Trump News for Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Pam Bondi Dismissed Charges Against Surgeon Who Falsified Vaccine Cards. It Emboldened Others With Similar Cases.

Jessica Schreifels, Techdirt

This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. Dr. Kirk Moore had been on trial for five days, accused of falsifying COVID-19 vaccination cards and throwing away the government-supplied doses. The Utah plastic …

'We are not for sale': Greenlanders express fear and indignation as Trump eyes territory

BBC News

Greenlanders tell the BBC they have no interest in becoming American as the White House restates its desire for annexation.

Trump threatens Raytheon's business with the US government

Brent D. Griffiths, Business Insider

President Donald Trump targeted Raytheon amid a broader stream of criticism of the entire industry.

Trump spoke to oil companies before Venezuela attack but not lawmakers, he says

Max Zahn, ABC News

U.S. oil firms have not confirmed having held such conversations with Trump.

US says it will control Venezuela’s oil sales ‘indefinitely’

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Trump administration announcement comes as UN experts warn Venezuela's oil reserves 'must not be cynically exploited'.

Can Minnesota prosecute the federal immigration officer who just killed a woman?

Ian Millhiser, Vox

A federal officer shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday, shortly after the Trump administration deployed thousands of immigration agents to the city. Although the full circumstances of the killing remain unclear, video of the shooting shows an o…

Trump administration claims it will ‘dictate’ policy to Venezuela

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that controlling Venezuela's oil would be key to controlling its government.

OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Health, Wants Access to Your Medical Records

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

OpenAI's biggest play into the burgeoning health AI market is here.

WATCH: Minneapolis mayor tells ICE to leave after fatal shooting

ABC News

Mayor Jacob Frey said he’s “demanding ICE to leave the city immediately” after an ICE agent fatally shot a woman in a vehicle during operations in Minneapolis on Wednesday, according to DHS.

Greenland allies vow action if Trump moves to seize world’s largest island

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

A German government source told the Reuters news agency that Berlin was 'closely working together' with other allies.

X’s deepfake machine is infuriating policymakers around the globe

Lauren Feiner, The Verge

X's Grok chatbot hasn't stopped accepting users' requests to strip down women and, in some cases, apparent minors to AI-generated bikinis. According to some reports, the flood of AI-generated images includes more extreme content that potentially violates laws…

WATCH: What are the new dietary guidelines? RFK Jr. unveils new food pyramid

ABC News

While many recommendations are science-backed, some aspects of the new guidance, especially saturated fats, warrant caution.

White House says 'all options' are on the table for Greenland, including diplomacy

Elena Moore, NPR

President Trump has long expressed an interest in acquiring Greenland. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Trump isn't ruling out any options, but that diplomacy is his "first option."

WATCH: Leavitt says President Trump is 'interested in diplomacy' to acquire Greenland

ABC News

WH press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday said Trump is “interested in diplomacy” to acquire Greenland from Denmark after saying "utilizing the U.S. military is always an option" on Tuesday.

‘I’m sick of stupid’: GOP senator slams Stephen Miller’s comments on Greenland

Morgan Rimmer, CNN, CNN

GOP Sen. Thom Tillis strongly criticized White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller’s recent comments suggesting the US should take control of...

President Trump Is Officially 'Warning' All 32 NFL Teams

Andrew Holleran, The Spun

The President of the United States is officially "warning" all 32 teams across the National Football League. President Trump, 79, is not happy with the...

ICE agent fatally shoots woman in Minneapolis amid immigration crackdown

Juliana Kim, NPR

The Department of Homeland Security accused the victim of being a "rioter" and that the ICE officer who pulled the trigger was "fearing for his life." Mayor Jacob Frey rejected claims of self-defense.

Hegseth Couldn’t Shine Sen. Kelly’s Shoes, So He’ll Cut His Pension Instead

Ryan Bort, Rolling Stone

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to punish Sen. Mark Kelly over a video in which Kelly reminded troops they don't have to follow illegal orders.

