Today in one sentence: Seven U.S. service members have been killed and 140 troops have been wounded in the first 10 days of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran; Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted – and then deleted – that the U.S. Navy had “successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz,” sending oil prices down nearly 20%; U.S. military destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as Trump warned Tehran to remove any mines “IMMEDIATELY” or face military consequences “at a level never seen before”; the Trump administration told Israel to stop striking Iranian energy infrastructure, saying it was “not happy”; House Speaker Mike Johnson declined to condemn anti-Muslim remarks by Reps. Andy Ogles and Randy Fine, saying instead that he had spoken to them about “our tone and our message”; Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the Supreme Court’s use of emergency orders is “not serving the court or our country well”; a federal judge ruled that three Justice Department lawyers jointly leading the New Jersey U.S. attorney’s office were unlawfully appointed; and a whistleblower complaint alleges that a former DOGE engineer copied two Social Security databases that contain records for more than 500 million Americans and took them to his new job at a government contractor.
\n1/ Seven U.S. service members have been killed and 140 troops have been wounded in the first 10 days of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, promised the “most intense day of strikes” yet and that the U.S. “will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated” After a classified Senate briefing, Democrats said the Trump administration doesn’t have a clear objective, timeline, or exit strategy. “Clearly, they do not have a strategic goal,” Sen. Mark Kelly said. “They have no exit strategy.” The White House, nevertheless, insisted that the operation was a “resounding success” and would end only when Iran no longer posed a credible threat. (New York Times / ABC News / The Guardian / Associated Press / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / CNBC / Bloomberg)
\n2/ Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted – and then deleted – that the U.S. Navy had “successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz,” sending oil prices down nearly 20%. However, the White House said the claim was false and that “the U.S. Navy has not escorted a tanker or vessel at this time.” The Energy Department later said the post was deleted after it was “determined to be incorrectly captioned by Department of Energy staff.” (Bloomberg / Politico / Wall Street Journal / CNBC / New York Times)
\n3/ The U.S. military destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as Trump warned Tehran to remove any mines “IMMEDIATELY” or face military consequences “at a level never seen before.” The strikes came after intelligence reports indicated Iran had begun laying mines in the strait where roughly 20% of the world’s daily oil supply flows. Trump, however, said the U.S. had “no reports” confirming that Iran had actually put mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Almost all commercial shipping through the strait has stopped since the war began Feb. 28. (Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Reuters)
\n4/ The Trump administration told Israel to stop striking Iranian energy infrastructure, saying it was “not happy.” The warning follows Israel striking several oil depots in and around Tehran over the weekend. U.S. officials said the administration was concerned the attacks could hurt Iranian civilians, raise the risk of retaliation against Gulf energy facilities, and destabilize oil markets. (Axios / Reuters / Wall Street Journal)
\n5/ House Speaker Mike Johnson declined to condemn anti-Muslim remarks by Reps. Andy Ogles and Randy Fine, saying instead that he had spoken to them about “our tone and our message.” Ogles had posted that “Muslims don’t belong in American society,” while Fine wrote that choosing “between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.” Johnson said the “conflict” was not with Muslims but with people who “come to a country and not assimilate” and seek to “impose Sharia law” in ways “in direct conflict with the Constitution.” (Politico / The Hill / The Guardian / Axios / Washington Post / NPR / NBC News)
\n6/ Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the Supreme Court’s use of emergency orders is “not serving the court or our country well.” She called the trend of letting Trump administration policies take effect before lower courts finish testing whether they are lawful “a real unfortunate problem” and that the court had moved beyond preserving the status quo. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, meanwhile, argued the increase in emergency appeals reflects presidents relying more on executive action because Congress is gridlocked. (CNN / New York Times / NBC News / Associated Press / Washington Post)
\n7/ A federal judge ruled that three Justice Department lawyers jointly leading the New Jersey U.S. attorney’s office were unlawfully appointed – the second time in less than a year that the court has disqualified Trump’s picks to lead the office. After a federal appeals court disqualified Alina Habba as the acting U.S. attorney in New Jersey, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann found that Attorney General Pam Bondi’s decision to split the role between Philip Lamparello, Jordan Fox, and Ari Fontecchio had violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, the Appointments Clause, and the statute governing U.S. attorney duties. Brann stayed his ruling pending appeal, but warned that if the government left the trio in place, “it does so at its own risk,” and that any further unlawful appointments “will result in dismissals of pending cases.” (Associated Press / CBS News / New York Times / Bloomberg / Politico / Washington Post)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 238 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 973 days.
\nSmartmatic asked a federal judge to dismiss foreign bribery and money-laundering charges, arguing the October indictment was a vindictive, selective prosecution tied to Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was rigged. The company said the Trump administration brought the case in retaliation for defamation suits against Trump allies and Fox News over false claims about the company’s role in the 2020 vote. (New York Times / Washington Post)
\nHouse Republican leaders said Tuesday they plan to bring an 18-month extension of Section 702 surveillance authority. The plan would renew the warrantless foreign surveillance program without the new restrictions. (Politico)
\nThe White House told House Republicans to stop talking about “mass deportations” and instead focus on removing violent criminals. (Axios / Washington Post)
\nThe Pentagon spent $93 billion in September 2025 — more than any single month since 2008. While Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pledged to refocus the department on “warfighting and lethality,” the purchases in September included $225 million in furniture, $15.1 million in ribeye steak, $6.9 million in lobster tail, $2 million in Alaskan king crab, $5.3 million in Apple devices, and a $98,329 Steinway grand piano for the Air Force chief of staff’s home. In the final five days of September, the department signed $50.1 billion in grants and contracts, more than the combined annual defense budgets of Canada and Mexico. Federal agencies that don’t use their congressionally allocated budgets by the end of the fiscal year lose that money permanently. (New Republic)
\nA whistleblower complaint alleges that a former DOGE engineer copied two Social Security databases that contain records for more than 500 million Americans and took them to his new job at a government contractor. The complaint, filed in January, alleges the engineer told co-workers he needed help “sanitizing” the data before uploading it to his employer’s systems. He reportedly told one colleague who refused to help that he expected a presidential pardon if his actions were deemed illegal. The two databases, called “Numident” and the “Master Death File,” include the records for more than 500 million living and dead Americans, including Social Security numbers, places and dates of birth, citizenship, race and ethnicity, and parents’ names. (Washington Post)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Seven U.S. service members have been killed and 140 troops have been wounded in the first 10 days of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran; Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted – and then deleted – that the U.S. Navy had “successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz,” sending oil prices down nearly 20%; U.S. military destroyed 16 Iranian...", "date_published": "2026-03-10T15:58:52-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/09/day-1875/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/09/day-1875/", "title": "Day 1875: “I have a plan for everything.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1875trump-060b12.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump claimed that fighting in Iran was “very complete, pretty much” and would end “very soon,” but then threatened to strike Iran “at a much, much harder level” if Tehran disrupted oil supplies; Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” even as a classified U.S. intelligence assessment concluded that even a large-scale military assault was unlikely to lead to regime change in Iran; the U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, its third loss in five months, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%; the FBI subpoenaed records from the Arizona Senate’s 2021 review of roughly 2.1 million Maricopa County ballots; Trump threatened to not sign any legislation until Congress passes the SAVE America Act; a plaque honoring law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, was installed at 4 a.m. Saturday – three years after Congress required it by law and with no ceremony or announcement; and the Justice Department released three FBI interview summaries it had withheld from the Epstein files, including one by a woman alleging that Trump sexually assaulted her as a minor in the 1980s after Jeffrey Epstein introduced them.
\n1/ Trump claimed that fighting in Iran was “very complete, pretty much” and would end “very soon,” but then threatened to strike Iran “at a much, much harder level” if Tehran disrupted oil supplies. The White House and other G7 countries have discussed a possible coordinated release of crude oil from strategic reserves after Brent crude briefly spiked to nearly $120 a barrel — its highest since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. is also waiving some oil-related sanctions to ease prices, including a waiver allowing certain countries to buy Russian oil. Trump, however, dismissed the war’s impact on global energy markets as “a very small price to pay” for “safety and peace” while saying it was “too soon” to talk about seizing Iran’s oil. He added: “I have a plan for everything. You’ll be very happy.” (Bloomberg / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / New York Post / NBC News / Axios / CBS News / Reuters / The Hill / Associated Press / Politico / CNN / CNBC)
\n2/ Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” even as a classified U.S. intelligence assessment concluded that even a large-scale military assault was unlikely to lead to regime change in Iran. The National Intelligence Council report, completed before the war began, found that Iran’s establishment would follow succession protocols to preserve continuity of power even if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. Trump, nevertheless, said there would be “no deal” except “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER,” adding that the war should end with “the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s).” (New York Times / Washington Post / Bloomberg / NBC News / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / CNN)
\nRussia provided Iran with intelligence since the U.S.-Israeli war started, including satellite and other targeting data on U.S. warships, aircraft, radar, and military personnel. The material indicates that Moscow is sharing information, not directing Iranian strikes. When asked about the intelligence sharing, Trump responded: “What a stupid question that is to be asking at this time.” (Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News)
\nTwo men were charged with attempting to support ISIS and use of a weapon of mass destruction after throwing two homemade bombs during a protest outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence. Neither device detonated and no one was injured. Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, told investigators they had hoped to cause more damage “than the Boston Marathon bombing,” which caused “only three deaths.” (New York Times / CNN / NBC News / Bloomberg)
\n3/ The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, its third loss in five months, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%. The losses were spread across nearly every major sector, and downward revisions to December and January brought job growth over the last three months to effectively zero. A Kaiser Permanente nurses strike sidelined about 31,000 health care workers, pulling the sector down from a gain of 116,000 in January to a loss of 28,000, while manufacturing cut 12,000 jobs, construction 11,000, and leisure and hospitality 27,000. The White House called the report a “surprise.” (Wall Street Journal / CNN / CNBC / NBC News / New York Times / Bloomberg)
\n4/ The FBI subpoenaed records from the Arizona Senate’s 2021 review of roughly 2.1 million Maricopa County ballots, expanding the Trump administration’s criminal investigation of the 2020 presidential election beyond Georgia. Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen said he received and complied with the federal grand jury subpoena last week, turning over records tied to the Senate’s review of Maricopa County. The physical ballots have since been destroyed under state records retention laws, but the Senate retained digital images, absentee envelopes, vote tallies, and server software from the audit, which confirmed Biden won the state. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said the election had already been certified, litigated, and confirmed, and called the inquiry “the weaponization of federal law enforcement.” (New York Times / CNN / Politico / NBC News / Axios / Washington Post)
\n5/ Trump threatened to not sign any legislation until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, a bill that would require proof of citizenship and photo ID to vote in federal elections. “Go for the gold,” Trump wrote on social media, demanding that the legislation “must be done immediately” and “supersedes everything else.” The House passed the bill last month, but it needs 60 votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster. Democrats said they’ll block the measure, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune has resisted pressure from Trump to change the filibuster rules. The standoff puts other pending legislation at risk, including a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which has been partially shut down since last month. (NBC News / Democracy Docket / Axios / CNBC / Reuters / The Hill / Mother Jones / The Guardian)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 239 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 974 days.
\nA House Republican changed his party affiliation to independent, cutting Speaker Mike Johnson’s majority to a single vote. Rep. Kevin Kiley of California said he’ll continue to caucus with Republicans for “the remainder of this term” for committee and administrative purposes, but wouldn’t commit to supporting Johnson on procedural votes. He attributed the switch to California’s mid-decade redistricting, which turned his seat more Democratic and prompted him to seek reelection as an independent. (Washington Post / Axios / CBS News)
\nA federal judge ruled that Kari Lake’s appointment to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media was unlawful, voiding the mass layoffs and other actions she carried out at Voice of America. Judge Royce Lamberth found that Lake violated both the Constitution’s appointments clause and the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, writing that her authority amounted to “an unlawful effort to transform Lake into the CEO of U.S. Agency for Global Media in all but name.” Lake, who never received Senate confirmation, called Lamberth “an activist judge” and said she would appeal. (The Hill / CBS News / New York Times / CNN)
\nAnthropic sued the Trump administration, alleging the Pentagon retaliated against the company for refusing to let the military use its AI without restrictions on autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance. The supply-chain risk designation, a label normally reserved for companies tied to foreign adversaries, effectively blocks Anthropic from Pentagon contracts and threatens hundreds of millions of dollars in broader federal business. Anthropic filed suits in two courts, arguing the government violated its First Amendment rights, exceeded its statutory authority, and bypassed required procurement procedures. The White House, meanwhile, called Anthropic “a radical left, woke company” trying to dictate military operations. (ABC News / NBC News / Bloomberg / Politico / Wall Street Journal)
\nEric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are investing in a drone company seeking Pentagon contracts following the Trump administration’s ban on Chinese drones and a $1.1 billion domestic procurement initiative. Powerus is also pursuing Ukrainian drone technology to manufacture and sell under American branding to meet Pentagon requirements for domestically made weapons. The Trumps’ investment vehicles, American Ventures and Dominari Securities, are financing the deal alongside Unusual Machines, a drone components firm where Trump Jr. serves as a shareholder and advisory board member. (Wall Street Journal)
\nA plaque honoring law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, was installed at 4 a.m. Saturday – three years after Congress required it by law and with no ceremony or announcement. House Speaker Mike Johnson had blocked the installation, calling the 2022 law “not implementable,” until the Senate passed a unanimous resolution in January directing the Architect of the Capitol to display it on the Senate side. Officer Daniel Hodges, who sued over the delay, called the installation “a fine stopgap” and said his lawsuit would continue, noting that the plaque’s location and format fall short of what the law requires. (Washington Post / NPR / NBC News / CNN)
\nThe Justice Department released three FBI interview summaries it had withheld from the Epstein files, including one by a woman alleging that Trump sexually assaulted her as a minor in the 1980s after Jeffrey Epstein introduced them. Officials said the documents were mistakenly coded as duplicates, but didn’t explain why only the three interviews that named Trump were missing from the initial release. Trump claimed that the Epstein files had “totally exonerated” him, while the White House called the allegations “completely baseless accusations, backed by zero credible evidence.” Meanwhile, 37 pages of related records remain absent from the public database. (NPR / New York Times / Politico / CNN / Wall Street Journal)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump claimed that fighting in Iran was “very complete, pretty much” and would end “very soon,” but then threatened to strike Iran “at a much, much harder level” if Tehran disrupted oil supplies; Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” even as a classified U.S. intelligence assessment concluded that even a large-scale military assault was unlikely to lead to regime change in...", "date_published": "2026-03-09T16:34:29-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/05/day-1871/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/05/day-1871/", "title": "Day 1871: “Getting screamed at to find some good news.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1871trump-e00c40.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and replaced her with Sen. Markwayne Mullin; Senate Democrats blocked a Republican bill to reopen the Department of Homeland Security for a third time; the House rejected a bipartisan effort to force Trump to seek congressional approval for continued military action in Iran; Trump said he wasn’t concerned about rising gasoline prices caused by the Iran war, saying “if they rise, they rise”; two dozen Democratic-led states sued Trump to stop his new 10% global import tariffs; and a Jan. 6 rioter pardoned by Trump was sentenced to life in prison for molesting two children.
\n1/ Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and replaced her with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, making Noem the first Cabinet secretary forced out in his second term. Mullin still needs Senate confirmation, but Trump said the change takes effect March 31 and called him a “MAGA Warrior” who would make a “spectacular Secretary of Homeland Security.” Trump added that Noem would become a special envoy for the “our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere.” The move followed Noem’s claim that Trump had approved a roughly $200 million DHS ad campaign that prominently featured her, a claim Trump and White House officials contradicted. It also came after criticism of her handling of the Minneapolis immigration operations, where federal agents killed U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who Noem labeled “domestic terrorists.” (Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Politico / Washington Post / NPR / NBC News / Bloomberg / ABC News / CNN)
\n2/ Senate Democrats blocked a Republican bill to reopen the Department of Homeland Security for a third time, saying Noem’s removal “changes nothing” because “the problems at this agency transcend any one person.” The Senate vote was 51-45, short of the 60 needed to advance. Democrats want binding limits on ICE and Border Patrol tactics, including identification, warrant, mask, and use-of-force rules, while Republicans say they’ve offered reforms and accused Democrats of refusing a deal. The standoff leaves the DHS shutdown on track to enter a fourth week. (New York Times / CNBC / The Hill / Axios / Associated Press / Politico / Washington Post)
\n3/ The House rejected a bipartisan effort to force Trump to seek congressional approval for continued military action in Iran, voting 219-212 to block consideration of the measure. The resolution, led by Rep. Thomas Massie and co-sponsored by Rep. Ro Khanna, would have required Trump to end offensive operations. Massie said the War Powers Resolution lets a president use force without Congress only in narrow cases, including a declaration of war, specific statutory approval, or a national emergency caused by an attack on the United States. “None of those conditions exist today,” he said. The vote came a day after the Senate blocked a similar measure, effectively signaling that Congress will not restrain Trump’s war powers on Iran. (ABC News / NBC News / New York Times / Axios / Politico / Associated Press)
\n4/ Trump said he wasn’t concerned about rising gasoline prices caused by the Iran war, saying “if they rise, they rise.” He called the U.S. military operation in Iran is “far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit,” claiming that “They’ll drop very rapidly when this is over.” That came as the national average gas price rose 27 cents in the last week to $3.25 a gallon. Meanwhile, Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, warned that failing to respond to higher fuel costs would be “catastrophic” for Republicans, while aides were “looking under every rock” for ways to lower prices. Two energy industry executives familiar with the conversations inside the White House said Energy Secretary Chris Wright and other advisers “are getting screamed at to find some good news” on bringing down prices. “Folks are scrambling for announcements and messaging to counter the narrative” of rising prices.(Politico / Bloomberg / Reuters / New York Times / The Hill / CNBC)
\n5/ Two dozen Democratic-led states sued Trump to stop his new 10% global import tariffs, arguing that Trump was trying to “sidestep” the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down most of his tariffs. After the ruling, Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows tariffs of up to 15% for 150 days to address “fundamental international payments problems.” The states argued that the U.S. trade deficit doesn’t meet that standard, asked the court to block the tariffs, and refund any duties already collected. (Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)
\n6/ A Jan. 6 rioter pardoned by Trump was sentenced to life in prison for molesting two children. Andrew Paul Johnson was found guilty on 5 state charges in Florida, including molesting a child under 12, molesting another under 16, lewd exhibition, and sending harmful material to a minor. He tried to keep one victim quiet by promising money he expected from the federal government after Trump’s pardon, and investigators found explicit messages he sent on Discord. (NPR / Associated Press / NBC News)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 243 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 978 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and replaced her with Sen. Markwayne Mullin; Senate Democrats blocked a Republican bill to reopen the Department of Homeland Security for a third time; the House rejected a bipartisan effort to force Trump to seek congressional approval for continued military action in Iran; Trump said he wasn’t concerned about rising gasoline prices caused...", "date_published": "2026-03-05T15:40:10-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/04/day-1870/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/04/day-1870/", "title": "Day 1870: “Why are we doing this?”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1870trump-ad31e3.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The Republican-led House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi for a closed-door deposition about the Justice Department’s handling of records tied to Jeffrey Epstein; Senate Republicans rejected a war powers resolution to block Trump from ordering more strikes on Iran; Trump is “actively considering and discussing” America’s role in Iran after the war with his advisers and national security team; Texas state Rep. James Talarico won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Texas; Republicans Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton advanced to a May 26 Republican runoff; the Office of Congressional Conduct said it had “substantial reason to believe” Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, had a sexual relationship with a subordinate who later died by suicide; and 54% of voters disapproved of Trump’s handling of Iran, and 52% said the U.S. shouldn’t have taken military action.
\n1/ The Republican-led House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi for a closed-door deposition about the Justice Department’s handling of records tied to Jeffrey Epstein. Five Republicans joined Democrats to approve the subpoena after Rep. Nancy Mace said Bondi’s claim that the Justice Department released “all of the Epstein files” was “not” supported by the record. The department to date has released more than 3 million pages to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, but the Justice Department has also acknowledged that it’s withholding millions more documents under claims of privilege. Lawmakers in both parties, however, have criticized the department’s process as both incomplete and sloppy, pointing to heavy redactions and episodes where victims’ information appeared in public releases. (NBC News / Politico / CNN / New York Times / CBS News / CNBC / The Hill / Associated Press)
\n2/ Senate Republicans rejected a war powers resolution to block Trump from ordering more strikes on Iran. The 53-to-47 vote was mostly along party lines, with Rand Paul the only Republican who supported the resolution. “This essentially is the vote whether to go to war or not,” Paul said. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy added: “It is amazing to me that my Republican colleagues refuse to learn lessons. Six Americans have already died for an illegal war that nobody wants. […] And for what? We still don’t even know the reason for this war.” One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman voted against it. A similar House vote is expected Thursday, which is also expected to fail. “As people see the consequences,” Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine said, “I think they may decide, ‘Why are we doing this?’” (Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / Associated Press / The Guardian)
\n3/ Trump is “actively considering and discussing” America’s role in Iran after the war with his advisers and national security team. Trump is also reportedly open to supporting armed Iranian opposition groups and the CIA is working to arm Kurdish forces based in Iraq. Both efforts are aimed at triggering mass protests to overthrow the regime after the U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt added that Trump “hasn’t ruled out” U.S. ground troops, but they “aren’t part of operational plans at this time.” (Wall Street Journal / Axios / CNN / NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / New York Times / The Hill / Reuters)
\n🔴🔵 PRIMARIES
\n4/ Texas state Rep. James Talarico won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Texas, defeating U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett for the nomination. On the other side, Republicans Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton advanced to a May 26 Republican runoff. Trump, who is expected to endorse Cornyn, posted on Truth Social that Republican primary race in Texas “cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer. IT MUST STOP NOW!” He added: “The candidate that I don’t Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE!” Talarico would be the underdog against either Republican. Democrats haven’t won any statewide race in Texas since 1994. In North Carolina, former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley won their primaries, locking in a matchup expected to be central to control of the Senate. In Texas, several majority-Latino counties cast more votes in the Democratic primary than voted for Kamala Harris in 2024, while in North Carolina the primary drew about 5% more voters than 2022 with Democrats casting about 200,000 more primary ballots than Republicans. (Associated Press / CNN / ABC News / Axios / The Hill / NBC News / Politico / Wall Street Journal / NPR / Politico / New York Times)
5/ The Office of Congressional Conduct said it had “substantial reason to believe” Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, had a sexual relationship with a subordinate who later died by suicide. The matter was referred to the House Ethics Committee, which opened an investigation into whether Gonzales “engaged in sexual misconduct” toward a congressional employee and whether he “discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges.” Gonzales, who is seeking reelection, is headed to a Republican runoff against Brandon Herrera, a right-wing YouTuber and gun-rights activist known as “the AK Guy.” Separately, House Republicans blocked Rep. Nancy Mace’s measure to force the public release of sexual misconduct and harassment by congressional lawmakers and aides. (Politico / NBC News / CNN / CNBC / CBS News / Washington Post / New York Times)
\npoll/ 54% of voters disapproved of Trump’s handling of Iran, and 52% said the U.S. shouldn’t have taken military action. 89% of Democrats and 58% of independents opposed the strikes, while 77% of Republicans supported them. Republicans who identified as MAGA backed the action 90%-5%, but non-MAGA Republicans were divided, 54%-36%. (NBC News)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 244 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 979 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The Republican-led House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi for a closed-door deposition about the Justice Department’s handling of records tied to Jeffrey Epstein; Senate Republicans rejected a war powers resolution to block Trump from ordering more strikes on Iran; Trump is “actively considering and discussing” America’s role in Iran after the war with his advisers and...", "date_published": "2026-03-04T15:55:26-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/03/day-1869/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/03/day-1869/", "title": "Day 1869: “A failure of leadership.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1869trump-6ed340.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump warned that “I guess the worst case” from U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran would be “somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person”; Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed the U.S. attacked Iran first because “we knew that there was going to be an Israeli action” and that it would “precipitate an attack against American forces”; Sen. Thom Tillis threatened to block Trump administration nominees and stall committee work unless Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem answers his questions about the Charlotte’s Web immigration operation; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick agreed to a voluntary, closed-door House Oversight interview on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein after Justice Department records contradicted his Senate testimony; the Justice Department abruptly reversed itself and will defend Trump’s executive orders targeting four law firms, less than 24 hours after telling the same court it wanted to drop the appeals; the Interior Department threatened to hold employees “accountable” after an internal database leaked showing National Park Service staff flagging hundreds of items that could “disparage” Americans for possible revision or removal; the Supreme Court temporarily blocked California from enforcing a 2024 law that limited when educators could tell parents about a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation; and voters in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas head to the polls today to kick off the 2026 midterm season.
\n1/ Trump warned that “I guess the worst case” from U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran would be “somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person.” He said “most of the people we had in mind are dead,” and that “another group, they may be dead also,” leaving “a third wave coming” and “pretty soon we’re not going to know anybody.” Israel, meanwhile, struck the Council of Experts building in Qom as votes were being counted to choose a successor to Ali Khamenei, saying: “We wanted to prevent them from picking a new supreme leader.” (Bloomberg / New York Times / The Guardian / Politico / CNN / Axios)
\n2/ Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed the U.S. attacked Iran first because “we knew that there was going to be an Israeli action” and that it would “precipitate an attack against American forces,” arguing that waiting meant “higher casualties” and that “we were not going to get hit first.” Trump, however, publicly contradicted that version of events, saying, “If anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand.” Rubio later tried to reframe the decision, saying “this had to happen anyway” because Iran “was not going to be allowed to hide behind its ballistic missile program.” Democrats said a classified briefing failed to show an “imminent threat,” with Chuck Schumer calling the answers “completely and totally insufficient” and Mark Warner saying, “There was no imminent threat to the United States,” warning of “uncharted territory” and demanding “the objective” and “our exit plan.” (The Guardian / Axios / Politico / ABC News / Washington Post / CNBC)
\n3/ Sen. Thom Tillis threatened to block Trump administration nominees and stall committee work unless Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem answers his questions about the Charlotte’s Web immigration operation, saying “I’m giving you a performance evaluation here, I’m not looking for a response,” and adding that “time after time after time, I’ve been disappointed.” Tillis called Noem’s leadership “a disaster,” accused DHS of detaining U.S. citizens, chasing arrest “numbers” over judgment, and said he had “reason to believe” she was “violating the law, either knowingly or unknowingly,” citing delays in FEMA reimbursements tied to her sign-off policy. He then accused her department of “stonewalling” Congress, citing a DHS inspector general letter that described “10 different instances” where investigators were “misled” or blocked. “Does anybody have any idea how bad it has to be for the OIG in this agency to come out and do this publicly?” he said. “That’s a failure of leadership, and that is why I’ve called for your resignation.” Tillis warned he would put a hold on “any en bloc nominations” unless he got answers, and threatened to “deny quorum and markup in as many committees as I can” – a threat that would slow nominations and legislation. (The Hill / CNBC / NBC News / Politico / Axios / New York Times / Associated Press / Bloomberg / CBS News / CNN)
\n4/ Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick agreed to a voluntary, closed-door House Oversight interview on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein after Justice Department records contradicted his Senate testimony that he “did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person.” Lutnick said he “did nothing wrong” and wants to “set the record straight,” while the White House said he remains a “critical asset” to Trump. Lutnick previously claimed he cut off Epstein after a 2005 visit to Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, vowing he would “never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again,” but the documents showed Lutnick meeting at Epstein’s home in 2011 and his family having lunch on Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2012. (Axios / NBC News / CNN / CNBC / Politico / Washington Post)
\n5/ The Justice Department abruptly reversed itself and will defend Trump’s executive orders targeting four law firms, less than 24 hours after telling the same court it wanted to drop the appeals. The Justice Department gave no explanation, but instead argued a procedural point: that the court hadn’t yet granted the voluntary dismissal request and so the administration could still pursue the cases. Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey objected, calling the reversal “unexplained” and urged the court not to reward the government’s attempt to withdraw a dismissal the parties had agreed to ahead of Friday’s deadline. Trump’s executive orders, which trial judges had already found unconstitutional, would have stripped security clearances, restricted access to federal buildings, and pushed agencies to cut off contracts involving the firms and their clients. (Politico / Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)
\n6/ The Interior Department threatened to hold employees “accountable” after an internal database leaked showing National Park Service staff flagging hundreds of items that could “disparage” Americans for possible revision or removal. The entries were compiled under Trump administration orders to strip “partisan ideology” from park sites and instead refocus on the nation’s “beauty, abundance, or grandeur.” The Interior Department said the material was “draft, deliberative” paperwork and “not a representation of final action.” Even so, the submissions included exhibits and material on Emmett Till, slavery, civil rights, LGBTQ+ history, pollution, and climate change. And, many entries read as staff trying to interpret the directives, with some proposing softer wording for documented violence to avoid “denigrating” perpetrators. (Washington Post / Reuters)
\n7/ The Supreme Court temporarily blocked California from enforcing a 2024 law that limited when educators could tell parents about a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation, reviving a lower-court injunction while the case continues. In an unsigned order, the court said the parent plaintiffs were “likely to succeed” on their First Amendment claim, citing constitutional “parental rights” in participating in decisions about a child’s mental health. The court granted emergency relief for the parents, but declined to extend the same relief to teachers, who also challenged the policies. Justice Elena Kagan, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented and criticized the court for intervening on the emergency docket before the appeals process played out, while Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, said the order was meant to prevent “irreparable harm” and was preliminary. The litigation now returns to the lower courts, with California officials saying they remain committed to student safety and privacy while the case proceeds. (Sacramento Bee / Washington Post / NBC News / Politico / CNN)
\n8/ Voters in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas head to the polls today to kick off the 2026 midterm season. In Texas, Sen. John Cornyn faces Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt in the Republican Senate primary, a race that could go to a runoff if no candidate wins 50% of the vote. Republican leaders have warned that if Paxton is the nominee, Democrats could have their best shot in decades at flipping the seat in November. Democrats will also pick a Senate nominee, choosing between Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico. In North Carolina, voters begin filling an open Senate seat after Sen. Thom Tillis declined to run again, with former governor Roy Cooper expected to win the Democratic nomination and Trump-backed former RNC chair Michael Whatley favored on the Republican side. And in Arkansas, Republican incumbents are expected to advance with the more competitive primaries further down the ballot. (New York Times / Washington Post / Associated Press / ABC News / CBS News / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 245 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 980 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump warned that “I guess the worst case” from U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran would be “somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person”; Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed the U.S. attacked Iran first because “we knew that there was going to be an Israeli action” and that it would “precipitate an attack against American forces”; Sen. Thom...", "date_published": "2026-03-03T16:04:21-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/02/day-1868/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/03/02/day-1868/", "title": "Day 1868: “The yips.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1868trump-ed1066.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump declined to rule out sending U.S. ground troops into Iran “if they were necessary,” saying “whatever it takes” and adding, “I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground”; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected the idea of an “endless” war in Iran; the Pentagon acknowledged in closed-door briefings with congressional staff that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran was preparing to launch a preemptive strike against the U.S. interests – contradicting Trump’s claim that the U.S. was “very nearly under threat” from Iran; a federal appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s effort to delay litigation over potential tariff refunds; the Justice Department dropped its defense of Trump’s executive orders sanctioning four law firms with ties to Democrats; Trump allies are continuing to press him to declare a national emergency and impose federal election rules without Congress as the SAVE Act’s voter ID and proof-of-citizenship mandates has stalled in the Senate; 34% of Americans approved of the U.S. attacks on Iran; and 60% of Americans said they don’t trust Trump to make the right decisions on U.S. use of force.
\n1/ Trump declined to rule out sending U.S. ground troops into Iran “if they were necessary,” saying “whatever it takes” and adding, “I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground.” He said the U.S. projected “four to five weeks” for Operation “Epic Fury,” but also said it would run “as long as necessary” and that the military could go “far longer than that.” Trump insisted that “it won’t be difficult” because “we have tremendous amounts of ammunition.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that the “hardest hits are yet to come.” Trump, meanwhile, clarified the operation’s goals as (1) destroying Iran’s missile capability, (2) “annihilating” its navy, (3) blocking a nuclear weapon, and (4) stopping Tehran from arming and directing proxy forces. The Pentagon said at least six U.S. service members had been killed in Iranian strikes and three F-15E jets were downed by Kuwaiti air defenses in an “apparent friendly fire” incident. “We expect casualties with something like this,” Trump said, separately adding that “there will likely be more before it ends” and “that’s the way it is.” (New York Times / NBC News / Bloomberg / Politico / New York Post / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / NPR / Axios / New York Times / NBC News / CNN)
\nAt least four U.S. troops were killed in Kuwait during Iran’s counterattacks following the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, with 5 more seriously wounded and additional troops reporting minor shrapnel injuries and concussions. U.S. Central Command also said Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shot down 3 U.S. F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian air assault, an “apparent friendly fire incident” that destroyed the aircraft, but left all 6 crew members safe and in stable condition. (Washington Post / New York Times / The Hill / CNN / Associated Press / Politico)
\nFROM THE WEEKEND:
\nDay 1866: The U.S. and Israel launched “massive and ongoing” “major combat operations” in Iran. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was necessary to end an “existential threat” and to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon. Trump said the U.S. would “destroy their missiles,” “raze their missile industry,” and “annihilate their navy,” and officials said the campaign could last several days.
\nIranian state media said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, after hours of mixed signals that included an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman saying he was “safe and sound.” Trump celebrated the killing as “justice,” saying Khamenei “was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems.” He warned that bombing would continue “throughout the week or as long as necessary.”
\nDemocrats said they’ll try to force votes on War Powers resolutions to limit Trump’s authority to continue U.S. military action against Iran. Rep. Thomas Massie and Sen. Rand Paul, called the strikes “acts of war unauthorized by Congress.”
\nTrump ordered federal agencies to “immediately cease” using Anthropic’s Claude AI model after the company insisted on enforceable limits against fully autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth then labeled the company a “supply-chain risk,” seeking unrestricted use of its technology for any “lawful purpose.
\nOpenAI reached an agreement with the Pentagon to deploy its AI models on classified Defense Department networks. CEO Sam Altman said the deal allows “any lawful use,” but bans domestic mass surveillance and requires “human responsibility” for any use of force, including around autonomous weapons.
\n2/ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected the idea of an “endless” war in Iran. “This is not Iraq. This is not endless,” he said, while insisting it is “not a so-called regime-change war […] but the regime sure did change.” When asked about troops on the ground, Hegseth said, “No, but we’re not going to go into the exercise of what we will or will not do,” and later called it “foolishness” to publicly set limits. “Four weeks, two weeks, six weeks. It could move up. It could move back.” Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine said the operation is “not a single overnight operation,” warned the U.S. expects to “take additional losses,” and said more troops and fighter jets are heading to the region to build “total combat capacity” and “total combat power.” Caine add that some of the work ahead will be “difficult and gritty.” (New York Times / Politico / Axios / The Hill / Bloomberg / Associated Press / Washington Post)
\n3/ The Pentagon acknowledged in closed-door briefings with congressional staff that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran was preparing to launch a preemptive strike against the U.S. interests – contradicting Trump’s claim that the U.S. was “very nearly under threat” from Iran. Officials instead described a broader, ongoing threat from Iran’s ballistic missiles and proxy forces in the region, even as the Trump administration publicly claimed an “imminent” threat to justify the strikes. (Reuters / ABC News / Politico / ABC News)
\n4/ A federal appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s effort to delay litigation over potential tariff refunds. After the Supreme Court ruled last month that Trump’s worldwide tariffs were illegal, the Justice Department asked for at least a 90-day pause. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, however, declined and sent the case back to the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York to sort out the refund process. The government has collected more than $130 billion from the tariffs and could face refunds totaling as much as $175 billion. (Associated Press / Bloomberg)
\n5/ The Justice Department dropped its defense of Trump’s executive orders sanctioning four law firms with ties to Democrats. Trial judges had blocked the sanctions against Jenner & Block, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr, Perkins Coie, and Susman Godfrey as unconstitutional. Trump’s orders would have stripped security clearances, restricted access to federal buildings, and pushed agencies to cut off contracts involving the firms and their clients. (CNN / Wall Street Journal)
\n6/ Trump allies are continuing to press him to declare a national emergency and impose federal election rules without Congress as the SAVE Act’s voter ID and proof-of-citizenship mandates has stalled in the Senate. Even though election administration is run by the states unless Congress sets new rules, activists have circulated draft executive order language that would use emergency authority to justify tighter federal control over voting, including limits on mail ballots and voting machines. Some Republicans have been urging the White House to act, with Sen. Rick Scott saying that “if he has the power” to require citizenship to register and “show ID to vote, he ought to do it.” Trump, meanwhile, said he’s “never heard about” the draft order and denied planning an emergency declaration. (Semafor / CNBC / Democracy Docket / New York Times / ProPublica)
\npoll/ 34% of Americans approved of the U.S. attacks on Iran, while 44% disapproved and 22% were unsure. 69% of Republicans support the strikes, while 70% of Democrats and 52% of Independents disapprove. (Strength in Numbers)
\npoll/ 60% of Americans said they don’t trust Trump to make the right decisions on U.S. use of force, and 62% said he should get congressional approval for any further action in Iran. 56% opposed U.S. efforts to overthrow Iran’s government, while 44% supported it. Only 12% support sending U.S. ground troops into Iran, with 60% opposed and 28% unsure. (CNN)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 246 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 981 days.
\nSome ✏️ Notables I’m tracking for tomorrow’s edition:
\nRepublicans on the House Oversight Committee released the video depositions with Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton as part of their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein; Senate leaders are warning that a three-way Republican primary in Texas could give Democrats their first Texas Senate win since 1988; the National Parks Service has compiled a database of plaques, maps, films, and books it thinks could “disparage” America; and North American birds are dying off faster.
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump declined to rule out sending U.S. ground troops into Iran “if they were necessary,” saying “whatever it takes” and adding, “I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground”; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected the idea of an “endless” war in Iran; the Pentagon acknowledged in closed-door briefings with congressional staff that there was no intelligence...", "date_published": "2026-03-02T16:23:38-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/28/day-1866/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/28/day-1866/", "title": "Day 1866: “A noble mission.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1866trump-dd6373.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The U.S. and Israel launched “massive and ongoing” “major combat operations” in Iran; Iranian state media said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes; Democrats said they’ll try to force votes on War Powers resolutions to limit Trump’s authority to continue U.S. military action against Iran; Trump ordered federal agencies to “immediately cease” using Anthropic’s Claude AI model after the company insisted on enforceable limits against fully autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance; and OpenAI reached an agreement with the Pentagon to deploy its AI models on classified Defense Department networks.
\n1/ The U.S. and Israel launched “massive and ongoing” “major combat operations” in Iran. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was necessary to end an “existential threat” and to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon. Trump said the U.S. would “destroy their missiles,” “raze their missile industry,” and “annihilate their navy,” and officials said the campaign could last several days. Trump added: “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” saying Iran had “attempted to rebuild” its nuclear program despite last June’s “Operation Midnight Hammer,” which he claimed had “obliterated the regime’s nuclear program.” Nevertheless, Trump said Iran was developing “long range missiles” that could threaten U.S. allies in Europe and “could soon reach the American homeland.” Trump warned that “the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties,” adding “That often happens in war,” but “we’re doing this not for now […] for the future.” He called it “a noble mission.” Trump, who has claimed to have ended eight wars, said “No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight,” urging Iranians to “take over your government” because “America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.” Iran, saying it would respond “by all means necessary,” retaliated with missile and drone attacks at Israel and at U.S. bases and allies across the Gulf, prompting shelter-in-place alerts at U.S. embassies and air defense interceptions in multiple countries. (New York Times / Washington Post / Politico / Bloomberg / ABC News / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Axios / CNBC)
\n2/ Iranian state media said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, after hours of mixed signals that included an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman saying he was “safe and sound.” Trump celebrated the killing as “justice,” saying Khamenei “was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems.” He warned that bombing would continue “throughout the week or as long as necessary.” Israel said the strikes also killed senior defense and intelligence figures. Under Iran’s constitution, an interim council assumes authority while the 88-member Assembly of Experts selects a new supreme leader. There is no clear successor. (Axios / Politico / New York Times / Washington Post)
\n3/ Democrats said they’ll try to force votes on War Powers resolutions to limit Trump’s authority to continue U.S. military action against Iran. Rep. Thomas Massie and Sen. Rand Paul, called the strikes “acts of war unauthorized by Congress.” Passage, however, looks uncertain in the Republican-controlled House and Senate. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Tim Kaine said the administration hadn’t provided Congress or the public “critical details” on the scope or immediacy of any threat, and they demanded an all-member classified briefing and public testimony, arguing Trump struck without authorization. Republican leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson, defended the operation as justified and that lawmakers would be briefed. (ABC News / Bloomberg / Politico)
\n4/ Trump ordered federal agencies to “immediately cease” using Anthropic’s Claude AI model after the company insisted on enforceable limits against fully autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth then labeled the company a “supply-chain risk,” seeking unrestricted use of its technology for any “lawful purpose.” Hegseth said contractors and suppliers that work with the military “may not conduct any commercial activity” with Anthropic. The administration, however, allowed up to six months for some agencies to transition “to a better and more patriotic service.” Anthropic called the designation “legally unsound” and said any ban can’t legally extend beyond Claude’s use on Defense Department contract work. (Washington Post / Politico / New York Times / Associated Press / CNBC / The Verge / Axios)
\n5/ OpenAI reached an agreement with the Pentagon to deploy its AI models on classified Defense Department networks. CEO Sam Altman said the deal allows “any lawful use,” but bans domestic mass surveillance and requires “human responsibility” for any use of force, including around autonomous weapons. Altman said OpenAI will add technical safeguards so the models “behave as they should,” though neither OpenAI nor the Pentagon publicly described what those controls are, how they will be audited, or what happens if they fail. (NBC News / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Axios)
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The U.S. and Israel launched “massive and ongoing” “major combat operations” in Iran; Iranian state media said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes; Democrats said they’ll try to force votes on War Powers resolutions to limit Trump’s authority to continue U.S. military action against Iran; Trump ordered federal agencies to “immediately cease” using Anthropic’s Claude...", "date_published": "2026-02-28T09:02:59-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/26/day-1864/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/26/day-1864/", "title": "Day 1864: “The politics are a lot better.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1864trump-74719e.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Pro-Trump activists circulated a 17-page draft executive order urging Trump to declare an election emergency and use it to impose federal voting rules, including limits on mail ballots and voting machines; the Trump administration believes “the politics are a lot better if the Israelis” attack Iran first, thinking Tehran’s retaliation would build U.S. support for American attacks; the FBI subpoenaed phone “toll records” for Kash Patel and Susie Wiles in 2022 and 2023 during Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigating into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his mishandling of classified documents; Hillary Clinton’s closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation was briefly paused after an unauthorized photo from inside the room was posted on social media; a federal judge ruled that the IRS violated federal privacy law “approximately 42,695 times” by sharing taxpayer addresses with ICE; the U.S. recorded net negative migration in 2025 for the first time since the Great Depression; 61% of Americans say they support deporting unauthorized immigrants, but 60% say ICE agents have “gone too far”; and 56% of Americans say they don’t trust Trump to make the right decisions about using military force overseas.
\n1/ Pro-Trump activists circulated a 17-page draft executive order urging Trump to declare an election emergency and use it to impose federal voting rules, including limits on mail ballots and voting machines. The draft, promoted by activists who said they had “certain coordination” with the White House, cited alleged Chinese interference in 2020 as the basis to declare a national emergency. Trump has said he’ll act by executive order on voter ID and mail voting if Congress doesn’t pass the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register. A U.S. intelligence review found China considered influence efforts in 2020, but didn’t carry them out, and courts have already blocked parts of Trump’s earlier election order. (Washington Post / New York Times)
\n2/ The Trump administration believes “the politics are a lot better if the Israelis” attack Iran first, thinking Tehran’s retaliation would build U.S. support for American attacks. The U.S. deployed F-22 Raptor fighter jets to an Israeli air base for a potential wartime mission, positioning forces to help defend Israel and U.S. assets if Iran strikes back. The buildup came as U.S. and Iranian negotiators held indirect talks in Geneva that ended without a deal, but Oman and Iran reported “significant progress.” Meanwhile, Democrats and some Republicans moved to force votes next week requiring congressional authorization before any Iran attack. (Politico / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Reuters / NBC News / Politico / CNBC / Axios)
\n3/ The FBI subpoenaed phone “toll records” for Kash Patel and Susie Wiles in 2022 and 2023 during Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigating into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his mishandling of classified documents. Both were private citizens at the time. The scope, timing, and purpose of the subpoenas, as well as whether Patel, now FBI director, or Wiles, now White House chief of staff, were targets of the investigation is unclear. Patel claimed the records were placed in “Prohibited” case files that made them hard to locate after Trump officials took over the bureau. After Patel disclosed the records, at least 10 FBI employees tied to the Mar-a-Lago documents case were fired. The FBI Agents Association called the terminations unlawful and a violation of due process. (Reuters / Associated Press / Axios / New York Times / The Guardian / ABC News / NBC News / CNN / CBS News / The Hill)
\n4/ Hillary Clinton’s closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation was briefly paused after an unauthorized photo from inside the room was posted on social media. Rep. Lauren Boebert reportedly took the photo and shared it with conservative influencer Benny Johnson. In prepared remarks, Clinton said she didn’t recall ever meeting Epstein, never flew on his plane, and had “nothing to add,” accusing Republicans of using her testimony as “partisan political theater” to deflect from Trump’s ties to Epstein. The deposition resumed after about 30 minutes, with Bill Clinton scheduled to testify Friday. (New York Times / Washington Post / Axios / Reuters / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / ABC News)
\n5/ A federal judge ruled that the IRS violated federal privacy law “approximately 42,695 times” by sharing taxpayer addresses with ICE. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the IRS shared the addresses in August under a data-sharing agreement with the Department of Homeland Security without confirming that ICE had provided a valid address for the taxpayer it was seeking, a statutory requirement meant to limit access to already-identified individuals. The judge said the government’s verification standard was so weak that ICE could have submitted placeholder entries like “00000” and still received a taxpayer’s home address. (Washington Post)
\nICE officers entered Columbia University housing and detained an undergraduate, using a “missing person” story to get inside. Columbia said officers lacked a judicial warrant for nonpublic areas and tightened rules on letting law enforcement into housing. Hours later, Elmina Aghayeva was released, while DHS claimed her 2016 visa termination made her removable. (New York Times / Washington Post)
\nA nearly blind refugee was found dead in Buffalo days after U.S. Border Patrol took custody of him at his release from jail and dropped him at a coffee shop miles from his home. Authorities said homicide detectives were reviewing the timeline even as local reporting said the medical examiner deemed the death health-related. CBP said agents saw no distress and left him at a “warm, safe” coffee shop near his last known address. The mayor and his family said he was released without notice or adequate help in below-freezing weather. (WIVB / CBS News / Reuters)
\n6/ The U.S. recorded net negative migration in 2025 for the first time since the Great Depression. The U.S. population lost an estimated 150,000 people last year with total in-migration falling to about 2.6 to 2.7 million – down from almost 6 million in 2023. (Wall Street Journal)
\npoll/ 61% of Americans say they support deporting unauthorized immigrants, but 60% say ICE agents have “gone too far.” 39% approve of Trump’s handling of deportations. (Reuters)
\npoll/ 56% of Americans say they don’t trust Trump to make the right decisions about using military force overseas. 59% say they have little to no trust in Trump’s ability to make the right decisions on the use of nuclear weapons. (AP-NORC)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 250 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 985 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Pro-Trump activists circulated a 17-page draft executive order urging Trump to declare an election emergency and use it to impose federal voting rules, including limits on mail ballots and voting machines; the Trump administration believes “the politics are a lot better if the Israelis” attack Iran first, thinking Tehran’s retaliation would build U.S. support for American attacks; the FBI subpoenaed...", "date_published": "2026-02-26T14:56:39-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/25/day-1863/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/25/day-1863/", "title": "Day 1863: “Is the president working for you? We all know the answer is no.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/1772068380094-day1863trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump used his first State of the Union of his second term to insist that “our nation is back,” calling it “a turnaround for the ages,” and that “the roaring economy is roaring like never before,” even as 39% of Americans say they approve of Trump’s handling of the economy; Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means, refused to recommend routine measles and flu vaccines for children during her confirmation hearing; the Justice Department said it’s reviewing whether it improperly withheld Epstein-related records listed in evidence logs, including FBI notes and summaries tied to allegations that Trump sexually abused a minor; the Trump administration will not provide Congress with the unredacted intelligence behind a whistleblower complaint involving Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, citing executive privilege; a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting migrants to “third countries” they’re not from; and a White House staffer appears to have operated a large anonymous pro-Trump X account that amplified official Trump administration messaging.
\n1/ Trump used his first State of the Union of his second term to insist that “our nation is back,” calling it “a turnaround for the ages,” and that “the roaring economy is roaring like never before,” even as 39% of Americans say they approve of Trump’s handling of the economy. Trump repeatedly pointed to the stock market, gasoline prices, mortgage rates, and inflation measures as proof the country is in a “golden age.” In a record-setting address that ran about 1 hour and 47 minutes, Trump blamed Democrats for voters’ economic concerns, dismissing affordability as “a dirty, rotten lie,” and saying: “You caused that problem.” Trump also doubled down on tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down key parts of his economic policy, calling it a “very unfortunate ruling” and a “disappointing ruling,” while promising to keep tariffs in place using “fully approved and tested alternative legal statutes,” and predicting that his tariffs would “substantially replace the modern day system of income tax.” Nearly an hour in, Trump issued a stand-or-sit challenge to lawmakers: “If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” Most Democrats stayed seated. “Isn’t that a shame?” Trump said. “You should be ashamed of yourself, not standing up,” and repeatedly saying, “These people are crazy, I’m telling you. They’re crazy.” Trump asked Congress to “codify” his efforts to lower drug prices, backed a ban on stock trading by members of Congress and their spouses, and pitched a government-backed retirement option for workers without employer matches, saying the government would “match your contribution with up to $1,000 each year.” He also demanded “the full and immediate restoration” of DHS funding amid the shutdown fight and urged passage of the SAVE America Act to require proof of citizenship to vote, claiming “cheating is rampant” and saying Democrats “want to cheat […] have cheated […] and we’re going to stop it.” Trump said the U.S. was “in negotiations” and that Iran “want[s] to make a deal,” but said “we haven’t heard those secret words: ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon.’” He added, “My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy,” while vowing, “I will never allow the world’s No. 1 sponsor of terror […] to have a nuclear weapon.” He argued Iran was “again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions” despite his earlier claim that the U.S. had “obliterated” its nuclear program. Trump closed the marathon address by declaring: “The golden age of America is upon us,” and promising “our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder, and more glorious than ever before.” Gov. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia delivered the Democratic Party’s response, asking: “Is the president working for you? We all know the answer is no.” (NPR / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / New York Times / Bloomberg / Associated Press / CNN / Axios / CNBC / Politico)
\n2/ Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means, refused to recommend routine measles and flu vaccines for children during her confirmation hearing. Instead, the nation’s prospective top doctor with an inactive medical license repeated that “vaccines save lives,” “I’m supportive of vaccination,” and that parents “need to have a conversation with their pediatrician.” Means also declined to rule out a vaccine-autism link, which has been widely discredited by the medical community, instead saying “we do not know” what causes autism, adding that “we should not leave any stones unturned” and to keep vaccines “on the table.” If confirmed, Means would be responsible for advancing health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s MAHA agenda into official guidance through Surgeon General advisories. As health secretary, Kennedy, one of the nation’s leading vaccine skeptics, has directed the CDC to reduce number of routine childhood vaccine recommendations and ordered the CDC to update its webpage on vaccines and autism to reflect his beliefs. Nevertheless, Means insisted that “anti-vaccine rhetoric has never been part of my message.” (Politico / ABC News / Axios / New York Times / The Guardian / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / MS Now / NBC News / NPR / Washington Post)
\n3/ The Justice Department said it’s reviewing whether it improperly withheld Epstein-related records listed in evidence logs, including FBI notes and summaries tied to allegations that Trump sexually abused a minor. The missing records include records from three FBI interviews in 2019 with a South Carolina woman who reported being sexual abused by Jeffrey Epstein and later made allegations involving Trump. Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the Justice Department is required to publish most Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell case records and can’t withhold material because it’s politically embarrassing, though it can withhold duplicates, privileged material, victim-identifying information, or files tied to an ongoing investigation. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said he is opening an investigation and demanded that Justice Department explain the omissions. (Wall Street Journal / NPR / New York Times / NBC News / The Guardian)
\n4/ The Trump administration will not provide Congress with the unredacted intelligence behind a whistleblower complaint involving Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, citing executive privilege. In a Feb. 13 email to Democratic staff, Gabbard’s office said it couldn’t share the underlying material “due to the assertion of executive privilege” over parts of the intelligence report. Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, the ranking Democrats on the intelligence committees, demanded to know who asserted the privilege and why, saying the heavily redacted complaint left them unable to verify even the basic allegation about a foreign conversation involving Jared Kushner. The Trump administration said the claims about Kushner were false, but offered no evidence. (Wall Street Journal)
\n5/ A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting migrants to “third countries” they’re not from. U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy said the policy violated due process by allowing removals on as little as six hours’ notice, leaving migrants little chance to raise country-specific fears of persecution or torture. He faulted Homeland Security for relying on undisclosed “diplomatic assurances.” Murphy stayed the order for 15 days to allow an appeal, after the Supreme Court previously lifted his earlier injunction while the case was litigated. The ruling doesn’t apply to migrants removed under expedited removal authorities. (Washington Post / New York Times / Reuters / Associated Press)
\n6/ A White House staffer appears to have operated a large anonymous pro-Trump X account that amplified official Trump administration messaging. “Johnny MAGA” was linked through a shared phone number and public records to Garrett Wade, a White House staffer who works in rapid response helping run White House social media his anonymous account regularly boosted. (Wired)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 251 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 986 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump used his first State of the Union of his second term to insist that “our nation is back,” calling it “a turnaround for the ages,” and that “the roaring economy is roaring like never before,” even as 39% of Americans say they approve of Trump’s handling of the economy; Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means,...", "date_published": "2026-02-25T17:13:35-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/24/day-1862/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/24/day-1862/", "title": "Day 1862: “Brink of disaster.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1862trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump will deliver his first State of the Union of his second term with his approval rating near an all-time low, and polling showing that 55% of Americans disapprove of his job performance; at least 45 congressional Democrats plan to skip Trump’s State of the Union; Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democrats response to Trump’s State of the Union, putting her “kitchen-table” affordability message at the center of their midterm strategy; Trump’s promised 15% “worldwide” tariffs went into effect at 10%; the Justice Department withheld some Epstein files tied to allegations that Trump sexually abused a minor and removed other documents where accusations against Epstein also mentioned Trump; the Pentagon privately warned Trump that a major military strike against Iran could turn into a prolonged campaign that would likely produce U.S. and allied casualties and drain air-defense interceptors; 61% of Americans think Trump has “become erratic with age”; 57% of Trump’s critics say his immigration crackdown is the worst thing he’s done in his second term; 26% of independents approve of the job Trump is doing as president; and 10% of Americans say things are going well in the country, while 34% say things could be better, and 52% say things are going poorly and major, disruptive change is needed.
\n1/ Trump will deliver his first State of the Union of his second term with his approval rating near an all-time low, and polling showing that 55% of Americans disapprove of his job performance. Trump is expected to use the prime-time speech to argue that the economy is “strong, prosperous and respected,” pointing to last year’s tax cuts, job growth, lower gasoline prices, and stock market gains as he tries to address affordability. The speech comes days after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s tariffs, forcing him to retreat from his signature economic policy. Trump is also expected to frame his immigration crackdown as a success that “turned our country around from the brink of disaster” even federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. The midterms are less than nine months away, and Republicans are defending narrow majorities in both the House and Senate. (Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / NBC News / Politico / The Guardian / Bloomberg / CNBC / NPR / New York Times / Silver Bulletin)
\n2/ At least 45 congressional Democrats plan to skip Trump’s State of the Union, while others will use their guest seats to bring survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse into the House as a public demand for “transparency and accountability” around the administration’s partial release of files. The boycott is expected to send dozens of lawmakers to counterprogramming, including MoveOn’s “People’s State of the Union” on the National Mall. (ABC News / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Axios)
\nThe U.S. women’s hockey team declined Trump’s invitation to attend the State of the Union, days after winning Olympic gold in Milan. USA Hockey said the players could not travel because of “previously scheduled academic and professional commitments” after the Games. (The Athletic)
\nThe U.S. men’s hockey team is expected to attend Trump’s State of the Union. Trump invited the players after the team won the Olympic gold medal in an overtime victory against Canada. During a call with the players, Trump joked that he would be impeached if he didn’t also invite the women’s team. (NBC News)
\nFBI Director Kash Patel defended chugging beer and partying in the locker room after the men’s Olympic hockey team won the gold medal. Patel said the players invited him to celebrate, and the FBI said the Italy trip was official business with any personal time reimbursed. (Washington Post / CNN)
\n3/ Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democrats response to Trump’s State of the Union, putting her “kitchen-table” affordability message at the center of their midterm strategy. Spanberger’s aides said she will focus on rising costs and what families “expect and deserve,” arguing Democrats should be judged on whether they “deliver” on prices people feel in groceries, housing, and utilities. She’s expected to hit on the “chaos” Trump has caused at home and abroad, while also criticizing Republicans in Congress for not standing up to him. (New York Times / Politico / Associated Press / CNN / The Guardian)
\n4/ Trump’s promised 15% “worldwide” tariffs went into effect at 10%. The White House said a 15% increase was still “being worked on,” but no order was issued, leaving companies and foreign governments to price and plan around a moving target. In Europe, officials warned the new across-the-board duty would stack on top of existing tariffs, pushing some EU exports above the ceilings in the EU-U.S. trade deal. Trump is using Section 122 authority to implement these tarrifs, which allows tariffs up to 15% for 150 days, after the Supreme Court struck down a large share of his earlier emergency-power tariffs. (Bloomberg / New York Times / NBC News / CNBC / Bloomberg)
\n5/ The Justice Department withheld some Epstein files tied to allegations that Trump sexually abused a minor and removed other documents where accusations against Epstein also mentioned Trump. More than 50 pages of notes and memos from FBI interviews with a woman who accused Trump of sexually abusing her as a minor appear to be catalogued, yet not publicly posted in the Justice Department’s database. The missing material appears in DOJ and FBI tracking records and in discovery logs from Ghislaine Maxwell’s case. Other Trump-mentioning records were either briefly pulled and later restored, or remain offline and unavailable. The Justice Department, meanwhile, said any unpublished material is “privileged,” duplicative, or tied to an ongoing federal investigation, while insisting “NOTHING has been deleted” and that some files were temporarily pulled for redactions related to victim or personally identifiable information. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight committee, said the Justice Department “appears to have illegally withheld” FBI interviews after reviewing the unredacted DOJ logs, prompting Oversight Democrats to open a parallel investigation. The White House nevertheless said Trump has been “totally exonerated” and has “done more for Epstein’s victims than anyone before him.” (NPR / MS Now / CNBC / Bloomberg / Politico)
\n6/ The Pentagon privately warned Trump that a major military strike against Iran could turn into a prolonged campaign that would likely produce U.S. and allied casualties and drain air-defense interceptors. Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, raised the risks in internal meetings and at the National Security Council. Trump publicly played down the warning, saying Caine “would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won.” He also insisted it was “100% incorrect” that Caine was “against us going to War with Iran,” and added: “I am the one that makes the decision, I would rather have a Deal than not but, if we don’t make a Deal, it will be a very bad day for that Country.” The White House added that Caine’s job is to give Trump “unbiased information” and that “he is always the final decision maker.” Separately, the State Department ordered nonessential personnel and family members to leave the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon. (Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / ABC News / Axios / Associated Press)
\npoll/ 61% of Americans think Trump has “become erratic with age,” including 89% of Democrats, 30% of Republicans, and 64% of independents. Trump he returned to office in January 2025 at 78, making him the oldest president on inauguration day. (Reuters)
\npoll/ 57% of Trump’s critics say his immigration crackdown is the worst thing he’s done in his second term, 33% point to the economy (with 29% blaming tariffs), 22% cite corruption, constitutional violations, or politicizing the Justice Department, and 13% point to the handling of the Epstein files. Among Trump’s supporters, 79% say his immigration agenda is the best thing he’s done, 45% point to the economy (including 14% who cite tariffs), 15% cite tax cuts or his “One Big Beautiful Bill,” and 9% credit him for cutting federal spending and the workforce. (Washington Post)
\npoll/ 26% of independents approve of the job Trump is doing as president – the lowest level measured in either of his terms. Overall, 36% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing, with 63% disapproving. 32% said Trump had the “right priorities,” while 68% said he hasn’t focused on the country’s most important problems, and 61% said his policies were moving the country in the wrong direction. (CNN)
\npoll/ 10% of Americans say things are going well in the country, while 34% say things could be better, and 52% say things are going poorly and major, disruptive change is needed. 32% said prices and inflation were the top issue facing the country today, followed by jobs and the economy (16%), health care (12%), crime (9%), and immigration (8%). (Strength in Numbers)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 252 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 987 days.
\nA federal three-judge panel refused to block Utah’s court-ordered House congressional map, giving Democrats an opportunity to flip one of the four House seats. The court said “A federal court preliminary injunction is not appropriate because Utah’s official primary process is upon us” and risks voter confusion as the candidate filing period opens in about two weeks. (Politico / Associated Press)
\nThe Trump administration discussed requiring banks to collect customers’ citizenship status. The move would expand “know your customer” compliance beyond current anti-money-laundering rules by requiring banks to collect passports and Social Security numbers from new and existing customers to determine citizenship status. Officials said nothing’s been approved and the White House dismissed reporting as “baseless speculation.” There are no laws against banks opening accounts for U.S. noncitizens. (Wall Street Journal)
\nThe Justice Department sued New Jersey to block Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s executive order that limits ICE access to nonpublic areas of state property without a judicial warrant. The lawsuit argues the order violates the Constitution’s supremacy clause by “directly regulat[ing] and discriminat[ing] against” the federal government and creating an “intolerable obstacle” to immigration enforcement. Sherrill’s February order also barred ICE from using state property as a “staging area, processing location, or operations base,” and the state set up a portal for residents to upload videos of ICE encounters. (Associated Press / NBC News / Politico)
\nA former ICE lawyer who trained deportation officers said the academy program is “deficient, defective and broken,” accusing the Department of Homeland Security of shortening courses and stripping out essential material as it scales up staffing for Trump’s mass deportation effort. (NBC News)
\nFederal judges ordered the Trump administration at least 35 times since August to explain apparent violations of immigration court orders. Justice Department lawyers have blamed workload and coordination errors, describing judges’ deadlines as “unrealistic” and decisions as “crazy,” while judges have warned that “understaffing” no longer excuses “disobedience and radio silence.” (New York Times)
\nU.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro dropped the effort to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a social media video urging military and intelligence personnel not to follow orders they believe were unlawful. The move follows a federal grand jury unanimously declining to charge them under 18 U.S.C. § 2387, a rarely used statute that carries up to 10 years in prison for urging insubordination or refusal of duty in the armed forces. (NBC News / CBS News)
\nHealth Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – again – defended Trump’s order to expand domestic production of glyphosate-based herbicides and elemental phosphorus, despite Kennedy’s long record of calling glyphosate carcinogenic and pesticides “toxic by design.” MAHA activists said the endorsement betrayed the movement’s anti-“Big Chemical” premise, arguing supply-chain security didn’t justify scaling production and warning that the order’s liability protections would amount to “blanket immunity” for pesticide makers. (Politico / The Hill / New York Times / Associated Press)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump will deliver his first State of the Union of his second term with his approval rating near an all-time low, and polling showing that 55% of Americans disapprove of his job performance; at least 45 congressional Democrats plan to skip Trump’s State of the Union; Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democrats response to Trump’s State of the...", "date_published": "2026-02-24T16:15:16-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/23/day-1861/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/23/day-1861/", "title": "Day 1861: “Obnoxious.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1861trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The European Union demanded that the U.S. honor last summer’s EU-U.S. trade deal, saying “a deal is a deal,” after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s emergency tariffs and he moved to replace them with new, temporary global levies; U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter, with real GDP up at a 1.4% annual rate; a federal judge permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing Volume II of former special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on Trump’s handling of classified records at Mar-a-Lago; the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy that could decide whether cities and states can sue fossil fuel companies for climate-damages in state court under state law; 32% of Americans said Trump has had the right priorities, while 68% said he hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems; and 39% of Americans said they approve of Trump’s job performance, while 60% said they disapprove.
\n1/ The European Union demanded that the U.S. honor last summer’s EU-U.S. trade deal, saying “a deal is a deal,” after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s emergency tariffs and he moved to replace them with new, temporary global levies. The European Commission said it needed “full clarity” on what the Trump administration will do next, insisting EU exporters must have “predictability” and “legal certainty,” with “no increases in tariffs beyond” the deal’s 15% ceiling. Trump responded with a barrage of social media posts, warning: “Any Country that wants to ‘play games’ with the ridiculous supreme court decision […] will be met with a much higher Tariff, and worse […] BUYER BEWARE!!!” He also claimed that “the court has also approved all other Tariffs, of which there are many,” and that they “can all be used in a much more powerful and obnoxious way, with legal certainty,” adding: “As President, I do not have to go back to Congress to get approval of Tariffs. It has already been gotten, in many forms, a long time ago!” After the ruling, Trump announced a 10% across-the-board tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, then said he would raise it to 15%, the legal maximum for a 150-day window without Congress. EU officials and lawmakers said it’s still unclear whether the new 15% rate would honor the deal’s “all-inclusive” ceiling or stack on top of existing U.S. “most-favoured-nation” duties on some products, effectively pushing rates above 15%. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it would stop collecting duties on Tuesday. (Reuters / Associated Press / New York Times / The Guardian / Politico / NBC News / Bloomberg / Washington Post / The Hill / CNBC / New York Times / ABC News / Politico)
\nFRIDAY: Trump imposed a new 10% across-the-board tariff on imports after the Supreme Court struck down most of his tariffs. In a 6-3 ruling, the justices said the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which Trump used to impose import levies on goods from nearly all trading partners, doesn’t authorize tariffs. Trump nevertheless said he’d use Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act to replace the voided tariffs, a rarely used authority that caps tariffs at 15% and limits them to 150 days without congressional approval. The administration said other tariff options, including national security tariffs under Section 232 and existing Section 301 duties, would remain in place, while Trump also moved to end duty-free “de minimis” treatment. The court didn’t address whether billions in tariffs must be refunded. (Axios / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / CNN / Wall Street Journal)
\nSATURDAY: Trump said he would raise his new global tariff to 15% less than a day after unveiling a 10% “replacement” levy meant to keep his tariffs alive after the Supreme Court struck down most of his prior duties. The increase would max out Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, a rarely used authority that permits an across-the-board tariff of up to 15% for 150 days unless Congress extends it. The White House, however, hasn’t officially implemented the higher rate. The move would leave a single flat tariff that raises rates for some U.S. partners and lowers them for others, while shielding some trade, including USMCA-covered goods and products already subject to separate national-security tariffs. Trump said the administration would use other, slower trade tools in coming months to impose additional “legally permissible” duties. (New York Times / Politico / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)
\n2/ U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter, with real GDP up at a 1.4% annual rate – well below forecasts and down from the prior quarter. The Commerce Department said the 43-day government shutdown cut federal output and likely knocked about 1 percentage point off growth, but also said the full effect “cannot be quantified.” Consumer spending, meanwhile, slowed to 2.4% in Q4 – down from 3.5% in Q3 – while inflation stayed above the Fed’s 2% target, with core PCE up about 3.0% from a year earlier in December. Trump, meanwhile, claimed the shutdown cost the U.S. “at least two points in GDP” and demanded “LOWER INTEREST RATES,” calling Fed Chair Jerome Powell “the WORST.” (CNBC / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press)
\n3/ A federal judge permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing Volume II of former special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on Trump’s handling of classified records at Mar-a-Lago. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said disclosure would create “manifest injustice” and “irreparable damage” to Trump and former co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira because the case ended without any adjudication of guilt. She also cited concerns about grand jury secrecy, privilege, and a protective order covering discovery, while pointing to her 2024 ruling that Smith was unlawfully appointed, faulting him for compiling the report after she dismissed the case and calling it a “brazen stratagem.” Trump’s lawyers praised Cannon’s order and said the report “should never see the light of day.” (Associated Press / Reuters / New York Times / NBC News / Politico / Washington Post / Bloomberg / The Hill / CBS News / CNN / ABC News / CNBC)
\n4/ The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy that could decide whether cities and states can sue fossil fuel companies for climate-damages in state court under state law. The case stems from a 2018 suit by the city and county of Boulder, Colorado, alleging that the companies “intentionally misled the public” about climate risks. They’re seeking billions for past and future costs tied to climate change impacts like wildfires and flooding. The, however, companies argue the claims are preempted by federal law, including the Clean Air Act, because greenhouse gas emissions and climate policy are “inherently federal” and cross state lines, warning that “Boulder, Colorado, cannot make energy policy for the entire country.” The Trump administration urged the justices to take the case, while Boulder argued states can address in-state harms caused by out-of-state conduct. (Washington Post / Associated Press / Axios / NBC News / The Hill / CBS News)
\npoll/ 32% of Americans said Trump has had the right priorities, while 68% said he hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems. 38% said Trump’s policies will move the country in the right direction, and 61% said they will move it in the wrong direction. (CNN)
\npoll/ 39% of Americans said they approve of Trump’s job performance, while 60% said they disapprove, including 47% who said they strongly disapprove. 65% said Trump has gone beyond his authority, while 33% said he has not. 48% said the economy has gotten worse since Trump was inaugurated, while 29% said it has gotten better. 22% said they are personally better off financially, while 33% said worse off and 44% said there has been no change. (Washington Post)
\n⏭️ Next: Trump will deliver his State of the Union Tuesday at 8:15 p.m. ET. view. The White House said he’s reviewed the speech with a small group of aides, and that Trump has promised “a long speech.” (Wall Street Journal / New York Times)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 253 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 988 days.
\nTrump said he was sending a “great hospital boat” to Greenland to treat people he claimed were being neglected, even though Greenland and Denmark said they didn’t ask for it and don’t need it. Greenland’s prime minister said “no thank you,” and Denmark’s defense minister said Copenhagen hadn’t been told of any deployment. It’s also unclear what ship could sail, since the Navy’s two hospital ships are in Alabama for maintenance. (New York Times / The Guardian / Washington Post / Associated Press)
\nFCC Chair Brendan Carr asked broadcasters to sign onto a “Pledge America” campaign and air “patriotic, pro-America” content to support the White House’s July 4 Semiquincentennial push, framing it as a civic education effort. Critics, including FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, said it functioned as government pressure on editorial decisions, with added leverage because many broadcasters have FCC approvals and mergers pending. Politico)
\nA giant Trump banner was hung on the Justice Department headquarters, using the DOJ seal and the slogan “MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.” The department said it was a Semiquincentennial display “at President Trump’s direction,” but Democrats and former FBI director James Comey said it looked like political branding of an agency meant to stand apart. (Washington Post)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The European Union demanded that the U.S. honor last summer’s EU-U.S. trade deal, saying “a deal is a deal,” after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s emergency tariffs and he moved to replace them with new, temporary global levies; U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter, with real GDP up at a 1.4% annual rate; a federal judge permanently...", "date_published": "2026-02-23T16:31:27-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/19/day-1857/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/19/day-1857/", "title": "Day 1857: “Bad things will happen.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1857trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump used the first meeting of his Board of Peace to announce that he’ll decide “over the next probably 10 days” whether to continue nuclear talks with Iran or order a U.S. military strike; Trump is reportedly weighing an initial limited strike on Iran, hitting a small set of military or government targets to pressure Tehran into a nuclear deal; the Trump administration ordered ICE to arrest refugees who have been in the U.S. for a year but haven’t obtained permanent resident status yet; the FCC opened an investigation into ABC’s “The View” over potential violations of the Equal Time Rule after the show booked Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico; and Trump signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to increase domestic production of glyphosate and elemental phosphorus.
