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Today in Politics, Bulletin 295. 1/27/26

Ron Filipkowski Jan 27 ∙

… Trump said today that the killing of Renee Good was worse to him than the Alex Pretti killing because her parents were Trump supporters: “I’m not sure about his parents, but I know her parents were big Trump fans. It makes me feel bad anyway, but you could say even worse because they were tremendous Trump fans. I guess you could say their daughter was radicalized.”

… Palace intrigue inside the Trump admin with knives out between people who want Stephen Miller to take the fall for labeling murder victim Pretti as a domestic terrorist rather than Kristi Noem. Axios citing 4 sources in the admin: “Kristi Noem's language that Alex Pretti wanted to "massacre" federal agents was dictated to Noem and her department by the man most responsible for the controversial operation: Stephen Miller.”

… The Atlantic: “Gregory Bovino has been removed from his role as Border Patrol ‘commander at large’ and will return to his former job in El Centro, CA, where he is expected to retire soon.”

… Axios on Tom Homan taking over for Bovino in MN: “A person familiar with Homan’s plans said he’ll help steer operational decisions and media presence. Homan is likely to emphasize more targeted enforcement efforts with fewer confrontational tactics than Bovino, whose roving squads of masked officers were caught on video accosting residents such as two Target employees, both US citizens, who were roughed up earlier this month.”

… “Trump wants a peace-with-honor withdrawal from MN that doesn’t look like his immigration surge was a loss driven by botched law enforcement efforts under Bovino, and plummeting poll numbers.”

… Rep. Jeffries, Clark, and Aguilar issued a joint statement on behalf of House Dem leadership: “Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

… The last line quotes FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s previous threat to ABC to pull their broadcast license or fine them if they didn’t fire Jimmy Kimmel.

… Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) to Meidas: “On Bovino, it is great news. He clearly has no business running any federal agency. But it’s not just about him. He’s one piece of a much larger operation. When you think about who’s at the center of this, you’re talking about Noem and Miller, and beyond them, Homan. While this is a positive development, it changes nothing. Noem must be impeached immediately, or she must be removed by Trump.”

… Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): “What she’s done in MN should be disqualifying. She should be out of job. It’s amateurish.”

… Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN):

… Gov Tim Walz issued a statement: “Gov. Walz and Tom Homan met this morning and reiterated MN’s priorities: impartial investigations into the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents, a swift, significant reduction in the number of federal forces in MN, and an end to the campaign of retribution against MN.”

… “The Governor and Homan agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and will continue working toward those goals, which the President also agreed to yesterday. The Governor tasked the Minnesota Department of Public Safety as the primary liaison to Homan to ensure these goals are met.”

… Far-right commentator Eric Spracklen is upset because he sees this as Trump caving again. To his 270K+ followers on X: “I have never been more embarrassed to have been a Trump supporter for the last 10 years than I am right now. I lost countless friends and alienated myself socially in the process. Politics has ruled everything around me. I thought he was different. I really did. I was wrong. I ‘trusted the plan’ for 10 years, but really there is no plan to trust.”

… Trump got Second Amendment fans on the right riled up again with this comment today about Pretti: “You can’t have guns. It’s a very unfortunate thing. You can’t have guns. Q - What about the Second Amendment? You can’t walk in with guns.”

… I guess Democrats just found a new ally for gun control legislation.

… Q - “Do you believe that Pretti’s death was justified? Trump: We’re doing a big investigation. I want to see the investigation. I’m going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation.”

… Sen. John Fetterman posted: “President Trump, I make a direct appeal to immediately fire Secretary Noem. Americans have died. She is betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy. DO NOT make the mistake President Biden made for not firing a grossly incompetent DHS Secretary.

… Of course he had to include a shot at Biden.

… MN AG Keith Ellison on his lawsuit v. the admin: “Under the 10th Amendment, the federal govt doesn’t have the ability to convert us into its deputies. We have the right as a state, as a co-sovereign, to do our own business with our own tax money. What the federal govt has said is, ‘if you don’t do it our way, we’re gonna saturate your state with 4,000 ICE agents until you cry uncle and obey us.’ That’s unconstitutional and illegal.”

… Politico: “Sen. Chuck Schumer wants the DHS bill stripped out of the larger funding package entirely and renegotiated. Republicans are reluctant to engage, taking the first step to set up an initial vote on the package Thursday. Instead, GOP senators are dangling alternatives that would let them avoid having to tweak the package at the 11th hour, floating new potential executive actions or a commitment to passing a separate piece of legislation that would address shared priorities.”

… “But Democrats aren’t biting. Many believe they have leverage as Americans recoil at the admin’s immigration enforcement tactics in MN and elsewhere. Plenty of Democrats are also skeptical the admin can be trusted to bring accountability to DHS operations or that standalone legislation reining in the dept would ever make it through the House.”

… The New Republic: “Dems are coalescing around 5 restrictions on ICE: 1. DHS must cooperate with state probes (big). 2. CBP stays at the border. 3. Warrants for arrests. 4. IDs, bodycams. 5. ICE out of churches, schools.” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT): “That unites a lot of Dems.”

… Immigration lawyer Greg Siskind on Dems conditions for a deal: “All of these things would matter a lot and are more constructive than simply saying ‘Abolish ICE.’ Interior immigration enforcement is not going to go away. Reforming it to include accountability and limits on power are what are needed. And, as some on the right like Sean Hannity said yesterday, we need a path to legal status for non-criminal long time residents.”

… Punchbowl: “GOP congressional leaders and the WH are desperate to avoid a scenario in which the funding package has to go back to the House, which explains their opposition to splitting off the DHS bill. The House simply can’t pass another DHS funding bill under any circumstances. Even if Trump were to cut a deal with Dems that can get through the Senate, House Republicans believe they can’t round up 218 votes to pass a rule to get it on the House floor.”

… “That’s why Trump has been focused on ‘de-escalatory measures,’ as one admin official told us, a first step toward placating Democrats. Yet Democrats have made clear to us they simply won’t accept - nor do they trust - executive actions alone. There has to be some legislative fix. Some Republicans have floated a separate legislative vehicle to address ICE reforms. But this also would be met with heavy skepticism from Democrats.”

… Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY): “DHS funding should also be viewed in the context of our current $2 trillion deficit. The 2026 spending bill gives DHS $92 billion for this year. Last year Congress gave DHS an additional $165 billion in advance funding. So even if DHS appropriations were eliminated this year, DHS would still be funded at roughly 180% of their regular level. In 2025, ICE received $10 billion in appropriations. The 2026 bill holds ICE at $10 billion - but last year Congress gave them $75 billion in advance funding. So even if ICE appropriations were eliminated, ICE would still have a 750% increase over last year.”

… Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) on MS NOW: “I gotta be honest with you. When I talk to a few of my Republican colleagues, they had not even seen the shooting videos. It’s almost like they put blinders on. They’re uneasy.”

… WaPo story on how the Pretti murder has broken through to non-political forums: “The moderator of r/catbongos, an 800,000-member subreddit devoted to videos of people playing their cats like drums, never posted about politics before Sat. But after watching clips showing Border Patrol agents killing intensive care nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, the 30-something professional poker player from Washington State decided to take a stand.”

… Moderator of the account: “If you still support Trump/ICE even slightly, you’re not welcome in this sub. We can no longer tolerate the people who are supporting or making excuses for this.”

… “The moderator didn’t know how this post would go over; the forum’s most heated dispute had been about whether other animals being played like bongos should be allowed. But the anti-ICE post exploded, receiving more than 40,000 Reddit upvotes, and many readers have since responded with praise and similar posts, unleashing the most intense flood of political criticism the subreddit has seen since its 2020 launch.”

… Moderator: “People just have this built-up anger. It got to the point where we all just felt enough is enough.”

… “The intensity of outrage over Pretti’s death has broken through the internet’s tribal barriers, transforming traditionally apolitical online spaces into sounding boards for fierce criticism of the admin’s immigration crackdown. On Instagram, Reddit, TikTok and YouTube, influencers who have built vast and politically neutral audiences with content about cooking, sports and fashion have suddenly opted to speak out in fury about the clashes in Minnesota, bringing many of their fans along for the ride.”

… “The videos’ virality across platforms, and the visceral horror of Pretti’s killing as captured by witnesses from different angles, has helped the clips reach audiences that may otherwise be politically disengaged. On YouTube, Charlie White, a video game influencer, posted an 18-minute video about the killing, titled, ‘This Should Make You Very Angry,’ that has been viewed more than 3.7 million times in a day.”

… On TikTok, the fitness influencer Scotty Flynn posted an expletive-filled commentary that has been viewed more than 14 million times. “Fuck not getting political, that was murder. I’m done playing the middle ground. We are not mad enough.”

… The biggest complaint lately from agents is that protesters blowing whistles at them all day is driving them crazy. Podcaster Megyn Kelly: “The whistles should be banned. No doubt they contributed to the chaotic atmosphere that ultimately Alex Pretti to die. The cops aren’t 100% at their best when they can’t hear anything!.”

… Kelly: “I know I’m supposed to feel sorry for Alex Pretti but I don’t. You know why I wasn’t shot by Border Patrol this weekend? Because I kept my ass inside and out of their operations.”

… Lovely woman. Strong believer in the first

… Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) on Newsmax: Q - “Are you among the Republicans who are concerned about how things are being handled in MN? McCormick: When things went wrong in the military, when I was in the Marines, people died sometimes, and sometimes it was through no fault of anymore. Just bad circumstance. Mistakes happen.”

… Republican Chris Madel on CNN explaining why he dropped out of the race for MN governor despite begin the GOP front-runner: “The president posted something on Truth Social saying it was a time of reckoning and retribution on the citizens of my state, and I’ve seen that happen and I cannot be a part of it, and I can’t be a part of a party that’s a part of that.”

… Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on the admin calling Renee Good and Alex Pretti domestic terrorists: “This is a mom of three - and she’s not waving an ISIS flag or doesn’t have a suicide vest. Escalating the rhetoric doesn’t help, and it actually loses credibility. So I would encourage the admin to be more measured and recognize the tragedy.”

… Like I said yesterday about Ron Desantis’ shot at the admin over the economy, the 2028 challengers to JD Vance are starting early.

… WaPo: “DHS officers have fired shots during enforcement arrests or at people protesting their operations 16 times since July, and as in the recent shootings in Minneapolis, in each case the Trump admin has publicly declared their actions justified before waiting for investigations to be completed. Most of the incidents involve officers firing at drivers during enforcement stops in cities like LA and Chicago. At least 10 people have been struck by bullets - including 4 US citizens. Three people have been killed.”

… “None of the officers from ICE, Border Patrol or Homeland Security Investigations has faced criminal charges in any of the shootings, nor has the admin announced any internal disciplinary measures against them.”

… The Trump admin has sent a clear signal to federal agents that they are free to do whatever they want and there will be no repercussions for criminal behavior or misconduct.

… Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) on MS NOW talking about a homicide in a Texas immigrant detention facility: “I’ve learned nothing else from DHS. And I think what’s also very telling is DHS tried to deport the witnesses to this homicide.”

… Melania Trump was on Fox promoting her movie and was asked for her take on MN: “I’m calling for unity. My husband had a great call with the governor and mayor and they’re working together to make it peaceful and without riots. I’m against the violence, so please if you protest, protest in peace. We need to unify in these times.”

… Politico: Minnesota’s chief federal judge has ordered the head of ICE, Todd Lyons, to appear in his courtroom Friday and threatened to hold him in contempt for what he says has been repeated defiance of judges’ orders in the state. US District Judge Patrick Schiltz, who was appointed by Bush: “The court’s patience is at an end.”

… “Schiltz’s frustration has been boiling for weeks amid the Trump admin’s massive immigration enforcement action in the Twin Cities. The operation has flooded the courts with emergency lawsuits brought by immigrants who say they have been illegally arrested or detained. The judges in the district have agreed nearly every time, ordering their immediate release from custody and warning, in increasingly alarming terms, about rampant violations of the law.”

… “Schiltz said the admin has been slow-walking or outright defying the directives of many Minnesota judges, including at least one of his own: The order for Lyons to appear came in the case of a man Schiltz ordered released on Jan. 15 but who remained detained as of Monday night.”

… New polling from Reuters/Ipsos shows Trump’s overall approval rating falls to 38%, the lowest of his term in that poll. Trump’s immigration approval has fallen to a new record low 39%.

… Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL): “I’m not comfortable with what’s happening in Minneapolis. It’s hurting our chances at the midterms.”

Reminder there is no Bulletin tomorrow since I will be doing my podcast Uncovered where I do a deep dive into the top stories of the week, as well as Ask the Editor where I answer 5 of your questions. If you have a question or topic you want me to talk more about, make it in the comments to this Bulletin.

If you missed the last Bulletin, you can find it here. Thank you to everyone who reads, shares and subscribes to my work.

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… MLS: 40,000 US home purchases were canceled in December, which equates to 16.31% of all homes under contract. That’s the highest cancellation percentage on record.

… Bloomberg: “US consumer confidence declined in January to the lowest level in more than a decade on more pessimistic views of the economy and labor market.”

… Economist Heather Long: “US Consumer Confidence plunged in January to the lowest level since May 2014. You read that correctly. Confidence is now WORSE than during the Covid pandemic. All political affiliations, ages and income levels saw a

decline in January (especially in their 6-month outlook).

… Bloomberg: The EU and India concluded a free-trade agreement after almost two decades of negotiations, part of an effort to deepen economic ties that has gained momentum due to the Trump admin’s aggressive tariff policies. EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen: “We have concluded the mother of all deals. We created a free trade zone of two billion people, with both sides set to benefit.”

… Indian PM Narendra Modi hailed the agreement as a means of strengthening India’s manufacturing and services sectors while boosting investor confidence in Asia’s third-largest economy: “India has completed its biggest and most historic free trade agreement. This historic agreement will make it easier for our farmers and small businesses to reach the European markets.”

… “The conclusion of negotiations reflects the rapidly shifting global alignment under US President Trump. The EU, despite long clashing with Indian officials on trade policy, is focused on paring back its economic reliance on the US and China. India is trying to shake its protectionist reputation and offset a 50% Trump tariff, while at the same time balance ties with Russia.”

… “The deal is expected to double EU goods exports to India by 2032 after New Delhi agreed to eliminate or cut tariffs on 96.6% of shipments. The EU, in turn, will eliminate or reduce tariffs on 99.5% of goods imported from India over seven years, India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry said.”

… Trump has tried and failed to reach a trade agreement with India and recently threatened to tear up his limited trade agreement with the EU over Greenland. But at least he is bringing everyone else around the world closer together - uniting against us.

… Politco: “Keir Starmer will land in the Chinese capital Wednesday for the first visit by a UK PM since 2018. By meeting President Xi Jinping, he will end what he has called an ‘ice age’ under the previous Conservative admin, and try to win deals that he can sell to voters as a boost to Britain’s sputtering economy.”

… “Starmer is one of a queue of leaders flocking to the world’s second-largest economy, including France’s Emmanuel Macron in December and Germany’s Friedrich Merz next month. Like Carney did in Davos last week, the British PM has warned the world is the most unstable it has been for a generation.”

… Former Alberta, Canada Premier Jason Kenney on Trump’s criticisms of Carney’s trade deal with China: “The irony of Trump’s attacks on Canada’s limited tariff deal with China is that HE has gone soft on China, has given them highly sensitive Nvidia processors, made his own tariff deal, and craves a comprehensive mega ‘deal’ with the PRC. He openly admires Xi, and says a prospective Chinese invasion of Taiwan ‘is up to him (Xi.)’”

… “If he was actually focussed on containment of the PRC, he would have rallied a global coalition against China’s massively unfair trading practices; demanded expulsion of the PRC from the WTO; offered alternative financing to developing countries webbed into the Belt & Road Initiative; tariffed Chinese exports to reflect their currency manipulation, dumping & subsidies, while pressuring allies to do the same (eg as Canada had done on EVs); backed PM Taikachi’s brave solidarity with Taiwan; offered asylum to Jimmy Lai & other political prisoners, etc.”

… “Instead he has alienated America’s allies, causing many of them to move to normalizing relations with the PRC, a huge strategic loss after his successful first term disruption of the post WTO western consensus on China.”

… After Scott Bessent claimed that Canadian PM Mark Carney “walked back” his Davos speech in a private phone call with Trump, Carney told CBC that it did not happen: “To be absolutely clear, I said this to the president: I meant what I said in Davos. Canada was the first country to understand the change in US trade policy that he had initiated – and we’re responding to that by building partnerships abroad.”

… Politico: “Democrat Alexander Vindman, the former National Security Council aide who helped trigger Trump’s first impeachment, announced his Senate campaign in Florida to challenge GOP Sen. Ashley Moody. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Moody, a former state AG, to the Senate when Marco Rubio became Trump’s secretary of State.”

… “Vindman, who lives in Democratic stronghold Broward County, enters an increasingly crowded Democratic primary that includes former Brevard County school board member Jennifer Jenkins; progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon; and Hector Mujica, a Venezuelan-American candidate who previously was head of philanthropy at Google for the Americas.”

… CNN: “The CIA is quietly working to establish a permanent US presence on the ground in Venezuela, spearheading the Trump admin’s plans to exert its influence over the country’s future post-Maduro. US officials engaged in early planning discussions are still waiting for the WH to clearly articulate its broader mission goals for Venezuela, despite Trump’s claim his admin would ‘run’ the country after capturing Maduro.”

… The Independent: Venezuela has had “enough” of taking orders from the Trump admin, the country’s acting leader has said just weeks after Washington claimed she would “run” the country under their instruction. Delcy Rodriguez assumed the role of president earlier this month after US forces captured Nicolas Maduro in a dramatic overnight raid, plunging the country into chaos.”

