What Trump’s doing with Greenland and Iran; comparing ICE under Trump and Obama; Senate Predictions

Summary

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Podcast Summary: 10 Minute Drill

Host: Matt Whitlock
Episode: What Trump’s doing with Greenland and Iran; comparing ICE under Trump and Obama; Senate Predictions
Date: January 15, 2026

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Overview

In this fast-paced episode, Matt Whitlock provides a 10-minute rundown on pressing political stories: how President Trump is handling foreign policy concerning Iran and Greenland, comparisons of ICE operations under Trump and Obama, and a breakdown of the competitive 2026 Senate map. Whitlock offers sharp commentary, notable audio clips, and quotes from key figures, keeping the tone brisk, pointed, and direct.

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ICE Under Trump vs. Obama & Minneapolis Fallout

Starts at 00:39

• Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry’s Fox Appearance

  • Described as “either a courageous or somewhat stupid move,” Fry defends efforts to bar ICE from the state.
  • Emphasizes claims of “unconstitutional conduct by ICE.” [00:49]
  • Frequent refrain from the left: “This is not normal.” [01:00]

• Whitlock’s Counter:

  • Argues such enforcement is normal, citing Obama’s record (“more deportations than President Trump”) and close working relationship with ICE. [01:05]
  • Shares historical context: “There weren’t organized protests… No mobilized activation… like what we’ve seen with Minneapolis ICE Watch. This is not normal.” [02:03]

• Escalation and Tactics:

  • ICE officials state protesters attempt to block any arrest, not just sympathetic cases; some arrests involve serious criminals. [02:32-03:01]
    • Quote, ICE official (paraphrased by Whitlock): “We could arrest… a child molester or a murderer… and they don’t seem to care.” [02:43]
  • Whitlock claims a “paid left-wing, dark money outrage machine” amplifies protests, naming groups like Indivisible, CAIR, and the Racial Justice Network—some allegedly funded by government grants. [03:36]
    • Quote, Whitlock: “Democrats found very creative ways to launder our own tax dollars back to groups protesting… immigration enforcement.” [03:36]

• Keith Ellison Responds

  • Wants to limit “dramatic escalation” of ICE, says it’s “unwarranted and politically motivated.” [04:50]
  • Whitlock: “You can’t say escalation is unwarranted when your policies are to work against ICE… with sanctuary policies.” [04:50]

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Iran Tensions & U.S. Military Moves

Starts at 05:02

• Trump’s Messaging:

  • At a Michigan rally: “To all Iranian patriots, keep protesting.” [05:10]
  • On CBS: “There’s a lot of help on the way… including economic help… not going to help Iran very much.” [05:16]
  • Posted on Truth Social: “Help is on its way.”

• Military Posturing:

  • U.S. withdrawing some personnel amid “heightened regional tensions.” [05:35]
  • Expert analysis: Maneuvers echo those before “Operation Midnight Hammer,” Trump’s prior strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. [05:43]
  • Summation: Trump is “sending signals,” world is “watching closely.” [05:43]

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Greenland: National Security and Geopolitics

Starts at 05:53

• Trump’s Statement:

  • “The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of national security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way...” (paraphrased by Whitlock). [05:53]
  • White House shares cryptic meme: Greenland’s future at a crossroads between US, China, and Russia. [05:53]

• White House Moves:

  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio and VP J.D. Vance meet with Danish and Greenlandic reps. [06:25]
  • Analysis: Greenland already grants US military access; Trump’s push is about “greater control” and “countering Russian and Chinese influence” in the Western hemisphere. [06:45]
  • Whitlock also cites Trump’s wariness of EU allies: “They are working against us on tech policy… cozied up to China and Huawei while trying to levy fines on American companies.” [07:31]

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2026 Senate Map: Key Races & Party Strategies

Starts at 08:01

• Progressive Pivot:

  • Four Democratic Senators (Murphy, Schiff, Warren, Smith) urge party to "go populist" in the midterms. [08:01]
    • Quote from letter: “Billionaires and corporate interests have captured our political system, but our party’s anemic response… has eroded our credibility with working people.” [08:01]
  • Whitlock criticizes this as inconsistent: “They’re not really populists if they’re picking and choosing which corporations they like.” [08:39]

• Democrats’ Senate Targets:

  • Chuck Schumer lists Ohio, Alaska, Maine, North Carolina; Dems need to flip four seats in a tough map. [09:10]

• Alaska:

  • Mary Peltola challenges Dan Sullivan.
    • NRCC attack ad audio: “Joe Biden’s mental acuity is very, very on… one of the smartest, sharpest people I’ve met in D.C.” – Mary Peltola [10:21]
  • Whitlock notes Sullivan’s comfortable last margin and Peltola's support for Biden.

• Ohio:

  • Sherrod Brown to run again despite 2024 loss; Whitlock describes him as “as far left a Democrat as could possibly be found” in deep-red Ohio. [10:40]

• Maine:

  • Democrats divided between “Nazi tattoo Graham Platner” and “far left Governor Janet Mills.” Mills criticized for championing “men in women’s sports.” [10:52]

• North Carolina:

  • Democrats coalesce around Roy Cooper, labeled as taking “every far-left position.”
    • Audio of Cooper dodging: “Governor Cooper, why do you support men being able to play women’s sports?” [11:38]

• Schumer’s Strategy:

  • Omits Jasmine Crockett from official map. Reflects on 2020 missteps: “Schumer took a lot of criticism for dumping millions into unwinnable races.” [12:03]

• Republican Prospects:

  • “Don’t sleep on Georgia,” where Jon Ossoff faces a tougher GOP-leaning electorate.
  • Michigan: Mike Rogers leads three top Democrats in early polls, including Haley Stevens. [12:50-13:12]

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “What if what's going on with ICE… actually is normal?” – Matt Whitlock (01:05)
• “We only have a few officers, but we have, what do they say, 60 to 70 agitators that are fighting them.” – ICE field report via Whitlock (02:24)
• “There is an outrage machine stoking this for money. And in many cases it’s funded by our tax dollars.” – Matt Whitlock (03:36)
• “He’s one of the smartest, sharpest people I’ve met in D.C.” – Mary Peltola, on Joe Biden (10:23)
• “In North Carolina… Roy Cooper… wants to pretend to be a moderate but has taken every far-left position out there.” – Matt Whitlock (11:38)

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Fast Takes & Final Segment

Starts at 13:12

• California DEI Spending:
  • CalPERS set to pay $220,000 for a DEI lead—no finance experience needed. Whitlock lampoons this as wasteful government spending. [13:20]

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Episode Takeaways

• Whitlock sees major escalation around ICE protest culture now versus Obama era, attributing it to organized, funded activism.
• Trump’s maneuvers in Iran and Greenland are part of broader power plays—to counter not just Russia/China but also European “double-dealing.”
• The 2026 Senate map is tough terrain for Democrats despite new progressive energy; Republicans have their own offensive opportunities, especially in Michigan and Georgia.
• Throughout, Whitlock maintains a skeptical, combative tone toward progressive activism and Democratic strategy, with rapid-fire clips and anecdotes to reinforce his perspective.

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Useful for:
Anyone seeking a compressed but comprehensive understanding of the episode’s main content, the political narratives discussed, and context for the 2026 Senate fight.

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Transcript

[A]

President Trump's foreign policy doctrine. We're going to talk about movement around Iran and conversations around what's happening with Greenland. We're going to lay out the Senate map and talk about what Chuck Schumer believes is his path to a Senate majority. And then we're going to go one more time to the latest updates in Minneapolis. All of that and so much more today on 10 Minute Drill.

[B]

Everybody get up. Get up. The story of America is the story of an adventure. I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. We are a nation undergoing and I believe God intended for us to be free.

[A]

In either a courageous or somewhat stupid move, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry went on Fox News to make his case for why they believe ICE should be barred from their state.

[B]

And what we are seeing time and time again is unconstitutional conduct by ice.

[A]

Now, what Jacob Fry is saying there is something we've heard echoed from a lot of liberals that quote, the this is not normal.

[B]

But also this is not normal anymore.

[A]

But what if what's going on with ICE right now and immigration enforcement around the country actually is normal? When we look back at President Obama, who had more deportations than President Trump, he worked very closely with ice. He was even pressed on it a few different times. Here's from one White House press briefing.

[B]

There have been reports that Department of Homeland Security and ICE have begun removal operations, I think they're calling it, others are calling it raids against Central American families who came across the border illegally over the past year and a half. And some of the reports suggest that, you know, families. The Los Angeles Times quoted a woman saying that her family in Georgia, ICE agents came in, looked room to room, woke up her own kids. They were shaking with fear.

[A]

And here's a segment from CNN where they did a ride along with ice and as they did raids, very similar to what we're seeing right now in Minneapolis.

[B]

ICE's purpose is to focus on criminals and community safety by taking these recidivist criminals out of our communities.

[A]

Now, you'll note that during the Obama years when he was using ICE to deport even more people than President Trump is doing right now, there weren't organized protests around the country. There weren't the kind of mobilized activation where protesters are being encouraged to actually physically confront ice, like what we've seen with Minneapolis ICE Watch. This is not normal.

