“There is going to be some look at the new world order that President Trump is creating,” Trump’s economic director Kevin Hassett told Fox News Channel yesterday.
Today a federal judge in Minnesota barred ICE agents from retaliating against, arresting, or using chemical irritants on peaceful protesters. While that order was being signed, the Justice Department announced a criminal investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for what they called “conspiracy to impede” federal agents through public statements.
Back in Washington, Trump announced his Gaza “Board of Peace.” He selected himself to chair it, added his son-in-law and the Secretary of State, and filled the board with members from the U.S., U.K., and Canada. There is no Palestinian representation, nor are there members from the Middle East, Africa, or Latin America. The sole Asian representative became a U.S. citizen nearly 20 years ago. This is 21st century colonialism with a private jet and a crypto account.
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France, Germany, Sweden and Norway deploy troops to Greenland after White House talks reveal "fundamental disagreement," with Danish minister warning U.S. invasion "would be the end of NATO."
Today’s GovBrief News
Trump says "no reason right now" to invoke Insurrection Act in Minnesota, one day after threatening to deploy military against protesters he called "insurrectionists."
Source: KARE Minneapolis
January 16, 2026
Bipartisan congressional delegation traveled to Copenhagen to reassure Danish and Greenlandic leaders as European troops deploy to the island Trump has refused to rule out taking by force.
Source: USA Today
January 16, 2026
CIA Director John Ratcliffe met in Caracas with Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's former vice president whom the U.S. installed as acting Venezuela president two weeks ago.
Source: UPI
January 16, 2026
Trump announces Gaza "Board of Peace" with members from the U.S., U.K., and Canada but no Middle Eastern representatives on the body that will govern Palestinian territory.
Source: CTV News
January 16, 2026
Trump threatens tariffs on any country that won't "go along with Greenland," one day after Danish delegation left Washington citing "fundamental disagreement" with U.S. demands.
Source: CNBC
January 16, 2026
USDA directs employees to Google search foreign scientists they collaborate with for "subversive or criminal activity" and send flagged names to the agency's Office of Homeland Security.
Source: ProPublica
January 16, 2026
National Guard deployment in Washington extended through end of 2026, with 2,400 troops from Republican-led states patrolling Metro stations and the National Mall while armed with rifles and pistols.
Source: ABC News
January 16, 2026
Justice Department issues grand jury subpoenas to Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey in criminal investigation opened after both publicly condemned ICE operations in Minneapolis.
Source: CNN
January 16, 2026
Justice Department sues Virginia for refusing to hand over voter registration data, the 15th state sued since September in DOJ's campaign to collect personal information from voter rolls.
Source: The Hill
January 16, 2026
Justice Department tells judge to reject bipartisan congressional request for independent monitor overseeing Epstein files release, saying lawmakers lack standing to intervene.
Source: The Associated Press
January 16, 2026
Federal judge allows third offshore wind project to resume construction this week, rejecting Trump administration's unspecified national security claims and citing "inconsistencies" in government evidence.
Source: Inside Climate News
January 16, 2026
Federal judge gives Trump administration 21 days to return deported college student to the U.S. after government lawyer apologized for violating court order that should have prevented her removal.
Source: The Guardian
January 16, 2026
Federal judge rules TSA "plainly" violated court order by trying to strip airport screeners of union rights through a second memo after the first was blocked last year.
Source: GovExec
January 16, 2026
Trump granted clemency to Adriana Camberos for the second time, pardoning her after she was convicted on new fraud charges committed following his 2021 commutation of her previous sentence.
Source: Bloomberg
January 16, 2026
Education Department delays plan to garnish wages of defaulted student loan borrowers, reversing course one week after sending initial notices to begin collections.
Source: Spectrum News
January 16, 2026
House Ethics Committee announces investigation into Rep. Nancy Mace over lodging reimbursements, after she expensed over $27,000 while co-owning a $1.6 million Capitol Hill townhouse.
Source: The Hill
January 16, 2026
FAA warns pilots of potential military activity and GPS interference over the eastern Pacific Ocean and Central American airspace through mid-March.
Source: Newsweek
January 16, 2026
Trump appointed the architect he hired to design the White House ballroom to the Commission of Fine Arts, which will now review and approve the $400 million project.
Source: CBS News
January 16, 2026
Trump purchased up to $1 million in bonds from Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery one week after their merger announcement, which he has said he'll regulate.
Source: The Independent
January 16, 2026
Federal judge issues restraining order banning ICE agents from retaliating against, arresting, or using chemical irritants against peaceful protesters in Minnesota.
Source: KMSP Minneapolis
January 16, 2026