Podcast Summary: Next Up with Mark Halperin

Episode Title: How America’s Red-Blue Divide Plays Into the ICE Shooting in MN, and Trump’s Global Power Plays Explained
Date: January 8, 2026
Host: Mark Halperin
Guests: Jeff Rowe (Republican strategist), Jaime Moore (Democratic strategist), Lee Zeldin (EPA Administrator)

Main Theme/Purpose

This episode dives deep into two major political flashpoints:

1. The political and cultural aftermath of the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Goode in Minnesota, set against America’s entrenched red-blue divide.
2. Trump’s renewed global assertiveness—especially the U.S. strategy regarding Greenland—and the administration's policy direction, with insight from high-level strategists and a key Trump Cabinet member.

The episode features Mark Halperin’s field reporting and moderated panel analysis, with candid insights into the divide between Democratic and Republican America, policymaking in the Trump administration, and strategies for unification and crisis management.

Detailed Breakdown and Key Discussion Points

1. Reported Monologue: Minnesota ICE Shooting & National Cleavage

[04:58 – 21:34]

A. Facts and Red-Blue Responses

• Halperin opens with accounts and reactions from across the political spectrum regarding the killing of Renee Goode by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
• Illustrates the depth and immediacy of the partisan divide:
  • Democrats/left-of-center see the shooting as murder, blame Trump and ICE policy.
  • Republicans/right-of-center view the incident as an unfortunate consequence of law enforcement being impeded, with responsibility lying primarily with Goode herself.

Notable Quotes:

• “The ICE thug murdered her. That was it. Just a declaration.” — Halperin quoting a Republican acquaintance [05:20]
• “Last night at the corner where an ICE agent murdered Renee Goode, thousands of Minnesotans gathered in the frigid dark to protest her killing.” — Hillary Clinton (via Twitter), referenced by Halperin [05:30]

B. The Dangers of Immediate Conclusions

• Halperin stresses the lack of full information; video evidence is inconclusive, and sophisticated observers are sharply divided:
  • “Sophisticated people of good faith so far have watched the same videos and they've come away as far apart as an igloo in a volcano.” [09:54]

C. Deeper Policy and Cultural Fault Lines

• Red America sees ICE as restoring law and order in lawless blue cities; Blue America views ICE as an occupying, disruptive force.
• Halperin urges recognition of both perspectives, even when in disagreement.
• “No one who listened to Donald Trump for the last decade should be just surprised that he sent ICE into these communities.” [11:59]

D. What Can Bridge the Divide?

• Outlines five urgent recommendations from political and law enforcement leaders:

  1. Greater federal-state-local law enforcement coordination
  2. Transparency about ICE's mission
  3. Lower the political temperature, particularly in Minnesota
  4. Promote genuine dialogue and empathy between sides
  5. Expedite a full, transparent investigation

• “For the sake of America, for the sake of any prospect of unity and understanding and ability to move on... we got to know it all.” [17:25]

2. Panel Discussion: Strategists on Minnesota & the Political Divide

[21:35 – 29:59]

A. Reactions to Minnesota and What Comes Next

• Jeff Rowe: Notes the persistent crime drop elsewhere, the focus on illegal immigration in Minneapolis, need for quiet solutions and cooperation.

  • “I was happy about the peaceful protest last night. I think there's a lot of bad actors on this politically, but hopefully it will pass quietly and we can have a meeting of the minds to come together on this, because this can't happen in America.” [23:48]

• Jaime Moore: Minnesota as “ground zero” for political and cultural stress-tests; fears unrest could worsen, sees Mayor Fry as navigating this moment for political rehabilitation.

  • “...if we don't get it taken care of very soon, it can get a lot worse.” [24:52]

B. Leadership Grades

• Both panelists express disappointment with state and national leadership, particularly in failing to coordinate and tamp down rhetoric.
• Debate over whether Minneapolis’ mayor should have called for ICE to leave or pursued pragmatic cooperation.
  • “What mayor who has crime and a lot going on in their city...doesn’t welcome [outside help], but of course allows their uniformed officers to work with them...” — Rowe [27:27]

3. Trump’s Global Plays: The Greenland Gambit

[30:07 – 39:41]

A. The Logic Behind “Buying Greenland” and European Relations

• Halperin frames European worry as partly performative, and Trump’s directness as negotiation posturing; Rowe references historical U.S. interest in Greenland.
  • “It’s not unusual. I mean, Harry Truman tried to buy Greenland...very strategic place in the world.” — Rowe [31:15]

B. Winning Over the People of Greenland

• Halperin prompts a “bipartisan consulting session”:
  • Moore’s Playbook: Take Trump to Greenland for personal diplomacy, local appearances, TV/digital ads, and “America stands with Greenland” campaign.
  • Rowe’s Additions: Tangible economic offers—resource development revenue, basic income for Greenlanders, negative ad leverage on Denmark.
  • Both agree that winning Greenlandic public opinion is key, but local celebrities or influencers may have limited impact.

Memorable Moment:

• The back-and-forth over who are Greenland’s most famous celebrities, with Halperin attempting (and failing comically) to prompt ChatGPT for answers. [39:13–40:44]

4. 2026 Midterm Strategy: Parties’ Biggest Challenges

[41:08 – 44:55]

• Republicans (Rowe): Challenge is turning out the “24 coalition” Republican voters amidst contemporary fragmented media; the presidential context helps with activation, but complexity in reaching audience is a hurdle.

  • “This fragmented media is silly...streaming’s overtaken linear and cable...it’s very hard to get occasional consumers of political information.” [41:55]

• Democrats (Moore): Must re-engage disappointed donors and base, especially Black voters in core cities; need to rebuild the pragmatic Obama coalition to be competitive long-term.

