Overview of Evening Wire: Anti-ICE Crowd Protests Walz & Ilhan Omar Assaulted | 1.28.26
This episode of The Daily Wire’s Evening Wire (Jan 28, 2026) covers the day’s top national stories: a crippling winter storm in the South, Congressional testimony about the U.S. operation in Venezuela, the Fed holding interest rates steady, an assault on Rep. Ilhan Omar at a town hall, escalating anti-ICE protests in Minnesota targeting Gov. Tim Walz, a large measles outbreak in South Carolina, new findings on a deadly 2025 mid-air collision, the Cleveland Browns’ new head coach hire, and First Lady Melania Trump’s NYSE appearance promoting her documentary.
Top headlines — quick summary
- Winter storm Fern paralyzes parts of the South: major interstates shut, stranded motorists, 380,000+ without power, ferry suspensions in NYC; federal disaster declarations approved.
- Rubio defends U.S. Venezuela operation to Congress, says it wasn’t an act of war; warns regime change in Iran would be far more complex.
- Federal Reserve keeps target federal-funds rate at 3.50–3.75%; Powell says policy is meeting-by-meeting.
- Rep. Ilhan Omar assaulted at a town hall — brushed with a syringe and sprayed with a liquid; suspect detained; President Trump suggested she may have staged it.
- Anti‑ICE protests in Minnesota escalate around Gov. Tim Walz after the death of demonstrator Alex Preddy; arrests made at a hotel protest.
- South Carolina reports a major measles outbreak — 789 cases, most unvaccinated, 18 hospitalizations.
- NTSB: 2025 commercial jet–U.S. Army helicopter mid-air collision that killed 67 was preventable; FAA failures cited.
- Cleveland Browns hire Todd Monken as head coach (replacing Kevin Stefanski).
- Melania Trump rings NYSE opening bell ahead of her documentary premiere.
Detailed story breakdowns
Winter storm Fern (South & Northeast impacts)
- Melting snow refroze overnight, creating icy highways and stranding drivers (notably on I-22 and I-55 in northern Mississippi).
- Emergency responders, drones, and National Guard units are being deployed to assist and evacuate motorists.
- Over 380,000 customers without power across the South; ferry service near NYC suspended due to ice buildup.
- President Trump approved emergency disaster declarations for more than a dozen states ahead of another incoming cold blast.
Venezuela operation & Iran — Rubio at Congress
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration’s operation to remove Nicolás Maduro, saying it was a short law-enforcement-style operation (about 4.5 hours) and not an act of war.
- Rubio emphasized no current plan for further military action in Venezuela; the only expected military presence would be embassy Marine guards.
- He warned that regime change in Iran would be far more complex and require careful consideration.
- Senators across parties pressed Rubio — Democrats criticized administration moves; Sen. Rand Paul questioned whether similar actions would be considered acts of war.
Notable quote:
- Rubio: “We just don't believe that this operation comes anywhere close to the constitutional definition of war.”
Federal Reserve decision
- The Fed held the federal-funds target range at 3.50–3.75%.
- Chair Jerome Powell: monetary policy is not on a preset course; decisions will be made on a meeting-by-meeting basis.
- Context: Powell is under investigation over building renovations, and President Trump has publicly urged rate cuts.
Assault on Rep. Ilhan Omar
- During her first in-person town hall of 2026, a 55-year-old man identified by authorities reportedly brushed Omar with a syringe and sprayed her with a liquid believed to be apple cider vinegar before being subdued by security.
- Omar continued the event but was urged to seek medical checks; a woman on-site urged the event to end.
- President Trump later called Omar a “fraud” and suggested she might have staged the incident, admitting he had not watched the video.
Anti‑ICE protests in Minnesota, pressure on Gov. Tim Walz
- Dozens of anti‑ICE activists stormed the Minnesota State Capitol and gathered outside Gov. Tim Walz’s office, chanting “ICE out now” and demanding action.
- Protests intensified after the death of ICU nurse and anti‑ICE demonstrator Alex Preddy.
- Walz met with border czar Tom Homan and spoke with President Trump; officials say dialogue will continue.
- Separate incident: 13 people arrested near Minneapolis at a hotel where protesters targeted a Border Patrol official; several arrestees had prior convictions or disruption histories.
South Carolina measles outbreak
- Reported cases: 789 (as of Jan 28); 18 hospitalizations; no deaths reported.
- An estimated 88% of those infected are unvaccinated.
- Advocacy groups publicly blamed HHS and RFK Jr.; HHS reiterated vaccination remains the most effective prevention and noted vaccination declines and trust erosion began earlier than the current administration.
2025 mid-air collision — NTSB findings
- The NTSB concluded the 2025 collision near Reagan National Airport (commercial jet and U.S. Army helicopter, 67 fatalities) was preventable.
- Causes cited: FAA failures to address airspace congestion, ignored warnings from tower personnel, and overreliance on visual separation by pilots.
- NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy emphasized systemic breakdowns across agencies and warned prior safety pleas had gone unanswered.
- FAA responses included banning non‑helicopter traffic near the airport and closing the involved route.
Notable quote:
- NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy: towers “kept submitting one recommendation after another… We need help. Apparently falling on deaf ears.”
Cleveland Browns coaching change
- Todd Monken hired as head coach after a 5–12 season; replaces Kevin Stefanski (now Atlanta head coach).
- Monken background: most recently Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator, previously Browns offensive coordinator (2019), and was Georgia’s OC during back‑to‑back national championships.
Melania Trump documentary & NYSE appearance
- First Lady Melania Trump rang the NYSE opening bell promoting her documentary “Melania” (directed by Brett Ratner), which focuses on the weeks before the 2017 inauguration.
- She said cultural influence now rivals economic power and received a commemorative medallion.
Key takeaways
- Severe winter weather continues to disrupt travel and power across the South; federal emergency support is active.
- The Trump administration frames the Venezuela operation as limited and non‑military, but Congress remains divided and concerned about wider regional implications.
- The Fed is pausing rate changes for now amid political scrutiny of its leadership.
- The assault on Rep. Omar and political reactions highlight polarized responses and ongoing tensions around security and political rhetoric.
- Minnesota protests demonstrate continuing friction over immigration enforcement and have led to arrests and heightened political attention.
- Public-health vulnerabilities persist: the measles outbreak underscores consequences of low vaccination rates.
- The NTSB finds systemic regulatory failures in a major aviation disaster, prompting FAA operational changes.
Where to learn more
- Full coverage and story updates are available at dailywire.com (Daily Wire).