus King (I-ME) says he “can&#8217;t vote for a bill that includes ICE funding in these circumstances, what they are doing in my state, what we saw yesterday in Minneapolis.”
“I believe what we&#8217;re seeing is an attempt to intimidate the American people,” King says. “Again, armed… <a href="https://t.co/ESbH4QMwzX">pic.twitter.com/ESbH4QMwzX</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2015470479973216473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
King claimed that there was a way for federal authorities to enforce immigration law without &#8220;ransacking our cities and terrorizing our residents,&#8221; but he did not say how he expected that to happen while local and state authorities were refusing to cooperate with the feds – and while Democrat leaders were actively encouraging civilians to obstruct and push back on the federal agents attempting to do their jobs.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
When asked how the state and federal government can work together on immigration, Sen. Angus King (I-ME) says federal authorities “can enforce the laws against illegal immigration and people that are criminals without ransacking our cities and terrorizing our residents.”
“There… <a href="https://t.co/yH2uHNj1sf">pic.twitter.com/yH2uHNj1sf</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2015469864622731720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Brennan also spoke with Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O&#8217;Hara, who suggested that the federal agents were going about things the wrong way.
&#8220;The Minneapolis Police Department went the entire year last year recovering about 900 guns from the street, arresting hundreds and hundreds of violent offenders, and we didn&#8217;t shoot anyone,&#8221; he claimed, but he failed to address the fact that the city was still awash in criminal illegal aliens that he and his department had done nothing about.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
After two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks, the city’s police chief, Brian O’Hara, says the people of Minneapolis “have had enough” of ICE’s Operation Metro Surge.
“The Minneapolis Police Department went the entire year last year… <a href="https://t.co/dX3DKVtHbe">pic.twitter.com/dX3DKVtHbe</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2015458221582852432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
And on CNN, anchor Dana Bash discussed the situation with newly-elected Governor Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ). Asking Sherrill about the fact that her state was home to numerous &#8220;sanctuary&#8221; jurisdictions — and was likely to face surges of federal agents as well, Bash asked how she planned to handle such actions.
Sherrill&#8217;s response was to compare ICE to the communist STASI, East Germany&#8217;s brutal secret police.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sherrill on ICE: &#8220;This is about a basically Stasi-type force of secret police that wear masks, that are unidentifiable, that are unaccountable, that have leadership in the Trump administration blatantly lying about what&#8217;s going on, when the American people can see the videos… <a href="https://t.co/oRnMsIUEDE">pic.twitter.com/oRnMsIUEDE</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2015475979393593555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

ICE Protest

Spin Cycle: Forecast Calls For More Snow And ICE In Minneapolis

ABC News

CBS News

Donald Trump

NBC News

The following is an edited transcript excerpt from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1897-jd-vance-destroys-reporter-did-ice-arrest-a-5-year-old?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Michael Knowles Show.</a>
* * *
Since getting canned from CNN, Don Lemon has apparently decided to reinvent himself. Not as a journalist, but as some kind of YouTuber or “man on the street” troll. Whatever this is supposed to be, it’s Don Lemon wandering around with a microphone.
After conspiring with a Left-wing mob to violate the FACE Act and interrupt a church service in Minneapolis, Lemon is now suddenly popping up on sidewalks questioning random people about illegal immigration. And he’s armed with the most childish, recycled Left-wing talking points imaginable.
You’ve heard these lines before. Probably from your lesbian cousin or your purple-haired roommate, whichever liberal you love and tolerate in your own life. And Don Lemon delivers the greatest hit right on cue: crossing the border illegally is not a crime.
Watch:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Don Lemon: &#8220;Being here illegally is not a crime, it&#8217;s a misdemeanor.&#8221;
Ordinary Citizen: &#8220;Isn&#8217;t a misdemeanor a crime?&#8221;
😂😂😂<a href="https://t.co/LTfDiHrTqH">pic.twitter.com/LTfDiHrTqH</a>
— Verbal Riot (@verbalriotshow) <a href="https://twitter.com/verbalriotshow/status/2013758084791898115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Credit: @verbalriotshow/X.com
I love it. This woman Lemon is talking to is clearly not originally from here, she has a slight accent, and she seems to be taking Don Lemon at his word. Lemon keeps insisting that a misdemeanor is not a crime, which is already an insane thing to say. Then a guy off camera finally jumps in and says the obvious: “Yes it is. Ask him. Is a misdemeanor a crime?”
Don Lemon scrambles. “It’s not a criminal act, no. If you get charged with a misdemeanor, it’s not a criminal act.”
The woman then pauses and asks the most basic question imaginable: “So why charge them at all then, if it’s not a criminal act?”
Now he’s backpedaling hard. “Because we have different levels of crime. Everything is not the same.” And that’s when she nails him. She calmly points out that if there are different levels of crime, then it is a crime—just a lesser one than a felony.
Which means he just admitted the whole thing.
Cue the nervous laughter.
And that’s it. She completely humiliates him. It’s painful to watch.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1897-jd-vance-destroys-reporter-did-ice-arrest-a-5-year-old?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">WATCH: The Michael Knowles Show</a></h3>
This is the standard liberal script. They’ll say illegal immigration isn’t a felony, which also isn’t even always true, especially for repeat offenders. But let’s pretend it isn’t. They say it’s just a misdemeanor. The obvious response, which this woman delivered effortlessly, is that misdemeanors are crimes.
Then comes the next dodge: well, lots of things are misdemeanors. Speeding really fast can be a misdemeanor. Certain drug offenses can be misdemeanors. Property crimes, vehicle crimes, whatever.
Fine. Don’t even argue the comparison. Just ask the follow-up question.
What’s the punishment?
Different misdemeanors have different punishments, right? Okay. What’s the punishment for the misdemeanor of illegal immigration?
Deportation.
That’s it. That’s the punishment. And that’s exactly what’s happening.
“But they’re not getting due process!”
Yes, they are. The first step in due process is getting arrested. Then you get processed based on the offense. Then there’s adjudication — guilty, not guilty, released, or removed. That’s the system.
So credit where it’s due. I don’t know this woman’s name, but she did a great job. She didn’t yell. She didn’t posture. She just followed the logic to its conclusion and Don Lemon couldn’t survive his own talking points.

2025 Blackweek Conference

Don Lemon Claims Illegal Aliens Don’t Commit Crime

Illegal Immigation

interview

Michael Knowles

Opinion

CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten named President Donald Trump the &#8220;kingmaker in chief,&#8221; at least when it came to his record on Republican primary endorsements.
Enten spoke with CNN anchor John Berman about Trump&#8217;s decision to back Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) in a potential primary match-up with incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and said that Trump was nearly undefeated in primaries featuring a candidate he&#8217;d endorsed.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump going with Julia Letlow over Cassidy in the Louisiana GOP Sen primary is a huge deal!
Trump&#8217;s the kingmaker GOP primaries (endorsees win 95%+ of the time). His approval rating with the GOP? ~90%!
When Trump goes against you, you go in the grinder to quote Good Burger. <a href="https://t.co/xPBi0swOiV">pic.twitter.com/xPBi0swOiV</a>
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForecasterEnten/status/2013294448159957312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;President Trump is the kingmaker in Republican primaries, that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s such a big deal,&#8221; an animated Enten explained to Berman on Monday. &#8220;Take a look here: times Trump endorsees won GOP primaries, these are congressional and gubernatorial. In 2020, it was 98%; in 2022, it was 95%; in 2024, it was 96%.&#8221;
&#8220;President Trump has the magic touch when it comes to endorsing in Republican primaries,&#8221; Enten continued. &#8220;And when he doesn&#8217;t endorse you, you go — to quote the great movie &#8216;Good Burger&#8217; — into the grinder!&#8221;
Trump offered his full-throated endorsement to Letlow via a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115913724519885202">Truth Social post</a> on Saturday, saying in part, &#8220;I know Julia well, have seen her tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and she is a TOTAL WINNER! A Proud Mother of two children, Julia is a wonderful person, has ALWAYS delivered for Louisiana, and would continue doing so in the United States Senate.&#8221;
&#8220;As your next Senator, Julia will work tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Support our Amazing Farmers and Fishermen, Champion Louisiana Oil &amp; Gas, Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Strengthen our Military/Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment,&#8221; Trump added.
Letlow has not officially launched a Senate campaign, but is reportedly considering a run.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-GOP

‘Kingmaker In Chief!’: CNN Pollster Says Trump Has 95% Win Rate In Primary Endorsements

'Kingmaker In Chief!': CNN Pollster Says Trump Has 95% Win Rate In Primary Endorsements

