January 18, 2026

Sean Jones of Mediaite: “A new Wall Street Journal poll published this weekend shows Americans believe Congressional Republicans are 'best able' to address most major issues — from immigration to the economy — rather than Democrats. The poll found Americans believe the GOP is the better-equipped part[y] to handle border security by a whopping 28 point margin — 48% to 20%. Republicans had an 11 point advantage on immigration as well.... Respondents gave them the edge on a handful of other topics as well, including: the economy and inflation (both +6), tariffs (+2), foreign policy (+5) and the Russia-Ukraine War (+4). Democrats did have advantages on vaccine policy (+9) and healthcare (+15). Still, on the generic congressional ballot, the Dems had a 47% to 43% edge on Republicans — despite the public siding with the GOP on many individual issues.”

Marie: So with all of the murder & mayhem that ICE has caused during its occupation of Minneapolis, how very heartening to hear ABC New's Jonathan Karl, his brow furrowed and a church-lady scolding tone in his voice, say to the city's mayor Jacob Frey, “You went on national television and said to ICE ‘Get the F out of Minneapolis.’ Do you regret that language?” Fortunately, Mayor Frey was able to fully respond to Probing Journo Karl without saying, “Get the fuck out of my face.” I don't think I could have managed it.

David French of the New York Times: “In Federalist No. 51, James Madison wrote..., 'If men were angels, no government would be necessary,' Madison wrote. '... In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.' This is a version of the ancient question: Who will watch the watchers?... Eventually the people will elect a bad and corrupt person to the presidency, and he will wield every tool, power and prerogative that was designed for good to build his own edifice of oppression and greed. If we can endure this crisis, there will be a time of reflection and reform.” The link appears to be a gift link.

Katherine Doyle, et al., of NBC News: "... Donald Trump ... is increasingly complaining to aides ... about Canada’s vulnerability to U.S. adversaries in the Arctic.... As Trump’s advisers work toward his goal of acquiring Greenland, the president has privately grown more exercised about what he sees as Canada’s similar inability to defend its borders against any encroachment from Russia or China, specifically arguing Canada needs to spend more on defense..., officials said. They said his push has accelerated internal discussions about a broader Arctic strategy and potentially reaching an agreement with Canada this year to fortify its northern border. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: So now we're back to that 51st state thing. And as Colin Jost noted on SNL last night, "Meanwhile, Puerto Rico's like, 'Wow! Okay???'"

Sarah Fortinsky of the Hill: “In an interview on NBC News’s 'Meet the Press,' [Treasury Secretary Scott] Bessent brushed off concerns from European allies about the future of the defense alliance when asked about their warnings that any move from the U.S. to annex the semiautonomous Danish territory in the Arctic could 'destroy NATO.' 'Let me just put this to you bluntly,” NBC News’s Kristen Welker said. 'Is Greenland or NATO more essential to the United States national security?' 'Both. Kristen, that’s obviously a false choice,' Bessent said. When Welker noted European leaders see it differently, Bessent said, 'The European leaders will come around. And they will understand that they need to be under the U.S. security umbrella.'”

This Time, It's Different. Maybe. Nicholas Vinocur of Politico: “Donald Trump’s decision to slap tariffs on countries that have shown support for Greenland is pushing transatlantic relations to a breaking point as EU leaders contemplate ways of retaliating against Washington that until now have been unthinkable. Relations between Washington and Europe have been rocky for months as the U.S. president has wavered on support for Ukraine, pressured EU countries into accepting a lopsided trade deal and forced NATO allies to massively ramp up their spending on defense. Even at the height of those tensions, EU leaders stopped short of hitting back.... But now, as Trump ramps up his claims on Greenland..., European leaders are facing increasingly loud calls to drop their softly-softly approach and prepare for confrontation. The fact that Trump triggered his tariffs just after the EU signed a major trade deal with Latin American countries is only deepening the sense of resolve among some Europeans.” ~~~

     ~~~ Jeanna Smialek of the New York Times: “In a single post on Saturday night..., [Donald] Trump ... demanded a deal to buy Greenland, saying that otherwise he would slap tariffs on a group of European nations, first 10 percent in February, then 25 percent in June.... [The post] upended months of progress on trade negotiations with an ultimatum that puts Europe on a crash course with the United States — long its closest ally and suddenly one of its biggest threats.... Europeans are now racing to figure out how to respond to Mr. Trump’s pressure campaign.”