[B]

They're surrounded and they're being attacked. We only have a few officers, but we have, what do they say, 60 to 70 agitators that are fighting them.

[A]

And we need help One thing that border commander Greg Bevino said is these people are not mobilizing around sympathetic cases. They are trying to interfere in any ICE arrest they see.

[B]

What are these people blowing those whistles for? You know, it's interesting you ask that, Matt. Oftentimes these individuals have no or they have no clue why we are in an area we could arrest. Again, a child molester or a child rapist or a murderer, illegal alien, and they don't seem to care.

[A]

So when you have organized agitators trying to stop ICE even from arresting child molesters, murderers like the ones that the administration has told us are there in Minneapolis, that is not normal. And what you have to remember is what didn't exist in the Obama years is a paid left wing, dark money outrage machine that incentivizes this type of activism and pays people to protest. For example, here's Laura Ingraham talking to protesters in Minneapolis.

[B]

Shame, shame.

[A]

Do you have a job?

[B]

Do you have a job?

[A]

There is an outrage machine stoking this for money. And in many cases it's funded by our tax dollars. For example, groups like Indivisible, Council on American Islamic Relations and the Racial Justice Network, to name just a few. Many of them have received money from government groups. Indivisible has taken money from groups like the Tides foundation, which has taken money from usaid. So Democrats found very creative ways to launder our own tax dollars back to groups protesting and trying to stop our tax dollars from carrying out things like immigration enforcement that's so important. So again, when you hear that this isn't normal, it's right, it isn't normal, but not for the reasons that you might be hearing or thinking. But let's go back to Minneapolis one more time. Here's Keith Ellison. We're not saying that ICE cannot have a presence in Minnesota. We're saying the dramatic escalation, which is unwarranted and politically motivated, is harming our state. You can't say that the dramatic escalation is unwarranted when your state and city policies are to work against ice, both with sanctuary policies that protect even the most violent, criminal, dangerous, illegal immigrants, but also bar your law enforcement from working with ice.

[B]

What our policy says is that I don't want our police officers spending time working with ICE on immigration enforcement.

[A]

We've talked about the escalating situation in Iran and the escalation has also included President Trump's words. Here he is in Michigan to all.

[B]

Iranian patriots, keep protesting.

[A]

He was asked by CBS what he means by that.

[B]

Well, There's a lot of help on the way and in different forms, including economic help from our standpoint and not going to help Iran very much.

[A]

He also posted on Truth Social help is on its way. Yesterday morning news reports discussed positioning of American military assets around Iran.

[B]

We can confirm that the US Is withdrawing some personnel from major bases across the Middle east due to heightened regional tensions.

[A]

Experts have noted that this type of positioning is very similar to what we saw right before Operation Midnight Hammer, President Trump's previous operation to take out Iran's nuclear facilities. There is a lot of conversation happening, President Trump sending signals of what America is going to do in response to Iran cracking down on protesters, but the world is watching. The topic of Greenland has been an interesting one in Washington for the last several months. But most recently President Trump posted this the United States needs Greenland for the purpose of national security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it. If we don't, Russia or China will, and that is not going to happen. Following that post, the White House also posted which way? Greenland man with an image of a dog sled facing a fork in the road between the White House and the United States and the palaces in China and Russia. This has led to a heated debate about what President Trump might mean by this. Is he talking about taking Greenland by force or finding some way to negotiate a situation where Greenland becomes the 51st state, or something like that? Yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. vance met with representatives from Greenland and from Denmark to discuss this situation. Now, one case that President Trump needs to make is what can we get out of Greenland by either taking them by force or making them our 51st state that they're not already giving us right now. Right now, Greenland gives us quite a bit of leeway to use their territory and their lands for any kind of military base, military activities, and anything like that that we might need. But what President Trump is really talking about here is Russia and Chinese influence as he's talked about taking over and having a greater level of control over our hemisphere with operations like he carried out in Venezuel. The focus has been on getting Chinese and Russian influence out of our hemisphere so that it can't be positioned against us with countries nearby us. But the other issue that hasn't been talked about quite as much is President Trump is concerned about European influence. Greenland is obviously a NATO country, so it's not gonna be taken over the way that Ukraine was by Russia or anything like that, but we're still wary of the influence of countries that are working against us. Now the EU is our friend, they're our allies, but they are working against us on issues like tech policy, where they've cozied up to China and Huawei while trying to levy huge fines on American companies. So while President Trump's messaging around Greenland might be causing a lot of consternation among NATO and European allies, the underlying energy behind it is based in very real concerns. In the wake of the collapse of the Kamala Harris campaign and Democrats short retreat into the wilderness, we've seen a few different lanes pop up among Democrats for who's going to lead the party going into first the midterms this year, but then also the next presidential election in 2028. Semafor has a very interesting article about a group that has one lane in mind. Progressive Democrats Urge Party to Go populist in midterms 4 Progressive Democratic senators are telling their colleagues to pivot quickly to economic populism, according to details first shared with Semaphore. Billionaires and corporate interests have captured our political system, but our party's anemic response to the rigging of our democracy and economy in favor of the ultra wealthy has eroded our credibility with working people, wrote Democratic Senators Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff, Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith in a letter to their Democratic colleagues. Now this telegraphed shift towards populism runs into a bit of a brick wall of history and reality when all of these Democrat senators voted with Joe Biden's plans to make Democrat donors at wind and solar companies into billionaires. So they're not really populists if they're just picking and choosing which corporations they really like. But they are trying to show this new progressive far left strain in a few different ways, including their influence in party primaries. This week, former Democrat Congresswoman Mary Patola announced that she was entering the Alaska Senate race to challenge Republican Dan Sullivan. With this announcement, Chuck Schumer laid out his Senate map and his views for Democrats best chances to take back the majority in the 2026 midterms. Schumer's path includes Ohio, Alaska, Maine and North Carolina, with Republicans holding the majority with 53 seats. Right now, Democrats need to win four because Republicans also have the vice presidency and the tying vote. So all four of those will be important and it is not an easy path. First, looking at Mary Peltola, here's a video the NRC put out to welcome her into the race. I think that Joe Biden's mental acuity.

