Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a 28-year-old illegal alien woman convicted of sex crimes against a teenage boy on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire.
ICE agents nabbed Michelle Rodriguez-Berrio, an illegal alien from Colombia, convicted in Utah for sexual contact with a 16- or 17-year-old boy. Rodriguez-Berrio was let into the country under former President Joe Biden in 2022, a DHS spokesman told The Daily Wire.
“In February 2022, this sexual predator alien illegally entered the U.S. and was encountered by Border Patrol. She was released into the U.S. by the Biden administration,” the spokesman said. “On January 26, 2026, Rodriguez was convicted by the Salt Lake City County District Court for the offense of Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old. Thanks to ICE, she is now off American streets and will remain in custody pending removal.”
Rodriguez-Berrio was one of the “worst of the worst” illegal alien offenders detained by ICE agents on Thursday. Others highlighted by DHS to The Daily Wire included:
<blockquote>-Rene Lopez-Balbuena, an illegal alien from Mexico convicted of endangering the welfare of a child and sexual assault of a child in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
-Luis Elias-Santos, an illegal alien from Mexico convicted of second-degree statutory rape in Boone County, Missouri.
-Jeovanny Porras-Rodriguez, an illegal alien from Mexico convicted of trafficking in meth in Buncombe County, North Carolina.
-Leonardo Garcia-Meza, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Collin County, Texas.</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_1047515" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1047515" class="size-full wp-image-1047515" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-20-Feb-2026-02-41-PM-4224.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-20-Feb-2026-02-41-PM-4224.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-20-Feb-2026-02-41-PM-4224-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-20-Feb-2026-02-41-PM-4224-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-20-Feb-2026-02-41-PM-4224-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-20-Feb-2026-02-41-PM-4224-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-20-Feb-2026-02-41-PM-4224-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Elias-Santos/Porras-Rodriguez: DHS.</div>
“Even while facing doxing, threats, harassment and a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them, ICE continues to go after criminal illegal aliens, including pedophiles, violent sex criminals and drug traffickers,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Daily Wire. “Nearly 70% of all ICE arrests are of illegal aliens convicted or charged of a crime in the U.S. If you break the law, you will face the consequences. Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S.”
Millions of illegal aliens were released into the United States during the Biden administration, many of whom went on to commit crimes, including Jose Antonio Ibarra, the Venezuelan national who murdered 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley.

MixCollage-20-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-7544

Illegal Alien Convicted Of Sex Crime Against Teen Entered U.S. Under Biden

Biden Administration

Department of Homeland Security

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

U.S.

