American diplomats descend on Munich for a high-stakes security conference, agreements between ICE and local law enforcement surged in the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, and the U.S. Army paid nearly $2 million to a company with links to the Muslim Brotherhood.
It’s Tuesday, February 17, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rubio-reassures-europe-sketchy-army-contracts-cancelled/id1576594336?i=1000750109955" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Rubio Rocks Munich</h2>
American diplomats descended on Munich this weekend for a high-stakes security conference, amid growing tension between the United States and Europe. 
When Secretary of State Marco Rubio took the stage for his keynote address, he started by taking aim at “a dogmatic vision of free and unfettered trade,” which he says has hollowed out American manufacturing. He slammed the West’s “appeasing of a climate cult” which has “impoverished our people,” and pushed back on mass migration, which he said “threatens the cohesion of our societies and continuity of our culture.” But then, he extended an olive branch of sorts, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlL3pwlO2rE">saying</a> that in the effort to save Western civilization, “While we are prepared, if necessary, to do this alone, it is our preference and it is our hope to do this together with you, our friends here in Europe.” And then, in a remarkable scene, he explained why President Trump has been so hard on Europe. 
At times, it sounded like an intervention from a concerned family member, with Rubio <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlL3pwlO2rE">saying</a> Europe is heading for destruction and that the United States cares too much about it to let that happen. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">ICE Partners With Hundreds Of Local Law Enforcement Agencies</h2>
Agreements between ICE and local law enforcement have surged in the first year of President Trump’s second term. 
The agreements are a pillar of Trump’s promise to deport dangerous criminals from the United States. It’s not a new system, but it <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/local-police-agreements-with-ice-surge-950-in-first-year-of-trumps-second-term">invites</a> local law enforcement from across the country to have their officers deputized into ICE. Police officers and sheriff’s deputies can then stop people whom they suspect are illegal aliens and start the process of deportation. 
The program operated for years until 2012. Former President Barack Obama curbed it after officers in North Carolina and Arizona were accused of racial profiling. Trump brought it back last year with funding in the &#8220;One Big Beautiful Bill,&#8221; and the number of participating law enforcement agencies has exploded from 135 under Biden to nearly 1,200 today, according to a new report by the advocacy group FWD.US.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">U.S. Army Spends Big With Group Founded By Director Of Muslim Brotherhood-Linked Org</h2>
Few organizations know more about leadership than the U.S. Army. But it <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/army-paid-for-leadership-training-from-company-founded-by-director-of-muslim-brotherhood-linked-group">paid</a> nearly $2 million to a company called the “Nonprofit Empowerment Group” to train its staff to lead. 
The Army Corps of Engineers paid the group $1.7 million between 2021 and 2025 for “leadership” training, and the military also paid it for “writing courses.” The contract sought the “professional services of an academic institution” to provide “graduate level instruction.” 
The reason the government was able to choose this firm was that it was, as its website advertised, a “Disadvantaged Women Small Owned Business.” Despite its name, it’s not a non-profit. It’s a for-profit company operating out of the same office as, and sharing the same officers as, a group called the World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists, which reported being deeply in debt.

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Morning Brief: Rubio Rocks Munich & A Shocking Army Contract Exposed

Morning Brief: Rubio Rocks Munich, ICE Deputizes Local LEs, And Army Spends Millions On ‘Leadership’

