From Minneapolis to Greenland, Trump's Ire Has No Borders

"Donald Trump's throwback administration has discarded the veils. Its essence, in plain sight, is white supremacy enforced with violence," writes John Harwood for Zeteo.

Nearly one year into Trump's second term, there are no pretenses left. The main goal of Trump 2.0 is to protect the racial hierarchy at all costs. And it has never been more obvious than in Minneapolis, where—even after the murder of a mother of three—the government continues to terrorize a city of people just trying to live simple, honest lives. They're not asking for much: freedom, safety, and community. All of which have been trampled by an administration bent on consolidating its own power.

If you're feeling the weight of this, you're not alone. But here's what I hold onto—on the eve of honoring Martin Luther King Jr.: The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. Tyrants can be defeated. They always have been. So, hold on.

• MINNEAPOLIS UNDER SIEGE: More than a week after federal agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Good, Minneapolis remains under siege—and under the ire of President Trump.
  • Tonight, 3,000 federal agents are patrolling the city compared to just 600 police officers—a 5-to-1 ratio. Local leaders say it feels like an "occupying force." Agents are going door-to-door, stopping people at random and demanding proof of citizenship. After Good's killing, a responsible leader would work to bring the temperature down, cool the rhetoric, and perhaps reevaluate priorities. Nope, not this guy.
  • Gov. Tim Walz issued an appeal to Minnesotans to protest peacefully, even posting a "direct appeal" to Trump to "turn the temperature down." I'll give you one guess how that landed.
  • On Thursday, as protests continued, Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to send in troops—with or without the state's permission—to engage in law enforcement activities, including arrests. In a social media post, he accused Minnesota politicians—now under DOJ investigation—of being "corrupt" and called protesters "professional agitators." There is zero evidence of either of these claims.
  • This isn't the first time Trump has threatened to use the act. He did so in Portland last year and during unrest after police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020. He's spoken about it incessantly, almost itching to flex his muscle at the expense of the country. I think there will come a time when he pulls the trigger.
• This week's displays of power and inhumanity: an agent shot a man in the leg after claiming he tried to evade arrest. A woman was pulled from her car after agents smashed her window, cut her seatbelt, then carried her like a hog down the street. A family of eight returning from their son's basketball game had their car hit with tear gas, sending at least three of their kids to the hospital. When the family's story hit social media, a DHS spokesperson accused them of being "radical agitators" who brought their children to "their violent riots." The post has since been deleted and there is no evidence of the agency's claims.

• IRAN PROTESTS: Tensions have calmed in Iran, but Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged Saturday that some 3,000 people—protesters and security forces—have been killed since Iranians began protesting against the regime on December 28. It was the first time the country's top authority spoke of casualties in the thousands. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency puts the death toll at 3,090, with more than 22,000 arrests. Khamenei blamed the U.S. and Israel for stoking the violence, calling Trump a "criminal" and accusing him of being "a central figure in this international plot against Iran."
  • Trump fired back Saturday, telling Politico "it's time to look for new leadership in Iran" and calling Khamenei "a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people." Earlier this week, Trump urged Iranians to "take over institutions" and keep protesting, telling them "help is on its way"—while threatening military intervention. On Friday, he struck a different tone, saying he "greatly" respected that "over 800" scheduled hangings had been canceled by Iranian leadership. The White House provided no source for that claim.
  • Behind the scenes, Trump decided against attacking Iran after advisers warned that strikes wouldn't be enough to remove the regime and could make things worse. The U.S. would need significantly more military firepower in the Middle East to launch large-scale strikes and protect American forces and allies like Israel if Iran retaliates. (WSJ 🎁)
  • Meanwhile, U.S. allies in the region—Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Egypt—have been urging the administration not to attack, warning it could lead to a wider regional conflict. (NYT 🎁)
  • Still, the Pentagon is preparing to send additional forces to the Middle East—a carrier strike group, additional aircraft, and land-based air defense systems—to bolster security and prepare for potential Iranian retaliation. The U.S. has also begun evacuating key personnel from its largest military base in the region.
• NOT FOR SALE: Here we go again. On Wednesday, Trump threw a temper tantrum and demanded ownership of Greenland, a Danish territory. "Anything less than that is unacceptable," he ranted on social media. Danish and U.S. officials met that day to find a way to address Trump's "concerns" while respecting "the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark"— because Greenland is not for sale. There's bipartisan opposition to the quest, with Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) calling it "the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
  • Why Greenland? Trump's been after it for a while. It provides strategic positioning in the North Atlantic—a midway point between the U.S. and Russia that serves as a lookout for threats. Greenland also has rare earth metals Trump wants to reduce U.S. reliance on China for elements used in phones and missiles. But the U.S. already has a military presence there. Isn't that enough? As Politico points out, "some see dubious claims about imminent Chinese and Russian aggression as one of several pretexts for some future action, up to and including a military strike."
  • For now, Trump is using a carrot-and-stick approach. On Saturday, he said he would impose a 10% tariff on goods from eight countries that don't support his quest and threatened to raise it to 25% by June if they don't fall in line.
  • Meanwhile, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the UK, and the Netherlands have all promised to send troops to Greenland in support of Denmark. The troop movements are intended to show European unity and signal to Trump that an American takeover isn't necessary—NATO can safeguard Arctic security amid rising Russian and Chinese interest.
  • The EU has called an emergency meeting for Sunday to address Trump's threats.

• RETRIBUTION: Last Sunday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced that the DOJ was investigating him and threatening indictment over testimony he gave to Congress last summer about the agency's headquarters renovation. The project—which includes extensive renovation of two historic buildings that haven't been upgraded since their construction in the 1930s—is running nearly $3 billion, which is too rich for Trump, even though it's paid by the Fed, not taxpayers. Trump has made no secret of his loathing of Powell, who has resisted the president's calls to lower interest rates. Despite saying for months that he was going to sue or get rid of Powell, Trump claimed he knows nothing about the investigation and was apparently just as surprised as the rest of us. It's unclear what the DOJ claims Powell lied about.

More on the immigration front:

• A federal judge tore into Trump and his cabinet this week, calling the president an "authoritarian" whose minions conspired to violate the First Amendment rights of pro-Palestinian activists like Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeusa Ozturk. "These cabinet secretaries have failed in their sworn duty to uphold the Constitution," the judge said. "How could our own government, the highest officials in our government, seek to infringe the rights of people lawfully here in the United States?… The record in this case convinces me that these high officials, and I include the president of the United States, have a fearful view of freedom." The judge ruled last fall that the government had violated their rights. This week's hearing was a preliminary hearing before the judge decides what remedies should be offered to the plaintiffs. Expect that ruling next week. (Politico | Washington Post)
• The Washington Post reports that a medical examiner may classify the death of a Cuban immigrant held at a detention facility in Texas as a homicide. An eyewitness says he saw guards strangling the man, Geraldo Lunas Campos. The government claims he died by suicide. The facility has a long history migrants reporting “substandard conditions and physical abuse, and ICE’s own inspectors have cited dozens of violations of federal detention standards.”
• Since July, immigration agents have shot at least six other drivers—two of them fatally, including Good. In all cases, agents claimed self-defense. A similar incident occurred in Chicago last October when agents claimed a woman tried to strike them with her car, only for body cam footage to heavily dispute their account. The woman was shot multiple times but survived. (MS NOW)
• An extensive investigation by ProPublica found at least 40 cases where federal immigration agents used "life-threatening maneuvers" on immigrants and citizens—some as young as 16—including chokeholds and kneeling on the backs of people who had already been handcuffed. When asked, DHS didn't explain why these procedures were used.
• One journalist wanted to see how easy or hard it was to get hired by ICE. Turns out, pretty darn easy. (Slate)
• ICE sent agents into the field without proper training because they relied on AI—which didn't do what it was supposed to. Republicans aren't willing to speak up publicly but are leaning toward pushing for more training for agents. (NBC News | Politico)
• A new report finds that net migration may have been zero or negative in 2025—the first time in decades—and will likely continue into 2026 because of the Trump administration's immigration policies. The result? A weakened economy, lower consumer spending, and lower GDP. (Brookings Institution)
• What's Next? One government source tells WIRED that New York and California are the next targets. Independent journalist Marisa Kabas reports that Maine—including Lewiston, where the state's Somali population is concentrated—is also on the target list. Families are so worried that in Portland, school attendance was down 25% this week out of fear of ICE. (WIRED | The Handbasket)
• More on the fatal shooting of Renee Good:
  • New records show Good was shot at least three times—twice in the chest and once in her forearm—with a possible fourth wound to the left side of her head. (USA Today)
  • Six federal prosecutors quit their jobs after their bosses asked them to investigate Good's widow, Rebecca, for criminal activity while declining to launch an investigation into the officer who shot her. (New York Times)
  • Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein reports that after Good's shooting, DHS sent out a "legal refresher" reminding agents about the use of "reasonable" force and that "passive resistance"—like profanity, arguing, and talking back—is not a reason for force. Unfortunately, officers do "not feel restrained" because they "got DHS leadership covering for them." (Article)
  • Complicit in the government's CYA efforts is CBS News, now run by Larry Ellison puppet Bari Weiss. This week, the outlet ran a story citing two unnamed sources claiming that the agent who shot Good suffered injuries including internal bleeding—which could be a simple bruise for all we know. Ross was seen walking away after the shooting, and videos clearly show that Good's car never struck him as he fired multiple shots into her vehicle. (CBS News)