Utah

The sun beat down on 3,000 eager attendees as Hunter Kozak approached the microphone at the bottom of the amphitheater to talk to Charlie Kirk. He seemed a little nervous, but cheerful, and prepared with his question.
It was September 10, 2025. From under his white tent across the stadium, Kirk leaned forward and greeted Kozak, a Utah Valley University student and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@hunterekozak">liberal TikTok commentator</a>. &#8220;Hey Charlie,&#8221; said Kozak, according to footage taken by his wife and shared with The Daily Wire, telling the Turning Point USA founder that he was hoping &#8220;to have a little more disagreement&#8221; than those who asked questions before him.
He then launched into his question: &#8220;A few weeks ago there was a transgender mass shooter, and ever since then, about three weeks later, the Trump DOJ said that we should start talking about revoking gun rights for transgender Americans.&#8221; 
The crowd of students erupted into cheers. Six days earlier The Daily Wire had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-doj-considering-gun-ban-for-transgenders">reported</a> that the administration was &#8220;actively considering&#8221; ways to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals suffering gender dysphoria. 
&#8220;I think you&#8217;re in support of this decision, yes?&#8221; Kozak questioned Kirk. &#8220;Is that fair to say? All right, great. So, do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?&#8221; 
&#8220;Too many,&#8221; responded the 31-year-old TPUSA founder. It was only two weeks after the Annunciation school shooting, in which a trans-identifying killer had killed two children and injured many others when he opened fire on a Catholic school mass.
Kozak&#8217;s initial response to Kirk was drowned out by the cheering and clapping of the crowd. Then the UVU student can be heard saying, &#8220;It&#8217;s five. Ok, now five is a lot, right? I&#8217;m going to give you some credit. Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last ten years?&#8221; 
&#8220;Counting or not counting gang violence?&#8221; asked Kirk.
&#8220;Great,&#8221; began Kozak, ready with a retort based on his own analysis of gun violence and trans-identifying shooters. But his response never left his mouth. 
At that very moment a shot rang out. Kirk&#8217;s assassin had fired at 12:23 p.m. mountain time, hitting the TPUSA founder in the neck. By 2:40 p.m. local time, President Donald Trump had announced that Kirk was dead.
Kirk&#8217;s last conversation on earth centered on a topic that he had discussed at length, particularly throughout the end of August and beginning of September: the disturbing rise in transgender violence. Kirk was unapologetic about his stance, that trans-identifying individuals were targeting Christians, and, given their gender confusion, they were too mentally unwell to own firearms.
&#8220;If you are crazy enough to want to hormonally and surgically &#8216;change your sex,&#8217; you have a mental disorder, and you are too crazy to own a firearm,&#8221; he posted on &#8220;X&#8221; on August 27, 2025, the day that the trans-identifying shooter, Robert Westman, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/what-we-know-about-the-trans-identifying-gunman-who-slaughtered-catholic-school-children">killed Catholic school children</a> before taking his own life.
&#8220;First Nashville, now this,&#8221; Kirk asked the same day, referring to the trans-shooter who targeted children at Covenant Christian School. &#8220;How many times makes a trend?&#8221;
Westman’s attack came just two years after another that trans-identifying killer targeted Christian school children in Nashville. Leaders of Catholic and independent schools in Minnesota had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minnesota-catholic-school-leader-warned-tim-walz-of-urgent-and-critical-need-to-secure-schools?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Minnesota+Catholic+School+Leader+Warned+Tim+Walz+Of+%E2%80%98Critical%E2%80%99+School+Safety+Threats.+He+Did+Nothing." target="_blank" rel="noopener">begged Governor Tim Walz</a> to help prevent similar shootings, fearing that the next shooter would target one of their schools. That security funding was never authorized, a fact which became painfully evident after the Minneapolis shooting in late August.
Now five months later, the world is reeling from another <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youtube-confirms-trans-themed-page-is-linked-to-canada-mass-shooting-suspect?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Canada+School+Attacker+Was+Trans+Identifying+Man%2C+Police+Confirm">transgender-identifying attacker</a>, this time in Canada. The shooter, a man who believed he was a woman and wore a dress, opened fire on a rural school in British Columbia, killing ten and injuring dozens. It is yet another example of transgender violence, but the pressing issue that Kirk was opining on regularly now seems to have fallen out of consideration.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-last-questions-charlie-kirk-answered-were-about-a-trans-gun-ban-that-initiative-is-stalled/screenshot-2026-02-12-at-1-16-06-pm" rel="attachment wp-att-1043131"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1043131 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Screenshot-2026-02-12-at-1.16.06-PM-1024x339.png" alt="" width="1024" height="339" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Screenshot-2026-02-12-at-1.16.06-PM-1024x339.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Screenshot-2026-02-12-at-1.16.06-PM-300x99.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Screenshot-2026-02-12-at-1.16.06-PM-768x254.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Screenshot-2026-02-12-at-1.16.06-PM.png 1070w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
It was after the Minneapolis shooting that the Department of Justice was deliberating how to respond to this rise in transgender violence. The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-doj-considering-gun-ban-for-transgenders">broke the news</a> on September 4 that the DOJ was considering blocking trans-identifying people from buying firearms, reviewing ways to ensure that mentally ill individuals suffering from gender dysphoria are unable to obtain firearms while they are unstable and unwell,&#8221; according to one source.
The DOJ’s discussions centered on the acknowledgement that those who identify as transgender suffer from gender dysphoria, a mental disorder, which describes the sense of unease that a man or woman may feel if he or she thinks that their biological sex is mismatched with their so-called gender identity.
“Democrats have called for common sense gun laws for a long time,” one DOJ source told The Daily Wire in September. “This seems pretty common sense to me.”
The news sparked massive debate from both the Left and the Right, with many raising Second Amendment concerns about such a proposal.
Then, on September 10, a gunman identified by authorities as Tyler Robinson was charged with shooting Kirk in the neck. Robinson lived with his &#8220;transgender partner,&#8221; a male named Lance Twiggs who is attempting to transition to a transgender female. Twiggs had vanished from the public view for months but was <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15542527/lance-twiggs-trans-lover-Charlie-Kirks-accused-assassin-resurfaces.html">just this week spotted living quietly in Texas</a> as the investigation plays out.
While it is known that Robinson deeply disagreed with Kirk&#8217;s political views, it remains unclear whether Robinson specifically targeted Kirk for his views on transgenderism. The FBI&#8217;s investigation into the murder is ongoing.
But the fact remains that Robinson fired at Kirk as the TPUSA founder was addressing transgender violence.
A review by the Daily Wire found a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-were-naming-the-minneapolis-shooter?author=Brent+Scher&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Why+We%E2%80%99re+Naming+The+Minneapolis+Shooter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">steady stream of transgender-related violence</a> over the past decade. And given this rise, many conservatives on the right were calling for closer examination of transgender violence at the time of Kirk&#8217;s death. Some wanted action, furious that officials like Walz had not taken the situation more seriously. Walz instead signed legislation establishing Minnesota as a “trans refuge,” promising to “protect those seeking gender-affirming care.”
Kirk&#8217;s death had stunned the world. He was a personal friend of many members of President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration, including the leadership of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. Many members of the president&#8217;s cabinet and wider administration traveled to Phoenix, Arizona to commemorate Kirk with his wife and the Turning Point USA team at a massive memorial in Kirk&#8217;s honor.
<div id="attachment_1043335" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-last-questions-charlie-kirk-answered-were-about-a-trans-gun-ban-that-initiative-is-stalled/memorial-service-held-for-slain-conservative-activist-charlie-kirk-at-state-farm-stadium-7" rel="attachment wp-att-1043335"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1043335" class="wp-image-1043335 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2236636785-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" data-wp-editing="1" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2236636785-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2236636785-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2236636785-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2236636785-1.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Erika Kirk joins U.S. President Donald Trump onstage during the memorial service for political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.  (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)</div>
Five months after the shooting, it is not clear whether the DOJ discussions on banning guns for trans-identifying individuals have moved forward. The DOJ did not immediately comment on the matter to The Daily Wire. A source familiar with the Trump administration&#8217;s thinking said that the topic is not something that they have heard discussed since the Daily Wire&#8217;s original reporting in September.
Reached for comment on the matter, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said Friday that the administration is committed to &#8220;investigating, disrupting, dismantling, and prosecuting individuals and entities engaged in organized political violence and domestic terrorism.&#8221;
Jackson slammed left-wing organizations for fueling violent riots, organizing attacks on law enforcement officers, coordinating illegal doxing campaigns, arranging &#8220;drop points for weapons and riot materials, and more,&#8221; promising that the Trump administration will &#8220;get to the bottom of this vast network inciting violence in American communities, and the President’s executive actions to address left-wing violence will put an end to any illegal activities.&#8221;
Her statement did not directly address transgender violence or the proposed gun-ban, referencing the broader &#8220;domestic terrorism&#8221; at play in the United States. Yet there are a number of indicators that the administration is taking transgender violence seriously.
Aboard Air Force One on his way back from Kirk&#8217;s memorial, Trump told The Daily Wire that his administration was “very strongly” examining the string of transgender violence throughout the United States.
“You know, we’re looking at that,” the president said gravely, asking, “What’s the reason for it?”
“Yeah, there seems to be something,” he reflected. “But we’re looking at it very strongly. Something seems to be going on.”
Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to President Donald Trump and senior director for counterterrorism, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/calls-to-investigate-trans-domestic-terrorism-escalate-after-devastating-school-shooting?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Calls+To+Investigate+Trans+Domestic+Terrorism+Escalate+After+Devastating+School+Shooting">told The Daily Wire</a> in early September, before the assassination, that his draft U.S. Counterterrorism plan addresses transgender violence, asked whether there should be a transgender domestic terrorism label such as “Transgender Ideology-Inspired Violence and Extremism” (TIVE) (a classification <a href="https://glaad.org/understanding-anti-trans-tropes-transgender-ideology-inspired-violence-and-extremism/">suggested by The Oversight Project)</a>.
Trump advisor Stephen Miller and Vice President JD Vance, in interviews that took place shortly after Kirk&#8217;s death, vowed to dismantle the domestic terrorism movement within the United States.
&#8220;With God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have at the Justice Department, Homeland Security, and throughout this government, to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and destroy these networks, and make America safe again for the American people,&#8221; said Miller. Vance similarly stressed: &#8220;We have to talk about this incredibly destructive movement of left-wing extremism that has grown up over the last few years, and I believe, is part of the reason why Charlie was killed by an assassin’s bullet.&#8221;
In December, Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://charityandsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bondi_Memo_On_Countering_Domestic_Terrorism_And_Organized_Political_Violence-1.pdf">issued a memo</a> to all federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies that including &#8220;radical gender ideology&#8221; in a list of domestic terrorism threats.
&#8220;For too long,&#8221; her memo said, &#8220;rampant criminal conduct rising to the level of domestic terrorism—e.g., organized doxing of law enforcement, mass rioting and destruction in our cities, violent efforts to shut down immigration enforcement, targeting of public officials or other political actors, etc.—has been tolerated.&#8221;
&#8220;For some culpable actors, such as certain Antifa-aligned extremists, their animating principle is adherence to the types of extreme viewpoints on immigration, radical gender ideology, and anti-American sentiment listed below, with a willingness to use violence against law-abiding citizenry to serve those beliefs,&#8221; that memo continued. &#8220;Federal law enforcement will prioritize this threat.&#8221;
Where federal agents encounter crime, they will act, Bondi wrote. And where they encounter or suspect domestic terrorism, law enforcement will refer these matters to the Joint Terrorism Task Forces.