[B]

Is Very, very on.

[A]

He's one of the smartest, sharpest people I've met in D.C. that is Mary Peltola saying that she believes that Joe Biden's mental acuity is exactly where it needs to be. She also voted very clearly with Democrats during her short time in Congress, which is something that will be used against her, particularly on energy policy. But I'd also note Dan Sullivan won his last race by about 10 points back in 2020. But moving on to Ohio, Democrats are getting behind Sherrod Brown, who lost his race just in 2024 because Ohio has gotten very, very red. And Sherrod Brown is just about as far left a Democrat as Democrats could possibly find there. In Maine, Democrats have a very tough choice between Nazi tattoo Graham Platner and very unpopular far left Governor Janet Mills, who has been the crusader behind allowing men in women's sports. Here's a quick look at how the NRC is talking about her. Introducing the Janet Mills collection featuring a confusing choice that forces girls to compete against biological males in North Carolina to replace retiring Senator Thom Tillis, Democrats are getting behind Roy Cooper, who wants to pretend to be a moderate but has taken every far left position out there on everything from abortion to men and women's sports. Here he is running away from a question on that issue. Governor Cooper. Yeah.

[B]

Why do you support men being able to play women's sports?

[A]

Can you let me in?

[B]

Ron Roy Governor Cooper, why do you support men being able to play women's sports?

[A]

Let's look one more time at him trying to get in that getaway car. Can you let me in play Rod Now Schumer notably didn't name named Jasmine Crockett as a part of his plan to retake the Senate majority.

[B]

We done picking cotton now.

[A]

When I was at the National Republican senatorial committee in 2020, Chuck Schumer dumped hundreds of millions into totally unwinnable races like South Carolina and Kentucky because he knew his far left online base wanted the idea of being able to unseat Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell. But they were completely unsuccessful and Schumer took a lot of criticism for it. So we'll see if he's any more successful this time. However, Republicans also have a few places where they're looking to go on offense. Do not sleep on Georgia, where Jon Ossoff has voted like a far left Democrat from Massachusetts while representing what is now a very red state.

[B]

There is no doubt that this president's conduct has already exceeded any prior standard for impeachment by the United States House of Representatives.

[A]

Another one Republicans are watching really closely, though, is Michigan, where Republican Mike Rogers actually has a lead over the three top Democrats. He's beating Representative Haley Stevens by 0.4%, Mallory McMorrow by 3.3%, and Abdul El Sayed by 6.4%. Now with Haley Stevens, the Democrat frontrunner in that race, meet Haley Stevens.

[B]

You will see darkness. You will be pushed, and our society needs you to stand together at this time. Our country loves you.

[A]

To our country for you can't make it up. SEGMENT Today we go back to a little bit of waste in California. This from the center square. California's main state retirement program, CalPERS is going to pay someone $220,000 to integrate DEI principles into investment practices, recruiting staff for DEI, informed proxy voting and ESG investing. The center Square has learned the catch. She has no experience in finance. So if you are a California pension holder of any kind, good luck. That is all the time we have for today. Thank you so much for joining us this week for three episodes of 10 Minute Drill. Please leave us a review like subscribe, tell your friends. Have a great week.