  • “How do we reengage and get those numbers up? ...[Democrats] must support the right candidates, ensure they’re well-funded, and galvanize core voters.” [43:29]

5. Democratic Candidates: Josh Shapiro’s 2028 Presidential Chances

[45:10 – 50:25]

• Discussion on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s re-election video focusing on “competence, not ideology.”
  • Moore: Thinks Shapiro is strengthening his general election profile but must prove himself in the primary.
  • Rowe: Skeptical Shapiro fits the contemporary Democratic brand; sees “getting things done” as out of sync with base priorities, but admits he’d be a strong opponent in the general election.

Notable Exchange:

• Moore: “Black voters are very pragmatic. They're not overly populous or liberal...someone like a Josh Shapiro...will appeal to that electorate.” [47:40]
• Rowe: “He’s our worst nightmare — and the least likely of the top contenders, I think, to make it through [the primary].” [47:21]

6. Interview: Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator — Trump 2.0 Environmental Policy

[52:29 – 75:10]

A. New EPA Mission and Contrast with Biden Era

• Zeldin frames EPA as focused both on “clean air, land, and water” and economic growth, with massive deregulatory efforts and “zero tolerance for waste and abuse.”
  • Staff reductions, budget savings, and an ambitious record of regulatory rollbacks.
  • “We've done an agency wide reorganization, and maybe most importantly...implemented a zero tolerance policy for any waste and abuse.” [54:11]
  • “We are both protecting the environment and growing the economy. We choose both.” [56:33]

B. International & State Policy Lessons and Federal-State Relations

• Skeptical of Europe’s self-imposed economic pains for green goals; critical of “propaganda” around Chinese environmental policy.
• Advocates “cooperative federalism”: states lead where possible, but expects (and sometimes enforces) federal standards.
  • “We believe that states know best on many of these environmental challenges...” [60:13]

C. Handling California Wildfires & Cooperative Partnerships

• Cites effective (but politically downplayed) Trump-Federal response to California fires.
• EPA’s response: regulatory flex for prescribed burns, support for local/state management, rapid federal response.

D. Cross-Administration Collaboration & Cabinet Dynamics

• Touts Cabinet cohesion and cross-agency efforts (especially on “make America Healthy again” / MAHA initiative).
• “What's very different...is that [Trump] has gotten agencies to collaborate more than we've seen in the past.” [66:14]
• Jokes about Cabinet camaraderie: “...the chemistry is real...[we] root for each other. There isn’t competition and friction.”* [71:17]

E. Rapid-Fire Insights

• Biggest Trump misconception: Noted as “amazing listener, extraordinary hard worker, and very locked in” for his second term. [72:43]
• Personal AI use: Diet and healthy eating decisions.
• Clean air/water pledge: Cites the EPA’s “100, 200, 300 days, 100 wins” initiatives for tracking environmental accomplishment. [74:07–74:52]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Sophisticated people of good faith so far have watched the same videos and they've come away as far apart as an igloo in a volcano.” — Mark Halperin [09:54]
• “ICE for them is like a sheriff arriving in town after a long delay. A frontier town that's been overrun by outlaws...” — Halperin, on red-state perspective [10:30]
• “You can oppose ICE...but you cannot say that I'm going to express myself in my opposition...by trying to impede what they're doing.” — Halperin relaying Republican lawmaker sentiment [13:54]
• “There’s a way that you work with law enforcement... those remarks should have been reserved for a liberal podcaster or YouTube influencer...” — Jeff Rowe, on Minneapolis mayor’s comments [27:25]
• “I would take President Trump to Greenland with the delegation and just start doing those very low level meetings...having the America Greenland hands shaking or something like that.” — Jaime Moore [34:29]
• “You can't win an annexation race without winning the annexation area.” — Jeff Rowe [36:34]
• “We are both protecting the environment and growing the economy. We choose both. We believe that we can do both.” — Lee Zeldin [56:33]
• “He's our worst nightmare — and the least likely of the top contenders, I think, to make it through [the primary].” — Jeff Rowe, on Josh Shapiro [47:21]
• “I haven't read any of that in the New York Times.” — Halperin, on Zeldin's comments on Trump, tongue-in-cheek [73:10]

Structure & Flow

• The episode opens with Halperin's dense, analytically sharp reported monologue, providing ground-level political context for the MN shooting.
• Transitions into a bipartisan strategist panel that analyzes Minnesota, the ICE controversy, and party strategies for 2026.
• Moves to a lively discussion on Trump’s geopolitical gambits, especially the Greenland controversy, mixing policy with political campaign humor.
• Closes with a substantial interview with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin—delving into policy, implementation, and the Trump administration’s strategic posture, plus personal insights.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Reportage on MN Shooting: [04:58 – 21:34]
• Strategists on Minnesota & National Politics: [21:35 – 29:59]
• Greenland as Political Theater & Policy, Panel Brainstorm: [30:07 – 41:07]
• Midterms Party Challenges: [41:08 – 44:55]
• Josh Shapiro’s Candidacy Debate: [45:10 – 50:25]
• EPA/Trump 2.0 Policy Interview (Lee Zeldin): [52:29 – 75:10]

Concluding Thoughts

The episode is an incisive, unvarnished portrayal of today’s polarized America—where even a single tragedy is instantly filtered through red or blue lenses, and political imperatives frequently outweigh consensus or due process. Halperin and his guests refuse to offer easy answers, instead revealing the complexity (and entrenched absurdities) of policymaking, party strategy, and national dialogue.

Listeners will come away with a richer sense of:

• How political actors and media personalities frame contentious developments
• The mechanics and difficulties of forging unity in crisis
• The evolving priorities and strategies inside Trump’s second-term Cabinet
• The realities—and often the showmanship—behind America’s high-stakes global power plays