Political Activist Charlie Kirk Shot Dead At Utah Valley University

The Last Questions Charlie Kirk Answered Were About A Trans Gun Ban. That Initiative Is Stalled.

Charlie Kirk

Transgender

Tyler Robinson&#8217;s defense team suggested during a Tuesday hearing that the Utah County Attorney&#8217;s Office had only moved to seek the death penalty because it was clear that was what President Donald Trump wanted.
Richard Novak, an attorney for Robinson (who is accused of assassinating the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk), questioned Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Gray during a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZukNzYKgcYM">pre-trial hearing</a> aimed at having Gray&#8217;s office removed from the case due to a perceived conflict of interest.
At issue was Gray&#8217;s decision to seek the death penalty — and the fact that he announced his plan to do so early in the investigation — a move that Novak attributed to &#8220;strong emotional reactions&#8221; within the prosecutor&#8217;s office.
Novak raised several issues that he argued could have driven such an emotional response from the prosecution: the fact that Gray had campaigned on a promise to seek the death penalty in cases he deemed &#8220;appropriate,&#8221; the fact that the adult child of a prosecutor in Gray&#8217;s office had been present at the time of Kirk&#8217;s assassination, and the knowledge that President Trump had already declared his wish to see Kirk&#8217;s killer face the death penalty.
Gray, under questioning from Novak, said that he&#8217;d become aware at some point that a prosecutor in his office had an adult child who had witnessed the shooting, but that they had not discussed it and it had not been a factor in his decision-making process.
Gray also said in a previous filing that the adult child in question had returned to classes after the shooting and had not experienced lasting trauma outside of being scared in the moment.
&#8220;Under these circumstances, there is virtually no risk, let alone a significant risk, that it would arouse such emotions in any father-prosecutor as to render him unable to fairly prosecute the case,&#8221; Gray said in the <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/defendant-in-charlie-kirks-killing-asks-judge-to-disqualify-prosecution-team">filing</a>, arguing that the defense&#8217;s claims were rooted in a desire to delay proceedings rather than to pursue justice.
When Novak asked whether Gray had been aware that Trump had posted about the suspect, &#8220;I hope he gets the death penalty,&#8221; Gray said he knew the president had said that, but that he had not taken Trump&#8217;s social media posts into consideration when determining whether or not to seek capital punishment.
Novak also raised the question of campaign promises, and, noting that Gray had run on a promise to seek the death penalty, wondered whether he&#8217;d simply been in a hurry to check that off his to-do list.
Gray corrected Novak then, saying that he&#8217;d promised to seek the death penalty in cases where it was appropriate to do so — and that both he and Governor Spencer Cox (R) had determined it was appropriate in this case regardless of promises he&#8217;d made during his 2022 campaign.
When given a chance to explain why he&#8217;d announced the decision to seek the death penalty as early as he did — noting that he had until arraignment to do so — Gray said that his goal had been to limit speculation from social media and the press and to lessen the anxiety felt by the victims, specifically, Charlie&#8217;s widow Erika Kirk.
&#8220;The longer you delay that decision … the more delay, then it just creates all this unnecessary speculation and everything else,&#8221; Gray said, adding that he did it to prevent &#8220;unnecessary angst with the families of victims … so Erika Kirk didn’t have to deal with that uncertainty.&#8221;
The defense also petitioned the court to bar all video recordings and still photography in the courtroom during the trial.

