Chaos persists in Minnesota as state officials continue to defy federal authorities in a high-stakes showdown, President Donald Trump publicly warns Iran to “come to the table” as U.S. warships arrive in the region, and new data shows the American population growth fell dramatically last year.
It’s Thursday, January 29, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
Minnesota Chaos Continues
Chaos continues in Minnesota as state officials continue to defy the White House in a high-stakes showdown over ICE operations. Fingers on both sides of the aisle are pointing at Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey for fanning the flames. Around 200 activists stormed into the Minnesota Capitol on Tuesday. They were angry that Governor Tim Walz met with border czar Tom Homan. They demanded charges against the agents who shot protesters Alex Pretti and Renee Good. The activists went into Walz’s office in what they called a “slow march” for immigration justice, shouting slogans like “ICE out now!” and “No one is illegal,” “Abolish ICE,” and other statements. The White House has attempted to negotiate with Minnesota’s elected officials. Homan met with top officials, including Mayor Frey. But Frey, who continues to uphold Minneapolis’s sanctuary city policies, has insisted that local police will not cooperate with ICE and will not give them access to their jails. Frey said bluntly that Minneapolis “does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws.”
Trump Threatens Iran And Rubio Testifies In Senate
On Wednesday, President Trump publicly warned Iran to “come to the table” after U.S. warships arrived in the region. And on Capitol Hill, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the president’s foreign policy to skeptical lawmakers. Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran needs to make a deal or risk “major destruction,” far worse than Operation Midnight Hammer in June. Rubio testified in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and gave an additional rationale for moving more military assets into the Middle East. “We have 30,000 to 40,000 American troops stationed across 8 or 9 facilities in that region. … All are within the reach of an array of thousands of Iranian one-way UAVs and Iranian short-term ballistic missiles,” said Rubio. “We have to have enough force and power in the region just on a baseline to defend against that possibility.” Rubio also defended the Trump administration’s Venezuela policy, saying it is seeking progress toward democratic elections in the country, but without risking regional destabilization.
U.S. Population Growth Plummets
Amid President Trump’s border crackdown and mass deportation effort, new data shows the United States population growth fell dramatically last year. This week, the Census Bureau released new data showing that last year, the U.S. population grew by just 1.8 million, or 0.5%. With the exception of 2021, when COVID was at its peak, last year saw the slowest population growth in the history of the United States. The previous year, the United States grew by 3.3 million people, so roughly a 50% decline in one year. These numbers run from July 2024 to July 2025, so President Trump was only in office for half of that time. If the current pace holds, it’ll be an even more dramatic dip this coming year.
