Trump News for Wednesday, January 28, 2026

There’s A Reason Many Police Dept’s Ban Shooting At Moving Vehicles: It Saves Lives Without Putting Officers In Greater Danger

Ben Jones, Techdirt

Minneapolis is once again the focus of debates about violence involving law enforcement after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother, in her car. The incident quickly prompted dueling narratives.…

Watch: How Alex Pretti shooting led Trump to shift course in Minneapolis

BBC News

BBC analysis editor Ros Atkins looks at why tensions have been running so high in the city - and how we got here.

How Trump endangered Ilhan Omar

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump is refusing to tone down his rh…

Donald Trump, Demolition Man

David A. Graham, The Atlantic

If his East Wing project stalls out, that will serve as a potent metaphor for his presidency.

A Breakdown of the American Idea

Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic

The country’s founding principles will survive only if the public remains willing to fight for them.

Federal agents in Minneapolis 'may not have been following' protocol: Stephen Miller

Rachel Scott, Luke Barr, ABC News

The administration has shifted it's tone on the shooting.

Automaker Lobbyists Keep Undermining Maine’s Effort To Pass Popular ‘Right To Repair’ Reforms

Karl Bode, Techdirt

We’ve covered how there’s a real push afoot to implement statewide “right to repair” laws that try to make it cheaper, easier, and environmentally friendlier for you to repair the technology you own. Unfortunately, while all fifty states have at least flirted…

During heated hearing, Rubio insists US action in Venezuela will lead to prosperity and security

BBC News

The US Secretary of State remained robustly on message when asked about the legality of Maduro's removal, plans for oil sales, and the future of Venezuela.

US Luxury Auto Sales by Brand, 2025: Luxury Isn’t Growing, It’s Just Getting More Expensive

Todd Lassa, Autoweek

A look at winners, losers, and shifting priorities: When brand new vehicles become a luxury, what’s a luxury vehicle, anymore?

Trump yanks permitting process from Democrats after California fires

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Democratic officials shot back that Trump has failed to deliver the federal funds needed for rebuilding efforts.

What to know about UpScrolled, the app that's surging amid TikTok's chaos

Sydney Bradley, Business Insider

UpScrolled is a social media app that launched in 2025. It's now the No. 2 app on Apple's App Store as TikTok deals with glitches.

Gun Rights Activists Briefly Pause MAGA Cheerleading To Half-Assedly Defend Rights Of Murdered Minnesotan

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

This nation is filled with loudmouths who claim the Second Amendment ensures the rest of the amendments are protected. There are a lot of gun owners who bristle at any hint of gun control, even as they insist they might be the only thing protecting us from a …

Iraqi protesters burn photos of Trump amid his threats over al-Maliki

Al Jazeera English

Protesters in Baghdad burned photos of Donald Trump, rejecting the US president’s demands regarding Nouri al-Maliki.

The Supreme Court will soon decide if only Republicans are allowed to gerrymander

Ian Millhiser, Vox

Last month, the Supreme Court’s Republican majority reinstated Texas’s Republican gerrymander after a lower federal court struck it down. The plaintiffs in that case presented considerable evidence that Texas’s gerrymander was enacted, at least in part, to ra…

FBI conducting 'court ordered activity' at Georgia election site

Luke Barr, Olivia Rubin, ABC News

The FBI said Wednesday that there is court authorized activity at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center.

Who sets the Doomsday Clock?

Emily Strasser, Popular Mechanics

Behind closed doors with the experts who study the end of the world—and what they know about humanity’s capacity for survival.

The FBI conducts a search at the Fulton County election office in Georgia

NPR Washington Desk, NPR

The FBI would not clarify whether the action is tied to the 2020 election, but last month the Department of Justice announced it's suing Fulton County for records related to the election.

FBI executes search warrant at Georgia election office over 2020 US vote

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

FBI searches Fulton County election office in Georgia over 2020 election concerns linked to Trump-Biden contest.

Trump's National Guard deployments could cost over $1 billion this year, CBO projects

Juliana Kim, NPR

The operation in Washington, D.C. alone is projected to cost upwards of $660 million if it runs through the end of this year as expected, according to new data released by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Rubio rules out military action in Venezuela, with an exception

Al Jazeera English

The Trump administration does not "intend or expect" to again take military action in Venezuela, Marco Rubio said.