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Marco Rubio

Morning Wire

Munich

U.S. Army

ICE officers are leaving Minnesota as “Operation Metro Surge” comes to an end, Department of Homeland Security funding is set to run dry on Saturday, and an “illegal immigrant enclave” in Texas agrees to a $68 million settlement.
It’s Friday, February 13, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Homan Announces End To ‘Operation Metro Surge’</h2>
Border czar Tom Homan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-end-ices-operation-metro-surge-in-minnesota-homan-says">announced</a> the end of “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota on Thursday. 
Homan said he is satisfied with his meetings with local authorities and has sufficient cooperation to conclude the operation, which means officers and agents flown in from across the country will return to their home offices. More police chiefs and sheriffs are apparently on board with honoring ICE detainers, and ICE will be readily available and stationed near jails to pick up inmates, rather than forcing local jurisdictions to hold them longer than necessary. 
Homan added that President Donald Trump greenlit the decision. Homan’s announcement is the big step toward Trump’s softer approach toward interior immigration enforcement after the shooting deaths of two Americans by federal agents in Minneapolis.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Congress Stares Down Another Shutdown</h2>
Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homeland-security-shutdown-likely-as-schumer-accuses-trump-admin-of-thuggery?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Homeland+Security+Shutdown+Likely+As+Schumer+Accuses+Trump+Admin+Of+%E2%80%98Thuggery%E2%80%99">seems</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-will-shut-down-the-department-of-homeland-security-this-week-white-house-says?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Democrats+Will+Shut+Down+The+Department+Of+Homeland+Security+This+Week%2C+White+House+Says">poised</a> to experience a lapse in government funding on Saturday at midnight amid an intense debate on immigration reforms. 
A test vote in the Senate to see if there was enough support to pass another continuing resolution failed on Thursday afternoon. The House has gone home, but members could be asked to return if a deal is reached. 
Democrats have not appeared pleased with the White House&#8217;s counteroffer on immigration reform. Details on that counteroffer are still fairly unclear. Democrats want an end to masking for agents and a change in warrants. Warrants are likely to be the hottest topic among the changes, as shifting from administrative to judicial warrants for many of these arrests could make the process much more difficult.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump DOJ Settles Colony Ridge Suit</h2>
A settlement has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/colony-ridge-agrees-to-pay-68-million-in-penalties-for-illegal-immigrant-haven?author=Brent+Scher&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Colony+Ridge+Agrees+To+Pay+%2468+Million+In+Penalties+For+%E2%80%98Illegal+Immigrant+Haven%E2%80%99">reached</a> in the lawsuit against Colony Ridge, the massive Texas development that became a magnet for illegal immigrants. 
Colony Ridge was hailed by the developers as the fastest-growing development in the whole United States. But it wasn&#8217;t just a big development. The business model that The Daily Wire helped to uncover was that its marketing strategy was aimed exclusively at illegal immigrants, or at least foreign populations. 
Ultimately, the Biden administration sued the developer over loans and the marketing strategy. The Trump administration is now jointly settling this lawsuit with Texas&#8217;s Republican attorney general. The settlement reached lays the groundwork not only to put an end to the scheme but also to provide a major boost to the surrounding communities affected by it. The settlement is $68 million, not payments to anyone, but payments to fix what they created at Colony Ridge.

Border Czar Tom Homan Speaks In Minneapolis During Operation Metro Surge

Morning Brief: ICE Backs Down In Minnesota, A Shutdown Looms, & Colony Ridge Agrees To $68M Settlement

Colony Ridge

Congress

Government Shutdown

Minnesota

Texas

Tom Homan

A transgender-identifying man commits one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canada’s history, Ohio Republicans move to protect parents who rebuff the concept of gender identity, and the Food and Drug Administration zeroes in on chemical preservatives in American foods.
It’s Thursday, February 12, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trans-shooter-claims-lives-parental-rights-gain-traction/id1576594336?i=1000749409417" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Canada School Mass Shooting</h2>
At least nine people are dead and dozens more wounded after a mass shooting in British Columbia, Canada. The shooting is one of the deadliest in Canada’s history. 
The shooter, whom police initially described as a “gunperson” in a “dress,” appears to have killed at least eight people across two locations and wounded dozens. That person has now been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youtube-confirms-trans-themed-page-is-linked-to-canada-mass-shooting-suspect?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Deadly+Canada+School+Attacker+Was+Trans+Identifying+Man%2C+Police+Confirm">identified</a> as an 18-year-old male named Jesse Van Rootselaar, who identified as a female and had a history of mental illness.
&#8220;I will say this, we identify the suspect as they chose to be identified in public and on social media,&#8221; said Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald. &#8220;I can say that Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female and identified as female, both socially and publicly.&#8221;
 Two people were found dead inside a local home, who have since been identified as the shooter’s mother and 11-year-old brother. Most of the carnage took place at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, located in a remote area of northeastern British Columbia. There, at least six others were found dead, including the suspect. One more person died while they were being taken to a hospital. Students at the school said they were forced to barricade themselves in classrooms for roughly two-and-a-half hours before they were evacuated by police.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Ohio Lawmakers Take On Gender Ideology</h2>
In the red state of Ohio, parents can lose custody of their children for refusing to affirm their “gender identity.” But Republicans are looking to change that. 
Ohio is one of many states where child welfare agencies have embraced radical gender ideology. Some parents of gender-confused kids who insist on referring to their child’s biological sex and given name could be labeled as “abusive” or “neglectful” by the state. This could mean being investigated and even losing custody of their children. 
The Republican-backed bill is called &#8220;The Affirming Families First Act,&#8221; as in, affirming the child’s natural family rather than a gender-affirming family found by the state. The bill would ensure that parents could not be accused of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-harris-hhs-consulted-activist-who-said-parents-should-be-prosecuted-for-transphobia?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Biden-Harris+HHS+Consulted+Activist+Who+Said+Parents+Should+Be+Prosecuted+For+%E2%80%98Transpho">abuse</a> or acting “contrary to the best interest of the child” by any state agency simply for affirming the child’s actual sex.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">FDA Reviews Food Preservatives Found In Rubber</h2>
The FDA is zeroing in on chemical food preservatives and making changes to food labels, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fda-probes-use-of-food-preservative-also-used-in-rubber-and-plastic?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=FDA+Probes+Use+Of+Food+Preservative+Also+Used+In+Rubber+And+Plastic">aiming</a> to bring American food more in line with European standards and make labels clearer. The agency announced on Tuesday that it plans to review a preservative called BHA, which is commonly used in many processed foods. FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary says that the preservative may contribute to cancer. 
“About 4,600 different types of food that are common in the U.S. Food supply have BHA. It&#8217;s an ingredient that&#8217;s found in rubber, in plastic, in glue,” Makary told Morning Wire. “A National Toxicology Program assessment said that there&#8217;s a reasonable anticipation that it&#8217;s carcinogenic or cancer-causing.”
The FDA is also rolling out new rules regarding food labels, specifically regarding claims around artificial dyes. 
“The FDA is making it very clear what these labels should mean, and what the criteria are. For example, the label, ‘no artificial dyes’ will now mean no artificial dyes. In the past, if you used a natural dye from natural ingredients, you could not use that label, and it created a lot of confusion among parents shopping for groceries for their kids,” said Makary.