U.S. population growth is slowing. The immigration crackdown is a major factor

Scott Horsley, NPR

Congressional forecasters have lowered their projection for U.S. population growth over the next decade by 7 million people as a result of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown as well as falling birth rates.

A Deadly Shooting in Minnesota

David A. Graham, The Atlantic

A federal immigration agent’s killing of a woman driving an SUV fits into a tragic pattern.

Trump’s immigration crackdown turns deadly in Minneapolis

Cameron Peters, Vox

A woman was fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis on Wednesday, just days after the Trump administration deployed thousands of new immigration agents to the city. What happened? This is a breaking news story, and more details will almost certainly c…

Rubio: Seizing Greenland by ‘military means’ an option for US

Al Jazeera English

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he's meeting Denmark next week as Donald Trump again spoke of seizing Greenland.

US seizes two 'shadow fleet' tankers linked to Venezuelan oil

BBC News

The ships were boarded by US forces in predawn operations in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea.

The government wants you to eat more butter. Here's how we got here.

Kim Schewitz, Business Insider

The Trump administration's new dietary guidelines recommend Americans eat more full-fat dairy. This contradicts established nutrition advice.

Trump’s revenge campaign is now putting the entire Justice Department at risk

Ian Millhiser, Vox

A Trump-appointed judge in Richmond, Virginia issued an unusual order on Tuesday that threatens one of President Donald Trump’s most high-profile Department of Justice appointees with disciplinary sanctions — or even with forbidding her from practicing in the…

MS NOW And CNN Air Video Of ICE Shooting Of Woman Driver In Minneapolis; Mayor Calls Trump Administration Account “Bulls—”

Ted Johnson, Deadline

MS NOW and CNN aired a video, widely circulating on social media, of the shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an Immigration And Customs Enforcement agent, ...

NWS AI-Generated Weather Predictions Are Making Up New Towns

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

Expect rain in Whata Bod.

One year into an uneven recovery, L.A.'s fire survivors mark a somber milestone

Kirk Siegler, NPR

The recovery from last year's deadly wildfires in Los Angeles has been slow and uneven for a lot of reasons, with survivors struggling to navigate a complex patchwork of systems to rebuild.

How large is Greenland, really? Your map may be deceiving you

Joe Hernandez, NPR

Talk of annexation has Greenland in the news again. But due to quirks of cartography, some common maps show the territory much larger than it is.

Trump says he wants to ban large investors from buying single-family homes

Eliza Relman, Business Insider

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he wants to ban "large institutional investors" from buying single-family homes in the US.

How the Minnesota fraud scandal could upend American child care

Anna North, Vox

The video was designed to grab attention. Posted the day after Christmas, it shows right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley exposing what he says are a series of fraudulent day care centers in Minnesota. He rings doorbells, pulls on doors, and sometimes claims to be …

ICE agent shoots and kills woman during Minneapolis raid

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Mayor alleges ICE officer ‘recklessly’ shot her adding immigration agents are ‘causing chaos in our city’.

Trump floats canceling election, dismisses it to avoid 'dictator' label

Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY NETWORK, USA Today

President Donald Trump spoke to House Republicans as the party braces for impact in the 2026 midterms. He teased he can't cancel the election.

How could Donald Trump 'take' Greenland?

BBC News

The White House says it is considering a range of options to take the island, including deploying the military.

Abrego Garcia Asks For Sanctions As Gov’t Officials Continue To Publicly Attack Him Ahead Of His Trial

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Whether the Trump administration likes it or not, the right to a fair trial still exists. And even the person the government is now subjecting to what looks a whole lot like a vindictive prosecution is still a beneficiary of this right. Kilmar Abrego Garcia w…

US says it will discuss Greenland ownership with Denmark next week

BBC News

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announces talks amid concerns over US claims to the Danish territory.

The $14 Burrito: Why San Francisco Inflation Feels Higher Than 2.5%

Foglinesf.com

The Fed says inflation is cooling. Why doesn't it feel that way?

