On This Day: January 5

6 posts spanning 2018–2026

2018

• Day 351 Jan 5, 2018

2020

• Day 1081: Trump authorized a drone strike at Baghdad International Airport that killed Iran's top security and intelligence commander; Trump claimed he ordered the killing of Soleimani "to stop a war" – not start one; Iran's supreme leader vowed "severe revenge" and "harsh retaliation"; Trump threatened – twice – to target Iranian cultural sites if Iran retaliated; and Trump ordered the strike killing Soleimani without the consultation of Congress. Jan 5, 2020

2021

• Day 1447: Trump falsely claimed that Pence has the power to unilaterally throw out electoral votes when Congress meets to certify the election results on Wednesday; Arizona, California, and Rhode Island have the highest Covid-19 infection rates per capita of anywhere in the world; four American intelligence agencies confirmed that the hack of the U.S. government and corporations was "likely Russian in origin"; the EPA finalized a "transparency" rule which will limit or exclude research about how pollution impacts human health; and Trump will not be allowed to visit Scotland to play golf during Biden's inauguration. Jan 5, 2021

2022

• Day 351: The CDC's independent vaccine advisory committee recommended booster doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 17-year olds; the CDC will not add a testing requirement to its isolation guidelines for people infected with Covid-19 who want to end their isolation; coronavirus cases have been reported on all 92 cruise ships sailing with passengers in U.S. waters; the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot said it's “in possession” of dozens of text messages that Fox News host Sean Hannity sent to Mark Meadows around the time of the attack; at least 57 people involved with the events of the Jan. 6 insurrection are running for elected office; Attorney General Merrick Garland pledged to hold those responsible for the Jan. 6 riot at "any level" accountable; Ted Cruz warned that Republicans would likely impeach Biden “whether it’s justified or not” if they retake the House in the midterm elections; and more than 40% of Americans lived in a county that experienced a climate-related disaster in 2021. Jan 5, 2022

2023

• Day 716: The Biden administration expanded its use of a Trump-era Covid-19 immigration policy to immediately turn away migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela crossing the border from Mexico illegally to claim asylum; the Federal Trade Commission proposed banning noncompete clauses in employment contracts; Kevin McCarthy lost his 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th bids for House speaker; about 204,000 people applied for first-time unemployment benefits last week; the Federal Reserve said it expects interest rates to remain high for "some time" as it tries to bring down inflation; and the U.S. and Germany will send Ukraine armored combat vehicles and an additional Patriot air defense system. Jan 5, 2023

2026

• Day 1812: 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. Jan 5, 2026