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What Happened Today – January 30, 2026

One year ago tonight, ten days into Trump’s second administration, I started sending headlines to family and friends because I was horrified at how fast our norms, rules, and laws were being shattered.

By day three, I was posting publicly. My friends and connections shared it, and by day four, strangers were sharing it and connecting with me. Somehow, an old man yelling at a cloud turned into 365 straight nights of tracking what this administration has done, failed to do, or refused to stop.

I haven’t missed a night. Not Christmas. Not Thanksgiving. Not my anniversary.

I’m being self-indulgent at the one year mark to ask a favor. If you’re not subscribed to the email, please do. Social media has proven unreliable. Algorithms bury things, platforms wobble, posts vanish. The email shows up every night.

If you already subscribe, get one person to join you. That’s it. One person who needs this but doesn’t know it exists.

You’re not going to be charged. Ever. This is about making an incoherent mess accessible to people who can’t doomscroll but need to know what’s happening.

365 down. We keep going.

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🚨 GovBrief Intensity Score 200
Extreme. History will remember.
Volume: Normal (20)
Severity: High (2.5)
Defining Moments: 0
Previous 5 Days
🟠116|🚨232|🚨168|🚨224|🟡109
100 = normal day. Volume is headline count. Stories weighted by significance. Defining Moments are the ones history remembers.
Today's Quote
The Radical Left Lunatics, Insurrectionists, Agitators, and Thugs, are going after Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, because she is a woman, and has done a really GREAT JOB!
Donald Trump posting on social media on January 30, 2026.
Yesterday's Most Read

House Republicans unveil election reform bill requiring photo ID to vote, citizenship verification to register, and banning ranked choice voting and universal mail-in ballots.

Today’s GovBrief News


Extremism 1 of 20

Car displaying Trump flag hits student at anti-ICE protest outside Nebraska high school after circling multiple times and revving engine; girl was alert and talking afterward.

Driver fled, located by police, evidence under review

Source: KOHA Omaha

January 30, 2026

Foreign Relations 2 of 20

Experts say Trump lacks authority to decertify Canadian aircraft after he threatened to ban Bombardier jets, with FAA historically grounding planes only for safety reasons.

5,400 Canadian-built planes registered in U.S.

Source: CTV News

January 30, 2026

Foreign Relations 3 of 20

Trump administration approves $16 billion in arms sales to Israel and Saudi Arabia as tensions rise over potential U.S. military strikes on Iran.

Bypassed congressional oversight, Meeks says

Source: The Associated Press

January 30, 2026

Foreign Relations 4 of 20

UN Secretary-General warns the organization faces "imminent financial collapse" by July after U.S. refused to pay its 2025 contribution and offered only 30% of expected peacekeeping funding.

Escalators off, heating lowered at Geneva offices

Source: BBC

January 30, 2026

Health 5 of 20

Idaho reports five probable measles cases in one unvaccinated Canyon County household, with the state ranking last in the nation for kindergarten vaccination coverage.

21 cases across six Idaho lcounties

Source: KIFI Idaho Falls

January 30, 2026

Health 6 of 20

Newsom files civil rights complaint against Dr. Oz after CMS administrator posted video falsely linking Armenian-American bakery to "organized crime mafia" health care fraud.

Business lost 30% of customers in first day

Source: KABC Los Angeles

January 30, 2026

Science 7 of 20

NASA delays Artemis II fueling test until Monday after "rare arctic outbreak" sweeps Florida, pushing earliest moon launch date to February 8.

700,000 gallons of propellants

Source: Spectrum Local News

January 30, 2026

Economy 8 of 20

Trump nominates BLS economist Brett Matsumoto to lead the agency after firing its commissioner over a jobs report and withdrawing a Project 2025 contributor's nomination.

Worked at BLS since 2015

Source: NBC News

January 30, 2026

Economy 9 of 20

Trump nominates Kevin Warsh to replace Jerome Powell as Fed chair, weeks after DOJ subpoenaed Powell in what Powell called a "pretext" to force rate cuts.

Warsh called for Fed "regime change" last summer

Source: CNBC

January 30, 2026

Justice Dept 10 of 20

Don Lemon pleads not guilty after FBI arrest for covering Minnesota church protest, charged under abortion clinic access law in what legal experts call unprecedented use against journalists.

Prior arrest warrant rejected

Source: The Independent

January 30, 2026

Justice Dept 11 of 20

Justice Department Civil Rights Division joins FBI investigation into Alex Pretti shooting, though Deputy AG Blanche cautions against calling it "a massive civil rights investigation."

Two CBP agents on leave

Source: UPI

January 30, 2026

Justice Dept 12 of 20

Justice Department releases 3 million pages, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images from Epstein investigation, with records showing Musk discussed island visits and Bannon exchanged hundreds of texts with Epstein during Trump's first term.

6 million documents, half withheld

Source: Newsweek

January 30, 2026

Courts 13 of 20

California's top judge says ICE arrests at courthouses are scaring people away, with her office tracking activity at 17 courts as the state considers requiring formal reporting.

Shasta County reports most activity

Source: Cal Matters

January 30, 2026

Courts 14 of 20

Federal judge permanently blocks Trump order requiring citizenship proof for voter registration, ruling the Constitution "does not allow the President to impose unilateral changes to federal election procedures."

Multiple lawsuits blocking portions of order

Source: The Associated Press

January 30, 2026

Courts 15 of 20

Federal judge rules Energy Department violated federal law by forming secret climate group that met 18 times to produce report downplaying global warming.

Formed after 400 climate scientists dismissed

Source: The Los Angeles Times

January 30, 2026

Courts 16 of 20

Philadelphia seeks injunction to restore slavery exhibits removed from President's House under Trump order, with judge calling federal position "a dangerous precedent."

Nine George Washington slaves memorialized

Source: WPVI Philadelphia

January 30, 2026

Immigration 17 of 20

Hospital staff and a forensic pathologist say Mexican immigrant's eight skull fractures and five brain hemorrhages are inconsistent with ICE's claim that he ran headfirst into a wall.

Arrested with valid documents, no criminal record

Source: The Associated Press

January 30, 2026

Immigration 18 of 20

Trump administration sues Virginia woman for $941,114 for failing to self-deport, part of a wave of litigation that has assessed over $6 billion in fines against 21,500 immigrants.

$998 daily fine for 943 days

Source: Politico

January 30, 2026

Congress 19 of 20

Senate passes $1.2 trillion funding deal 71-29 after Trump and Democrats split off DHS spending, but a brief shutdown begins Saturday with House not voting until Monday.

95% of federal funding now approved

Source: Politico

January 30, 2026

Fighting Back 20 of 20

Thousands brave sub-freezing temperatures in Minneapolis and students walk out in 46 states on national day of protest demanding ICE withdrawal from Minnesota.

250+ demonstrations nationally

Source: Reuters

January 30, 2026

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