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil in a New York Times op-ed: “The United States’ bombings in Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president on Jan. 3 are yet another regrettable chapter in the continuous erosion of international law and the multilateral order established after World War II.... It is not legitimate for another state to arrogate to itself the right to deliver justice.... In more than 200 years of independent history, this is the first time that South America has come under direct military attack by the United States, though American forces previously intervened in the region.... The division of the world into zones of influence and neocolonial incursions for strategic resources are outdated and damaging.... The future of Venezuela, and of any other country, must remain in the hands of its people. Only an inclusive political process, led by Venezuelans, will lead to a democratic and sustainable future.... It is in this spirit that my government has engaged in constructive dialogue with the United States.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Lula shows how easy it is to expose Donald Trump as the pathetic little imperialista he is. 

Hamed Aleaziz of the New York Times: “... more than two decades [after the Department of Homeland Security was created], as thousands of ICE and Border Patrol officers flood Minneapolis, some Democratic leaders say the department’s role appears to have strayed far from its original purpose, turning its tools of enforcement away from external threats and toward ... [Donald] Trump’s domestic critics. They say enforcement has looked more like an occupation, as officers in helmets and tactical gear have faced off against hostile residents and left-wing protesters in Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago and Washington.... Even [DHS ] agencies [that have nothing to do with immigration enforcement] have come under pressure to meet Mr. Trump’s political objectives, with the airport security agency [-- TSA --] providing information to immigration agents and Mr. Trump trying to redirect disaster funding [managed by FEMA] away from states not cooperating with his deportation goals.”

Marie: Maybe you think you're a nice, law-abiding family person so Trump's goons would never hurt you, and they certainly wouldn't say anything bad about you. Well, how about this family we mentioned the other day, who were driving home from one of the children's games when ICE agents, trapped, then attacked their vehicle with stun grenades and tear gas, then used the official DHS account to blame the parents, calling them "radical agitators" who brought their children to "violent riots," thus "endangering" them. fame you on the official DHS Website. Jake Tapper reported that after the Star-Tribune published the facts, DHS removed its defamatory tweet. ~~~

~~~ Or maybe, like me, you're an elderly U.S. citizen who thinks ICE agents would never knock you down (twice!), rough you up, including breaking your ribs, then detaining you without medical attention for 10 or 11 hours. Well, look what happened to this 79-year-old man. (This incident took place three months ago in the Los Angeles area, but I just saw reference to it on today's news: 

Here's What a Real Witch Hunt Looks Like. Glenn Thrush & Alan Feuer of the New York Times: “...  under its current chief, Kash Patel, the [F.B.I.] has added payback to its portfolio. Agents now scour the F.B.I.’s vast holdings to root out negative information about those who once investigated ... [Donald] Trump, according to current and former officials, lawmakers and lawyers representing some of those targeted.... Almost from the moment Mr. Patel took over the bureau in February, F.B.I. personnel have been poring over case files, internal Justice Department correspondence and other sensitive materials to find documents intended to expose and discredit federal law enforcement officials who investigated Mr. Trump and his allies.... The material, once gathered, has typically been distributed through various channels to Trump-allied media and to Republicans on Capitol Hill, including Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee.... Critics say it is little more than using federal law enforcement to carry out a partisan opposition research operation.” Update: The link has been changed to one that appears to be a gift link.

Isabel Kershner has the New York Times' story on Trump's dubious "Board of Peace."

~~~~~~~~~~ 

Matthew Lee of the AP: “... Donald Trump’s 'Board of Peace,' which was initially seen as a mechanism focused on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, is taking shape with ambitions to have a far broader mandate of other global crises, potentially rivaling the United Nations in what would be a major upheaval to the post-World War II international order. In letters sent Friday to various world leaders inviting them to be 'founding members' of the board, Trump says the body would 'embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict.'... Trump’s ... Board of Peace ... is sure to be controversial and opposed by numerous countries, including China and Russia, which hold veto power in the U.N. Security Council.... Smaller nations are also likely to have objections as the U.N. system has given them at least a voice in major international decisions.... 'This is a U.S. shortcut in an attempt to wield its veto power on world affairs,' Daniel Forti, head of U.N. affairs at the International Crisis Group, said.” ~~~

     ~~~ AND There's This. Ryan Mancini of the Hill: Donald “Trump will ask countries that want to join his 'Board of Peace' to oversee Gaza to pay $1 billion for membership, according to reporting from Bloomberg and The Atlantic on Saturday. A draft charter seen by both outlets showed that Trump will serve as the executive board’s inaugural chairman, who will approve which member states can join on the board. The board will become official after three member states agree to the charter. 'Each Member State shall serve a term of no more than three years from this Charter’s entry into force, subject to renewal by the Chairman,' the draft reads, according to Bloomberg. 'The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States that contribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter’s entry into force.' Member states will be able to vote on board decisions, but Trump will have sole authority to approve them, the outlets reported.” Update: The link to the Atlantic story embedded in the Hill post has been changed to a gift link, courtesy of akaWendy. ~~~

     ~~~ So you get to pay a billion dollars to be on a panel with Donald Trump but the only person on the board with any real power is ... Donald Trump. Sadly, it appears this excellent plan is off to a rocky start: ~~~ 

~~~ Shira Rubin & Adela Suliman of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump named the first members of his 'Board of Peace' executive committee to rebuild and revive the devastated Gaza Strip, but the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the announcement 'was not coordinated with Israel' and 'runs contrary to its policy.' The initial members include Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and former British prime minister Tony Blair, the White House said in a statement Friday. Also announced were the members of a secondary operational committee known as the Gaza Executive Board. The board will also include Kushner, Witkoff and Blair, but also Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali al-Thawadi — leaders from nations that Israeli leaders say will work to ensure Hamas’s survival.” ~~~

     ~~~ Barak Ravid of Axios: "Asked by Axios about Netanyahu's comment, [a] senior U.S. official ... said Netanyahu was not consulted on the membership of the committee because he does not have a say in the matter.... 'This is our show, not his show. We managed to do things in Gaza in recent months nobody thought was possible, and we are going to continue moving,' [the official said]. The senior official added that unless Netanyahu wants to send Israeli troops back into the fight in Gaza, with the U.S. withdrawing from this issue, he'll have to get with the U.S. program." 

Hi-Ho the Derry-O, The Cheese Stands Alone. 

Maya Tekeli of the New York Times: “For the first time since ... [Donald] Trump renewed his campaign to take over Greenland, people across the Arctic island braved the freezing temperatures and took to the icy streets on Saturday in coordinated protests. Demonstrators waved Greenlandic flags, as some people openly cried in the rain, at a protest in Nuuk, the capital, when Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen suddenly appeared. The crowd roared as he climbed onto a snowbank to raise a flag. 'We said it last year, and we will keep saying it: We are not for sale,' said Isak Berthelsen, a 43-year-old electrician from Nuuk.” ~~~

~~~ Evgeniy Maloletka of the AP: “Thousands of Greenlanders marched through snow and ice in the capital, Nuuk, to protest ... Donald Trump’s renewed threats to take control of the island, chanting “Greenland is not for sale” and waving national flags as they walked to the U.S. Consulate. The demonstration, the largest police say they have ever seen in Nuuk, drew people of all ages and emphasized support for Greenland’s self-governance, culture and future. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Barbara Sprunt of NPR: "Thousands of people marched from Copenhagen City Hall to the U.S.  embassy Saturday afternoon in protest of ... [Donald] Trump's comments that he wants to acquire Greenland. The crowd, waving Greenlandic flags, chanted 'Greenland is not for sale.' Many demonstrators wore red hats in Trump's own 'Make America great again' fashion that read, 'Make America go away.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~ 

~~~ For a weak and stupid coward, Trump is awfully good at climbing up the wall of crazy. Unfortunately, he has no idea how to climb back down. He's like the 9/11 terrorists, who learned how to take off and fly large jets but not how to land them, because landing is not something they would ever need to know how to do: ~~~

