Good morning everyone. This is an exceptionally busy news morning with major developments unfolding fast, and there is a lot you need to know. From a mass exodus at the Justice Department after leadership refused to investigate the ICE agent who killed Renee Good, to Donald Trump promising retaliation against Minnesota, to new data showing inflation continuing to rise, I have it all covered for you. Today also marks day 25 of the Trump Justice Department unlawfully refusing to release the full Epstein files, in direct violation of federal law.
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Here’s the news:
According to MS Now, least four senior leaders in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division resigned after Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon decided not to open a DOJ investigation into the fatal Jan. 7 shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer, a case the division would normally review as part of its core mission to investigate potential unlawful use of deadly force by law enforcement.
The mass departures—including the section chief and multiple deputies—mark the most significant DOJ resignations since a February protest over political interference in a corruption case, reflecting broader internal concerns about division leadership and direction under the Trump administration.
The decision not to investigate has intensified backlash from Democrats, civil rights advocates, and Minnesota officials, especially after the FBI took over the case and blocked state investigators, Vice President JD Vance publicly defended the officer before any investigation, and President Trump made claims contradicted by video evidence.
This morning, Donald Trump vowed that the day of “reckoning” is coming for those in Minnesota, suggesting that he may deploy the National Guard:
After Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna requested a special master to oversee release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, a federal judge ordered briefing on whether the court has authority to compel Department of Justice compliance with the disclosure law governing the records.
U.S. inflation edged higher at the end of 2025, with consumer prices rising 2.7% in December compared with a year earlier and increasing 0.3% from November, signaling that inflation remains persistent but broadly stable and in line with recent monthly trends. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falling gasoline prices—which declined 0.5% in December—helped restrain overall inflation, partially offsetting continued pressure from food and housing costs.
Federal prosecutors in Washington quietly opened a criminal investigation in November 2025 into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve over alleged cost overruns in building renovations—without notifying DOJ leadership, the White House, or Treasury.
Global central bank leaders publicly rallied behind Jerome Powell after the Federal Reserve disclosed DOJ subpoenas tied to its headquarters renovation, warning that the probe threatens central bank independence and backing Powell’s claim that the investigation is politically motivated pressure from Donald Trump to influence interest-rate policy.
Former special counsel Jack Smith will testify publicly before the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 22 about his investigations into President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election (and related matters), setting up a high-profile partisan showdown in which Republicans plan to press claims of a “witch hunt” while Democrats highlight the evidence behind Smith’s charges, after Smith sought to appear publicly following an eight-hour closed-door deposition last month.
According to CNN, the Department of Homeland Security revised its account of a Christmas Eve immigration enforcement shooting in Glen Burnie, Maryland, after Anne Arundel County Police Department released details contradicting DHS’s initial claim, clarifying that one undocumented immigrant injured in the incident was already inside an ICE vehicle rather than in the van that was shot at, a discrepancy that has intensified scrutiny of DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement narratives amid President Donald Trump’s expanded immigration crackdown and following public backlash over the recent fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good in Minnesota.
Donald Trump warned that the U.S. would face a “complete mess” and massive financial chaos if the Supreme Court of the United States strikes down his sweeping tariffs—now under legal scrutiny as justices question his authority to impose them by executive order—arguing that refunds to businesses and countries would be nearly impossible to untangle and could take years to resolve.
The Supreme Court of the United States is considering whether state bans in West Virginia and Idaho that bar transgender students from girls’ and women’s sports violate the Constitution or Title IX, a case with nationwide implications for transgender rights that the Trump administration supports.
Donald Trump is visiting Detroit to tour a Ford factory in Dearborn and address the Detroit Economic Club as part of his “affordability” tour, where he is expected to highlight his administration’s push to revive U.S. manufacturing and lower consumer costs.
JD Vance and Marco Rubio are set to meet Wednesday with the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland after Copenhagen and Nuuk requested talks in response to Donald Trump escalating threats to assert U.S. control over the Arctic island.
Rep. Randy Fine introduced legislation to make Greenland the 51st U.S. state, backing Donald Trump’s push to acquire the island by authorizing negotiations with Denmark and eventual statehood, arguing Greenland is a critical national security asset amid concerns from Democrats that any forced annexation could destabilize NATO.
According to Politico, the U.S. Department of State warned that “nothing is off the table” if the United Kingdom bans X, as UK regulator Ofcom investigates the Elon Musk-owned platform over AI-generated sexualized deepfakes, escalating a transatlantic clash between free-speech arguments and online safety enforcement.
Iranians briefly made contact with the outside world after a nationwide communications blackout amid a deadly crackdown on protests, as Donald Trump escalated pressure on Iran with a new 25% tariff on countries doing business with Tehran and warned of possible military action even as demonstrations spread nationwide and reported deaths climbed into the hundreds.
China condemned Donald Trump’s new 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran and warned it would retaliate, arguing that trade wars and coercion harm all sides, as Beijing—Tehran’s largest trading partner—faces renewed pressure despite recently ending a tariff standoff with Washington.
Politico has confirmed that organizers of a traditional dog sled race in Greenland are investigating a “wholly inappropriate” invitation extended to Donald Trump’s special envoy, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, condemning what they call outside political pressure as Trump escalates rhetoric and efforts to assert U.S. control over the strategically important Arctic island.
See you soon.
— Aaron