Monday, Jan. 19 - MLK Jr. Day
Tuesday, Jan. 20
A look back at Trump’s first year in office
Tuesday marked the first anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration for his second term. Trump flew to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to speak with some of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
According to The Associated Press, many people are concerned Trump is catering to the richest population rather than the average American. A survey conducted by the AP found that six in 10 U.S. adults say Trump has hurt the cost of living.
The AP reported even the Republican Party is worried about the issue of affordability and how Trump is going to help the situation. The same AP poll found only 16% of Republicans felt Trump has helped “a lot” in making things more affordable.
Wednesday, Jan. 21
Trump backs down on Greenland
On Wednesday, Trump reversed his threat of tariffs on eight European nations. The president originally requested the U.S. have control over Greenland and requested the “right, title and ownership,” according to the AP.
Following that, Trump posted on his social media site, Truth Social, that he reached an agreement with the head of NATO for a future deal on Arctic security.
NATO members are hoping this will lead to a compromise between Trump and Denmark. The alliance plans to move forward with building more U.S. military bases in Greenland in a deal with Trump, according to the AP.
Thursday, Jan. 22
TikTok creates new American operation
TikTok finalized a deal Thursday to create a new American operation. The deal comes after the threat of a ban in the United States, which constitutes more than 200 million users of the app, according to the AP.
The platform signed an agreement with major investment companies like Oracle, Silver Lake and the Emirati investment firm MGX to form a new U.S. operation. The new version will include “defined safeguards” and “comprehensive data protections,” according to a statement from the app.
Trump praised the deal on social media, and he gave a special shoutout to Chinese President Xi Jinping for cooperating with him. Adam Presser will serve as the American CEO of TikTok, along with a board of directors, to organize the app’s operations in the U.S.
Friday, Jan. 23
Department of Homeland Security defends detaining a 5-year-old
A 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday, along with his father, outside their home in Minnesota. The preschooler was on his way home when his house was swarmed with federal immigration officers.
Neighbors who witnessed the scene claimed that ICE agents used the child as “bait” to potentially make an additional arrest of his mother, according to the AP. The Department of Homeland Security claimed the description was an “abject lie,” and officers were simply trying to arrest his father.
The 5-year-old and his father are currently being held in a detention center in Texas, near San Antonio. Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, said the boy’s father was in the U.S. illegally, while the family’s attorney said he had a pending asylum application, which allowed him to stay in the country.
Saturday, Jan. 24
Man dies during ICE protest
On Saturday, a protest in Minneapolis against ICE turned violent after a man was fatally shot. The victim was Alex Pretti, 37, who was an intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital. Pretti was a U.S. citizen and had no prior criminal record.
The incident happened during widespread protests following Renee’s Good’s death Jan. 7 by an ICE officer. The Department of Homeland Security claimed Pretti was shot after he approached officers with a gun, but the officials on the scene did not confirm this statement, according to the AP.
Cell phone videos from witnesses at the scene have surfaced on social media, and no weapon appears to be visible on Pretti during the altercation. According to the AP, some Trump administration officials have suggested Pretti was a “domestic terrorist” while his friends and family deny that accusation, stating he was a caring and kind person.