~~~ Michael Birnbaum of the Washington Post: “...  The United States will impose tariffs on countries that have sent troops to Greenland in recent days..., Donald Trump said Saturday, dramatically escalating his effort to acquire the Danish territory despite assertions from Greenland and Denmark that the Arctic island is not for sale.... Trump said that 'Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown,' a reference to the European countries who have said in recent days that they will send troops to Greenland as a show of solidarity with Denmark, after weeks in which Trump and top allies have renewed demands to take the territory. Most European countries have been vocal in their opposition to Trump’s efforts to take over Greenland. Calling it a 'potentially perilous situation,' Trump said he would impose 10 percent tariffs on imports of all goods starting Feb. 1 from those countries to the U.S., increasing to 25 percent on June 1. He said it would only be removed after a deal is reached for 'the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.'” (Also linked yesterday.) An NBC News story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: While Birnbaum claims that "Trump said, 'blah-blah,'" Paul Campos in LG&$ pretty much proves that's untrue by citing not just the bit Birnbaum extracts but the entire 445-word post and remarking, "The odds that Trump knows how to use let alone spell the word 'remuneration' correctly are about the same as me beating Nikola Jokic in a game of Horse, so I assume Stephen Miller or someone similar excreted this particular bit of total insanity[.] As to how far all this is going to end up going, the answer is that nobody knows, because the American government is in the hands of a demented madman and his many Rasputin/Wormtongue-like enablers." ~~~

     ~~~ Shawn McCreesh, et al., of the New York Times: “The leaders of Europe reacted Saturday with unified outrage to Mr. Trump’s latest coercions on the massive island in the North Atlantic. So, too, did lawmakers in Washington, including some members of the president’s own party. And the abrupt announcement of new tariffs seemed to throw a trade deal Mr. Trump had struck with the European Union into serious doubt.... The president’s new threat comes as the Supreme Court weighs overturning the legal authority that the president would probably use to impose these tariffs.... If the court rules against Mr. Trump, he may not be able to impose tariffs like this.... 

“President Emmanuel Macron of France wrote on social media, 'No intimidation or threat will influence us — neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations.' He added that 'tariff threats are unacceptable' and that 'Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner should they be confirmed. We will ensure that European sovereignty is upheld.' The Swedish prime minister weighed in with a furious response, saying, 'We won’t allow ourselves to be blackmailed. Denmark and Greenland alone decide questions that affect Denmark and Greenland.'” The link appears to be a gift link. 

     ~~~ Gabriel Gavin & Chris Lunday of Politico: “The EU vowed a 'firm' response to new tariffs imposed on member states by ... Donald Trump, as the White House stepped up its campaign to take control of Greenland.... European Council President António Costa criticized Trump's tactics as a threat to 'prosperity.'... 'I am coordinating a joint response from the European Union's member states on this issue,' Costa added.... Costa, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and their top advisers, are in Paraguay for Saturday's signing of the trade deal with Mercosur countries. The Mercosur agreement has taken more than a quarter of a century to conclude and is being presented as a major effort to diversify trade ties in the context of Trump's push against free commerce.... An extraordinary meeting of ambassadors to assess the situation and plan a response [to Trump] has been called for Sunday afternoon, officials said, and countries' national security advisers have already been in direct contact.” A related AP story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Nayara Batschke & Isabel Debre of the AP: “The European Union and the Mercosur bloc of South American countries formally signed a long-sought free trade agreement on Saturday, strengthening commercial ties in the face of rising protectionism and trade tensions around the world. The signing ceremony in Paraguay’s capital, Asuncion..., marks a major geopolitical victory for the EU in an age of American tariffs and surging Chinese exports, expanding the bloc’s foothold in a resource-rich region increasingly contested by Washington and Beijing. It also sends a message that South America is keeping a range of trade and diplomatic relationships even as ... Donald Trump makes an aggressive push for geopolitical dominance of the Western Hemisphere.”