Tumbler Ridge secondary school

Morning Brief: Trans-Identifying Man Behind Canada School Shooting & Ohio Battles Gender Ideology

Canada

Ohio

Transgender

The FBI releases video footage from Nancy Guthrie&#8217;s front door, Democrats spar with Trump&#8217;s top immigration chiefs on Capitol Hill, and the Epstein files spark a firestorm in the U.K.
It’s Wednesday, February 11, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Nancy Guthrie Person Of Interest Detained And Released</h2>
The FBI <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-search-continues-for-nancy-guthrie-as-deadline-for-ransom-note-passes?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=Person+%E2%80%98Detained+For+Questioning%E2%80%99+In+Nancy+Guthrie+Case+After+Possible+Ransom+Payment+Activity">provided</a> a breakthrough on Tuesday, releasing video footage of a potential suspect in the case of Nancy Guthrie before authorities detained a man as a person of interest outside Tucson on Tuesday night. The man was later released from custody. 
The photos showed a frightening scene: a masked man approaching Guthrie’s front door and obscuring her Nest camera. The man also appears to be carrying a gun. FBI Director Kash Patel then released 30 seconds of video. The man walks up to the doorbell camera, trying to cover the lens, which doesn’t work. He goes back towards the archway in front of Guthrie&#8217;s house, picks up some vegetation, and tries to cover up the camera with it again. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Immigration Officials Trade Barbs With Democrats</h2>
A combative hearing on Capitol Hill on Tuesday had Democrats sparring with the Trump administration’s top immigration chiefs. Democrats focused fire on the Trump immigration and deportation agenda. The acting ICE director was asked to resign multiple times and, unsurprisingly, said no, defending the officers and agents he leads. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) told acting ICE Director Todd Lyons that Democrats calling ICE the &#8220;Gestapo&#8221; and &#8220;secret police&#8221; is justified because it is what they are seeing. &#8220;People are simply making valid observations about your tactics, which are un-American and outright fascist,” Goldman said. Lyons told Goldman to go to the Holocaust Museum because he was wrong to make the comparison. The dispute between immigration officials and Democratic lawmakers continued.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The U.K.’s Epstein Crisis</h2>
The release of the Jeffrey Epstein files has sparked a firestorm over in the U.K., where British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is embroiled in a scandal involving their ambassador to the U.S., while King Charles says he’s ready to support the British police looking into his brother Andrew. The Royal Family in general has been very quiet on the Epstein scandal, even though the king&#8217;s brother, Andrew, until recently Prince Andrew, is so closely related to the Epstein Island events. In politics, the U.K. elected a Labour government about 20 months ago with Sir Keir Starmer as the leader. Now, as part of that administration, one of the most significant positions is the British ambassador to America. Lord Peter Mandelson was given that job, a shock to many, given the upcoming Epstein files. The scandal erupted anew with the latest Justice Department release of files, and Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chief-of-staff-falls-on-sword-as-party-turns-on-u-k-s-starmer-over-epstein-linked-appointee?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Chief+Of+Staff+Falls+On+Sword+As+Party+Turns+On+U.K.%E2%80%99s+Starmer+Over+Epstein-Linked+Appointee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned</a> over the weekend because of Mandelson’s appointment.

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Morning Brief: Nancy Guthrie Search Escalates, Immigration Officials Grilled, & Epstein Haunts U.K. Elite