Harry Enten

Polls

Republican Primary

President Donald Trump has made no secret of his desire to acquire Greenland for the United States, and while his administration has insisted the goal is a negotiated purchase of the strategically-located island from Denmark, critics in the media and the Democratic Party have nonetheless suggested he will use the military to take the island by force.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
The renewed furor over Greenland began with a Saturday <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115911344443637897">Truth Social post</a> from the president leveraging tariffs against a number of European nations until an agreement is reached for the United States to purchase it.
&#8220;The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades,&#8221; Trump said.
Following a week of military buildup in Greenland — as European nations attempt to help Denmark shore up defenses against a U.S. invasion that the Trump administration has repeatedly stated is not coming — anchors and guests across the legacy networks discussed the fate of the island nation as if an invasion was imminent.
Anchor Jonathan Karl raised the question with Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week,&#8221; asking what he made of the president&#8217;s rhetoric regarding gaining control of Greenland.
&#8220;I want to put your foreign affairs hat on — what do you make of what&#8217;s going on with the president and Greenland? And how he&#8217;s slapped tariffs on eight of our allies in Europe? He&#8217;s not rolling out military force to get Greenland?&#8221; he asked, his tone almost one of disbelief.
McCaul quickly pointed out the fact that American presidents had considered Greenland to be a strategic purchase since the United States acquired Alaska, adding, &#8220;It is very strategic right now from a national security standpoint against China and Russia. But in 1951 we signed a treaty with Denmark that allows us full access to Greenland — to protect Greenland, and this was after World War II — President Truman initially was involved and then President Eisenhower.&#8221;
&#8220;The fact is, the president has full military access to Greenland to protect us from any threats,&#8221; McCaul added, noting that Trump could increase the American military presence in Greenland without the United States officially taking ownership of the territory. &#8220;If he wants to purchase Greenland, that&#8217;s one thing. But for him to militarily invade would turn Article 5 of NATO on its very head, in essence, put us at war with NATO itself.&#8221;
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GOP Rep. Michael McCaul on President Trump’s proposed action in Greenland: “If we want to put more military in there, we can, we don&#8217;t have to invade it. If you want to buy it, that&#8217;s fine. But I don&#8217;t see a willing seller right now.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/XjdJpMxs7P">https://t.co/XjdJpMxs7P</a> <a href="https://t.co/VuenM5BGQA">pic.twitter.com/VuenM5BGQA</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2012910723244888229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Karl also brought in Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to discuss the situation, and he immediately accused the president of an attempted land grab with regard to Greenland.
&#8220;Donald Trump wants to get his hands on the minerals and other resources of Greenland, just like the real reason he went into Venezuela had nothing to do with stopping drugs from coming,&#8221; he claimed.
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Sen. Chris Van Hollen calls President Trump’s pursuit of Greenland a “land grab.”
“Donald Trump wants to get his hands on the minerals and other resources of Greenland, just like the real reason he went into Venezuela had nothing to do with stopping drugs from coming.” <a href="https://t.co/c1JOw3UudA">pic.twitter.com/c1JOw3UudA</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2012916694298079330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) also joined Karl on Sunday morning, and she argued that it would be unfair to the people of New Jersey for Trump to spend federal funds — some of which come out of her state — on a strategic purchase like Greenland.
&#8220;There is not one person in New Jersey that wakes up in the morning and says, ‘Gee, I hope today&#8217;s the day that the president dumps billions of dollars into buying Greenland,&#8221; she added.
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“There is not one person in New Jersey that wakes up in the morning and says, ‘Gee, I hope today&#8217;s the day that the president dumps billions of dollars into buying Greenland.”
NJ Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill criticizes President Trump’s use of federal funds. <a href="https://t.co/jWAURz3lDw">pic.twitter.com/jWAURz3lDw</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2012931291994350023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) threatened a vote on a bill that would prevent Trump from using federal funds to exert control over Greenland — and claimed that there was no threat to Greenland from Russia or China. Ignoring the fact that the Trump administration&#8217;s assertion is that the three is not to Greenland but to the United States – and that Greenland, protected solely by Denmark, is the weak link in the security chain — Warner claimed that the only actual threat to Greenland was coming from Donald Trump.
&#8220;There is no current security threat from Russia or China to Greenland. The only security threat to Greenland right now is the United States,&#8221; he told &#8220;Face the Nation&#8221; anchor Margaret Brennan on CBS News.
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Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, says he would “of course” vote in support of a bill proposed by Sens. Shaheen and Murkowski that would prohibit the use of federal funds to assert control over the territory of a NATO state. But Warner tells… <a href="https://t.co/bzXWVgwf23">pic.twitter.com/bzXWVgwf23</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2012934974203199978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Brennan also ran with a new CBS News poll that showed Americans were largely opposed to possible U.S. military action in Greenland, and worried that such action would likely &#8220;create more instability in the world.&#8221;
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There’s widespread bipartisan opposition to the prospect of U.S. military action in Greenland, with many Americans saying the implications would create more instability in the world, a new CBS News poll finds. <a href="https://t.co/a6pikO0swy">https://t.co/a6pikO0swy</a> <a href="https://t.co/EnQZgoFnpP">pic.twitter.com/EnQZgoFnpP</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2012942648055566729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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On CNN, anchor Jake Tapper brought in former Vice President Mike Pence to push back on Trump&#8217;s apparent plan. Pence argued that while it was perfectly reasonable to look at Greenland as a strategic objective, the issue was how President Trump might go about bringing Denmark to heel.
&#8220;Well, look, I think it&#8217;s a question right now, Jake, not of what the president&#8217;s trying to accomplish, but how? And I have concerns about using what I think is a questionable constitutional authority, imposing unilateral tariffs on NATO allies to achieve this objective,&#8221; he explained.
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Former Vice President Mike Pence questions President Trump threatening new tariffs on allies over Greenland:
&#8220;Well, look, I think it&#8217;s a question right now, Jake, not of what the president&#8217;s trying to accomplish, but how? And I have concerns about using what I think is a… <a href="https://t.co/2MYQrcpZTb">pic.twitter.com/2MYQrcpZTb</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2012896195752968501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) rounded out the conversation with Tapper by complaining about the use of federal funds to gain a strategic foothold in the Arctic.
&#8220;The idea that we&#8217;re going to waste money for everything we want is the dumbest decision we can make. The only person who can make a decision this dumb is someone who could let a casino go under, and guess who is President right now?&#8221; he said.
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Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego on Trump&#8217;s push to acquire Greenland:
&#8220;The idea that we&#8217;re going to waste money for everything we want is the dumbest decision we can make. The only person who can make a decision this dumb is someone who could let a casino go under, and guess… <a href="https://t.co/uubEY1KMMC">pic.twitter.com/uubEY1KMMC</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2012901242503127129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Spin Cycle: As Trump Escalates On Greenland, Media Speculates

