Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei stated the company will not agree to the Pentagon's terms for unrestricted access to its AI model, Claude, citing ethical concerns, despite threats from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to cancel a $200 million DoD contract and designate the company a supply chain risk. The Pentagon has also considered invoking the Defense Production Act to force access, but Anthropic insists it will uphold its safeguards against misuse, such as fully autonomous weapons and mass surveillance. Negotiations are ongoing, with the Pentagon seeking assessments of reliance from other defense contractors.
The U.S. Supreme Court limited President Trump's ability to unilaterally impose broad tariffs using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, requiring congressional approval for such measures. Despite this legal restriction, the administration has continued to implement tariffs through other laws, resulting in slower and more bureaucratic processes. While tariffs increased government revenue and influenced trade patterns, they did not achieve the broader economic goals, such as revitalizing manufacturing or reducing the trade deficit, and contributed to global trade uncertainty and supply chain shifts. The ruling marks a shift toward more procedural tariff implementation but does not eliminate the use of tariffs altogether.
The FBI believes 8-year-old Maleeka “Mollie” Boone was likely struck and killed by a vehicle, possibly a pickup truck, on the evening of January 15 near Cedar Loop in the Coalmine Navajo Housing Authority area. She was last seen playing around 6 p.m. and was walking home when the accident may have occurred. Her body was found the next morning in a nearby field, and authorities are seeking information about vehicles traveling in the area at the time, offering a $25,000 reward.
U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs experienced their largest weekly inflows in six weeks, totaling $1.1 billion over three days, driven by renewed U.S. demand indicated by a rebound in the Coinbase Premium index. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust contributed over half of the inflows, and bitcoin holdings across U.S. ETFs increased to 1.29 million BTC. Despite this, Bitcoin's price remained around mid-$60,000, and CME open interest declined, suggesting ETF buying was primarily long exposure.
During his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump urged Congress to pass the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voting, and to ban stock trading by lawmakers, while also advocating for the continuation of tariffs without congressional interference. While the House has already approved the SAVE Act, its passage in the Senate faces obstacles, including resistance to changing filibuster rules from Senate leaders and differences among Republicans. Trump also expressed opposition to congressional involvement in tariff policy, despite constitutional and judicial support for congressional tariff authority. Overall, the article notes the gap between presidential aspirations and legislative realities.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that federal contractors, such as GEO Group which operates an ICE detention facility, cannot immediately appeal a denial of a Yearsley defense, which shields them from liability for conduct authorized and directed by the government. In the case, GEO’s motion to dismiss a labor class action was denied, and the court affirmed that denying a Yearsley defense is not an immediately appealable interlocutory order, as such rulings are considered merits defenses that are fully reviewable on final judgment.
The FBI has fired approximately 10 agents involved in investigations related to Donald Trump, including the case of his retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. These firings are part of a broader personnel purge overseen by FBI Director Kash Patel, a Trump appointee, and have been condemned by the FBI Agents Association. The move raises concerns about workforce stability and national security.
Miami Herald reporter Julie K. Brown reports that Jeffrey Epstein aggressively attempted to influence members of the criminal justice system, including prosecutors involved in his case, according to newly released documents.
Rep. Nancy Mace called for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify before the House Oversight Committee regarding his associations with Jeffrey Epstein. This followed the removal and restoration of a DOJ database photo showing Epstein with Lutnick and others, and reports of Lutnick’s past visits to Epstein’s private island. Legislators also discussed questioning former President Bill Clinton about his links to Epstein, with some indicating Lutnick might be subpoenaed.
Cuba reported that a speedboat that opened fire on its soldiers was carrying armed Cubans living in the U.S. attempting to infiltrate the island, resulting in four deaths and six injuries. The Cuban government identified some of the passengers as wanted for connections to terrorism and arrested one individual who confessed to being sent from the U.S. for the infiltration. The incident has heightened tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, with U.S. officials investigating and emphasizing the need to verify details independently.
President Donald Trump is visiting Corpus Christi, Texas, to promote his economic policies and highlight recent economic data, including lower gas prices and increased port activity. The trip follows a speech at the State of the Union and recent judicial decisions on tariffs, with Trump emphasizing economic growth and energy development in Texas. Despite recent declines in port activity and oil rig operations, the White House underscores positive economic indicators since Trump took office.
The U.S. Justice Department has filed a complaint to take control of the tanker Skipper and nearly 2 million barrels of seized Venezuelan oil, as part of efforts to weaken Nicolás Maduro's regime and disrupt illicit oil shipments linked to Iran. This marks the first legal step in the U.S. to claim ownership of one of at least 10 intercepted oil tankers since late 2022. The U.S. accuses Venezuela of using false flag vessels to smuggle oil globally, with the seizure escalating pressure on Maduro's government and asserting U.S. control over Venezuela's oil sector. A federal court must approve the seizure before the oil can be sold or used by U.S. authorities.