Capitol Hill

Jeffrey Epstein

Keir Starmer

Nancy Guthrie

The latest release of FBI files reveals little evidence that Jeffrey Epstein ran a sex-trafficking ring, Vice President JD Vance becomes the highest-ranking American official to visit Armenia, and a Hong Kong court sentences pro-democracy CCP critic Jimmy Lai to prison.
It’s Tuesday, February 10, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">FBI’s Epstein Files Findings</h2>
Analysis of newly released Epstein documents shows that the FBI found little evidence that Jeffrey Epstein was running a sex-trafficking ring for powerful individuals. According to an analysis of millions of documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the FBI found insufficient evidence that Epstein was operating a sex-trafficking ring involving other wealthy or influential people. While the files confirm that Epstein sexually abused underage girls, there was not enough evidence to prove that he supplied minors to other powerful men. These conclusions are based on media reports of released DOJ and FBI documents, such as internal memos, and the DOJ has not issued an independent statement confirming these findings. Some politicians and commentators say there are far too many redactions and not enough of the documents have been released. The DOJ says many documents could not be made public for several reasons, including victim privacy.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Vance’s Historic Armenia Trip</h2>
Vice President Vance became the first president or vice president in American history to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-new-beginning-jd-vance-signs-nuclear-deal-in-historic-visit-to-armenia?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98A+New+Beginning%E2%80%99%3A+JD+Vance+Signs+Nuclear+Deal+In+Historic+Visit+To+Armenia">travel</a> to Armenia this week. He met on Monday with Armenia’s Prime Minister, who signed a document reaffirming Armenia’s commitment to peace with Azerbaijan. The peace was negotiated six months ago by President Donald Trump after more than 30 years of conflict. The vice president also announced a deal for the United States to sell Armenia $11 million in drone technology, and that the two countries are working on a civil nuclear agreement. Stepan Sargsyan, a former Armenian governor who works closely with the prime minister, spoke to The Daily Wire about Armenia’s geopolitical importance: “The United States has a strategic interest into region because, both Armenia and Azerbaijan, being in the South Caucasus, represent an important corridor which serves as a bridge between East and West, be it for various oil and gas pipelines or trade between China and Europe.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Jimmy Lai Sentenced</h2>
In what’s being seen as a major blow to the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, British businessman Jimmy Lai was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hong-kong-court-sends-ccp-critic-pro-democracy-publisher-jimmy-lai-to-prison-for-20-years">sentenced</a> to 20 years in prison on Monday. Lai’s newspaper, Apple Daily, was widely seen as the last free press outlet in Hong Kong. Lai is now 78 years old, which means he could very likely spend the rest of his life in prison. His chances of escaping now lie with President Trump, according to Robert Sirico, a Catholic priest and longtime friend of Lai. Trump has previously pushed for Lai’s release, and he has another meeting scheduled with Xi Jinping, head of China&#8217;s ruling Communist Party, in April. That could be where a deal for Lai is negotiated. Sirico told The Daily Wire in December, after Lai was convicted, that Lai’s release should be a top priority, despite the complexity that bargaining over Lai’s life would cause in international relations. “We are being judged by this, the way we react to this man. This man needs to be a Solzhenitsyn. He needs to be a Mandela. He needs to be seen in that light,” said Sirico.

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Morning Brief: The FBI’s Epstein Findings, JD Vance In Armenia, & Jimmy Lai Sent To Prison

Armenia

China

Hong Kong

JD Vance

Jimmy Lai

Anti-ICE protests spread to the Winter Olympics in Italy, Nancy Guthrie’s family agrees to pay $6 million in ransom, and The Washington Post staff sees a dramatic downsizing and a shakeup at the top.
It’s Monday, February 9, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Anti-ICE Olympics</h2>
The 2026 Winter Olympics have kicked off in Milan, and it has already become a stage for anti-ICE demonstrations by protesters and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/olympians-say-they-have-mixed-emotions-representing-america-under-donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">athletes alike</a>. There has been some unrest and performative activism in Italy regarding ICE agents assigned to the Olympic Games. Homeland Security officers are routinely deployed at major international events to support security and protect Americans. But ICE’s presence this year has been met with <a href="https://x.com/Devin_Heroux/status/2017597319609225512">protests</a> from local left-wing activists. Local officials have been upset, as well. Milan’s mayor referred to ICE as a “militia that kills.” At least one protest in Italy has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/07/europe/italy-protests-rail-damage-latam-intl">devolved</a> into violence, with agitators firing fireworks and officers responding in force. Opposition to ICE extended beyond locals and reached the Olympic Village. Team USA renamed its camp from the “ICE House” to the “Winter House” to distance itself from the agency. Several athletes used their platforms to condemn ICE worldwide, <a href="https://x.com/Reuters/status/2019867442273460379">including</a> freestyle skiers Hunter Hess and Chris Lillis, and figure skater <a href="https://x.com/apinionsvary/status/2020194977930744117">Amber Glenn</a>. President Donald Trump responded directly to Hess on Truth Social. The president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116035760619414211">called</a> Hess a “real Loser” who “shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Search For Nancy Guthrie: Day 9</h2>
The search for Nancy Guthrie enters its ninth day with an active weekend at both the 84-year-old’s home and her daughter&#8217;s house nearby. On Sunday afternoon, authorities returned to Guthrie’s home. There were two Pima County sheriff’s deputies searching the grounds, focusing on the backyard. It appeared they were searching a septic tank. On Saturday, law enforcement spent at least three hours at Annie Guthrie&#8217;s home, where Nancy ate dinner the night of her disappearance. Officials say they don&#8217;t have any suspects or any persons of interest. But Savannah Guthrie <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/guthrie-says-family-received-message-will-pay-ransom-for-mother-nancy">released</a> a new video over the weekend. “We received your message, and we understand,” she said in a video released on Saturday night. “We beg you now to return our mother to us, so we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace.” She added that the family “will pay” a ransom.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">WaPo Bloodbath</h2>
Former Washington Post employees protested outside the legacy outlet’s headquarters after mass layoffs left them unemployed. Over the weekend, the company saw another high-profile departure – its publisher has now <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/washington-post-ceo-steps-down-days-after-mass-layoffs">stepped down</a> days after the media company cut roughly 30% of its staff, about 300 employees. The Post announced Saturday that its publisher, Will Lewis, is out. He wrote a short note to staff in which he said all the changes he had helped make were intended to ensure a “sustainable future” for the outlet. He also made a point of praising owner Jeff Bezos, who is being criticized by many of the terminated employees. Bezos has been hammering the same sustainability message, and framing this moment as an “extraordinary opportunity” to fulfill the Post’s “essential journalistic mission.” He said, “Each and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus.”