Greenland

Minnesota State Senator Bobby Joe Champion attempted to defend the men who jumped in to assault an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Wednesday, claiming that it was a clear example of Minnesotans pitching in to &#8220;help our neighbors.&#8221;
Champion joined CNN&#8217;s Laura Coates to discuss the scene that unfolded on Wednesday when an ICE agent chased down a suspect who was believed to be Venezuelan, and two others — one of whom was wielding a shovel — joined the suspect in assaulting the agent.
WATCH:
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🚨 State Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (D) says last night&#8217;s vicious assault of an ICE agent &#8220;is just an example of Minnesota being a place where we help our neighbors.&#8221;
CNN: If they used weapons to attack the officer, would that change your opinion?
Champion: &#8220;Actually, no.&#8221;
SICK! <a href="https://t.co/eWO8fPJzpl">pic.twitter.com/eWO8fPJzpl</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011811895011917905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;If there were neighbors and others who came out to help this person, that is just an example of Minnesota being a place where we help our neighbors,&#8221; Champion said. &#8220;And we are clear that the ICE agents have been coming here — and there&#8217;s over two thousand of them — and they&#8217;ve been attacking and terrorizing our state.&#8221;
&#8220;So yes, neighbors will come out and be helpful, I&#8217;m not certain if they had brooms or a shovel, that is to be further investigated,&#8221; he added.
Coates pushed back, asking, &#8220;If they did, in fact, have some sort of weapons to use to attack the ICE officer, would that change your opinion of whatever unfolded next?&#8221;
&#8220;Actually, no, right?&#8221; Champion replied. &#8220;Because from our vantage point, we want to make sure, and always want to make sure that Minnesotans are being dealt with properly. And when we think in terms of any pursuit or any apprehension of anyone, there&#8217;s a way for you to do your work where it&#8217;s respectful and it&#8217;s fair.&#8221;
He went on to claim that ICE was not being &#8220;respectful&#8221; or &#8220;fair,&#8221; and asserted that agents were choosing to be &#8220;illegal, and to attack, and to be very aggressive with Minnesotans.&#8221;
Champion concluded by claiming that the federal government was making things worse as more and more agents were surged to the area and allowed to &#8220;misbehave.&#8221;
&#8220;That&#8217;s a tragedy. And a travesty,&#8221; he claimed.

Minnesota Legislature, January 3, 2023, by Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune

‘We Help Our Neighbors’: Minnesota State Lawmaker Tries To Defend Group Attack On ICE Agent

