US-IMMIGRATION-ICE-SHOOTING

LIVE UPDATES: As Protests Rage, New Video Footage Proves Renee Good Was ‘Stalking’ ICE

Donald Trump

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Minneapolis

Minnesota

Tim Walz

Trump Administration

A man who says he was acting as security for now-captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro says the force demonstrated by American troops was unlike anything he had ever seen, and that the Venezuelan forces were no competition.
Speaking in Spanish, the man says the Americans came in undetected by Maduro security and killed hundreds of men, despite the fact that they were badly outnumbered.
&#8220;Those 20 men killed hundreds of their men, and none of those [American] soldiers were injured,&#8221; a man translating the Venezuelan insider said.
&#8220;It was a massacre,&#8221; the insider detailed. &#8220;We were hundreds, but we had no chance. They were shooting with such precision and speed &#8230; it seemed like each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute. We couldn&#8217;t do anything.&#8221;
The man said the Americans were using technology that cemented the mismatch, including the use of what he described as &#8220;a very intense sound wave.&#8221;
&#8220;Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
An insider from Venezuela’s security forces says US troops were like nothing they’d ever seen — overwhelming firepower, advanced tech, total dominance. After Trump’s Fox News warning on taking on the cartels, Latin America is watching how powerful US forces truly are. 🇺🇸🇻🇪”
⸻… <a href="https://t.co/GKqlkDDcRw">pic.twitter.com/GKqlkDDcRw</a>
— Anttsinc (@anttsinc) <a href="https://twitter.com/anttsinc/status/2009643118748946647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
The account from the perspective of Venezuelans has been highlighted by many, including White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, as a warning to anyone daring to engage the United States military. The details of the 88 minute raid on Venezuela have been outlined by American military officials, who say it was one of the most complex missions ever pulled off by the country.
&#8220;Those twenty men, without a single casualty, killed hundreds of us,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;We had no way to compete with their technology, with their weapons. I swear, I&#8217;ve never seen anything like it. We couldn&#8217;t even stand up after that sonic weapon or whatever it was.&#8221;
WATCH: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/how-to-take-out-a-dictator-in-88-minutes?contentProgram=How%20to%20Take%20Out%20a%20Dictator%20in%2088%20Minutes&amp;contentType=Video&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel">How to Take Out a Dictator in 88 Minutes</a>
The insider said the rest of the world should think twice before messing with the United States.
&#8220;I&#8217;m sending a warning to anyone who thinks they can fight the United States,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They have no idea what they&#8217;re capable of. After what I saw, I never want to be on the other side of that again. They&#8217;re not to be messed with.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gWNuS0tRVbY?si=g5fgPtdQmgGZzOXO" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The man said Mexico is already reevaluating its actions with the United States. &#8220;No one wants to go through what we went through,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Now everyone thinks twice. What happened here is going to change a lot of things, not just in Venezuela but throughout the region.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨This account from a Venezuelan security guard loyal to Nicolás Maduro is absolutely chilling—and it explains a lot about why the tone across Latin America suddenly changed.
Security Guard: On the day of the operation, we didn&#8217;t hear anything coming. We were on guard, but… <a href="https://t.co/392mQuakYV">pic.twitter.com/392mQuakYV</a>
— Mike Netter (@nettermike) <a href="https://twitter.com/nettermike/status/2009843044028428714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Screenshot 2026-01-10 at 1.53.20 PM

‘I’ve Never Seen Anything Like It’: Maduro’s Security Guard Lays Out What It’s Like Facing U.S. Military

'We Couldn't Even Stand': Maduro Security Details Unbelievable American Force During Venezuela Op