Charlie Kirk Murder Suspect Tyler Robinson Attends Court Hearing

Charlie Kirk’s Suspected Assassin Fights Death Penalty, Says Trump Influenced Prosecutor

assassination

Courts

Death Penalty

Donald Trump

Media

A judge sentenced a man to prison on Thursday for falsely claiming to have shot Charlie Kirk moments after the conservative activist was assassinated.
George Zinn, 71, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty on three counts: one third-degree felony charge of obstruction of justice and two second-degree felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2026/01/29/man-who-falsely-claimed-he-shot/">The Salt Lake Tribune</a>.
Zinn will serve his sentences for all charges concurrently, with the longest term for the sexual exploitation charges – one to 15 years. A parole board will ultimately decide how long Zinn will serve in prison.
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed during a college event in Utah on September 10. In the chaos immediately following the shot that killed Kirk, Zinn falsely claimed to have shot the conservative commentator. The Utah County Sheriff’s Office said Zinn began to yell, “I shot him, now shoot me,” according to <a href="https://www.abc4.com/news/charlie-kirk-shooting/george-zinn-charlie-kirk-assassination-pleads-guilty-obstruction-justice-sexual-exploitation/">ABC4</a>.
As Zinn continued to claim he shot Kirk, law enforcement asked Zinn for the murder weapon. Zinn responded: “I am not going to tell you where [the gun] is. I shot him, now shoot me.”
Zinn was immediately detained and searched. Law enforcement found child sexual abuse materials on his phone during the search.
The 71-year-old said in a statement before the court on Thursday that the material on his phone was from a “chatroom dialogue with photos that are public access.”
“I wish the court to know I am not and will never be a danger to children or their parents,” said Zinn.
Zinn’s outburst on September 10 distracted law enforcement in the critical moments after the shooting as they were attempting to track down the killer. Law enforcement later determined that Zinn was not the shooter and, late the next day, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-the-latest-in-the-charlie-kirk-assassination-trial">arrested</a> Tyler Robinson. Robinson has been charged with seven counts related to Kirk’s murder and may face the death penalty if found guilty.
Robinson&#8217;s legal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-the-latest-in-the-charlie-kirk-assassination-trial">process</a> is ongoing, and his defense team recently claimed that the Utah County Attorney’s Office has a conflict of interest in the case due to a Utah County prosecutor&#8217;s daughter being present at Utah Valley University when the assassination took place.
The prosecution says the family member saw nothing direct and a conflict of interest has not been established. They&#8217;ve also accused the defense of stall tactics.
Judge Tony Graf said that there&#8217;s not sufficient evidence yet to warrant the expulsion of the office, but has allowed Robinson&#8217;s team to begin examining witnesses in relation to the supposed conflict of interest.
Additionally, Judge Graf <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/accused-charlie-kirk-shooter-prosecution-removed/">blocked</a> a pool video camera from showing Robinson after his defense team complained that shots of the accused speaking with his legal team could potentially be seen by lip readers and unfairly impact the trial.
Amanda Prestigiacomo contributed to this story.