From the Executive Branch:

• Twice this week, Trump claimed midterm elections aren't necessary, hinting he may cancel them altogether. The White House insists he was just "joking." For the record, the president has no authority to cancel elections. (Time)
• Trump also told The New York Times he regretted not having the National Guard seize voting machines after the 2020 election, which he lost. Trump has long claimed that election was stolen—and there is ample evidence it was not. (NYT)
• HHS reinstated $2 billion to mental health programs just 24 hours after cutting them, after a bipartisan group of House lawmakers lobbied the administration. (NYT)
• Last year was the third hottest year on record. "The trajectory of all these measurements has been clear: The world is warming rapidly, dangerously and perhaps faster than scientists once expected." (NBC News)
• The Education Department has a 25,000-case backlog and has opened only 10 investigations since March. (AP News)
• Trump announced a 10% cap on credit card interest rates for one year, effective Tuesday (the one-year anniversary of his presidency)—except it's not a law, and he has no authority to demand it. Um, who wants to tell him? (X)

• An employee at a Ford auto plant in Detroit heckled Trump during his visit on Tuesday, calling him a "pedophile protector." The President of the United States flipped the guy off—and it was all caught on camera. The employee, TJ Sabula, was suspended without pay. His union says they'll fight for him, arguing the move violates his freedom of speech. Two GoFundMes for Sabula have raised more than $800k to support him and his family, including his two children. (Fox 2 Detroit)
• During a visit to Washington this week, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump this week—and he took it. Machado, who won the prize last year (something Trump has long coveted), has been living in exile under threat from the Maduro regime. “Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time,” the committee said. (The Hill)
• In another crackdown on immigration, the State Department announced it’s paused the processing of visas from 75 countries. (State Department)

In Congress:

• Thursday was the deadline to sign up for the Affordable Care Act, and early estimates show a 3.5% drop in enrollees—about 800,000 people. Last week, the House approved extending the now-expired subsidies for three years, but its chances in the Senate are uncertain. In what seemed like a PR stunt to distract from the fact that Trump has been promising a healthcare plan for years, he unveiled The Great Healthcare Plan on the same day. It's literally one page of big-picture ideas and zero specifics. **source
• A bipartisan group of senators is pushing a bill that would ban members and their families from owning or trading stocks.
• Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) says she's being investigated for participating in a video in which she and several other Democratic lawmakers reminded military members they don't have to obey illegal orders. All participants are former military or intelligence members. It's unclear what the alleged crime is. The DOJ is also investigating Sen. Mark Kelly, who also appeared in the video.
• Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote to tank a resolution that would have required Trump to get Congress's approval before taking further military action in Venezuela. A week ago, five Republicans supported the bill, but two—including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO)—flipped after speaking with Secretary of State Marco Rubio
• Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee want to know how many January 6 defendants have been hired by the federal government. In a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and AG Pam Bondi, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) says several are working for the administration, including Jared Wise, who was indicted on six counts—two of them felonies—for his role in the insurrection. Wise is on camera chanting with supporters calling for the murder of Capitol police. The committee has asked Noem and Bondi to turn over information by month's end. Whether they'll comply is anyone's guess.
• Bill and Hillary Clinton refused to honor subpoenas from Republicans on the House Oversight Committee regarding what they may know about Jeffrey Epstein's crimes. In a letter to Comer, the Clintons called the subpoenas "legally invalid," noting that two law firms' analyses supported their position. They also pointed out they had "provided Comer with sworn statements similar to those he had accepted from other subpoenaed individuals who were later excused from testifying before the committee.”

In the courts:

• The Supreme Court heard arguments in a case questioning whether transgender females can participate in female sports teams. Based on the justices' questions, they appear likely to uphold bans. A final decision is expected in June. (SCOTUSblog)
• A three-judge federal panel ruled that California's new congressional maps are not unconstitutional, rejecting Republican claims that they're racially gerrymandered to give Latinos more power in the midterms. The new map—passed last November as Prop 50, the brainchild of Gov. Gavin Newsom—was designed to counter GOP nationwide gerrymandering efforts and would net Democrats five more seats. Republicans plan to appeal. The Supreme Court previously determined that courts cannot rule on claims of partisan gerrymandering, so Republicans who oppose the California maps face the same challenge as Democrats who opposed maps in Texas: proving that race, not partisanship, was the predominant factor in crafting the new district lines. (New York Times)
• An appeals court ruled 2-1 that the court that granted human rights activist Mahmoud Khalil his freedom had no jurisdiction—leaving the door open for his re-arrest. The ruling means only immigration courts, which are part of the DOJ, have jurisdiction, "raising questions on whether Khalil can receive a fair hearing to his claims." (Al Jazeera)

Press freedom:

• In a serious attack on press freedom, the FBI raided the home and seized the electronic devices of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson, accusing her of illegally possessing classified materials. The DOJ claims she obtained the materials from a Pentagon contractor now behind bars—but it looks like they're worried about more than just one source. Last month, Natanson published an article called "I am The Post's 'federal government whisperer.' It's been brutal." She details how more than a thousand government workers reached out to share stories about the Trump administration infringing on rights, making workplaces unbearable, and scaring them—some to the point of suicide. "The soul of America is at stake," one source wrote. Another: "I want to die. It's never been like this." (Washington Post Gift link 🎁)
• The Pentagon says military newspaper Stars and Stripes—which has reported independently, mostly for service members overseas—will no longer focus on "woke distractions" and instead report "for our warfighters." Translation: a new PR arm for the administration. While some of the paper's funding comes from the DOD and all employees are DOD staff, the newspaper has remained editorially independent. (AP News)
• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt—whose job is to answer reporters' questions, whether she likes it or not—blew up at two reporters in one briefing this week. Respected reporter Niall Stanage asked why, in addition to Good's killing, 32 others have died in ICE custody and 170 U.S. citizens have been detained if ICE is "doing everything correctly." Leavitt's response? Calling Stanage a "leftwing hack… posing in this room as a journalist." She then berated another reporter who asked why Trump is joking about canceling elections. (The Guardian)
• And now, another version of state TV at CBS News. This week, new evening news anchor Tony Dokoupil interviewed Trump, during which "Dokoupil willingly allowed the commander in chief to reap from him, in one fell swoop, both his journalistic integrity and – arguably – his self-respect." As Trump spewed lies and misrepresented facts, Dokoupil did little to push back. Other reporting notes that Dokoupil's tenure has tanked viewership. But as someone pointed out—forgive me, I forget who—Bari Weiss and Larry Ellison's takeover of CBS was never about ratings. It was about creating a state TV loyal to Trump and Israel. (Zeteo)

From Gaza:

• The U.S. claims the ceasefire deal has progressed to the second phase despite Israel's violations. The administration announced a seven-member "board of peace" that includes Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner—but no Palestinians. Israel complained it wasn't consulted. (The Guardian)
• Despite agreeing to a ceasefire, Israel continues to block essentials from entering Gaza, including temporary housing. Strong winds have collapsed tents, killing at least four people this week, while at least two children have died from hypothermia. Human rights groups say at least 440 people have died since the ceasefire was announced in October—including 100 children. (AP News)
• Thousands of cancer patients remain trapped inside Gaza, unable to leave for treatment elsewhere because Israeli officials continue to deny their exit. (Middle East Eye)