Harmonies and Counterpoints

Posted by Matt Kiser

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/08/day-1815/

Today in one sentence: The Senate voted 52-47 to advance a war powers resolution that would require congressional approval before Trump could order further military action “within or against Venezuela”; Trump said that his power as commander in chief is constrained only by “my own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me”; JD Vance blamed Renee Nicole Good for getting killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, calling her death a “tragedy of her own making”; the FBI revoked Minnesota investigators’ access to evidence and took sole control of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Good by an ICE officer; the House passed a clean three-year extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, and a bipartisan spending package to fund several federal agencies ahead of a Jan. 30 deadline; and Trump plans to ask Congress to raise U.S. military spending to $1.5 trillion in 2027.

1/ The Senate voted 52-47 to advance a war powers resolution that would require congressional approval before Trump could order further military action “within or against Venezuela.” The move followed Trump’s remarks that the U.S. would be “running Venezuela” and “taking oil,” and that “only time will tell” how long U.S. oversight would last. The measure, however, is unlikely to become law because it would still need House passage and Trump’s signature. Nevertheless, Trump denounced Republican senators who supported the resolution, saying they “should be ashamed” and “should never be elected to office again,” because the measure “greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security” and is “impeding the President’s authority as Commander in Chief.” He added that Republicans who voted with Democrats were acting to “take our Powers,” framing the resolution as an attack on his presidency rather than a check on military action. (Politico / Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / Politico / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / Washington Post / CBS News / CNBC / Bloomberg / The Guardian / Axios)

2/ Trump said that his power as commander in chief is constrained only by “my own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me,” claiming that he alone decides when international law or treaties apply to U.S. military action. “I don’t need international law,” Trump said, adding that “it depends what your definition of international law is.” Trump described his threats, unpredictability, and recent military action as tools of leverage, citing “the success of” U.S. strikes and interventions and insisted that adversaries act cautiously because “I would be very unhappy if” they did otherwise. He also dismissed the independence of alliances, saying NATO need to “shape up” and argued that without the U.S., “Russia I can tell you is not at all concerned with any other country but us.” (New York Times)

3/ JD Vance blamed Renee Nicole Good for getting killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, calling her death a “tragedy of her own making” and claiming she “tried to hit” the officer with her SUV, prompting the agent to fire “in self-defense.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that Good was “intentionally trying to mow down ICE agents,” describing it as “domestic terrorism.” The shooting occurred after ICE agents ordered Good, a U.S. citizen, to exit her SUV on a residential street and an officer positioned himself in front of the vehicle as it began moving forward. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey rejected those claims, saying video evidence shows Good attempting to drive away rather than aim her vehicle at officers. (CNBC / Wall Street Journal / The Hill / ABC News / Washington Post)

4/ The FBI revoked Minnesota investigators’ access to evidence and took sole control of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. In a statement, the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said the U.S. attorney’s office reversed an earlier plan for a joint investigation and blocked the agency from case materials, witnesses, and scene evidence, which prevents an independent state investigation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Minnesota authorities lacked jurisdiction. (The Guardian / NPR / New York Times / CBS News / Washington Post)

5/ The House passed a clean three-year extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. 17 Republicans joined Democrats in a 230-196 vote after a discharge petition forced the bill to the floor over Speaker Mike Johnson’s objections. The measure would revive subsidies that lapsed at the end of last year, and the Congressional Budget Office said it would add $80.6 billion to the deficit over 10 years while adding about 4 million more people insured in 2028 than under current law. The bill heads to the Senate, where leaders said it lacks the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. The chamber rejected a similar clean extension last month with Republicans demanding a shorter extension paired with income limits, minimum premiums, health savings account options, anti-fraud provisions, and abortion-related language. (Axios / NPR / Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times / ABC News / NBC News / Bloomberg / CBS News / CNBC / The Hill)

6/ The House passed a bipartisan spending package to fund several federal agencies ahead of a Jan. 30 deadline, rejecting Trump’s demands to cut funding for the National Science Foundation by 57%, the EPA by more than $4 billion, and the National Park Service budget by about one-third. The roughly $180 billion measure instead holds science funding flat, trims the EPA by about 4%, and imposes far smaller reductions across energy and environmental programs, while funding the Justice and Commerce Departments through the fiscal year. The package still requires Senate approval, but White House officials said Trump would sign it, and congressional leaders said talks are continuing on the remaining spending bills needed to keep the government fully open. (Associated Press / Politico / New York Times)

7/ Trump plans to ask Congress to raise U.S. military spending to $1.5 trillion in 2027 – a more than 50% increase that would add roughly $500 billion to $600 billion to the Pentagon’s current budget. Trump said the money would fund a “Dream Military” that would keep the country “SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe.” He claimed the increase would be paid for with tariff revenue, even though government estimates show recent tariff collections fall hundreds of billions short. (New York Times / Politico / Associated Press / Bloomberg)

The 2026 midterms are in 299 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,034 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. A federal judge disqualified another Trump U.S. attorney, throwing out subpoenas targeting New York Attorney General Letitia James. The judge said the Justice Department bypassed statutory limits to keep the prosecutor in place. At least five U.S. attorneys have been disqualified by federal judges after the administration used workarounds to keep them in office without Senate confirmation. (Politico / Associated Press)

2. Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a Senate-ratified treaty that underpins all global climate negotiations. However, it remains unclear whether Trump has the legal authority to do so unilaterally. The administration also said it would end U.S. participation in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.N.’s main climate science body. (The Guardian / New York Times / NBC News / Grist / Axios / Politico / Reuters)

3. Trump directed the U.S. to withdraw from 66 international organizations and agreements. The White House said the organizations were “contrary to the interests of the United States.” The decision ends U.S. participation and funding for international groups on migration, women’s rights, trade, education, and international law. (Washington Post / New York Times / Los Angeles Times / ABC News)

4. The House failed to override Trump’s first two vetoes of his second term, leaving in place his rejection of two bipartisan bills backing a Colorado water pipeline and a Florida land measure for the Miccosukee Tribe. The override votes fell short of the two-thirds threshold, even though both bills had previously passed the House and Senate without opposition. (CNBC / Axios / Politico / NBC News / New York Times)

• Today last year: Day 1450: "Presumptuous."
• Two years ago today: Day 1084: "Fair notice."
• Five years ago today: Day 1450: "Incitement of insurrection."
• Six years ago today: Day 1084: Standing down.
• Seven years ago today: Day 719: Intentionally misleading.
• Eight years ago today: Day 354: Executive time.

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https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/01/08/day-1815/