Man Who Falsely Claimed To Have Killed Charlie Kirk Sentenced To Prison

Crime

Greenland dominates discussions in Davos ahead of President Donald Trump’s speech, Erika Kirk files a motion to advance the trial of her husband’s alleged killer, and a look back at one year of Trump 2.0.
It’s Wednesday, January 21, 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/greenland-dominates-wef-panels-robinson-trial-stalled/id1576594336?i=1000746019888" 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;">Trump Vs. Europe</h2>
President Trump is set to join global leaders at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, kicking off a series of high-stakes meetings on tariffs, Greenland, and more. Every year, the WEF holds its annual meeting in Davos, hosting thousands of Fortune 500 business leaders, diplomats, and heads of state. Leaders from across the European Union huddled on the sidelines of the conference to formulate a strategy that could spark an enormous economic war. French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU “should not hesitate” to use its “Anti-Coercion Instrument,” known unofficially as the Trade Bazooka. That mechanism, which has never been used before, would include widespread bans on American investments in Europe and restrictions on the import and export of American products. They could also take a more subdued approach and simply withdraw from the previously agreed-upon U.S./EU trade deal.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Erika Kirk Files To Speed Up Trial Of Her Husband’s Alleged Killer</h2>
Erika Kirk has filed a motion to speed up the trial of her late husband Charlie Kirk’s killer, accusing the defense team of delay tactics. Kirk’s attorneys are using Utah’s victims’ rights laws, which are designed to prevent unnecessary delays in serious criminal cases. They argue that the case has remained stuck in this pretrial phase while the defense files multiple motions, and that those delays are compounding the trauma for the victim’s family. The filing specifically noted Charlie Kirk’s love for the U.S. Constitution, saying that while the Constitution “guarantees criminal defendants many rights, it does not guarantee them the right to cause undue delay in the criminal justice process.” Meanwhile, the suspect, Tyler Robinson, has still not entered a plea.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">One Year Of Trump</h2>
One year into his second term, President Trump says his agenda is delivering results, bringing the country into what he calls a new “golden age.” Trump has drastically reduced illegal immigration, effectively securing the southern border. Federal officers have surged into major cities to arrest illegal aliens. The United States experienced annual negative immigration for the first time in decades in large part because of Trump’s approach. On economic policy, the president cut numerous trade deals around the world while receiving pledges of investment worth trillions. It remains to be seen whether those pledges bear fruit. Trump has also ignited a series of trade wars, the latest being with Europe over his desire to acquire Greenland from Denmark. The aggressive posture could have consequences later as countries seek to diversify their trading partners. On foreign policy, the president has severely set back Iran’s nuclear program and toppled the Maduro dictatorship in Venezuela. He has also settled a number of open and near-conflicts, while the war in Ukraine continues to rage. Domestically, Trump has waded into prominent culture war topics such as DEI and transgenderism. He has pardoned several people prosecuted and imprisoned under his predecessor, including pro-life activists. He has battled universities to root out woke policies or risk losing federal funding.

MW_260121

Morning Brief: Greenland Tensions, Erika Kirk Seeks Faster Trial, & Trump’s First Year Back

Emmanuel Macron

European Union

Morning Wire

Erika Kirk’s latest court filing seeks to stop defense delays in the assassination trial of her late husband Charlie Kirk &#8212; a case in which the defendant, Tyler Robinson, has yet to enter a plea.
Erika&#8217;s attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, filed a court document asking the judge overseeing the trial to enforce Erika&#8217;s right to a speedy trial, arguing that there have been “undue delays” in the progress of the case.
&#8220;The Utah Code affords victims of a crime &#8216;the right to a speedy disposition of the charges free from unwarranted delay caused by or at the behest of the defendant,'&#8221; Neiman wrote in the filing, according to Fox News.
&#8220;This Court is tasked with the critically important function of ensuring the Defendant has a fair trial, but this Court must also do so while balancing Mrs. Kirk’s right to a speedy trial and therefore this Notice invokes Mrs. Kirk’s rights under applicable Utah Code,&#8221; the filing continued.
Neiman noted that Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder, &#8220;believed in the importance of the United States Constitution,&#8221; and while the Constitution &#8220;guarantees criminal defendants many rights, it does not guarantee them the right to cause undue delay in the criminal justice process.&#8221;
Robinson&#8217;s defense team claims the Utah County Attorney’s Office has a conflict of interest in the case due to a Utah County prosecutor’s daughter being present at Utah Valley University when the assassination took place. They are currently working to get the office booted from the case.
The prosecution says the family member saw nothing direct and a conflict of interest has not been established. They’ve also accused the defense of stall tactics.
At Robinson&#8217;s last court appearance, Judge Tony Graf said there wasn&#8217;t sufficient evidence yet to warrant the expulsion of the office, but has notably allowed Robinson’s team to begin examining witnesses in relation to the supposed conflict of interest.
Robinson has been charged with murdering Kirk, a 31-year-old husband and father of two, on September 10 at Utah Valley University. At the time he was shot, Kirk was taking questions from people in the crowd who disagreed with him on politics.
The state has made clear that they intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-the-latest-in-the-charlie-kirk-assassination-trial?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tyler+Robinson+Had+Another+Day+In+Court.+Here’s+The+Latest+In+The+Charlie+Kirk+Assassination+Trial.">Tyler Robinson Had Another Day In Court. Here’s The Latest In The Charlie Kirk Assassination Trial.</a>

US-POLITICS-SHOOTING-KIRK

How Erika Kirk Is Trying To Stop Delays In Charlie’s Assassination Trial

Murder

(Reuters) &#8211; Two people were killed, and at least six others were injured in a shooting during an altercation outside a funeral at a church in the Utah capital of Salt Lake City, police said on Wednesday, as they launched a manhunt for suspects.
The situation was still fluid after Wednesday&#8217;s initial report of the incident in the parking lot outside a chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a police spokesperson said.
&#8220;Out in the parking lot, there was some sort of altercation and that&#8217;s when shots were fired,&#8221; Glen Mills told reporters, adding that a funeral service was being held in the church at the time.
Among at least eight adult victims, two died of their injuries, the police said, while three of the survivors were critical and the medical condition of the rest was not known.
Police said they launched a manhunt for the suspects and aimed to interview witnesses among the dozens of people who attended the funeral. The FBI said it was offering assistance.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,&#8221; a police officer told a later press conference on live television.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the Mormon church, follows the teachings of Jesus Christ and the 19th-century prophecies of Joseph Smith.
In a statement, it said it was cooperating with law enforcement after a serious incident outside a church meeting-house as a memorial service was being held in the chapel.
&#8220;We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind,&#8221; it added.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Michelle Nichols and Clarence Fernandez)
&nbsp;

