1A

We start the week in Minneapolis where a 37-year-old woman was shot and killed by an ICE officer on Wednesday. Authorities claim the woman attacked officers while they were digging their car out of the snow, but video from the scene and the municipal officials heavily dispute that claim.This week GOP lawmakers from Minnesota testified at a hastily-scheduled House Oversight Committee hearing about welfare fraud scandal allegations in their state. And on Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services froze $10 billion in five states including Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois and Colorado. That funding covers childcare subsidies, cash support for low-income families, and other social services.Meanwhile, its been nearly one week since Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured by U.S. forces and brought to face charges of narco-terrorism on American soil.And the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela are having ripple effects across the globe. Europe is on edge as the U.S president this week suggested the territory could be in his crosshairs next, raising questions about America’s relationship with NATO.Also this week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending U.S. support for global 66 organizations, agencies, and commissions, following his administration’s review of participation in and funding for all international organizations.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In the first year of President Donald Trump’s new term, he issued hundreds of executive actions and his administration implemented sweeping changes to the federal government.Changes to federal grant funding, DEI policies, the federal workforce were all met with fierce resistance and legal challenges, totaling more than 350 lawsuits so far. Judges across the country are also mulling whether Trump’s attempt to change birthright citizenship and his deployment of ICE agents for mass deportations are legal.The administration has spent a lot of time defending its policy actions in court. We get up to speed on their record over the past year.How successful has the administration been in the courts? And what cases from 2025 remain up in the air?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Last night, President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela would start sending the U.S. oil. He’s voiced his desire to exploit the country’s vast reserves since ousting Nicolás Maduro in a midnight raid over the weekend.The Venezuelan government hasn’t yet confirmed the move. And the country’s leaders continue to condemn U.S. actions in their country as they crack down on anti-Maduro sentiment.This begs the question – who is in charge of Venezuela? And what does the relationship between the Trump administration and the Delcy Rodriguez, their pick to lead the nation, look like?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Five years ago today, thousands of rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol.A number of them assaulted police officers with weapons and even looted the building. They called for war, revolution, and political executions. That’s according to thousands of videos presented in court reviewed by NPR. One former federal prosecutor who led the Justice Department’s investigation into Jan. 6 called it the “most televised crime in American history, if not world history.”But the narrative around what happened that day continues to shift. President Donald Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of nearly every Jan. 6 defendant, ending the largest criminal prosecution in American history.What are we still learning about Jan. 6 five years later? And how is that day still shaping our politics — and the country?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

After a year of new leadership, court fights, dramatic change to the federal government, and deep political division, where does American democracy stand as we move into 2026?And what does it mean for you?This is our first “If You Can Keep It” conversation of the new year. We take your calls and hear from you about your wants and concerns for American democracy in the days ahead.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy