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What Happened Today – January 14, 2026

No checks, no balances, just impulse.

The Senate voted 51-50 yesterday to let Trump do whatever he wants in Venezuela and Iran. Two Republicans who opposed him last week changed their votes after he screamed at them. That’s how it works now. One phone call, one threat, one capitulation.

This is the same man who suggested injecting disinfectant on live television. The same impulsiveness that produced hundreds of thousands of excess COVID deaths. Now he’s rewarded RFK Jr. with control of American health policy, and measles is doubling weekly in South Carolina. Officials there say they’re losing the ability to trace spread. The outbreak was 211 cases on January 6th. It’s 434 today, with over 400 people in quarantine.

With politicians abdicating their responsibilities, it falls to the rest of us. That means pushing back hard on the antivaxxers in your life who got a C+ in high school biology and now think they understand epidemiology better than scientists. They don’t. And the body count from indulging them continues when intellectually weak leaders like Trump are allowed to trade public health for political favors.

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🚨 GovBrief Intensity Score 160
Extreme. History will remember.
Volume: Normal (18)
Severity: Moderate (2.22)
Defining Moments: 0
Previous 5 Days
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Today's Quote
We’ve run over a thousand simulations. It can cost around $3 a meal for a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, a, you know, corn, tortilla, and one other thing. And so there is a way to do this that actually will save the average American consumer money.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins on January 14, 2026, attempting to counter affordability arguments as food prices increase.
Yesterday's Most Read

Trump gives middle finger and mouths "fuck you" to Ford worker who yelled "pedophile protector" during Michigan plant tour, White House calls gesture "appropriate and unambiguous response."

Today’s GovBrief News


Foreign Relations 1 of 18

Denmark agrees to high-level working group on Greenland after White House meeting with Vance and Rubio, but calls U.S. ownership demands "totally unacceptable."

Poll: Nearly half of Americans oppose

Source: NBC News

January 14, 2026

Health 2 of 18

South Carolina measles outbreak doubles in one week to 434 cases with 409 in quarantine, as health officials warn they're losing ability to trace spread.

Outbreak began October, was 211 on Jan 6

Source: Ars Technica

January 14, 2026

Health 3 of 18

Trump administration reinstates up to $2 billion in mental health and addiction grants less than 24 hours after cutting them, following outcry from Congress and patient advocates.

Cuts to suicide prevention, substance abuse

Source: Axios

January 14, 2026

Health 4 of 18

Trump signs bill allowing whole and 2% milk in school lunches for first time since 2012, with new law exempting milk fat from saturated fat calculations.

Affects nearly 30 million schoolchildren

Source: CNN

January 14, 2026

Science 5 of 18

NASA conducts first medical evacuation in International Space Station's 25-year history after Crew-11 astronaut developed health issue, with splashdown expected early Thursday.

Crew was weeks from planned return

Source: USA Today

January 14, 2026

Military 6 of 18

US evacuating some personnel from Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base as precaution while Trump weighs military action against Iran.

3,400+ Iranian protesters killed per NGO

Source: Euronews

January 14, 2026

Justice Dept 7 of 18

Senator Slotkin says she's under federal investigation over November video advising troops they can refuse illegal orders, which Trump called "seditious behavior, punishable by death."

Slotkin needed 24/7 security after Trump comments

Source: Michigan Live

January 14, 2026

Courts 8 of 18

Federal judge dismisses Trump DOJ lawsuit against Oregon for refusing to hand over voter registration data including birth dates, driver's license and partial Social Security numbers.

Source: KGW Portland

January 14, 2026

Courts 9 of 18

Federal judges uphold California's Prop 50 congressional maps 2-1, rejecting claim that Democrat-favoring lines drawn to counter Texas gerrymandering violated Voting Rights Act.

GOP seeking SCOTUS emergency injunction

Source: KCRA Sacramento

January 14, 2026

Courts 10 of 18

Supreme Court rules 7-2 that GOP Rep. Mike Bost can challenge Illinois law allowing mail ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted up to two weeks later.

14+ states have similar laws

Source: The Chicago Sun-Times

January 14, 2026

Immigration 11 of 18

ICE agent shoots Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis one week after killing Renee Good, sparking protests that federal agents dispersed with tear gas and flashbangs.

Children hospitalized after flashbang hit vehicle

Source: KMSP Minneapolis

January 14, 2026

Immigration 12 of 18

Justice Department apologizes for "mistake" in deporting Massachusetts college student despite court order, but argues error should not affect her case or require her return.

ICE officer didn't activate alert system

Source: The Associated Press

January 14, 2026

Immigration 13 of 18

State Department suspending immigrant visa processing for 75 countries starting Jan. 21, claiming applicants "take welfare at unacceptable rates" despite existing five-year waiting periods for most benefits.

Brazil, Egypt, Nigeria, Somalia on list

Source: NBC News

January 14, 2026

Education 14 of 18

Education Department opens 18 Title IX investigations into schools with policies allowing transgender athletes, one day after Supreme Court heard arguments on state bans.

NYC, Hawaii schools targeted

Source: K-12 Dive

January 14, 2026

Congress 15 of 18

Senate defeats Venezuela war powers resolution 51-50 after two Republicans who supported it last week flipped under Trump pressure, with Vance casting tiebreaker.

Vance cast tiebreaking vote

Source: The Hill

January 14, 2026

Media 16 of 18

FBI raids Washington Post reporter's home, seizes electronics as part of investigation into Pentagon contractor accused of retaining classified Venezuela documents.

Bondi announced raid on social media

Source: UPI

January 14, 2026

Media 17 of 18

Stars and Stripes job applicants now asked how they would advance Trump's executive orders, a question the military newspaper's ombudsman calls "antithetical to its independence."

Paper reaches 1.4 million daily

Source: The Washington Post

January 14, 2026

Fighting Back 18 of 18

Newsom signals California will block Louisiana's extradition request for doctor indicted on felony charges for mailing abortion pills, saying state "will not be complicit."

Charge carries up to 50 years

Source: WAFB Baton Rouge

January 14, 2026