Violence Strikes Salt Lake City Church As Shooting Leaves Two Dead

Church

Mormonism

Salt Lake City

Transcripts and audio from the October 24 hearing for suspected Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson will be made public after a Monday ruling from the Utah judge overseeing the murder case.
District Court Judge Tony Graf gave the court until the end of the day to release the transcript from a brief closed-door hearing that focused on whether Robinson, 22, could remain in civilian clothing and unshackled for the trial. The audio from the hearing must be released within two weeks. Graf added that 246 words, which amounts to one page of the 80-page transcript, would be redacted, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/transcript-audio-closed-door-hearing-alleged-charlie-kirk-shooter-case-rcna251368">reported</a>.
Robinson was present for Monday&#8217;s hearing virtually and did not appear on screen. He was heard saying, &#8220;Yes, your honor,” when the judge asked if he was present, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/29/us-news/charlie-kirk-suspect-tyler-robinsons-secret-hearings-to-be-made-public-after-judges-order/">reported</a>.
The ruling is another win for reporters in the pretrial arguments, as media outlets have pushed for full transparency in the case. Monday&#8217;s decision follows a separate ruling earlier this month from Graf to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cameras-allowed-in-court-for-trial-of-accused-charlie-kirk-assassin-judge-rules">allow cameras</a> in the courtroom during the trial. Kirk&#8217;s widow, Erika — along with members of the media — has pushed for the trial to be made as public as possible, while Robinson&#8217;s defense team has argued that wall-to-wall coverage could taint the jury pool.
&#8220;There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered,&#8221; Erika Kirk said. &#8220;There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear. We deserve to have cameras in there. &#8230; Let everyone see what true evil is.&#8221;
Attorneys for local and national media outlets argued in a motion earlier this month that &#8220;every high-profile criminal prosecution has significant pretrial publicity, no matter where it occurs&#8221; and that the First Amendment guarantees the media access to the courts doing &#8220;the public&#8217;s business,&#8221; according to NBC News.
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In the October 24 closed-door hearing, Graf said that Robinson could wear civilian clothing for the trial, but added that the suspected assassin would have to be restrained in court. In his first virtual court appearance after his arrest, Robinson was in a suicide vest. He was also placed on &#8220;special watch&#8221; in jail after reportedly telling his parents that he would rather kill himself than turn himself over to law enforcement.
Robinson faces numerous charges, including seven felony charges of aggravated murder in the killing of Kirk, a 31-year-old husband and father of two, on September 10 at Utah Valley University. He&#8217;s accused of killing Kirk with a single shot from a bolt-action rifle while the conservative commentator spoke to a large group of students. Robinson <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/tyler-robinson-set-face-formal-charges-shooting-death/story?id=125614396">told</a> his parents that he killed Kirk because he believed Kirk &#8220;spread too much hate,&#8221; according to charging documents. The suspected assassin could face a firing squad if he&#8217;s convicted of the aggravated murder charge.
Robinson is due back in court on January 16 for a major hearing on a motion to disqualify the Utah County Attorney&#8217;s Office from prosecuting the case over an alleged conflict of interest. Robinson&#8217;s defense team argues that a family member of a Utah County prosecutor was present at Utah Valley University when Kirk was assassinated.

Judge Tony Graf

Judge Orders Transcripts, Audio To Be Made Public From Hearing For Accused Charlie Kirk Assassin

Court

A Utah state employee accused Republican Governor Spencer Cox of engaging in &#8220;reprehensible censorship” for ordering a review that included flagging content related to radical gender and racial ideology in state documents, according to emails viewed by The Daily Wire. 
An employee with the Utah Department of Health attacked Cox, accusing him of &#8220;dehumanizing&#8221; minorities and saying more should be done to “push back” against the review, emails obtained by Do No Harm show. The employee made the comment amid a sensitive content review that directed officials at Utah’s Department of Health to go through content and watch for words like “anti-racism,” “environmental justice,” “gender identity,” “LGBTQ(IA+),” “Racism,” “transgender,” “white privilege,” “white fragility,” abortion, and more. 
The call to &#8220;push back&#8221; was apparently made during a staff meeting and passed along by public information officer Charla Haley, whose job is to communicate with the public about what’s happening at the health department, to other employees in the Utah Department of Health in an email on January 10, 2024.
&#8220;Why isn&#8217;t more being done to push back against the Sensitive Content Assignment issued by the governor&#8217;s office?&#8221; the quote shared by Haley read. &#8220;This effort to remove references to health equity, race, gender identity, ethnicity, and sexual orientation is reprehensible censorship that invisibilizes communities who have already experienced disproportionate negative health outcomes from systemic oppression. It is dehumanizing and will further marginalize diverse people in Utah, including employees and Partners.&#8221; 
Utah Department of Health and Human Services Director Mike Grass said in an email to The Daily Wire that Haley passed the message along to other employees &#8220;who had some questions.&#8221; It was not clear what the questions were.
&#8220;With respect to the comment sent by Charla Haley, this was simply a direct quote written by an employee made during a staff meeting. She passed it along to three staff members who had some questions,&#8221; the Utah Department of Health told The Daily Wire. 
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1017301" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM.png" alt="" width="1428" height="270" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM.png 1428w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM-300x57.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM-1024x194.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.10.59-PM-768x145.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px" /></div>
Kurt Miceli, the medical Director of Do No Harm, said the comment showed that there were political ideologues embedded in Utah&#8217;s Department of Health and Human Services. 
 “What Do No Harm has uncovered makes it clear that there are political ideologues in Utah’s DHHS who are interested in pushing an agenda, not science,&#8221; he said. &#8220;These activists within Utah’s DHHS should stop pushing their political agenda and spend more time helping the people of their state.”
A few hours after passing along the quote attacking the governor, Haley sent an email to another health department employee telling them to pull &#8220;concerning&#8221; handouts &#8220;for the time being.&#8221; 
“So, you might want to go through some of your handouts that might be concerning and pull them for the time being. Your disease reports should be fine for now and we can review them and rebrand them after the 15th,” she wrote. 
Grass told The Daily Wire that the reference to rebranding had to do with a merger, and the department was not trying to hide DEI-focused materials.
&#8220;DHHS is compliant with the governor’s directive. DHHS materials were not rebranded to hide references to DEI activities; however, materials were revised to comply with the governor’s directive and the department’s internal policies,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Additionally, the department’s efforts to rebrand and the references to rebranding were necessary due to the merger between the Utah Department of Health and the Utah Department of Human Services in July 2022. After the merger, the department’s website continued to contain documents with old logos. The rebranding comments simply referred to making sure they all had the new logo.&#8221;
Grass said those conducting the review were &#8220;instructed to watch for certain words&#8221; and &#8220;the context in which those words were used during the review process.&#8221;
&#8220;The use of those words alone did not necessarily result in revisions to particular materials,&#8221; he said. 
In another email sent to a health department employee in February 2024, Haley shared a rant from someone named “Mikey” who she said was “definitely in touch with his emotions.” In the rant, “Mikey” said that parents should allow their kids to identify as transgender. 
“The LGBTQIA+ community does not want your children. They want to give a safe space for your child when you decide they are no longer your child because they came out as gay or trans. YOU, as a parent, are a failure if you feel that is the only acceptable response to your child telling you what has been plaguing their minds the most,” the person wrote. 
In another email from April 16, 2024, obtained by Do No Harm, a then-health department employee, Andrea Hood, discussed editing an LGBT-focused resource to get it through the content review process. 
“I was wondering if we want to edit this resource for parents and submit it through the DHHS ‘sensitive topics’ review process,” she wrote. “What are your thoughts? I created it to go with Inclusive Spaces training but I think it could be useful on its own. I&#8217;m open to making adjustments to it if there are pieces that might be particularly scrutinized we can brainstorm how to do that.”
The resource pushed parents to get involved in politics and embrace their kids&#8217; gender expression.
The resource said that using “chosen name &amp; pronouns,” supporting “gender expression,” encouraging “inclusive practices,” and being “active in the legislative process,” would “increase the likelihood of your LGBTQ+ child having a healthy and happy future.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1017305" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM.png" alt="" width="1359" height="965" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM.png 1359w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM-300x213.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM-811x576.png 811w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-18-at-2.12.28-PM-768x545.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1359px) 100vw, 1359px" /></div>
The resource also said to “speak up when you hear stereotypes about LGBTQ+ people,” and “talk with your religious leaders to help your congregation become more supportive of LGBTQ+ people.”
The inclusive practices the resource said to support included “including pronouns on enrollment forms,” “name and pronoun change procedures,” “LGBTQ+ professional development for staff,” “sports participation for transgender and gender non-binary youth,” “inclusive curricula,” and “affirming clubs (Gender &amp; Sexuality Alliances).”
The resource told parents to use their children&#8217;s chosen pronouns, not their biological ones, and to &#8220;correct&#8221; themselves when they &#8220;make a mistake.&#8221; 
“Listen to your child to understand what being transgender or gender nonbinary means to them, and what it feels like,” the resource said, adding, “Try to use their chosen name and pronouns, and correct yourself in the moment when you make a mistake.”
The resource also claimed that studies “found that youth who have parental and school support to transition socially have significantly better mental health outcomes than youth without that support.”
Cox&#8217;s office did not respond to requests for comment on the emails. 
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Utah’s Department of Health has<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/utah-lawmakers-are-getting-terribly-flawed-information-on-transgender-procedures-watchdog-warns?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Utah+Lawmakers+Are+Getting+%E2%80%98Terribly+Flawed%E2%80%99+Information+On+Transgender+Procedures%2C+Watchdog+Warns"> been criticized</a> for producing a “terribly flawed” report on the science behind transgender procedures for kids. The report, which was sent from the department to the Utah legislature, significantly misrepresents the scientific record and glosses over the danger of transgender procedures, Do No Harm said in a memo last week. 
The report also came alongside recommendations from the Utah Department of Health, which Miceli said silently supported undoing protections for kids from transgender procedures. 
The recommendations are all contingent on the moratorium being lifted, Miceli said. These included things like setting up a board to oversee the moratorium, creating specific standards of care, and limiting those who prescribe transgender procedures to “demonstrated experts.”
Utah’s Department of Health also <a href="https://dhhs.utah.gov/public-health-training-hub/self-paced-trainings/">maintains</a> a “self-paced” training page on the topics of “advancing health equity,” “an anti-racist imperative for public health data,” and “How to be Anti-Racist in the Everyday Practice of Public Health.”
“Each day, we have opportunities to fight racism and bias in our work in public health. From our hiring practices to microaggressions that occur in internal meetings to the data we collect to the policies we influence, enact, and enforce — racism and bias impact all facets of public health. Studies show that this ultimately causes a negative impact on health outcomes and hinders our efforts to reduce racial inequities in health,” the course description says. 
In January 2023, Cox signed legislation placing a moratorium on doctors giving kids cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers and banning transgender surgeries. That came after he previously vetoed a bill keeping males out of female sports.

