Post Reports (The Washington Post)

Episode: Minneapolis ICE shooting, Tim Walz, and 'America First' after Venezuela
Date: January 9, 2026
Host: Colby Itkowitz
Guests: Dan Marika (co-anchor of The Early Brief), Michael Birnbaum (White House reporter)

Episode Overview

This week’s Politics Roundtable dives deep into the political reverberations from three major stories: the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Goode by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, the resignation of Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz amid a welfare fraud scandal, and President Trump’s aggressive foreign policy stances—specifically on Venezuela and renewed ambitions regarding Greenland. The episode concludes with the targeting of Democratic Senator Mark Kelly by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over Kelly’s public stance on military obedience to legal vs illegal orders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Minneapolis ICE Shooting and Political Fallout

[01:16 – 08:36]

• The Incident: On Wednesday, ICE agents in Minneapolis shot and killed Renee Nicole Goode, a 37-year-old mother, during a car confrontation. Video of the incident circulated on social media.
• Partisan Responses: The video quickly became a partisan flashpoint:
  • President Trump blamed Goode and staunchly defended the ICE agent.
    • Quote [01:54 | Dan Marika]: “President Trump quickly take to truth Social, saying … and castigating the woman who was killed in the car and defending the ICE agent.”
  • Democrats, incl. Minneapolis Mayor, harshly condemned ICE, with Minneapolis officials using “colorful language to tell ICE to leave the city.”
    • Quote [02:53 | Minneapolis Mayor, paraphrased by Dan Marika]: “We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, and you are doing exactly the opposite.”
• Media and Political Reactions: The tragedy rapidly split politicians and the public along ideological lines, casting the incident as a “political Rorschach test.”
• Trump’s ICE Raids: Recent ICE raids and militarization in Democratic cities have heightened polarization and made federal power displays more controversial, especially in cities like Minneapolis, still marked by the trauma of the George Floyd killing.
• Polls and Political Risks: ICE’s aggressive tactics are unpopular nationally (only 35% approval per 2025 Gallup poll). There’s speculation that such incidents could further erode Trump’s support on immigration, though he could also use these as rallying points for his base.

2. Tim Walz Scandal and Democratic Setbacks in Minnesota

[08:36 – 14:10]

• Background: Tim Walz, once a rising Democratic star and Kamala Harris’s 2024 vice-presidential pick, announced he won’t run for a third term as Minnesota’s governor due to a major welfare fraud scandal.
• The Scandal: Misused Medicaid funds in child care and food bank programs—many serving and run by the Somali immigrant community—became the center of federal scrutiny and Republican attacks.
• Political Calculus:
  • Walz defended his efforts to investigate the fraud but stressed his commitment to representing vulnerable communities over pursuing re-election.
    • Quote [09:17 | Dan Marika]: “Walz has said that the buck does stop with him. He has acknowledged ... that fraud did happen ... it was worth investigating and that the people of Minnesota deserve to know where their taxpayer dollars are going.”
  • Republicans and President Trump have seized the story to attack Walz and the Somali community, playing into long-standing Trump attacks against Somali immigrants and Representative Ilhan Omar.

3. Trump’s Foreign Policy: Venezuela, Greenland, and the 'America First' Doctrine

[15:50 – 27:11]

• Venezuela Actions:

  • The US captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife; military and economic operations continued, including the seizure of Russian oil tankers.

  • The Trump administration is explicit about US oil interests, threatening further action if Venezuela’s new leadership doesn’t cooperate.

    • Quote [16:31 | Michael Birnbaum]: “This is just one expression of raw American power after another. Trump seems to have gotten into a certain kind of groove here.”
• Contradictions with Russia: Despite outreach to Putin and Russia over Ukraine, Trump’s seizure of Russian-flagged tankers is a major confrontation, straining US-Russia relations.
• Greenland Ambitions:
  • Post-Venezuela, Trump rekindled his campaign to acquire Greenland, with open discussion of military force and explicit pressure on Denmark.
    • Quote [18:53 | Michael Birnbaum]: “The Danes are the technical term is freaking out ... Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has issued multiple statements ... this is an issue that would split NATO.”
  • Denmark and Greenland have rejected the overtures, but Trump’s advisers are pressing forward.
• Historical Echoes and Legacy:
  • Trump’s expansionist ambitions echo the approaches of 19th-century presidents like Monroe, Jackson, and McKinley.
    • Quote [22:53 | Dan Marika]: “He’s in legacy building mode ... What better legacy than to expand the territory of the United States? Redraw the maps.”
• America First Paradox:
  • Trump casts interventions as ‘America First,’ emphasizing oil and anti-immigration/drug stances. However, the MAGA base has historically preferred non-interventionism, posing potential tensions as the 2026 midterms approach.
    • Quote [25:04 | Colby Itkowitz]: “I do wonder how Americans will respond to that and how that might even impact the 2026 midterms.”

4. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Campaign Against Senator Mark Kelly

[27:11 – 33:53]

• Background: After US bombings of boats near Venezuela, several veteran members of Congress (including Mark Kelly and Alyssa Slotkin) released a video reminding service members to refuse unlawful orders.

  • Quote [28:26 | Mark Kelly & colleagues]: “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.”

• Trump’s Response:

  • The administration branded them as “traitors” and “seditious.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth initiated proceedings to demote Kelly and reduce his military pension—an unprecedented act against a sitting Senator and decorated veteran.
    • Quote [29:03 | Michael Birnbaum]: “Seditious behavior is indeed punishable by death. Those are very serious charges against a military veteran.”

• Political Weaponization:

  • The demotion elevated Kelly’s profile, potentially giving him greater visibility ahead of 2028, but highlighted deepening politicization of military service in the US.
    • Quote [31:19 | Dan Marika]: “…the Trump administration doing this is somewhat elevating him to a status that he wouldn’t have had in the primary field in 2028.”

• Culture Shift:

  • The traditional bipartisan deference for military service has eroded, with political loyalty overtaking military record as Trump’s primary basis for allies vs enemies.
    • Quote [33:20 | Dan Marika]: “The base of the Trump pyramid is are you a friend or an enemy?...it really doesn’t matter what else you’ve done.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:53, paraphrasing Minneapolis Mayor]: “We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, and you are doing exactly the opposite.”
• [16:31 | Michael Birnbaum]: "This is just one expression of raw American power after another. Trump seems to have gotten into a certain kind of groove here."
• [18:53 | Michael Birnbaum]: “The Danes are…the technical term is freaking out…this is an issue that would split NATO. It would be incredibly damaging. And yet the White House is pushing forward.”
• [22:53 | Dan Marika]: “He’s in legacy building mode. What better legacy than to expand the territory of the United States? Redraw the maps. Redraw world history.”
• [28:26 | Mark Kelly & colleagues' PSA]: “You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders.”
• [29:03 | Michael Birnbaum]: “Seditious behavior is indeed punishable by death. Those are very serious charges against a military veteran.”

Key Timestamps

• [01:16] — Introduces Minneapolis ICE shooting; partisan fallout begins
• [04:15] — ICE raid video details and initial reporting
• [06:23] — Polling on ICE’s unpopularity
• [08:36] — Tim Walz’s political rise and resignation
• [09:17] — Welfare scandal details and Somali community context
• [15:50] — Maduro’s capture in Venezuela and US actions
• [16:31] — Seizure of Russian tankers and implications for Russia-US relations
• [18:53] — Trump’s return to Greenland ambitions, Danish and NATO response
• [22:53] — America First, expansionism, and Trump’s legacy
• [27:11] — Senator Mark Kelly’s PSA, Trump administration's retaliation
• [29:03] — Demotion proceedings and implications for civil-military relations
• [33:20] — Political loyalty vs traditional respect for military service

Summary Table: Major Topics

| Segment | Topic | Key Takeaways | |-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [01:16 – 08:36] | Minneapolis ICE Shooting | Illustrates deep partisan split and raises questions about Trump’s immigration tactics. | | [08:36 – 14:10] | Tim Walz Scandal | Welfare fraud, attacks on the Somali community, Democratic leadership struggles. | | [15:50 – 27:11] | Venezuela-Greenland-America First | Aggressive, legacy-driven foreign policy with echoes of 19th-century expansionism; MAGA tensions. | | [27:11 – 33:53] | Mark Kelly/Pete Hegseth: Civil-Military Rift | Politicization of military honor, retribution against critics, and its impact on future elections. |

The episode highlights growing polarization in US civic life—whether on immigration, the rules of political accountability, or the very definition of patriotism and national self-interest. With each development, the boundaries between domestic and foreign, law and personal loyalty, continue to blur in dramatic and unprecedented ways.