Ryan Mueller
The Latest
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Flying Without Real ID Now Costs $45: TSA Fee Adds Hundreds to Family Travel Bills
The Transportation Security Administration has begun charging airline passengers $45 if they attempt to pass through airport security without a Real ID-compliant license or an approved alternative such as a passport, marking a significant shift in how the federal government enforces its long-delayed identification mandate. The fee, which took effect Feb. 1, applies to adults who rely on a new identity-verification system rather than presenting compliant documentation at the checkpoint. 
The Transportation Security Administration has begun charging airline passengers $45 if they attempt to pass through airport security without a Real ID-compliant license or an approved alternative such as a passport, marking a significant shift in how the federal government enforces its long-delayed identification mandate. The fee, which took effect Feb. 1, applies to adults who rely on a new identity-verification system rather than presenting compliant documentation at the checkpoint. -
New Epstein Records Surface Emails Citing Putin Meetings and Russian Access
Freshly released records from the U.S. Department of Justice have intensified scrutiny of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, unveiling communications that suggest repeated contact with Vladimir Putin and a wider web of international influence. The disclosure-made public on Jan. 30 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act-spans more than three million pages and includes hundreds of thousands of images and videos, reopening questions about Epstein's role far beyond the United States. 
Freshly released records from the U.S. Department of Justice have intensified scrutiny of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, unveiling communications that suggest repeated contact with Vladimir Putin and a wider web of international influence. The disclosure-made public on Jan. 30 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act-spans more than three million pages and includes hundreds of thousands of images and videos, reopening questions about Epstein's role far beyond the United States. -
2028 Presidential Odds Shift: JD Vance Falls to 26% as Gavin Newsom Climbs to 20%
Prediction markets tracking the 2028 U.S. presidential race are signaling a sharp reassessment of the political landscape, with Vice President J.D. Vance still leading but losing momentum as California Gov. Gavin Newsom gains ground. Data from Polymarket show Vance's implied probability of winning the presidency slipping to 26%, down from roughly 31% in recent months, while Newsom's odds have risen to 20%. 
Prediction markets tracking the 2028 U.S. presidential race are signaling a sharp reassessment of the political landscape, with Vice President J.D. Vance still leading but losing momentum as California Gov. Gavin Newsom gains ground. Data from Polymarket show Vance's implied probability of winning the presidency slipping to 26%, down from roughly 31% in recent months, while Newsom's odds have risen to 20%. -
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Election Order, Says Constitution Bars Unilateral Voting Rules
A federal judge in Washington on Friday permanently blocked key provisions of President Donald Trump's executive order on election administration, ruling that the Constitution does not allow a president to unilaterally impose citizenship verification requirements on federal voters. 
A federal judge in Washington on Friday permanently blocked key provisions of President Donald Trump's executive order on election administration, ruling that the Constitution does not allow a president to unilaterally impose citizenship verification requirements on federal voters. -
U.S. Officials Held Multiple Meetings With Alberta Separatists as Canada Tensions Escalate - Report
Senior officials in the Trump administration held multiple meetings in Washington with leaders of a Canadian separatist group seeking to split Alberta from the rest of Canada, according to the Financial Times, injecting new friction into already strained U.S.-Canada relations. 
Senior officials in the Trump administration held multiple meetings in Washington with leaders of a Canadian separatist group seeking to split Alberta from the rest of Canada, according to the Financial Times, injecting new friction into already strained U.S.-Canada relations. -
Ilhan Omar Says Threats “Skyrocket” After Trump Attacks as Town Hall Assault Raises Security Fears
Rep. Ilhan Omar said threats against her have reached their highest level since she entered Congress, linking a surge in death threats to renewed attacks from President Donald Trump following an assault at a Minneapolis town hall. Speaking Wednesday at Karmel Mall, less than a day after a man rushed the stage and sprayed her with liquid, the Minnesota Democrat placed responsibility squarely on the president's rhetoric. 
Rep. Ilhan Omar said threats against her have reached their highest level since she entered Congress, linking a surge in death threats to renewed attacks from President Donald Trump following an assault at a Minneapolis town hall. Speaking Wednesday at Karmel Mall, less than a day after a man rushed the stage and sprayed her with liquid, the Minnesota Democrat placed responsibility squarely on the president's rhetoric. -
DHS Faces Crisis After Minneapolis Shootings as Noem’s Future and ICE’s Role Hang in Balance
The Department of Homeland Security is confronting one of its most destabilizing moments in years after the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis placed Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the center of a national political storm. The deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both killed by federal agents during protests against deportation policies, have triggered bipartisan condemnation, impeachment threats, and questions about the future structure of federal immigration enforcement. 
The Department of Homeland Security is confronting one of its most destabilizing moments in years after the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis placed Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the center of a national political storm. The deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both killed by federal agents during protests against deportation policies, have triggered bipartisan condemnation, impeachment threats, and questions about the future structure of federal immigration enforcement. -
Minnesota Deaths Force Policy Pivot as Trump Agrees to Review Federal Agent Presence
President Donald Trump agreed to review the scale of federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota after a direct call with Gov. Tim Walz, marking a sharp de-escalation in a confrontation that intensified following two fatal shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis. The conversation, held Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, came amid national scrutiny over the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse killed during a federal operation, and mounting political pressure on the White House. 
President Donald Trump agreed to review the scale of federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota after a direct call with Gov. Tim Walz, marking a sharp de-escalation in a confrontation that intensified following two fatal shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis. The conversation, held Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, came amid national scrutiny over the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse killed during a federal operation, and mounting political pressure on the White House. -
Trump Sues JPMorgan for $5 Billion Over Alleged Debanking as Family Wealth Jumps $1.4 Billion on Crypto
President Donald Trump has filed a $5 billion lawsuit in Miami against JPMorgan Chase and its chief executive Jamie Dimon, alleging the bank improperly severed his banking relationships after Jan. 6, 2021, and discriminated against him for political reasons. The complaint, submitted by Trump's personal attorney Alejandro Brito, asserts that JPMorgan "debanked" Trump and related entities without recourse. President Donald Trump has filed a $5 billion lawsuit in Miami against JPMorgan Chase and its chief executive Jamie Dimon, alleging the bank improperly severed his banking relationships after Jan. 6, 2021, and discriminated against him for political reasons. The complaint, submitted by Trump's personal attorney Alejandro Brito, asserts that JPMorgan "debanked" Trump and related entities without recourse. -
Trump Signals Ukraine Deal ‘Getting Close’ as Davos Talks Spotlight New $1B Peace Board
Donald Trump said a settlement to the war in Ukraine could be approaching "soon," unveiling a new international Board of Peace as he met global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, a move that places Washington at the center of a renewed push to resolve one of Europe's most destructive conflicts since World War II. 
Donald Trump said a settlement to the war in Ukraine could be approaching "soon," unveiling a new international Board of Peace as he met global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, a move that places Washington at the center of a renewed push to resolve one of Europe's most destructive conflicts since World War II.