\n1/ Trump used the first meeting of his Board of Peace to announce that he’ll decide “over the next probably 10 days” whether to continue nuclear talks with Iran or order a U.S. military strike, warning that “bad things will happen” if Tehran does not make a “meaningful” deal. Trump then returned to the day’s agenda, casting the board as the manager of a U.N.-authorized Gaza stabilization and rebuilding effort that would include an international force totaling about 20,000 troops alongside roughly 12,000 Palestinian police. He said the board would work closely with the U.N. while also describing it as “looking over” the U.N. Trump also promised a $10 billion U.S. contribution and said member countries pledged roughly $6.5 billion to $7 billion more, without identifying a funding source, timeline, or any congressional approval. He capped the event by saying he would name his son-in-law Jared Kushner as a special peace envoy alongside Steve Witkoff. “We cannot change the past, but I think that what you’re seeing today is that we can potentially change the future if we focus and do this in the right way,” Kushner said, suggesting that the board’s approach would be modeled on the private sector. (New York Times / NBC News / Axios / ABC News / Politico / The Guardian / CNN / CNBC / Axios / Politico / Bloomberg / Reuters / Associated Press / The Guardian)
\n2/ Trump is reportedly weighing an initial limited strike on Iran, hitting a small set of military or government targets to pressure Tehran into a nuclear deal. The option would be designed to start narrow, but officials said it could escalate into a broader, sustained air campaign if Iran refused to end nuclear enrichment. “We’re going to make a deal or get a deal one way or the other,” Trump said. The U.S. military buildup in the Middle East now includes two aircraft carrier strike groups, additional F-35 and F-22 fighters, refueling and command-and-control aircraft, and expanded air defenses. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, meanwhile, warned that he’ll hit the U.S. military “so hard that it cannot get up again.” (Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / The Hill / ABC News / Bloomberg)
\n3/ The Trump administration ordered ICE to arrest refugees who have been in the U.S. for a year but haven’t obtained permanent resident status yet. The administration argued the one-year mark requires refugees to “return” to government custody for a new “inspection and examination” process. The memo, signed by Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, reversed prior guidance that treated a missed 1-year green card milestone as insufficient grounds for detention and required release within 48 hours absent removal charges. The new directive didn’t set a firm limit on how long people could be held, saying custody may last for the “duration” of the examination, and that refugees flagged for fraud or security concerns could lose status and be deported. (New York Times / The Hill / CBS News / The Guardian / Bloomberg / Washington Post / NPR)
\n4/ The FCC opened an investigation into ABC’s “The View” over potential violations of the Equal Time Rule after the show booked Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. Chairman Brendan Carr said the agency is “taking a look” at whether the talk-show qualifies for a “bona fide” news exemption that would let it avoid equal-time obligations for rival candidates. The move follows CBS blocking Stephen Colbert from airing an interview with Talarico because of Carr’s statements about late-night shows and the equal time rule. Colbert’s interview was instead posted to YouTube, which is outside of the FCC oversight. (Associated Press / Mediaite / Variety / Deadline)
\n5/ Trump signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to increase domestic production of glyphosate and elemental phosphorus, calling both “critical to the national defense” and that shortages of the weedkiller would add “pressure to the domestic food system.” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supported the move, despite his past work as a plaintiff’s lawyer on Roundup cases, saying the order puts “defense readiness and our food supply” first. MAHA activists and environmental groups, however, said it contradicts Kennedy’s anti-pesticide rhetoric and looks designed to expand liability protections for manufacturers. The Supreme Court is also preparing to hear a case on whether federal law shields pesticide makers from such lawsuits. The executive order came down one day after Bayer reached a tentative $7.25 billion settlement to resolve tens of thousands of claims that Roundup causes non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. (New York Times / CNBC)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 257 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 992 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump used the first meeting of his Board of Peace to announce that he’ll decide “over the next probably 10 days” whether to continue nuclear talks with Iran or order a U.S. military strike; Trump is reportedly weighing an initial limited strike on Iran, hitting a small set of military or government targets to pressure Tehran into a nuclear deal;...", "date_published": "2026-02-19T16:09:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/18/day-1856/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/18/day-1856/", "title": "Day 1856: “An embarrassment.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1856trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The White House installed a critic of the CDC as the acting director of the CDC; the U.S. and Iran both claimed they’ve made “progress” in during latest nuclear talks even as the U.S. military is preparing for a possible strike on Iran as early as this weekend; Trump’s top economic adviser said New York Federal Reserve staffers should be “disciplined” for a study concluding that Americans paid nearly 90% of the costs of Trump’s tariffs; FCC Chair Brendan Carr denied censoring CBS after Stephen Colbert said network lawyers blocked an interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico; at least 12 Democrats said they will boycott Trump’s State of the Union next week; and 70% of Democrats have a positive view of the Democratic Party – down from 85% in September 2024.
\n1/ The White House installed a critic of the CDC as the acting director of the CDC. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the head of the National Institutes of Health, will keep his NIH job while he temporarily runs the CDC, which has lacked a Senate-confirmed leader since August, when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired Susan Monarez weeks into her tenure. Monarez told Congress she was removed after refusing to approve vaccine guidance changes without reviewing the underlying science. Bhattacharya replaces Jim O’Neill, who’s been serving as acting CDC director while also holding the deputy HHS secretary job. The White House said it plans to nominate O’Neill to lead the National Science Foundation. Bhattacharya, meanwhile, rose to prominence during the pandemic as a critic of the CDC’s lockdown and masking policies and as a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, and he’s accused the agency of peddling “pseudo science” during Covid. (Washington Post / New York Times / Politico / Wall Street Journal / Axios / NBC News)
\n2/ The U.S. and Iran both claimed they’ve made “progress” in during latest nuclear talks even as the U.S. military is preparing for a possible strike on Iran as early as this weekend. Trump has reportedly not made a final decision on a strike. While Iran called the discussions “constructive,” JD Vance warned there’s been “no breakthrough” and that Tehran refuses to accept core U.S. demands, including ending uranium enrichment. Vance said “all options,” including military force, remain on the table if negotiations fail. The U.S., meanwhile, has sent two aircraft carriers, about a dozen warships, and multiple air-defense systems to the Gulf. More than 150 U.S. military cargo flights have moved weapons and ammunition into the region, and that another 50 fighter jets, including F-35s, F-22s, and F-16s, left for the Middle East in the past 24 hours. (CNN / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Semafor / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / CNBC)
\n3/ Trump’s top economic adviser said New York Federal Reserve staffers should be “disciplined” for a study concluding that Americans paid nearly 90% of the costs of Trump’s tariffs. Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council, called the research “an embarrassment” and “the worst paper” in the Fed’s history. The New York Fed paper found tariffed import prices rose about 11% relative to non-tariffed goods and said “U.S. firms and consumers continue to bear the bulk of the economic burden of the high tariffs imposed in 2025.” It’s not clear what Hassett meant by “disciplined,” and he didn’t identify a specific analytical error other than arguing that consumers were “made better off” as import volumes shifted and real wages rose. (Politico / Axios / Bloomberg / CNBC / The Hill / Washington Post)
\n4/ FCC Chair Brendan Carr denied censoring CBS after Stephen Colbert said network lawyers blocked an interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, citing legal concerns about the FCC’s equal-time rule. Carr said CBS had a “clear path” to comply by offering comparable airtime to Talarico’s primary rivals, while FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said Carr’s enforcement posture was pressuring broadcasters to “self-censor.” Colbert, meanwhile, mocked the network’s statement on air and said he’s never before been told to follow equal-time rules for a talk-show interview. The show posted the interview on YouTube instead, which drew roughly 5–6 million views and Talarico’s campaign said it raised about $2.5 million in 24 hours. (Associated Press / Axios / Washington Post / Variety / CNBC)
\n5/ At least 12 Democrats said they will boycott Trump’s State of the Union next week and attend a competing “People’s State of the Union” rally on the National Mall instead. Sen. Chris Murphy said Trump had turned the address into a “campaign rally” and that Democrats had “no obligation” to “reward him with an audience” as he “lies and attacks” opponents. He added that “these aren’t normal times” and that attending would “put a veneer of legitimacy” on what he called the “corruption and lawlessness” of Trump’s second term. (NBC News / New York Times / The Hill / Politico)
\npoll/ 70% of Democrats have a positive view of the Democratic Party – down from 85% in September 2024. 35% of Americans overall trust Democrats to handle health care, compared with 23% who trust Republicans. On the economy, 31% trust Republicans, while 26% trust Democrats, and 32% trust neither. (Associated Press)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 258 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 993 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The White House installed a critic of the CDC as the acting director of the CDC; the U.S. and Iran both claimed they’ve made “progress” in during latest nuclear talks even as the U.S. military is preparing for a possible strike on Iran as early as this weekend; Trump’s top economic adviser said New York Federal Reserve staffers should be...", "date_published": "2026-02-18T15:56:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/17/day-1855/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/17/day-1855/", "title": "Day 1855: “Dissemble and disassemble historical truths.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1855trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Congressional Democrats sent the White House a new counterproposal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security after the agency’s funding lapsed Saturday; an 18-year-old man was arrested near the U.S. Capitol after exiting a white Mercedes SUV and running toward the building carrying a loaded shotgun; Senate Republicans have lined up at least 50 votes for the Trump-backed SAVE America Act, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and mandate photo ID nationwide; the U.S. military destroyed three small boats in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean, killing all 11 people aboard; Stephen Colbert said CBS lawyers stopped him from airing an interview with Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate; a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore slavery-related exhibits that the National Park Service removed from the site in Philadelphia where George Washington lived as president; Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader who helped define Black political power after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and twice ran for president, died; 39% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance with 56% disapproving; and 38% of Americans approve Trump’s immigration policies – the lowest level since his return to the White House and down from 50% from a year ago.
\n1/ Congressional Democrats sent the White House a new counterproposal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security after the agency’s funding lapsed Saturday. Democrats have demanded new limits on ICE and Customs and Border Protection, including a ban on agents wearing masks, mandatory body cameras, and stricter judicial warrant requirements. The White House, however, said the sides remained “pretty far apart.” Even with DHS currently unfunded, operations tied to immigration enforcement, however, are expected to continue largely unaffected because ICE has separate funding from last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” (CNBC / New York Times / The Hill / Politico)
\nThe Department of Homeland Security’s assistant secretary for public affairs and one of the Trump administration’s biggest defenders of its immigration crackdown is leaving the agency. Tricia McLaughlin said the administration’s DHS work produced “historic accomplishments” and that she looked forward to “continuing the fight ahead,” while Hakeem Jeffries welcomed her departure, calling her a “MAGA extremist.” Lauren Bis, McLaughlin’s deputy, will replace her, and Katie Zacharia is expected to join the public affairs office in a senior role. (Politico / Axios / New York Times / NPR)
\nInternal ICE emails showed top officials were warned last spring that reported use of force had spiked nationwide, months before the Minneapolis shootings. The records, released through a FOIA request, described 67 force incidents in Trump’s first two months in office – up from 17 a year earlier. DHS still said agents show “incredible restraint.” (Politico)
\nFederal judges have ruled at least 4,421 times since October that ICE detained immigrants unlawfully, yet the Trump administration kept many locked up anyway. Detainees have filed more than 20,200 habeas lawsuits since Trump took office, flooding courts and forcing the Justice Department to deploy more than 700 lawyers, with some judges saying release orders were ignored. (Reuters)
\nA federal judge barred ICE from re-detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying the government had no lawful basis to hold him while it keeps shopping for a deportation destination. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said the 90-day detention window had expired and the government had shown no “good reason to believe” removal was likely “in the reasonably foreseeable future.” (CNN / Associated Press)
\n2/ An 18-year-old man was arrested near the U.S. Capitol after exiting a white Mercedes SUV and running toward the building carrying a loaded shotgun. Officers drew their weapons, ordered him to drop the gun, and took him into custody after he complied. Police said the man was wearing a “tactical” vest and gloves, and extra ammunition on him. Officers also found a Kevlar helmet and a gas mask in his vehicle, which wasn’t registered to him. Investigators have not identified a motive and are trying to determine where the suspect came from. (Axios / Associated Press / Reuters / CNN / CNBC)
\n3/ Senate Republicans have lined up at least 50 votes for the Trump-backed SAVE America Act, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and mandate photo ID nationwide. The measure passed the House last week, but still needs 60 votes in the Senate to clear a filibuster. Democrats have vowed to block it, and Republican leaders have said they don’t have the votes to eliminate the filibuster. Trump, meanwhile, warned he would act without Congress, writing: “There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” He added, “If we can’t get it through Congress […] I will be presenting them shortly, in the form of an Executive Order.” He claimed he had “searched the depths of Legal Arguments” for an “irrefutable” case. Legal scholars, however, said such an order would likely be struck down, citing a federal judge’s recent injunction against a similar Trump election order. (NBC News / Politico / Democracy Docket / ABC News / CNBC / The Hill / New York Times)
\n4/ The U.S. military destroyed three small boats in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean, killing all 11 people aboard. U.S. Southern Command said “intelligence confirmed” the boats operated by “designated terrorist organizations,” and called those killed as “male narco-terrorists,” but it didn’t release evidence supporting the claims. The five-month campaign of air strikes on boats has killed at least 135 people. Some lawmakers have questioned the campaign’s legality because the U.S. is not in a congressionally authorized war with drug cartels. (NBC News / New York Times / The Hill / CNN)
\n5/ Stephen Colbert said CBS lawyers stopped him from airing an interview with Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, warning “in no uncertain terms” that the guest “could not have him on the broadcast.” CBS, however, said it didn’t ban the segment, but advised that airing it on air could trigger FCC equal-time obligations for at least two other candidates and offered “options” to satisfy them. Colbert instead posted the interview on “The Late Show” YouTube channel, telling viewers, “I decided to take [FCC Chair] Brendan Carr’s advice,” because the rule “applies only to broadcast TV.” Meanwhile, the FCC’s only Democratic commissioner, Anna Gomez, called CBS’s move “corporate capitulation” as Paramount, CBS’s parent, “has regulatory matters before the government.” (The Hollywood Reporter / Deadline / New York Times / Axios / CNBC / Associated Press / Mother Jones)
\n6/ A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore slavery-related exhibits that the National Park Service removed from the site in Philadelphia where George Washington lived as president. U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe issued a preliminary injunction requiring the President’s House be returned to its physical status as of January 21, rejecting the government’s claim that it could unilaterally alter the displays under Trump’s executive order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” Rufe said the removals likely violated federal law and cooperative agreements requiring consultation with the city, comparing the administration’s position to Orwell’s “1984” and writing that the government couldn’t “dissemble and disassemble historical truths” simply because it has power. The ruling keeps the panels in place while litigation brought by Philadelphia proceeds.(Philadelphia Inquirer / Washington Post / CNN / Associated Press / Politico)
\n7/ Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader who helped define Black political power after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and twice ran for president, died Tuesday at 84. He had lived for years with Parkinson’s disease and later progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurodegenerative disorder. He built a national profile through Operation Breadbasket, Operation PUSH and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, mixing voter-registration drives, corporate pressure campaigns and high-profile appearances during unrest where he urged nonviolence. (New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)
\npoll/ 39% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance with 56% disapproving. 49% called Trump “corrupt,” 47% called him “racist,” and 46% called him “cruel,” while roughly 23% rejected those labels and about 30% had no opinion. (Axios)
\npoll/ 38% of Americans approve Trump’s immigration policies – the lowest level since his return to the White House and down from 50% from a year ago. (Reuters)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 259 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 994 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Congressional Democrats sent the White House a new counterproposal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security after the agency’s funding lapsed Saturday; an 18-year-old man was arrested near the U.S. Capitol after exiting a white Mercedes SUV and running toward the building carrying a loaded shotgun; Senate Republicans have lined up at least 50 votes for the Trump-backed SAVE America...", "date_published": "2026-02-17T16:19:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/12/day-1850/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/12/day-1850/", "title": "Day 1850: “Status quo.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1850trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The Senate failed to advance a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security through Sept. 30, leaving the agency headed for a partial shutdown when funding expires Friday night; the Trump administration said it will end “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota, drawing down thousands of federal immigration agents after a 2-month crackdown that produced mass protests, more than 4,000 arrests, and two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens in Minneapolis; the Justice Department tracked the search histories of lawmakers who reviewed the files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation; the whistleblower complaint against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard centers on an intelligence intercept that captured two foreign nationals discussing Jared Kushner; the House passed the SAVE America Act; a federal judge blocked the Pentagon from demoting Sen. Mark Kelly’s retired Navy rank and cutting his retirement pay over a video advising troops not to follow illegal orders; Trump rescinded the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” removing the legal basis the agency has used to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act for nearly two decades; and 62% of Americans say Trump’s “gone too far” by deploying federal immigration agents into major U.S. cities, and 61% say he’s gone too far using federal law enforcement at protests.
\n1/ The Senate failed to advance a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security through Sept. 30, leaving the agency headed for a partial shutdown when funding expires Friday night. After the vote failed, Republicans then tried to pass a short-term extension to keep DHS open while talks continued, but Democrats blocked it, saying they wouldn’t extend the “status quo” without new enforceable limits on immigration operations after DHS immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. With no agreement, lawmakers left Washington for a weeklong recess with funding set to lapse at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. (Politico / CNN / Washington Post / Bloomberg / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)
\n2/ The Trump administration said it will end “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota, drawing down thousands of federal immigration agents after a 2-month crackdown that produced mass protests, more than 4,000 arrests, and two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. White House border czar Tom Homan said a “significant drawdown” was already underway and would continue into next week. Homan called the operation a success and said he had secured better access to detainees through county jails. The sheriff’s office in Hennepin County, however, said it doesn’t coordinate with ICE and that its policies haven’t changed. Gov. Tim Walz also said there’s been no change in state policy on immigration enforcement. (New York Times / Associated Press / NBC News / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Bloomberg / The Guardian / Axios)
\n3/ The Justice Department tracked the search histories of lawmakers who reviewed the files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. At a House Judiciary hearing, Attorney General Pam Bondi was photographed with a printout labeled “Jayapal Pramila Search History” listing the unredacted Epstein files that Jayapal had reviewed. Jayapal called it “totally inappropriate” and “against the separations of powers,” and described it as a “burn book.” The Justice Department confirmed that it “logs all searches made on its systems,” saying the tracking is meant to prevent disclosure of victim information. Rep. Jamie Raskin, however, said he would ask the inspector general to examine what he called an “outrageous abuse of power.” House Speaker Mike Johnson also said he didn’t think “it’s appropriate for anybody to be tracking that.” (NBC News / Axios / Politico / CBS News / CNN / Associated Press / Bloomberg / The Guardian / CNBC / The Hill / ABC News)
\n4/ The whistleblower complaint against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard centers on an intelligence intercept that captured two foreign nationals discussing Jared Kushner. The top secret whistleblower complaint was drafted last May while the Trump administration was deliberating a strike on Iran. A month later, the military bombed Iranian nuclear sites. The complaint has been “locked in a safe” until last week when Congress received a heavily redacted briefing. The conversation between the two foreign nationals, collected by a foreign intelligence service and shared with the U.S., reportedly touched on Iran and included unverified claims about Kushner that some administration officials said were “demonstrably false.” (Wall Street Journal / New York Times)
\n5/ The House passed the SAVE America Act, sending the federal elections overhaul bill to the Senate. The bill would require in-person documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, mandate photo ID for in-person voting nationwide, and tighten mail voting by requiring voters to submit copies of eligible IDs when requesting and returning absentee ballots. Democrats said the measure would disenfranchise eligible voters, noting noncitizen voting is already illegal and rare, while some voting rights groups warned it could create added hurdles for people whose legal names don’t match their birth certificates. The bill has no path to the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster in the Senate. Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans would nevertheless still vote, but ruled out changing Senate rules to bypass the 60-vote threshold. (NBC News / CNBC / The 19th / Politico / New York Times)
\n6/ A federal judge blocked the Pentagon from demoting Sen. Mark Kelly’s retired Navy rank and cutting his retirement pay over a video advising troops not to follow illegal orders. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said the Defense Department had “trampled” Kelly’s First Amendment rights and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees. The ruling stops enforcement of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s censure and the administrative process to reduce Kelly’s retirement grade. Hegseth said the decision would be “immediately appealed,” adding, “Sedition is sedition, ‘Captain.’” The decision separately follows a grand jury refusing to indict six Democratic lawmakers, including Kelly, over the same video. (Politico / New York Times / NBC News / CNN / Reuters / Washington Post / Associated Press / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / NPR)
\n7/ Trump rescinded the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” removing the legal basis the agency has used to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act for nearly two decades. The repeal wipes out federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles and clears the way for further rollbacks affecting power plants, and oil and gas operations. The EPA said the change would save about $1.3 trillion by cutting compliance costs and lowering car and truck prices, though the administration didn’t detail its methodology. Environmental and public health groups, meanwhile, said the repeal would increase U.S. greenhouse gas emissions about 10% over 30 years, contributing to as many as 58,000 premature deaths and 37 million asthma attacks by 2055, while also worsening extreme heat, wildfires, floods, and drought risks. Trump, nevertheless, called the endangerment finding “a disastrous Obama-era policy” with “no basis in fact.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom and multiple environmental and public health groups said they’ll sue over whether the EPA can abandon the finding and still meet its obligations under the Clean Air Act and prior court precedent. (New York Times / Washington Post / Associated Press / Axios / The Guardian / CNBC / CNN / ABC News / NBC News)
\npoll/ 62% of Americans say Trump’s “gone too far” by deploying federal immigration agents into major U.S. cities, and 61% say he’s gone too far using federal law enforcement at protests. 52% say he’s gone too far deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, and 54% say he has gone too far restricting legal immigration. About 38% approve of Trump’s handling of immigration. 60% view ICE unfavorably and 32% view it favorably. About 33% trust Republicans more on immigration and 29% trust Democrats more, while 28% trust neither party. (Associated Press)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 264 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 999 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The Senate failed to advance a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security through Sept. 30, leaving the agency headed for a partial shutdown when funding expires Friday night; the Trump administration said it will end “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota, drawing down thousands of federal immigration agents after a 2-month crackdown that produced mass protests, more than 4,000...", "date_published": "2026-02-12T15:48:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/11/day-1849/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/11/day-1849/", "title": "Day 1849: “Not sustainable.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1849trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Democrats accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of turning the Justice Department “into Trump’s instrument of revenge”; a federal grand jury refused to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video that reminded active-duty military and intelligence personnel they must refuse unlawful orders; the House voted to rescind the national emergency Trump used to impose tariffs on Canada, with six Republicans joining nearly all Democrats in approving the resolution; U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs in January and unemployment fell to 4.3%; the Congressional Budget Office projected a $1.85 trillion deficit this fiscal year, rising past $3 trillion by 2036; and 60% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of border security and immigration.
\n1/ Democrats accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of turning the Justice Department “into Trump’s instrument of revenge.” Rep. Jamie Raskin, citing Justice Department investigations into former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and six members of Congress, said: “Trump orders up prosecutions like pizza. And you deliver every time.” In her opening statement before the House Judiciary Committee, Bondi defended her leadership, praised Trump as “the greatest president in American history,” blamed the Biden administration for politicization, and attacked “liberal activist judges,” claiming the country had “never seen” such “coordinated judicial opposition.” Lawmakers also pressed Bondi over the release of the Epstein files, which exposed some survivors’ names and other identifying details that should have been redacted. They accused the DOJ of redacting prominent names through heavy redactions, including a “potential co-conspirators” list. Bondi, however, blamed the errors on a compressed, mandatory deadline, but refused to apologize directly to survivors seated behind her. Raskin said she was “siding with the perpetrators” and called it “a massive Epstein cover-up” at DOJ. (Washington Post / NBC News / New York Times / Reuters / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / NPR / CNN / Politico)
\n2/ A federal grand jury refused to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video that reminded active-duty military and intelligence personnel they must refuse unlawful orders. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office sought the indictment after Trump called the video “seditious behavior” and demanded prosecution. The November video featured Sens. Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin and four House Democrats saying, “You can refuse illegal orders.” Prosecutors in Pirro’s office argued that the post violated a law barring interference with military loyalty, morale, or discipline. (NBC News / New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Politico)
\n3/ The House voted to rescind the national emergency Trump used to impose tariffs on Canada, with six Republicans joining nearly all Democrats in approving the resolution. The measure, which passed 219-211, would terminate the emergency declaration behind the 25% duties. It now heads to the Senate, Trump has threatened to veto it and Republicans lack the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. Trump, meanwhile, warned that any Republican who votes against the tariffs would “seriously suffer the consequences” in primaries. (Bloomberg / New York Times / Politico / CNN / Axios / Wall Street Journal)
\n4/ U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs in January and unemployment fell to 4.3%. While the Labor Department report beat forecasts, it came with revisions showing the economy added 181,000 total jobs in 2025 – about 898,000 lower than previously reported for the year through March 2025. Job gains in January were concentrated in health care and social assistance, with smaller increases in construction and professional services. Federal government employment also continued to fall. Average hourly earnings rose 0.4% in January and were up 3.7% from a year earlier. (Bloomberg / CNN / Axios / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CNBC)
\n5/ The Congressional Budget Office projected a $1.85 trillion deficit this fiscal year, rising past $3 trillion by 2036. The CBO said Trump’s 2025 tax-and-spending law would add about $4.7 trillion to deficits over the next decade, while immigration limits add $500 billion because lower population growth reduces tax receipts. Trump’s tariffs, meanwhile, are projected to cut deficits by about $3 trillion, but the CBO noted that that assumption depends on those trade policies staying in place. By 2036, interest is expected to consume 26% of federal revenue – up from 19% this year. CBO Director Phillip Swagel called the current fiscal path “not sustainable.” (Associated Press / Politico / Bloomberg / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)
\npoll/ 60% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of border security and immigration, with 49% strongly disapproving. Trump’s overall approval rating stands at 39% – about even with his approval rating (40%) on immigration and border security. (NBC News)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 265 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,000 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Democrats accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of turning the Justice Department “into Trump’s instrument of revenge”; a federal grand jury refused to indict six Democratic lawmakers over a video that reminded active-duty military and intelligence personnel they must refuse unlawful orders; the House voted to rescind the national emergency Trump used to impose tariffs on Canada, with six Republicans joining...", "date_published": "2026-02-11T16:09:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/10/day-1848/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/10/day-1848/", "title": "Day 1848: “Now I see what the big deal is.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1848trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The Trump administration will rescind the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” stripping the core legal basis for federal limits on greenhouse gas pollution under the Clean Air Act; a newly unsealed FBI search warrant affidavit showed that the seizure of Fulton County, Georgia’s 2020 election ballots and records began with a referral from a Trump-appointed “director of election security and integrity”; acting ICE Director Todd Lyons defended ICE and told the House Homeland Security Committee that he would press ahead with Trump’s “mass deportation” campaign; Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna disclosed the “hidden” names of six wealthy men they say are “likely incriminated” by their inclusion in the Jeffrey Epstein files; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told senators he had lunch with Jeffrey Epstein on Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2012; Trump reportedly told the Palm Beach police chief in 2006 that “everyone has known” what Jeffrey Epstein “has been doing”; 59% of Americans said they’re optimistic about the future – a record low since Gallup started asking the question two decades ago.
\n1/ The Trump administration will rescind the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” stripping the core legal basis for federal limits on greenhouse gas pollution under the Clean Air Act. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin called it “the largest act of deregulation” in U.S. history. The administration said rescinding the 2009 endangerment finding would cut more than $1.3 trillion in regulations and lower costs for new vehicles by an average of more than $2,400 per vehicle, by ending federal requirements related to greenhouse gas standards for cars and trucks. Public health and environmental groups, meanwhile, said the EPA’s greenhouse gas rules have prevented hundreds of thousands of premature deaths each year, and warned that the rollback would increase climate pollution and lead to thousands of avoidable deaths. The rule will be finalized Thursday at a White House event. (Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Reuters / Axios / New York Times / CNBC / New York Times / Politico / Semafor)
\n2/ A newly unsealed FBI search warrant affidavit showed that the seizure of Fulton County, Georgia’s 2020 election ballots and records began with a referral from a Trump-appointed “director of election security and integrity.” Kurt Olsen, who took part in the “Stop the Steal” campaign and promoted baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, was hired to investigate Trump’s 2020 election loss. The affidavit framed the case as a criminal probe into whether alleged “deficiencies” in ballot handling and record keeping were intentional, but it relied on years-old claims that audits, courts, and prior reviews have rejected. The warrant authorized agents to take all physical ballots, ballot images, tabulator tapes, and 2020 voter rolls, citing possible violations of federal record-retention and election-rights laws. Fulton County has asked a judge to order the materials returned. (New York Times / Associated Press / Politico / ABC News / NBC News / CNBC / Washington Post)
\n3/ Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons defended ICE and told the House Homeland Security Committee that he would press ahead with Trump’s “mass deportation” campaign. “Let me send a message to anyone who thinks you can intimidate us: You will fail,” Lyons said. “We will continue carrying out our mission.” Lyons also rejected Democrats’ claims that ICE is operating like a “secret police” and acting “un-American and outright fascist.” But Lyons and CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott declined to detail the Minneapolis killings of citizens Renée Good and Alex Pretti, saying the investigations were ongoing. DHS funding expires Feb. 13. (Washington Post / Politico / CNN / Wall Street Journal / NPR / Washington Post)
\n4/ Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna disclosed the “hidden” names of six wealthy men they say are “likely incriminated” by their inclusion in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Khanna read Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze, Leonic Leonov, Nicola Caputo, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, and Leslie Wexner into the House record. The pair said they found the names after a two-hour review of unredacted files at the Justice Department and accused the DOJ of unexplained over-redactions. House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin said some redactions also masked references to Trump, citing a 2009 email exchange about Epstein’s access to Mar-a-Lago. After reviewing the unredacted files, Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis remarked: “now I see what the big deal is.” (The Guardian / CNN / Politico / Bloomberg / The Hill / Axios)
\n5/ Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told senators he had lunch with Jeffrey Epstein on Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2012. Lutnick, while testifying before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee, tried to play down the connection as “three times over 14 years,” and that there were only about “10 emails,” while insisting he had “nothing to hide.” But the account conflicts with Lutnick’s earlier public claim that he cut off contact with Epstein after 2005. And, the recently released Justice Department Epstein files describe additional post-2005 interactions, including 2011 scheduling and 2012 planning tied to the island visit, along with other links cited in the records. The White House said Trump “fully supports” Lutnick, but lawmakers including Rep. Thomas Massie and Rep. Robert Garcia called for his resignation, with senators from both parties saying the island visit raised questions. (Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Associated Press / ABC News / NBC News / CNN / New York Times)
\n6/ Trump reportedly told the Palm Beach police chief in 2006 that “everyone has known” what Jeffrey Epstein “has been doing,” according to an FBI interview summary released by the Justice Department. The document memorialized what the former chief told FBI agents in 2019 about the alleged call from Trump. The Justice Department, however, said it wasn’t aware of any corroborating evidence that Trump had contacted law enforcement. The summary also said Trump thanked the police for “stopping” Epstein, urged them to focus on Ghislaine Maxwell as Epstein’s “operative,” called her “evil,” and said he once saw Epstein with teenagers and “got the hell out of there.” The White House said the call “may or may not” have happened but argued that, if it did, it fits Trump’s claims that he cut ties with Epstein years earlier and banned him from Mar-a-Lago. (Miami Herald / New York Times / CNN / CNBC / ABC News / The Guardian)
\npoll/ 59% of Americans said they’re optimistic about the future – a record low since Gallup started asking the question two decades ago. 62% report being satisfied with their current lives – the second-lowest in the survey’s history. The lowest was recorded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Gallup)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 266 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,001 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The Trump administration will rescind the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” stripping the core legal basis for federal limits on greenhouse gas pollution under the Clean Air Act; a newly unsealed FBI search warrant affidavit showed that the seizure of Fulton County, Georgia’s 2020 election ballots and records began with a referral from a Trump-appointed “director of election security and integrity”;...", "date_published": "2026-02-10T17:13:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/09/day-1847/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/09/day-1847/", "title": "Day 1847: “Cover-up mode.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1847trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer all questions during a closed-door House Oversight Committee deposition; the top House and Senate party leaders received a heavily redacted May 2025 whistleblower complaint against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard after an eight-month delay; the White House deleted Trump’s racist Truth Social post that depicted Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes; the Trump administration told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer it would release frozen federal funding for the $16 billion Gateway rail tunnel if Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport were renamed after Trump; Trump, a noted athlete, called a U.S. skier at the Winter Olympics “a real loser”; and Trump, a noted pop-culture tastemaker, declared Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show “one of the worst,” calling the largely Spanish-language performance “absolutely terrible” and that “nobody understands a word.”
\n1/ Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer all questions during a closed-door House Oversight Committee deposition, part of its investigation into the government’s of Jeffrey Epstein case and records. Rep. James Comer, the committee’s chair, called it “very disappointing,” while Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat, said Maxwell “answered no questions and provided no information,” asking, “Who is she protecting?” Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told lawmakers she “must remain silent” because a habeas petition is pending, but said “there is a straightforward path” for testimony: “Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump,” adding, “Only she can provide the complete account,” and claiming “both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing.” Separately, lawmakers who reviewed the unredacted files accused the Justice Department of “mysterious” or “baffling” redactions while also exposing victims. Rep. Jamie Raskin said he saw “tons of completely unnecessary redactions” and warned that the DOJ appeared to be “in a cover-up mode.” Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna said they saw “at least six men” whose names were redacted despite being “likely incriminated.” Massie added that he might disclose them “from the floor” if the DOJ doesn’t “correct their mistakes.” Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to testify on Wednesday. (Associated Press / Politico / The Guardian / Axios / New York Times / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / NBC News / MS Now / The Hill)
\n2/ The top House and Senate party leaders received a heavily redacted May 2025 whistleblower complaint against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard after an eight-month delay. The complaint followed an NSA intercept last spring of two foreign intelligence-linked callers discussing someone close to Trump involving Iran. The whistleblower’s lawyer, Andrew Bakaj, said Gabbard hand-delivered a paper copy to chief of staff Susie Wiles. Gabbard then told the NSA to stop routine publication and to route any related details only to her office. Gabbard’s office called that account “false” and said her actions were “fully within” her authority. (The Guardian / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / CBS News / NBC News / CNBC)
\n3/ From the Weekend: The White House deleted Trump’s racist Truth Social post that depicted Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes. Trump refused to apologize and insisted, “I didn’t make a mistake,” while claiming he saw only the start of the video. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially dismissed the criticism as “fake outrage” and called it an internet meme, but the White House later said a staffer “erroneously” posted it. (Associated Press / BBC / NPR / Washington Post / Axios / CBS News / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / CNN / CNBC)
\n4/ The Trump administration told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer it would release frozen federal funding for the $16 billion Gateway rail tunnel if Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport were renamed after Trump. Schumer rejected the request, saying he lacked authority over either facility. New York and New Jersey have sued the administration, arguing the funding freeze is unlawful. (CNN / New York Times / Axios / ABC News)
\n5/ Trump, a noted athlete, called a U.S. skier at the Winter Olympics “a real loser.” After Hunter Hess said he felt “mixed emotions” about representing the U.S. and that wearing the flag didn’t mean endorsing “everything that’s going on” at home, Trump claimed Hess “doesn’t represent his Country” and said it’s “very hard to root” for him. JD Vance, meanwhile, was booed after appearing on stadium screens during the opening ceremony. (Wall Street Journal / Axios / Associated Press / The Athletic / CNN / The Guardian)
\n6/ Trump, a noted pop-culture tastemaker, declared Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show “one of the worst,” calling the largely Spanish-language performance “absolutely terrible” and that “nobody understands a word.” The performance ended with Bad Bunny saying “God bless America,” while holding a football that read: “Together, We Are America.” Turning Point USA, meanwhile, counter-programmed an alternative halftime concert led by Kid Rock, who played two songs and the stream ended with a video tribute to Charlie Kirk. (New York Times / Washington Post / The Hill / Rolling Stone)
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer all questions during a closed-door House Oversight Committee deposition; the top House and Senate party leaders received a heavily redacted May 2025 whistleblower complaint against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard after an eight-month delay; the White House deleted Trump’s racist Truth Social post that depicted Barack Obama and Michelle...", "date_published": "2026-02-09T17:35:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/05/day-1843/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/05/day-1843/", "title": "Day 1843: “Two things can be true.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1843trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Democrats threatened to block the Homeland Security funding bill unless Republicans accepted “dramatic changes” to ICE oversight and operations; Trump said Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to attend the FBI search of Fulton County, Georgia’s elections center; the last nuclear arms control treaty between the U.S. and Russia expired; the Trump administration plans to reclassify about 50,000 senior career federal workers, making them easier to fire; U.S. job openings fell to about 6.5 million in December – the lowest since September 2020; Trump insisted that the Federal Reserve is “in theory” independent and that he wouldn’t have nominated Kevin Warsh to be the next Fed chair if he wanted to raise interest rates.
\n1/ Democrats threatened to block the Homeland Security funding bill unless Republicans accepted “dramatic changes” to ICE oversight and operations, setting up a shutdown deadline on Feb. 13. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the Democratic demands “unrealistic,” while Democrats said they would withhold votes without new limits after the Minneapolis shootings. The Democratic proposal seeks judicial warrant requirements in certain cases, rules on masks and identification, and limits on stops based on race, language, or location, but Republicans said they’d reject most of those demands. Thune said he was prepared to move another stopgap funding bill if negotiations don’t produce a deal before the deadline. (NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Politico / Axios)
\n2/ Trump said Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to attend the FBI search of Fulton County, Georgia’s elections center. Gabbard, however, told Democratic lawmakers Trump directed her “observance” of the warrant’s execution, and her spokesperson later said both Trump and Bondi asked and that “two things can be true at the same time.” The FBI seized hundreds of boxes of 2020 election materials in the search, which Fulton County has asked a federal judge to order the records returned. Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats have also demanded Gabbard testify under oath about her role. (New York Times / CBS News / NBC News / Axios)
\n3/ The last nuclear arms control treaty between the U.S. and Russia expired, ending the last legally binding limits on the two largest nuclear arsenals for the first time since the early 1970s. Trump said he wouldn’t pursue an extension of the New START treaty and instead called for a “new, improved, and modernized” pact, arguing that any future framework should include China, which has rejected arms control talks. Russia said it regrets the treaty’s end and reiterated that it’s willing to keep observing the core limits for at least a year if Washington did the same. U.S. officials, however, gave no indication they would accept. (New York Times / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Associated Press / Politico / Washington Post / CNN)
\n4/ The Trump administration plans to reclassify about 50,000 senior career federal workers, making them easier to fire. The rule would move those employees into a new “Schedule Policy/Career” category, stripping them of long-standing civil service protections, including key appeal rights to independent bodies, and shifting many whistleblower complaints to internal agency processes instead of the Office of Special Counsel. The Office of Personnel Management said the change would help presidents carry out policy priorities and remove employees who “obstruct” directives. OPM said the rule said it prohibited “political patronage, loyalty tests or political discrimination” and is set to be published in the Federal Register and take effect in about 30 days. (CNN / Wall Street Journal / Axios / New York Times)
\n5/ U.S. job openings fell to about 6.5 million in December – the lowest since September 2020. The Labor Department said vacancies dropped from roughly 6.9 million in November, while layoffs edged up and quits held near 3.2 million. A separate report that tracks corporate layoff announcements said companies have announced about 108,000 announced layoffs in January, up from 35,500 in December, and the highest level for the month since 2009. (ABC News / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Politico / CNBC)
\n6/ Trump insisted that the Federal Reserve is “in theory” independent and that he wouldn’t have nominated Kevin Warsh to be the next Fed chair if he wanted to raise interest rates. Trump said he expects rates to fall soon because they are “way high,” argued inflation was low, and said Warsh understood he wanted rate cuts and “wants to anyway,” while adding he knows the economy “better than almost anybody.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later declined to commit that Warsh wouldn’t face a Justice Department investigation or lawsuit if he refused to cut rates, telling Sen. Elizabeth Warren it would be “up to the president.” (NBC News / Bloomberg / CNBC / Associated Press / Politico)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 271 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,006 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Democrats threatened to block the Homeland Security funding bill unless Republicans accepted “dramatic changes” to ICE oversight and operations; Trump said Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to attend the FBI search of Fulton County, Georgia’s elections center; the last nuclear arms control treaty between the U.S. and Russia expired; the Trump administration plans to...", "date_published": "2026-02-05T15:54:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/04/day-1842/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/04/day-1842/", "title": "Day 1842: “A strategic reset.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1842trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump doubled down on his call to “nationalize” voting, saying the federal government should “get involved” in state elections; the Supreme Court allowed California to use its voter-approved congressional map for the 2026 midterms; the Trump administration said it would pull 700 federal immigration officers from Minnesota; the Justice Department removed a Department of Homeland Security attorney in Minneapolis after she told a judge that “this job sucks” and asked to be held in contempt so she “could get 24 hours of sleep”; the man who tried to assassinate Trump at his Florida golf club in 2024 was sentenced to life in prison; the Washington Post laid off about one-third of its staff, calling the elimination of more than 300 newsroom jobs a “strategic reset”; and 37% of voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president.
\n1/ Trump doubled down on his call to “nationalize” voting, saying the federal government should “get involved” in state elections. The White House claimed he was referring to the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register, however the bill doesn’t federalize elections. It also remains stalled in the Senate after passing the House. And even though the Constitution assigns states to run elections and allows Congress to set the rules, Trump said “I don’t know why the federal government doesn’t do ’em anyway.” He first floated the idea Monday in a podcast interview with ex–FBI deputy director Dan Bongino, urging Republicans to “take over” voting in “at least 15” places. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, meanwhile, said he was “not in favor of federalizing elections,” while Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the idea “outlandishly illegal.” (The Hill / New York Times / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / CNBC)
\n2/ The Supreme Court allowed California to use its voter-approved congressional map for the 2026 midterms, rejecting an emergency effort by state Republicans and the Trump administration to block it as a racial gerrymander. The unsigned order noted no dissents and left in place a lower-court ruling that the Proposition 50 lines were redrawn on a partisan basis, not a racial one. The move also mirrors the court’s December decision letting Texas use its Republican-drawn map. The ruling keeps lines Democrats say could flip up to five House seats, potentially offsetting up to five new Republican-leaning seats in Texas. (Associated Press / New York Times / NPR / Politico / NBC News / Bloomberg / CBS News)
\n3/ The Trump administration said it would pull 700 federal immigration officers from Minnesota, leaving about 2,000 in place as part of the Minneapolis immigration enforcement operation. Border czar Tom Homan said Minnesota county jails were cooperating more with ICE, and he announced a single ICE–CBP chain of command with immediate body-camera deployment for officers in Minneapolis to fix inconsistent use. He added that enforcement would continue at scale, saying mass deportations remain the goal and that people in the country illegally are “not off the table.” Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, meanwhile, called the move a welcome step, but “not de-escalation.” Homan set no timeline to return to the usual force of roughly 150, saying further drawdowns depend on continued local cooperation and reduced attacks on officers. (Politico / Reuters / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / The Hill / Axios / Bloomberg)
\n4/ The Justice Department removed a Department of Homeland Security attorney in Minneapolis after she told a judge that “this job sucks” and asked to be held in contempt so she “could get 24 hours of sleep.” Julie Le had been handling about 90 immigration cases related to Operation Metro Surge, and acknowledged failures to follow court orders, including repeated failures to follow detainee release orders. She told the court that she wasn’t properly trained for the assignment and that “the system sucks.” The judge said workload is no excuse for ignoring orders and demanded an explanation, while weighing contempt for Le and another lawyer. DHS called her conduct “unprofessional” and it’s unclear whether Le has also been fired. (NBC News / CNN / New York Times / Reuters / Associated Press)
\n5/ The man who tried to assassinate Trump at his Florida golf club in 2024 was sentenced to life in prison. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon imposed life without parole on Ryan Routh after a September jury convicted him on five counts, including attempted assassination and assault on a federal officer. Prosecutors had sought life in prison, citing Routh’s lack of remorse, while the defense had asked for 20 to 27 years. Cannon also added a mandatory seven years for a firearm offense. Before sentencing, Routh began reading a 20-page statement before Cannon cut him off. His attorney said he will appeal. (ABC News / NBC News / CNN / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal)
\n6/ The Washington Post laid off about one-third of its staff, calling the elimination of more than 300 newsroom jobs a “strategic reset.” The cuts ended the sports section in its current form, closed the Books section, suspended the “Post Reports” podcast, shrank foreign bureaus, and restructured Metro. Executives cited a nearly 50% drop in search traffic over three years and losses of about $77 million in 2023, and roughly $100 million in 2024. Publisher Will Lewis has set a break-even goal by the end of 2026. Meanwhile, billionaire owner Jeff Bezos, one of the world’s richest people with about $260 billion, did not comment as critics, including former editor Marty Baron and the Post Guild argued that the paper’s losses were negligible relative to his fortune. They warned the cuts would hollow a “pillar” of American journalism, and noted that subscribers canceled in mass after Bezos blocked a 2024 Kamala Harris endorsement. (New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Semafor / NBC News / NPR / CNN / Associated Press / The Atlantic / The Guardian)
\npoll/ 61% of voters say the Trump administration hasn’t given an honest account of the fatal ICE shooting of Alex Pretti. 62% said the Jan. 24 shooting in Minneapolis was not justified, and 80% supported an independent investigation. 58% said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should be removed, and 63% disapprove of how ICE is operating. Trump’s job approval, meanwhile, stands at 37%. (Quinnipiac)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 272 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,007 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump doubled down on his call to “nationalize” voting, saying the federal government should “get involved” in state elections; the Supreme Court allowed California to use its voter-approved congressional map for the 2026 midterms; the Trump administration said it would pull 700 federal immigration officers from Minnesota; the Justice Department removed a Department of Homeland Security attorney in Minneapolis after...", "date_published": "2026-02-04T15:12:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/03/day-1841/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/03/day-1841/", "title": "Day 1841: “More questions than answers.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1841trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump signed the roughly $1.2 trillion spending package into law, ending the three-day partial federal government shutdown; the U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone after it “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and wouldn’t turn away; a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 Haitians; Tulsi Gabbard told Congress that Trump asked her to show up while the FBI searched Fulton County, Georgia’s election office; Congress still hasn’t received a whistleblower complaint filed last May accusing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard of wrongdoing; and 62% of Americans said ICE officers had gone too far, up from 58% in a poll conducted just before Alex Pretti was shot and killed in Minneapolis.
\n1/ Trump signed the roughly $1.2 trillion spending package into law, ending the three-day partial federal government shutdown. The measure funds most agencies through Sept. 30, but Department of Homeland Security funding expires Feb. 13, leaving about 10 days for Congress and the White House to pass a separate DHS bill or face a department shutdown. Democrats have tied any longer-term DHS funding to new guardrails on immigration enforcement, including requiring agents to wear body cameras, to identify themselves and not wear masks, and to require warrants for some operations. House Republicans, however, have signaled they won’t accept at least some of those demands, especially judicial warrant requirements. (Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / New York Times / CNN / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Politico / NPR)
\n2/ The U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone after it “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and wouldn’t turn away. The Navy described the drone’s intent as “unclear” and framed the shootdown as self-defense. Central Command didn’t describe what “de-escalatory measures” were tried before the F-35C downed the drone, and Iran’s U.N. mission declined to comment. Hours later, Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats and another drone approached a U.S.-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz at high speed and threatened to board it before a U.S. destroyer showed up and escorted it until the situation “de-escalated.” (Reuters / Associated Press / Bloomberg / Politico / CBS News / Washington Post / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / CNBC)
\n3/ A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 Haitians, ordering the Department of Homeland Security to extend the program that’s set to expire this week. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem likely failed to follow required procedures and that the record showed no evidence backing the administration’s claim that Haitian TPS holders threatened U.S. interests. Reyes also said the plaintiffs’ claim of hostility toward nonwhite immigrants “seems substantially likely” and that the decision to end TPS appeared motivated, in part, by racial animus. The order keeps deportation protections and work permits in place while the case proceeds. (CNN / ABC News / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / Reuters)
\n4/ Tulsi Gabbard told Congress that Trump asked her to show up while the FBI searched Fulton County, Georgia’s election office and that she watched for only “a brief period of time.” In a letter to Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, the Director of National Intelligence said she acted under her “broad statutory authority” tied to election security, including counterintelligence, foreign malign influence and cybersecurity, and acknowledged that she “facilitated a brief phone call” so Trump could thank the agents, while insisting that neither she nor Trump asked questions or issued directives. Gabbard also said she hadn’t seen the warrant or the probable-cause evidence behind it. The FBI search targeted 2020 election records and seized hundreds of boxes of ballots and other documentation as Trump continues to baselessly claims widespread fraud that courts and election officials have rejected. Lawmakers and former officials said it was highly unusual for the DNI to appear at a domestic FBI search, and Warner’s office said her explanation “raises more questions than it answers.” (Reuters / Associated Press / Axios / The Hill / Politico / Bloomberg / The Guardian / NBC News / CNN)
\n5/ Congress still hasn’t received a whistleblower complaint filed last May accusing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard of wrongdoing. The complaint has been “locked in a safe,” and the intelligence community inspector general’s office said the case involves “exceptionally sensitive materials” that require special handling and storage. One official warned that disclosure could cause “grave damage to national security” and that even the whistleblower’s lawyer hasn’t seen it. Gabbard’s office, meanwhile, called the complaint “baseless” and “politically motivated” and denied stonewalling Congress, saying it’s working through security and legal constraints. While the intelligence community inspector general’s office said allegations specifically about Gabbard weren’t credible, it couldn’t reach a determination on a separate allegation involving an office in another federal agency. The inspector general’s office said parts of the complaint are marked attorney-client privileged and could raise executive-privileges that may involve the White House. (Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Associated Press / The Hill)
\npoll/ 62% of Americans said ICE officers had gone too far, up from 58% in a poll conducted just before Alex Pretti was shot and killed in Minneapolis. Among Republicans, 45% said enforcement was about right and 22% said it hadn’t gone far enough, while 30% said it had gone too far – up from 20% before the shooting. Nearly half of self-described “non-MAGA Republicans” said ICE has been too aggressive in its deportation efforts. (New York Times)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 273 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,008 days.
\nBill and Hillary Clinton agreed to sit for sworn depositions in the House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation after Republicans advanced criminal contempt resolutions for defying earlier subpoenas. The pair will appear for transcribed, filmed depositions on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27. Chair James Comer, meanwhile, said they “completely caved.” (Politico / CNN / New York Times / Associated Press)
\nThe U.S. will create a roughly $12 billion “Project Vault” stockpile of critical minerals to curb manufacturing reliance on China. The plan hinges on $1.67 billion in private capital and a $10 billion, 15-year Export-Import Bank loan. The Trump administration likened it to a Strategic Petroleum Reserve-style backstop after China tightened controls such as licensing for rare-earth magnets. (Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)
\nFor the fifth time, a federal judge ruled against the Trump administration’s effort to stop off shore wind farm construction. Judge Royce Lamberth said Orsted’s Sunrise Wind project would suffer “irreparable harm” and said the administration likely acted arbitrarily, failing to adequately explain its claimed national security concerns even after he reviewed classified material under seal. (New York Times / Bloomberg)
\nAfter Trump reportedly dropped his demand that Harvard pay the government $200 million, he denied backtracking and said the government was now seeking $1 billion “in damages.” He called for investigations into Harvard’s handling of antisemitism to become criminal. (New York Times / Politico / Associated Press)
\nTrump said the Kennedy Center will close for roughly two years for what he called a “complete rebuilding,” while insisting he’s “not ripping it down” and will reuse the structure’s steel and some marble. He put the price at “probably around $200 million,” said financing is “fully in place,” and described his big plans for “brand-new” heating and air conditioning. Lawmakers raised oversight questions, saying Congress should have been consulted. Trump, meanwhile, said his plan is “totally subject” to approval by the board he installed. (ABC News / NPR / NBC News / Associated Press / Axios)
\nTrump said he wants the proposed “Independence Arch” overlooking the Potomac River to be the world’s biggest. He wants a 250-foot version, which architectural experts and historians warn would dwarf and overwhelm the corridor between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery and block key sightlines. (Washington Post / CBS News)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump signed the roughly $1.2 trillion spending package into law, ending the three-day partial federal government shutdown; the U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone after it “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and wouldn’t turn away; a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000...", "date_published": "2026-02-03T15:18:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/02/day-1840/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/02/day-1840/", "title": "Day 1840: “An unfolding emergency.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1840trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The partial federal government shutdown entered its third day after funding lapsed Saturday morning, and the House still doesn’t have the votes needed to pass the Senate-approved bill to reopen agencies; attorneys representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein asked two federal judges to order the Justice Department to take down its Epstein-files website, saying the release exposed victims’ names and other identifying details and created an “unfolding emergency”; the Justice Department opened a federal civil rights investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti; Fulton County, Georgia, plans to sue the FBI and the Justice Department over a search warrant that county officials said resulted in the seizure of 2020 election records; Trump called on Republicans to “nationalize the voting” and seize control of election administration from states; and 44% of voters approve of Trump’s job performance, while 56% disapprove.
\n1/ The partial federal government shutdown entered its third day after funding lapsed Saturday morning, and the House still doesn’t have the votes needed to pass the Senate-approved bill to reopen agencies. The Senate measure would fund most of the government through the end of the fiscal year and extend Department of Homeland Security funding for two weeks. House Democrats, however, said they won’t help fast-track it and Speaker Mike Johnson has faced internal resistance from Republicans demanding changes, even as Trump warned that there can be “NO CHANGES at this time.” With Democrats withholding procedural votes, Johnson can only afford one Republican defection. Meaning, if two Republicans vote no, or one defects and another is absent, the bill will fail without Democratic support. The shutdown has already delayed the January jobs report and other labor market data until funding is restored. (ABC News / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / CNN / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Axios)
\n2/ Attorneys representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein asked two federal judges to order the Justice Department to take down its Epstein-files website, saying the release exposed victims’ names and other identifying details and created an “unfolding emergency.” On Friday, the Justice Department published the final tranche of Epstein documents to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act – more than a month after Congress’s Dec. 19 deadline. The release totaled more than three million pages, plus thousands of videos and images. Layers said they had flagged “thousands” of redaction failures affecting nearly 100 survivors, including FBI 302 victim statements and interview notes with full names visible, a document listing 32 underage victims with most names unredacted, and records that paired victims’ names with details like dates of birth, addresses, and bank or ID information. The Justice Department blamed “technical or human error,” said it has removed documents flagged by victims or counsel and is running its own searches for additional problems. It said it aims to repost corrected files within about 24 to 36 hours. Separately, Trump again denied wrongdoing connected to Epstein, saying he “never went to the infested Epstein island,” even though his name appears in at least 4,500 documents. The Justice Department, meanwhile, said “We did not protect President Trump,” while warning the files “may include fake or falsely submitted” material and “untrue and sensationalist claims.” (CNN / Axios / Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News / Politico / Washington Post / NPR / CNN / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / The Guardian)
\n3/ The Justice Department opened a federal civil rights investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti, who was shot by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the FBI is leading the review with Justice Department civil-rights lawyers involved, without explaining why the FBI was taking over the case from Homeland Security Investigations. Officials had claimed Pretti brandished a gun, but videos show him holding a phone as officers restrained him on the ground and removed a handgun from his clothes before shots were fired. Blanche said the DOJ’s decision to open a civil rights investigation into Pretti’s killing doesn’t change its earlier decision not to open a similar probe into the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renee Good. (Associated Press / Politico / Wall Street Journal)
\nU.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez refused to immediately block the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. Menendez said officials hadn’t shown that the deployment was unlawful or an unconstitutional attempt to coerce state cooperation, even as she cited evidence of racial profiling, excessive force, and widespread disruption in nearly all aspects of Minnesotans’ lives. (Politico / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Washington Post)
\nFederal prosecutors indicted journalist Don Lemon and eight others over a Jan. 18 protest that disrupted a service at a St. Paul church. Before the indictment, a magistrate judge declined to approve arrest warrants for Lemon and several others, citing insufficient evidence, and Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz later said there was “no evidence” Lemon or his producer committed or conspired to commit a crime. A judge in Los Angeles then released Lemon without bond after prosecutors sought a $100,000 bond and travel limits. His arraignment is set for Feb. 9 in federal court in Minneapolis. (Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / CNN / New York Times)
\nA federal judge ordered ICE to release 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, from detention in Texas, calling their seizure from a Minnesota suburb unconstitutional. Judge Fred Biery order didn’t decide the family’s immigration case. (Politico / Associated Press / New York Times)
\n4/ Fulton County, Georgia, plans to sue the FBI and the Justice Department over a search warrant that county officials said resulted in the seizure of 2020 election records. Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. said agents took hundreds of boxes of original ballots, ballot images and voter rolls, and he said a separate court order authorized only copying, leaving the county unable to confirm what was removed because “there was no chain-of-custody inventory.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was photographed outside the Fulton County election office during the operation, prompting Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence committees to demand she testify about why she was there. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said he didn’t know why Gabbard was present, adding that she was “not part of the grand jury investigation.” Gabbard reportedly met with FBI agents in Atlanta the next day and used her cellphone to call Trump, who spoke to agents on speakerphone. A White House spokesman said Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel were working together on the president’s election integrity priorities. After the seizure of Fulton Country election records, Trump then posted and reposted discredited conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, writing “Prosecutions are coming.” (NBC News / New York Times / CBS News / The Hill / CNN / Reuters / ABC News)
\npoll/ 44% of voters approve of Trump’s job performance, while 56% disapprove. 54% said the country is worse off than a year ago and 70% rated the economy as in bad shape. 45% said the economy will get worse this year, while 70% said Trump isn’t spending enough time on the economy, and 52% approved of his handling of border security. (Fox News)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 274 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,009 days.
\nTrump nominated former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh to chair the Fed. Trump said he expects Warsh to cut rates even though he said he didn’t get a commitment. Warsh, who served on the Fed’s Board of Governors from 2006 to 2011, has recently called for lower rates and “regime change” at the Fed. Senator Thom Tillis, meanwhile, said he’d oppose any Fed nominee until the Justice Department resolves its investigation into Jerome Powell’s handling of the Fed headquarters renovation. (New York Times / Bloomberg / CNBC)
\nTrump said the U.S. reached a trade deal with India that cuts tariffs on Indian goods to 18% in exchange for India “stop buying Russian Oil,” but no deal text or signed agreement was released. India has been importing roughly 1.5 million barrels a day of Russian oil. (CNN / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / New York Times)
\nA U.S. intelligence official filed a whistleblower complaint in May alleging wrongdoing by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, but the complaint itself hasn’t been shared with Congress and its contents remain undisclosed because it could cause “grave damage to national security.” The whistleblower’s lawyer said Gabbard’s office is blocking transmission by not providing the security instructions needed to send it securely. (Wall Street Journal)
\nThe Justice Department stripped Ed Martin of most authority and removed him from chairing the Weaponization Working Group. Martin had pushed investigations and attempted prosecutions of Trump’s perceived political foes, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI director James Comey, and Sen. Adam Schiff. Despite the demotion, the department said he “continues to do a great job” as Trump’s pardon attorney. (Washington Post / CNN)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The partial federal government shutdown entered its third day after funding lapsed Saturday morning, and the House still doesn’t have the votes needed to pass the Senate-approved bill to reopen agencies; attorneys representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein asked two federal judges to order the Justice Department to take down its Epstein-files website, saying the release exposed victims’ names and other...", "date_published": "2026-02-02T16:08:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/29/day-1836/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/29/day-1836/", "title": "Day 1836: “Moment of truth.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1836trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump and Senate Democrats said they reached a tentative agreement to fund most federal agencies through Sept. 30 while splitting Department of Homeland Security funding from the broader government spending package; earlier in the day, Senate Democrats blocked a six-bill spending package from advancing, demanding new limits on the Department of Homeland Security and ICE after the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis; Trump’s border czar said federal agencies were drafting a plan to “draw down” the roughly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol officers deployed to Minnesota under Operation Metro Surge; Trump held a White House Cabinet meeting, but didn’t call on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem or Attorney General Pam Bondi, and he ended the session without taking reporters’ questions; and 37% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, down from 40% in the fall.
\n1/ Trump and Senate Democrats said they reached a tentative agreement to fund most federal agencies through Sept. 30 while splitting Department of Homeland Security funding from the broader government spending package. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the deal would advance five spending bills to fund the government and extend DHS funding at current levels for two weeks as lawmakers negotiate new restrictions on immigration enforcement operations, including proposals to bar masks and require body cameras. “This is a moment of truth,” Schumer said. “What the nation witnessed […] in the streets of Minneapolis was a moral abomination […] And Congress has the authority and the moral obligation to act.” Trump urged lawmakers support the deal, saying “Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote.” Senate leaders are setting up a Thursday night vote, but the package would require unanimous consent from all 100 senators and still needs to go through the House, which is in recess until Monday, before it can be sent to Trump’s desk for his signature. Federal funding is set to expire Friday at midnight, meaning a partial shutdown could begin early Saturday. (Axios / NBC News / New York Times / Bloomberg / Politico / CNN / CBS News / The Hill / Associated Press)
\n2/ Earlier in the day, Senate Democrats blocked a six-bill spending package from advancing, demanding new limits on the Department of Homeland Security and ICE after the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis. The procedural vote failed 45–55 as Democrats insisted that DHS funding be split off from the rest of the package and renegotiated to include bans on masks, required body cameras and visible IDs, tighter warrant rules, and standardized use-of-force policies. (New York Times / Politico / Associated Press / CNN / ABC News / Axios / NPR / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Axios / Washington Post / Bloomberg / The Hill / CNBC)
\n3/ Trump’s border czar said federal agencies were drafting a plan to “draw down” the roughly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol officers deployed to Minnesota under Operation Metro Surge. While Tom Homan conceded the crackdown “hasn’t been perfect,” he also conditioned the potential “redeployment” of agents with expanded access to state and county jails and cast, calling it “commonsense cooperation.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said a drawdown would be “a step in the right direction,” but repeated that Metro Surge “must end.” Frey also urged other mayors to “speak up” against the Trump administration after two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by federal agents during the operation. (New York Times / NPR / Wall Street Journal / CNBC / Axios / CBS News / Associated Press / Washington Post / Bloomberg)
\n4/ Trump held a White House Cabinet meeting, but didn’t call on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem or Attorney General Pam Bondi, and he ended the session without taking reporters’ questions. The situation in Minnesota didn’t come up during the televised session, which comes following federal agents shooting and killing two U.S. citizens during immigration enforcement operations. Trump, however, opened the meeting by calling his last cabinet meeting “pretty boring,” but claimed “I didn’t sleep. I just closed them because I wanted to get the hell out of here.” (CNBC / New York Times / The Hill / NBC News / Associated Press)
\npoll/ 37% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, down from 40% in the fall. 50% say the administration’s actions have been worse than they expected, compared with 21% who say better than they expected. 27% say they support all or most of Trump’s policies and plans, down from 35% last year. (Pew Research Center)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 278 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,013 days; and it’s been 42 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\nOn Monday, I asked newsletter subscribers how they were making sense of yet another U.S. citizen being killed by ICE. I received more than 200 emails and here are few anonymous reflections that stood out to me and felt representative.
\n“I feel like I’m in Anne Frank’s diary. I want to speak out, I want to call my senators and tell them to do something, but at the same time I’m confident I’ll be a target.”
\n“We The People are the ones being murdered in the streets by our government.”
\n“As someone living in Minneapolis, it’s kind of a hellscape. Everyone’s struggling with stress and anxiety. The sense of community helps, but things are starting to feel hopeless when just being on the streets can get you shot.”
\n“Under Trump, America is a wealth of embarrassments. We don’t have the right to criticize other countries any more.”
\n“I’m too scared to protest anymore. As a nurse working in a pediatric hospital, my norm is to run toward the danger to take care of my kids, but I’m feeling more and more defeated without action at the federal level to stop this.”
\n“This is America today.”
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump and Senate Democrats said they reached a tentative agreement to fund most federal agencies through Sept. 30 while splitting Department of Homeland Security funding from the broader government spending package; earlier in the day, Senate Democrats blocked a six-bill spending package from advancing, demanding new limits on the Department of Homeland Security and ICE after the fatal shootings of...", "date_published": "2026-01-29T15:51:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/28/day-1835/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/28/day-1835/", "title": "Day 1835: “More relaxed.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1835trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: FBI agents executed a search warrant at Fulton County’s election facility near Atlanta, seeking records related to the 2020 election; Senate Democrats demanded new restrictions on ICE in any deal to avert a partial U.S. government shutdown; Trump’s domestic National Guard deployments are costing taxpayers about $93 million a month; the two federal officers who fired guns during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis were placed on administrative leave; Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a Minneapolis town hall when a man approached the lectern and used a syringe to spray her with an unknown liquid; the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady at 3.5% to 3.75%, defying pressure from Trump and pausing after three consecutive quarter-point cuts; Trump warned that a “massive Armada” led was heading toward Iran and threatened another U.S. attack if Tehran did not “make a deal” on its nuclear program; and a record 45% of Americans identified as political independents in 2025.
\n1/ FBI agents executed a search warrant at Fulton County’s election facility near Atlanta, seeking records related to the 2020 election. While FBI only said it was carrying out a “court authorized law enforcement action,” Fulton County said the warrant “sought a number of records related to 2020 elections.” The search comes a week after Trump repeated his false claim at Davos that the 2020 vote was “rigged” and that “people will soon be prosecuted for what they did.” It also follows the Justice Department’s civil lawsuit against court clerk Ché Alexander seeking the 2020 “physical ballots, stubs and absentee ballot envelopes.” (Associated Press / Reuters / Politico / New York Times / Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)
\n2/ Senate Democrats demanded new restrictions on ICE in any deal to avert a partial U.S. government shutdown. Democrats tied funding the Department of Homeland Security to legislation requiring warrants before agents enter homes, end roving patrols, mandate body cameras and visible identification, ban agents from wearing masks, and establish a uniform code of conduct with independent investigations after use-of-force incidents. Government funding expires Friday, and Republicans and the White House oppose rewriting the Homeland Security funding bill, warning that changes would likely force a shutdown if the package must return to the House. (Washington Post / Associated Press / Bloomberg / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Semafor)
\n3/ The two federal officers who fired guns during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis were placed on administrative leave. The preliminary internal review sent to Congress didn’t describe Pretti as brandishing a gun or trying to attack officers, directly undercutting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s initial claim that Pretti was “brandishing” a gun and Stephen Miller’s portrayal of him as a “domestic terrorist” and “assassin.” After the review, Miller shifted blame to Customs and Border Protection, saying DHS’s initial public narrative came from CBP reports “from a very chaotic scene” and that the White House was evaluating why CBP personnel “may not have been following” guidance to use extra forces for “force protection” and to create a “physical barrier” between arrest teams and “disruptors.” He also pointed to the operation’s leadership, placing blame on then-border patrol commander Gregory Bovino. Trump then suggested agents could use “more relaxed” and “de-escalated” tactics in Minnesota while the operation continued under border czar Tom Homan. The Justice Department, meanwhile, charged 16 Minneapolis protesters with assault and interference tied to the enforcement surge, Attorney General Pam Bondi said. (New York Times / NBC News / ABC News / Bloomberg / New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Bloomberg)
\n4/ Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a Minneapolis town hall when a man approached the lectern and used a syringe to spray her with an unknown liquid. She appeared unharmed and continued speaking after the man was tackled by security. Minneapolis police said 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault, and the FBI later took over the investigation. Trump, meanwhile, attacked Omar – a sitting member of Congress – suggesting without evidence that she “probably had herself sprayed.” Lawmakers from both parties condemned the assault. (Washington Post / ABC News / CNN / Axios / The Guardian / NPR / New York Times / Associated Press / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)
\n5/ The Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady at 3.5% to 3.75%, defying pressure from Trump and pausing after three consecutive quarter-point cuts. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the economy is expanding at a “solid pace,” while “job gains have remained low,” the unemployment rate has shown “some signs of stabilization,” and inflation remains “somewhat elevated.” The decision comes as the Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation into Powell over his testimony to Congress about cost overruns in a multibillion-dollar headquarters renovation. Powell has called the investigation politically motivated. (CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post)
\n6/ Trump warned that a “massive Armada” led was heading toward Iran and threatened another U.S. attack if Tehran did not “make a deal” on its nuclear program. He gave no specifics on the terms, beyond demanding “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS” and citing “Operation Midnight Hammer,” which was operation that struck Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump warned that “the next attack will be far worse.” Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations said Iran was “ready for dialogue” but would defend itself “IF PUSHED.” (CNBC / Politico / New York Times / ABC News / NBC News / Bloomberg / The Guardian)
\npoll/ 65% of Trump voters support the U.S. taking military action against at least one foreign country, with Iran drawing the highest support at about 50%. (Politico)
\npoll/ A record 45% of Americans identified as political independents in 2025, while Democrats and Republicans each accounted for 27%. Among independents, more leaned Democratic than Republican, giving Democrats a five-point edge in combined party identification and leanings, ending a three-year period in which Republicans held an advantage. (Gallup)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 279 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,014 days; and it’s been 41 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "FBI agents executed a search warrant at Fulton County’s election facility near Atlanta, seeking records related to the 2020 election; Senate Democrats demanded new restrictions on ICE in any deal to avert a partial U.S. government shutdown; Trump’s domestic National Guard deployments are costing taxpayers about $93 million a month; the two federal officers who fired guns during the fatal...", "date_published": "2026-01-28T16:40:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/27/day-1834/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/27/day-1834/", "title": "Day 1834: “A very good job.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1834trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump said he’ll be “watching over” an “honest investigation” into the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis before blaming Pretti for carrying a gun he was legally permitted to have; House Democrats threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem if Trump doesn’t fire her; Stephen Miller reportedly directed Noem to publicly claim that Alex Pretti wanted to “massacre” immigration agents after he was shot and killed in Minneapolis; Trump’s immigration policies coincided with a year-to-year drop in U.S. population growth; and U.S. consumer confidence fell in January to its lowest level since 2014 as Americans grew more pessimistic about the economy and the job market.
\n1/ Trump said he’ll be “watching over” an “honest investigation” into the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis before blaming Pretti for carrying a gun he was legally permitted to have. “You can’t walk in with guns,” Trump said. “You can’t do that.” Minnesota’s gun laws permit open carrying a handgun as long as the gun owner has a valid permit, which Minneapolis Police said Pretti had. Even the NRA, a longtime Trump ally, called the Trump administration’s rhetoric that officers could be “legally justified” in shooting an armed citizen “dangerous and wrong,” urging a full investigation instead of “demonizing law-abiding citizens.” Trump added that you’d have to be a “stupid person” not to think what happened to Pretti was “very unfortunate.” (New York Times / CNBC / Politico / Associated Press / The Guardian)
\n2/ House Democrats threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem if Trump doesn’t fire her. Democrats said Noem spread false or unsupported claims about the shooting, including that Pretti was “brandishing” a weapon and “violently” resisted officers, that they argued are contradicted by bystander video. Republicans Sens. Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski also called for Noem to resign. A DHS report sent to the House Oversight Committee, meanwhile, confirmed that two federal officers fired their guns at Pretti “approximately five seconds” after an officer yelled “He’s got a gun!” multiple times. The ultimatum came after Trump reportedly met for nearly two hours in the Oval Office with Noem and her top aide Corey Lewandowski to discuss the political and operational response in Minnesota. After the meeting, Trump said Noem was “doing a very good job” and rejected calls for her to step down. (CNBC / Politico / Washington Post / Axios / CBS News / New York Times / Associated Press / The Hill / ABC News / CNN / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)
\n3/ Stephen Miller reportedly directed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to publicly claim that Alex Pretti wanted to “massacre” immigration agents after he was shot and killed in Minneapolis. The DHS statement was rushed out under Miller’s guidance after reports that Pretti had a gun, despite limited information from the officers involved. Video later contradicted parts of that narrative, and Trump subsequently sent border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota. After the statement was released, Miller called Pretti “an assassin” on X, which JD Vance then amplified. (Axios)
\n4/ Trump’s immigration policies coincided with a year-to-year drop in U.S. population growth, which fell to 0.5% in 2025 from nearly 1% in 2024. The population grew by 1.8 million in 2025, the slowest rate of growth since the Covid-19 pandemic. Net international migration dropped to about 1.3 million from roughly 2.7 million a year earlier, a decline Census researchers said reflects tighter border controls late in Biden’s term and Trump’s immigration crackdown in the first half of his first year back in office. The Census Bureau projects that net immigration could fall to about 321,000 by mid-2026 if current trends continue. Births, meanwhile, barely exceeded deaths. (Associated Press / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal)
\n5/ U.S. consumer confidence fell in January to its lowest level since 2014 as Americans grew more pessimistic about the economy and the job market. the Conference Board reporting its index dropped 9.7 points to 84.5 – weaker than during the pandemic and missing all economist estimates. A separate expectations index, which measures consumers’ outlook for business conditions, jobs, and income over the next six months, fell 9.5 points to 65.1 – well below the recession warning threshold of 80. It’s the 12th consecutive month that the reading has come in under 80. (Bloomberg / ABC News / CNN / Associated Press)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 280 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,015 days; and it’s been 40 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump said he’ll be “watching over” an “honest investigation” into the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis before blaming Pretti for carrying a gun he was legally permitted to have; House Democrats threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem if Trump doesn’t fire her; Stephen Miller reportedly directed Noem to publicly claim that...", "date_published": "2026-01-27T16:51:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/26/day-1833/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/26/day-1833/", "title": "Day 1833: “Productive.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1833trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota” after a Border Patrol agent killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen; Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee ICE operations; Senate Democrats threatened to block the House-passed funding package unless Republicans strip out the Department of Homeland Security bill; the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel said polio, measles, and possibly all shots should be optional; and the American Academy of Pediatrics told parents to ignore the CDC’s revised federal guidance and instead follow its full childhood vaccine schedule.