MRN_260209_V3

Morning Brief: Anti-ICE Olympics, Nancy Guthrie Search Day 9, & WaPo Layoff Fallout

Department of Homeland Security

Olympics

Washington Post

President Donald Trump works to avert a second government shutdown, the mystery surrounding Nancy Guthrie continues, and controversy swells around Sunday’s big game halftime show as the Seattle Seahawks square off against the New England Patriots.
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It’s Friday, February 6, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Takes On Shutdowns And Renovations</h2>
After Congress scrambled to end a government shutdown, President Trump is already working to avert another one over Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Trump signed a spending package on Tuesday that ended the partial government shutdown, but another shutdown is looming ahead if Democrats and Republicans can’t come to an agreement on ICE and DHS discussions. Trump is still fielding questions on ICE and Minneapolis from reporters, and he told NBC News on Wednesday evening that he will always have law enforcement’s back – though he wants the situation to improve. The president spoke Thursday morning at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, where he vowed to rededicate the United States as “one nation under God,” and he announced that on May 17, all Americans are invited to the National Mall for an event of prayer and thanksgiving. He also announced this week that he is shutting down the Kennedy Center for two years for renovations, that he is installing a statue of Christopher Columbus outside the White House, and that he is putting up an Independence Arch in the nation’s capital.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping Timeline</h2>
The nation has been holding its breath since the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today Show&#8221; host Savannah Guthrie. Authorities on Thursday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nancy-guthries-blood-found-on-front-porch-investigators-say">gave</a> a clearer picture of what went on Saturday into Sunday morning when Nancy Guthrie was forcefully taken from her home. 
Investigators in the missing-persons case of Nancy Guthrie, 84, the mother of NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie, confirmed that blood found on the front porch of Guthrie’s home belongs to her.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VIbeKsZF6E" target="_blank" rel="noopener">updated</a> the public on the investigation on Thursday. While law enforcement has neither identified a suspect nor a person of interest, Nanos said that more samples of DNA, in addition to the blood on Guthrie&#8217;s porch, had been sent in for analysis.
According to Sheriff Nanos, she arrived home from a family member&#8217;s house, where she had dinner just before 10 p.m. Early Sunday morning, her doorbell camera was disconnected at 1:47 a.m. Roughly 30 minutes later, a person was detected on a camera inside the home. And at 2:28 a.m., Nancy&#8217;s pacemaker disconnected from her phone. Investigators have yet to identify any suspects or persons of interest.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Super Bowl Preview</h2>
The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots face off this Sunday in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California. This is a rematch of the 2015 Super Bowl, when New England defeated Seattle with a last-minute interception by Malcolm Butler. The Patriots are competing in their first Super Bowl since the tandem of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick won the title in 2019. They are representing the AFC, where they compiled a record of 14-3 this season under first-year Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. The Seahawks, representing the NFC, also went 14-3 this season under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald. A win this weekend would be the franchise&#8217;s first Super Bowl victory since 2014, when they won the title under Pete Carroll. Bad Bunny is set to perform the halftime show, a choice that has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nfls-goodell-promises-bad-bunny-understands-his-role-for-super-bowl">sparked</a> some controversy.

MW_260205

Morning Brief: Another Shutdown Standoff Looms, Guthrie Mystery Deepens, & Super Bowl Preview

