WTF Just Happened Today? – Audio Edition

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 In this episode: Trump doubled down on his call to “nationalize” voting, saying the federal government should “get involved” in state elections; the Supreme Court allowed California to use its voter-approved congressional map for the 2026 midterms; the Trump administration said it would pull 700 federal immigration officers from Minnesota; the Justice Department removed a Department of Homeland Security attorney in Minneapolis after she told a judge that “this job sucks” and asked to be held in contempt so she “could get 24 hours of sleep”; the man who tried to assassinate Trump at his Florida golf club in 2024 was sentenced to life in prison; the Washington Post laid off about one-third of its staff, calling the elimination of more than 300 newsroom jobs a “strategic reset”; and 37% of voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president. Read more: Day 1842: "A strategic reset." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 In this episode: Trump signed the roughly $1.2 trillion spending package into law, ending the three-day partial federal government shutdown; the U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone after it “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and wouldn’t turn away; a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 Haitians; Tulsi Gabbard told Congress that Trump asked her to show up while the FBI searched Fulton County, Georgia’s election office; Congress still hasn’t received a whistleblower complaint filed last May accusing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard of wrongdoing; and 62% of Americans said ICE officers had gone too far, up from 58% in a poll conducted just before Alex Pretti was shot and killed in Minneapolis. Read more: Day 1841: "More questions than answers." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Monday, February 2, 2026 In this episode: The partial federal government shutdown entered its third day after funding lapsed Saturday morning, and the House still doesn’t have the votes needed to pass the Senate-approved bill to reopen agencies; attorneys representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein asked two federal judges to order the Justice Department to take down its Epstein-files website, saying the release exposed victims’ names and other identifying details and created an “unfolding emergency”; the Justice Department opened a federal civil rights investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti; Fulton County, Georgia, plans to sue the FBI and the Justice Department over a search warrant that county officials said resulted in the seizure of 2020 election records; Trump called on Republicans to “nationalize the voting” and seize control of election administration from states; and 44% of voters approve of Trump’s job performance, while 56% disapprove. Read more: Day 1840: "An unfolding emergency." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Thursday, January 29, 2026 In this episode: Trump and Senate Democrats said they reached a tentative agreement to fund most federal agencies through Sept. 30 while splitting Department of Homeland Security funding from the broader government spending package; earlier in the day, Senate Democrats blocked a six-bill spending package from advancing, demanding new limits on the Department of Homeland Security and ICE after the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis; Trump’s border czar said federal agencies were drafting a plan to “draw down” the roughly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol officers deployed to Minnesota under Operation Metro Surge; Trump held a White House Cabinet meeting, but didn’t call on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem or Attorney General Pam Bondi, and he ended the session without taking reporters’ questions; and 37% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, down from 40% in the fall. Read more: Day 1836: "Moment of truth." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Wednesday, January 28, 2026 In this episode: FBI agents executed a search warrant at Fulton County’s election facility near Atlanta, seeking records related to the 2020 election; Senate Democrats demanded new restrictions on ICE in any deal to avert a partial U.S. government shutdown; Trump’s domestic National Guard deployments are costing taxpayers about $93 million a month; the two federal officers who fired guns during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis were placed on administrative leave; Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a Minneapolis town hall when a man approached the lectern and used a syringe to spray her with an unknown liquid; the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady at 3.5% to 3.75%, defying pressure from Trump and pausing after three consecutive quarter-point cuts; Trump warned that a “massive Armada” led was heading toward Iran and threatened another U.S. attack if Tehran did not “make a deal” on its nuclear program; and a record 45% of Americans identified as political independents in 2025. Read more: Day 1835: "More relaxed." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Tuesday, January 27, 2026 In this episode: Trump said he’ll be “watching over” an “honest investigation” into the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis before blaming Pretti for carrying a gun he was legally permitted to have; House Democrats threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem if Trump doesn’t fire her; Stephen Miller reportedly directed Noem to publicly claim that Alex Pretti wanted to “massacre” immigration agents after he was shot and killed in Minneapolis; Trump’s immigration policies coincided with a year-to-year drop in U.S. population growth; and U.S. consumer confidence fell in January to its lowest level since 2014 as Americans grew more pessimistic about the economy and the job market. Read more: Day 1834: "A very good job." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Monday, January 26, 2026 In this episode: Trump agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota” after a Border Patrol agent killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen; Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee ICE operations; Senate Democrats threatened to block the House-passed funding package unless Republicans strip out the Department of Homeland Security bill; the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel said polio, measles, and possibly all shots should be optional; and the American Academy of Pediatrics told parents to ignore the CDC’s revised federal guidance and instead follow its full childhood vaccine schedule. Read more: Day 1833: "Productive." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Thursday, January 22, 2026 In this episode: An internal ICE memo signed by acting director Todd Lyons authorized immigration officers to forcibly enter a person’s home to arrest someone with a final order of removal using only an administrative warrant; House Democrats helped Republicans pass a Homeland Security funding bill that includes $10 billion for ICE; JD Vance said Minneapolis would be "less chaotic" if state and local officials would "cooperate" with the Trump administration on immigration enforcement; the Trump administration ordered most federal agencies to review funding sent to 14 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C.; no written documentation memorializing Trump’s verbal "framework" deal with NATO about Greenland exists; Trump sued JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon for $5 billion; Former special counsel Jack Smith testified publicly before the House Judiciary Committee, saying his investigation produced “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump “engaged in criminal activity” and that “no one should be above the law in our country”; 49% of voters say the country is worse off than a year ago and 56% disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance; and Trump said he’s expanding his defamation lawsuit against the New York Times after an unfavorable public opinion poll. Read more: Day 1829: "Exploit the violence." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 In this episode: Trump said he would drop planned tariffs on eight European countries, claiming he had “the framework of a future deal” on Greenland and Arctic security; Trump said “Canada lives because of the United States” after Prime Minister Mark Carney argued at Davos that the U.S.-led “rules-based order” bargain “no longer works” and that “we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition”; Congress released a bipartisan funding package to keep most of the federal government open ahead of a Jan. 30 shutdown deadline; House Democrats said they’ll oppose a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security; and the Department of Homeland Security launched “Operation Catch of the Day” and started arresting immigrants in Maine. Read more: Day 1828: "In the midst of a rupture." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 In this episode: Global markets fell sharply after Trump threatened 10% tariffs on imports from Denmark and seven other European countries if they refuse to support his effort to acquire Greenland; Trump said he was confident the U.S. would acquire Greenland and declined to set any limits on his approach, saying "You’ll find out"; Trump, in a text message to the Norwegian prime minister, wrote that losing the Nobel Peace Prize made him feel less obligated to “think purely of Peace”; federal prosecutors served grand jury subpoenas to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and at least three other Democratic officials; the Justice Department said it discovered evidence suggesting members of DOGE improperly accessed and shared Social Security data with a political advocacy group seeking to overturn election results in certain states; and 58% of Americans call the first year of his second term a failure. Read more: Day 1827: "The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Thursday, January 15, 2026 In this episode: Trump threatened to “institute the INSURRECTION ACT” after an ICE officer shot a Venezuelan man in the leg during an arrest; Trump delayed a decision on U.S. strikes on Iran after senior advisers warned him that even a large-scale attack was unlikely to topple the regime and risked wider regional retaliation; María Corina Machado presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize for peaceful pro-democracy activism weeks after Trump ordered military raid that captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro; several NATO allies began deploying small numbers of troops to Greenland after U.S. talks resulted in a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland’s future; Trump announced what he called “The Great Healthcare Plan” and urged Congress to “pass this framework into law without delay,” but the White House released only a high-level outline with no legislative text, no cost estimates, no eligibility rules, no enforcement mechanisms, and no timeline for implementation; and more than half of the 24 members of Congress who are 80 or older have decided to run again. Read more: Day 1822: "Turn the temperature down." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 In this episode: FBI agents searched the Virginia home of a Washington Post reporter; Denmark said it still had a “fundamental disagreement” with the Trump administration over Greenland; the Pentagon began evacuating nonessential personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a precaution while Trump weighs possible military strikes over Iran’s crackdown on protests; the State Department said it will indefinitely pause immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries; Trump gave an autoworker who called him a "pedophile protector" the middle finger and twice mouthed “fuck you” while touring a Ford plant in Michigan; and 2025 was the third-warmest on record, and the past 11 years have been the 11 warmest. Read more: Day 1821: "Definitely no regrets whatsoever." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 In this episode: At least six federal prosecutors in Minnesota and at least five senior prosecutors in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division resigned over the Trump administration’s handling of the fatal shooting of Renée Good by an ICE officer; Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul sued the Trump administration to block what they called an “unprecedented” surge of thousands of federal immigration officers into the area; Trump encouraged Iranian protesters to “keep protesting” and to “take over your institutions,” saying “help is on the way”; Jeanine Pirro subpoenaed the Federal Reserve without seeking approval from senior Justice Department officials; Global central bank leaders issued a rare joint statement backing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell; consumer prices rose 2.7% in December from a year earlier; and about 1.4 million fewer people have enrolled in Affordable Care Act health plans so far this year. Read more: Day 1820: "That jerk will be gone soon." Newsletter: Get the daily edition of WTFJHT in your inbox Feedback? Let me know what you think AI Policy: My AI policy