Global Politics

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

World

Credit card interest rates are expected to be ordered to pause at 10% for one year starting January 20, President Donald Trump announced on Friday night.
“Please be informed that we will no longer let the American Public be ‘ripped off’ by Credit Card Companies that are charging Interest Rates of 20 to 30%, and even more, which festered unimpeded during the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration. AFFORDABILITY!” he posted to Truth Social.
“Effective January 20, 2026, I, as President of the United States, am calling for a one year cap on Credit Card Interest Rates of 10%. Coincidentally, the January 20th date will coincide with the one year anniversary of the historic and very successful Trump Administration. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” the president continued.
Credit cards typically carry an interest rate of 23.79%, according to LendingTree. As of Q3 of 2025, Americans have $1.23 trillion in credit card debt, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s <a href="https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Center for Microeconomic Data</a>. Over 80% of Americans have a credit card, according to <a href="https://www.fool.com/money/research/credit-card-ownership-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Motley Fool</a>.
It’s unclear if there will be subsequent legal action against the order. The move is one of several major financial actions the president has taken in recent days. On Wednesday, he announced he would be taking action to prevent “institutional” buyers from purchasing single-family homes, writing on Truth Social that “people live in homes, not corporations.”
“For a very long time, buying and owning a home was considered the pinnacle of the American Dream. It was the reward for working hard, and doing the right thing, but now, because of the Record High Inflation caused by Joe Biden and the Democrats in Congress, that American Dream is increasingly out of reach for far too many people, especially younger Americans,” he stated.
Then on Thursday, he directed a purchase of $200 billion in mortgage bonds in another move intended to tackle the cost of home ownership.
“This will drive Mortgage Rates DOWN, monthly payments DOWN, and make the cost of owning a home more affordable,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly referenced “affordability” in his messaging on economic policy in recent weeks, as the phrase has quickly turned into a marquee campaign trail tenet for the November midterms used by both parties.

San Francisco Reopens Indoor Dining, Gyms As Coronavirus Cases Drop

Credit Card Interest Rates Could Be Capped At 10% For The Year, Trump Says

affordability

Business

credit cards

Economy

Money

Politics

The United States Department of Agriculture is cutting off all federal funding to the state of Minnesota and the city of Minneapolis.
In a letter to Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey on Friday, Rollins cited the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud case that led to 78 people being charged as one of the main reasons for stopping the funding. Specifically, the letter noted how the scheme for the fake children’s meal charity that took advantage of COVID-era funds abused the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program, according to the letter.
“Enough is enough! The Trump administration has uncovered MASSIVE fraud in Minnesota and Minneapolis—billions siphoned off by fraudsters. And those in charge have ZERO plan to fix it,” USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins wrote. “Today, [USDA] is SUSPENDING FEDERAL FINANCIAL AWARDS to Minnesota and Minneapolis, effective immediately, until sufficient proof has been provided that the fraud has stopped.”
“No more handouts to thieves! Time to drain the Minnesota swamp and put American taxpayers first,” she added.
There has been a widespread effort by the Trump administration to crack down on fraud concerns in Minnesota, especially when it comes to Medicaid.
“The more we uncover, the more it becomes clear: it’s much worse than we were led to believe by state government officials,” Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, said in a video posted to X earlier this week.
“We will begin auditing Medicaid receipts and defer paying on claims based on fraud, waste, and abuse,” he continued.
The numerous fraud scandals, which have already resulted in 95 people being charged in cases ranging from Feeding Our Future to an autism fraud treatment scheme, prompted Gov. Tim Walz not to seek a third term as governor.
“I won’t mince words here. Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St. Paul, and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place. They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors,” Walz stated in his announcement. “And, ultimately, they want to take away much of what makes Minnesota the best place in America to raise a family. They’ve already begun by taking our tax dollars that were meant to help families afford child care. And they have no intention of stopping there.”
Besides the fraud scandals, Minnesota continues to be in the national spotlight following an ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis this week, with <a href="https://x.com/MattFinnFNC/status/2009742888897286391?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a> reporting that an extra one thousand Border Patrol agents will be headed into the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan area to supplement the 2,000 federal officers already there, with extra hands meant to allow Homeland Security Investigations officers to keep exploring fraud concerns.
On Friday night, the City of Minneapolis responded to The Daily Wire&#8217;s inquiry on the USDA&#8217;s letter, saying that the city is &#8220;communicating with State partners to understand the impacts of such a blanket cut to funding meant for residents most in need.&#8221;
&#8220;What’s abundantly clear is that Minneapolis is the latest target of the Trump administration &#8212; willing to harm Americans in service to its perceived political gain,&#8221; the statement added.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he plans to sue to the federal government, writing in an X post that &#8220;I will not allow you to take from Minnesotans in need. I&#8217;ll see you in court, [Secretary Rollins].&#8221;

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-CABINET

USDA Pulls All Federal Funding From Minnesota

brooke rollins

Food Stamps

jacob frey

SNAP

A team of American diplomats arrived in Venezuela on Friday, marking the first time American officials have set foot in Caracas following the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Acting U.S. Ambassador to Colombia John McNamara traveled to Caracas alongside security personnel from the Venezuela Affairs Unit, which is also based in Colombia, “to conduct an initial assessment for a potential phased resumption of operations,” CNN <a href="https://x.com/jmhansler/status/2009642474659254408">reported</a>. President Donald Trump said last weekend that the United States would assume control of Venezuela for the foreseeable future after the U.S. military and law enforcement raided Maduro&#8217;s compound and took the Venezuelan dictator and his wife back to the United States to stand trial.
The State Department is visiting Caracas on Friday as the Trump administration seeks to reopen its embassy in the capital. The United States evacuated its embassy in Caracas in 2019 during the first Trump administration amid political upheaval and after Maduro ordered the American diplomats to leave the country.
The State Department visit comes shortly after President Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-cancels-second-wave-of-attacks-as-venezuela-frees-political-prisoners?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=Trump+Cancels+%E2%80%98Second+Wave+Of+Attacks%E2%80%99+As+Venezuela+Frees+Political+Prisoners">said</a> on Friday morning that the Venezuelan government cooperated with his request to release political prisoners. Trump said that he &#8220;cancelled&#8221; his plan to conduct a &#8220;second wave of attacks&#8221; on the country due to Venezuela&#8217;s cooperation.
After Maduro&#8217;s capture, Venezuela remains under the leadership of government officials who remain loyal to the socialist dictator. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has stood by Maduro since assuming the role, claiming that he remains the rightful leader of Venezuela. The socialist government continues to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-maduro-militias-crack-down-on-dissent-search-for-supporters-of-u-s-raid">crack down</a> on dissent and deployed paramilitary members to the streets of Caracas to search for Venezuelans who supported the U.S. raid.
Trump has not said exactly how long the United States will oversee Venezuela, but suggested earlier this week that American oversight of the South American country could last for years, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/us/politics/trump-interview-venezuela.html">reported</a>.
“We will rebuild it in a very profitable way. We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil. We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need,” Trump said.
The Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-to-control-venezuelan-oil-sales-as-leverage-for-change-energy-secretary-says?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=U.S.+To+Control+Venezuelan+Oil+Sales+As+%E2%80%98Leverage%E2%80%99+For+%E2%80%98Change%2C%E2%80%99+Energy+Secretary+Says">plans</a> to control the sales of Venezuelan oil and use it as &#8220;leverage&#8221; for reforming the country, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
“If we control the flow of oil, the sales of that oil, and the flow of the cash that comes from those sales, we have large leverage,” Wright said. “But without large leverage … you don’t get change.”
“This should be a wealthy, prosperous, peaceful energy powerhouse,” he added. “That’s the plan.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is taking a leading role in U.S. oversight of Venezuela, laid out parts of the Trump administration&#8217;s plan for the country. Rubio <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/us/politics/us-venezuela-plan-rubio.html">said</a> on Wednesday that the priority is “the stabilization of the country.” Next, Rubio said that the United States would focus on rejuvenating the Venezuelan economy by &#8220;ensuring that American, Western and other companies have access to the Venezuelan market in a way that’s fair.&#8221; Finally, the Secretary of State said that the Trump administration wants to see Venezuela rebuild its &#8220;civil society.&#8221;
Trump, Rubio, Wright, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are set to meet with executives from U.S. oil firms at the White House on Friday afternoon as American energy companies are expected to invest at least $100 billion to help rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry.

