Overview of Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance, DHS Funding Fight, TrumpRx Launch and more
A CNN Five Things episode (Thursday, February 5) covering five top news items: the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie (mother of Today host Savannah Guthrie), a looming Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding showdown and related federal workforce changes, U.S.–Russia developments including the lapse of the last nuclear treaty, the launch of the Trump administration’s drug-pricing platform “TrumpRx,” and brief closing ads and reminders.
Key stories — quick summary
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Nancy Guthrie missing in Tucson
- Missing five days; last seen Saturday night at her Tucson home.
- Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanno says investigators believe she was removed from her home against her will.
- Blood found on the porch was confirmed to belong to Nancy; no sign of forced entry.
- An Uber driver who previously drove Nancy to her daughter’s house was questioned and described as cooperative and not a suspect.
- A possible ransom note was sent to media; FBI investigating but has no confirmation Nancy is being held or still alive. Note reportedly included two deadlines (one due the day of the broadcast and another the following Monday).
- FBI offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to her recovery and the arrest/conviction of those involved.
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DHS funding fight and ICE reform demands
- DHS funding lapse deadline: funding expires next Friday (Congress had passed only a two-week funding extension).
- Senate Republican Leader John Thune said, “As of right now, we aren't anywhere close to having any sort of agreement that would enable us to fund the Department of Homeland Security.”
- Democrats are pressing for ICE reforms (some demands Republicans have rejected, such as unmasking certain federal agents and requiring judicial warrants). This disagreement raises the odds of a DHS shutdown.
- White House indicated some administration willingness to consider certain Democratic demands.
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Federal workforce reclassification rule
- New Trump administration rule would reclassify about 50,000 federal employees into a new category that makes them easier to fire (at-will positions for certain policy-involved roles).
- Administration rationale: let agencies remove employees who engage in misconduct, perform poorly, or intentionally subvert presidential directives.
- Rule is controversial — critics view it as weakening career civil-service protections.
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U.S.–Russia talks and nuclear treaty expiration
- Trump’s foreign envoy (named in the transcript as Steve Wyckoff) said talks intended to end the Ukraine war reached agreement to reopen a U.S.–Russia military communication channel that had been cut off prior to the 2022 invasion; more work remains on any peace deal.
- The last remaining U.S.–Russia nuclear treaty (commonly referred to as New START) expired the same day, prompting fears of a renewed nuclear-arms race.
- President Trump said the U.S. should negotiate “a new, improved, and modernized” nuclear treaty rather than extend the prior one.
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TrumpRx launch (administration drug-pricing effort)
- TrumpRx launched as a government-run clearinghouse connecting patients directly with drugmakers offering discounts on certain medications (notably some obesity drugs).
- Examples named in the transcript: Zepbound (Lilly’s obesity drug) and what the transcript lists as “Wagovi” (likely meant Wegovy).
- Key limitation: patients must pay cash and forgo insurance to use the platform.
- Unclear if TrumpRx will lower costs broadly — some drugs may be cheaper via the site, but many consumers may still pay less using their insurance plans.
Notable quotes
- Sheriff Chris Nanno: investigators “believe Nancy Guthrie was removed from her home against her will.”
- Senate Republican Leader John Thune: “As of right now, we aren't anywhere close to having any sort of agreement that would enable us to fund the Department of Homeland Security.”
- Administration on reclassification rule: it “will allow agencies to quickly remove employees from critical positions who engage in misconduct, perform poorly or obstruct the democratic process by intentionally subverting presidential directives.”
- President Trump on nuclear treaty: the U.S. should negotiate a “new, improved, and modernized” agreement with Russia.
Action items / What to watch
- If you have information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance: contact the FBI (a $50,000 reward was announced for information leading to her recovery/arrest/conviction).
- DHS funding: watch Congress over the coming week for negotiations or a possible shutdown if no agreement is reached before funding expires.
- Federal employees affected by the reclassification rule: monitor agency guidance and potential legal challenges or policy rollbacks.
- TrumpRx users and patients: compare cash prices on TrumpRx with insurance-covered prices before deciding to forgo insurance; check participating drugmakers and which medications are included.
- U.S.–Russia relations: follow negotiations on communication channels and any diplomacy around arms-control replacement talks.
Episode logistics
- Host: Afoma DK (CNN Five Things)
- Air date referenced: Thursday, February 5
- Next episode: scheduled for 7 a.m. Eastern the following day
(Ads: sponsor mentions included Carvana and Shane Company in the episode.)