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Today's top stories
President Trump plans to focus on affordability today in his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. But his foreign policy — specifically, Trump's desire to acquire Greenland — and his threats of tariffs on eight European countries if he doesn't get his way are overshadowing the summit. When the president takes the stage, world leaders will be paying close attention to signs of where this confrontation with allies goes next.
- 🎧 When it comes to foreign policy, Trump enjoys taking the world stage and setting the agenda, NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben tells Up First. She adds that, for his second term, Trump is pursuing a belligerent foreign policy that alienates allies and lacks domestic popularity. Kurtzleben says these actions, along with his aggressive tactics in Minnesota, are drawing attention away from the domestic economy, which Trump wants to focus on.
The Justice Department has issued grand jury subpoenas to multiple government officials in Minnesota, including Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. The agency is alleging that state officials conspired to impede law enforcement amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
- 🎧 Minnesota officials suggest the subpoenas do not faze them, says NPR's Sergio Martínez-Beltrán. They say that these actions are an intimidation tactic by the administration that is weaponizing the DOJ. Officials say they pushed back against the administration's immigration crackdown because of what they say are the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency's illegal actions in their state. This includes ICE agents intimidating the people who follow them to alert neighbors to their presence. Day-to-day lives in Minnesota continue to be impacted as dozens of doctors in the state say patients are avoiding the medical care they may need because they fear ICE.
The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments today regarding Trump's efforts to break with 112 years of law by firing Lisa Cook. Cook is a member of the Federal Reserve's governing board, appointed by former President Joe Biden.
- 🎧 The president's lawyers are expected to tell the Supreme Court that he is not looking for a free pass to fire Cook, but instead fired her for cause, says NPR's Nina Totenberg. The administration claims she committed mortgage fraud when she obtained loans on two different properties because she listed two homes as her primary residences, but at different times. Cook denies any wrongdoing. The Trump administration argues the court cannot review a president's decision to fire a Fed board member once he determines he has cause. This caveat would essentially grant him unrestricted power to purge the Fed and install personal picks, Totenberg says.
Today's listen
What does sexual safety look like these days? It is more than access to public health and medication. It's also about feeling comfortable with your partner. Having the tools you need to feel confident in your own sexual health is an essential part of the pursuit of pleasure. Dr. Leisha McKinley-Beach and Dr. Jasmine Abrams join It's Been A Minute host Brittany Luse to provide listeners with the guidance they need to live their best sex lives and explore how to feel safer in bed.
Deep dive
While Trump was on the campaign trail, he promised to cut Americans' energy bills in half and lower gasoline and electricity prices. One year in, gasoline prices are down about 20%, but electricity prices are going up. The Trump administration has also invested in nuclear power, which could help reduce costs in the long term. Take a look at how he has delivered on his goals:
- ➡️ Presidents don't decide gas prices. The cost of crude oil is the biggest factor. A global oversupply of oil largely drove cheaper crude oil prices this past year.
- ➡️ Electricity prices are increasing due to three primary reasons: an aging power grid, the cost of natural disasters and higher fuel costs, says Charles Hua, who runs the national energy consumer education nonprofit Powerlines.
- ➡️ The administration has ended federal tax credits for large solar and wind projects, which provide more cost-competitive energy than natural gas, nuclear and coal projects.
3 things to know before you go
- Backlash from ticket buyers, slated performers, and certain board members — including Shonda Rhimes — was swift when Trump was named chairman of the Kennedy Center's board almost a year ago. Here's the running list of who has canceled their performances at the venue.
- In this installment of NPR's "Word of the Week" series, we trace the origins of the "cravat," a voluminous neckscarf, back to the battlefields of 17th century Europe.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Suzanna's Kitchen is recalling approximately 13,720 pounds of ready-to-eat grilled chicken breast fillet products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. (via WGCU)
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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