\n1/ Trump agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota” after a Border Patrol agent killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen. Early Saturday, DHS claimed agents were on Nicollet Avenue for a “targeted operation” when Pretti “approached” them with a 9mm handgun intending to “massacre law enforcement,” and that he “violently resisted” efforts to disarm him. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Pretti had been “brandishing” a weapon, while Stephen Miller called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” and an “assassin.” Bystander video, however, shows Pretti holding a phone when agents first confront him. An officer then appears to remove a handgun from Pretti’s waistband area and step away. Less than a second later, an agent fired several rounds. In total, at least 10 shots were fired within five seconds. DHS claimed the Border Patrol agent fired in self-defense, but said investigators are reviewing body camera footage from multiple agents in the fatal shooting. On Sunday, Trump blamed the death on “Democrat run Sanctuary Cities and States” that said they’ve “created dangerous circumstances for EVERYONE involved” by “REFUSING to cooperate with ICE.” But on Monday, Trump said he had “a very good call” with Gov. Tim Walz and that they “seemed to be on a similar wavelength.” Walz’s office called the conversation “productive” and said Trump agreed to speak with DHS about ensuring state investigators can conduct an independent investigation. The White House later said Trump “does not want any Americans to lose their lives in the streets of America,” but press secretary Karoline Leavitt continued to blame Democrats, saying, “This tragedy occurred as a result of a deliberate and hostile resistance by Democrat leaders in Minnesota for weeks.” Pretti’s killing followed the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renée Good, another U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, that federal officials also defended as justified. (New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Axios / NBC News / CNN / New York Times / CNBC / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / New York Times)
\n2/ Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee ICE operations, and administration officials said senior Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was expected to leave Minneapolis. Bovino had become the public face of “Operation Metro Surge,” appearing alongside agents and publicly defending the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti while asserting without evidence that Pretti intended to “massacre” officers. The Trump administration positioned Homan as the new on-the-ground point person and insisted that Bovino would still lead Border Patrol nationally. Meanwhile, about 140 House Democrats have signed on to articles of impeachment targeting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. (ABC News / New York Times / Axios / NBC News / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Axios / Associated Press / Bloomberg / The Hill)
\n3/ Senate Democrats threatened to block the House-passed funding package unless Republicans strip out the Department of Homeland Security bill. Democrats said they won’t vote to fund ICE and Customs and Border Protection without new guardrails and accountability after Border Patrol agents killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Republicans have, so far, signaled they they’ll move ahead with the full package anyway as the White House said it didn’t want DHS funding separated out. Government funding is set to expire at the end of the week, and Republicans need at least seven Democratic votes to clear the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. (Associated Press / Washington Post / Bloomberg / Politico / CNN / The Hill / Politico)
\nThe CDC’s vaccine advisory panel said polio, measles, and possibly all shots should be optional. Kirk Milhoan argued personal autonomy outweighs preventable deaths. (New York Times)
\nThe American Academy of Pediatrics told parents to ignore the CDC’s revised federal guidance and instead follow its full childhood vaccine schedule. The AAP still recommends immunizations for 18 diseases—adding back shots like flu, Covid-19, and hepatitis A and B. (Wall Street Journal)
\nModerna’s won’t fund new late-stage vaccine trials because of U.S. hostility to immunizations. CEO Stéphane Bancel said regulatory delays and narrower U.S. eligibility under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have shrunk the market and undercut returns. (Bloomberg)
\nTrump threatened 100% tariffs on Canadian imports if Ottawa makes a trade deal with China. The warning comes after Canada announced a new strategic partnership with China. (CNN)
\nTrump said he will raise tariffs on South Korean autos, pharmaceuticals, and lumber from 15% to 25%. He blamed Seoul’s legislature for not approving a July 30, 2025 trade deal. (CNBC)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 281 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,016 days; and it’s been 39 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota” after a Border Patrol agent killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen; Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee ICE operations; Senate Democrats threatened to block the House-passed funding package unless Republicans strip out the Department of Homeland Security bill; the...", "date_published": "2026-01-26T16:04:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/22/day-1829/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/22/day-1829/", "title": "Day 1829: “Exploit the violence.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1829trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: An internal ICE memo signed by acting director Todd Lyons authorized immigration officers to forcibly enter a person’s home to arrest someone with a final order of removal using only an administrative warrant; House Democrats helped Republicans pass a Homeland Security funding bill that includes $10 billion for ICE; JD Vance said Minneapolis would be “less chaotic” if state and local officials would “cooperate” with the Trump administration on immigration enforcement; the Trump administration ordered most federal agencies to review funding sent to 14 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C.; no written documentation memorializing Trump’s verbal “framework” deal with NATO about Greenland exists; Trump sued JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon for $5 billion; Former special counsel Jack Smith testified publicly before the House Judiciary Committee, saying his investigation produced “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump “engaged in criminal activity” and that “no one should be above the law in our country”; 49% of voters say the country is worse off than a year ago and 56% disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance; and Trump said he’s expanding his defamation lawsuit against the New York Times after an unfavorable public opinion poll.
\n1/ An internal ICE memo signed by acting director Todd Lyons authorized immigration officers to forcibly enter a person’s home to arrest someone with a final order of removal using only an administrative warrant, according to a copy of the memo and a whistleblower complaint shared with Congress. The May 2025 document instructs officers to knock and identify themselves, operate between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., give occupants a “reasonable chance to act lawfully,” and then use a “necessary and reasonable amount of force” if refused entry. The memo claims DHS counsel found the practice consistent with the Fourth Amendment and immigration law, but cites no case law or statutory authority. And, according to the whistleblower disclosure, the directive directly conflicts with longstanding ICE and DHS training materials that administrative warrants don’t authorize nonconsensual entry into a residence. (Associated Press / ABC News / NBC News / CBS News / Washington Post / The Hill)
\n2/ House Democrats helped Republicans pass a Homeland Security funding bill that includes $10 billion for ICE, rejecting Democratic demands to block ICE from detaining or deporting U.S. citizens, restrict raids at sensitive locations, like schools and hospitals, and impose stricter limits on use of force. The bill largely holds ICE funding flat while adding $20 million for body cameras, mandating additional training and oversight, and trimming money for enforcement and removal operations and detention capacity – concessions that most Democrats said would do little to restrain the agency. Still, seven Democrats joined Republicans to narrowly approve the funding bill 220-207. The House separately passed a broader spending package, sending the funding measures to Senate days before a Jan. 30 government shutdown. (Politico / NBC News / NPR / New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post / Bloomberg / CBS News / Axios)
\n3/ JD Vance said Minneapolis would be “less chaotic” if state and local officials would “cooperate” with the Trump administration on immigration enforcement. Two weeks after Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent, sparking widespread protest, Vance said “This is the inevitable consequence of a state and local government that have decided that they’re not going to cooperate with immigration enforcement at all.” He added: “We can do a good job of enforcing our immigration laws without the chaos.” At the same time, a school district just north of Minneapolis said ICE agents detained four of its students in recent weeks, including a 5-year-old taken after his father was arrested. The district said agents refused requests to leave the child with another adult and had him knock on the door to see if others were inside, an account DHS disputes. The boy and his father are now being held together at a family detention facility in Texas. (NBC News / Washington Post / CNN / New York Times / The Guardian / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Washington Post)
\n4/ The Trump administration ordered most federal agencies to review funding sent to 14 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., directing them to compile data on their grants, loans and contracts. The Office of Management and Budget memo said the request is a data-gathering exercise to “reduce the improper and fraudulent use” of federal funds and doesn’t withhold money or violate court orders. It excludes the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments from the review. Agencies were told to report back by Jan. 28 – days before Trump has said he plans to cut off funding to states and cities with so-called “sanctuary” policies. (CNN / Washington Post / Associated Press / Politico)
\n5/ No written documentation memorializing Trump’s verbal “framework” deal with NATO about Greenland exists. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said he hasn’t been told what’s “concrete” in the framework, and said sovereignty and territorial integrity are “red lines,” while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said ceding territory is “non-negotiable” and any path must “respect international law and respects sovereignty.” Even so, NATO officials reportedly floated the idea of additional U.S. bases on land treated as sovereign U.S. territory. And one European official said the framework includes U.S. missiles and mining rights aimed at keeping Chinese interests out. Trump, meanwhile, said the U.S. would get “total access” with “no end, no time limit,” adding that U.S. acquisition of Greenland remained “possible.” (Bloomberg / CNN / CNBC / The Guardian / Axios /New York Times)
\n6/ Trump sued JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon for $5 billion, alleging the bank closed accounts tied to Trump and his businesses for “political discrimination” following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The lawsuit, however, doesn’t publicly say how Trump determined that politics motivated the decision. It says JPMorgan gave him roughly 60 days’ notice in early 2021, offered no explanation for the closures, and later placed Trump, the Trump Organization and family members on an unspecified “blacklist” that the complaint claimed discouraged other banks. JPMorgan said the suit “has no merit,” denied closing accounts for political or religious reasons, and said account terminations are driven by legal or regulatory risk. (Associated Press / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / CNN / Washington Post / CNBC / Politico / New York Times)
\n7/ Former special counsel Jack Smith testified publicly before the House Judiciary Committee, saying his investigation produced “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump “engaged in criminal activity” and that “no one should be above the law in our country.” Smith, defending his decision to indict Trump twice, told lawmakers that Trump was “by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person” for efforts to overturn the 2020 election, saying “these crimes were committed for his benefit” and that the Jan. 6 attack “does not happen without him.” Smith said Trump “sought to exploit the violence.” He rejected Republican claims of political bias, saying “I am not a politician and I have no partisan loyalties,” “we followed the facts and we followed the law,” and that subpoenas for lawmakers’ phone records were routine, adding “my office didn’t spy on anyone.” As Trump attacked him on social media during the hearing and called for his prosecution, Smith said the statements were “meant to intimidate me” and that he expects the Trump Justice Department to indict him “because they’ve been ordered to by the president.” Smith said, “I will not be intimidated,” while warning that failure to hold powerful figures accountable “can be catastrophic” for the rule of law. (NPR / New York Times / Politico / Bloomberg / NBC News / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Washington Post / ABC News)
\npoll/ Democrats lead the generic 2026 midterm congressional ballot 48% to 42% among likely voters. While partisan voters largely backed their own party, independents broke for the Democratic candidate 50% to 28%. (Emerson College Polling)
\npoll/ 49% of voters say the country is worse off than a year ago, while 32% say it is better off. 56% disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance, including 66% disapproval on the cost of living and 58% disapproval on the economy and immigration. 40% approve of his presidency overall. 73% of Republicans saying the country is better off compared with 86% of Democrats and 52% of independents saying it is worse off. 34% of independents approving of Trump’s job performance. (New York Times)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 285 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,020 days; it’s been 35 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "An internal ICE memo signed by acting director Todd Lyons authorized immigration officers to forcibly enter a person’s home to arrest someone with a final order of removal using only an administrative warrant; House Democrats helped Republicans pass a Homeland Security funding bill that includes $10 billion for ICE; JD Vance said Minneapolis would be “less chaotic” if state and...", "date_published": "2026-01-22T16:27:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/21/day-1828/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/21/day-1828/", "title": "Day 1828: “In the midst of a rupture.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1828trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump said he would drop planned tariffs on eight European countries, claiming he had “the framework of a future deal” on Greenland and Arctic security; Trump said “Canada lives because of the United States” after Prime Minister Mark Carney argued at Davos that the U.S.-led “rules-based order” bargain “no longer works” and that “we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition”; Congress released a bipartisan funding package to keep most of the federal government open ahead of a Jan. 30 shutdown deadline; House Democrats said they’ll oppose a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security; and the Department of Homeland Security launched “Operation Catch of the Day” and started arresting immigrants in Maine.
\n1/ Trump said he would drop planned tariffs on eight European countries, claiming he had “the framework of a future deal” on Greenland and Arctic security. He said the 10% tariffs scheduled for Feb. 1 were no longer needed after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. While Trump didn’t release any details of the framework, the compromise reportedly involves Denmark giving the U.S. sovereignty over small areas of Greenland’s territory to build military bases. Trump claims he needs Greenland for his proposed “golden dome,” a missile defense system that could cover North America. NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart only confirmed that negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the U.S. “will go forward” focused on Arctic security and limiting Russia and China influence. Danish officials, meanwhile, publicly reiterated that sovereignty is a red line. (Associated Press / NBC News / Bloomberg / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / Politico / Axios / CNN / CNBC)
\n2/ Trump said “Canada lives because of the United States” after Prime Minister Mark Carney argued at Davos that the U.S.-led “rules-based order” bargain “no longer works” and that “we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.” Trump said Canada “gets a lot of freebies from us” and “should be grateful,” saying Ottawa is a beneficiary of U.S. protection and of his proposed “Golden Dome” missile-defense plan. Carney, speaking the day before without naming Trump, said great powers are using “tariffs as leverage” and warned that “if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.” (CBC / Reuters / Bloomberg / Axios / New York Times)
\n3/ Congress released a bipartisan funding package to keep most of the federal government open ahead of a Jan. 30 shutdown deadline. The legislation would fund the Pentagon and major domestic agencies, including Homeland Security, while preserving ICE’s roughly $10 billion budget. While the package provides $20 million for ICE body cameras, it stops short of limits on arrests, detention practices, or deportations that Democrats demanded. The House plans to vote later this week with a separate vote on DHS funding. In the Senate, however, passage is uncertain because Republicans need Democratic support to reach the 60 votes required. (Politico / NBC News / Washington Post / Axios / CBS News / CNN)
\n4/ House Democrats said they’ll oppose a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. In a closed-door meeting, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other leaders argued the bill doesn’t meaningfully constrain ICE. Republicans, however, are expected to pass the measure without Democratic help. (Axios / Politico / NBC News)
\n5/ The Department of Homeland Security launched “Operation Catch of the Day” and started arresting immigrants in Maine. DHS said the operation targeted people with criminal convictions and, according to U.S. officials, focused largely on immigrants from Somalia. Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blamed Maine Gov. Janet Mills and other Democratic “sanctuary politicians” for prompting the operation. It’s not clear how long the operation would last or how many federal agents were deployed. (ABC News / Washington Post / New York Times)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 286 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,021 days; it’s been 34 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump said he would drop planned tariffs on eight European countries, claiming he had “the framework of a future deal” on Greenland and Arctic security; Trump said “Canada lives because of the United States” after Prime Minister Mark Carney argued at Davos that the U.S.-led “rules-based order” bargain “no longer works” and that “we are in the midst of a...", "date_published": "2026-01-21T14:59:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/20/day-1827/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/20/day-1827/", "title": "Day 1827: “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1827trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Global markets fell sharply after Trump threatened 10% tariffs on imports from Denmark and seven other European countries if they refuse to support his effort to acquire Greenland; Trump said he was confident the U.S. would acquire Greenland and declined to set any limits on his approach, saying “You’ll find out”; Trump, in a text message to the Norwegian prime minister, wrote that losing the Nobel Peace Prize made him feel less obligated to “think purely of Peace”; federal prosecutors served grand jury subpoenas to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and at least three other Democratic officials; the Justice Department said it discovered evidence suggesting members of DOGE improperly accessed and shared Social Security data with a political advocacy group seeking to overturn election results in certain states; and 58% of Americans call the first year of his second term a failure.
\n1/ Global markets fell sharply after Trump threatened 10% tariffs on imports from Denmark and seven other European countries if they refuse to support his effort to acquire Greenland. Trump said the duties would increase to 25% if a deal isn’t reached by June. European Union officials said they’re preparing retaliatory tariffs exceeding $100 billion and are considering activating the bloc’s anti-coercion instrument, which could restrict U.S. companies’ access to EU markets. Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether Trump can even legally impose the proposed tariffs at all as the Supreme Court is set to rule on whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act authorizes country-specific tariffs. (NBC News / Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News / CNBC / Bloomberg / CNN / Wall Street Journal)
\n2/ Trump said he was confident the U.S. would acquire Greenland and declined to set any limits on his approach, saying “You’ll find out.” Greenland’s prime minister, meanwhile, warned residents to prepare, saying a military conflict “can’t be ruled out.” Despite Trump’s repeated threats, U.S. officials said the Pentagon hasn’t been instructed to plan an invasion of Greenland. (Bloomberg / Axios / Wall Street Journal / The Guardian / Associated Press / Washington Post / CNBC / CNN / Politico / New York Times)
\n3/ Trump, in a text message to the Norwegian prime minister, wrote that losing the Nobel Peace Prize made him feel less obligated to “think purely of Peace.” Trump’s message to Gahr Støre read: “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.” His text concluded: “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.” Norway, however, isn’t responsible for the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize. The independent Norwegian Nobel Committee’s five members are. (New York Times / Politico / Reuters / NPR / CNBC / Axios)
\n4/ Federal prosecutors served grand jury subpoenas to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and at least three other Democratic officials as part of the Justice Department’s investigation into their response to the Trump administration’s immigration operation in the Twin Cities. The subpoenas demand documents dating back to early 2025 related to “cooperation or lack of cooperation with federal immigration authorities,” but don’t cite a specific criminal statute or allege any particular acts of interference. The Justice Department said the investigation focuses in part on public statements criticizing ICE after an agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, though – again – they didn’t disclosed evidence that Walz, Frey, or others directed agents be blocked or encouraged violence. (New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Reuters / NBC News / Associated Press / Washington Post)
\n5/ The Justice Department said it discovered evidence suggesting members of DOGE improperly accessed and shared Social Security data with a political advocacy group seeking to overturn election results in certain states. The filing said DOGE personnel used unapproved third-party services to circulate SSA information internally and that at least some access occurred while a court order restricted DOGE’s use of the data. At the same time, the government said it hasn’t found proof that Social Security data was actually provided to the advocacy group, and it remains unclear what specific information was accessed or shared. SSA, meanwhile, said it referred the employees involved for potential Hatch Act violations. (Politico / Axios / Washington Post)
\npoll/ 61% of Americans say ICE is being too tough, and 51% say ICE operations make communities less safe. Overall approval of Trump’s deportation program has fallen to 46% – its lowest point of his second term. (CBS News)
\npoll/ 58% of Americans call the first year of his second term a failure. 55% say Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions, while just 32% say they’ve improved them, and 64% say he hasn’t gone far enough to reduce everyday prices. (CNN)
\npoll/ 54% of voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 45% approve. 58% said Trump’s policies were responsible for the current economy, and by 15 percentage points, more voters rated Trump’s economy as weak rather than strong. (Wall Street Journal)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 287 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,022 days; it’s been 33 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Global markets fell sharply after Trump threatened 10% tariffs on imports from Denmark and seven other European countries if they refuse to support his effort to acquire Greenland; Trump said he was confident the U.S. would acquire Greenland and declined to set any limits on his approach, saying “You’ll find out”; Trump, in a text message to the Norwegian prime...", "date_published": "2026-01-20T17:05:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/15/day-1822/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/15/day-1822/", "title": "Day 1822: “Turn the temperature down.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1822trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump threatened to “institute the INSURRECTION ACT” after an ICE officer shot a Venezuelan man in the leg during an arrest; Trump delayed a decision on U.S. strikes on Iran after senior advisers warned him that even a large-scale attack was unlikely to topple the regime and risked wider regional retaliation; María Corina Machado presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize for peaceful pro-democracy activism weeks after Trump ordered military raid that captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro; several NATO allies began deploying small numbers of troops to Greenland after U.S. talks resulted in a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland’s future; Trump announced what he called “The Great Healthcare Plan” and urged Congress to “pass this framework into law without delay,” but the White House released only a high-level outline with no legislative text, no cost estimates, no eligibility rules, no enforcement mechanisms, and no timeline for implementation; and more than half of the 24 members of Congress who are 80 or older have decided to run again.
\n1/ Trump threatened to “institute the INSURRECTION ACT” after an ICE officer shot a Venezuelan man in the leg during an arrest – the second shooting by a federal agent in Minneapolis in a week. The Department of Homeland Security claimed the man resisted arrest and “violently” assaulted the officer, a claim that hasn’t been independently verified and is disputed by state and local officials. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz urged peaceful protests and implored Trump to “turn the temperature down” and “stop this campaign of retribution.” The White House, meanwhile, accused Walz of “encouraging violence against law enforcement,” and claimed the demonstrations were an “insurgency.” Minnesota said any attempt to deploy the military would be challenged in court. (New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post / NPR / Politico / CBS News / ABC News / Reuters / NBC News / Axios / Wall Street Journal / The Guardian / CNN / Bloomberg)
\n2/ Trump delayed a decision on U.S. strikes on Iran after senior advisers warned him that even a large-scale attack was unlikely to topple the regime and risked wider regional retaliation. U.S. allies in the region, including Israel, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, also warned Trump against a strike on Iran. The White House said “all options” remained open even as Iran signaled it wouldn’t proceed with executions of protesters after weeks of nationwide protests Iranian that security forces have violently suppressed. The U.S., meanwhile, directed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group toward the Middle East, and imposed new sanctions on Iranian security and financial officials. (Axios / NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / The Hill / Washington Post)
\n3/ María Corina Machado presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize for peaceful pro-democracy activism weeks after Trump ordered military raid that captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro. It’s not clear whether Trump accepted it, and the Norwegian Nobel Institute reiterated that the prize cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred. Separately, the Senate blocked a war powers resolution that would’ve required congressional approval for future U.S. military action related to Venezuela. JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie. And, the U.S. Coast Guard said it seized a sixth oil tanker linked to Venezuela’s sanctioned oil trade, boarding the vessel now named Galileo, previously Veronica, in the Caribbean under a U.S. warrant tied to alleged past Iranian oil shipments. (NBC News / New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / CNBC / Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / NBC News)
\n4/ Several NATO allies began deploying small numbers of troops to Greenland after U.S. talks resulted in a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland’s future. Denmark said the deployments under Operation Arctic Endurance are limited and exercise-focused. NATO hasn’t formally approved the operation, and participating governments haven’t said whether the presence will be permanent. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called Wednesday’s meeting with JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “frank but constructive.” (CNBC / BBC / The Guardian / Politico / Bloomberg / NBC News)
\n5/ Trump announced what he called “The Great Healthcare Plan” and urged Congress to “pass this framework into law without delay,” but the White House released only a high-level outline with no legislative text, no cost estimates, no eligibility rules, no enforcement mechanisms, and no timeline for implementation. The framework, however, explicitly rejects extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits that expired at the end of 2025 and helped keep premiums down for more than 20 million people. Instead, it proposes sending that money “directly” to consumers through health savings–style accounts without saying how much funding would be provided, who would qualify, whether the payments would cover monthly premiums, or whether plans purchased with the money would have to meet ACA standards, such as coverage for preexisting conditions. Nevertheless, much of the “plan” asks Congress to codify or expand policies the administration has already pursued, including voluntary “most favored nation” drug-pricing deals, new price transparency requirements for insurers and providers, and expanded access to over-the-counter drugs, but doesn’t specify which drugs, what penalties would apply for noncompliance, or which agencies would oversee enforcement. When asked whether Trump could guarantee that people would be able to afford their health care under the “The Great Healthcare Plan,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt replied: “If this plan is put in place, every single American who has health care in the United States will see lower costs as a result.” (New York Times / Associated Press / Politico / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Axios / NBC News / Associated Press)
\n✨ WELL, THAT’S FANTASTIC.\n6/ More than half of the 24 members of Congress who are 80 or older have decided to run again. Thirteen Silent Generation lawmakers are seeking new terms despite broad bipartisan voter support for age limits. (NBC News)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 292 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,027 days; it’s been 27 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump threatened to “institute the INSURRECTION ACT” after an ICE officer shot a Venezuelan man in the leg during an arrest; Trump delayed a decision on U.S. strikes on Iran after senior advisers warned him that even a large-scale attack was unlikely to topple the regime and risked wider regional retaliation; María Corina Machado presented Trump with her Nobel Peace...", "date_published": "2026-01-15T15:42:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/14/day-1821/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/14/day-1821/", "title": "Day 1821: “Definitely no regrets whatsoever.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1821trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: FBI agents searched the Virginia home of a Washington Post reporter; Denmark said it still had a “fundamental disagreement” with the Trump administration over Greenland; the Pentagon began evacuating nonessential personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a precaution while Trump weighs possible military strikes over Iran’s crackdown on protests; the State Department said it will indefinitely pause immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries; Trump gave an autoworker who called him a “pedophile protector” the middle finger and twice mouthed “fuck you” while touring a Ford plant in Michigan; and 2025 was the third-warmest on record, and the past 11 years have been the 11 warmest.
\n1/ FBI agents searched the Virginia home of a Washington Post reporter and seized her phone, two laptops and a Garmin watch as part of an investigation into a Pentagon contractor accused of unlawfully retaining classified national defense information. The search, conducted at the Pentagon’s request, sought evidence of communications between Hannah Natanson and the contractor, Aurelio Perez-Lugones, even though Natanson and the Post were told they aren’t targets and haven’t been accused of wrongdoing. Court papers charge Perez-Lugones only with retaining classified material and don’t accuse him of leaking or sharing information with Natanson. Attorney General Pam Bondi, however, claims that Natanson was “obtaining and reporting classified and illegally leaked information.” Investigators said documents marked “SECRET,” including one found in a lunchbox, were recovered from Perez-Lugones’s home and car. (Associated Press / New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / The Guardian / ABC News / CNN)
\n2/ Denmark said it still had a “fundamental disagreement” with the Trump administration over Greenland after talks in Washington. Prior to the meeting, Trump insisted that “the United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security” and that “anything less than” U.S. control of the territory was “unacceptable.” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called U.S. proposals that don’t respect Denmark’s territorial integrity or Greenlanders’ right to self-determination “totally unacceptable.” (Bloomberg / CNBC / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Politico / New York Times / NBC News / CNBC / NPR)
\n3/ The Pentagon began evacuating nonessential personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a precaution while Trump weighs possible military strikes over Iran’s crackdown on protests. U.S. intelligence assessed that if Trump strikes Iran, Tehran would retaliate against U.S. forces in the region, including the al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Trump, meanwhile, claimed that “I’ve been told that on good authority” by unnamed “very important sources” that Iran has “no plan for executions” of anti-regime protesters. “We’ll find out about it. I’m sure if it happens I’ll be very upset.” (Wall Street Journal / CNN / NBC News / Axios / Washington Post / New York Times)
\n4/ The State Department said it will indefinitely pause immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries. The pause begins Jan. 21, and applies only to immigrant visas for people seeking permanent residency that the administration considers likely to become a “public charge.” It doesn’t apply to nonimmigrant visas, such as those for tourists, students or temporary workers. The U.S. issued more than 600,000 immigrant visas in 2024, and immigration analysts estimate the suspension could block nearly half of all legal immigrants if it remains in effect for a year. (Reuters / Associated Press / Politico / Bloomberg / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)
\n5/ Trump gave an autoworker who called him a “pedophile protector” the middle finger and twice mouthed “fuck you” while touring a Ford plant in Michigan. The White House called Trump’s response “appropriate,” calling TJ Sabula “a lunatic [who] was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage.” Ford suspended Sabula, who said he had “definitely no regrets whatsoever.” A GoFundMe campaign, titled “TJ Sabula is a patriot!!,” has raised nearly $500,000 so far. (Washington Post / CBS News / The Guardian / Bloomberg)
\npoll/ 56% of Americans say Trump has “gone too far” in using the U.S. military to intervene abroad, while fewer say his actions have been about right. Nearly half of Americans want the U.S. to take a less active role in world affairs, about one-third say the current role is about right, and roughly 2 in 10 want the U.S. to be more involved. (Associated Press)
\npoll/ 70% of voters said the U.S. shouldn’t take military action against Iran if protesters there are killed, while 18% said the U.S. should take action, and 12% were undecided. 70% of voters said Trump should first receive approval from Congress before taking military action against another country, compared with 24% who said congressional approval isn’t needed.(Quinnipiac)
\npoll/ 51% of Americans say ICE is making U.S. cities less safe, while 31% say they are making cities safer, and 18% say they’ve had little effect. 52% of Americans say Trump’s deportation efforts have gone too far, compared with about one-third who say he hasn’t gone far enough. (CNN)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 293 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,028 days; it’s been 26 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\nA federal three-judge panel upheld California’s new congressional maps, dismissing Republican and Trump administration claims that the voter-approved plan was an illegal racial gerrymander. The 2–1 ruling keeps the maps in place for upcoming midterm elections. Republicans are expected to appeal despite the Supreme Court’s recent refusal to block a similar Texas map. (Politico / New York Times)
\nTrump said he will cut off federal funding to so-called “sanctuary cities” and their states starting Feb. 1, the latest attempt to use federal funding to punish local governments that disagree with his policy positions, like diversity and inclusion practices, and immigration enforcement. Two previous efforts by Trump to cut off funding for sanctuary jurisdictions were blocked by the courts. (NBC News / Bloomberg)
\nThe Trump administration abruptly terminated hundreds of federal grants for mental health and addiction services, offering little detail about which programs were cut or why. More than 2,000 grants totaling nearly $2 billion are affected. (Washington Post / NPR)
\n2025 was the third-warmest on record, and the past 11 years have been the 11 warmest. Global average temperatures were about 1.47 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. (NBC News / NPR)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "FBI agents searched the Virginia home of a Washington Post reporter; Denmark said it still had a “fundamental disagreement” with the Trump administration over Greenland; the Pentagon began evacuating nonessential personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a precaution while Trump weighs possible military strikes over Iran’s crackdown on protests; the State Department said it will indefinitely pause...", "date_published": "2026-01-14T15:15:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/13/day-1820/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/13/day-1820/", "title": "Day 1820: “That jerk will be gone soon.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1820trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: At least six federal prosecutors in Minnesota and at least five senior prosecutors in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division resigned over the Trump administration’s handling of the fatal shooting of Renée Good by an ICE officer; Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul sued the Trump administration to block what they called an “unprecedented” surge of thousands of federal immigration officers into the area; Trump encouraged Iranian protesters to “keep protesting” and to “take over your institutions,” saying “help is on the way”; Jeanine Pirro subpoenaed the Federal Reserve without seeking approval from senior Justice Department officials; Global central bank leaders issued a rare joint statement backing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell; consumer prices rose 2.7% in December from a year earlier; and about 1.4 million fewer people have enrolled in Affordable Care Act health plans so far this year.
\n1/ At least six federal prosecutors in Minnesota and at least five senior prosecutors in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division resigned over the Trump administration’s handling of the fatal shooting of Renée Good by an ICE officer. In Minnesota, at least five prosecutors from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minneapolis, including the office’s second-in-command, stepped down after the Justice Department wanted to investigate Good’s widow for possible ties to activist groups protesting immigration enforcement – rather than open a civil rights investigation into the shooting. And in Washington, five senior prosecutors in the criminal section of the Civil Rights Division said they were leaving after the department declined to pursue a criminal civil rights probe, even as Trump administration officials publicly described Good as a “domestic terrorist” without providing evidence. The Justice Department, however, said the Civil Rights Division leaders had requested early retirement before the shooting and said “any suggestion to the contrary is false.” (New York Times / Minnesota Public Radio / Washington Post / MS Now / Axios / New York Times)
\n2/ Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul sued the Trump administration to block what they called an “unprecedented” surge of thousands of federal immigration officers into the area. The lawsuit, asking a federal judge to order the agents removed immediately, alleged the deployment and enforcement tactics violate the Constitution, including the Tenth Amendment. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the state was being targeted and called the operation a federal “invasion.” About 2,000 DHS officers and agents are already deployed to the area and roughly 1,000 more CBP officers are being sent. Federal officials, meanwhile, called the suits baseless and saying immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility. The White House called the lawsuit a “pathetic stunt” that prioritizes “illegal criminals” over Americans. (NBC News / New York Times / Axios / Politico / New York Times)
\n3/ Trump encouraged Iranian protesters to “keep protesting” and to “take over your institutions,” saying “help is on the way.” Iran is facing nationwide protests over the collapse of Iran’s economy and political repression. Security forces have responded by killing more than 2,000 people and arresting roughly 16,700, while shutting down the internet to prevent demonstrators from organizing and to stop images and video from reaching the outside world. Trump, meanwhile, said he had “cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS.” The White House is reportedly considering a range of options on Iran, ranging from nonmilitary steps to possible strikes. (Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Axios / New York Times / Associated Press / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Washington Post)
\n4/ Jeanine Pirro subpoenaed the Federal Reserve without seeking approval from senior Justice Department officials. Nevertheless, the former Fox News host now serving as U.S. attorney in Washington said she plans to keep pursuing a criminal probe tied to Chairman Jerome Powell’s congressional testimony on headquarters renovation cost overruns. Powell said the Justice Department served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas and threatened a criminal indictment that he described as politically motivated pressure over interest rate policy. Pirro said the Fed had “ignored” her office’s outreach, “necessitating the use of legal process.” The Fed reportedly received two emails from Pirro’s office late last year that didn’t cite a criminal inquiry or set response deadlines. (Bloomberg / The Hill / NBC News / ABC News / Politico)
\n5/ Global central bank leaders issued a rare joint statement backing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell after the Justice Department served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas tied to his congressional testimony on renovations of its Washington headquarters. “We stand in full solidarity with the Federal Reserve System and its Chair Jerome H. Powell,” the officials said, arguing that central bank independence is a “cornerstone of price, financial and economic stability.” Powell said the subpoenas amounted to political “intimidation” aimed at forcing faster interest rate cuts. Trump, meanwhile, denied ordering the investigation but continued to attack Powell, saying he was “either incompetent or crooked” and complaining that the Fed chair was “billions of dollars over budget” on the renovation, before later adding: “That jerk will be gone soon.” (Politico / Bloomberg / New York Times / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Associated Press)
\n6/ Consumer prices rose 2.7% in December from a year earlier, matching November, with core inflation running about 2.6% to 2.7%. With inflation still above the Fed’s 2 percent goal, Federal Reserve officials are expected to hold rates steady even as Trump demands “MEANINGFULLY” lower rates. (CNN / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / New York Times)
\n7/ About 1.4 million fewer people have enrolled in Affordable Care Act health plans so far this year compared with last year’s final enrollment. Measured against the same point in last year’s enrollment window, sign-ups were down by about 800,000 people, reflecting declines among both new enrollees and returning customers. The figures reflect only early January selections and doesn’t distinguish between people postponing enrollment, switching coverage, or exiting the insurance market entirely. (Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 294 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,029 days; it’s been 25 days since the Trump administration was required by law to release the Epstein files.
\nFormer Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith will testify publicly before the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 22 about his Trump investigations. The appearance follows a closed-door deposition where Smith said the Jan. 6 Capitol riot “does not happen” without Trump and denied claims that his prosecutions were designed to block Trump’s 2024 return to power. Smith’s investigations produced two indictments that were later abandoned after Trump won the presidency due to longstanding Justice Department policy barring prosecution of a sitting president. (NBC News / Associated Press)
\nBill Clinton refused to appear for a House Oversight Committee deposition in its Jeffrey Epstein investigation, prompting Chairman James Comer to threaten contempt of Congress even though Clinton hasn’t been accused of wrongdoing. Clinton and his lawyers called the subpoena legally invalid, and accused Republicans of selectively enforcing compliance for political effect. Comer said the committee will proceed toward a contempt vote anyway. (Washington Post / Associated Press / Politico / New York Times)
\nA House Republican introduced legislation to authorize Trump to annex or otherwise acquire Greenland. Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, however, rejected the premise and said Greenland would choose Denmark and “does not want to be part of the United States.” (Axios / Bloomberg / New York Times / Politico)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "At least six federal prosecutors in Minnesota and at least five senior prosecutors in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division resigned over the Trump administration’s handling of the fatal shooting of Renée Good by an ICE officer; Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul sued the Trump administration to block what they called an “unprecedented” surge of thousands of federal immigration officers...", "date_published": "2026-01-13T15:46:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/12/day-1819/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/12/day-1819/", "title": "Day 1819: “Well, I should have.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1819trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas threatening a criminal indictment; the Justice Department fired a senior prosecutor over a disagreement about whether to pursue a re-indictment of former FBI Director James Comey; Trump is reportedly considering a military strike on Iran to punish the regime for killing hundreds of protesters; Trump said he regrets not ordering the National Guard to seize voting machines after his loss in the 2020 presidential election; a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from freezing more than $10 billion in child care and social services funding for five Democratic-led states; the EPA will stop assigning a dollar value to lives saved and other health benefits when setting air pollution rules; 52% of Americans disapprove of ICE; 45% of Americans identified as political independents in 2025 – the highest level recorded; and a San Francisco man who helped invent psychedelic rock and spent six decades playing guitar turning a long, strange trip into a shared cultural experience died at 78.
