The Headlines
Trump Changes Course in Minneapolis, and Social Media Giants Face Big Tobacco-Style Lawsuits
27 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
I'm Julian Barnes. I'm an intelligence reporter at The New York Times. I try to find out what the U.S. government is keeping secret. It takes a lot of time to find people willing to talk about those secrets. It requires talking to a lot of people to make sure that we're not misled and that we give a complete story to our readers.
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From The New York Times, it's The Headlines. I'm Will Jarvis, in for Tracy Mumford. Today's Tuesday, January 27th. Here's what we're covering.
Well, look, this has obviously been a very fluid and fast-moving situation throughout the weekend. As for President Trump, whom I speak for, he has said that he wants to let the investigation continue and let the facts lead in this case.
The White House is trying to change course in the face of outrage over the killing of Alex Preddy by federal agents in Minneapolis. Administration officials initially claimed Preddy was a dangerous threat, even as videos showed he was pinned down and unarmed when agents shot him.
Stephen Miller labeled Preddy a domestic terrorist. Does the president agree with them? Look, as I've said, I have not heard the president characterize Mr. Preddy in that way. However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself. Was he alarmed to hear his top officials referring to him in that way, rushing to that judgment? Danny, go ahead.
Thanks, Caroline.
Yesterday, Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt did not defend or repeat those statements. And in a pivot on the ground, the White House says it has sent Borders R. Tom Homan to oversee operations in Minnesota. President Trump said Homan will report directly to him.
And I know that he's catching a plane in just a few hours to do just that at the request of the president.
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Chapter 2: What recent events prompted Trump to change his stance in Minneapolis?
Some said their wallets, IDs, and other documents have been confiscated and that after multiple days in custody, they've been released to find their own way back to Minnesota. Family and friends have scrambled to buy them plane and bus tickets home. In response to questions from The Times, a spokesman for U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services said that the agency is, quote, verifying the merits of all refugee applications and ensuring no issues were overlooked. He did not explain why refugees are being flown to Texas for the interviews. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli troops have recovered the remains of the last captive taken on October 7, 2023.
Sergeant Ron Gavili was killed while defending one of Israel's southern border towns. His body was then brought to Gaza by militants. Gavili was one of roughly 250 people, living and dead, who were taken that day.
I don't think you can really overstate how important it was to ordinary Israelis across the political spectrum to reach this point. From the start of the war, the seizure of the hostages really created an overwhelming imperative for the Israeli military and for the Israeli government to bring those hostages home.
And the longer the war dragged on, the fate of the hostages, both living and dead, was something that really animated a big anti-war movement in Israel. You saw banners and billboards and bumper stickers all over the country. There were protests, small and large, in every little town in Hamlet. and major city, it also was like the biggest source of opposition to Netanyahu.
David says that the return of the last captive is an emotional moment for the entire country and also a crucial step forward in the Gaza ceasefire plan.
Getting all the Israeli captives back was perhaps the most important precondition to allowing Israel and Gaza to move into what is supposed to be phase two of the Trump peace plan for Gaza. That may actually prove to be a more difficult phase because it requires Hamas support. to disarm and for Gaza to be demilitarized.
It requires the creation of an international force of soldiers designed to keep the peace. It requires the creation of a new Palestinian government. All of these things are in motion, but it's unclear how quickly they can come to pass.
Yesterday, following the return of Gavili's body, Israel said that it would soon reopen a key border crossing between Gaza and Egypt that it's locked down for more than a year and a half. Aid groups say that could allow them to evacuate people who need advanced medical care.
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