Caracas

U.S. Diplomats Arrive In Venezuela For ‘Initial Assessment’ Following Maduro’s Capture

Foreign Policy

State Department

WASHINGTON, Jan 9 (Reuters) &#8211; U.S. employment growth slowed more than expected in December amid job losses in the construction, retail and manufacturing sectors, but a decline in the unemployment rate to 4.4% suggested the labor market was not rapidly deteriorating.
The Labor Department&#8217;s closely watched employment report on Friday also showed solid wage growth last month, bolstering economists&#8217; expectations the Federal Reserve would leave interest rates unchanged at its January 27-28 meeting.
Businesses are also holding back on hiring, unsure of their staffing needs as they invest heavily in artificial intelligence. The economy is experiencing a jobless expansion, with growth and worker productivity surging in the third quarter, which was partly attributed to AI.
Nonfarm payrolls increased by 50,000 jobs last month after a downwardly revised rise of 56,000 in November, the Labor Department&#8217;s Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a gain of 60,000 jobs after a previously reported increase of 64,000 in November.
The labor market lost considerable momentum last year, with only 584,000 jobs added, averaging 49,000 positions per month. Roughly 2 million jobs were created in 2024, though this number could be revised lower when the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes its payrolls benchmark revision next month with the January employment report.
The bureau has estimated about 911,000 fewer jobs were created in the 12 months through March 2025 than previously reported.
The overcounting has been blamed on the birth-death model, which is used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to estimate how many jobs were gained or lost because of companies opening or closing in a given month. The bureau said last month that it would, starting in January, change the birth-death model it uses by incorporating current sample information each month.
On Friday, President Donald Trump&#8217;s Labor Department focused on 2025 net job growth going to American-born workers.
&#8220;Under President Trump, we’re recovering from the economic disaster left by Joe Biden and AMERICANS are coming FIRST. Last year, ALL net job growth went to American-Born Workers in the Private Sector,&#8221; the Labor Department <a href="https://x.com/USDOL/status/2009631348563026176">said</a>. &#8220;More progress to be made this year, but we’re getting our nation back on track.&#8221;
The Trump administration&#8217;s claims of &#8220;all net job growth&#8221; going to Americans are disputed by some economists, but Trump&#8217;s immigration policies are resulting in a decrease in foreign born workers in the American workforce.
DECEMBER JOB GROWTH LIMITED TO HANDFUL OF INDUSTRIES
Job gains last month were confined to a few industries, with employment at restaurants and bars increasing by 27,000 positions. Healthcare industry payrolls rose by 21,000, with most of the gains occurring at hospitals. The increase was well below the average monthly gain of 34,000 jobs in 2025 and 56,000 in 2024. The social assistance sector added 17,000 jobs last month.
The retail industry shed 25,000 jobs, while manufacturing lost another 8,000 positions. Economists have attributed factory job losses to the Trump administration&#8217;s tariff increases. Trump has ironically defended the import duties as necessary to revive the manufacturing industry. Construction payrolls decreased by 11,000 in December.
Wages increased 3.8% on a year-over-year basis after rising 3.6% in November, helping to underpin the economy through consumer spending.
U.S. stocks were trading largely flat. The dollar rose against a basket of currencies. U.S. Treasury yields were mixed.
Together with the December employment report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics published annual revisions to the household survey data for the past five years. The unemployment rate is calculated from the household survey.
The annual population control adjustments, normally incorporated with the January employment report, will be released in March. The unemployment rate for November was revised down to 4.5% from the previously reported 4.6%. Economists had expected the jobless rate to ease to 4.5% in December.
Some economists say low supply has prevented a sharp rise in the unemployment rate. They estimated that between 50,000 and 120,000 jobs need to be created each month to keep up with growth in the working-age population.
The Fed cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to the 3.50%-3.75% range in December, but U.S. central bank officials indicated they were likely to pause further reductions in borrowing costs for now to get a better sense of the economy&#8217;s direction.
With factors like tariffs and AI preventing companies from hiring more workers, economists increasingly view the labor market&#8217;s challenges as more structural than cyclical, which would make rate cuts less effective to stimulate job growth.
(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci, Chizu Nomiyama and Paul Simao)

A Chipotle restaurant advertises it is hiring in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., August 28, 2023.