Arizona

Donald Trump

Super Bowl

The so-called consensus surrounding “gender transitions” for minors begins to unravel, border czar Tom Homan announces a &#8220;drawdown&#8221; of federal immigration officers from Minneapolis, and talks teeter between Washington and Tehran while tensions with Beijing appear to be calming.
It’s Thursday, February 5, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/medicine-rebuffs-gender-transitions-troubled-tehran/id1576594336?i=1000748346174" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Medical Groups Walk Back Support For Child Trans Surgeries</h2>
In the wake of a landmark detransitioner verdict, the support of transgender surgeries for minors appears to be crumbling. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the largest association of plastic surgeons in the world, said that available evidence does not support trans surgeries for gender-confused kids, and also said there was “insufficient” evidence for placing children on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. The statement was unique among major medical groups and associations. Essentially, all support these surgeries and treatments for minors despite <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-details-emerge-in-landmark-2-million-trans-malpractice-judgment?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Shocking+Details+Emerge+In+Landmark+%242+Million+%E2%80%98Trans%E2%80%99+Malpractice+Judgment">mounting</a> evidence that shows them to be harmful and irreversible. Following the ASPS, the American Medical Association, which wields major influence as the nation’s largest medical association, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-major-medical-group-reverses-course-on-trans-surgeries-for-minors?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Another+Major+Medical+Group+Reverses+Course+On+Trans+Surgeries+For+Minors">reversed</a> course, too. The AMA told National Review that it “agrees” with the ASPS that “surgical interventions in minors should be generally deferred to adulthood.” The statement is a huge shift for the AMA.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Minneapolis Drawdown</h2>
Border czar Tom Homan has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homan-strikes-deal-in-minnesota-yanks-hundreds-of-immigration-officers">announced</a> a “drawdown” of hundreds of federal immigration officers from Minneapolis. Seven hundred federal immigration officers and agents left the Twin Cities area on Wednesday. Homan said the force reduction is the result of deals with “an unprecedented number of counties” to “allow ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets.” The reduction will leave 2,000 federal immigration agents in Minnesota, along with the teams working on fraud investigations. Homan insisted that the Trump administration isn’t “surrendering” its mass deportation campaign. “This is smart law enforcement, not less law enforcement. This is safer for the community, safer for the officers, and safer for the alien,” said Homan.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Iran Talks Teeter On Scope Of Negotiations</h2>
Talks between Washington and Tehran may be on the verge of collapse after Iranian attacks on U.S. ships. Washington and Tehran are still on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule?author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+U.S.+Shoots+Down+Iranian+Drone+That+Threatened+Aircraft+Carrier">track</a> for a meeting on Friday. But it’s been a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-shoots-down-iranian-drone-after-it-aggressively-approached-uss-abraham-lincoln">messy</a> ride. The two sides were supposed to meet in Turkey, but Iran’s foreign minister said Wednesday that talks will now take place in Oman. There are also significant questions over the scope of the negotiations. Iran wants to focus on its nuclear program. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/02/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-at-a-press-availability/">told</a> reporters on Wednesday that in order for talks to “lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things” – such as Iran’s nuclear program, but also ballistic missiles, Iran’s sponsorship of terror groups across the region, and the treatment of the Iranian people.

MRN_260205_V1

Morning Brief: Doctors Pull Back On Trans Kids, Minnesota ICE ‘Drawdown,’ & Iran Talks Teeter

American Medical Association

Iran

Minneapolis

United States

The Trump administration is suing California over “billions” in healthcare fraud, the elderly mother of &#8220;Today Show&#8221; host Savannah Guthrie vanishes from her home, and the Senate votes to keep a federal agency alive after its CFO confesses to taking bribes.
It’s Wednesday, February 4, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/californias-fraud-epicenter-guthrie-search-continues/id1576594336?i=1000747996745" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">CMS Probes Fraud In California</h2>
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz says Los Angeles County has become an “epicenter for health care fraud,” sparking a battle with California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Oz says his agency has identified billions of dollars in alleged Medicare and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dr-oz-blasts-minnesotas-deeply-insufficient-plan-as-feds-audit-medicaid-payments">Medicaid</a> fraud in California, largely tied to hospice and home care fraud. Scammers make fraudulent claims by enrolling people in hospice care when it&#8217;s unnecessary or is never actually provided. Fraudsters are billing the government for services such as grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning when these services are not provided. There appears to be a lot of coordination in Los Angeles County, specifically, essentially organized crime, to pull off these scams on taxpayers. Oz has suggested this is largely tied to the “Russian-Armenian mafia.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Nancy Guthrie Investigation</h2>
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today Show Host Savannah Guthrie, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bring-her-home-savannah-guthrie-pleads-for-mothers-return-after-abduction">disappeared</a> from her home in Tucson, Arizona, over the weekend, with investigators fearing the worst. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said he believes Nancy was taken from her home in a “possible kidnapping or abduction.” Meanwhile, Savannah spoke out on Instagram late Monday, asking for prayers to bring her mom home, as this troubling case unfolds. “We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him,” Savannah wrote.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Foreign Aid Official Admits Taking Bribes</h2>
The chief financial officer of a federal agency providing aid to Africa will <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-official-of-usaid-linked-foreign-aid-agency-to-plead-guilty-to-taking-bribes">plead</a> guilty to taking bribes. Daily Wire investigative reporter Luke Rosiak revealed back in May that the African Development Foundation was doing exactly what the Trump administration suspected its larger counterpart, USAID, of doing: Using foreign aid to enrich D.C. insiders. The foundation is a federal agency that not many people knew existed until it became a hero to Democrat politicians and some media outlets when its staff locked the doors to prevent DOGE from entering. According to <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.288886/gov.uscourts.dcd.288886.1.0_1.pdf">court papers</a> filed Friday, the foundation sent $800,000 to a Kenya-based company run by CFO Mathieu Zahui’s friend. The friend paid Zahui a $12,000 kickback, and the company retained $134,886 for no work. And that is just one of many examples connecting the foundation to fraud. And yet, after Zahui’s plea, the Senate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/corrupt-foreign-aid-agency-lives-on-after-11-republicans-vote-against-defunding">voted</a> against abolishing the agency with help from 11 GOP senators.

