‘Hundreds more’ federal agents being deployed in Minnesota after killing of Renee Good – US politics live
Kristi Noem says that more officers are being deployed amid protests in several cities
Mon 12 Jan 2026 10.40 EST
Opening summary
Welcome to our US politics blog. There are several major stories around this morning:
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“Hundreds more” federal agents are being deployed to Minneapolis after an officer shot dead a woman in her car last week. Renee Good’s killing has sparked protests across several cities. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said more officers were being sent for their own protection.
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Fed chair Jerome Powell – who has been slammed by Trump for refusing to lower interest rates – announced Sunday he’s facing criminal investigation by federal prosecutors over renovations to Federal Reserve buildings. He’s made clear the “unprecedented” probe is driven by political motives.
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All eyes are on how the US might respond to Iran’s deadly crackdown on protesters, and whether it might mete out further military action, in addition to its strikes last year. Trump said on Sunday he was in contact with the opposition, and US officials might meet with Iranian counterparts.
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Trump is also threatening Cuba with withholding oil supplies from Venezuela, warning them to “make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE” in a Sunday post on Truth Social. “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO!” His threats to the traditional ally of Venezuela come in the wake of the US kidnapping and removing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro last week, while concerns also remain over the White House’s claims on Greenland.
- Warren delivers speech on future of Democratic party, slams investigation into Powell
- Top White House economic adviser says 'not involved' in DoJ's decision to investigate Powell
- Trump 'doing right things for Nato' by encouraging higher defense spending, Rutte says, as he avoids criticizing president over Greenland
- Warren says banking committee should not confirm Trump's nominee for Fed chair
- What type of action could Trump take in Iran?
- Democrats focusing on affordability to turn voters against Trump
- Trump says 'Iran called' for talks, as more than 500 killed in protests
- Goldman Sachs: Powell investigation has ‘reinforced’ concerns about Fed independence
- Fed chairman Jerome Powell being investigated
- 'Hundreds more' federal officers sent to Minnesota
- Opening summary
Republican senator vows to block any future nominations for Fed chair following investigation into Powell
A Republican senator has vowed to block all Federal Reserve nominations after the justice department opened a criminal investigation into the Fed chair, Jerome Powell, inflaming tensions over the central bank’s independence.
Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a member of the banking committee that oversees Fed appointments who is retiring at the end of his term later this year, said Sunday he would oppose any nominee for the Fed, including the upcoming chair vacancy, “until this legal matter is fully resolved.”
“If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” Tillis wrote on X.
“It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.”
Warren outlines electoral strategy for Democrats, highlights 'trust' and economic populism
At a speech at the National Press Club, the Massachusetts lawmaker said that in order to build a “sturdy big tent, it is not enough to simply attack Trump”.
“A Democratic Party that worries more about offending big donors than delivering for working people is a party that is doomed to fail – in 2026, 2028, and beyond,” she said today. “Democrats need to earn trust-long-term, durable trust-across the electorate … even when that means taking on the wealthy and well connected.”
Warren also noted that Democrats were once “trusted” by working people, and went on to list – what she sees – as some of the party’s crowning policy achievements: from Medicaid to union building to the Affordable Care Act.
“I understand the temptation – in this moment of national crisis – to sand down our edges to avoid offending anyone, especially the rich and powerful who might finance our candidates,” she added. “We can’t rebuild trust by staying silent about abuses of corporate power and tax fairness simply to avoid offending the delicate sensibilities of the already-rich and powerful.
Warren, who serves as the ranking member on the Senate banking committee, noted that if her party will “pick up the broken pieces of 2024” they “must acknowledge a hard truth”.
“Either we politely nibble around the edges of change, or we throw ourselves into the fight,” she said. Either we carefully craft our policies to ensure that the rich keep right on getting richer, or we build a party that ferociously and unapologetically serves the needs of working people.”
Warren delivers speech on future of Democratic party, slams investigation into Powell
Senate Democrat Elizabeth Warren is delivering remarks on the future of the Democratic party today. However, she kicked off her speech today with a laundry list of rebukes against the Trump administration.
“Trump is trying to push out the chairman of the Federal Reserve board and complete his corrupt takeover of America’s central bank – so it serves his interests, along with his billionaire friends,” she said.
In a post on Truth Social a short while ago, Donald Trump praised himself for the his work with Nato.
“I’m the one who SAVED NATO!!!,” he wrote in a post on Monday. The president has routinely taken credit for the decision of member countries to increase their defense and security spending from 2% to 5% last year.
Top White House economic adviser says 'not involved' in DoJ's decision to investigate Powell
In an interview with CNBC today, the White House economic council director Kevin Hassett said that he was “not involved” in the justice department’s decision to launch a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell.
When asked about Powell’s claims that the investigation into his handling of the central bank’s ongoing investigation is merely a “pretext” to “put pressure on him to do the president’s bidding on lowering rate”, Hassett said that theyw ould discover whether this is accurate “in the fullness of time”.
He added that there are “dramatic cost overruns” on the Federal Reserve renovations, and “plans for the buildings that look inconsistent with the testimony”.
“I’ve not been briefed on what the justice Department is thinking, and I expect the president has not as well,” Hassett reiterated.
Trump 'doing right things for Nato' by encouraging higher defense spending, Rutte says, as he avoids criticizing president over Greenland
Nato’s general secretary Mark Rutte has just been asked about Trump’s comments on Greenland on his visit to Croatia, where he met the country’s prime minister Andrej Plenković.
Rutte responded to criticism of his charm offensive and repeated flattery of Trump (most famously with his “daddy” comment), as he insisted that “I believe that Donald Trump is doing the right things for Nato by encouraging us all to spend more” in Europe to match the US spending.
He said he was “absolutely convinced” that “without Donald Trump we would never have had that result at the summit in The Hague” last year, increasing the GDP defence threshold to 5%.
“So when I praise somebody, it is based on facts, and I believe the facts are there,” he said.
He did not address the specific question on Trump’s comments on Greenland, but said he welcomed the other allies’ discussion on “come together and work together” and get more involved in the Arctic and the High North.
You have seen some announcements by the Brits and the Germans today, we are working now together to see how we can basically [come] together as an alliance, including our seven members, allies bordering on the high north, on the Arctic, to work together to indeed build that next step, which is crucial.
Rutte also said that Denmark was “already speeding up their investments when it comes to defence,” including “unique capabilities to defend territories like Greenland”.
“So we are really working together here. And my only worry is, how do we stay safe, against the Russians, against any other adversary – look at what China is doing in rapidly building up its own
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