Morning Wire: Evening Wire – Powell Under Investigation & Trump Cuts Off Cuba (January 12, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode of Evening Wire, hosted by John Bickley and Georgia Howe, covers a jam-packed day in U.S. and world news with major developments in politics, international relations, social activism, and culture. The show’s central theme explores how shifting political actions—at home and abroad—are impacting everything from the integrity of federal institutions to family structures, while also highlighting moments of societal tension and iconic cultural loss.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. DOJ Investigation Into Fed Chair Jerome Powell

Segment Begins: 00:54

• The Department of Justice has launched a criminal probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
  • Focus: Powell’s testimony and the ballooning costs of Federal Reserve building renovations.
• Powell's Response: He accused the Trump administration of using prosecution threats to pressure the Fed into lowering interest rates, calling the investigation “an unprecedented challenge to the Fed’s independence.”
• Notable quote (Powell):

  “Public service sometimes requires standing firm in the face of threats. I will continue to do the job the Senate confirmed me to do with integrity and a commitment to serving the American people.” (01:41)

• The White House denied any direct involvement by President Trump.

2. President Trump's Cuba-Venezuela Oil Blockade

Segment Begins: 01:57

• Trump announced Cuba will receive no more oil or funds from Venezuela, urging Havana to make a deal “before it’s too late.”
• This follows the U.S. military’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and a strict blockade on Venezuelan oil shipments.
• Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel insists Cuba is “free, independent and sovereign and prepared to defend itself.”
• The move threatens to exacerbate Cuba’s economic and energy crises and raises the temperature of U.S.-Cuba relations.

3. Discussion of U.S. Response Options for Iran

Segment Begins: 02:45

• Reports that Iranian authorities have killed thousands of protesters have put the U.S. on alert.
• Possible U.S. responses:
  • Online support to anti-government activists
  • Deployment of cyber weapons
  • Increased sanctions
  • Potential military actions
• Key officials participating: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chair General Dan Kane.
• Notable quote (President Trump):

  “We will hit them at levels they've never been hit before.” (03:27)

4. U-Haul Attack at LA Anti-Iran Protest

Segment Begins: 03:38

• A U-Haul truck crashed into a large anti-Iranian regime protest in Westwood, Los Angeles.
  • Around 3,000 protesters present.
  • Political messages written on the truck, such as “No Shah, No Regime, USA. Don't repeat 1953.”
  • Two minor injuries to demonstrators; driver hospitalized and faces charges.
  • Investigation ongoing.

5. Anti-ICE Protests Escalate Post-Shooting

Segment Begins: 04:39

• After the fatal shooting of Renée Good in Minneapolis, anti-ICE groups, particularly MENARCA and Defend the 612, ramp up training and protests.
• “Annoy agents like mosquitoes”—demonstrators are encouraged to increase direct action.
• Violent incidents: Rioters broke into a hotel believing ICE agents were inside.
• Viral moment: Video of a crowd chasing police and the chief out of an area.
• Homeland Security’s Response: More federal agents to be dispatched to Minneapolis.
• Notable quote (Secretary Noem):

  “We're sending more officers today and tomorrow... If they conduct violent activities against law enforcement, if they impede our operations, that's a crime and we will hold them accountable to those consequences.” (06:21)

6. Supreme Court Takes on Transgender Athlete Bans

Segment Begins: 07:03

• The Court is set to hear oral arguments on state authority to keep men out of women’s sports.
• Riley Gaines, prominent women’s sports advocate, speaks out:
  • Notable quote:

    “We are fighting for the bare minimum here… Can we as women call ourselves champions? Can we allow ourselves to be vulnerable in an intimate area…without having to fear a man walking into that space?” (07:39)

7. UAE Restricts Study in UK Over Radicalization Fears

Segment Begins: 08:16

• UAE government halts support for citizens studying in the UK, citing risks of radicalization due to the UK’s tolerance of the Muslim Brotherhood.
• 2023–2024: 70 students reported to the UK's de-radicalization program—double the prior year.
• UK government responds: Issue “under review.”

8. Suspected Arson at Mississippi's Oldest Synagogue

Segment Begins: 08:37

• Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson damaged in a suspected arson.
• No injuries; suspect in custody.
• Two Torahs destroyed, five damaged—but Holocaust-surviving Torah preserved.
• The synagogue’s tragic history: KKK bombing in the 1960s.
• Jackson Mayor John Horn’s statement:

  “Acts of antisemitism, racism and religious hatred are incompatible with the values of the city.” (09:29)

9. Heritage Foundation’s Warning on American Family Decline

Segment Begins: 09:48

• Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts links cultural degradation and familial decline.
  • Quote:

    “It's no surprise that since the nuclear family has deteriorated that we've seen the degradation not just of the American governmental system...but also of culture, of morality.” (09:48)

• Foundation calls for a “culture-wide Manhattan Project” to reverse trends:
  • Policy ideas: Investment accounts for newborns, tax credits for larger families, marriage boot camps, social media ban for those under 16.

10. Jimmy Lai Sentencing in Hong Kong

Segment Begins: 10:35

• Media tycoon Jimmy Lai requests leniency after conviction for conspiracy/sedition against CCP.
• Lai, in solitary for 18 months, faces up to life imprisonment.

11. Passing of Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead

Segment Begins: 11:17

• Bob Weir, legendary singer/songwriter and Grateful Dead co-founder, dies at 78 after a brief battle with cancer.
• Tribute includes mention of his iconic songs and final performance.
• Notable quote (tribute):

  “His final performance with the band was, fittingly, ‘Touch of Gray,’ a 1987 song about coming to terms with growing old.” (11:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Powell on DOJ Investigation (01:41):
  “Public service sometimes requires standing firm in the face of threats. I will continue to do the job the Senate confirmed me to do with integrity and a commitment to serving the American people.”

• Trump on Iran (03:27):
  “We will hit them at levels they've never been hit before.”

• Riley Gaines on Sports Legislation (07:39):
  “We are fighting for the bare minimum here… Can we as women call ourselves champions? Can we allow ourselves to be vulnerable in an intimate area…without having to fear a man walking into that space?”

• Secretary Noem on ICE Protests (06:21):
  “If they conduct violent activities against law enforcement, if they impede our operations, that's a crime and we will hold them accountable to those consequences.”

• Heritage Foundation’s Kevin Roberts (09:48):
  “It's no surprise that since the nuclear family has deteriorated that we've seen the degradation not just of the American governmental system...but of culture, of morality.”

• Jackson Mayor John Horn (09:29):
  “Acts of antisemitism, racism and religious hatred are incompatible with the values of the city.”

• On Bob Weir's Legacy (11:45):
  “His final performance with the band was, fittingly, ‘Touch of Gray,’ a 1987 song about coming to terms with growing old.”

Important Timestamps

• 00:54 DOJ probes Jerome Powell over Federal Reserve spending/testimony
• 01:57 Trump cuts oil/money flow from Venezuela to Cuba
• 03:38 U-Haul attack at Los Angeles anti-Iran regime rally
• 04:39 Minneapolis anti-ICE protests escalate post-police shooting
• 07:03 Supreme Court prepares to hear women's sports/trans athlete case
• 08:16 UAE limits UK study abroad—radicalization fears
• 08:37 Suspected arson at historic Mississippi synagogue
• 09:48 Heritage Foundation calls for Manhattan Project to save families
• 10:35 Jimmy Lai seeks leniency after Hong Kong sedition conviction
• 11:17 Grateful Dead's Bob Weir passes away

Conclusion

This episode presents a wide-ranging yet cohesive look at the current American and global landscape, interweaving high-stakes political drama, social unrest, and moments of historical and cultural gravity. The hosts maintain a factual and urgent tone, breaking down each story with clarity and context, and providing key quotes and perspectives from notable figures. Whether it’s the tension between administration and independent institutions, the escalation of protest politics, or a cultural loss, listeners are kept at the pulse of the day’s most pressing developments.