American Fever Dream

Today’s Headlines: Things escalated fast in Minnesota this weekend after ICE officers fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and veterans’ affairs worker, during a chaotic confrontation caught on multiple videos. Witnesses say Pretti was directing traffic and filming on his phone while trying to help someone else, and that his legally owned firearm had already been taken by agents before he was tackled. Federal officials initially labeled him a “domestic terrorist,” a claim sharply contradicted by video evidence and eyewitness affidavits. The shooting has triggered a major political and legal backlash. Minnesota officials say DHS and DOJ blocked state investigators from accessing the scene, even with a warrant, and the state has filed suit to prevent the destruction of evidence. Governor Tim Walz has ordered an independent investigation into both the killing and the federal government’s public statements about it. The controversy deepened after Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter threatening not to end federal operations in Minnesota unless the state hands over Medicaid, SNAP, and voter data and rolls back sanctuary policies—moves critics call political extortion. Meanwhile, tensions are rising nationally. Protesters braved extreme cold across Minnesota, businesses staged a general strike, and more than 60 major Minnesota-based companies urged de-escalation. Additionally, the detention of a U.S. Army veteran observing ICE activity, the assault of Rep. Maxwell Frost, a massive sewage spill in Washington, DC, and renewed debate over vaccine mandates round out a very chaotic weekend. President Trump has largely praised federal agents’ actions, even as his administration faces lawsuits, congressional infighting over ICE funding, and growing international criticism ahead of the World Cup. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: Border Patrol Agent Fatally Shoots Man in Minneapolis, Escalating State-Federal Standoff Axios: Trump officials stick "terrorist" label on Americans killed by DHS Politico: Bovino claims Border Patrol agents are ‘the victims’ in deadly Minneapolis shooting NYT: Pam Bondi letter to Tim Walz NBC News: White House shares an altered photo of arrested Minnesota protester Nekima Levy Armstrong ABC News: Army vet detained by ICE for 8 hours says he wasn't allowed to call an attorney Axios Local: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz vows state investigation into shooting amid "lies" from DHS NYT: CEO's of Target and Minnesota's biggest companies call for 'De-escalation'  Axios: Democrats threaten government shutdown over ICE funding Axios: Court docs reveal new details of alleged assault on Maxwell Frost AP News: Massive sewage spill flowing into Potomac River upstream from Washington AP News: German soccer federation official wants World Cup boycott considered because of Trump FOX News: Trump says it 'is too late' to stop the White House ballroom construction amid lawsuit WaPo: Trump hosts ‘Melania’ screening as Minnesota shooting fallout roils nation AP News: Massive winter storm dumps sleet, freezing rain and snow around much of US WSJ: Trump Says Administration Is ‘Reviewing Everything’ About Minneapolis Shooting WSJ: TikTok Finalizes Deal to Keep Operating in the U.S. NYT: Rejecting Decades of Science, Vaccine Panel Chair Says Polio and Other Shots Should Be Optional Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Today’s Headlines: At Davos, Trump hosted the signing of his new “Board of Peace,” a pay-to-play lineup including Belarus, Hungary, Egypt, Qatar, and Kazakhstan, with countries reportedly paying about $1 billion to join. Several European nations declined, warning the board looks like an attempt to sideline the UN. Jared Kushner also floated a vague, zone-based plan for rebuilding Gaza. Back home, Trump filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon, claiming he was “debanked” after January 6. JPMorgan says the case has no merit. In other news, former DOJ special counsel Jack Smith testified to Congress, warning of serious threats to democracy and criticizing mass pardons for January 6 defendants. Trump responded by publicly calling for Smith to be prosecuted. In Minnesota, ICE detained a 5-year-old child and his father outside their home, while school officials confirmed multiple students have been taken into custody, some on their way to school. Local police chiefs also say ICE has stopped off-duty officers based solely on skin color. DHS announced the next enforcement push will be in Maine. The New York Times reports the Trump family made at least $1.4 billion in 2025, driven by overseas real estate, crypto, settlements, and foreign gifts. A growing pardon-for-hire industry has wiped out hundreds of millions in restitution owed to victims. A new analysis found Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok generated millions of sexualized deepfake images in just nine days. And finally, a massive winter storm named Fern is expected to hit much of the U.S. this weekend, potentially affecting over 230 million people. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: T he Guardian: Davos onlookers notice Trump’s ‘board of peace’ logo resembles UN emblem | Donald Trump CNBC: Trump sues Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase over debanking the suit calls 'political' CNN: Live updates: Jack Smith testifies in House Judiciary hearing NBC News: ICE detains 4 Minnesota students, including 5-year-old, school district says USA Today: ICE agents drew guns on off-duty officer in Minnesota, chief says ABC News: DHS launches 'Operation Catch of the Day' enforcement action in Maine NYT: Opinion | How Trump Has Used the Presidency to Make at Least $1.4 Billion NBC News: Trump's pardons forgive financial crimes that came with hundreds of millions in punishments NYT: Trump Sets Fraudster Free From Prison for a Second Time WSJ: Inside the New Fast Track to a Presidential Pardon NYT: Musk’s Chatbot Flooded X With Millions of Sexualized Images in Days, New Estimates Show Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson