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The Short List

Tue Jan 13 2026

Phaedra Trethan | National Correspondent

@wordsbyphaedra

👋🏼 Hi there! I'm Phaedra Trethan, grateful I'm able to get out for a brisk 2-mile walk each morning.🚶🏻‍♀️‍➡️

In Tuesday's news:

•	The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing state bans on transgender athletes competing on women's teams.
•	President Trump had encouraging words for protesters in Iran.
•	Even high-income earners are carrying more credit card debt than they care to admit.

But first: This NYC bookstore has an interesting exchange policy. 📚 🥒 📚

⚖️ SCOTUS weighs state bans on transgender athletes

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared to side with states that have banned transgender girls from competing on female sports teams, weighing in on a divisive cultural and political issue. What Chief Justice John Roberts said about the bans in Idaho and West Virginia.

The challenges to bans in states like West Virginia and Idaho come a year after the high court ruled that states can prevent transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers and hormone therapy.

•	Photos: The view outside the High Court.
•	What's at stake in this case and others involving transgender people.
•	SCOTUS is also set to rule on the legality President Trump's sweeping tariffs. What POTUS is saying about SCOTUS's potential ruling.
•	Watch: The High Court hears arguments.

A transgender rights supporter holds placards outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., Jan. 13, 2026.

Kevin Lamarque, REUTERS

Trump addresses Iranian protesters

President Trump addressed protesters who've taken to the streets of Iranian cities, angry over the country's plunging currency, economic devastation and authoritarian regime. The protests have drawn a brutal response from local authorities, with reports that hundreds have been killed and arrested.

Promising that "help is on the way" a day after saying U.S. air strikes were a possibility, Trump encouraged the "Iranian patriots" to "keep protesting" and "take over your institutions."

•	Human rights groups say the crackdown on Iranian protesters has claimed hundreds of lives.
•	Graphic: Understanding the protests in Iran.
•	A group of Buddhist monks is walking halfway across the U.S. The message they want to send.

A demonstrator lights a cigarette with fire from a burning picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei outside the Iranian embassy during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, UK, Jan. 12, 2026.

Toby Melville/REUTERS

Real quick

•	"Dilbert" creator and author Scott Adams, whose racist comments derailed his career, died of prostate cancer.
•	The administration soon may act on Trump's goal of taking control of Greenland, a source tells USA TODAY.
•	Mike Tomlin, the NFL's longest-tenured coach, is stepping down. 🏈
•	Joe Thompson, the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney who led the Minnesota fraud probe, has resigned.

Credit card cringe

About 2 of every 5 consumers with credit card debt have lied about how much they're carrying, according to a 2025 Lending Tree survey. Among those earning more than $100,000, about half have fudged about how much debt they have.

As President Trump calls for a 10% cap on credit card interest rates, more people are thinking about their own debt, including how they accumulated it and how they can pay it off.

🏒 🏋🏻‍♀️ A hockey romance + gym = fitness goals

There are a lot of reasons to hit the gym: Getting healthy. Building strength. Keeping fit. "Heated Rivalry."

Wait, what? Turns out the hit hockey romance centered around a pair of male hockey players is inspiring people to head to the gym , a trend that has personal trainers "excited and encouraged," one said. People are posting on social media about their "glute goals" and inspiration to get into shape, sparked by the, uh, sparks between the movie's characters Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams).

Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander, left, and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov in "Heated Rivalry."

Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max

A break from the news

•	Da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na! You say it's our birthday! Here's some of what's in store for America250. 🎉 🥳
•	Another baby name trend story that doesn't include mine: What's in, what's out for 2026. 👶🏼
•	Cold? Think Spring! Easter is April 5 and Peeps announced its latest flavors. 🐤

Phaedra Trethan is a national correspondent at USA TODAY. She'd love to hear from readers about The Short List, story ideas from across the nation and the your biggest splurge on a meal. (Hers was a couple hundred dollars at Morimoto in Philadelphia, years before she had a mortgage, marriage and family to answer to.) Email her at ptrethan@usatoday.com.