A 200-year-old book distributor is closing. Here's what that means for public libraries

Alina Edwards, NPR

Baker & Taylor is one of very few companies that handle book distribution for libraries — getting books from publishers into borrowers hands. But a few months ago, the company abruptly announced it was shutting down.

Vintage photos show Venezuela before its economic collapse, when oil wealth made it one of the world's richest nations

Kristine Villarroel, Business Insider

Once one of the world's richest nations, Venezuela has faced a decadeslong collapse that triggered one of the largest migrations in history.

Russian-made air defenses in Venezuela didn't shoot down a single US aircraft during the Maduro raid. Here's what that means.

Sinéad Baker, Business Insider

Russian air defenses may not have been at their best in Venezuela, but the West may find the results against the US and in other wars encouraging.

WATCH: US seizes 2nd ship linked to Venezuela, Secretary Kristi Noem says

ABC News

The U.S. seized the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker, which has been linked to Venezuela and was transiting the North Atlantic, sources said. It also seized another tanker, according to Noem.

Trump’s Heathen Heart

Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic

The president seems intoxicated with military power.

MAHA’s latest offensive

Caitlin Dewey, Vox

This story appeared in Today, Explained, a daily newsletter that helps you understand the most compelling news and stories of the day. Subscribe here. In two weeks, I’ll bundle my daughter into her snowsuit and trek over to the pediatrician’s office, where a …

Venezuela Is the First Big Test for the Pentagon's Influencer Press Corps—and It's Failing

Makena Kelly, Wired

Mainstream reporters are out at the Pentagon, and right-wing influencers are in. The results are predictable, and oddly reminiscent of Iraq War-era warblogging.

ICE Agent Kills U.S. Citizen as She Tries to Drive Away After Another ICE Agent Attempts to Open Her Car Door

Lauren Tousignant, Jezebel

"[DHS is] already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said following the shooting. "Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly that is bullshit."

Judge orders DOJ to explain why Lindsey Halligan is still using US attorney title

Luke Barr, ABC News

A judge has ordered the government to explain why Lindsey Halligan is still using the title of U.S. attorney despite a judge ruling she is legally not in the position.

Venezuela's interim leader sacks general in charge of Maduro's guard

BBC News

General Javier Marcano Tábata was the commander of the inner circle of guards tasked with protecting Maduro.

Do Russia and China pose a national security threat to the US in Greenland?

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

White House says President Donald Trump still wants to buy Greenland, but has said military means are an option, too.

Trump says he wants to free up Venezuelan oil flow. What was blocking it?

Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera English

Trump and Rubio say they want to use the oil to help Venezuelans. That's not what the US track record shows.

Trump and RFK Jr. Just Nuked 35 Years Worth of Alcohol Dietary Guidance Overnight

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

The new dietary guidelines don't even bother suggesting how much alcohol is safe for Americans to drink, to the delight of the booze industry.

The World’s Hardest ‘South Park’ Quiz

Nicole Thompson, Rolling Stone

How well do you know the goings on in South Park? Take this quiz to find out

US forces finally caught a blockade-running tanker after chasing it across the Atlantic

Jake Epstein, Business Insider

The tanker, originally called Bella 1, evaded a US naval blockade of sanctioned vessels near Venezuela last month.

Warren Buffett's Chevron bet stands to gain if the US delivers a Venezuelan oil boom

Theron Mohamed, Business Insider

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway owns about 6% of Chevron, the only US oil major currently operating in Venezuela.

JPMorgan is ditching proxy advisors and turning to AI for shareholder votes in the US

Polly Thompson, Business Insider

The bank is launching an in-house, AI-powered tool called Proxy IQ to support its shareholder voting decisions, leaving human proxy advisors behind.

WATCH: Neighbors save mother, 2 children from burning home

ABC News

Video captured the moment neighbors risked their lives to save a mother and her two children from a burning home in Baltimore, Maryland.