… Rodriguez to Venezolana de Television: “Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela. Let Venezuelan politics resolve our differences and internal conflicts. Enough of foreign powers.”

… Trump was asked about it today. Q - “The president of Venezuela says she has stopped taking orders from you. What do you say? Trump: Well I don’t know exactly what’s going on there, but I haven’t heard that at all. We have a very good relationship.”

… Punchbowl: “MD Gov. Wes Moore will testify in support of the proposed new congressional map at a key committee hearing in Annapolis on Tues. Moore is significantly upping pressure on the MD legislature to complete its mid-decade redistricting, even as the state Senate’s top Democrat stands in opposition. The lawmakers are considering a proposed constitutional amendment that would shift Maryland from a 7D-1R map to an 8D-0R one.”

… “After the hearing, the committee will vote to refer the amendment to the full House of Delegates, which could vote on it as soon as this week. Then it has to go to the state Senate. MD Senate President Bill Ferguson opposes mid-decade redistricting and he has maintained this position despite pressure from Dems in MD and DC. Ferguson has declined to commit to putting redistricting up for a vote in the state Senate.”

… NYT: “The nursing home industry was on a roll last summer. It had just won a 10-year moratorium on a rule initiated during President Biden’s admin to require increased staffing levels in an effort to reduce neglect among residents, which had led to injuries and deadly infections. Nonetheless, some in the industry, warning that the rule would have substantially increased costs, wanted to make it go away permanently.”

… “So nursing home executives turned to a tool that has proved successful in getting Trump’s attention: money. Starting in early Aug, the industry began making donations that over the course of weeks would eventually total nearly $4.8 million to MAGA Inc., a super PAC devoted to Trump and run by his allies. Later that same month, a handful of nursing home executives who had given the biggest donations joined industry lobbyists at Trump’s golf club in Washington to plead their case.”

… Less than one month after the lunch meeting, Trump admin lawyers quietly stopped defending the pending staffing rule in court against challenges from the industry. Complete victory came a couple of months after that, when the WH approved a full revocation.”

… Watcher Guru, which monitors stock trades by members of Congress: “Last month, Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) sold up to $500,000 worth of United Health stock. Today, the Trump admin proposed flat Medicare reimbursement rates for insurers, causing $UNH to crash over 10%. Hern is a member of the House Subcommittee on Health.”

… Axios: “CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss announced a slate of new contributors for the network during an all-hands meeting with staff. The new list of contributors includes mostly podcasters and independent writers who will now have access to a large audience across CBS News’ platforms, including television.”

… “Some of those personalities are existing columnists and contributors for The Free Press, including conservative historian Niall Ferguson and Patrick McGee, who covers the tech industry and China. The new lineup of contributors also features science podcasters Andrew Huberman and Peter Attia, NY chef Clare de Boer, best-selling cookbook author Caroline Chambers and journalist Casey Lewis, who writes a Substack focused on Gen-Z and Gen Alpha trends.”

… “Huberman - a Stanford neurobiology professor who hosts a massively popular health podcast and has nearly 8 million followers on Instagram - has faced criticism for oversimplifying and sometimes misrepresenting complex research. Dr. Mark Hyman, another new CBS News contributor, is closely aligned with RFK Jr.”

… Guardian: "From Bari Weiss' prepared remarks to CBS News staffers this morning, beginning by acknowledging backlash: "Let me start by saying: I get it. I also get why, in the face of all this tumult, you might feel uncertain or skeptical about me or what I'm aiming to do here. I'm not going to stand up here today and ask for your trust. I'm going to earn it, just like we have to do with our viewers. What I can give you is what I've always tried to give my readers as a journalist: transparency, clarity, straight talk."

… Weiss said that CBS News is "for the center, we're for the center-right, and we're for the center-left. And that is the vast majority of the company - that's who we need to reach."

… As part of a question for Bari Weiss, a CBS News staffer said: "Certain decisions and editorial choices have scared us. At Evening News, people are afraid for their jobs and afraid to even speak for fear of retaliation. There has been a chilling effect within our newsroom. It feels right now like if we offer feedback, alternatives, or constructive criticism, that we are asking for targets on our backs - or the answer is simply no.”

… Philip Glass: “After thoughtful consideration, I have decided to withdraw my Symphony No. 15 ‘Lincoln’ from the Kennedy Center. No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony. Therefore, I felt an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.”