A.M. Edition for Jan. 13. President Trump is set to receive a briefing today on options for responding to anti-regime protests in Iran, but he’s not waiting for that meeting to act. Journal reporter Gavin Bade explains the likely effect of fresh 25% U.S. tariffs on Tehran’s trading partners. Plus, Minnesota sues the Trump administration over its immigration tactics. And Moody’s Ratings’ John Medina discusses the challenges and opportunities accompanying an expected $3 trillion in data-center spending over the next five years. Luke Vargas hosts.
Plus: Japan’s Nikkei 225 surges to a record close on hopes for a general election. And a federal judge rules that work on a major wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island and Connecticut can resume. Daniel Bach hosts.
In the days since deposing Nicolás Maduro, President Trump has given several justifications for his dramatic actions in Venezuela. But perhaps most central to his ambitions is opening Venezuela’s oil fields to American companies.
Anatoly Kurmanaev, who covers Venezuela, explains the history behind Mr. Trump’s claims of ownership and what it would really take to get the oil back.
Guest: Anatoly Kurmanaev, a reporter for The New York Times who covers Venezuela.
Minnesota officials sue the Trump administration, accusing federal immigration agents of unconstitutional conduct, as protests and enforcement intensify after an ICE officer killed 37 year-old Renee Macklin Good. President Trump is weighing options, including military action, as Iran’s largest protests in years grow deadlier as the regime cracks down on nationwide demonstrations. And the Supreme Court hears arguments in two cases over whether states can bar transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Rebekah Metzler, Gigi Douban, Krishnadev Calamur, Mohamad ElBardicy, and HJ Mai.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Kaity Kline.
We get engineering support from Simon Laslo-Janssen. Our technical director is Zac Coleman.
Our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.
(0:00) Introduction (01:55) Trump Weighs Options In Iran (05:35) Minnesota Sues DHS, (08:52) SCOTUS Trans Sports Cases
Several GOP lawmakers express skepticism about a federal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Thousands of nurses go on strike in New York City. And the futures of transgender athletes hang in the balance in today’s Supreme Court hearing.
State Representative James Talarico of Texas might have been our most requested guest last year. And he seemed to come out of nowhere.
Talarico started breaking through with viral videos on TikTok and Instagram. And in those videos, he didn’t sound like your typical Democrat. He’s forthrightly Christian, quoting Scripture to defend progressive positions and challenging Christian nationalism on Christian grounds. And he is now running for Senate in Texas — in a primary field that includes U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett — in what will be one of the most important Senate races this year.
So I wanted to have Talarico on the show to talk about his faith, his politics and the way those two have come together in this attentional moment. Because he’s clearly saying things that people are hungry to hear.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Marie Cascione. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Kristin Lin, Emma Kehlbeck, Michelle Harris, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
As protests break out around the country over the killing of Renee Good, the administration sends even more agents to commit even more violence in Minnesota. The Justice Department launches an unprecedented criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell because he won't do what Trump wants on interest rates, a move so brazen that even congressional Republicans are denouncing it. And Trump again threatens to take over Greenland "whether they like it or not.” Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss all the latest, including Trump's suggestion that he's the "acting president" of Venezuela, and his musings about striking Iran as the anti-government protests there heat up. Then, former Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard stops by to talk to Tommy about the investigation into Powell, and why an independent Fed is so crucial to America's economy.
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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell struck back on Sunday night after the Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into his handling of renovations to the Fed’s DC headquarters. Whether or not he lied to Congress about them, this is all happening as the Supreme Court is set to debate another one of Trump’s efforts to take control of the Fed – by getting rid of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. So to talk more about Jerome Powell, the Supreme Court, and Donald Trump’s various attempts to prosecute people he does not like, we spoke with Leah Litman. She’s cohost of Crooked Media’s legal podcast, Strict Scrutiny.
And in headlines, Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly sues the Department of Defense over Pete Hegseth’s attempts to punish him for criticizing the Trump administration, The New York Timesreports the E.P.A. plans to stop monitoring the health benefits of limiting pollution, anda new Gallup poll shows young people are abandoning both the Democratic and Republican parties in droves.
Recycling plants and waste facilities are turning to artificial intelligence to identify the valuable commodities left in our trash. WSJ’s Ryan Dezember shares how it’s all going down. Plus, WSJ sustainability reporter Clara Hudson explains why solar energy is still such an attractive bet for so many companies. Isabelle Bousquette hosts.