Minneapolis Proved Something MAGA Can’t Accept: Most People Are Actually Virtuous

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

There’s a line buried in Adam Serwer’s recent Atlantic piece on the Minneapolis resistance to ICE that deserves to be pulled out, examined, and posted on every lamppost in America: The secret fear of the morally depraved is that virtue is actually common, and…

The CEO of the ADL Said Elon Musk Is the ‘Henry Ford of Our Time.’ Unfortunately, He Was Right.

AJ Dellinger, Gizmodo.com

Grok, which once dubbed itself Mecha Hitler, is crowned the most anti-Semitic chatbot.

Trump floats 10% bonus for California rebuilders

Yahoo Entertainment

America’s Convenience-Store Conundrum

Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic

The Trump administration’s “real food” campaign will go only so far as the offerings at your local mini-mart.

Microsoft plans more server farms, despite water worries

Dan Robinson, Theregister.com

Redmond has pledged to be carbon-negative by 2030 It's no secret that datacenters use a ton of water for cooling, a demand that can strain local supplies. Despite reported internal forecasts showing sharply higher water use by 2030, Microsoft continues to spl…

I've Loved TikTok for 6 Years. But the US App Lost Its Secret Sauce

Abrar Al-Heeti, CNET

Commentary: With new US ownership, the magic of TikTok's algorithm appears to have run out. And so has my interest.

Bruce Springsteen Rallies Against Trump and ICE in New Protest Song “Streets of Minneapolis”

Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork

“Trump’s federal thugs beat up on his face and his chest/Then we heard the gunshots, and Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead”

Minnesota’s Top Judge Exposes DOJ’s Desperate Attempt To Salvage A Bunch Of Church Protest Arrest Warrants

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

First off, there’s a chance my headline (which went through several iterations) undersells what’s actually going on here. What’s detailed below is yet another jaw-dropping act of executive hubris, with the DOJ again deciding it can do whatever the hell it wan…

Man arrested in the attack on Ilhan Omar has a criminal history and made pro-Trump posts

MICHAEL BIESECKER and LAURA BARGFELD, Yahoo Entertainment

The man accused of squirting an unknown substance on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis has a criminal history and has made online...

WATCH: Death toll of protesters killed in Iran's bloody crackdown keeps rising

ABC News

A U.N. special rapporteur has suggested more than 20,000 may have been killed.

WATCH: ‘Ghost students’ scam costing Americans millions of dollars

ABC News

An ABC News investigation examines how “ghost students” use stolen identities to fraudulently apply for college loans and financial aid.

Trump says US ready to attack Iran with ‘speed and violence’

Al Jazeera English

Fears of a US attack on Iran are again heightened after Donald Trump threatened action “like with Venezuela.”

WATCH: Harsh winter conditions compound humanitarian crisis in Gaza

ABC News

Eleven children have died due to the cold, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, including baby Shaza, whose parents told ABC News they fear for their other children.

WATCH: Man arrested after charging Rep. Omar, spraying her with liquid during town hall

ABC News

During a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday, a man charged the podium where Rep. Ilhan Omar was giving remarks, appeared to spray a liquid at her, and was tackled to the ground by a security guard.

Trump says 'massive Armada' heading to Iran, urges Tehran to make nuclear deal

ABC NEWS, ABC News

President Trump said a "massive Armada" was heading toward Iran and warned Tehran to make a nuclear deal or the attack would be "far worse."

LIVE: Iran says it will ‘respond like never before’ after Trump’s threats

Stephen Quillen, Urooba Jamal, Al Jazeera English

Iran says it will deliver an unprecedented retaliation to any US attack following threats by Trump.

Melania Trump rings the NYSE opening bell, placing her documentary promotion at the center of the business world

Betsy Klein, CNN, CNN

First lady Melania Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday morning, giving her a high-profile platform in the business world as ...

Rob Schneider's 3rd Wife Is Divorcing the MAGA Grifter

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

The filing claims the marriage is "irretrievably broken and there is no possibility of reconciliation."

March to honour Cuban national hero expresses solidarity against Trump

Al Jazeera English

At a rally to remember Jose Marti, some protesters disavowed any interference in Cuba from US President Donald Trump.

Son of Executive Overseeing U.S. Government’s Crypto Stash Accused of Stealing $40 Million

Kyle Torpey, Gizmodo.com

There's a big pot of digital gold out there.

Trump signs an order to boost reconstruction in L.A., but Gov. Newsom says it misses the mark

Associated Press, Ap.org

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has signed an executive order to “cut through bureaucratic red tape” and speed up reconstruction of tens of thousands of homes destroyed by the January 2025 Los Angeles area wildfires.Trump’s order, signed Frid…

Man guilty of assault after Barron Trump reported attack to UK police

BBC News

Donald Trump's son told officers he had seen the victim being beaten up during a video call in January 2025.

Will Trump Bomb Iran Again?

Jen Kirby, Jezebel

Iranian protests have exposed the regime's fragility, and its future hangs in the balance.

Trump Says Rep. Ilhan Omar 'Had Herself Sprayed' in Minneapolis Attack

TMZ Staff, TMZ

President Donald Trump says he has his doubts about the strange syringe attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar Tuesday night ... claiming she "probably" set the incident up herself! We told you all about it -- the Democratic congresswoman representing…

The Fake Tweets About Alex Pretti Reek of Desperation

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

It's like you can't even trust the Facebook page "Man Stuff" for investigative journalism anymore.

WATCH: DHS sends initial report on Alex Pretti killing to Congress

ABC News

New details have emerged in the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. ABC News' Matt Rivers reports.

Trump Admin Suddenly Wants Louisiana to Drop Abortion Pill Lawsuit. I Wonder Why...

Danielle Han, Jezebel

Hint: The answer starts with “mid” and ends with “terms.”

The Anti-Fascist Group Fighting Trump — And Some Critics on the Left

Kate Storey, Rolling Stone

Refuse Fascism has been ready for years to meet this moment — but have its ties to a former 1960s radical become an albatross hampering its ambitious agenda?

BBC director general to depart in April after resignation

BBC News

Tim Davie announced his resignation amid a storm about the way Panorama edited a Donald Trump speech.

Trump hints at 'more relaxed' federal tactics in Minnesota after shootings

Rachel Scott, David Brennan, ABC News

President Donald Trump previewed a "more relaxed" approach from federal agents operating in Minnesota following three shootings in Minneapolis.

Brendan Carr Pretends To Care About Competition, Helps Larry Ellison Undermine Netflix Warner Brothers Merger

Karl Bode, Techdirt

Our shitty autocrats are nothing if not predictable. As we just got done noting, the Trump administration and their right wing extremist billionaire friend have joined forces to wage war on Netflix’s attempted acquisition of Warner Brothers. Larry wants Warne…

China pitches itself as a reliable partner as Trump alienates US allies

Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is the latest US ally to visit Beijing, pursuing renewed ties and trade deals.

Make deal or face ‘far worse’ attack, Trump tells Iran in new threat

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The president renews his threat, saying Tehran can either negotiate 'a fair and equitable deal' or face a US armada.

Trump Ally Shocked at President’s ‘Psychological State’ in Private Meeting

Leigh Kimmins, Daily Beast

A key European ally of Donald Trump said he was “traumatized” by a meeting where the U.S. president’s “psychological state” came across as “dangerous...

Trump Condemns Ilhan Omar. An Hour Later, She's Attacked in Minnesota.

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

It's probably a coincidence that Trump had spent most of the week attacking Ilhan Omar online, immediately before she was attacked in person.

CBP has a history of excessive force. Critics say they were unprepared for Minnesota

Martin Kaste, NPR

Experts say federal immigration agents' skills are a dangerous mismatch for urban settings such as the Twin Cities

How bystander videos of law enforcement have shaped public understanding

Ava Berger, NPR

Bystander videos have shaped public perception for decades. The ability to now spread video widely can lead to real-time access and transparency, but experts say videos can't tell the full story.

To keep AI out of her classroom, this high school English teacher went analog

Lee V. Gaines, NPR

Forth Worth teacher Chanea Bond says sticking with pen and paper keeps generative artificial intelligence out of her American literature classes.

How fast each state's population grew or shrank last year, mapped

Madison Hoff, Business Insider

Newly released Census Bureau data showed South Carolina had the highest percentage increase in its population from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025.

Mexican president says her country has paused oil shipments to Cuba

The Associated Press, NPR

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the pause was part of general fluctuations in oil supplies and that it was a "sovereign decision" not made under pressure from the United States.

Trump says Alex Pretti shouldn’t have been carrying a gun

Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump said Alex Pretti shouldn’t have been carrying a gun, even though he was legally armed.

Spain will grant legal status to immigrants lacking authorization

The Associated Press, NPR

Spain's government announced Tuesday it will grant legal status to potentially hundreds of thousands of immigrants living and working in the country without authorization.

Trump promises to ‘de-escalate’ Minnesota crisis after Alex Pretti shooting

Erin Hale, Al Jazeera English

US president says he still has confidence in Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid calls for her resignation.

Tim Cook Wants ‘Deescalation’ in Minneapolis

Mike Pearl, Gizmodo.com

His statement to his employees is not exactly forceful.

Looks Like American TikTok’s Problems Are Sending Users Flocking to Alternatives

Mike Pearl, Gizmodo.com

TikTok isn’t in great shape lately, and it looks like some users have had enough.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Responds After ICE Shootings in Minneapolis

Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

Apple CEO Tim Cook has responded to events in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after two people were shot and killed by U.S. federal immigration agents this month. In an internal memo to Apple employees, obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Cook said he is "heart…

Neil Young offers Greenlanders free access to his archives

BBC News

Young says he hopes the offer will "ease some of the unwarranted stress and threats" Greenlanders feel over Trump's threats to the territory.

Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar attacked with 'unknown liquid' during town hall

BBC News

Omar was uninjured and continued to speak at the event following the incident.

President talks up strength of US economy in advance of midterm elections

John Power, Al Jazeera English

Trump attempts to shift focus to bread-and-butter issues amid outrage over two fatal shootings by federal agents.

Tim Cook addresses Minneapolis shootings in internal memo: ‘time for deescalation’

Marcus Mendes, 9to5Mac

Following intense criticism for attending a VIP White House screening of the ‘Melania’ documentary just hours after the killing of Alex Pretti, Bloomberg reports that Tim Cook sent an internal memo to Apple employees, where he tried to address the situation. …

Trump praises Syrian President al-Sharaa after offensive against SDF

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Al-Sharaa is due in Moscow on Wednesday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Rep. Ilhan Omar rushed on stage and sprayed with liquid at town hall event

Barbara Sprunt, NPR

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar was speaking at a town hall event when she was rushed by a man who sprayed a liquid at her via a syringe.

WATCH: Trump calls Alex Pretti shooting a 'very, very unfortunate incident'

ABC News

President Trump told ABC News' Rachel Scott on Tuesday he hasn’t "heard" comments over the weekend from top administration officials labeling Alex Pretti a "domestic terrorist" and an "assassin."

Trump says US will 'no longer help Iraq' if it picks Maliki as PM

BBC News

The US president said Iraq would have "zero" chance of success without American support.

Trump says government will 'de-escalate' in Minnesota following Pretti shooting

BBC News

The killing of Alex Pretti over the weekend led MInnesota officials and locals to renew calls for Trump to end his immigration operation there.

WATCH: Mayor survives RPG assassin attempt in Philippines

ABC News

Security cameras captured the moment suspects launched an RPG attack on a mayor in the Philippines, striking his SUV on the street. The mayor is OK, but two members of his team were injured.

Man sprays unknown substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar and is tackled at Minneapolis town hall

LAURA BARGFELD and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM, Yahoo Entertainment

A man sprayed an unknown substance on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and was tackled to the ground Tuesday during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis...

The crypto bill is falling apart in Congress

Tina Nguyen, The Verge

Hello and welcome to Regulator, the Verge newsletter about the technology politics happening in our nation's capital. I hope our snowstorm-affected readers are safe, warm, and haven't reenacted The Shining at home yet. Do you know what prevents that? Subscrib…

Microsoft is in hot water for, well ... water abuse — data center water use expected 'to more than double' by 2030

jez@windowscentral.com (Jez Corden) , Jez Corden, Windows Central

Once upon a time, Microsoft pledged to replenish more water than it consumes by 2030. Those efforts seem to have gone up in smoke.

Funding cuts could put research into emerging threats to lung health at risk

Rachel Nuwer, Nature.com

Wildfire smoke, spore-spread fungal diseases and microplastic are all on the rise, even as the US government slashes support for respiratory research and policy.