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What Happened Today – January 28, 2026

Minneapolis has consumed the country’s attention for weeks.

Federal agents have killed two Americans, protesters have faced pepper spray in sub-zero cold, and a 5-year-old is locked in a Texas detention center. All of it deeply matters.

But today the FBI loaded 700 boxes of 2020 ballots into trucks in Georgia after a judge denied the White House civil access to those same records. Marco Rubio told the Senate that Venezuela must now submit a monthly budget to Washington. And a framed photo of Trump and Putin from their Alaska summit now hangs in the White House visitor lobby.

They’re counting on Minneapolis demanding attention, but our attention is finite. Stay diligent.

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🚨 GovBrief Intensity Score 232
Extreme. History will remember.
Volume: High (24)
Severity: Moderate (2.42)
Defining Moments: 1
Previous 5 Days
🚨168|🚨224|🟡109|🔴139|🚨196
100 = normal day. Volume is headline count. Stories weighted by significance. Defining Moments are the ones history remembers.
Today's Quote
Stephen Miller is one of the malignant architects of the violence and brutality DHS has unleashed on the American people. He slandered hero nurse Alex Pretti as a would-be assassin. Why is this hateful bigot still Donald Trump’s chief immigration adviser?
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries writing on social media on January 28, 2026.
Yesterday's Most Read

Man sprays Rep. Ilhan Omar with syringe at Minneapolis town hall where she demanded Noem's resignation, charged with assault.

Today’s GovBrief News


Foreign Relations 1 of 24

Framed photo of Trump and Putin from Alaska summit now hangs in White House visitor lobby, part of Palm Room renovation.

Photo from Aug. 15, 2025 Alaska summit

Source: The Hill

January 28, 2026

Foreign Relations 2 of 24

Rubio says technical talks with Denmark and Greenland have begun after Trump backed off tariff threats and military force rhetoric over takeover calls.

Denmark: "respecting the red lines of the Kingdom"

Source: The Associated Press

January 28, 2026

Foreign Relations 3 of 24

Rubio tells Senate that Venezuela must submit monthly budget to Washington for approval, with US controlling how oil proceeds are spent.

US "lost track" of $8.7B in Iraq reconstruction

Source: Semafor

January 28, 2026

Foreign Relations 4 of 24

US Embassy in Copenhagen removes flags honoring 44 Danish soldiers killed in Afghanistan, claims staff was unaware of their significance.

Danes responded with hundreds more flags

Source: CNN

January 28, 2026

Health 5 of 24

South Carolina measles outbreak reaches 789 cases with 570 people in quarantine, hundreds of students sent home from Upstate schools.

Only 20 cases among fully vaccinated

Source: WCBD Charleston

January 28, 2026

Human Rights 6 of 24

Kansas Legislature passes bathroom ban targeting transgender people with veto-proof majority, using procedural maneuvers to avoid public hearings.

Trans lawmaker: "five hours debating my humanity"

Source: The Kansas Reflector

January 28, 2026

Economy 7 of 24

Federal Reserve holds rates steady as Powell calls Supreme Court case over Trump's attempt to fire Governor Cook "perhaps the most important" in Fed's 113-year history.

Two Trump appointees dissented, wanted cuts

Source: CNBC

January 28, 2026

Justice Dept 8 of 24

Bondi announces 16 Minneapolis protesters charged with assaulting federal officers, including veteran accused of slapping away agent's hand.

Prior assault arrests "rarely charged, regularly dismissed"

Source: KMSP Minneapolis

January 28, 2026

Justice Dept 9 of 24

FBI seizes 2020 election ballots from Fulton County warehouse after judge previously denied White House lawsuit seeking same records.

700 boxes of ballots loaded onto trucks

Source: CBS News

January 28, 2026

Courts 10 of 24

Detainees at Florida Everglades detention center testify calls were dropped when they asked about attorneys, had to use soap to write down phone numbers.

ICE oversight official visited facility once since July

Source: The Associated Press

January 28, 2026

Courts 11 of 24

Federal judge calls Bondi's posting of protester arrest photos "deeply disturbing," refuses to protect anonymous ICE agents whose identities prosecutors won't reveal.

"Don't get the same courtesy as masked agents"

Source: Raw Story

January 28, 2026

Courts 12 of 24

Minnesota's chief federal judge cancels contempt hearing for ICE chief after agency releases wrongly detained man, but warns of 96 violated court orders: "ICE is not a law unto itself."

96 court orders violated in 74 cases

Source: Reuters

January 28, 2026

Immigration 13 of 24

Border Patrol places two agents who shot Alex Pretti on leave as White House says DHS "may not have been following protocol."

Rand Paul: "not honest to say he brandished a weapon"

Source: UPI

January 28, 2026

Immigration 14 of 24

Leaked ICE guidance orders Minnesota agents to avoid "agitators" and arrest only immigrants with criminal history, reversing broad sweeps that led to two killings.

"ALL TARGETS MUST HAVE A CRIMINAL NEXUS"

Source: USA Today

January 28, 2026

Immigration 15 of 24

Rep. Castro says 5-year-old Liam Ramos is "very depressed" and "lethargic" after visiting him in Texas detention, calls for disbanding ICE.

30-minute visit with Liam and father

Source: KENS San Antonio

January 28, 2026

Immigration 16 of 24

Video shows Alex Pretti kicking federal vehicle nine days before killing, family attorney says earlier confrontation cannot justify shooting.

Rib broken in earlier confrontation

Source: KARE Minneapolis

January 28, 2026

Data 17 of 24

DHS inventory reveals ICE has been using Palantir AI to process tips since May 2025, with separate tool creating maps of deportation targets using health agency data.

Operational since May 2, 2025

Source: Wired

January 28, 2026

Arts 18 of 24

Bruce Springsteen releases "Streets of Minneapolis" three days after Pretti killing, calling out "King Trump's private army" and naming Miller and Noem in lyrics.

Written Saturday, recorded Tuesday

Source: Billboard

January 28, 2026

Arts 19 of 24

Kennedy Center's new programming chief resigns less than two weeks after Grenell announced his hire to "expand commonsense programming."

Glass, Fleming, Fleck, Schwartz all canceled appearances

Source: The Washington Post

January 28, 2026

Grift 20 of 24

Nicki Minaj receives Trump gold card "free of charge" after appearing at Trump Accounts rollout, pledging up to $300K for fans while bypassing $1.15M fee.

Card normally costs $150K fee plus $1M "gift"

Source: USA Today

January 28, 2026

Grift 21 of 24

Trump administration moves to sell Old Post Office, once home to Trump hotel, as observation tower that was open to public for decades is now shuttered.

Trump company sold lease for $375M in 2022

Source: The Washington Post

January 28, 2026

Protest 22 of 24

"No Kings" coalition schedules third national protest for March 28 with flagship event in Minneapolis, citing need for security infrastructure after two federal killings.

200,000 joined first "Eyes on ICE" training

Source: Time

January 28, 2026

Protest 23 of 24

Texas state troopers deploy pepper spray on protesters outside detention center holding 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father.

Signs read "Children are not criminals"

Source: The Associated Press

January 28, 2026

Fighting Back 24 of 24

Federal judge blocks detention of Minnesota refugees under Operation PARRIS, orders those moved out of state returned within five days.

5,600 refugees targeted for "reverification"

Source: KTSP St. Paul

January 28, 2026

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