It Starts

The scenario I have long feared and predicted is unfolding in Minneapolis.

Trump sent in his troops, in the form of his private police force, ICE. An agent killed someone. Protests ensued. Trump sent in more troops. Another member of the public got shot. More protests follow.

Next, Trump cites the 1807 Insurrection Act and declares martial law. He takes control of the city, now with real troops in the form of the National Guard. Protests erupt nationally. 

Everything escalates everywhere. Is this how it starts?

Note: The Insurrection Act is an old federal law that permits the president to use the U.S. military and federalize the National Guard within the country to suppress rebellion, domestic violence, or enforce federal laws if civilian law enforcement is insufficient. 

HEADLINES:

• Trump Threatens to Invoke Insurrection Act After Minneapolis Protests (NYT)

• Danish official says there’s a ‘fundamental disagreement’ with Trump over Greenland (AP)

• Buying Greenland could cost as much as $700 billion (NBC)

• Federal Judges Uphold California’s New Congressional Maps (NYT)

• Trump’s Most Dangerous Obsession (Atlantic)

• Initial Review Finds No Widespread Illegal Voting by Migrants, Puncturing a Trump Claim (NYT)

• Half of Americans think ICE is making cities less safe, poll finds (Guardian)

• Federal Agent Shoots Man in Minneapolis, Homeland Security Says (NYT)

• FBI searches home of Washington Post reporter in classified documents probe, newspaper says (AP)

• Trump’s “superstar” appellate judges have voted 133 to 12 in his favor (NYT)

• Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing for 75 countries (BBC)

• US withdraws some personnel from Middle East bases amid Trump Iran threats (Al Jazeera)

• U.S. Moves Some Personnel From Key Air Base as Tensions Mount With Iran (NYT)

• Iran signals fast trials and executions for protesters, despite Trump’s warning (NPR)

• Iran warns American allies it will strike US bases if attacked (Reuters)

• Something Bad Is Brewing on Venezuela’s Border (NYT)

• What Americans think about Trump’s military intervention abroad (AP)

• Republicans Block Effort to Check Trump’s Power in Venezuela (NYT)

• Zheng Yu, ‘rising star’ in chemical engineering from MIT, quits US for China (SCMP)

• In Secret Testimony, Republicans Derided Trump’s Stolen Election Claims (NYT)

• The Problem of Unregulated Homeschool (Atlantic)

• If You Think MAGA Journalism Is Bad Now, Just Wait (Bulwark)

• ‘Like a Military Occupation’: Clashes Rise With Federal Agents in Minneapolis (NYT)

• Are Americans living in a police state? (WP)

• ISS astronaut medical evacuation latest news: Crew-11 astronauts to undock from station (Space)

• YouTube Makes UK Ratings History By Beating BBC On Audience Reach (Deadline)

• The list of possible Winter Olympics host sites is shrinking because of climate change (AP)

• Google taps emails and YouTube history in push for personalised AI (Financial Times)

• Pentagon is embracing Musk’s Grok AI chatbot as it draws global outcry (NPR)

• God Admits Imitation Crab Tastes Just As Good (Onion)