MW_260204_V1

Morning Brief: California Healthcare Fraud, The Search For Nancy Guthrie, & Foreign Aid Corruption

Morning Brief: California Healthcare Fraud, Nancy Guthrie Disappearance, And Foreign Aid Corruption

Bribery

California

Dr. Oz

Savannah Guthrie

Anti-ICE activists pressure businesses to “pick a side,” the House looks to vote on reopening the government, and thousands of Americans demand answers as the lights remain off after Winter Storm Fern.
It’s Tuesday, February 3, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anti-ice-protests-grow-storm-response-scrutiny-2-3-26/id1576594336?i=1000747837185" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Left-Wing Activists Pressure Businesses To Dump ICE</h2>
Businesses that don’t even have ties to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-deploying-body-cameras-to-every-federal-immigration-agent-in-minneapolis?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Admin+%E2%80%98Deploying+Body+Cameras+To+Every%E2%80%99+Federal+Immigration+Agent+In+Minneapolis">ICE</a> are under pressure to take an explicit stance against the federal agency. Currently, Target is the main mark for demonstrators. Over the weekend – similar to the protest that included the storming of Cities Church in St. Paul – dozens of activists marched through Target stores all over Minneapolis. Left-wing activists want the company to publicly condemn ICE and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/target-protests-immigration-minneapolis.html">ban</a> agents from conducting operations on Target property, or even entering stores. Activists even went to Target headquarters in Minneapolis on Monday and called out its new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, who officially stepped into the top job on Sunday.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Government Shutdown Is On</h2>
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been working frantically to end the government shutdown before its effects are felt. President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-seeks-quick-end-to-shutdown-no-changes">says</a> he wants to move forward with the federal government spending package without any changes, as the government has remained shut down since last weekend. He wrote on Truth Social, quote: “There can be NO CHANGES at this time.” The president says that he wants the bill to be signed into law right away, and that he’s “working hard with Speaker Mike Johnson.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Outrage Over Nashville Storm Failures</h2>
The response to the crippling power outages from Winter Storm Fern has frustrated many communities across the country – including here in the Nashville area. It’s been more than a week, and more than 20,000 residents are still without power in the Music City in a situation declared “unacceptable.” The Nashville power outage fiasco has made national news as Reese Witherspoon, John Rich, and other celebrities have spoken out about their Tennessee neighbors living in the dark. The Nashville Electric Service’s lack of preparation is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-electric-ceo-touted-tree-hugging-over-aggressive-trimming-months-before-massive-ice-storm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most frustrating</a> to residents. Last summer, the CEO, Teresa Boyles-Aplin, focused on saving Nashville&#8217;s tree canopy instead of cutting down the trees that clearly were overtaking power lines. On top of that, Nashville started the power restoration with around 100 linemen – far too few for such a widespread outage. Other regional utilities had 500-600 linemen ready.

MW_260203

Morning Brief: Anti-ICE Activists Attack Target, Shutdown Scramble, & Nashville Storm Failures