     ~~~ Paul Krugman on "The Stupidest Trump Move So Far": "Donald Trump has many weird obsessions, but his fixation on acquiring Greenland may be the weirdest. Alas, it’s also consequential.... [Trump's retaliatory tariffs are] basically a howl of frustration on the part of a mad dictator who has just realized that he can’t send in the Marines[.] A tariff to promote territorial expansion is clearly illegal, under any sane interpretation of U.S. trade law. This is on the Supreme Court, which is obviously dithering while the world burns[.]... These ... [new tariffs apply to] nations that allegedly made trade deals with Trump. They’ve just learned what they should have known from the beginning: a deal with Trump lasts until he feels like breaking it[.] Greenland? We’re going to demolish what’s left of our credibility for Greenland?" ~~~

     ~~~ Heather Cox Richardson covers this nonsense and more: “... in its insistence that only the U.S. can 'protect' Greenland, the [Trump] screed echoed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s promises to 'protect'  Ukraine.... It said that Greenland and Denmark ... 'currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently.' It also added that [Trump's] protection ... of Greenland ... might also include 'the possible protection of Canada.'... Meanwhile, lawmakers in the EU say they will not ratify a new trade agreement the European Commission and Trump signed last July. Some lawmakers are talking about using a trade 'bazooka' against the U.S., a range of measures outlined in the E.U.’s Anti-Coercion Instrument that punish trade rivals trying to coerce the E.U. ” 

~~~ Marie: I'm late in re-linking Tom Nichols' post, which akaWendy linked a couple of days ago, but the content is still relevant: ~~~

~~~ ⭐Tom Nichols of the Atlantic: “...  a few of Trump’s [odd] obsessions are extraordinarily dangerous, and likely none more so than his determination to seize Greenland from Denmark, a country allied to the United States for more than two centuries.  Perhaps because he does not understand how the Mercator projection distorts size on a map, the president thinks that Greenland is 'massive' and that it must become part of the United States. If Trump makes good on his recurring threat to use force to gain the island, he would not only blow apart America’s most important alliance; he could set in motion a series of events that could lead to global catastrophe — or even to World War III.” Nichols relates some of the history of the U.S.-Danish alliance, then speculates on ways Trump could destroy this and the NATO alliance AND embolden Russia and/or China to some military adventurism in Western Europe and North America. “And all this could happen—for what, exactly? The vainglorious demands of one man who can’t read a map?” The link is a gift link, courtesy of akaWendy. (Also linked yesterday.)

Sophia Cai of Politico: “... Donald Trump on Saturday called for an end to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 37-year reign. 'It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,' Trump told Politico, as widespread protests calling for an end to the regime appear to have waned.... Trump’s comments came shortly after Khamenei’s X account posted a series of hostile messages aimed at Trump, accusing the U.S. president of being responsible for deadly violence and unrest in Iran.... Trump, after being read the posts, said Tehran’s rulers rely on repression and violence to govern.... 'Leadership is about respect, not fear and death,' Trump [said].” MB: Funny, innit, how Trump can detect repressive leadership in others countries, but doesn't notice his own multi-faceted efforts to suppress Americans who disagree with him?

Warren Strobel, et al., of the Washington Post: Midweek last week, Donald Trump “and his national security advisers contemplated striking Iran but backed away as costs loomed and Middle East allies lobbied for restraint.... The key moment came Wednesday, when Trump received word through envoy Steve Witkoff that Iran’s government canceled the planned executions of 800 people, according to a senior U.S. official.... Trump’s rapid evolution midweek, which left many of his advisers feeling whiplashed and Iranian dissidents feeling abandoned, reflected intense domestic and foreign pressures...."  

MEANWHILE, in U.S. domestic news, member of the military are prepared to fight each other. Really: ~~~ 

Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post: “The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minnesota, defense officials told The Washington Post late Saturday, after ... Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to unrest there. The soldiers are assigned to two infantry battalions with the Army’s 11th Airborne Division, which is based in Alaska and specializes in cold-weather operations. The Army placed the units on prepare-to-deploy orders in case violence in Minnesota escalates, officials said, characterizing the move as 'prudent planning.'” ~~~

~~~ Holly Yan, et al., of CNN: “Tensions are flaring in Minneapolis as protestors decrying ICE and its agents’ use of force face off with federal law enforcement and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz mobilizes the state National Guard to stand ready to assist.... The guard hasn’t been deployed.... Crowds of bundled-up demonstrators chanted and waved signs Saturday in subfreezing temperatures in downtown Minneapolis and at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building. Extra measures were put in place in downtown Minneapolis with blocked roads and at least one hotel bolstering security due to the protests. At the federal building, there were tense standoffs between federal law enforcement officers in riot gear and protesters.... CNN saw several protesters detained by federal law enforcement near the federal building, though the protest appeared largely peaceful and it’s not immediately clear why they were detained.... A a federal judge [ruled] on Friday [that a]gents ... can’t deploy certain crowd-control measures against peaceful protesters or arrest them.”

Ariana Baio of the Independent: “Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers reportedly arrested three staff members from a Mexican restaurant outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thursday evening, hours after the officers ate lunch at the establishment. Around 3 p.m. local time, four ICE officers ate at a booth at El Tapatio, a family-owned restaurant in Willmar, Minnesota, located approximately 85 miles west of Minneapolis, witnesses told the Minnesota Star Tribune. Witnesses, who took photos of the officers at the restaurant and videos of the arrest, said the staff appeared 'frightened.' Hours later, around 8:30 p.m., bystanders said they saw ICE officers arrest three staff members from the restaurant.... Witnesses claimed the officers followed the restaurant staff after they closed up for the evening.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: What's kind of amazing is that the ICE agents -- not to mention Trump and his top toadies -- don't seem to realize they're the villains in this national morality play. Trump does get this much: although he still thinks his mass deportation policies are great, his concern is that when ICE terrorizes ordinary people, threatens them, pepper-sprays them in the eyes, pushes them around, roughs them up, vandalizes their cars, tear-gases their children, breaks into their homes, abducts them, detains them for hours, AND shoots them, "it looks bad."

Julie Bosman, et al., of the New York Times: “A small protest organized by a conservative influencer in downtown Minneapolis on Saturday was quickly overwhelmed by a liberal counterprotest, as both sides scuffled and exchanged taunts for hours. The influencer, Jake Lang, who was among the pardoned Jan. 6 rioters, was eventually chased into the lobby of a hotel by a throng of counterprotesters who threw water balloons at him when outside temperatures hovered around 10 degrees, prompting police officers to respond. Mr. Lang was seen with a trickle of blood on the back of his head before disappearing into the hotel. It was unclear how he suffered the injury.... Mr. Lang had vowed to burn a Quran and march through a neighborhood with a heavy Somali population, but apparently did not follow through. Demonstrators who had gathered in opposition to Mr. Lang also denounced Immigration and Customs Enforcement, holding signs that read 'ICE Out of Minnesota.'” 

Marcie Jones of Wonkette has quite a good description of what-all is happening on the streets of Minnepolis. Which is Not a War!: "Wars have rules of engagement! This is an invasion by roving bands of high-school-equivalency degree holders, some with no more than eight weeks of training (US police officers average 21), and no legal constraints on them. They are gassing civilian populations, flash-banging and shooting guns at moving cars, and desperate to try to make immigrant arrest quotas Dear Leader has set for them! And also, many clearly enjoy it. However bad it is on the ground, Trump intends for it to get worse. Two days ago he warned THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING." Read on. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Marie: A couple of weeks ago, I watched Ken Burns' "American Revolution" and around the same time, I saw the last season (or half-season or whatever they call it) of "Outlander," which featured episodes revolving around the British occupation of Philadelphia. Trump's siege of Minneapolis seems way worse. Rules of engagement would be great. But so far, the only rules of engagement I've noticed boiled down to JayDee's declaration that ICE agents have "absolute immunity." They don't, but when the Veep tells them do, well, these dim jamokes are going to travels in packs, jacks each other up, and act with impunity. ~~~

