#454 — More From Sam: Minnesota, Greenland, Iran, S**thole Countries, and More

Summary of #454 — More From Sam: Minnesota, Greenland, Iran, S**thole Countries, and More

by Sam Harris

17m•January 21, 2026
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Overview of #454 — More From Sam (Making Sense Podcast)

In this subscriber-truncated episode of Making Sense, Sam Harris and a guest discuss a string of recent U.S. political crises and policy moves — with most time spent on aggressive ICE tactics in Minneapolis and the killing of a woman shown in widely shared footage (referred to in the transcript as “Rene Good / Renee Goode”). Other topics covered include a new State Department pause on visa processing for migrants from 75 countries, confusion and danger around U.S.–Denmark/Greenland rhetoric, and broader reflections on political norms, protest tactics, and the danger of authoritarian drift.

Key topics discussed

  • ICE operations and Minneapolis footage

    • Graphic videos of masked ICE agents confronting, detaining, and using force against protesters and bystanders.
    • The killing of the woman named in the transcript (Rene/Renee) and the disputable justifications offered by officials.
    • Allegations of poor training, reckless use of force, and possible use of facial-recognition technology by agents.

  • Government messaging and disinformation

    • Immediate and widely contradicted claims from the White House, VP, and allies describing the victim as a “terrorist” or dangerous actor.
    • Sam highlights the abnormality and brazenness of those official falsehoods and the lack of corrections or accountability.

  • Political dynamics and polarization

    • Right‑wing defenders of the lethal tactics despite prior outrage over federal overreach (e.g., the Twitter files episode).
    • Historical parallels to events that radicalized the far right (Ruby Ridge, Waco) and concern about escalation.

  • Protest tactics and public persuasion

    • Debate over confrontational vs. civil protest strategies; Sam warns against tactics that alienate potential supporters or mirror unethical conduct.
    • Recognition of asymmetric political warfare where norms are selectively abandoned by some political actors.

  • Immigration policy: visa pause

    • State Department halting visa processing for applicants from 75 countries out of concern they’d become reliant on public benefits — connected to Stephen Miller–style hardline policy.
    • Sam criticizes the callousness and bluntness of current immigration enforcement while acknowledging the legitimate aims of border control and selective immigration.

  • Greenland and NATO tensions

    • Confusion and alarm about rhetoric toward Denmark/Greenland, including implied threats and the possibility of undermining NATO commitments.
    • Sam stresses the absurdity of treating Greenland as inaccessible when the U.S. already has strategic access and bases there, and warns of damaging alliance trust.

Main takeaways

  • The behavior and tactics shown in the ICE footage are deeply abnormal and should be widely condemned across the political spectrum; official denials and false narratives compound the damage.
  • There is a troubling erosion of norms and a growing willingness by some political actors to employ authoritarian-style rhetoric and tactics.
  • While secure borders and orderly immigration policy are legitimate goals, current implementation (visa freezes, family separations) is ethically fraught and politically dangerous.
  • Protest movements should prioritize strategies that win hearts and minds rather than tactics that alienate bystanders or mirror coercive behavior.
  • Rhetoric undermining allies (e.g., Denmark/Greenland) risks fracturing NATO and abandoning long‑standing security commitments that have concrete strategic rationale.

Notable quotes and insights

  • On the abnormality of current federal conduct: “This should be a completely nonpartisan feeling of revulsion… This is not normal policing. It's not even close to even normal bad policing.”
  • On government lies after violent incidents: “They were not even normal lies… impossible lies… No one corrects an error. No one apologizes.”
  • On the erosion of norms and risk of authoritarianism: “This is the framing of everything — we have an enemy within… If you saw this happening in any other society, you could safely assume that those people were living under a dictatorship.”
  • On protest tactics: model the civility you want in society; aggressive confrontations with private citizens are counterproductive.

Actionable recommendations Sam suggests or implies

  • Continue protesting and resisting policies you oppose, but prioritize safety and tactics that preserve public sympathy.
  • Demand accountability and transparent investigations into the use of force by ICE and other federal agents.
  • Call for public oversight and a conversation about surveillance tools (e.g., facial recognition) used by federal agents.
  • Push elected officials and media to correct false official narratives quickly and to hold officials accountable for deceptive statements.
  • Monitor and push back against rhetoric or policy that weakens alliances (e.g., NATO commitments), given the strategic costs.

Context & caveat

  • This is the subscriber-truncated portion of the episode; the full conversation continues on the Making Sense subscriber feed (samharris.org).
  • Transcript contained minor name/word inconsistencies (e.g., “Rene Good” vs. “Renee Goode”); the summary follows the transcript’s references rather than independent verification.

If you want the detailed continuation (on Iran, Venezuela, prediction markets, AI, Ben Shapiro, etc.), the episode is available in full to subscribers at samharris.org.