Nashville

Target

Tennessee

President Donald Trump and Senate Democrats agree to a deal as Friday&#8217;s midnight deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown approaches, border czar Tom Homan puts anti-ICE activists on notice, and a federal minority contracting program bans more than a thousand companies after they refuse to prove they did any work.
It’s Friday, January 30, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Government Shutdown Averted?</h2>
The White House and Senate Democrats say they’ve <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-and-senate-dems-strike-deal-ahead-of-government-shutdown">reached</a> a deal to avert a government shutdown as the Friday deadline inches closer. The deal would fund most government departments through September 30 and, in the short term, fund the Department of Homeland Security through a continuing resolution that expires after two weeks. In those two weeks, lawmakers are expected to negotiate over reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. President Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday evening, saying, “I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the Government, without delay.” He went on to say that he hopes “both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote.” The deal hit a snag on Thursday night as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/29/shutdown-spending-deal-trump-00756372">reportedly</a> blocked a vote over &#8220;a House-passed provision undoing a law that allows senators to receive cash payouts if they had their phone records seized by former special counsel Jack Smith,&#8221; according to POLITICO.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Homan Vows Activist Crackdown</h2>
Border czar Tom Homan is putting anti-ICE activists on notice that they will be held accountable for obstructing law enforcement. Homan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homans-presser-sheds-light-on-trump-admins-shift-on-minneapolis-immigration-raids">took</a> the podium on Thursday for his first significant public remarks since being sent to clean up the mess in Minnesota. And he seemed to have a two-fold message. First, to make it clear that law and order are going to be restored. He pledged to remain on the ground “until the problem’s gone.” Then Homan also made it clear that despite the bad press coming from the shooting deaths of anti-ICE activists Renee Good and Alex Pretti, he’s not going to be deterred from investigating activist networks. Meanwhile, Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar is entering the race for governor. She first filed papers a week ago, but the incredibly bad optics of the chaos on the ground in Minneapolis again – the city was ground zero for Black Lives Matter unrest in 2020 – gives Klobuchar a chance to showcase herself as a moderate who will restore order.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Government Contracting Fraud Exposed</h2>
One thousand companies were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-quarter-of-minority-contracting-firms-banned-after-refusing-anti-fraud-check?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=A+Quarter+Of+%E2%80%98Minority+Contracting%E2%80%99+Firms+Banned+After+Refusing+Anti-Fraud+Check">banned</a> from the federal minority contracting program on Wednesday after they declined to provide records showing whether they were actually performing the work or simply keeping a cut while passing the contract to a larger company. The program is known as 8(a). Last month, Kelly Loeffler, the head of the Small Business Administration, which issues <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-the-military-gave-a-homeless-lesbians-minority-contracting-firm-19-million">8(a)</a> status, demanded that all firms provide bank statements and payroll records. It would have been a lot of work for the SBA to go through all those records. But the agency didn’t need to look at many at all, because a lot of fraudsters may have self-identified by choosing not to turn over records that would incriminate them. A quarter of all 8(a) firms, collectively receiving $5 billion over the last four years, didn’t turn anything in.

MRN_260130_V1

Morning Brief: Homan Puts Anti-ICE Activists On Notice & Government Shutdown Averted?

Kelly Loeffler

Senate

Small Business Administration

White House

Chaos persists in Minnesota as state officials continue to defy federal authorities in a high-stakes showdown, President Donald Trump publicly warns Iran to “come to the table” as U.S. warships arrive in the region, and new data shows the American population growth fell dramatically last year.
It’s Thursday, January 29, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/white-house-warns-minnesota-american-population-nosedives/id1576594336?i=1000747155399" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Minnesota Chaos Continues</h2>
Chaos continues in Minnesota as state officials continue to defy the White House in a high-stakes showdown over ICE operations. Fingers on both sides of the aisle are pointing at Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey for fanning the flames. Around 200 activists stormed into the Minnesota Capitol on Tuesday. They were angry that Governor Tim Walz met with border czar Tom Homan. They demanded charges against the agents who shot protesters Alex Pretti and Renee Good. The activists went into Walz&#8217;s office in what they called a “slow march” for immigration justice, shouting slogans like “ICE out now!” and “No one is illegal,” “Abolish ICE,” and other statements. The White House has attempted to negotiate with Minnesota’s elected officials. Homan met with top officials, including Mayor Frey. But Frey, who continues to uphold Minneapolis&#8217;s sanctuary city policies, has insisted that local police will not cooperate with ICE and will not give them access to their jails. Frey said bluntly that Minneapolis “does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Threatens Iran And Rubio Testifies In Senate</h2>
On Wednesday, President Trump publicly warned Iran to “come to the table” after U.S. warships arrived in the region. And on Capitol Hill, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the president’s foreign policy to skeptical lawmakers. Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran needs to make a deal or risk “major destruction,” far worse than Operation Midnight Hammer in June. Rubio testified in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and gave an additional rationale for moving more military assets into the Middle East. “We have 30,000 to 40,000 American troops stationed across 8 or 9 facilities in that region. … All are within the reach of an array of thousands of Iranian one-way UAVs and Iranian short-term ballistic missiles,” <a href="https://x.com/StateDept/status/2016575448499569001">said</a> Rubio. “We have to have enough force and power in the region just on a baseline to defend against that possibility.” Rubio also defended the Trump administration’s Venezuela policy, saying it is seeking progress toward democratic elections in the country, but without risking regional destabilization.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">U.S. Population Growth Plummets</h2>
Amid President Trump’s border crackdown and mass deportation effort, new data shows the United States population growth fell dramatically last year. This week, the Census Bureau released new data showing that last year, the U.S. population grew by just 1.8 million, or 0.5%. With the exception of 2021, when COVID was at its peak, last year saw the slowest population growth in the history of the United States. The previous year, the United States grew by 3.3 million people, so roughly a 50% decline in one year. These numbers run from July 2024 to July 2025, so President Trump was only in office for half of that time. If the current pace holds, it’ll be an even more dramatic dip this coming year.

MRN_260129_V1

Morning Brief: Minnesota ICE Showdown Escalates, Trump Warns Iran & U.S. Population Growth Collapses

Census Bureau

Tim Walz

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