Assault

CNN anchor Erin Burnett gave Renee Good&#8217;s former father-in-law an opportunity to question or even condemn the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who shot his daughter after she struck him with her vehicle.
Timmy Macklin, father of Good&#8217;s late ex-husband and grandfather to her six-year-old son, joined the host of &#8220;Erin Burnett Out Front&#8221; to discuss the situation — and despite prompts from Burnett, he made it clear that he did not hold any ill will toward the agent who fired the shot.
WATCH:
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Last night on CNN, Rebecca Good&#8217;s father appeared for his first interview to discuss Renee&#8217;s death.
The host repeatedly probed for answers that would condemn President Trump, but his answer even took the host back.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t blame ICE, I don&#8217;t blame Rebecca, I don&#8217;t blame Renee.… <a href="https://t.co/yuq30CY3Wo">pic.twitter.com/yuq30CY3Wo</a>
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2011483465342972081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Burnett began by noting that the Justice Department was not planning to investigate the actions taken by the ICE agent at the scene, but that some comments had been made about investigating the actions taken by Renee — and by her partner, Rebecca Good — that led up to the fatal confrontation.
&#8220;How do you feel about all that?&#8221; Burnett asked.
&#8220;Well, you know, I’m not blaming anybody. I mean, it&#8217;s a hard situation all the way around,&#8221; Macklin said. &#8220;It&#8217;s hard for everybody involved. I mean, the ICE agent — you know, at first I didn‘t see the footage where &#8230; he was actually being rammed. I mean, I‘ve seen the bump of the car hitting his legs. And so in a flash like that, it‘s hard to say how you would react.&#8221;
&#8220;From my understanding, he had been through that before, maybe dragged or something,&#8221; Macklin continued, referring to a previous incident in which the ICE agent had been dragged down the road. Like I said, it&#8217;s just a hard situation for everybody.&#8221;
Macklin said that he didn&#8217;t have &#8220;any enemies&#8221; and had no issue with Renee or Rebecca, but also said that he had none with the ICE agents involved either. &#8220;That&#8217;s what the bible tells us, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.&#8221;
He went on to say that some &#8220;bad choices&#8221; had been made, adding, &#8220;The Word says &#8216;the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.'&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t blame ICE, I don&#8217;t blame Rebecca, I don&#8217;t blame Renee. I just, you know, I just wish that, you know, if — if we&#8217;re walking the spirit of God, I don&#8217;t think she would have been there. That&#8217;s the way I look at it,&#8221; he said.

Federal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations

CNN Anchor Gives Renee Good’s Former Father-In-Law A Chance To Blame ICE. He Refuses To Take It.

CNN Anchor Gives Renee Good's Father A Chance To Blame ICE. He Refuses To Take It.

Shooting

A shooting involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent and an anti-ICE activist Renee Good left the former injured and the latter dead. Despite evidence to the contrary provided in multiple videos — from several different angles — media outlets were quick to assist Democrats in their claims that the ICE agents were nothing more than aggressors, carrying out the whims of President Donald Trump.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
Even after videos emerged showing Good intentionally blocking federal agents with her car and taunting them — and then accelerating and striking the agent before he began firing his weapon — Democrats and the legacy media persisted in pushing several distinct narratives. While their coverage varied, the common thread was a simple one: the ICE agents had done something wrong.
ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz brought in Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) to discuss the situation, and Smith complained that the Department of Homeland Security had referred to Good&#8217;s behavior as &#8220;domestic terrorism&#8221; before details had been released. Of course, by the time Smith joined the broadcast, it had become apparent that Good was part of an anti-ICE activist group and had been trained to obstruct federal agents as they worked to enforce immigration law.
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Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith criticizes the Trump administration’s response to the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer: “They were calling her a domestic terrorist before they even knew what her name was.” <a href="https://t.co/kfto0xsFHL">https://t.co/kfto0xsFHL</a> <a href="https://t.co/EFdfteguUD">pic.twitter.com/EFdfteguUD</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2010362541239574960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @ThisWeekABC/X.com
Smith claimed the ICE agents suddenly snapped after a friendly exchange with protesters, arguing that better training would have prevented the incident.
&#8220;No professional law enforcement would exchange words or banter with somebody who is engaged in their legal right to protest and then lose control, which looks to me like what happened here,&#8221; she said.
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Sen. Smith reacts to the new video of the moments leading to the shooting of Renee Good: “No professional law enforcement would exchange words or banter with somebody who is engaged in their legal right to protest and then lose control, which looks to me like what happened here.” <a href="https://t.co/Q9UTCVAASj">pic.twitter.com/Q9UTCVAASj</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2010362945818005597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @ThisWeekABC/X.com
Raddatz also spoke with former acting ICE Director John Sandweg about the shooting, asking how the landscape had changed in recent years. Marching straight through the door Raddatz had opened for him, Sandweg said that ICE had adopted new &#8220;tactics&#8221; — and that those tactics were the real reason agents were facing dramatic increases in assaults against them as well as confrontations that ended in violence.
&#8220;This is a new environment for ICE and it’s not one that’s part of their core mission,&#8221; he said, suggesting with no pushback from Raddatz that the ICE agents stepping outside of their &#8220;core mission&#8221; was the root cause of the problem.
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Former acting ICE Director John Sandweg on how the shooting of Renee Good compares to what he has seen historically: “This is a new environment for ICE and it’s not one that’s part of their core mission.” <a href="https://t.co/zeciQhyQ95">https://t.co/zeciQhyQ95</a> <a href="https://t.co/5SKI8qfw7Q">pic.twitter.com/5SKI8qfw7Q</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2010375127393780180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @ThisWeekABC/X.com
On CBS News, &#8220;Face the Nation&#8221; anchor Margaret Brennan spoke with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) about the shooting — and she too made the claim that the ICE agent in question had not been properly trained.
&#8220;Renee Nicole Good, as you hear her say, she&#8217;s not mad, she&#8217;s sitting in her car, peacefully waving cars to get by,&#8221; Omar said, leaving out the fact that Good had positioned her vehicle so that it created a choke point that would only let one car, moving slowly, to get around her. She then immediately identified the ICE officer as the aggressor, describing his actions as wholly unnecessary and suggesting that Good was attempting to flee the scene because he&#8217;d scared her.
&#8220;And then you see the other officer, who can clearly see the car is moving, move toward the front of the car, which if they are saying that he has ten years on service and is trained, he should know that you shouldn&#8217;t be trying to get in front of a moving car,&#8221; Omar claimed, despite multiple video angles that show the officer standing in front of the vehicle prior to Good&#8217;s acceleration.
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Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) tells <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FaceTheNation</a> it is “not acceptable” for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, President Trump and Vice President Vance to make judgements about the moments surrounding the shooting of Renee Macklin Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis “without there being a… <a href="https://t.co/neMjx6SoET">pic.twitter.com/neMjx6SoET</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2010391818811134214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @FaceTheNation/X.com
Although Brennan offered no challenge to Omar&#8217;s narrative — despite the video evidence that contradicted it — she did push back slightly when she asked whether it was reasonable to have citizens effectively stalking federal agents while they were attempting to do their jobs.
Omar insisted that it was &#8220;very important&#8221; for Americans to record ICE agents while they work &#8220;to create the level of accountability and transparency,&#8221; adding, &#8220;I think it is fair for citizens to document what law enforcement is doing in their communities.&#8221;
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Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), speaking to <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FaceTheNation</a>, says “it is really important for Americans to record” ICE agents “to create the level of accountability and transparency.”
Asked to clarify further, as the Trump administration claims its ICE officers are being stalked and… <a href="https://t.co/ahi8gEa0Jy">pic.twitter.com/ahi8gEa0Jy</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2010392392277332260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @FaceTheNation/X.com
On CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; anchor Jake Tapper spoke with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D), who claimed that the ICE presence in his city was not doing anything to help people.
&#8220;ICE and Kristi Noem and everything they&#8217;re doing is making [Minneapolis] far less safe,&#8221; he said, despite the growing list of violent offenders who have been apprehended in his city since the surge began.
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&#8220;That was some wild and crazy stuff.&#8221; Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey responds to Jake Tapper’s interview with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, saying that, &#8220;ICE and Kristi Noem and everything they&#8217;re doing is making [Minneapolis] far less safe.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/4d8vLWxpZY">pic.twitter.com/4d8vLWxpZY</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2010388954483454260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @CNNSOTU/X.com
Frey took things a bit further, also attempting to spin Renee Good&#8217;s clearly intentional blockage of traffic as her simply not being very good at turning around. &#8220;(Renee Good) was doing a three or a four or five-point turn&#8230; if doing a three point turn or a four point turn is a domestic terrorist and my wife is a criminal every single day,&#8221; he said.
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MAYOR JACOB FREY: &#8220;(Renee Good) was doing a three or a four or five-point turn&#8230; if doing a three point turn or a four point turn is a domestic terrorist and my wife is a criminal every single day,&#8221;
Mayor Frey doesn&#8217;t know what a three-point turn is. 
🤡🌎 <a href="https://t.co/OfIm19O0PU">pic.twitter.com/OfIm19O0PU</a>
— Andrew @ Don’t Walk, RUN! (@DontWalkRUN) <a href="https://twitter.com/DontWalkRUN/status/2010377694937018486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @Don&#8217;tWalkRUN/X.com

Shooting At Annunciation School Church In Minneapolis Leaves Multiple Children Dead And Many Injured

Spin Cycle: In Wake Of ICE Shooting, The Gaslights Are On — But Is Anyone Home?

