Good morning everyone. It’s the start of another busy week and we’ve got a lot to unpack. President Trump is frustrated with how the Department of Homeland Security is managing federal operations in Minnesota after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents, and he’s now sending his border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee the situation amid growing criticism and nationwide protests.
At the same time, TikTok has now been down for 24 hours, and I’m genuinely grateful that we have this community here. This platform is not owned by billionaires and there’s no algorithm deciding whether you see my content. You see it because you choose to, plain and simple.
That’s why I’m doubling down here, and why you should know that I will be present even if all other social media platforms collapse tomorrow. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not going to sanitize the news. I will always tell you what’s happening, even if it upsets some people.
Here’s the news:
The full release of the Epstein files is now 38 days past the statutory deadline.
Donald Trump is reportedly “furious” with the way the Department of Homeland Security has handled the events in Minnesota over the past several weeks. He is not upset with the immigration enforcement activities. Rather, he is upset that Americans are seeing them. He believes that his communications team and PR team are not doing enough to sway public support in his favor. As a result, this morning, he announced that he will be sending Tom Homan, his border czar to Minnesota to oversee operations:
Federal officials claim Alex Pretti “brandished” a firearm before being fatally shot by Border Patrol agents, but experts say the term has a specific legal meaning and that no public evidence has been offered to support the claim, raising questions about whether authorities prematurely used a criminal characterization before a full investigation was completed.
The rhetoric is already shifting. On Fox & Friends, when asked if Alex Pretti’s actions amount to domestic terrorism, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said he would not prejudge because the matter is still under investigation, and described the events as a tragedy rather than labeling them domestic terrorism. Remember, Noem on Sat.: "That is the definition of domestic terrorism." Stephen Miller on Sat.: "... The official Democrat account sides with the terrorists."
A groundswell of celebrities have begun speaking out against ICE following the murder of Alex Pretti. Here is a non-exhaustive list:
Olivia Rodrigo — Condemned the killing on Instagram, calling ICE a “murderous federal agency terrorizing an American city,” urging action, and expressing solidarity with Minnesota.
Jamie Lee Curtis — Shared tribute artwork honoring Alex Pretti and Renée Good, writing “THESE WERE AMERICANS! SHOT BY OUR GOVERNMENT!” and said the violence must be amplified, not ignored.
Mark Ruffalo — Posted that the video showed a “cold-blooded murder” by what he described as an “occupying military gang,” arguing the U.S. has gone to war over less.
Pedro Pascal — Reposted multiple critiques of ICE and federal officials’ account of the shooting, including calls to abolish the agency.
Janelle Monáe — Shared resources encouraging followers to contact representatives and push to defund ICE.
Megan Stalter — Urged continued activism and prayer, calling the situation “pure evil” while sharing ways to pressure lawmakers.
Lin-Manuel Miranda — Amplified a National Immigration Law Center post reading “ICE GET OUT.”
At the Sundance Film Festival, Olivia Wilde and Natalie Portman joined other Hollywood figures in wearing “ICE OUT” pins and forcefully criticizing ICE as violent and abusive following recent fatal protest-related shootings, using red carpet appearances to call for the agency’s dismantling.
Ariana Grande — Reposted NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s message alleging ICE “sows” violence and calling to “Abolish ICE.”
Chrissy Teigen — Amplified Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s posts urging resistance and for Senate Democrats to block ICE funding, plus shared journalist Molly Jong-Fast’s skepticism about officials contradicting video evidence.
Busy Phillips — Posted a long Instagram caption urging people to call representatives, protest, boycott supporters, and vote pro-ICE officials out, saying authorities will “keep murdering people and lying.”
Chrishell Stause — Re-shared a post arguing the crackdown isn’t really about immigration (citing state-by-state undocumented population figures) and added that watching the “cold blooded” video was “stomach turning.”
Amelia Gray Hamlin — Posted a selfie with an explicit anti-ICE message (“F*** ICE”).
Julianne Hough — Reposted an image/quote about Pretti’s desire to help humanity and added a broken-heart reaction.
Kaia Gerber — Reposted a neighbor’s account emphasizing Pretti as a community ICU nurse and nonviolent protester, blaming out-of-control ICE agents for harming the neighborhood.
Halsey — Re-shared Mamdani’s anti-ICE post and also boosted James Talarico’s call to unmask and prosecute those involved, rejecting “secret police.”
Maren Morris — Reposted footage of the incident with a warning for viewers and described it as showing an “execution” angle.
Christie Brinkley — Shared video snippets and wrote that the administration had “blood on their hands,” calling for “ICE OUT.”
Hilary Swank — Shared an ACLU post demanding “ICE OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS NOW.”
Justin Theroux — Reposted a video highlighting Pretti’s work as a VA ICU nurse and added “Rest in Peace Alex Pretti.”
