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On Politics

Thu Jan 15 2026

Kathryn Palmer | Politics Reporter

@KathrynPlmr

Hello readers! Kathryn Palmer here, bringing you the last issue for a few days. We'll be taking the day off Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Here's what to know today.

Tension mounts in Minneapolis, Trump issues threat

President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act today, after a night of clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. If he follows through, it would give him the authority to deploy U.S. armed forces domestically, as tensions continue rise in Minnesota. The city has been on edge since a federal immigration agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, last week. And more are rattled after a federal immigration officer shot a Venezuelan man last night. Federal officials have accused the man of fleeing during a traffic stop and attacking the agent. State and local officials in Minnesota, who filed a lawsuit to halt the federal intervention in the region, described ICE's actions as "intolerable" and called on protesters to remain peaceful. And Gov. Tim Walz yesterday encouraged civilians to record ICE agents' conduct for "future prosecutions."

Federal Agent Shooting Minneapolis Homeland Security.

Federal agents stand guard as community members in Minneapolis protest after federal law enforcement agents were involved in a shooting incident on Jan.14, 2026.

Ryan Murphy, REUTERS

A politics roundup:

•	"Y'all belong in Louisiana": The strange case of Trump's missing Greenland envoy
•	Democratic lawmakers say federal prosecutors are probing their "illegal orders" video
•	An explainer on the Insurrection Act, after Trump threatens to invoke it over Minneapolis protests
•	Trump and the GOP killed a Senate bill that aimed to curb military action in Venezuela

Gallery: Second shooting incident in Minneapolis amid ICE protests. See the scene.

Court upholds California's redistricting maps

A federal appellate court has ruled in favor of the voter-approved Proposition 50, a measure that temporarily redraws congressional maps to increase the number of Democratic seats in California. It marks a win for the state and Gov. Gavin Newsom, with the new maps intended to advantage Democrats in this year's midterm elections. The ruling shot down arguments from the Trump administration and the state's Republican party, claiming the maps were racially gerrymandered in favor of Latino voters and other groups. The California Republican Party said in a statement shortly after the ruling that it would seek an emergency injunction from the Supreme Court. The high court in December ruled in favor of Texas' new congressional maps amid several legal challenges.

Poll: Most Americans do not want US to acquire Greenland

A series of back-to-back polls shows many Americans are not keen on Trump's threats to take over the Danish territory of Greenland. According to a Reuters poll, only 1 in 5 Americans support Trump's efforts to acquire Greenland. A CNN poll out today recorded similar sentiments, finding three-quarters of Americans said they opposed a United States attempt to take control of Greenland. Several leading GOP members of Congress have also slammed the president's stance on the Arctic island in recent days. One Republican from Nebraska called it "buffoonery" and warned the move could get the president impeached.

Thanks for reading! More stories are below. You can reach me at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @ KathrynPlmr. I'll be back in your inbox on Tuesday.