White House Warns Minnesota & American Population Nosedives | 1.29.26

Summary of White House Warns Minnesota & American Population Nosedives | 1.29.26

by The Daily Wire

19m•January 29, 2026
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Overview of Morning Wire — "White House Warns Minnesota & American Population Nosedives" (1.29.26)

This episode of The Daily Wire’s Morning Wire (hosted by Georgia Howe) covers three main stories: escalating tensions in Minneapolis over ICE operations and local leadership responses; President Trump’s hardline messaging toward Iran and related congressional testimony from Secretary of State Marco Rubio; and new Census data showing a sharp slowdown in U.S. population growth with political and demographic consequences. The show includes reporting, video-context details, and analysis of short- and long-term implications.

Minneapolis: ICE standoff, protests, and local response

  • Situation snapshot

    • High tensions in Minneapolis comparable to summer 2020. Activists stormed the Minnesota Capitol (~200 people) protesting meetings between Governor Tim Walz and border czar Tom Homan and demanding charges against ICE agents involved in recent shootings of activists Alex Preddy and Renee Good (as reported in the episode).
    • Protesters marched into Governor Walz’s office and chanted anti-ICE slogans (“ICE out now,” “no one is illegal,” “abolish ICE”).
    • Agitators targeted hotels where ICE agents were staying, damaged property, and harassed personnel.

  • New video and incidents

    • A newly surfaced video (confirmed by the family, per the report) allegedly shows Alex Preddy in an earlier altercation with ICE on Jan. 13: spitting at officers, shouting obscenities, kicking a vehicle taillight, resisting arrest. He was reportedly not arrested then.
    • Rep. Ilhan Omar was sprayed with a liquid at a speech; reports suggest the substance was apple cider vinegar and she is OK.

  • Federal/local coordination and personnel moves

    • Two ICE agents involved in shootings placed on administrative leave pending investigation.
    • CBP leadership changes: Customs and Border Protection chief Greg Bovino was withdrawn and Tom Homan was sent in to coordinate.
    • The White House said it would withdraw some agents from active patrols, revise operational protocols to emphasize precision/safety, and pursue outreach to local leaders.
    • Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey reiterated sanctuary-city policies and said local police will not cooperate with ICE or give ICE access to jails, prompting President Trump to fault him on Truth Social, calling the stance “playing with fire” and a “very serious violation of the law.”
    • Local police have recently begun arresting some agitators for harassment—an enforcement shift from earlier responses.

Foreign policy: Trump’s warning to Iran and Rubio’s Senate testimony

  • Trump’s message and military posture

    • President Trump publicly warned Iran to come to the negotiating table “or risk major destruction,” and referenced a U.S. naval build-up in the region (warships “floating … toward Iran”).
    • Trump framed the situation as seeking a deal but drawing a clear red line on Iranian actions.

  • Senate Foreign Relations hearing — Marco Rubio

    • Rubio told the committee U.S. forces and bases in the region are within reach of thousands of Iranian UAVs and short-range ballistic missiles, arguing for sufficient defensive and deterrent presence.
    • Rubio noted Iranian regime brutality against protesters, suggesting Iran crossed a U.S. red line.
    • Most committee focus shifted to Venezuela policy: Rubio defended engagement with Delcy Rodríguez and said maintaining pressure (including control over oil access) would be necessary while acknowledging uncertainty on timelines for democratic transition. He did not rule out further military options.
    • On NATO/Greenland: Rubio said the U.S. has had productive talks with Denmark over security concerns and argued NATO must be “reimagined” through stronger ally capabilities.

U.S. population slowdown — Census findings and implications

  • The numbers

    • Census Bureau: U.S. population grew by 1.8 million (0.5%) from July 2024 to July 2025—the slowest growth outside of the COVID year (2021) and roughly a 50% decline from the previous year’s 3 million increase.
    • This timeframe spans about half under the Trump administration.

  • Causes

    • Long-term fertility decline: U.S. fertility rate ~1.6 (about a 20% drop over two decades); fewer births than in prior decades despite larger population.
    • Reduced immigration: Administration policies have driven illegal border crossings down ~92% and increased deportations and departures, removing a major source of population growth. Immigrant birth rates, which historically are higher than native-born rates, have fallen (examples cited: Mexican-born births down 15%; Honduran 20%; Chinese 24%; El Salvadoran 34%).

  • Political and demographic consequences

    • Census counts affect congressional reapportionment. With continued low immigration and birth rates, blue states (California, New York, Illinois) risk losing congressional seats and Electoral College votes in the 2030 reapportionment; red states (Texas, Florida) are projected to gain seats.
    • The decline could strengthen Republican representation and change the balance of power in future federal elections.

Notable quotes

  • President Trump: “They need to make a deal … or risk major destruction” / referenced an armada “floating … toward Iran.”
  • President Trump on Minneapolis Mayor Frey: local officials “are playing with fire” and “in very serious violation of the law” (via Truth Social).
  • Marco Rubio (Senate testimony): described U.S. troops and facilities as “within the reach” of thousands of Iranian UAVs and missiles and stressed the need for sufficient force to defend them.

Key takeaways

  • Minneapolis is experiencing an intense local-federal conflict around ICE operations with protests, property damage, and physical confrontations; federal personnel and rules have been adjusted but local leaders continue sanctuary policies, escalating legal and political friction.
  • The Trump administration is signaling readiness to use military pressure in the Middle East to force negotiations with Iran, accompanied by congressional scrutiny of regional risks and other foreign-policy fronts (Venezuela, NATO).
  • U.S. population growth has slowed sharply due to falling birth rates and reduced immigration; this has tangible long-term political ramifications through reapportionment that may favor Republican-leaning states.

What to watch next

  • Minneapolis: outcomes of investigations into the shootings, any federal legal action against local officials who refuse cooperation, and whether local policing/ICE interactions escalate or de-escalate.
  • Iran region: further deployments or diplomatic moves, and whether the administration pursues strikes or continues to push for negotiations.
  • Reapportionment trend: mid-decade Census and immigration policies through 2028 that will shape the 2030 reapportionment and long-term electoral maps.