U.S. Job Growth Stuck In Slow Gear In December; Unemployment Rate Dips To 4.4%

Jobs

Everyone&#8217;s favorite season gets an earlier kickoff this year. Grab a calculator or an accountant — the first day to file taxes is January 26.
This season will look different for tax filers after the Trump administration passed the One Big Beautiful Bill, which was signed into law July 4, 2025.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Thursday that millions of Americans may see bigger tax refunds this year thanks to the new legislation.
&#8220;The president wants to get this money into the hands of the American people as soon as possible,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;As withholdings are adjusted, millions will take home bigger paychecks every month this year.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thanks to President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, millions of Americans may see the largest tax refunds of their lives in 2026. And as withholdings are adjusted, millions will take home bigger paychecks every month this year.
The President wants to get this money into the…
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent/status/2009343095029059676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
The IRS expects to receive about 164 million individual income tax returns this year, with most people filing electronically.
“President Trump is committed to the taxpayers of this country and improving upon the successful tax filing season in 2025,” Bessent said. “Prior to the passage of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, which delivered working families tax cuts, Treasury and IRS were diligently preparing to update forms and processes for the benefit of hardworking Americans, and I am confident in our ability to deliver results and drive growth for businesses and consumers alike.”
For individuals, part of the tax cuts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill for 2026 include new tax breaks for seniors and no tax on tips, overtime, or car loan interest.
&#8220;The Internal Revenue Service is ready to help taxpayers meet their tax filing and payment obligations during the 2026 filing season,” said IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano. “As always, the IRS workforce remains vigilant and dedicated to their mission to serve the American taxpaying public. At the same time, IRS information systems have been updated to incorporate the new tax laws and are ready to efficiently and effectively process taxpayer returns during the filing season.”
Secretary Bessent said the earlier start of the season means a quicker boost to the economy: &#8220;After this date, most of the benefits of the president’s bill will begin to materialize, presenting a major tailwind for our economy in 2026.&#8221;
The deadline for filing is April 15. The provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill are listed <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-provisions">here</a>.

Credit: Kevin Carter vis Getty Images

2026 Marks One Of The Earliest Tax Season Starts In A Decade

Scott Bessent

Tax Cuts

Taxes

U.S.

President Donald Trump announced that the federal government will purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds in an effort he believes will help lower housing costs.
In a Truth Social post on Thursday, he said former President Joe Biden “ignored the housing market” and said that he, by contrast, is giving “special attention” to the issue.
“Because I chose not to sell Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in my First Term, a truly great decision, and against the advice of the ‘experts,’ it is now worth many times that amount — AN ABSOLUTE FORTUNE — and has $200 BILLION DOLLARS IN CASH,” he said.
“Because of this, I am instructing my Representatives to BUY $200 BILLION DOLLARS IN MORTGAGE BONDS. This will drive Mortgage Rates DOWN, monthly payments DOWN, and make the cost of owning a home more affordable,” the president continued. Trump directly said it would help in “restoring Affordability,” which has become a buzzword on the 2026 campaign trail as the country still recovers from post-pandemic and Biden-era inflation.
The announcement comes after he said on Wednesday that he would be taking action against institutional investors purchasing single-family homes.
“It is for that reason, and much more, that I am immediately taking steps to ban large institutional investors from buying more single-family homes, and I will be calling on Congress to codify it. People live in homes, not corporations. I will discuss this topic, including further Housing and Affordability proposals, and more, at my speech in Davos in two weeks,” Trump wrote on Wednesday.
The Daily Wire reported after Trump’s Wednesday announcement, this is part of a larger effort by the administration to tackle housing woes nationwide, including the push from the president to select a Federal Reserve chair who will aggressively cut interest rates, as Chair Jerome Powell leaves the role in May.
&#8220;Could somebody please inform Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell that he is hurting the Housing Industry, very badly? People can&#8217;t get a Mortgage because of him. There is no Inflation, and every sign is pointing to a major Rate Cut,&#8221; the president posted to Truth Social in August.
Home prices have surged over the last decade by 105%, according to MoneyLion in October.

President Trump Visits Federal Reserve

Trump Vows To Lower Mortgages With ‘$200 Billion’ Bond Purchase

Executive

Fannie Mae

freddie mac

Housing

Interest Rates

Jerome Powell

The United States withdrew from dozens of left-leaning international organizations on Wednesday, including groups focused on climate and gender activism. 
President Donald Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/withdrawing-the-united-states-from-international-organizations-conventions-and-treaties-that-are-contrary-to-the-interests-of-the-united-states/">executive order</a> on Wednesday officially pulling the United States out of 66 groups, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact. The withdrawals come after Trump, in February, directed a full review of the international organizations the United States was involved with. 
“These withdrawals keep a key promise President Trump made to Americans — we will stop subsidizing globalist bureaucrats who act against our interests,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/2009059107819671646">said</a>. “The Trump Administration will always put America and Americans first.”
The State Department said the organizations identified on the list were determined to be &#8220;wasteful, ineffective, and harmful&#8221; to American interests.
As a result of the executive order, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the United States would withdraw from the Green Climate Fund, a group established by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that pushes climate activism in developing countries. 
“Our nation will no longer fund radical organizations like the GCF whose goals run contrary to the fact that affordable, reliable energy is fundamental to economic growth and poverty reduction,” Bessent <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0352">said</a>. 
The move to get out of the UN Climate groups was praised by critics of climate activism. 
&#8220;This action is a long overdue course correction that puts American sovereignty, economic strength, and energy security back first,” said American Energy Institute CEO Jason Isaac. “Withdrawing from international organizations that undermine U.S. interests frees our nation from unelected global bureaucracies that have used climate and ESG agendas to weaken American industry and raise costs for families.”
Other groups that the United States will no longer be involved in include the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Global Forum on Migration and Development, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Solar Alliance, and many more. 
The review of international organizations is still ongoing, according to the White House. Under Trump, the United States has already left groups like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Human Rights Council. 
“We will not continue expending resources, diplomatic capital, and the legitimizing weight of our participation in institutions that are irrelevant to or in conflict with our interests,” the State Department said. “We reject inertia and ideology in favor of prudence and purpose. We seek cooperation where it serves our people and will stand firm where it does not.”

President Trump Holds News Conference After US Captures Venezuelan President Maduro

Trump Pulls U.S. Out Of Dozens Of ‘Wasteful’ And ‘Radical’ International Organizations

Mass Exit: U.S. Leaves Dozens Of 'Wasteful' And 'Wasteful' International Organizations