Netflix's Bid For Warner Bros. Now Looks More Like A Sure Thing

Eddie Makuch, GameSpot

Warner Bros. Discovery has officially rejected Paramount's revised offer to buy the company, saying it was "not in the best interests of WBD and its shareholders." The offer also does qualify as a "superior proposal" based on the definition in WBD's pact with…

CBS’ Remaining Journalists Seem Confused As To Why Bari Weiss Sucks At Journalism

Karl Bode, Techdirt

We’ve noted repeatedly how right wing billionaire Larry Ellison hired an unqualified troll named Bari Weiss to run CBS News for a very obvious set of reasons: to coddle wealth and power (particularly Trump and Netanyahu), validate and amplify right wing griev…

Pete Hegseth Really, Really Doesn’t Want Women in the Military

Danielle Han, Jezebel

The Pentagon has ordered a review into the “effectiveness" of women in ground combat positions. Welp.

WATCH: Wedding proposal gone wrong caught on camera

ABC News

A worker at Boyne Mountain Resort saved the day after a wedding ring slipped through Trevor Van Camp’s fingers, falling nearly 120 feet off a skybridge into snow, during a proposal to his girlfriend.

GOP gearing up to face tough midterms. And, Pentagon reviews women in ground combat

Brittney Melton, NPR

Trump offers advice to the GOP as midterm fears grow and he struggles to connect with voters on the economy. And, the Pentagon reviews the "effectiveness" of women in ground combat roles.

The Military Isn’t MAGA

Adam Serwer, The Atlantic

The Trump administration attempts to silence veterans.

A Trump Loyalist on the Verge of Immense Economic Power

Rogé Karma, The Atlantic

Kevin Hassett might do Trump’s bidding at the Federal Reserve, marking a new stage in the president’s control over the American economy.

The Venezuelan Opposition Has a Choice

Michael Albertus, The Atlantic

As bad as things look, the country’s democratic forces broke through a similar jam in 1958.

Trump Wants Venezuela’s Oil. Why Does It Have So Much?

Meghan Bartels, Scientific American

Trump has cited Venezuela’s oil resources as motivation for capturing the nation’s leader—here’s the geology behind the news

We Don't Even Need All the Oil We're About to Start Extorting From Venezuela

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

Oil prices are already in significant decline, even as Trump announces just how much oil we'll be stealing from Venezuela.

Photographer ‘Releases His Own Epstein Files’ and Shares Chilling Encounter

Matt Growcoot, PetaPixel

Photographer Christopher Anderson, whose Vanity Fair photos of the Trump administration caused a sensation last month, has taken to Instagram to reveal he was once threatened by Jeffrey Epstein. [Read More]

Diplomat Floored by Trump’s ‘Completely Insane’ Idea

Leigh Kimmins, Daily Beast

A veteran American diplomat is warning that President Donald Trump’s renewed talk of acquiring Greenland has entered dangerous territory. Michael McFaul, the...

The Accelerant

Ashley Parker, Michael Scherer, Nick Miroff, The Atlantic

Stephen Miller is turning President Trump’s most incendiary impulses into policy.

How New Public Health Changes Could Leave Vulnerable Children Behind

Kendra Pierre-Louis, Dan Vergano, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura, Scientific American

A look at how evolving national health policies could reshape the future of kids’ care, from vaccines to essential treatments.

Everything you need to know about the Syria – Israel deal in Paris

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Syria and Israel agreed to form a joint mechanism aimed at sharing intelligence and military deescalation.

The mineral riches hiding under Greenland's ice

Sarah Derouin, BBC News

The treasures beneath Greenland's icy terrain have been coveted for more than a century. But as Donald Trump becomes the latest to eye this wealth, accessing them remains a challenge.

WATCH: Drone team who saved escaped adopted senior dog speaks with David Muir about rescue

ABC News

David Muir shares the story of the newly-adopted senior dog that ran away while traveling to her forever home – and the drone team that helped locate her.

WATCH: Massive fire tears through 4 buildings in New York City

ABC News

The 5-alarm fire left both firefighters and a resident injured – including two firefighters with serious injuries.