On Saturday, elite American military operators descended upon an indicted narco-terrorist and extracted him from Venezuela, delivering him to New York to face the charges. That indicted narco-terrorist just happened to be Nicolás Maduro, the dictator who calls himself &#8220;president.&#8221;
With Maduro gone, Democrats who once called for his ouster are suddenly up in arms, simply because President Donald Trump is the one who made it happen.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
Across the major legacy networks, Democrats complained about the fact that the Trump administration had sent military operators in to extract Maduro — and media personalities quickly joined them in questioning whether or not the Trump administration had the authority to take that action without first getting congressional approval.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — who <a href="https://x.com/mazemoore/status/2007868827355484611">criticized Trump</a> in 2020 for not ending Maduro&#8217;s regime — led the charge on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week,&#8221; speaking with Democratic strategist-turned-ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, Schumer conceded that Maduro was a bad actor but claimed that the Trump administration had still been coloring outside the lines in going to get him.
&#8220;Look, Maduro is a horrible, horrible person,&#8221; Schumer said. &#8220;But you don&#8217;t treat lawlessness with other lawlessness. And that&#8217;s what&#8217;s happened here. The American people, this morning, are scratching their heads in wonderment and in fear of what the president has proposed: &#8216;The United States will run Venezuela.&#8217; We have learned through the years [that] when America tries to do regime change and nation-building in this way, the American people pay the price in both blood and dollars.&#8221;
Stephanopoulos pointed out the fact that Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration had the authority to move on Maduro, and Schumer protested: &#8220;It&#8217;s a violation of the law to do what they did without getting the authorization of Congress.&#8221;
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticizes the U.S strike in Venezuela and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro: “It&#8217;s a violation of the law to do what they did without getting the authorization of Congress.” <a href="https://t.co/jbZuHwZD9A">https://t.co/jbZuHwZD9A</a> <a href="https://t.co/nNEQWg1d7V">pic.twitter.com/nNEQWg1d7V</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2007838874295287924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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CBS News anchor Margaret Brennan brought in Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who became a household name when he traveled to El Salvador to retrieve MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Van Hollen also complained that the Trump administration had overstepped its authority in taking action in Venezuela without asking Congress first.
He predicted that in reaction, Congress &#8220;will have a vote on a war powers resolution probably as early as this week, if not next.&#8221;
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Sen. Chris Van Hollen says President Trump does not have the legal authority to attack Venezuela and says he’s sure that Congress “will have a vote on a war powers resolution probably as early as this week, if not next.”
“For the most part, Republicans are happy to give Donald… <a href="https://t.co/J4kq7RraNC">pic.twitter.com/J4kq7RraNC</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2007863051152679414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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On &#8220;The Sunday Briefing,&#8221; Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) said much the same to Fox News host Jacqui Heinrich, after first claiming that more traditional avenues like sanctions hadn&#8217;t worked on Maduro because American allies hated Trump too much to join the United States in enforcing them. Then he, too, argued that Trump should have come to Congress for approval before sending military operators into Venezuela.
Kaine, as recently as 2024, had called Maduro an <a href="https://x.com/SenTimKaine/status/1836398711837974976">illegitimate leader</a> and demanded a &#8220;peaceful transfer of power.&#8221;
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🚨 WOW. Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine just got UTTERLY EMBARRASSED on national television!
&#8220;If Dems cared SO MUCH about process, why didn&#8217;t THEY do anything to bring Maduro to justice when THEY were in charge? The guy&#8217;s been under indictment since 2020!&#8221; 🔥💯<a href="https://t.co/aoPkS0qMlC">pic.twitter.com/aoPkS0qMlC</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2007878745403912679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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More of the same came from Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), who <a href="https://x.com/TimMurtaugh/status/2007864277823107222">said in 2019</a> that Trump would move to topple Maduro because &#8220;getting rid of Maduro is good for the United States.&#8221;
On CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; however, he said Trump&#8217;s actions had been &#8220;wildly illegal&#8221; and claimed that he was only moving on Venezuela to gain control of natural resources for his own personal financial gain.
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Sen. Chris Murphy tells Dana Bash that Trump’s attack on Venezuela “seems to be mostly about oil and natural resources” and is “all about making money for his friends.” <a href="https://t.co/EvylbRzl5B">pic.twitter.com/EvylbRzl5B</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/2007847037501329477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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But Rubio explained in several interviews on Sunday why the Trump administration had not asked Congress for permission to act — or even notified Congress prior to doing so — and why they hadn&#8217;t been bound to do so.
&#8220;This was not an action that required congressional approval. In fact, it couldn’t require congressional approval because this was not an invasion. This is not an extended military operation,&#8221; he told NBC News anchor Kristen Welker on &#8220;Meet the Press.&#8221;
&#8220;We will seek congressional approval for actions that require congressional approval. Otherwise, they’ll get congressional notification.&#8221;
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&#8220;This was not an action that required congressional approval&#8230; This was not an invasion,&#8221; says <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>.
&#8220;We will seek congressional approval for actions that require congressional approval. Otherwise, they&#8217;ll get congressional notification.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/up6ZEJtmXd">pic.twitter.com/up6ZEJtmXd</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2007831235091910730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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On ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week,&#8221; he added, &#8220;You can&#8217;t congressionally notify something like this for two reasons. Number one, it will leak. It&#8217;s as simple as that. And number two, it&#8217;s an exigent circumstance,&#8221; Rubio explained.
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Sec. Rubio responds to criticism of the lack of congressional authorization in the U.S. operation in Venezuela: “You can&#8217;t congressionally notify something like this for two reasons. Number one, it will leak. It&#8217;s as simple as that. And number two, it&#8217;s an exigent circumstance.” <a href="https://t.co/qIBPiRuDYk">pic.twitter.com/qIBPiRuDYk</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2007837470977581424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley addressed that point as well, responding specifically to the comments made by Tim Kaine, and argued that not only was the Trump administration&#8217;s action legal, it was no different than actions taken by previous Democratic presidents.
&#8220;Sen. Tim Kaine (D., Va) told Fox that &#8220;the Constitution does not give the President the right to initiate military action.&#8221; That is entirely incorrect. The Constitution does not give a president the right to declare war. However, presidents are allowed to use military forces without such a declaration&#8230;&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/JonathanTurley/status/2007884771209187539">Turley stated</a>, adding, &#8220;Democratic presidents routinely launched attacks in other countries without any objection from Sen. Kaine. Obama not only killed an American citizen not charge with any crime but attacked Libya&#8217;s capital and attacked its military to cause a regime change without consulting with Congress.&#8221;