A number of athletes and coaches spoke out too. This list is non-exhaustive:
Tyrese Haliburton (NBA) — The Indiana Pacers guard bluntly condemned the shooting, writing, “Alex Pretti was murdered.”
Steph Curry (NBA) — Watch this from Curry last night:
Breanna Stewart (WNBA) — Held an “ABOLISH ICE” sign before a game, later explaining she wanted policies that uplift families over fear, noting the issue is personal as her wife is pursuing U.S. citizenship.
Angel Reese (WNBA) — Posted “Praying for our country” in response to the killing.
Ryan Clark (NFL) — The former Steelers safety and current broadcaster called Pretti a hero and labeled the killing a “senseless death,” offering prayers to his family.
Dwight McGlothern Jr. (NFL) — The Minnesota Vikings cornerback criticized the situation, writing, “It’s not right what’s happening in Minnesota.”
Alan Page (NFL Hall of Famer) — The former Vikings legend was reportedly seen participating in anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis.
Steve Kerr (NBA coach) — Speaking after an earlier, related killing, the Warriors coach said it was “shameful” that law enforcement could commit murder and appear to get away with it.
From a Facebook post about Alex Pretti:
Minneapolis city council member Aisha Chughtai says residents are grieving but determined to resist Trump’s immigration crackdown after Alex Pretti was killed by federal agents, describing ICE as a source of fear and violence in the city and urging continued protests, accountability, and state action to protect immigrant communities.
A Wall Street Journal editorial argues that while Alex Pretti made a mistake by interfering with ICE agents, he was not a domestic terrorist and did not deserve to be killed, calling the shooting a moral and political failure and urging President Trump to pause ICE operations in Minneapolis to reduce tensions and rethink enforcement tactics.
Semafor has confirmed that Republicans plan to move forward with a six-bill funding package that includes DHS, but Democrats say they will not support it unless DHS is removed, meaning any changes would require House approval as Democrats remain in contact with the White House.
Two Italian state broadcaster (RAI) journalists, Laura Cappon and Daniele Babbo, were threatened by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis while filming a report for the show In Mezz’Ora — the agents warned they would break the car window and drag them out if they continued following and recording, footage of the confrontation was widely shared, and the incident has prompted political backlash in Italy calling for condemnation and protection of the journalists.
Since September, DHS officers under the Trump administration have shot at least 12 people during immigration enforcement operations—killing four, including U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renée Good—with experts warning the incidents, many involving officers firing at vehicles and captured on video, show a troubling pattern of aggressive tactics, limited transparency, and unresolved questions about training, accountability, and use of deadly force.
Minneapolis’ fatal ICE-agent shooting of Alex Pretti has sparked broader GOP criticism of Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration enforcement, with a Politico poll before the incident showing about half of Americans saying Trump’s immigration campaign was “too aggressive,” including roughly one-in-five Trump 2024 supporters who backed the goals but disapproved of how they were carried out.
A federal judge will hear arguments on whether to extend a temporary restraining order that currently bars the Trump administration from destroying or altering any evidence related to the fatal Border Patrol shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, after Minnesota law enforcement successfully obtained the order late Saturday night.
Minneapolis remains under extreme cold today, with temperatures near minus 12 degrees and wind chills approaching minus 40, posing serious frostbite and hypothermia risks as anti-ICE protests and the investigation into the fatal ICE shooting continue, with possible snow flurries later in the day.
Leaked recordings to Axios reveal Sen. Ted Cruz privately blasted President Trump’s tariff policies and Vice President JD Vance to GOP donors—warning Trump his plans could crash the economy and trigger impeachment, claiming Trump snapped back “F--- you, Ted,” and deriding Vance as a Tucker Carlson protégé—exposing sharp internal rifts within MAGA-era Republican leadership despite Cruz’s public loyalty.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group has entered US Central Command waters in the Indian Ocean but is not yet positioned for any potential future strikes against Iran, according to Jennifer Griffin.
A Bombardier Challenger 650 private jet carrying eight people crashed during takeoff at Bangor International Airport in Maine amid a severe snowstorm, prompting the airport’s closure as the FAA and NTSB launched an investigation and officials worked to assess injuries.
Alex Honnold successfully free-soloed Taipei 101 on January 25, reaching the 508-meter (1,667-foot) summit in about 92 minutes with no ropes or safety gear (streamed live by Netflix), marking the first known rope-free ascent of the skyscraper and drawing huge crowds and global attention.
The trial has begun in New York of wealthy Florida brothers Tal, Alon and Oren Alexander, who prosecutors say raped, sexually assaulted and trafficked dozens of women over decades, allegations the brothers deny as they face the possibility of life sentences if convicted.
Georgia is emerging as the focal point of a growing push to halt new datacenter construction, with lawmakers proposing a first-of-its-kind statewide moratorium over concerns that AI-driven facilities are driving up energy use, water consumption and utility bills faster than regulators and communities can manage.
See you soon.
— Aaron