~~~ So then Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times writes, “Not since the British occupation of Boston on the eve of the Revolutionary War has an American city experienced anything like the blockade of Minneapolis and its surrounding areas by the federal government.... It is striking to read descriptions and accounts of the occupation of Boston in light of events in Minnesota.... Occupations are, as Americans should know from our experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, brutally unpopular, too.... Faced with an angry public but committed to a rigid agenda of nativist brutality..., [Donald Trump] and his coterie of ideologues are playing the only move they seem to have: wanton violence and threats of further escalation. They think this will break their opposition. But ... I think the administration is more likely to ... learn, as the British did in Boston, that Americans are quite jealous of their liberties.” Update: The link is new; it appears to be a gift link. Bouie's post is definitely worth reading in full. 

By Dr. Jack

Maureen Dowd of the New York Times on “Donald of Deliria”: “Trump’s entire doctrine is naked rapacity, from Venezuela to hijacking the Kennedy Center to hideously remaking the White House in his own gaudy image.” Thanks to Ken W. for the link. (Also linked yesterday.)

Michael Grynbaum & Benjamin Mullin of the New York Times: “Moments after ... [Donald] Trump finished taping a 13-minute interview on Tuesday with the 'CBS Evening News' anchor Tony Dokoupil in Michigan, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, approached Mr. Dokoupil and his colleagues to convey a message from the president. 'He said, “Make sure you guys don’t cut the tape, make sure the interview is out in full,’” Ms. Leavitt said in an even tone, according to a recording of the exchange.... 'Yeah, we’re doing it, yeah,' Mr. Dokoupil responded. Ms. Leavitt replied: 'He said, “If it’s not out in full, we’ll sue your ass off.”’... [When Mr. Dokoupil tried to reduce the tension my making light of the demand,] Ms. Leavitt did not laugh.... CBS News aired the full unedited interview that evening, which the network said was its plan all along.

“Not long ago, the notion of a White House press secretary’s casually threatening a lawsuit if a journalist does not obey her orders would be shocking. But Mr. Trump has made abundantly clear that he is serious about pursuing legal or regulatory action against media outlets whose coverage displeases him. The president regularly sues news organizations, including The Times, and his Justice Department on Wednesday searched the home of a Washington Post reporter and seized her laptops and other devices. His Pentagon has barred reporters who did not promise to limit their news gathering, and the Defense Department said it planned to commandeer Stars and Stripes, the government-funded military paper with a tradition of editorial independence. Ms. Leavitt routinely berates reporters at press briefings, including on Thursday when she denounced a journalist from The Hill as 'a left-wing hack.'” Update: the link has been changed to what appears to be a gift link. A Mediaite report is here.

     ~~~ Marie: Here's a version of how a real news organization would have responded: (a) aired none of the interview; (b) aired Leavitt's remarks; (c) reported out of the mouth of the anchor anything newsworthy Trump said during the interview. CBS News' compliance with Trump's demand makes them complicit state teevee.

Scott Nover of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump bought more than $1 million worth of corporate bonds from Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery only weeks after the media giants announced a $83 billion merger deal that could reshape Hollywood.... The president bought the bonds days after saying he’d be 'involved' in deciding whether to approve the $83 billion deal.... A White House official ... said Trump’s investment decisions are not made by the president.” MB: Right. Trump says, "Buy me $1.5MM in Nexflix & Discovery," and his broker makes the decision to obey him. 