\n1/ The Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas threatening a criminal indictment tied to his congressional testimony on the Fed’s headquarters renovation. “Those are pretexts,” Powell said. “The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President. This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions – or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.” The renovation project is about $700 million over budget and expected to cost roughly $2.5 billion. Meanwhile, Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to fire Powell, said he didn’t “know anything about” the investigation, but denied it was about punishing the central bank for setting rates based on economic conditions rather than his demands. Nevertheless, he said Powell was “not very good at the Fed” and “not very good at building buildings.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, however, privately warned Trump that the investigation had “made a mess of things,” and Republican senators said they’d block confirmation of any Fed nominees until the matter is resolved, complicating Trump’s pending choice to replace Powell when his chair term ends in May. (New York Times / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / NBC News / Axios / New York Times / Politico / Wall Street Journal / The Guardian / CNBC / Axios / NPR / Washington Post)
\n2/ The Justice Department fired a senior prosecutor over a disagreement about whether to pursue a re-indictment of former FBI Director James Comey. In November, a judge dismissed the Comey indictment after finding that Lindsey Halligan had been unlawfully appointed as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Robert McBride had declined to lead a renewed indictment effort, but also secretly met with federal judges in the district to try to get appointed acting U.S. attorney. (NBC News / New York Times)
\n3/ Trump is reportedly considering a military strike on Iran to punish the regime for killing hundreds of protesters. U.S. officials said no final decision has been made and diplomatic options remain under review, but Trump confirmed that “the military is looking” at “some very strong options.” Iran, meanwhile, said it is “fully prepared for war,” but also ready to reopen negotiations over its nuclear program, a move U.S. officials describe as an effort to de-escalate or delay military action. The protests began over the collapse of Iran’s currency and rising living costs, then spread after security forces used lethal force, turning economic demonstrations into calls for an end to clerical rule. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said more than 500 people have been killed and over 10,000 detained, but the scale of the crackdown remains unclear because Iran has released no official numbers, and has imposed a nationwide communications blackout that limits independent verification. Trump also said that any country doing business with Iran will face a 25% tariff “on any and all business being done with the United States of America.” Iran’s major trading partners include India, Turkey, and China. (Axios / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Axios / Politico / Associated Press / Washington Post)
\n4/ Trump said he regrets not ordering the National Guard to seize voting machines after his loss in the 2020 presidential election, saying “Well, I should have.” Trump said the machines should have been taken to search for evidence supporting his baselessly false claim that the election was stolen from him, but questioned whether the Guard was “sophisticated enough” to do so, adding that they’re “good warriors” but not skilled in dealing with what he called “crooked Democrats and the way they cheat.” The idea was reportedly discussed during a December 2020 Oval Office meeting, but was rejected by senior officials, including then attorney general William Barr, who said there was no legal basis or evidence to justify seizing the machines. (New York Times / Washington Post / The Guardian)
\npoll/ 52% of Americans disapprove of ICE, while 39% approve. 51% said ICE’s tactics were too forceful, compared with 27% who said they were about right, and 10% who wanted more force. Separate data found that 42% of adults support abolishing ICE entirely – the highest support for abolition on record. (Strength in Numbers / Axios)
\npoll/ 45% of Americans identified as political independents in 2025 – the highest level recorded – while an equal share of 27% each identified as Democrats or Republicans. When independents were asked their partisan leanings, 47% of Americans identified as Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents, compared with 42% who identified as Republicans or Republican leaners. (Gallup)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 295 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,030 days.
\nA federal judge blocked the Trump administration from freezing more than $10 billion in child care and social services funding for five Democratic-led states. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian didn’t rule on the legality of the funding freeze, but said the five states met a legal threshold “to protect the status quo” for at least 14 days, while the court considers whether the administration can withhold money Congress already appropriated. The administration claimed the states were providing benefits to people in the country illegally. (Associated Press / Politico / New York Times)
\nTrump said civil rights-era protections left white people “very badly treated,” claiming without evidence that the Civil Rights Act produced “reverse discrimination.” He claimed that affirmative action and diversity measures unfairly blocked white people from college admissions and jobs, framing those policies as central to his campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. (New York Times)
\nThe Labor Department said the U.S. added 50,000 jobs in December – the weakest year of job growth since the pandemic. U.S. employers added 584,000 jobs in 2025 after revisions, well below the roughly 2 million added in 2024. (NBC News / NPR / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Washington Post)
\nThe EPA will stop assigning a dollar value to lives saved and other health benefits when setting air pollution rules, instead focusing its cost-benefit analyses on the compliance costs faced by industry. The agency claims that prior health benefit calculations created “false precision” despite decades of use across administrations. (New York Times)
\nSan Francisco man who helped invent psychedelic rock and spent six decades playing guitar turning a long, strange trip into a shared cultural experience died at 78. Bob Weir, guitarist, songwriter, and founding member of the Grateful Dead, died after a July cancer diagnosis. His family cited underlying lung issues. Weir and the Dead reshaped American music, “building a community, a language, and a feeling of family” that turned concerts into gatherings and fans into participants. “We speak a language that nobody else speaks.” (Rolling Stone / New York Times)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas threatening a criminal indictment; the Justice Department fired a senior prosecutor over a disagreement about whether to pursue a re-indictment of former FBI Director James Comey; Trump is reportedly considering a military strike on Iran to punish the regime...", "date_published": "2026-01-12T14:45:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/08/day-1815/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/08/day-1815/", "title": "Day 1815: “The only thing that can stop me.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1815trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The Senate voted 52-47 to advance a war powers resolution that would require congressional approval before Trump could order further military action “within or against Venezuela”; Trump said that his power as commander in chief is constrained only by “my own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me”; JD Vance blamed Renee Nicole Good for getting killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, calling her death a “tragedy of her own making”; the FBI revoked Minnesota investigators’ access to evidence and took sole control of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Good by an ICE officer; the House passed a clean three-year extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, and a bipartisan spending package to fund several federal agencies ahead of a Jan. 30 deadline; and Trump plans to ask Congress to raise U.S. military spending to $1.5 trillion in 2027.
\n1/ The Senate voted 52-47 to advance a war powers resolution that would require congressional approval before Trump could order further military action “within or against Venezuela.” The move followed Trump’s remarks that the U.S. would be “running Venezuela” and “taking oil,” and that “only time will tell” how long U.S. oversight would last. The measure, however, is unlikely to become law because it would still need House passage and Trump’s signature. Nevertheless, Trump denounced Republican senators who supported the resolution, saying they “should be ashamed” and “should never be elected to office again,” because the measure “greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security” and is “impeding the President’s authority as Commander in Chief.” He added that Republicans who voted with Democrats were acting to “take our Powers,” framing the resolution as an attack on his presidency rather than a check on military action. (Politico / Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / Politico / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / Washington Post / CBS News / CNBC / Bloomberg / The Guardian / Axios)
\n2/ Trump said that his power as commander in chief is constrained only by “my own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me,” claiming that he alone decides when international law or treaties apply to U.S. military action. “I don’t need international law,” Trump said, adding that “it depends what your definition of international law is.” Trump described his threats, unpredictability, and recent military action as tools of leverage, citing “the success of” U.S. strikes and interventions and insisted that adversaries act cautiously because “I would be very unhappy if” they did otherwise. He also dismissed the independence of alliances, saying NATO need to “shape up” and argued that without the U.S., “Russia I can tell you is not at all concerned with any other country but us.” (New York Times)
\n3/ JD Vance blamed Renee Nicole Good for getting killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, calling her death a “tragedy of her own making” and claiming she “tried to hit” the officer with her SUV, prompting the agent to fire “in self-defense.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that Good was “intentionally trying to mow down ICE agents,” describing it as “domestic terrorism.” The shooting occurred after ICE agents ordered Good, a U.S. citizen, to exit her SUV on a residential street and an officer positioned himself in front of the vehicle as it began moving forward. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey rejected those claims, saying video evidence shows Good attempting to drive away rather than aim her vehicle at officers. (CNBC / Wall Street Journal / The Hill / ABC News / Washington Post)
\n4/ The FBI revoked Minnesota investigators’ access to evidence and took sole control of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. In a statement, the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said the U.S. attorney’s office reversed an earlier plan for a joint investigation and blocked the agency from case materials, witnesses, and scene evidence, which prevents an independent state investigation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Minnesota authorities lacked jurisdiction. (The Guardian / NPR / New York Times / CBS News / Washington Post)
\n5/ The House passed a clean three-year extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. 17 Republicans joined Democrats in a 230-196 vote after a discharge petition forced the bill to the floor over Speaker Mike Johnson’s objections. The measure would revive subsidies that lapsed at the end of last year, and the Congressional Budget Office said it would add $80.6 billion to the deficit over 10 years while adding about 4 million more people insured in 2028 than under current law. The bill heads to the Senate, where leaders said it lacks the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. The chamber rejected a similar clean extension last month with Republicans demanding a shorter extension paired with income limits, minimum premiums, health savings account options, anti-fraud provisions, and abortion-related language. (Axios / NPR / Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times / ABC News / NBC News / Bloomberg / CBS News / CNBC / The Hill)
\n6/ The House passed a bipartisan spending package to fund several federal agencies ahead of a Jan. 30 deadline, rejecting Trump’s demands to cut funding for the National Science Foundation by 57%, the EPA by more than $4 billion, and the National Park Service budget by about one-third. The roughly $180 billion measure instead holds science funding flat, trims the EPA by about 4%, and imposes far smaller reductions across energy and environmental programs, while funding the Justice and Commerce Departments through the fiscal year. The package still requires Senate approval, but White House officials said Trump would sign it, and congressional leaders said talks are continuing on the remaining spending bills needed to keep the government fully open. (Associated Press / Politico / New York Times)
\n7/ Trump plans to ask Congress to raise U.S. military spending to $1.5 trillion in 2027 – a more than 50% increase that would add roughly $500 billion to $600 billion to the Pentagon’s current budget. Trump said the money would fund a “Dream Military” that would keep the country “SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe.” He claimed the increase would be paid for with tariff revenue, even though government estimates show recent tariff collections fall hundreds of billions short. (New York Times / Politico / Associated Press / Bloomberg)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 299 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,034 days.
\nA federal judge disqualified another Trump U.S. attorney, throwing out subpoenas targeting New York Attorney General Letitia James. The judge said the Justice Department bypassed statutory limits to keep the prosecutor in place. At least five U.S. attorneys have been disqualified by federal judges after the administration used workarounds to keep them in office without Senate confirmation. (Politico / Associated Press)
\nTrump signed a presidential memorandum directing the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a Senate-ratified treaty that underpins all global climate negotiations. However, it remains unclear whether Trump has the legal authority to do so unilaterally. The administration also said it would end U.S. participation in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.N.’s main climate science body. (The Guardian / New York Times / NBC News / Grist / Axios / Politico / Reuters)
\nTrump directed the U.S. to withdraw from 66 international organizations and agreements. The White House said the organizations were “contrary to the interests of the United States.” The decision ends U.S. participation and funding for international groups on migration, women’s rights, trade, education, and international law. (Washington Post / New York Times / Los Angeles Times / ABC News)
\nThe House failed to override Trump’s first two vetoes of his second term, leaving in place his rejection of two bipartisan bills backing a Colorado water pipeline and a Florida land measure for the Miccosukee Tribe. The override votes fell short of the two-thirds threshold, even though both bills had previously passed the House and Senate without opposition. (CNBC / Axios / Politico / NBC News / New York Times)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The Senate voted 52-47 to advance a war powers resolution that would require congressional approval before Trump could order further military action “within or against Venezuela”; Trump said that his power as commander in chief is constrained only by “my own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me”; JD Vance blamed Renee Nicole Good for...", "date_published": "2026-01-08T15:58:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/07/day-1814/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/07/day-1814/", "title": "Day 1814: “Propaganda machine.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1814trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: An ICE agent fired three shots into a car and killed 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis during a federal immigration operation; the Trump administration will control Venezuelan oil sales “indefinitely”; U.S. forces boarded and seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic; Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Danish officials next week after Trump’s rhetoric about “acquiring Greenland”; the Trump administration issued new Dietary Guidelines that urge Americans to cut “highly processed” foods and added sugar while endorsing full-fat dairy and red meat; Trump said he was “immediately taking steps” to ban large institutional investors from buying additional single-family homes; and U.S. employers posted fewer job openings in November, with vacancies falling to about 7.1 million.
\n1/ An ICE agent fired three shots into a car and killed 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis during a federal immigration operation. Video shows Good reversing her car and then turning to drive away. The Department of Homeland Security justified the shooting, claiming that Good had “weaponized her vehicle” and tried to intentionally run over officers, and that the agent fired “defensive shots” in response to what DHS and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called an act of “domestic terrorism.” Mayor Jacob Frey called that account “bullshit,” saying video of the shooting contradicts the self-defense claim and instead shows “an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed.” Frey added: “To ICE: Get the fuck out of Minneapolis.” Gov. Tim Walz, meanwhile, posted on social media, “I’ve seen the video. Don’t believe this propaganda machine.” Walz also issued a warning order to prepare the Minnesota National Guard for a possible deployment. Minneapolis police, meanwhile, said there was “nothing to indicate” Good was the target of any law enforcement investigation, and the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said they are investigating the shooting. (Minnesota Public Radio / New York Times / Associated Press / NBC News / Washington Post / CNBC / Politico / ABC News / Axios / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)
\n2/ The Trump administration will control Venezuelan oil sales “indefinitely,” with Energy Secretary Chris Wright saying the U.S. will “market the crude coming out of Venezuela” and oversee both the flow of oil and the cash it generates. Wright said the oil will be sold by the U.S. government, with proceeds “deposited into accounts controlled by the U.S. government” so Washington can maintain “that leverage and that control of those oil sales.” He said the money can later “flow back into Venezuela to benefit the Venezuelan people,” but added that without “large leverage […] you don’t get change.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the approach as the first of a three-part plan of “stabilization, recovery and transition,” saying the U.S. will take and sell “between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil” and then “control how it is disbursed in a way that benefits the Venezuelan people, not corruption, not the regime.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, told lawmakers the oil quarantine and continued naval presence are meant to provide “leverage” during the stabilization phase. Officials declined to specify how long the arrangement will last or under what legal authority the U.S. would manage the funds. (New York Times / Bloomberg / NPR / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Washington Post)
\n3/ U.S. forces boarded and seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic after a weeks-long pursuit. U.S. officials said the Coast Guard began chasing the ship after trying to stop it near Venezuela under a federal seizure warrant. They described it as a sanctioned “shadow fleet” tanker that had been deemed stateless for flying a false flag and linked to illicit oil shipments tied to Venezuela and Iran. Russia reportedly dispatched a submarine and other naval assets to escort the vessel, now called the Marinera (previously known as the Bella 1). Russia’s Transport Ministry said the boarding breached the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, and said contact with the ship was lost afterward. The U.S., meanwhile, also seized a second Venezuela-linked tanker, the Sophia, in the Caribbean. (Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / CNN / Bloomberg / Semafor / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Reuters / New York Times / The Hill)
\n4/ Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Danish officials next week after Trump’s rhetoric about “acquiring Greenland.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump and his advisers were discussing “a range of options” and that “utilizing the U.S. military is always an option.” Rubio added that “every president always retains the option” of military force, but Trump preferred diplomacy. European governments, meanwhile, issued a joint statement that Greenland “belongs to its people” and that Arctic security must be ensured collectively through NATO with full respect for sovereignty and borders. Danish officials warned that a U.S. attack on a NATO country would mean “everything stops,” reiterating that the island is “not for sale” and calling the military talk “appalling.” Trump nevertheless publicly questioned NATO’s willingness to defend the U.S., posting that he doubted the alliance “would be there for us” even as he said the U.S. would still defend NATO allies. (Reuters / CNBC / Axios / Bloomberg / Politico / CNBC / CBS News / Associated Press / NBC News)
\n5/ The Trump administration issued new Dietary Guidelines that urge Americans to cut “highly processed” foods and added sugar while endorsing full-fat dairy and red meat. The 2025–2030 guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Agriculture Department told Americans to eat protein at every meal and target 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, limit added sugar to no more than 10 grams per meal, and avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, and some artificial sweeteners. The guidelines also keep the existing cap of less than 10% of daily calories from saturated fat even as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the government is “ending the war on saturated fats.” The recommendations are expected to impact federal nutrition programs, including school meals, as agencies define a uniform definition for ultra-processed foods. (NPR / Politico / Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg)
\n6/ Trump said he was “immediately taking steps” to ban large institutional investors from buying additional single-family homes, framing it as an effort to address housing affordability. Trump said “people live in homes, not corporations” and blamed high inflation under the Biden administration for pushing homeownership out of reach, but he didn’t specify what legal or regulatory mechanism would implement the ban. The White House also didn’t provide details, and it’s not clear whether such a restriction could be imposed without congressional action. (Bloomberg / CNBC / The Hill / Politico / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)
\n7/ U.S. employers posted fewer job openings in November, with vacancies falling to about 7.1 million. That was down from roughly 7.4 million in October and marked the lowest level since September 2024. The decline showed that hiring demand weakened across most industries as layoffs also eased. Together, the figures reinforced what the report described as a low-hire, low-fire labor market. The data also suggests that workers who already have jobs continue to enjoy relative security, but for people seeking work, however, opportunities remain limited, with hiring rates near decade lows. (ABC News / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Axios)
\n👑 PORTRAIT OF A PRESIDENT: The Wrath of Stephen Miller. The man who turns Trump’s most incendiary impulses into policy. (The Atlantic)
\nThe 2026 midterms are in 300 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,035 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "An ICE agent fired three shots into a car and killed 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis during a federal immigration operation; the Trump administration will control Venezuelan oil sales “indefinitely”; U.S. forces boarded and seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic; Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Danish officials next week after Trump’s rhetoric about “acquiring Greenland”;...", "date_published": "2026-01-07T16:01:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/06/day-1813/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/06/day-1813/", "title": "Day 1813: “Governed by power.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1813trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump is “discussing a range of options” to acquire Greenland, including that “utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option”; Democrats plan to force a Senate vote to reassert Congress’s war powers after Trump renewed claims that the U.S. needs Greenland for national security; Trump said Venezuela will turn over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S.; on the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, Trump warned House Republicans that Democrats would “find a reason to impeach me” if they lose the 2026 midterm elections; and the White House published an official webpage on the events of Jan. 6, that describes the Capitol attack as a “peaceful protest,” and that Democrats and the Capitol Police – not Trump supporters – were responsible for the violence.
\n1/ Trump is “discussing a range of options” to acquire Greenland, including that “utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option,” framing control of the Arctic island as a U.S. national security priority. Trump claimed that the U.S. “needs Greenland” to counter Russian and Chinese activity, while Denmark and Greenland have said the territory isn’t for sale and that Greenlanders will decide their own future. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller questioned Denmark’s legal right to control the territory and refused to rule out military force, saying “nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.” He added: “We live in a world […] that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, told lawmakers in a closed briefing that despite Trump’s rhetoric, his goal is to buy Greenland from Denmark and that threats of an imminent invasion are to pressure Denmark into negotiations. (Politico / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Associated Press / New York Times / Axios / Politico / Reuters / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / CNBC / CNN / Politico)
\n2/ Democrats plan to force a Senate vote to reassert Congress’s war powers after Trump renewed claims that the U.S. needs Greenland for national security. The effort, led by Democratic senators, would use a privileged resolution to require congressional approval before any use of force, framing the move as a check on presidential power after the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republicans said an attack on Greenland is not seriously being contemplated. (Politico / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / Semafor)
\n3/ Trump said Venezuela will turn over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. Trump said the oil would be sold at market prices and that he would personally control the proceeds, while separately suggesting U.S. taxpayers could reimburse American oil companies for repairing and rebuilding Venezuela’s damaged energy infrastructure. U.S. agencies haven’t confirmed either arrangement, and it remains unclear how the oil transfer, reimbursement plan or broader production push would comply with sanctions law, existing contracts or international norms following the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro, who has pleaded not guilty to federal charges. Nevertheless, Trump directed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute the transfer immediately using storage ships to deliver the oil to U.S. ports, which described the crude as “high quality” and “sanctioned.” (CNBC / The Guardian / Bloomberg / NBC News / NBC News)
\n4/ On the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, Trump warned House Republicans that Democrats would “find a reason to impeach me” if they lose the 2026 midterm elections. Speaking at a House GOP retreat at the Kennedy Center, he told lawmakers they “got to win the midterms,” framing the vote as protection against a third impeachment after he was impeached twice during his first term and acquitted both times by the Senate. Trump also mused about canceling the elections, saying he would not call to “cancel the election” because “the fake news will say ‘he wants the elections canceled. He’s a dictator.’” (NBC News / New York Times / Daily Beast / Bloomberg / Washington Post / Axios / Reuters)
\n5/ The White House published an official webpage on the events of Jan. 6, that describes the Capitol attack as a “peaceful protest,” and that Democrats and the Capitol Police – not Trump supporters – were responsible for the violence. The page calls Jan. 6 defendants “patriots” and “hostages,” praised Trump for issuing sweeping pardons, and claims that the 2020 election was stolen even though election officials and courts have found no evidence of widespread fraud. The page also accuses Democrats of fabricating an “insurrection” narrative, and blames the Capitol Police and Mike Pence for certifying the 2020 election results. (Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Axios / Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times)
\nHomeland Security began deploying up to about 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis–St. Paul area as part of the largest immigration enforcement operation of the Trump administration. The monthlong surge, which started Sunday, combines immigration arrests with investigations into alleged fraud tied to federally funded programs, though the scope, targets, and results of those investigations remain unspecified. (CBS News / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Associated Press)
\nThe Trump administration said it would freeze about $10 billion in federal funding for child care, cash assistance, and social services in five Democratic-led states. The freeze affects California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, and includes more than $7 billion for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, nearly $2.4 billion for the Child Care and Development Fund, and about $870 million in social services grants. The administration hasn’t provided evidence of widespread fraud outside Minnesota. (Axios / NPR / New York Times / ABC News / Wall Street Journal)
\nThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s board voted to dissolve the organization after Congress eliminated its federal funding. CPB leaders said they rejected keeping the nonprofit dormant after losing more than $500 million in annual appropriations, arguing that an unfunded shell could be vulnerable to “political manipulation or misuse.” CPB said it would distribute all remaining funds and close after more than five decades of channeling federal money to PBS and NPR member stations, underwriting national programming, and subsidizing rural and small-market outlets that lacked reliable sources of support. (NBC News / Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times)
\nThe Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that two state abortion bans, including the nation’s first ban on abortion pills, violated the Wyoming Constitution. The 4–1 decision keeps abortion legal statewide. The justices said the laws conflicted with a 2012 constitutional amendment guaranteeing competent adults the right to make their own health care decisions, rejecting the state’s argument that abortion is not health care. (Associated Press / Mother Jones)
\nTrump told House Republicans to be “flexible” on a decades-old ban on most federal funding for abortion as a way to secure a health care deal and “own” the issue ahead of the midterm elections. Trump said easing the restriction could help unlock legislation to address rising insurance and prescription drug costs, including a proposal to send health care dollars directly to consumers rather than insurers. Senate Republican leaders and anti-abortion groups, meanwhile, said the Hyde Amendment remains a red line for them and warned that abandoning it could fracture the party. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the issue “probably the most challenging part” of the negotiations. (Politico / Associated Press / Axios / Politico)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 301 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,036 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump is “discussing a range of options” to acquire Greenland, including that “utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option”; Democrats plan to force a Senate vote to reassert Congress’s war powers after Trump renewed claims that the U.S. needs Greenland for national security; Trump said Venezuela will turn over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to...", "date_published": "2026-01-06T16:25:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/05/day-1812/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/05/day-1812/", "title": "Day 1812: “We’re going to have to do something.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1812trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Venezuela’s captured President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal courtroom to U.S. drug and weapons charges; a single, anonymous trader made roughly $400,000 on Polymarket after placing several heavily concentrated bets that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro would lose power shortly before the U.S. military captured him; the Pentagon moved to demote Sen. Mark Kelly’s retired Navy rank and cut his military pension; Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ended his re-election bid and won’t seek a third term; the CDC cut its childhood vaccine schedule, dropping routine immunization from 17 diseases down to 11; and Jack Smith told the House Judiciary Committee in a closed-door deposition that his team had “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” to convict Trump in the federal election interference and classified documents cases.
\n1/ Venezuela’s captured President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal courtroom to U.S. drug and weapons charges, repeatedly rejecting the court’s authority and insisting, “I am innocent,” “I am still president of my country,” and “I was captured at my home in Caracas.” His wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty, calling herself “the first lady of the Republic of Venezuela.” Defense lawyers said there were “questions about the legality of his military abduction” and didn’t seek bail, leaving both in detention until a March 17 hearing. In Caracas, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president, while the government issued a decree ordering security forces to arrest anyone accused of supporting what it called a U.S. attack. In Washington, lawmakers received classified briefings after the fact, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune saying he wasn’t told in advance but felt “sufficiently notified.” (ABC News / Washington Post / New York Times / NPR / Politico / Associated Press / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CNBC / CNN)
\nOn Saturday, Jan. 3, U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a pre-dawn operation in Caracas, and flew them to New York to face U.S. charges including narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and weapons offenses. Trump said the U.S. had carried out a “large-scale strike” and the pair were “captured and flown out of the Country.” The Trump administration, however, framed the seizure as a law-enforcement move tied to federal indictments, while Venezuelan officials described it as an attack,
\nOn Sunday, Trump tole reporters that “We’re in charge” of Venezuela and “We’re going to run it, fix it,” while refusing to explain what U.S. control meant in practice. He warned Venezuela’s acting leader, Delcy Rodríguez, “If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” and said he wanted “total access,” including “access to the oil.” Rodríguez first denounced the operation as an “atrocity” and said Venezuela “will never return to being the colony of another empire,” but later said “We invite the U.S. government to collaborate with us,” adding, “Our people and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war.”
\nTrump promised that U.S. companies will “go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country.” He argued Venezuela “stole” American-built assets, saying, “We built Venezuela’s oil industry with American talent,” and insisted: “We’re going to take our oil back.”
\nSecretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, tried to narrow Trump’s “run Venezuela” threat into an oil-and-sanctions campaign, saying the U.S. was not “running” the country so much as “running policy.” He said Washington would keep an “oil quarantine” and a tanker blockade as leverage, arguing, “That remains in place, and that’s a tremendous amount of leverage,” and adding, “We continue with that quarantine, and we expect to see that there will be changes.” Rubio also dismissed comparisons to past U.S. occupations, saying, “This is not the Middle East,” and “This is the Western Hemisphere,” while also stressing that Washington is “going to judge everything by what they do.”
\nU.S. allies broke with Washington and joined Russia and China at an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting to condemn the U.S. raid. U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said the Trump administration had violated the U.N. charter, while U.S. ambassador Mike Waltz told the council there was “no war against Venezuela or its people,” and instead insisted that “We are not occupying a country. This was a law enforcement operation.” France’s deputy ambassador warned the assault “chips away at the very foundation of international order.”
\nSources: New York Times / New York Times / NBC News / The Atlantic / Axios / Associated Press / Politico / ABC News / CNBC / NPR / Washington Post / NBC News / Bloomberg / CNN
\npoll/ 33% of Americans said they approve of the U.S. military strike on Venezuela, while 72% said they worry the U.S. will become too involved there. The poll found 65% of Republicans supported the operation, compared with 11% of Democrats and 23% of independents. About 30% of Americans overall said they support sending U.S. troops to be stationed in Venezuela, while roughly the same number said they support the U.S. taking control of the country’s oil fields. (Reuters)
\npoll/ 63% of voters opposed U.S. military action inside Venezuela, while 25% supported it and the rest were unsure. When framed as removing Maduro, 60% of likely voters opposed sending U.S. troops and 33% supported it in a December Data for Progress poll, while a YouGov poll found 53% opposed and 18% in favor. (Strength in Numbers)
\n2/ A single, anonymous trader made roughly $400,000 on Polymarket after placing several heavily concentrated bets that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro would lose power shortly before the U.S. military captured him, including a final wager minutes before Trump ordered the U.S. military operation. The trades came from a brand-new account that committed about $34,000 to low-probability contracts. Some Polymarket analysts and traders suggested the timing and size of the wagers point to someone with advance knowledge of the U.S. operation, potentially a government insider or a contractor. Polymarket founder Shayne Coplan, meanwhile, said suspected insiders are quickly identified by users, saying, “It’s not like it’s done in darkness.” (Wall Street Journal / Axios / The Verge / Popular Information)
\n3/ Trump repeated his threat that the U.S. “need[s] Greenland from the standpoint of national security,” said Cuba was “ready to fall” after Venezuela’s leadership was seized, and suggested military action against Colombia and Mexico over drug trafficking. He described Colombia as “run by a sick man” and, when asked about targeting Colombia, said, “It sounds good to me,” while also saying drugs were “pouring” through Mexico and that “we’re going to have to do something.” Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejected Trump’s threat of a U.S. takeover, saying Trump “should be taken seriously” and warning that a U.S. attack on a NATO ally would end the alliance. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly downplayed Trump’s invasion talk as not serious while reiterating her opposition to a U.S. military presence in Mexico. (New York Times / CNBC / New York Times / Bloomberg / The Guardian / Politico / Associated Press / Reuters / ABC News / NPR / New York Times / Bloomberg)
\n4/ The Pentagon moved to demote Sen. Mark Kelly’s retired Navy rank and cut his military pension, accusing the Arizona Democrat of “seditious” and “reckless misconduct” over a video reminding troops they can refuse illegal orders. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the department has started proceedings for a retirement downgrade review and issued a formal letter of censure, saying Kelly’s comments undermined “good order and military discipline.” The move stops short of recalling Kelly to active duty or pursuing a court-martial. Kelly, meanwhile, called it political retaliation and that “Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn’t like, they will come after them the same way.” (Reuters / Bloomberg / Washington Post / Politico / Wall Street Journal / New York Times)
\n5/ Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ended his re-election bid and won’t seek a third term, saying he couldn’t campaign and fully focus on fraud allegations tied to state-administered safety net programs. “Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota,” Walz said, adding that he wanted to “focus on the work.” The allegations involve claims that organized groups exploited Minnesota-administered child care and pandemic-era food aid programs, including the Feeding Our Future case, to bill the government for services that weren’t provided, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. The decision reshapes the 2026 race, with Sen. Amy Klobuchar considering a run for governor. The White House, meanwhile, accused Walz of allowing “rampant fraud” and warned that dropping out wouldn’t “shield him from the consequences of his actions.” (Washington Post / Politico / NBC News / Associated Press / New York Times / Axios)
\n6/ The CDC cut its childhood vaccine schedule, dropping routine immunization from 17 diseases down to 11. Health and Human Services said the move was meant to “restore trust in public health” after the Covid pandemic, but the changes bypassed the CDC’s established process of public evidence reviews and formal votes by an independent advisory committee. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also removed the committee’s prior members last year, and the revised schedule was issued by HHS and CDC leadership without a full advisory review or vote. The new guidance more closely tracks with Denmark’s schedule, which doesn’t broadly recommend childhood vaccination against influenza, rotavirus, hepatitis A, meningococcal disease or RSV. (NBC News / CNN / Associated Press / Bloomberg / New York Times / Washington Post / Politico / Wall Street Journal)
\n7/ Jack Smith told the House Judiciary Committee in a closed-door deposition that his team had “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” to convict Trump in the federal election interference and classified documents cases, which were dropped after Trump returned to office. Smith said Trump was “by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy” and that the Jan. 6, 2021, attack “does not happen without him,” adding that the evidence showed Trump “caused it and that he exploited it and that it was foreseeable to him.” Smith said Biden gave him “No” instructions and that he hadn’t spoken to Biden about the cases “in any way,” and argued that there was “no historical analog for what President Trump did in this case.” The Republican-led committee released the transcript and video on New Year’s Eve. (The Guardian / ABC News / NBC News / Reuters / Associated Press / New York Times / Politico / CNN / Bloomberg / Axios)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 302 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,037 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Venezuela’s captured President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal courtroom to U.S. drug and weapons charges; a single, anonymous trader made roughly $400,000 on Polymarket after placing several heavily concentrated bets that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro would lose power shortly before the U.S. military captured him; the Pentagon moved to demote Sen. Mark Kelly’s retired Navy rank...", "date_published": "2026-01-05T15:15:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/30/day-1806/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/30/day-1806/", "title": "Day 1806: “The guy is just incompetent.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1806trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can share limited Medicaid data with ICE; the U.S. imposed sanctions on 10 people and companies in Iran and Venezuela, claiming they were involved in drone and missile-related weapons trade between the two governments; Trump threatened to “probably bring a lawsuit against” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for “gross incompetence”; Trump told his supporters that Democrats would “steal” their “tariff rebate checks” unless they send him money within an hour; nearly one in four U.S. workers were “functionally unemployed” in November; and at least three artists canceled performances at the Kennedy Center after Trump’s name was added to the building.
\n1/ A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, rejecting the claim that the law prevents the agency from receiving money from the Federal Reserve. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said the administration violated an existing court order by refusing to request funding it’s legally permitted to seek. She said the refusal was used to bring the agency’s operations to a halt, calling the rationale “an unsupported and transparent attempt” to evade the injunction. The ruling came as the CFPB warned it could run out of money in early 2026. Jackson wrote that neither the funding statute nor the Fed’s willingness to provide money had changed, only the administration’s determination to eliminate an agency created by Congress. (CNN / New York Times / NPR / Politico / CNBC)
\n2/ A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can share limited Medicaid data with ICE, but questioned the clarity and scope of the policy behind the data use. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria said HHS and the Department of Homeland Security may share basic biographical, contact, and location information about immigrants living in the U.S. unlawfully, writing that the sharing of such data “is clearly authorized by law.” At the same time, he blocked broader data transfers, finding that ICE’s policies for requesting additional information are “totally unclear and do not appear to be the product of a coherent decisionmaking process.” The decision partially lifts an earlier injunction while keeping limits on how sensitive Medicaid data can be used while the case continues. (Axios / Politico / The Hill)
\n3/ The U.S. imposed sanctions on 10 people and companies in Iran and Venezuela, claiming they were involved in drone and missile-related weapons trade between the two governments. The Treasury Department said the targets include a Venezuelan aerospace firm accused of purchasing Iranian drones and several Iran-based individuals and companies linked to efforts to obtain chemicals used in ballistic missiles. The sanctions followed warnings from Trump that the U.S. would “knock the hell” out of Iran if it rebuilds its missile or nuclear programs. (Associated Press / Bloomberg / CNBC)
\n4/ Trump threatened to “probably bring a lawsuit against” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for “gross incompetence,” claiming “the guy is just incompetent.” Trump didn’t identify a legal claim or evidence for a case against the head of the independent central bank, but Trump administration officials have claimed Powell lied to Congress or mismanaged the Fed’s multibillion-dollar building renovation. The Fed has said pandemic-era disruptions drove up costs. Powell’s term as chair ends in May 2026. (Washington Post / New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Business Insider / Bloomberg / CNBC)
\n5/ Trump told his supporters that Democrats would “steal” their “tariff rebate checks” unless they send him money within an hour. In a fundraising email, Trump urged donors to “STOP THE BOIL NOW BEFORE MY END-OF-YEAR FUNDRAISING DEADLINE,” claimed that “Dems want to send your check to illegals,” warned “WE’RE WALKING ON RAZOR-THIN ICE!” and insisted that “MAGA can’t afford to wait any longer” or “EVERYTHING we’ve worked so hard to accomplish could go BYE BYE.” The email promoted a non-existent $2,000 “rebate check” program. (New Republic / Daily Beast / Alternet)
\n6/ Nearly one in four U.S. workers were “functionally unemployed” in November. The Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity said 24.8% of workers were either jobless, unable to find full-time work, or earning $26,000 a year or less, compared with the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 4.6% unemployment rate. LISEP Chair Gene Ludwig said standard measures miss whether jobs actually support basic living needs, arguing they are “deceiving” because they exclude underemployment and poverty wages. (Newsweek / Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity)
\n7/ At least three artists canceled performances at the Kennedy Center after Trump’s name was added to the building. Jazz supergroup the Cookers withdrew from a scheduled New Year’s Eve concert, folk singer Kristy Lee canceled a mid-January show, and Doug Varone and Dancers pulled out of two April performances. Cookers saxophonist Billy Harper said he would not perform in a venue he said represents “overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture.” The latest withdrawals follow earlier cancellations by Issa Rae, the producers of “Hamilton,” and jazz musician Chuck Redd after Trump removed the board, installed allies, and approved the renaming. Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell said shows artists were “unwilling to perform for everyone — even those they disagree with politically.” (New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post / Associated Press)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 308 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to continue funding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can share limited Medicaid data with ICE; the U.S. imposed sanctions on 10 people and companies in Iran and Venezuela, claiming they were involved in drone and missile-related weapons trade between the two governments; Trump threatened to...", "date_published": "2025-12-30T15:03:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/29/day-1805/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/29/day-1805/", "title": "Day 1805: “Hell to pay.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1805.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump threatened military strikes on Iran if it rebuilds its nuclear or ballistic missile programs; Russia said it would “revise” its negotiating position on ending the war in Ukraine after Putin told Trump that Ukrainian drones targeted one of his homes; Trump claimed that the U.S. destroyed a “big facility” tied to alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking; U.S. forces carried out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day; the Justice Department said it uncovered more than one million additional documents tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation days after it missed a congressionally mandated Dec. 19 deadline to release the files; and the Justice Department said the man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican party headquarters before Jan. 6, 2021, told investigators he targeted the parties because they were “in charge” and wanted to act on beliefs the 2020 election was stolen.