Climate Change

Marco Rubio

United Nations

Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey blamed federal agents for the fatal shooting of a woman who interfered with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation on Wednesday.
Frey held a press conference with other city leaders, including the Minneapolis police chief, shortly after the deadly shooting, which the Department of Homeland Security said was done in self-defense after a &#8220;violent&#8221; agitator attempted to &#8220;run over&#8221; an ICE agent. The mayor, however, blamed ICE for the woman&#8217;s death and called Homeland Security&#8217;s account of the incident &#8220;garbage&#8221; and &#8220;not true.&#8221;
&#8220;There is little I can say that will make this situation better, but I do have a message for our community, for our city, and I have a message for ICE,&#8221; Frey said. &#8220;To ICE, get the f*ck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety and you are doing exactly the opposite. People are being hurt. Families are being ripped apart.&#8221;
&#8220;Now, somebody is dead,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And that&#8217;s on you. And it&#8217;s also on you to leave. It&#8217;s on you to make sure that further damage, further loss of life and injury is not done.&#8221;
Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz also <a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2008980259199394021">suggested</a> that the Trump administration is lying about the shooting.
&#8220;I’ve seen the video. Don’t believe this propaganda machine,&#8221; Walz said. &#8220;The state will ensure there is a full, fair, and expeditious investigation to ensure accountability and justice.&#8221;
<a href="https://x.com/maxnesterak/status/2008961959731859757?s=20">Video footage</a> of the incident showed the female driver of a vehicle stop in the middle of the street before being approached by multiple federal agents. As the agents move toward the vehicle and attempt to open her car door, the driver hits the gas, and the vehicle appears to clip an agent who was approaching the front of the car. The agent at the front of the car fired at least two shots as the woman appeared to drive toward him. The woman was transported to a local hospital and declared dead shortly after.
The DHS <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2008958123092979817">called</a> the incident &#8220;an act of domestic terrorism.&#8221;
&#8220;An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots. He used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers,&#8221; Homeland Security added. &#8220;The alleged perpetrator was hit and is deceased. The ICE officers who were hurt are expected to make full recoveries.&#8221;
The Democratic mayor said that the city would work &#8220;toward justice as quickly&#8221; as possible and urged Minneapolis residents to &#8220;rise to the occasion&#8221; and &#8220;respond with the best version of self.&#8221;
&#8220;We are better than a bunch of ICE agents being deployed to cities around the country and ripping apart families and communities. We&#8217;re better than that,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So, we are going to meet that hate with love.&#8221;
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O&#8217;Hara said that Minneapolis police officers responded to the scene of the shooting and found a woman &#8220;with a gunshot wound to the head.&#8221;
&#8220;The preliminary information that we have is that this woman was in her vehicle and blocking the roadway on Portland Avenue, midway between 33rd Street and 34th Street in the city,&#8221; O&#8217;Hara added. &#8220;At some point, a federal law enforcement officer approached her on foot and the vehicle began to drive off. At least two shots were fired. The vehicle then crashed on the side of the roadway.&#8221;
O&#8217;Hara said the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension had taken over the scene for an investigation into the deadly shooting.
President Donald Trump&#8217;s deployment of around 2,000 federal agents to Minneapolis sparked outcry from leftist leaders in Minnesota, including Walz and Frey. The Trump administration is targeting Minneapolis in its immigration enforcement operation as the state faces scrutiny over a massive fraud scandal that involves many people from the state&#8217;s large population of Somali immigrants.

Mayor Jacob Frey

Minneapolis Mayor Blames Feds For Fatal Shooting, Tells ICE To ‘Get The F*ck Out’

Illegal Immigation

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he plans to take executive action to stop “large institutional investors” from buying “single-family” homes in the United States.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the move comes as housing affordability remains a major concern for Americans, adding that he would like Congress to codify the policy into law.
“For a very long time, buying and owning a home was considered the pinnacle of the American Dream. It was the reward for working hard, and doing the right thing, but now, because of the Record High Inflation caused by Joe Biden and the Democrats in Congress, that American Dream is increasingly out of reach for far too many people, especially younger Americans,” he posted.
“It is for that reason, and much more, that I am immediately taking steps to ban large institutional investors from buying more single-family homes, and I will be calling on Congress to codify it. People live in homes, not corporations. I will discuss this topic, including further Housing and Affordability proposals, and more, at my speech in Davos in two weeks,” he continued. The details of the plan are currently unknown.
A 2024 Government Accountability Office <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106643?utm_campaign=usgao_email&amp;utm_content=topic_housing&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> found that the impact of institutional investors varies widely by region, with many areas in the southern United States showing a significant share of the single-family rental homes owned by investors with more than 1,000 properties.
“Millions of homeowners defaulted on their mortgages during the 2007-2009 financial crisis. Institutional investors — companies that own a lot of single-family rental homes — bought many of these foreclosed homes in bulk and converted them into rental housing, especially in states across the southern U.S.,” the GAO’s website states regarding the report.
“Researchers found that institutional investors may have contributed to increasing home prices and rents following the financial crisis. However, it&#8217;s unclear how these investors affected homeownership opportunities or tenants because many related factors affect homeownership — e.g., market conditions, demographic factors, and lending conditions,” it continues.
Interest rates are also expected to be a major factor, as Trump is expected to name a successor to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May. The president has called for rates to be cut more aggressively, which could impact how much homebuyers can afford to borrow.

US-ECONOMY-HOUSING-REAL ESTATE

Trump Makes Big Move To Combat Spiking Home Prices, Takes Aim At Big Investors

scott turner

Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, announced Tuesday that Medicaid payments to 14 programs in Minnesota will be deferred, and that a sweeping audit of those federally funded programs is underway, as the Minnesota fraud scandal and the response from the Trump administration continue to escalate.
“The more we uncover, the more it becomes clear: It’s much worse than we were led to believe by state government officials,” he said in a video posted to X. Oz said that the “corrective action plan” provided to the federal government by the state of Minnesota on New Year’s Eve was “deeply insufficient.”
“We will begin auditing Medicaid receipts and defer paying on claims based on fraud, waste, and abuse,” he said, noting that the programs listed as vulnerable came from the Minnesota state government.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨Minnesota Medicaid Fraud Update: <a href="https://t.co/Dk0W07P1U8">pic.twitter.com/Dk0W07P1U8</a>
— DrOzCMS (@DrOzCMS) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS/status/2008737548009717925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
The Daily Wire reached out to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s office for comment on the remarks from Oz.
The announcement comes after Health and Human Services said last week that federal child care payments would be paused as well. Governor Walz opted not to seek re-election amid the intense scrutiny from fraud allegations within the Medicaid system and other federally funded, state-administered social services programs.
On Tuesday, an <a href="https://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/meeting/mm/mm_Auditor_LAC-20260106-DHSBHAG-Pres.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">audit</a> from the Office of the Legislative Auditor underscored concerns in the state with a critical look at Behavioral Health Administration Grants through the state’s Department of Human Services.
The report said that the Behavioral Health Administration “did not comply with most requirements [the audit] tested.” The report recommended that BHA “Establish sufficient internal controls to ensure compliance with grant requirements” and “conduct grant monitoring activities as required by state policies.”
Specifically, the report said that the BHA “paid almost $296,000 to 11 out of 18 grantees for: Unsupported costs [and] Reimbursement requests with errors.” It also said that BHA “overpaid” over $41,000 to two entities with grants, and gave “$915,540 to 6 grantees for work performed before BHA executed grant agreements.” In addition, over a dozen “existing grantees” received $2.5 million despite “bypassing [the] competitive grant award process.”
In response to the audit’s findings, Shireen Gandhi, the temporary commissioner for Minnesota&#8217;s Department of Human Services, said the findings are a “road map” for improvement at a legislative hearing on Tuesday.
“With respect to the audit report, while it’s upsetting that DHS has findings in areas we have placed concerted effort, the OLA’s report highlights the importance of the grant compliance work already underway at the department. And the findings provide us with a road map for our focus going forward to continue strengthening oversight and integrity of behavioral health grants,” Gandhi said. “I take the report seriously, I accept responsibility for the findings, and I will ensure DHS closes the findings.”
In Washington, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing regarding the fraud concerns.
&#8220;The breadth and depth of this fraud is breathtaking, and I fear that this is just the tip of the iceberg,” Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said during the hearing.
Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, took aim at the Trump administration while explaining his decision not to pursue a third term as governor.
“I won’t mince words here. Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St. Paul, and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place,” the Democrat stated.
“They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors. And, ultimately, they want to take away much of what makes Minnesota the best place in America to raise a family. They’ve already begun by taking our tax dollars that were meant to help families afford child care. And they have no intention of stopping there,” the governor added.

dea60e29-a11e-4e96-8a5e-3a6f3ffdaef8

Dr. Oz Blasts Minnesota’s ‘Deeply Insufficient’ Plan As Feds Audit Medicaid Payments

'Deeply Insufficient' Minnesota Plan Blasted By Dr. Oz As Feds Audit Medicaid Payments

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