Monday, January 20, 2025 Subscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free 1/ Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States after defeating Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, winning 49.9% of the popular vote with a margin of 1.48 percentage point – one of the narrowest popular vote margins in modern U.S... Visit WTF Just Happened Today? for more news and headlines, brought to you by Matt Kiser. The WTFJHT Podcast is narrated and produced by Joe Amditis.

Thursday, January 16, 2025 Subscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free 1/ Biden, in his farewell address, warned of the rise of an oligarchy and a “tech-industrial complex” that he said threatens democracy, basic freedoms, and economic fairness in the United States. Biden, speaking from the Oval Office, stated, “Toda... Visit WTF Just Happened Today? for more news and headlines, brought to you by Matt Kiser. The WTFJHT Podcast is narrated and produced by Joe Amditis.

Wednesday, January 15, 2025 Subscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free 1/ Israel and Hamas agreed to a 42-day ceasefire. The deal temporarily pauses the 15-months of fighting in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces have killed at least 46,500 Palestinians – mostly civilians – in response to the Hamas-led October 7 te... Visit WTF Just Happened Today? for more news and headlines, brought to you by Matt Kiser. The WTFJHT Podcast is narrated and produced by Joe Amditis.

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Subscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free 1/ Special Counsel Jack Smith’s final report made clear that Trump has not been exonerated for his “unprecedented criminal effort to overturn the legitimate results of the election in order to retain power” and that the evidence would have secured... Visit WTF Just Happened Today? for more news and headlines, brought to you by Matt Kiser. The WTFJHT Podcast is narrated and produced by Joe Amditis.

Monday, January 13, 2025 Subscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free 1/ A federal judge ruled that the Justice Department may release the portion of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The release is expected as early as Tuesday. Judge Aileen Cannon, however, mainta... Visit WTF Just Happened Today? for more news and headlines, brought to you by Matt Kiser. The WTFJHT Podcast is narrated and produced by Joe Amditis.

Thursday, January 9, 2025 Subscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free 1/ The New York Court of Appeals – the highest court in the state – denied Trump’s request to block his Friday sentencing. The decision leaves the U.S. Supreme Court as Trump’s final option to defer sentencing on 34 felony counts related to falsif... Visit WTF Just Happened Today? for more news and headlines, brought to you by Matt Kiser. The WTFJHT Podcast is narrated and produced by Joe Amditis.

Wednesday, January 8, 2025 Subscribe: Get the Daily Update in your inbox for free 1/ Trump asked the Supreme Court to block his sentencing in the New York election interference case involving falsified business records. The last-ditch request came after a New York appeals court refused to postpone his Friday sentencing – 10 day... Visit WTF Just Happened Today? for more news and headlines, brought to you by Matt Kiser. The WTFJHT Podcast is narrated and produced by Joe Amditis.