ICE Barbie Blurs Out Everyone But Herself in Weird Cosplay Clip

Cameron Adams, Daily Beast

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has posted a mysterious video of her meeting and greeting ICE workers during a trip to Minneapolis. Most of the...

Greenland takeover could “upend US foreign policy”

Al Jazeera English

“Greenland has a lot of rare earth. It also has gold and oil.”

Béla Fleck Withdraws From Kennedy Center Performance, Calling It ‘Charged and Political’

Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone

Banjoist Béla Fleck is the latest musician to withdraw from an upcoming performance at the Kennedy Center, calling it too "charged and political."

Little Marco Spills Trump’s New Plan for Greenland Takeover

Catherine Bouris, Daily Beast

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Monday that President Donald Trump is planning to buy, rather than invade, Greenland. The New York Times...

Trump says US to get 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil from Venezuela at market price

The Associated Press, NPR

Trump pledged to use proceeds from the sale of this oil "to benefit the people" of both countries.

Trump Goon Melts Down After Latest Kennedy Center Boycott

Yahoo Entertainment

Homeland Security plans 2,000 immigration officers in Minnesota

The Associated Press, NPR

Homeland Security said Tuesday that it launched what it described as the largest immigration enforcement operation ever carried out, tied to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents in Minnesota.

Masters snooker all you need to know and match schedule

BBC Sport, BBC News

Match schedule, top seeds, prize money, former winners and BBC coverage details as the 2026 Masters gets under way at Alexandra Palace in London.

LIVE: Trump says Venezuela to hand over up to 50m barrels of oil to US

Nils Adler, Al Jazeera English

US president says he will control oil sales, proceeds, as Venezuela’s Rodriguez pledges no ‘foreign agent’ is in charge.

Bill to Eliminate H-1B Visa Program Introduced in Congress

Billal Rahman, Newsweek

The bill introduced by Marjorie Taylor Greene would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the H-1B visa program.

RFK Jr., CDC Alter Childhood Vaccine Schedule To Mimic Denmark’s

Timothy Geigner, Techdirt

The Trump administration’s war on vaccines continues, it seems. We’ve already written extensively about all the bullshit RFK Jr. is pulling when it comes to public health around vaccines. From his dismantling the CDC’s ACIP committee and rebuilding it full of…

How strong are Latin America’s military forces, as they face US threats?

Marium Ali, Al Jazeera English

Trump has threatened Colombia, Cuba and Mexico with military action. Could their armies take on the US?

Fact-checking Trump on promised US oil company investment in Venezuela

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Trump touts large US oil investments in Venezuela’s industry, but firms remain cautious amid low prices and instability.

Opposition leader Machado says she should be in charge of Venezuela

BBC News

President Trump has publicly dismissed the Nobel winner Machado saying she doesn't have local support and respect.

Japan condemns China's dual-use export ban as rare earth curbs loom

Satoshi Sugiyama and Kantaro Komiya, Yahoo Entertainment

Japan called China's ban on dual-use exports for its military "absolutely unacceptable" on Wednesday, amid a looming threat of broader curbs on vital rare...

Trump’s attacks on Venezuela put Mexico on edge

Brian Osgood, Al Jazeera English

President Claudia Sheinbaum has sought to safeguard Mexican sovereignty while cooperating with the US on key issues.

Sandisk Corp. (SNDK)at All-Time High as Memory Market Set to Become ‘One of the Largest’

Angelica Ballesteros, Yahoo Entertainment

We recently published 10 Stocks With Eye-Popping Double-Digit Gains; 4 Hit All-Time Highs. Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) was one of the top performers on...

US says military ‘always an option’ in Greenland as Europe rejects threats

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

White House says Trump is discussing options to acquire Greenland, including the potential use of the US military.

The Anti-Vaxxers’ Next Move

Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic

Nothing seems to be stopping Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from driving America over a vaccine cliff.

California Could Get a 4-Year Ban on Toys With AI Chatbots

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

"Our children cannot be used as lab rats for Big Tech to experiment on," said the state senator who introduced new legislation around AI toys.