NPR News: 01-18-2026 1PM EST
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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Ram. A U.S. official confirms to NPR as many as 1,500 active-duty troops in Alaska are on standby for possible deployment to Minnesota. President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and send troops to the state to deal with protests in Minneapolis over immigration enforcement. Mayor Jacob Fry told ABC's This Week his city will not be intimidated.
What are the latest developments regarding U.S. troops in Minnesota?
They're looking for an excuse. They're trying to intimidate Minneapolis residents. But I'll tell you, I've seen tens of thousands of people remain composed to line up to get groceries to people that are scared to go outside, to make sure that people have a walk to their car on their way back home from work.
The Justice Department has opened an investigation into Fry and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on whether their public statements have interfered with law enforcement. Fry calls this deeply concerning that as mayor, he has the responsibility to speak on behalf of his constituents. As President Trump's approval rating hovers slightly above 40%, he's been working to communicate to voters his plans to make life more affordable. Implementation is another matter. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports.
Some of Trump's ideas he has been able to enact himself, like pulling back tariffs he himself instituted on some foods and beverages. Some he would need Congress to pass, like the outline of a health care plan he pitched, which would give Affordable Care Act subsidy money directly to consumers. Speaker Mike Johnson has given a tepid response to another new Trump idea to cap credit card interest rates at 10%. Trump has been putting more energy into the affordability message since Democrats won November elections by leaning into that topic. However, his administration's attack on Venezuela, ICE troops in Minneapolis, and threats to Greenland have often overshadowed that message. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News.
Members of the European Union held an emergency meeting in Brussels today. They're increasingly alarmed over President Trump's heightened rhetoric about taking Greenland and imposing new tariffs on European allies.
NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports.
Thousands gathered in Copenhagen this weekend to show solidarity with Greenland, an autonomous territory of EU and NATO member Denmark. On Sunday, European and NATO members issued a joint statement. France, Germany, the UK, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden say Trump's threats over Greenland risk accelerating a dangerous downward spiral in relations between transatlantic and NATO allies. We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland, they said, We are ready to engage in dialogue with the U.S., but a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris. You're listening to NPR News in Washington. Israel is objecting to two of the people President Trump has named to a new executive board to oversee the governing of Gaza to replace Hamas. They are the foreign minister of Turkey and a senior official from Qatar. Israel sees those two countries as supporting Hamas. Today in Portugal, voters are choosing a new president for the next five years. There are 11 candidates. As many as five are seen as having a chance to being one of two who could advance to a likely second round. Alison Roberts reports from Lisbon.
André Ventura of the far-right Chega party has led the polls for most of the campaign, but he's not expected to get the 50% needed to avoid a runoff that would be the first to take place in 40 years. Portugal's presidency is a largely ceremonial role but wields key powers, including the ability to dissolve parliament and veto some legislation. With Ventura and some members of the right-of-centre governing coalition in favour of rolling back constitutional guarantees, this campaign has rung alarm bells even for many centrists. That's shored up support for the socialist candidate Antonio José Seguro, who now looks better placed to go through to a second round.
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