\n1/ Trump threatened military strikes on Iran if it rebuilds its nuclear or ballistic missile programs. “Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again,” Trump said following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, adding, “If they are, we’re going to have to knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them.” Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, responded that “any aggression will receive a strong, immediate response.” Trump also warned Hamas it would have “hell to pay” if it does not disarm, saying disarmament is required to move forward with the stalled second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. (NBC News / Politico / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / CNBC / Bloomberg / Bloomberg)
\n2/ Russia said it would “revise” its negotiating position on ending the war in Ukraine after Putin told Trump that Ukrainian drones targeted one of his homes, an allegation Moscow hasn’t supported with public evidence. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said air defenses shot down 91 drones and that “the targets for retaliatory strikes and the timing of their implementation have been determined.” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov added that Putin told Trump that “a number of previously reached agreements” would be reconsidered. Ukraine, meanwhile, denied any attack, with Volodymyr Zelenskiy calling the claim “a complete fabrication” and saying that Russia was creating a pretext for new strikes on Kyiv. Trump said Putin was “very angry,” adding, “It’s another thing to attack his house,” while acknowledging that U.S. intelligence had no evidence of an attack. (Bloomberg / NBC News / CNN / CNBC / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / Axios / Associated Press / Politico)
\n3/ Trump claimed that the U.S. destroyed a “big facility” tied to alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking. Trump said there was “a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” adding that the site “is no longer around.” He refused to say whether the strike was carried out by the U.S. military or the CIA and didn’t identify the location, despite repeated questions. The White House, Pentagon, and CIA also declined to confirm the operation, and there have been no independent reports from Venezuela of a destroyed facility matching Trump’s description. (CNN / Associated Press / Washington Post / NBC News / ABC News / CBS News / New York Times / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Axios)
\n4/ U.S. forces carried out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day, a move Trump framed as retaliation for killings of Christians. U.S. Africa Command said the strikes in Sokoto State were carried out at Trump’s direction and in coordination with Nigerian authorities, who confirmed “precision hits on terrorist targets” but didn’t release casualty figures. Trump claimed the militants were “primarily” targeting Christians and said “if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.” Nigerian officials and independent analysts said extremist violence in the country has also heavily affected Muslims and warned against portraying the conflict as solely religious. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth nevertheless said there could be “more to come.” (Washington Post / Axios / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)
\n5/ The Justice Department said it uncovered more than one million additional documents tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation days after it missed a congressionally mandated Dec. 19 deadline to release the files. The late discovery undercut earlier assurances from senior officials that the department had already completed an exhaustive review of Epstein-related records. The department said lawyers are reviewing the newly identified records to protect victims and ongoing investigations, warning the release could now take “a few more weeks.” (Associated Press / CNN / Axios / Washington Post / New York Times)
\n6/ The Justice Department said the man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican party headquarters before Jan. 6, 2021, told investigators he targeted the parties because they were “in charge” and wanted to act on beliefs the 2020 election was stolen. The statement was disclosed in a Justice Department memo seeking to keep Brian Cole Jr. jailed as he faces federal explosives charges following his arrest earlier this month. Prosecutors said Cole first denied involvement but later admitted to placing the devices, saying he was disillusioned with both parties, and “I really don’t like either party at this point.” The memo argues the bombs’ failure to detonate was due to chance, not intent, and that Cole’s actions endangered the public and law enforcement. (CNN / Politico / Associated Press)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 309 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump threatened military strikes on Iran if it rebuilds its nuclear or ballistic missile programs; Russia said it would “revise” its negotiating position on ending the war in Ukraine after Putin told Trump that Ukrainian drones targeted one of his homes; Trump claimed that the U.S. destroyed a “big facility” tied to alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking; U.S. forces carried out...", "date_published": "2025-12-29T15:53:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/22/day-1798/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/22/day-1798/", "title": "Day 1798: “Covering up things.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1798trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: On Friday, the Justice Department released a limited batch of records from its Jeffrey Epstein investigations, conceding it didn’t meet the legal deadline to disclose the full file as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act; on Saturday, the Justice Department temporarily removed at least 15 files from its public “Epstein files” site, including an image that showed a photo of Trump with Epstein, Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell, before later restoring that Trump-related image; on Sunday, JD Vance refused to condemn antisemitism in the conservative movement, saying there should be no “purity tests” beyond “love America”; the U.S. military launched retaliatory strikes on more than 70 suspected Islamic State targets in Syria; CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss pulled a fully produced “60 Minutes” investigation into alleged abuses at El Salvador’s CECOT prison hours before it was set to air; and the Trump administration on stopped federal leases for five offshore wind projects already under construction along the East Coast, citing unspecified national security risks.
\n1/ On Friday, the Justice Department released a limited batch of records from its Jeffrey Epstein investigations, conceding it didn’t meet the legal deadline to disclose the full file as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The material included photos, phone logs, and interview records, many heavily redacted Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the department needed more time, writing that “the volume of materials to be reviewed” made full compliance impossible by the deadline. Lawmakers from both parties, meanwhile, rejected that explanation, calling the disclosure “disappointing” and warning that Congress was weighing legal options to force compliance. Nevertheless, the White House defended the partial rollout as evidence of transparency, claiming it was doing more than prior administrations to make the files public. (Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times / Bloomberg)
\n2/ On Saturday, the Justice Department temporarily removed at least 15 files from its public “Epstein files” site, including an image that showed a photo of Trump with Epstein, Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell, before later restoring that Trump-related image. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed the removal “has nothing to do with President Trump” and said the department removed images after victim advocates raised concerns about unredacted women. The Justice Department said it reposted the image after deciding there was “no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph,” but it hasn’t fully explained why the files vanished without a public notice in the first place. Lawmakers, meanwhile, accused the Justice Department of “selective concealment” and “covering up things that, for whatever reason, Donald Trump doesn’t want to go public.” Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna said they’re drafting a measure to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt for what Massie called “flouting the spirit and the letter of the law.” (Associated Press / NBC News / CNBC / Politico / Axios / Washington Post / Associated Press)
\n3/ On Sunday, JD Vance refused to condemn antisemitism in the conservative movement, saying there should be no “purity tests” beyond “love America.” In his closing speech at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, Vance said Republicans “have far more important work to do than canceling each other,” declining to set any boundaries as activists debated whether to exclude figures such as Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and Holocaust denier. The comments followed days of public infighting, including Ben Shapiro accusing Tucker Carlson of elevating antisemitic conspiracy theorists, and Steve Bannon calling Shapiro a “cancer” on the movement. Turning Point USA leader Erika Kirk, meanwhile, publicly endorsed Vance for president, even though he hasn’t declared, Trump is still in office, and no primary field exists yet. (Associated Press / Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)
\n4/ The U.S. military launched retaliatory strikes on more than 70 suspected Islamic State targets in Syria. The Dec. 19 strikes follow the Dec. 13 attack in Palmyra that killed two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter, and wounded three other soldiers. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth framed the mission as punishment, saying, “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance.” (Reuters / ABC News / CNN / Politico / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal)
\n5/ CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss pulled a fully produced “60 Minutes” investigation into alleged abuses at El Salvador’s CECOT prison hours before it was set to air, saying the story needed additional reporting and on-the-record participation from Trump administration officials. The segment, which focused on the deportation of Venezuelan men under Trump’s immigration policy, had already cleared legal, standards, and multiple editorial reviews. In an internal email, the program’s correspondent, Sharyn Alfonsi, condemned the decision as political, writing, “If the administration’s refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a ‘kill switch’ for any reporting they find inconvenient.” Weiss, meanwhile, told staff she pulled the piece because it “was not ready” and lacked sufficient on-the-record participation, saying it would air at a later date after more reporting. (NPR / Washington Post / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Politico)
\n6/ The Trump administration on stopped federal leases for five offshore wind projects already under construction along the East Coast, citing unspecified national security risks. The Interior Department said the suspension blocks projects in Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Connecticut that together represent about $25 billion in investment and were expected to power millions of homes. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum claimed the action was necessary because “the prime duty of the United States government is to protect the American people,” adding that offshore wind near population centers created security vulnerabilities. (Associated Press / New York Times)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 316 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "On Friday, the Justice Department released a limited batch of records from its Jeffrey Epstein investigations, conceding it didn’t meet the legal deadline to disclose the full file as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act; on Saturday, the Justice Department temporarily removed at least 15 files from its public “Epstein files” site, including an image that showed a photo...", "date_published": "2025-12-22T15:51:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/18/day-1794/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/18/day-1794/", "title": "Day 1794: “Does this help us win?”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1794trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump used an 18-minute prime time address to the nation largely to blame Biden for his own economic performance; inflation unexpectedly eased in November to 2.7% from 3% in September, but economists and the Federal Reserve said the shutdown-delayed CPI report was likely distorted; House Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released another batch of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate; the Department of Health and Human Services cut seven federal grants worth millions of dollars to the American Academy of Pediatrics after the group sued Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over changes to federal vaccine policy; the Democratic National Committee won’t publicly release its internal “autopsy” of the 2024 presidential election loss to Trump; 18% of voters said they approve of the way Democrats in Congress are handling their job; and 41% of voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president.
\n1/ Trump used an 18-minute prime time address to the nation largely to blame Biden for his own economic performance, insisting that the current inflation and affordability pressures are “not the Republicans’ fault. It’s the Democrats’ fault.” Although Trump claimed that “I am fixing it,” he offered few concrete policy steps, and instead promised that economic conditions would improve next year, predicting “the largest tax refund season of all time” and that “We’re poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen.” The speech’s central announcement was a $1,776 “warrior dividend” for about 1.45 million service members, which Trump claimed was tied to his tariffs, but in reality the roughly $2.6 billion payout will come from military housing funds Congress already approved. Nevertheless, Trump said “The checks are already on the way.” After the address, Trump turned to the media in the room and said that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told him to give the speech, which comes amid slipping approval ratings and voter anxiety over inflation and affordability. Trump then added, “You think that’s easy?” (Associated Press / Reuters / Washington Post / New York Times / CNN / NPR / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Politico / CNBC / NBC News / Axios / Politico)
\n2/ Inflation unexpectedly eased in November to 2.7% from 3% in September, but economists and the Federal Reserve said the shutdown-delayed CPI report was likely distorted because it missed October’s data and furloughed workers were unable to collect price data for many categories. Nevertheless, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Inflation continues to fall, wages continue to rise, and America is trending towards a historic economic boom.” Fed Chair Jerome Powell, meanwhile, said the central bank would view the report with a “skeptical eye,” and economists flagged the unusually soft housing readings that effectively assumed little or no October increase in categories like rent and owners’ equivalent rent. The report was the first CPI data in two months after the 43-day shutdown, and forecasters said they will look to the next release for a cleaner signal on inflation. (CNN / Axios / CNBC / NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Politico)
\n3/ House Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released another batch of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. The new tranche includes photos of “Lolita” passages written on a woman’s body, heavily redacted foreign passports and IDs, and a screenshot of messages discussing sending “girls” for “1000$ per girl.” The images came with no dates, locations, or explanation and the committee said it blacked out faces and identifying details to protect victims. The release came one day before a Dec. 19 deadline for the Justice Department to publish unclassified Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell files. (Associated Press / Reuters / Axios / Politico / CNN / ABC News)
\n4/ The Department of Health and Human Services cut seven federal grants worth millions of dollars to the American Academy of Pediatrics after the group sued Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over changes to federal vaccine policy, including the rollback of Covid vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women, and the overhaul of the government’s vaccine advisory panel. The terminated grants funded programs on sudden infant deaths, adolescent and mental health, birth defects, and early autism identification. HHS said the grants “no longer align with the Department’s mission or priorities,” but didn’t point to specific problems with the programs themselves. The academy represents about 67,000 pediatricians nationwide and said the terminated grants supported work reaching children and families in communities across the country, making the funding loss immediate and nationwide in scope. (Washington Post / New York Times / The Guardian / Bloomberg / NBC News)
\n5/ The Democratic National Committee won’t publicly release its internal “autopsy” of the 2024 presidential election loss to Trump, despite months of expectations that the review would be made public. DNC Chair Ken Martin said releasing the report would be “a distraction,” asking “does this help us win?” Martin instead argued the party is “already putting our learnings into motion.” The review, based on hundreds of interviews in all 50 states, flagged failures in spending, voter contact, and digital outreach, as well as poor Democratic responses to voter concerns about immigration, public safety, and the economy. (Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / NBC News / Associated Press / Politico / The Guardian / CNN)
\npoll/ 18% of voters said they approve of the way Democrats in Congress are handling their job, while 73% disapprove. 47%, however, said they want Democrats to win control of the House, compared with 43% who preferred Republicans. (Quinnipiac)
\npoll/ 41% of voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 50% disapprove. On the generic 2026 congressional ballot, 44% of voters support the Democratic candidate and 42% the Republican, while 15% are undecided, and independents favor Democrats 40% to 32%. (Emerson College Polling)
\nThe Trump administration approved about $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, immediately prompting criticism from Beijing that China “strongly opposes and condemns” the arms sale. The deal includes HIMARS rocket systems, missiles, howitzers, and drones intended to strengthen Taiwan’s “credible defensive capability.” (Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Reuters / Bloomberg)
\nTrump Media & Technology Group agreed to merge with nuclear fusion startup TAE Technologies in an all-stock deal valued at about $6 billion. The companies said the deal would give TAE up to $200 million in cash and support plans to begin building a utility-scale fusion plant, even as scientists say core problems like plasma containment could take decades to solve. (Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Politico)
\nFBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino will resign in January. Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and conservative podcast host with no prior FBI experience, struggled to distance himself from conspiracy claims he promoted before joining the bureau and faced sustained criticism over his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and the Jan. 6 pipe bomb case. Nevertheless, Trump said Bongino “did a great job,” and suggested he wanted to return to podcasting. (Associated Press / New York Times)
\nTrump installed new plaques along the White House colonnade that mocked Biden, Obama, and Hillary Clinton, adding personal insults and disputed claims into what the White House called a “Presidential Walk of Fame.” The plaques labeled Biden “the worst President in American History,” repeated Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election was corrupt, accused Obama of spying on Trump’s 2016 campaign, and repeatedly noted that Hillary Clinton lost the presidency to Trump in 2016 under both Bill Clinton’s and Obama’s plaques. The White House said Trump wrote many of the words himself, calling them “eloquently written descriptions of each President and the legacy they left behind.” (ABC News / New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post / Associated Press)
\nThe Kennedy Center board, handpicked by Trump, voted to rename the performing arts venue to the “Trump-Kennedy Center.” The White House claimed that the board acted because of Trump’s work “saving the building.” The Kennedy Center confirmed the vote, but House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the board has “no authority” to rename the institution without an act of Congress. (Axios / Washington Post / Bloomberg / Associated Press)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump used an 18-minute prime time address to the nation largely to blame Biden for his own economic performance; inflation unexpectedly eased in November to 2.7% from 3% in September, but economists and the Federal Reserve said the shutdown-delayed CPI report was likely distorted; House Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released another batch of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate;...", "date_published": "2025-12-18T15:50:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/17/day-1793/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/17/day-1793/", "title": "Day 1793: “So much thinking out loud.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1793.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Four House Republicans broke with Speaker Mike Johnson and joined Democrats to force a House vote on extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year; the U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November – its highest level since 2021; the Senate passed the $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act, using the must-pass bill to compel the Pentagon to turn over unedited video and written orders for U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats near Venezuela; White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles offered an unusually candid, on-the-record portrait of Trump and his second term in a yearlong series of interviews with Vanity Fair; former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith told the House Judiciary Committee that his investigations produced “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump conspired to overturn the 2020 election and “powerful evidence” he illegally retained classified documents; and the Trump administration claimed that construction of the White House ballroom must continue as a matter of national security.
\n1/ Four House Republicans broke with Speaker Mike Johnson and joined Democrats to force a House vote on extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year. The lapse is projected to raise premiums for more than 20 million people who buy health insurance through the ACA marketplace. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Mike Lawler, Rob Bresnahan, and Ryan Mackenzie signed a discharge petition led by Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, pushing it to the 218 signatures required to compel a vote, likely in January after the subsidies have already expired. The Senate, however, has already rejected the plan. Johnson, meanwhile, downplayed the defections saying, “I have not lost control of the House.” Hours later, the House approved a Republican bill that doesn’t renew the ACA tax credits and has little chance of passing through the Senate. The health policy group KFF estimates premiums will rise by an average of $1,016 next year if the subsidies lapse. (Associated Press / Axios / Politico / ABC News / New York Times / Bloomberg / CNBC / NBC News / CNN / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Politico / The Hill)
\n2/ The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November – its highest level since 2021. Delayed Labor Department data also showed the economy lost 105,000 jobs in October, largely driven by federal employees who accepted deferred resignation buyouts, but added 64,000 jobs in November. The government has lost about 271,000 federal jobs since January. Wage growth, meanwhile, cooled, with average hourly earnings up 3.5% over the past 12 months – about a half-percent more than the inflation rate. The White House nevertheless touted the report, saying: “THE BEST IS YET TO COME!” (Washington Post / Axios / NBC News / ABC News / Associated Press / Politico / Wall Street Journal / CNN / CNBC / Bloomberg / New York Times)
\n3/ The Senate passed the $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act, using the must-pass bill to compel the Pentagon to turn over unedited video and written orders for U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats near Venezuela. The measure passed 77-20 and would withhold 25% of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget until the House and Senate Armed Services committees receive the footage tied to a Sept. 2 strike that killed two survivors after an initial attack. Hegseth said a day earlier that the video wouldn’t be made public, telling reporters, “Of course we’re not going to release a top-secret, full unedited video of that to the general public.” The bill also includes a 3.8% pay raise for troops and now heads to Trump. (Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times / Politico / CNN / Wall Street Journal / NPR)
\n👑 PORTRAIT OF A PRESIDENT.
\n4/ White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles offered an unusually candid, on-the-record portrait of Trump and his second term in a yearlong series of interviews with Vanity Fair. Wiles said she told Trump, “This is not supposed to be a retribution tour,” saying they reached what she called “a loose agreement that the score settling will end before the first 90 days are over.” She conceded, however, that “I don’t think he wakes up thinking about retribution. But when there’s an opportunity, he will go for it.” Wiles described Trump as having “an alcoholic’s personality,” saying he “operates [with] a view that there’s nothing he can’t do. Nothing, zero, nothing,” while noting that “he doesn’t drink.” She said “There have been a couple of times where I’ve been outvoted,” adding, “And if there’s a tie, he wins.” On tariffs, Wiles said the rollout involved “so much thinking out loud” and concluded that “It’s been more painful than I expected.” On foreign policy, Wiles said Trump’s motivation is “to stop the killing,” but she also said of Venezuela that “He wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle.” On Jeffrey Epstein, Wiles said Trump was “wrong” about Bill Clinton, saying “There is no evidence” Clinton visited Epstein’s island. She confirmed Trump’s name appears in the records, saying, “[Trump] is in the file,” but added, “He’s not in the file doing anything awful.” Wiles also called JD Vance “a conspiracy theorist,” described Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought as “a right-wing absolute zealot,” and said Attorney General Pam Bondi “completely whiffed” the early handling of the Epstein files. Rejecting the suggestion that she enables Trump, Wiles said, “I’m not an enabler. I’m also not a bitch.” Trump later defended her publicly, saying she is “fantastic” and that he has “full confidence” in her. (Vanity Fair Part 1 / Part 2)
5/ Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith told the House Judiciary Committee that his investigations produced “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump conspired to overturn the 2020 election and “powerful evidence” he illegally retained classified documents. Smith told lawmakers in closed-door testimony that “the basis for those charges rests entirely with President Trump and his actions” and that he would make the same charging decisions against any former president regardless of party, rejecting Republican accusations that his investigations were political. Both cases, however, were dropped after Trump won the 2024 election, citing Justice Department policy barring prosecution of a sitting president. Smith testified under subpoena from the Republican-led committee, while Democrats said Republicans blocked a public hearing and argued his testimony would have been politically damaging to Trump. (Reuters / Associated Press / Politico / NBC News / The Hill)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: Trump to address the nation tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern time; The 2026 midterms are in 321 days.
\nThe Trump administration said it will dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, calling the lab “one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country.” Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said the National Science Foundation would break up NCAR and move “any vital activities such as weather research” elsewhere, but he didn’t say where, when, or how. (Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / Axios / NBC News / Bloomberg)
\nThe CDC ended its decades-long recommendation that all newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill approved the guidance advising mothers who test negative for hepatitis B to consult a doctor about delaying the first dose until at least two months of age, while keeping the birth dose for infants born to mothers who test positive or have unknown status. After the CDC adopted a universal birth dose in 1991, acute hepatitis B cases in U.S. children fell by about 99% between 1990 and 2019. Before routine vaccination, the CDC estimated that about 18,000 U.S. children under age 10 were infected with hepatitis B each year in the late 1980s. (Washington Post / NBC News / Axios)
\nFCC Chairman Brendan Carr told a Senate committee that his agency “is not an independent agency, formally speaking,” and that he’s removed the word “independent” from the FCC’s mission statement. (Axios / CNBC / The Hill)
\nTrump sued the BBC for at least $10 billion, claiming it defamed him by editing his Jan. 6 speech to make it appear he urged supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol. The lawsuit seeks $5 billion for defamation and $5 billion under Florida’s deceptive and unfair trade practices law, claiming the edit omitted his call for peaceful protest and caused reputational harm. (Reuters / Associated Press / The Guardian / NBC News / New York Times)
\nThe Trump administration claimed that construction of the White House ballroom must continue as a matter of national security. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon rejected a request by historic preservationists for an immediate stop, but ordered the administration to submit its still-unfinished plans to federal review panels by the end of December. (Washington Post / NBC News / Politico / New York Times / Associated Press)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Four House Republicans broke with Speaker Mike Johnson and joined Democrats to force a House vote on extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year; the U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November – its highest level since 2021; the Senate passed the $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act, using...", "date_published": "2025-12-17T15:47:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/15/day-1791/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/15/day-1791/", "title": "Day 1791: “A mind crippling disease.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1791-trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump blamed the stabbing deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife on Reiner’s “massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME; Trump promised to do “big damage” and “very serious retaliation” in Syria after two U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush; Indiana Republican senators rejected a Trump-backed plan to redraw the state’s congressional map; House Oversight Committee Democrats released the first batch of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate that include pictures of Trump and other prominent figures; U.S. household electricity bills rose 13% in 2025 after Trump took office; 42% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, while 58% disapprove; and 33% of Americans say they expect their personal finances to get worse in 2026, up from 23% who said the same about 2025.
\n1/ Trump blamed the stabbing deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife on Reiner’s “massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME […] He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before.” Los Angeles police said Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death in their home and that their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Officials said there is no indication politics played any role in the killings. Nevertheless, Trump later doubled down, saying “He was a deranged person. I was not a fan of Rob Reiner at all. I thought he was very bad for our country.” Republicans, including Reps. Thomas Massie, Mike Lawler, and Marjorie Taylor Greene all called Trump’s remarks “inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered,” adding that “It’s a horrible tragedy that should engender sympathy and compassion from everyone in our country, period.” (Associated Press / New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / NPR / ABC News / NBC News / CNBC / CNN)
\n2/ Trump promised to do “big damage” and “very serious retaliation” in Syria after two U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush. “It was ISIS,” Trump said, adding, “there will be a lot of damage done to the people that did it.” U.S. Central Command clarified that the attacker was a “lone ISIS gunman,” who was “engaged and killed.” Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani and Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the “terrorist ambush” by phone and the Syrian government reiterated a commitment to “degrade and destroy” ISIS. Trump, meanwhile, praised Syria’s new government as a partner, saying “The Syrian government fought by our side. The new president fought by our side.” (Bloomberg / Associated Press / The Hill / New York Times / Politico / Reuters)
\n3/ Indiana Republican senators rejected a Trump-backed plan to redraw the state’s congressional map, with 21 Republicans joining Democrats to block the proposed map that would have likely given the Republicans two additional U.S. House seats ahead of the 2026 midterms. Trump and his allies had spent months pressuring lawmakers through White House meetings, phone calls, and public threats of primary challenges. And ahead of the vote, the White House reportedly warned Indiana that all federal funding could be cut off if the Senate failed to pass the new map. In a now-deleted social media post, Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith wrote that the “Trump admin was VERY clear” about funding consequences. Trump and the White House, however, denied the threat to cut funding and called the allegation false. After the vote failed, Trump said he hoped that Indiana Senate leader Rodric Bray “would lose his next primary race […] I hope he does.” (New York Times / ABC News / Washington Post / Associated Press / CNBC / NPR / NBC News / The Hill / Democracy Docket)
\n4/ House Oversight Committee Democrats released the first batch of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate that include pictures of Trump and other prominent figures. Democrats said the committee received more than 95,000 photos from the estate and made 19 images public so far, many previously seen, showing Trump, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Steve Bannon, and others. The photos of Trump show him smiling among groups of women with their faces redacted, standing beside Epstein at a social event, and seated next to a woman on what appears to be a private airplane, with no information provided about when or where the images were taken. Trump downplayed the release, saying, “Everybody knew this man. He was all over Palm Beach. He has photos with everybody. So that’s no big deal. I know nothing about it.” The White House accused Democrats of “cherry-picking photos” to create “a false narrative.” The committee’s top Democrat said the images “raise even more questions” and demanded that the Justice Department release all Epstein files by the Dec. 19 deadline. (Washington Post / Reuters / CNBC / Politico / The Hill / NBC News / Associated Press / CNN)
\n5/ U.S. household electricity bills rose 13% in 2025 after Trump took office, according to a new report from Climate Power based on Energy Information Administration data. Canceled or delayed energy projects have removed nearly 25,000 megawatts of planned generation – enough to supply more than 13 million homes! – while electricity demand is rising from large data centers used for artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cryptocurrency mining. “A lot of it is data centers,” the co-director of the Center for Energy Poverty and Climate said, while a University of Texas energy law professor said, “We’re just not able to bring new supply on as quickly as demand is growing, and that’s driving prices up.” The White House, nevertheless, rejected the report, saying Trump is “fixing the energy crisis Joe Biden created,” while arguing that deregulation and fossil fuel production will lower prices. (ABC News / Climate Power)
\npoll/ 42% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, while 58% disapprove. Strong approval stands at 21%, down from 26% in April, while 70% of self-identified MAGA Republicans strongly approve of Trump, down eight points since April. Overall, 64% of Americans say the country is on the wrong track, and 35% say their personal finances are worse than a year ago as inflation and the cost of living remain top concerns. (NBC News)
\npoll/ 33% of Americans say they expect their personal finances to get worse in 2026, up from 23% who said the same about 2025. 46% of Gen Z adults say their finances will be better next year, compared with 40% of millennials, 31% of Gen X, and 25% of baby boomers. Among those who expect their finances to get worse, 78% cited inflation as the main reason. (Axios)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 323 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump blamed the stabbing deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife on Reiner’s “massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME; Trump promised to do “big damage” and “very serious retaliation” in Syria after two U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush; Indiana Republican senators rejected...", "date_published": "2025-12-15T14:38:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/11/day-1787/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/11/day-1787/", "title": "Day 1787: “Wasting your time.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1787trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The Senate rejected competing Democratic and Republican health care bills, all but ensuring that enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies used by more than 20 million Americans will expire at the end of the year; more than 250 people in South Carolina have been quarantined due to a measles outbreak; a federal grand jury – again – refused to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James; a federal judge ordered ICE to immediately release Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying the government had no lawful basis to keep him detained and had “affirmatively misled the tribunal” about his deportation options; Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown at a House Homeland Security Committee; the Trump administration said it would keep the oil from a seized tanker taken off Venezuela’s coast; Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said federal jobs reports were likely overstating hiring by about 60,000 jobs a month since April, implying the economy may actually be losing about 20,000 jobs a month and that payroll growth “may actually be negative”; 31% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling the economy; and 46% of U.S. voters 50 and older say they plan to vote for the Republican in their congressional district, compared with 38% who say they will vote Democratic.
\n1/ The Senate rejected competing Democratic and Republican health care bills, all but ensuring that enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies used by more than 20 million Americans will expire at the end of the year. Both the Democratic proposal to extend the Covid-era subsidies for three years and the Republican plan to replace them with expanded health savings accounts failed in 51-48 votes, short of the 60 needed to advance. Four Republicans crossed party lines to support the Democratic bill, while Sen. Rand Paul was the lone Republican to oppose his party’s proposal. “Our bill is the last train leaving the station,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, as lawmakers acknowledged time had nearly run out for a deal before Congress adjourns. If Congress doesn’t act by Jan. 1, the subsidies will revert to pre-pandemic levels, causing average premiums for subsidized ACA enrollees to more than double, while raising annual costs by about $1,000 or more for many families. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 1 to 2 million people could lose coverage next year. (Politico / New York Times / ABC News / Washington Post / Axios / The Guardian / NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press)
\n2/ More than 250 people in South Carolina have been quarantined due to a measles outbreak. State health officials said 27 new cases were confirmed in four days, bringing the outbreak total to 111 cases over roughly two months, with exposures reported at nine elementary, middle, and high schools. At least 254 people are currently quarantined, some for a second 21-day period, and most new infections were traced to the Way of Truth Church in Inman or to close household contacts. State epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said, “We are faced with ongoing transmission that we anticipate will go on for many more weeks,” pointing to vaccination coverage below levels needed to stop spread. Nationally, the CDC has recorded nearly 2,000 measles cases and 47 outbreaks in 2025, compared with 16 last year. Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but vaccination rates that have fallen below the roughly 95% level needed to prevent sustained transmission. (Associated Press / The Guardian / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News / Axios)
\n3/ A federal grand jury – again – refused to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, the second failure by the Justice Department in recent days to revive a mortgage fraud case tied to her purchase of a Virginia home. In November, a judge dismissed the original indictment, ruling that Lindsey Halligan was unlawfully appointed as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and that the government’s reading of the law would let officials “evade the Senate confirmation process indefinitely by stacking successive 120-day appointments.” Prosecutors then returned to a new grand jury after another panel in Norfolk rejected the same charges last week. James has denied wrongdoing and said the case reflects political targeting rather than prosecutable conduct. (ABC News / NBC News / Washington Post / CNN / Associated Press)
\n4/ A federal judge ordered ICE to immediately release Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying the government had no lawful basis to keep him detained and had “affirmatively misled the tribunal” about his deportation options. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis wrote that officials told the court Liberia was the only viable destination because Costa Rica wouldn’t accept him, even though Costa Rica had agreed to receive Abrego Garcia and that he was willing to go there. She said the government offered no documents or witnesses with direct knowledge to support its claim. Xinis also found no final removal order on the record, which she found undercut the government’s rationale for holding him while it pursued third-country deportation. The Department of Homeland Security attacked the decision as “naked judicial activism” and said it would keep fighting the ruling in court. (Associated Press / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CBS News / CNN / Axios)
\n5/ Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing as Democrats accused her of misconduct and demanded she resign. Noem said the administration had “sent a strong message to criminal illegal aliens that we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you,” rejecting Democratic claims that DHS and ICE violated civil rights or due process, even as lawmakers cited cases involving U.S. citizens and a deported Marine. Noem took questions for about two hours before leaving the hearing midstream to attend a FEMA Review Council meeting. Democrats said her departure cut off answers on oversight and alleged misuse of funds. Ranking member Bennie Thompson told her to resign rather than “wasting your time and ours with more corruption, lies and lawlessness.” (Politico / New York Times / Washington Post / Axios)
\n6/ The Trump administration said it would keep the oil from a seized tanker taken off Venezuela’s coast, describing the vessel as a sanctioned ship tied to black-market oil networks. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the tanker was in a federal forfeiture process and that “the United States does intend to seize the oil,” while offering no public evidence beyond prior sanctions listings. Venezuela’s government called the seizure “blatant theft.” (NBC News / Axios / Associated Press / CNBC / Associated Press)
\n7/ Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said federal jobs reports were likely overstating hiring by about 60,000 jobs a month since April, implying the economy may actually be losing about 20,000 jobs a month and that payroll growth “may actually be negative.” He said that risk helped drive the Fed’s decision to cut interest rates by a quarter point for a third straight meeting, despite official data showing unemployment at 4.4% and a reported gain of 119,000 jobs in September. Powell pointed to structural problems in how the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates jobs at new and closing firms, along with weaker survey responses and agency delays, saying, “We think there’s an overstatement in these numbers.” The warning follows a BLS benchmark revision showing payroll growth was overstated by 911,000 jobs over the 12 months through March 2025. (Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CNBC / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg)
\npoll/ 31% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling the economy – down from 40% in March. Approval of Trump’s handling of immigration dropped 38%, down about 10 points since March, while 50% approved of his handling of border security. Overall, 36% approve of Trump’s job performance as president. (AP-NORC)
\npoll/ 46% of U.S. voters 50 and older say they plan to vote for the Republican in their congressional district, compared with 38% who say they will vote Democratic. Among voters under 50, 42% say they would back Democrats and 31% say they would support Republicans. Overall, 40% of voters favor Democrats on a generic congressional ballot, while 39% favor Republicans. The poll also found 60% of voters 50 and older strongly agree they would regret not voting in the midterms, compared with 40% of younger voters. (Reuters)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 327 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The Senate rejected competing Democratic and Republican health care bills, all but ensuring that enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies used by more than 20 million Americans will expire at the end of the year; more than 250 people in South Carolina have been quarantined due to a measles outbreak; a federal grand jury – again – refused to indict New...", "date_published": "2025-12-11T13:31:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/10/day-1786/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/10/day-1786/", "title": "Day 1786: “Crushing it.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1786trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: During Trump’s first stop on his “affordability” tour in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, he claimed he’s “crushing it” on inflation and delivering “lower prices” and “bigger paychecks”; U.S. farmers say Trump’s new $12 billion aid package falls short of their projected $35 billion to $44 billion in losses on major crops; the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to a range of 3.5 to 3.75%, the third reduction this year; the House passed a $900 billion defense bill that eliminates Pentagon diversity, equity and inclusion offices, cuts $1.6 billion in climate programs, and writes several of Trump’s executive orders into law; the U.S. seized a sanctioned oil tanker loaded with Venezuelan crude off the country’s coast; a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to end its deployment of California National Guard troops in Los Angeles; the Department of Homeland Security will buy six Boeing 737 jets to build its own deportation fleet for ICE for roughly $140 million; the Trump administration plans to require tourists from 42 countries to disclose five years of social media history before entering the U.S.; a third federal judge ordered the release of grand jury transcripts and other investigative records from Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 federal sex trafficking case; Democrats won Miami’s mayoral runoff and flipped a Republican-held Georgia state House seat; and nearly half of Americans said they struggle to afford groceries, utilities, health care, housing, and transportation, and half said they find it difficult to pay for food.