Nicolás Maduro

Spin Cycle: Flip Test, The Maduro Edition

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After American troops captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in the early hours of Saturday morning, Washington quickly turned its attention to his number two: Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has remained loyal since Maduro&#8217;s capture.
&#8220;There is only one president in Venezuela, and his name is Nicolás Maduro,&#8221; she said in an address to Venezuela after his capture. Rodriguez, daughter of the Liga Socialista party founder, Jorge Antonio Rodriguez,  rose through the ranks alongside her brother, Jorge, who currently serves as the President of Venezuela&#8217;s National Assembly. Upon naming her vice president in 2018, Maduro said she was a &#8220;young woman, brave, seasoned, daughter of a martyr, revolutionary and tested in a thousand battles.&#8221;
But not everyone is sold on Rodriguez.
“I don’t think we can count on Delcy Rodriguez to be friendly to the United States until she proves it,” Senator Tom Cotton <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/04/politics/video/venezuela-strikes">told</a> CNN anchor Dana Bash on Sunday.
The Arkansas Republican acknowledged that, while it&#8217;s possible Rodriguez could attempt to work with the United States, it&#8217;s unlikely.
&#8220;There are recent examples of anti-American leaders around the world turning over a new leaf,” Cotton said, citing Libya&#8217;s Muammar al-Qaddafi and his reconciliation with the West in 2003. “But they made concrete concessions that benefited the United States. Delcy Rodriguez and other sanctioned and indicted ministers in Venezuela were in league with Maduro until yesterday so I don’t think we can count on them to be pro-American at all.”
On Saturday, Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsdkClL2_bg">noted</a> Maduro’s selection of Rodriguez had raised concerns, but said she was, for now, cooperating with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“Well, I understand she was just sworn in, but she was, as you know, picked by Maduro. So Marco&#8217;s working on that directly,” Trump said. “He [Rubio] just had a conversation with her, and she&#8217;s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.&#8221;
Cotton later said that her promised cooperation with the United States aligns with Trump’s remarks about Washington effectively “running Venezuela.”
“When the President said the United States is going to be running Venezuela, he means the new leaders of Venezuela need to meet our demands,” clarified Cotton.
Rodriguez also served as Venezuela’s oil minister, presiding over an industry Trump has repeatedly singled out as requiring United States oversight.
“As everyone knows, the oil business in Venezuela has been a bust, a total bust, for a long period of time,” he exclaimed at Saturday’s press conference. “They were pumping almost nothing by comparison to what they could have been pumping and what could&#8217;ve taken place. We&#8217;re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country.”
Beyond the energy sector, Trump argued that Venezuela needs a government capable of acting in the interests of its people: “We can’t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind.”
Cotton clarified that the Venezuelan government&#8217;s recognition of a new leader does not equate to recognition by the United States.
“We don’t recognize Delcy Rodriguez as the legitimate ruler of Venezuela. We didn’t recognize Nicolás Maduro as a legitimate ruler … It is a fact that she and other indicted and sanctioned officials are in Venezuela and have control of the military and security services. That does not make them a legitimate leader.”
Trump demonstrated that lack of recognition by issuing a warning to Venezuela&#8217;s remaining political and military figures, saying, “All political and military figures in Venezuela should understand what happened to Maduro can happen to them. It will happen to them if they aren&#8217;t just, fair, even to their people.”
For now, the president says he does not think the United States will need to initiate a second attack, but that if it becomes necessary the United States is prepared: “The first wave, if you&#8217;d like to call it that, the first attack was so successful we probably don&#8217;t have to do a second, but we&#8217;re prepared to do a second wave.”

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