DOJ Argues in Court It Is Above the Law. Alexander Willis of the Raw Story: "The Justice Department quietly filed a motion in federal court Friday to block a new effort to compel the agency to release its trove of files on Jeffrey Epstein – as it’s required to by law – in a move that sparked fierce backlash among critics.... The DOJ has continued to violate the [law requiring it to release the Epstein files by December 19, 2025], and the two lawmakers who introduced the legislation, Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), have recently moved to have a court-appointed neutral arbitrator – known as a special master – compel the DOJ to comply with the law. On Friday, however, the DOJ filed a motion to block that effort in the Southern District of New York, arguing that courts lack the authority to force the agency’s hand in the matter."

Ezekiel Emmanuel & Paul Friedrichs in a Washington Post op-ed: “Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly assured Congress and Americans that he would not 'take vaccines away from anybody.' While technically true, so far, he has devised an underhanded way to accomplish exactly that by removing liability protections from vaccine manufacturers and thus eliminating any profitability from vaccine sales and induce them to stop producing vaccines. This will also slow or prevent the development of new vaccines against deadly diseases.” The authors explain how Kennedy has managed this trick "by claiming vaccines cause autism and other complications.”

Danielle Douglas-Gabriel of the Washington Post: “With Americans reeling from high consumer prices, the federal government will suspend tax refund seizures and wage garnishments for people in default on their student loans, the Education Department said Friday. The action dials back the Trump administration’s recent decision to resume involuntary collections after a nearly six-year suspension because of the pandemic. The suspensions take effect immediately, with no defined end date. The move offers relief to the millions of Americans in default, but means the government is losing out on billions of dollars.” MB: Obviously, if there weren't an election on the horizon, Cruella McMahon would not have backed off the seizures & garnishments.

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Louisiana Senate Race. Annie Karni & Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times: Donald “Trump on Saturday night endorsed a potential primary challenger to Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, an occasional Republican critic who voted to convict the president in his second impeachment trial, in a surprise announcement that threatened his [MB: Trump's, I take it] relationship with Senate Republicans. Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post that he was backing Representative Julia Letlow of Louisiana, who won a special election in 2021 after her husband died from the coronavirus after his election but before he was sworn in. Ms. Letlow has not yet entered the Senate race, but Mr. Trump said that if she decided to do so, he would be with her all the way. 'RUN JULIA RUN!!!' Mr. Trump wrote, adding that 'Should she decide to enter this Race, Julia Letlow has my Complete and Total Endorsement.'... [Majority Leader John] Thune [had] pushed [Mr. Trump] to support Mr. Cassidy....” An NBC News story is here.

Virginia. Gregory Schneider & Erin Cox of the Washington Post: “Abigail Davis Spanberger, a former Democratic member of Congress and undercover operative for the CIA, became Virginia’s 75th governor Saturday as the first woman chosen to lead a state that waited until 1952 to ratify the federal amendment giving women the right to vote.... She set a theme of unity for Saturday’s inauguration, which began at noon on the steps of the Capitol in Richmond — a spot where suffragists demonstrated for the vote more than a century ago. Spectators assembled on risers — many wearing clear plastic ponchos handed out by staffers. Spanberger wore a long coat and gloves in suffragist white.” The AP's story is here. ~~~

~~~ Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff of the Washington Post: “Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) quickly moved to shift leadership at the state’s universities in her first hours in office Saturday, appointing 27 people to fill board seats at three public colleges and signing an order calling for a review of the appointment process.” ~~~

~~~ Spanberger Ends Virginia's ICE Collaboration. WWBT (Richmond): "On her first day as Governor, Abigail Spanberger ... vetoed Executive Order 47, ending Virginia’s participation in the federal 287(g) program that allowed local law enforcement to act as ICE agents. This swift action represents a major victory for immigrant advocacy groups like CASA in Action, whose years of organizing and pressure from immigrant communities helped shape this outcome. The decision carries particular weight given that Latino voters were a decisive force in Spanberger’s election, with the largest shifts from the 2024 presidential election occurring in Virginia’s most heavily Hispanic communities — particularly Prince William County, home to thousands of Salvadoran and Central American families."

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Marie: There are an awful lot of the usual sycophants, likely emboldened by Trump's abysmal poll numbers, who are suddenly willing to dump on Trump.