The resignation of Madison Sheahan, an ICE deputy director to run for Congress might look like a routine political move, but it says more about the internal state of immigration enforcement than any press release. ICE is increasingly being pulled between two competing instincts: governing and performing. Tom Homan represents the former, focused on operational reality and risk management. Kristi Noem represents the latter, treating enforcement as a political identity meant to generate headlines and loyalty. Those approaches are not compatible, and when senior officials start eyeing exits into electoral politics, it usually means the institution itself is under strain.

On Capitol Hill, leadership is once again trying to stitch together a spending package just robust enough to avoid a shutdown. Progress exists, but only in the narrowest technical sense. Most discretionary funding is unresolved, and Homeland Security remains the pressure point. That is intentional. Immigration funding is leverage, and no one wants to give it up before extracting political value. The result is a familiar pattern: public urgency, private hesitation, and a quiet hope that the consequences land after the next recess.

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Meanwhile, a bipartisan proposal to create a strategic reserve of critical minerals is moving forward with little fanfare. It should be getting more attention than it is. Reducing reliance on China for rare earths and other key materials is not a culture war issue. It is basic national security planning. In a Congress addicted to short-term fights, this stood out as an example of lawmakers thinking beyond the next headline or election cycle.

Chapters

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:56 - Interview with Anna Gorisch

00:27:17 - Update

00:28:16 - Senate Spending Package

00:29:27 - Madison Sheahan Resignation

00:32:20 - Mineral Reserve

00:33:27 - Interview with Anna Gorisch, con’t

01:13:44 - Wrap-up

The week began with a borderline farcical incident in Greenland, where organizers of a traditional dog sled race condemned what they viewed as inappropriate political pressure after an invitation was extended to a U.S. political figure linked to Donald Trump’s ambitions toward the island. The Trump administration has clearly dialed back its more provocative rhetoric on Greenland, moving away from loose talk of force and toward a framing rooted in NATO security and Arctic competition with China and Russia. That shift is necessary, but it is not sufficient.

If the United States wants Greenland aligned with its sphere of influence, cultural buy in matters. Right now, we are losing that battle. From my admittedly tongue in cheek but sincere proposals involving sports exchanges, Arctic games with Alaska, and even Hollywood soft power, the point remains serious. You cannot strong arm affinity. You have to earn it. Greenland’s resistance to even symbolic American political presence should be a warning sign, not a punchline.

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Iran, Unrest, and Trump’s Misdirection Doctrine

Iran is far harder to read. The internet blackout, scattered video, and wildly varying casualty estimates make certainty impossible. I do not trust low numbers, nor do I trust high numbers. I do not trust most of the footage. Historically, when Iran shuts off the internet, it precedes violent crackdowns, so it would not surprise me if protesters are being killed. But the fog is thick, and anyone claiming clarity is overselling it.

What does feel clearer is the Trump administration’s evolving playbook on foreign intervention. We have now seen a pattern where public messaging intentionally misleads the press ahead of decisive action. It happened before strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. It happened with Venezuela. Loud uncertainty followed by sudden execution. With Trump publicly encouraging Iranian protesters while factions inside his administration urge restraint, the real question is not whether something happens, but what form it takes. Cyber operations, targeted strikes, covert assistance, or none of the above. The only safe assumption is that the public story may be the opposite of the private plan.

Venezuela, Powell, and the Cost of Weaponized Institutions

Venezuela remains the clearest example of this strategy in action. The removal of Nicolás Maduro and his arrival in New York did not follow months of public drumbeats. It followed confusion. That pattern now shadows Iran as well. But the episode did not stay overseas. It came home with the Justice Department’s move against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

The subpoena and threatened indictment over cost overruns at Fed headquarters are politically radioactive. Even Republicans who agree the renovation was excessive argue this never should have been criminal. Scott Bessent’s reported anger reflects a broader concern inside the administration. Undermining the Fed’s independence while simultaneously pressuring it to cut rates is self defeating. Inflation data this week was not disastrous. Absent this DOJ fight, the headline might have been cautious optimism about future cuts. Instead, the story became institutional overreach and internal dysfunction.

Chapters

00:00:00 - Intro

00:04:15 - Greenland

00:17:16 - Update

00:18:05 - Iran

00:24:51 - Jerome Powell

00:29:25 - Inflation

00:31:36 - Interview with Al Brushwood

01:06:21 - Wrap-up

The most consequential story remains Iran, where protests appear to be growing despite the regime shutting down the internet, a move that historically precedes lethal force. The scale of the demonstrations is difficult to verify, but the videos that do emerge suggest a population no longer content to absorb repression quietly. It is hard to separate this moment from the cascading effects of October 7, the regional dismantling of Hamas and Hezbollah, the fall of Syria, and the degradation of Iran’s military capacity. Whether this becomes a true regime crisis is unknown, but it is unquestionably the most important story in the world right now.

A Fatal ICE Encounter and a Nation Watching the Same Video Differently

Domestically, the killing of a 37 year old mother during an ICE operation in Minnesota has become a political Rorschach test. She was ordered out of her car, did not comply, put the vehicle in motion, and was shot by an ICE officer. Federal authorities have shut down any investigation, with Vice President J.D. Vance asserting absolute immunity. What is striking is not just the tragedy itself, but how confidently people draw opposite conclusions from the same footage. To Republicans, this is law enforcement under siege. To Democrats, it is evidence of authoritarian overreach. The incident hardens beliefs rather than persuading anyone new, which is precisely why it is politically potent.

Texas Democrats and a Brutal Primary Reality

The Texas Senate race continues to clarify in uncomfortable ways for Democrats. Reporting suggests Republican maneuvering helped nudge Jasmine Crockett into the race, and the stylistic contrast with James Talarico could not be sharper. Crockett is relentless and confrontational. Talarico’s first ad, by contrast, feels staged and overly polite. In a Texas Democratic primary, that is a problem. Style matters, and beating Crockett will require more than reasonableness. It will require a moment, a line, or a conflict that reframes the race entirely.

Affordability, Power, and Trump Unfiltered

Donald Trump’s affordability push continued with a pledge to direct the purchase of mortgage bonds to drive down rates, paired with earlier proposals to restrict large institutional buyers from the housing market. Whether these ideas work is secondary to the political intent. Trump wants to be seen doing something on costs. His two hour interview with The New York Times reinforced that worldview. He openly dismissed international law as a constraint, embraced coercive diplomacy, and framed power as its own justification. It was Trump without the volume turned all the way up, which may be the most revealing version of him.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:50 - Iran

00:04:20 - ICE

f00:11:59 - Texas Races

00:16:11 - Interview with Reese Gorman

00:52:23 - Update

00:52:46 - Mortgages

00:54:34 - Trump’s NYT Interview

00:56:54 - Tariffs

00:59:00 - Interview with Stella Tsantekidou

01:32:50 - Wrap-up