\n1/ During Trump’s first stop on his “affordability” tour in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, he claimed he’s “crushing it” on inflation and delivering “lower prices” and “bigger paychecks.” Throughout the 90-minute, rally-style event, Trump blamed Democrats for “the high prices,” mocked “affordability” as a new political word, and claimed his tariffs prove “America is winning again,” and that “Pennsylvania is prospering again.” Government figures, however, show inflation running around 3% a year, similar to the end of the Biden administration and above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, while grocery and rent costs are up roughly 30% over the last five years. Nevertheless, Trump pointed to the strong stock market and new factory investments as evidence of his success, even though manufacturing has lost about 30,000 jobs since February and economists have warned that his tariffs could weaken business investment and long-term growth. (New York Times / NPR / Washington Post / NBC News / CBS News)
\n2/ The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to a range of 3.5 to 3.75%, the third reduction this year. The Fed signaled that it may pause further cuts as officials split over how to handle inflation and a weakening job market. New projections showed most policymakers expect only one cut in 2026 and raised their forecast for economic growth even though they still see inflation staying above the Fed’s 2% target for several years. Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed is “well positioned to wait to see how the economy evolves,” framing the move as protection against labor market risks, while Trump dismissed the decision as a “rather small” cut that “could have been doubled.” (Politico / Wall Street Journal / CNBC / Bloomberg / ABC News / Axios / Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times)
\n3/ The House passed a $900 billion defense bill that eliminates Pentagon diversity, equity and inclusion offices, cuts $1.6 billion in climate programs, and writes several of Trump’s executive orders into law. The bill gives troops a 3.8% pay raise, withholds 25% of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget until lawmakers receive unedited videos and command orders for lethal boat strikes near Latin America, and requires the Pentagon to keep at least 76,000 troops in Europe and 28,500 in South Korea, and authorizes $400 million a year in security aid for Ukraine for two years. (New York Times / Associated Press / Politico)
\n4/ The U.S. seized a sanctioned oil tanker loaded with Venezuelan crude off the country’s coast, which Trump called the “largest one ever seized” even as basic facts about the operation remain unclear. Attorney General Pam Bondi identified the vessel as the Skipper and said Coast Guard, FBI, and Homeland Security teams fast-roped from helicopters to execute a sealed seizure warrant for a ship she linked to “sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran” that supports foreign terrorist organizations. Officials, however, didn’t explain whether the U.S. is claiming the ship, the oil, or both, and have released no public evidence beyond Bondi’s statement and short video clips of the boarding. Venezuela’s government, meanwhile, called the move “barefaced robbery and an act of international piracy,” while U.S. officials described it as part of a broader effort to cut off Nicolás Maduro’s oil revenue after more than 20 deadly strikes on alleged drug boats that legal experts say may violate international law. (NBC News / New York Times / Reuters / The Guardian / Axios / Associated Press / Bloomberg / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / Politico)
\n5/ A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to end its deployment of California National Guard troops in Los Angeles and return control of the soldiers to Gov. Gavin Newsom. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said Trump went too far by keeping about 100 Guard members in the city months after the protests that first prompted the call-up, warning that the administration was asking for a “blank check” to use state troops as a national police force. The order is on hold until Monday to give the administration time to appeal. The White House, meanwhile, insists that Trump used his “lawful authority.” (CalMatters / NPR / New York Times / CNN / Bloomberg / Reuters / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)
\n6/ The Department of Homeland Security will buy six Boeing 737 jets to build its own deportation fleet for ICE for roughly $140 million. DHS claimed the move will save $279 million “by allowing ICE to operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns” and will help Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem get “criminal illegal aliens OUT of our country.” ICE Air Operations currently uses a mix of chartered and commercial planes and, since Trump took office, has run more than 1,700 deportation flights to 77 countries and over 6,300 domestic flights to transfer detainees between U.S. jails as it works toward a goal of 1 million removals. (CNBC / Washington Post / Bloomberg)
\n7/ The Trump administration plans to require tourists from 42 countries to disclose five years of social media history before entering the U.S. as part of the ESTA pre-travel screening system. Under the plan, applicants would also have to submit past email addresses and phone numbers, detailed information about immediate family members, selfies and other biometrics. Customs and Border Protection said the changes are meant to enforce a Trump executive order to block foreigners who may pose security risks. Immigration lawyers and digital rights advocates, however, warned the plan may chill speech and travel, while groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation argued that mandatory social media surveillance invades privacy without clear evidence it improves security. (CNBC / Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times)
\n8/ A third federal judge ordered the release of grand jury transcripts and other investigative records from Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 federal sex trafficking case, expanding the cache of files the Justice Department must make public under a new law. The ruling follows similar orders from the judges overseeing Ghislaine Maxwell’s case and an earlier Epstein investigation, clearing the way for hundreds of thousands of pages of records to be disclosed. All three judges relied on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress last month and signed by Trump, which requires the Justice Department to release nearly all unclassified Epstein- and Maxwell-related investigative materials by Dec. 19 and says records can’t be withheld for reasons like “embarrassment” or “political sensitivity.” The judges also ordered the government to redact victims’ names and sensitive information. (Associated Press / Politico / NBC News / CNN / New York Times / Bloomberg / Washington Post)
\n9/ Democrats won Miami’s mayoral runoff and flipped a Republican-held Georgia state House seat. In Miami, Eileen Higgins defeated Trump-backed Emilio González, becoming the city’s first woman mayor and first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years. In Georgia, Democrat Eric Gisler claimed a narrow lead of about 200 votes over Republican Mack Guest in the Athens-area 121st District. Democrats have flipped 25 Republican-held legislative seats out of the 118 decided in 2025, meaning they captured 21% of the Republican seats on the ballot. Democrats have gained ground in Virginia, New Jersey, Iowa, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, while Republicans have failed to flip any seats. (Miami Herald / Associated Press / Politico / CNN / NBC News / Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / Down Ballot / Bolts)
\npoll/ Nearly half of Americans said they struggle to afford groceries, utilities, health care, housing, and transportation, and half said they find it difficult to pay for food. 55% blamed the Trump administration for high grocery prices. (Politico)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 328 days.
\nCMS administrator Mehmet Oz has been using his weekly agency-wide emails to tell more than 6,000 federal employees how many holiday cookies to eat, urging them to “set your intentions” and avoid “double fisting” snacks. The agency defended the tips as helpful guidance even as Oz’s history of promoting unproven health claims, including his praise of green coffee extract as a “magic” weight-loss cure and his incorrect statements about hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as Covid treatments. (Wired)
\nTrump admitted that he questioned why the U.S. would admit people from “shithole countries” like Haiti, El Salvador, and several African countries in 2018, contradicting years of denials. Trump then recounted the Oval Office meeting, saying “Why is it we only take people from shithole countries, right? Why can’t we have some people from Norway, Sweden […] But we always take people from Somalia. Places that are a disaster, right? Filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime.” (Washington Post)
\nThe Trump administration threatened new sanctions on the International Criminal Court unless it changes its governing rules to block any future prosecution of Trump or his senior officials. The warning follows U.S. pressure to stop probes of Israeli leaders and to formally end an investigation of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Reuters)
\nThe head of the FAA hasn’t divested his stock in the airline he ran before joining the Trump administration. Bryan Bedford holds between $6 million and $30 million in Republic Airways Holdings Inc. stock. (New York Times / Bloomberg)
\nSecretary of State Marco Rubio ordered all U.S. diplomats to use Times New Roman 14-point font for official documents in order “to restore decorum and professionalism.” Rubio called the use of Calibri, a modern sans-serif font, a “wasteful DEIA program” that “degraded” State Department correspondence. Some studies, however, suggest that sans-serif fonts like Calibri are easier to read and improve accessibility for those with certain visual disabilities. (Reuters / NBC News / New York Times)
\nTrump finally won his peace prize, receiving the inaugural “FIFA Peace Prize” that the soccer federation created after he was passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize. The organization offered no explanation for how the new award’s winner was chosen. (USA Today / Associated Press / The Guardian)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "During Trump’s first stop on his “affordability” tour in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, he claimed he’s “crushing it” on inflation and delivering “lower prices” and “bigger paychecks”; U.S. farmers say Trump’s new $12 billion aid package falls short of their projected $35 billion to $44 billion in losses on major crops; the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a...", "date_published": "2025-12-10T16:48:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/09/day-1785/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/09/day-1785/", "title": "Day 1785: “A colossal economic and national security failure.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1785trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump called Europe “weak” and “decaying,” warning that some countries may no longer be “viable”; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ruled out ceding any territory to Russia, rejecting a core part of Trump’s peace plan; Trump reversed his public pledge to release the full video of the Sept. 2 U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, instead saying “whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is OK with me”; a federal judge granted the Justice Department permission to release grand jury transcripts and investigative records from the sex trafficking case against Ghislaine Maxwell; a federal judge rejected Trump’s effort to block permits and leases for new wind energy projects on federal lands and waters; Trump authorized Nvidia to sell its H200 artificial intelligence chips to China in return for 25% of the revenue; the Trump administration agreed to a proposed settlement with seven Republican-led states that would shut down the SAVE student loan repayment plan; and Texas announced a partnership with Turning Point USA to establish “Club America” chapters in every high school in the state and warned schools not to block the clubs.
\n1/ Trump called Europe “weak” and “decaying,” warning that some countries may no longer be “viable” while praising authoritarian leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In an interview with Politico, Trump argued that immigration and political correctness, not Russia, are Europe’s real threat, bragged that “NATO calls me ‘Daddy’,” questioned further NATO expansion, and said Ukraine is losing the war and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must “start accepting things.” At the same time, Trump gave his economic performance an “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus” grade, made support for immediate interest rate cuts a litmus test for his next Federal Reserve chair, floated more targeted tariff carveouts while promising higher duties elsewhere, and refused to say whether he will back extending expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies that would prevent premium hikes. Democrats, meanwhile, accused Trump of “dishonor[ing] the decades-long bipartisan commitment” to NATO and Ukraine and of misunderstanding that “Putin is driving this war.” (Politico / The Guardian / New York Times / Axios)
\n2/ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ruled out ceding any territory to Russia, rejecting a core part of Trump’s peace plan. Zelensky said Ukraine has “no right to give anything away, under Ukrainian law, our constitution and international law,” and added that there is “no moral right either,” even as Trump insists Ukraine is “losing” and should “play ball” because Russia has the “upper hand.” Ukrainian and European officials have treated the plan as favoring Russia, and have pushed to strip out what Zelensky called “explicitly anti-Ukrainian provisions.” Zelensky is now working with European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, on a counter-proposal that centers on firm security guarantees and rejects locking in territorial concessions to Russia. (Associated Press / CBS News / The Guardian / Politico / Washington Post / Axios / Wall Street Journal)
\n3/ Trump reversed his public pledge to release the full video of the Sept. 2 U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, instead saying “whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is OK with me.” Trump also denied that he ever promised to make the footage available, despite saying on Dec. 3, 2025, “I don’t know what they have, but whatever they have, we’d certainly release, no problem.” Following months of limited disclosure about at least 22 boat strikes that have killed around 87 people, Congress is using its must-pass defense bill to force the Pentagon to give the armed services committees the execute orders and unedited videos. The bill would also freeze 25% of Hegseth’s travel budget until it does so. (Wall Street Journal / New York Times / ABC News / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / ABC News / CBS News / NBC News / Associated Press)
\n4/ A federal judge granted the Justice Department permission to release grand jury transcripts and investigative records from the sex trafficking case against Ghislaine Maxwell. Judge Paul Engelmayer said the new Epstein Files Transparency Act requires the department to disclose Epstein and Maxwell records by Dec. 19. He modified an earlier protective order so that “voluminous discovery” such as search materials, financial records, and victim interviews can be made public with redactions. He ordered Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to “personally certify” that all released material has been “rigorously reviewed” to ensure it doesn’t identify victims. (NBC News / New York Times / Washington Post / Bloomberg / CBS News / CNN / Associated Press / Politico / CNBC / Axios)
\n5/ A federal judge rejected Trump’s effort to block permits and leases for new wind energy projects on federal lands and waters, vacating what she described as the administration’s blanket “wind order.” Judge Patti Saris ruled that Trump’s Jan. 20 directive, and the follow-on actions by federal agencies, were “arbitrary and capricious” and “contrary to law” because officials provided no reasoned explanations beyond carrying out the president’s instructions, which she said violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The decision came in a case led by New York and joined by 16 other Democrat-led states, Washington, D.C., and outside groups, which argued that Trump’s ban threatened investments, grid reliability, and state climate goals. (New York Times / Axios / Associated Press / CNBC / The Hill)
\n6/ Trump authorized Nvidia to sell its H200 artificial intelligence chips to China in return for 25% of the revenue, in a deal that Trump said will also apply to AMD and Intel. The policy allows only Commerce Department–vetted commercial buyers to receive the H200 while Nvidia’s more powerful Blackwell and upcoming Rubin chips remain blocked. The Institute for Progress estimates the H200 is almost six times as powerful as the H20 model that China was previously allowed to buy, and researchers at Georgetown University say its performance is nearly 10 times the old export limit on chips for China. Greg Allen of the Wadhwani Center told the Senate that access to advanced chips is “almost certainly the largest single advantage” the U.S. has over China, warning that easing controls on H200s could weaken that edge as Chinese firms race to build large AI data centers. Democrats and national security experts, meanwhile, argued that the move risks strengthening China’s AI and military capabilities, noting that analysts at the Center for a New American Security estimate Chinese chips currently provide at most about 2% of the computing power of foreign rivals and saying the shift could be a “colossal economic and national security failure” if it helps Beijing close the gap in high-end computing. (Semafor / The Guardian / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CNBC / Axios / Politico / Bloomberg)
\n7/ The Trump administration agreed to a proposed settlement with seven Republican-led states that would shut down the SAVE student loan repayment plan and require roughly 7 million borrowers to move into other, generally more expensive options if a federal court in Missouri approves the deal. The Education Department said it will stop all new SAVE enrollments, deny pending applications, and transition current participants into other repayment plans under the agreement. Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent claimed the move ends a “deceptive scheme,” while borrower advocates warned that it would “strip borrowers of the most affordable repayment plan.” The settlement also requires the department to give the Missouri attorney general at least 30 days’ notice before canceling more than $10 billion in federal student loans, a condition that will last for the next decade. (Washington Post / CNBC)
\n8/ Texas announced a partnership with Turning Point USA to establish “Club America” chapters in every high school in the state and warned schools not to block the clubs. Gov. Greg Abbott said he expects “meaningful disciplinary action” against “any stoppage of TPUSA in the great state of Texas” and told supporters that “any school that stands in the way of a Club America program in their school should be reported immediately to the Texas Education Agency.” Civil rights groups, student and parent organizers, and some educators have criticized Turning Point for what they describe as racist, homophobic, and sexist rhetoric, and have questioned whether state-backed promotion of the organization in public schools is constitutional given that Texas has banned LGBTQ+ student clubs and opened investigations into teachers over comments about founder Charlie Kirk’s killing. State leaders say more than 500 Texas high schools already host Club America chapters, and the group is pushing for 20,000 high school chapters nationwide. (Texas Tribune / The Guardian / The Hill)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 329 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump called Europe “weak” and “decaying,” warning that some countries may no longer be “viable”; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ruled out ceding any territory to Russia, rejecting a core part of Trump’s peace plan; Trump reversed his public pledge to release the full video of the Sept. 2 U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, instead saying...", "date_published": "2025-12-09T13:57:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/08/day-1784/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/08/day-1784/", "title": "Day 1784: “Massive, uncontrolled, unchecked power.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1784trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court appeared ready to make it easier for Trump to fire independent government officials despite federal law restricting the president from removing them without cause; Trump’s former personal lawyer resigned as U.S. attorney for New Jersey after a federal appeals court upheld that she’d been serving in the position unlawfully; Trump announced a $12 billion bailout to help farmers hurt by his tariffs; Senate Republicans circulated competing health care proposals ahead of a vote on a Democratic plan to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of December; Trump said he was “a little bit disappointed” in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hours after the Kremlin praised Trump’s new National Security Strategy because it aligns with “our vision”; Trump suggested Netflix’s proposed $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” as Jared Kushner’s private equity fund is backing Paramount’s hostile takeover of the company; days after pardoning Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife in a federal bribery and conspiracy case, Trump said Cuellar showed “a lack of LOYALTY”; and 42% of Americans approved of the job Trump was doing as president, while 55% disapproved.
\n1/ The Supreme Court appeared ready to make it easier for Trump to fire independent government officials despite federal law restricting the president from removing them without cause – a major expansion of presidential power. During arguments over Trump’s removal of Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, the conservative majority cast doubt on the 1935 Humphrey’s Executor precedent that prevents at-will firings of commissioners. Several justices called that precedent a “dried husk,” and Justice Neil Gorsuch said it was “poorly reasoned,” while the three liberal justices warned the move would “destroy the structure of government” and hand presidents “massive, uncontrolled, unchecked power.” The court has already allowed Trump’s dismissal of Slaughter and other commissioners to take effect and is expected to issue a full ruling next year. (NBC News / New York Times / Bloomberg / Politico / CNN / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / Axios)
\n2/ Trump’s former personal lawyer resigned as U.S. attorney for New Jersey after a federal appeals court upheld that she’d been serving in the position unlawfully. The 3rd Circuit said the Trump administration’s maneuvering to keep Alina Habba in the job without Senate confirmation violated federal vacancies law, prompting Attorney General Pam Bondi to call the situation “untenable.” Habba said she was stepping down “to protect the stability and integrity of the office,” adding, “do not mistake compliance for surrender,” while Bondi vowed to appeal the decision and said Habba intends to return if the ruling is reversed. In New Jersey, Habba’s duties will now be divided among three existing prosecutors, as judges and lawyers sort through delays and questions in cases that involved her, part of a wider wave of court challenges that have also disqualified other Trump-installed U.S. attorneys in Virginia, Nevada, California and potentially New York. (Politico / New York Times / Associated Press / NBC News / CNN / Axios / CNBC)
\n3/ Trump announced a $12 billion bailout to help farmers hurt by his tariffs. In retaliation, China cut purchases of U.S. soybeans to near zero for months, which pushed down prices until October when Beijing agreed to buy 12 million metric tons this year and 25 million metric tons annually for the next three years. The White House said up to $11 billion will be paid as one-time “bridge” payments through the Farmer Bridge Assistance program for major row crops, with the rest set aside for commodities the program does not cover. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, said Trump “wants credit for trying to fix a mess of his making,” while some farm groups warned that government support doesn’t replace stable markets. (Associated Press / New York Times / Politico / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / CNN / Bloomberg / NBC News / Washington Post)
\n4/ Senate Republicans circulated competing health care proposals ahead of a vote on a Democratic plan to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of December. The Democratic bill, which would keep the pandemic-era tax credits in place for three years, is expected to fail. Republicans, however, haven’t coalesced around a single alternative plan, but instead have floated ideas ranging from sending money into health savings accounts and expanding catastrophic plans, to a two-year extension with new income caps and minimum premium payments, to proposals that would replace the subsidy structure with health savings accounts. If Congress does nothing, the enhanced subsidies will lapse and roughly 20 million enrollees will face higher premiums in January, with many seeing monthly costs that could more than double. (NPR / New York Times / Axios / Washington Post / The Hill / Politico / Wall Street Journal)
\n5/ Trump said he was “a little bit disappointed” in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hours after the Kremlin praised Trump’s new National Security Strategy because it aligns with “our vision.” Trump told reporters that Zelenskyy hadn’t read the latest U.S. peace proposal and that “Russia’s fine with it.” Zelenskyy, however, said the U.S.-brokered negotiations remain divided because Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow have different visions for Donbas and that Ukraine needed clearer commitments from Western partners on how they would respond if Russia launched another attack. Trump Jr., meanwhile, claimed that Ukraine’s leaders were prolonging the war for political reasons, called the country more corrupt than Russia, and said his dad “may” end U.S. support if Kyiv doesn’t agree to a peace deal with Moscow. (Politico / Bloomberg / Reuters / The Guardian / BBC / ABC News / CNBC / Bloomberg / The Guardian)
\n6/ Trump suggested Netflix’s proposed $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” as Jared Kushner’s private equity fund is backing Paramount’s hostile takeover of the company. The Netflix deal requires approval by antitrust regulators and Trump said he will “be involved” in that process. Paramount, meanwhile, is telling shareholders that its $108 billion bid faces fewer regulatory hurdles than Netflix’s cash-and-stock deal for Warner’s studio and streaming assets, and it says all foreign investors have agreed to forgo governance and board rights to stay outside CFIUS review. (CNBC / Bloomberg / Axios / New York Times / Associated Press / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / New York Times)
\n7/ Days after pardoning Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife in a federal bribery and conspiracy case, Trump said Cuellar showed “a lack of LOYALTY.” Cuellar filed to run for reelection as a Democrat the same day he received a pardon from Trump. He told Fox News he remains a conservative Democrat and said “I don’t vote party, I vote for what’s right for the country.” (Politico / Axios / Associated Press / NBC News)
\npoll/ 42% of Americans approved of the job Trump was doing as president, while 55% disapproved. Independents’ approval dropped to 31%, down from 41% in July. Approval among white college-educated men fell to 40%, down from 47% in June. Meanwhile, Republican approval remains at 91%. (New York Times)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 330 days.
\nThe Supreme Court agreed to review Trump’s executive order targeting birthright citizenship, even though the policy has been blocked at every level of the lower courts and has never taken effect. The administration claims the 14th Amendment was never meant to cover children of undocumented or temporary visitors. (Associated Press / Bloomberg / New York Times / Washington Post / Politico)
\nAn immigration judge ordered the release a Brazilian immigrant who once was engaged to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s brother and shares custody of their 11-year-old son. ICE arrested Bruna Ferreira on Nov. 12 in Massachusetts and moved her to a Louisiana detention center. Her attorneys said she has lived in the U.S. since early childhood and previously received protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (Associated Press / Washington Post)
\nThe newly restructured CDC vaccine panel voted 8–3 to end the long-standing recommendation that all newborns get a hepatitis B shot at birth, keeping the birth-dose guidance only for infants born to mothers who test positive or have unknown status. The change came over objections from medical groups and CDC experts who said the birth dose has decades of evidence behind it and warned the rollback will lead to more preventable infections. Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill will decide whether to adopt the recommendations, as critics warned the panel “presented no information and no data” to justify the change and said the process has shifted away from scientific review. (Associated Press / NPR / Reuters / Politico / New York Times / Washington Post)
\nA federal judge in Florida has ordered grand jury transcripts from old Jeffrey Epstein investigations to be unsealed. The Epstein Files Transparency Act forces the Justice Department to post unclassified Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell records by Dec. 19, but it also lets the government redact victim details and withhold files tied to active probes or classified matters. (Politico / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / New York Times / NBC News / Associated Press / Reuters / Washington Post / Axios)
\nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The Supreme Court appeared ready to make it easier for Trump to fire independent government officials despite federal law restricting the president from removing them without cause; Trump’s former personal lawyer resigned as U.S. attorney for New Jersey after a federal appeals court upheld that she’d been serving in the position unlawfully; Trump announced a $12 billion bailout to help...", "date_published": "2025-12-08T13:58:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/04/day-1780/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/04/day-1780/", "title": "Day 1780: “A bloated, useless entity.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1780trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: The Supreme Court allowed Texas to use its new congressional map for the 2026 elections, blocking a lower court ruling that found the plan was likely a racial gerrymander; federal agents arrested the man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC offices the night before Jan. 6 Capitol attack; the Government Accountability Office opened an investigation into Bill Pulte after Senate Democrats accused the Federal Housing Finance Agency director of abusing his position to target Trump’s perceived political enemies with criminal referrals; the Trump administration renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace to the “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace”; 98% of more than 2,100 Foreign Service employees reported lower morale this year; 46% of Americans say the cost of living in the U.S. is worst than than they can ever remember; and U.S. economic confidence fell to negative 30 in November – its lowest level since July 2024.
\n1/ The Supreme Court allowed Texas to use its new congressional map for the 2026 elections, blocking a lower court ruling that found the plan was likely a racial gerrymander. The order granted an emergency request from Gov. Greg Abbott after a three-judge panel said Republican lawmakers, acting at Trump’s urging, diluted the voting power of Black and Latino residents. The justices said Texas was likely to win on appeal and paused the injunction while they review the case. The map was designed to add up to five Republican House seats. (NBC News / Associated Press / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Politico)
\n2/ Federal agents arrested the man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC offices the night before Jan. 6 Capitol attack. An FBI affidavit said investigators tied Brian Cole Jr. to the devices through purchase records, cellphone data and a license plate reader, though officials didn’t explain why earlier reviews of the same evidence failed to identify him. (Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / CNN / Washington Post)
\n3/ The Government Accountability Office opened an investigation into Bill Pulte after Senate Democrats accused the Federal Housing Finance Agency director of abusing his position to target Trump’s perceived political enemies with criminal referrals. The probe will examine whether Pulte and FHFA staff misused federal authority and resources in sending mortgage fraud referrals on New York Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff, Rep. Eric Swalwell, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to the Justice Department. A federal judge has already dismissed charges tied to Pulte’s referral of James. (Reuters / NBC News / Axios / CNBC)
\n4/ The Trump administration renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace to the “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace,” bolting his name onto its Washington headquarters. The State Department said the rebranding honors “the greatest dealmaker in our nation’s history” and will stand as a reminder of “what strong leadership can accomplish for global stability.” The White House, meanwhile, called the Institute of Peace a once “bloated, useless entity,” but the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace “is both beautifully and aptly named after a President who ended eight wars in less than a year.” The move follows Trump’s February order to shut down the congressionally created institute and a March takeover by the Department of Government Efficiency, which removed the leadership and fire most staff. (NPR / CNN / Axios / New York Times / Bloomberg / Washington Post / NBC News)
\n5/ 98% of more than 2,100 Foreign Service employees reported lower morale this year. The American Foreign Service Association said workplace changes since January have made it harder to advance U.S. diplomatic priorities and warned that thousands of departures and ongoing reductions in force have left the State Department struggling to sustain core functions. (New York Times / Axios / Federal News Network)
\npoll/ 46% of Americans say the cost of living in the U.S. is worst than than they can ever remember. 46% also say this is now Trump’s economy and he’s responsible for the high costs. (Politico)
\npoll/ U.S. economic confidence fell to negative 30 in November – its lowest level since July 2024. 21% of Americans described current economic conditions as good in November, while 40% described conditions as poor. 27% said the economy is getting better, while 68% said the economy is getting worse. (Gallup)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 334 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "The Supreme Court allowed Texas to use its new congressional map for the 2026 elections, blocking a lower court ruling that found the plan was likely a racial gerrymander; federal agents arrested the man accused of planting pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC offices the night before Jan. 6 Capitol attack; the Government Accountability Office opened an investigation into...", "date_published": "2025-12-04T15:41:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/03/day-1779/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/03/day-1779/", "title": "Day 1779: “Wake-up call.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1779trupm.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Republican Matt Van Epps won a House special election in Tennessee’s deep-red 7th District by roughly nine points, far below Trump’s 22 point margin there last year; a Pentagon watchdog concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth risked endangering U.S. troops by using his personal device and the Signal app to share sensitive operational details about planned strikes in Yemen; the Trump administration launched a broad immigration sweep in New Orleans; House Democrats released photos and videos from Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in an effort to pressure on the Justice Department to disclose its Epstein files by the Dec. 19 deadline; Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith for a closed-door deposition about his prosecutions of Trump; and Trump rolled back Biden-era fuel economy and tailpipe emission rules for cars and light trucks, cutting the 2031 target from about 50 miles per gallon to 34.5 miles per gallon and reducing pressure on automakers to sell electric vehicles.
\n1/ Republican Matt Van Epps won a House special election in Tennessee’s deep-red 7th District by roughly nine points, far below Trump’s 22 point margin there last year. Republicans, despite spending millions and campaigning with Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, called the underperformance “dangerous” and a “wake-up call” ahead of the 2026 midterms. Democrats, meanwhile, said Aftyn Behn’s 13-point gain over Trump’s 2024 margin shows voters are punishing Republicans over prices and Trump’s agenda. They pointed to recent Democratic wins in New Jersey and Virginia and similar overperformances in other specials as evidence that seats considered safe in 2024 could be competitive in 2026. (Associated Press / NBC News / Washington Post / Politico / Strength in Numbers / New York Times / CNN / Slate / Bloomberg / Axios)
\n2/ A Pentagon watchdog concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth risked endangering U.S. troops by using his personal device and the Signal app to share sensitive operational details about planned strikes in Yemen. Despite Hegseth and the Pentagon insisting he did nothing wrong, the inspector general found that he shared operational details labeled Secret over an unclassified, commercial platform, and violated Defense Department policy on secure communications. Investigators said Hegseth refused an in-person interview, provided only a brief written statement, and turned over just a small set of his Signal messages, forcing the review to rely on screenshots already made public. While the report acknowledges that Hegseth had authority to declassify information, it doesn’t resolve whether he actually did before texting. (New York Times / CNN / Washington Post / Bloomberg / ABC News / NPR / Politico / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal)
\n3/ The Trump administration launched a broad immigration sweep in New Orleans. DHS said it was targeting people released from local jails under sanctuary city policies, and Border Patrol said several hundred agents were spreading through neighborhoods, commercial areas and the French Quarter. They didn’t disclose the operation’s size or duration. The FBI and Louisiana State Police also formed a joint effort to deter interference, while Governor Jeff Landry backed the deployment and pressed for more federal support. Mayor-elect Helena Moreno, meanwhile, cited reports from earlier sweeps that detained many people with no criminal history and raised concerns about due process and aggressive tactics. (Bloomberg / New York Times / NBC News / ABC News / Politico)
\n4/ House Democrats released photos and videos from Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in an effort to pressure on the Justice Department to disclose its Epstein files by the Dec. 19 deadline. A bipartisan group of lawmakers then asked Attorney General Pam Bondi for briefing on any “new evidence” or issues that could delay the department’s obligations under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. While Republicans accused Democrats of selectively releasing material, the DOJ hasn’t explained how it will meet the law’s requirements. Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell, meanwhile, told a federal judge they will oppose unsealing grand jury records, which could further restrict what DOJ is able to make public. (Washington Post / Politico / Axios / NBC News / Axios / CNN / New York Times)
\n5/ Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith for a closed-door deposition about his prosecutions of Trump. Smith had asked to testify in public, and Trump also said he would rather see Smith testify publicly, even as he called Smith “a sick man” and other insults. After rejecting Smith’s offer to testify in an open hearing, Rep. Jim Jordan ordered Smith to turn over records by Dec. 12. Smith’s lawyer said the rejection of public testimony denied Americans the chance to hear directly from him, but that Smith still plans to meet with the committee. Democrats, meanwhile, warned thata private interview could be selectively leaked. Smith led the 2020 election and classified-documents investigations, but dropped both cases after Trump returned to office as part of Justice Department protocol. (New York Times / Bloomberg / Associated Press / Washington Post / Politico)
\n6/ Trump rolled back Biden-era fuel economy and tailpipe emission rules for cars and light trucks, cutting the 2031 target from about 50 miles per gallon to 34.5 miles per gallon and reducing pressure on automakers to sell electric vehicles. The White House called it the “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” plan and claimed it would save Americans $109 billion – about $1,000 per new vehicle. Economists and past federal analyses, however, have showed that similar rollbacks ignore long-term fuel savings and public health costs, and would leave many drivers paying more for gasoline. The new policy comes following steps to erase penalties for missing Corporate Average Fuel Economy targets, cancel EPA greenhouse gas limits for vehicles, end federal EV tax credits, and block state-level gas car phaseouts. (Wall Street Journal / Axios / NPR / Washington Post / New York Times)
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Republican Matt Van Epps won a House special election in Tennessee’s deep-red 7th District by roughly nine points, far below Trump’s 22 point margin there last year; a Pentagon watchdog concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth risked endangering U.S. troops by using his personal device and the Signal app to share sensitive operational details about planned strikes in Yemen; the...", "date_published": "2025-12-03T17:01:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] }, { "id": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/02/day-1778/", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2025/12/02/day-1778/", "title": "Day 1778: “Garbage.”", "image": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/day1778trump.jpg", "content_html": "Today in one sentence: Trump said he doesn’t want Somali immigrants in the U.S., calling them “garbage,” saying they “contribute nothing,” and claiming they “ripped off that state for billions of dollars” and should “go back to where they came from and fix it” after he was asked if Minnesota’s governor should resign over a state fraud case; Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged Trump to expand the travel ban from 19 countries to about 30; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the second U.S. strike on a suspected drug boat that killed two survivors, saying he didn’t see anyone in the water because of the “fog of war”; bipartisan negotiations to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies stalled, leaving Congress less than a month before more than 20 million Americans face premium hikes that will average 114%; the Trump administration said it will start cutting SNAP funds to Democratic-led states next week unless they turn over detailed data on program recipients; Michael and Susan Dell pledged $6.25 billion to seed $250 deposits into 25 million “Trump accounts” for children; Trump, 79, posted more than 150 messages on Truth Social between 7 p.m. and midnight; and Trump appeared to repeatedly fall asleep during a televised Cabinet meeting.
\n1/ Trump said he doesn’t want Somali immigrants in the U.S., calling them “garbage,” saying they “contribute nothing,” and claiming they “ripped off that state for billions of dollars” and should “go back to where they came from and fix it” after he was asked if Minnesota’s governor should resign over a state fraud case. He then tied the issue to the National Guard shooting in Washington, even though the suspect was Afghan and the case had no connection to Somalia, a country more than 1,700 miles away. Trump comments came as the administration prepared to send about 100 ICE officers into the Minneapolis–St. Paul area to arrest Somalis with final deportation orders. Minnesota officials warned the operation could sweep up citizens in a state where most residents of Somali descent are U.S. citizens. (New York Times / Washington Post / Associated Press / CBS News / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Axios)
\n2/ Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged Trump to expand the travel ban from 19 countries to about 30 to 32 after the DC shooting of two National Guard members. She said she recommends “a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies,” while Trump has separately said he plans to “permanently pause migration from all third world countries.” In the days after the shooting, the administration stopped visa processing for Afghans, paused all asylum decisions, and ordered reviews of green cards and past asylum approvals. The move follows a June proclamation that imposed full or partial entry restrictions on 19 nations. (CNN / Bloomberg / CBS News / Axios / New York Times / The Guardian)
\n3/ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the second U.S. strike on a suspected drug boat that killed two survivors, saying he didn’t see anyone in the water because of the “fog of war.” He said he watched only the first Sept. 2 strike and “didn’t stick around,” while insisting Adm. Frank Bradley had “complete authority” and “made the right call” to order the follow-up strike. Bipartisan lawmakers in both chambers have launched investigations and are demanding audio, video, and orders for the mission amid reports that Hegseth gave a verbal directive to “kill everybody” on the boat. Trump, meanwhile, backed Hegseth and praised Bradley, but said he “didn’t know anything” about the second strike and “wouldn’t have wanted” it, even as he warned the U.S. would “start doing those strikes on land, too” against people “making cocaine” or selling drugs into the U.S. The Pentagon’s law-of-war manual labels shooting shipwrecked survivors as “clearly illegal.” (Associated Press / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / New York Times / The Hill / CNN / Axios)
\n4/ Bipartisan negotiations to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies stalled, leaving Congress less than a month before more than 20 million Americans face premium hikes that will average 114%. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said lawmakers weren’t close to the 60 votes needed to renew the tax credits. Republicans are split as some want the subsidies to lapse, others are concerned about rising costs in their districts, and many insist that any extension must include tighter abortion limits. Democrats have rejected to adding new abortion language and want a simple renewal. They plan to force a vote next week on a multiyear extension that Republicans are expected to block. Speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, hasn’t committed to allowing a House vote on any proposal. (Bloomberg / NBC News / The Hill / Politico)
\n5/ The Trump administration said it will start cutting SNAP funds to Democratic-led states next week unless they turn over detailed data on program recipients, including names and immigration status. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins claimed the move was an effort to fight “rampant fraud,” citing unverified claims of dead people and duplicate recipients on the rolls, while USDA threatened in a statement to “pull their administrative funds” if “Democrat States” don’t comply. 22 states and the District of Columbia have sued, and a federal judge has already issued a temporary injunction after finding USDA’s actions likely violated administrative law and could cause irreparable harm if SNAP funds are cut. (Washington Post / Associated Press / CNBC)
\n6/ Michael and Susan Dell pledged $6.25 billion to seed $250 deposits into 25 million “Trump accounts” for children 10 and under who aren’t covered by the federal program. Trump praised the donation and said the program gives families a stake in stock market growth, while Dell said “the smartest investment we can make is an investment in children.” The federal program created under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act will give $1,000 to children born between 2025 and 2028 and allow parents to open the accounts starting July 4, 2026. The accounts must invest in low-cost index funds and can’t be accessed until the child turns 18. (CNBC / Associated Press / Reuters / Bloomberg / New York Times / USA Today)
\n7/ Trump, 79, posted more than 150 messages on Truth Social between 7 p.m. and midnight. He averaged one post every two minutes for five hours, mixing attacks on Democrats with reposted conspiracy claims like Alex Jones’ allegation that Michelle Obama used Biden’s “autopen” to issue pardons, “lock her up” accusations that Nancy Pelosi “planned” the Jan. 6 riot, and self-praising videos such as one declaring “Christmas is officially great again.” Hours later, he resumed posting and wrote: “TRUTH SOCIAL IS THE BEST! There is nothing even close!!!” (The Guardian / Axios / HuffPost / The Independent / Daily Beast)
\n8/ Trump appeared to repeatedly fall asleep during a televised Cabinet meeting, leaning back and closing his eyes for long stretches as his secretaries offered updates and praised his leadership. He briefly jolted awake to thank Housing Secretary Scott Turner for doing a “great job.” Earlier in the session, Trump delivered a rambling monologue in which he insisted he felt “sharper than I was 25 years ago,” bragged that he got “all As” on his physical, and told his team, “We’re saving our country.” (New Republic / Daily Beast)
\n⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 336 days.
\n\n \nSubscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free
\nSupport today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member
", "summary": "Trump said he doesn’t want Somali immigrants in the U.S., calling them “garbage,” saying they “contribute nothing,” and claiming they “ripped off that state for billions of dollars” and should “go back to where they came from and fix it” after he was asked if Minnesota’s governor should resign over a state fraud case; Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urged...", "date_published": "2025-12-02T16:48:00-08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Matt Kiser", "url": "https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/" } ], "tags": ["politics"] } ] }