Paris 2024 Olympic Games – Previews

Utah Health Employee Urged Others To ‘Push Back’ Against Review Of Trans Content

Utah Health Employee Called For 'Push Back' Against Trans Content Review, Email Shows

LGBT

Spencer Cox

Erika Kirk

Why I Don’t Buy The Charlie Kirk Conspiracy Theories

Candace Owens

Conspiracy Theory

Matt Walsh

Opinion

Cameras will be allowed inside the courtroom during the trial of alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson, Utah Judge Tony Graf, Jr. ruled on Thursday.
Robinson appeared in court in person for the first time since his arrest in September. The 22-year-old Utah man is facing a slew of charges related to Kirk’s murder, including aggravated murder, felony use of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
The judge said Thursday that cameras will be allowed in the courtroom during the trial, though located away from the table of Robinson and his legal team.
“I find that excluding … the cameras from the courtroom would be disproportionate for this hearing. I find that making it very clear, first, that the transmission cannot begin until court is in session and must end as the court ends the session, and cannot be filmed before or after,” the judge said.
He emphasized that the court may order the cameras on and off at the court’s discretion.
“I simply want to put all parties on notice–to the press, to all parties–that this court takes this very seriously. While the court believes in openness and transparency, it needs to be balanced with the constitutional rights of all parties in this case,” he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The judge in Tyler Robinson’s case just ruled cameras will be allowed in the courtroom stating that doing otherwise would be &#8220;disproportionate for this hearing.&#8221; The people will get to see justice in action. <a href="https://t.co/hMhOWkLPkA">pic.twitter.com/hMhOWkLPkA</a>
— Chad Prather (@WatchChad) <a href="https://twitter.com/WatchChad/status/1999252868076085621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Robinson’s attorneys <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/judge-to-decide-degree-of-media-access-in-charlie-kirk-killing-case/4027110/">argued</a> against broadcasting the proceedings, voicing concerns that the flood of media attention and access to the courtroom could jeopardize Robinson’s right to a fair trial.
Friends and family of Kirk have argued in favor of broadcasting the trial. Kirk’s widow, Erika, said on Fox News last month that cameras are a matter of transparency.“There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered. There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UzqVlm8VXRI">said</a> Erika. “We deserve to have cameras in there. Why not be transparent?”

Tyler Robinson

Cameras Allowed In Court For Trial Of Accused Charlie Kirk Assassin, Judge Rules

Turning Point USA

The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trove-of-critical-minerals-uncovered-in-the-utah-desert-9bc509f9/">reports</a> that Ionic Mineral Technologies (Ionic MT) has recently uncovered what may be one of the most significant critical-mineral reserves in the United States while mining clay at Utah’s Silicon Ridge.
Originally leasing the land to produce nanosilicon for lithium-ion batteries, the company unexpectedly identified high-grade concentrations of 16 critical minerals, including lithium, alumina, germanium, rubidium, cesium, vanadium, niobium, and scandium. Independent testing confirmed the deposit is a halloysite-hosted ion-adsorption clay, similar to geological formations in China that supply a major share of global rare-earth output.
Because the deposit is shallow, accessible, and located on pre-permitted land with extensive infrastructure, Ionic MT says extraction could begin quickly. CEO Andre Zeitoun argues the find has far-reaching implications for national security, as these minerals are indispensable for advanced semiconductors, electric vehicles, fighter jets, and artificial-intelligence hardware.
The discovery comes amid heavy geopolitical tension over China’s control of critical mineral markets. China produces roughly 70% of the world’s rare earths and processes about 90%, giving it enormous leverage over global supply chains. Recent Chinese export restrictions have alarmed American industry and policymakers, though a temporary one-year delay won through recent trade negotiations offers a short window for the United States and allies to expand production and processing capacity.
It is this strategic vulnerability that has galvanized Marco Rubio’s leadership on the issue. In July 2024, in another move to counter Communist China, Rubio introduced the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4702">Critical Mineral Supply Chain Realignment Act of 2024</a>. imposing aggressive, escalating tariffs on Chinese-controlled electromagnets, permanent magnets, batteries, solar components, and other key technologies. Tariffs would reach 800% on Chinese goods, while non-allied nations would face 25% duties, all designed to push supply chains toward American and allied producers.
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Rubio argued that the United States must break China’s “critical mineral industrial monopoly,” warning that Beijing’s near-total control of end-to-end supply chains — mining, refining, and magnet production — posed economic and national-security dangers.
Rubio has also spearheaded bipartisan pressure — partnering with Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and others — <a href="https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/b/7/b77b564b-9f1b-47db-9d54-9d020d91ffc4/5FE33019DC7A2ED1E156EBA22FB39351.11.16.23-senate-critical-mineral-letter-to-amos-hochstein-final.pdf">urging</a> the White House and the Export-Import Bank to prioritize financing for domestic and allied processing, refining, and metallurgical capacity. Their joint letters emphasized that demand for critical minerals was soaring while the United States remained dangerously dependent on China, which often controls “nearly 100%” of the entire supply chains. They argued that only rapid investment, coordinated with allies such as Australia, could counter China’s dominance.
Utah’s newly revealed deposit — supported by the state’s already diverse critical-mineral portfolio — represents not just an industrial opportunity but a strategic asset. State leaders echo Rubio’s warnings: securing reliable domestic sources of these minerals is essential for U.S. energy independence, defense needs, and long-term technological competitiveness.

Robotic arm giving a CPU to another robot

Huge Utah Mineral Find Gives U.S. New Firepower Against China’s Supply-Chain Grip

Marco Rubio

rare earth minerals

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