Good morning, everyone. We have a lot of major news to cover today. First, today is the day Hillary Clinton will be deposed in the House Epstein investigation. I will be speaking with a member of Congress who is inside that deposition once it concludes this afternoon, so stay tuned for exclusive coverage.
Meanwhile, Trump’s State of the Union address drew fewer viewers this year than any of his previous addresses. And in deeply troubling news, CBP agents dropped off a nearly blind refugee who did not speak English miles away from his home. He was found dead several days later. It is horrific and raises serious questions.
In other news, I have received several messages that some of you may have gotten a Telegram message claiming to be from me. That is a scam. I do not use Telegram and I will never personally reach out to you to ask for money. There are scammers across the internet trying to use my name and likeness. I work constantly to shut them down, but if they contact you, please block and report them.
We have big interviews coming today, so stay tuned. If you can, please subscribe to support this work. We are operating around the clock to deliver breaking updates and exclusive interviews, and we are not slowing down.
Here’s the news:
- Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address drew about 27.8 million viewers across major broadcast and cable networks, down roughly 12% from last year’s address, with Fox News leading total viewership, according to preliminary Nielsen ratings.
- Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton are set to give videotaped, closed-door depositions to the Republican-led House Oversight Committee in its Jeffrey Epstein probe after months of dispute over subpoenas; both deny wrongdoing, say they have no personal knowledge of Epstein’s or Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes, and Hillary Clinton argues the inquiry is politically motivated and meant to distract from Donald Trump’s ties to Epstein. I will be speaking with a member of Congress in Hillary’s deposition once they finish today.
- Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56-year-old nearly blind Rohingya refugee from Burma, was found dead in Buffalo days after U.S. Border Patrol agents took custody of him from the Erie County Holding Center and dropped him off at a Tim Hortons about five miles from his home without notifying his family or attorney; police said the medical examiner ruled his death health-related, while homicide detectives continue investigating the circumstances surrounding his release and disappearance.
- The FBI, under Director Kash Patel, fired at least six agents, and possibly around 10 total employees, linked to the 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago, which had been part of federal investigations into Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election; both cases were ultimately dropped or dismissed after Trump denied wrongdoing and returned to office.
- NBC News has confirmed that Aliyah Rahman, a guest of Rep. Ilhan Omar at the State of the Union, required hospital treatment after being arrested by U.S. Capitol Police when she refused to sit down during Donald Trump’s speech, prompting objections from nearby attendees as officers escorted her out.
- Cuba says its forces killed four and detained six Cuban U.S. residents after a Florida-registered speedboat carrying 10 armed individuals allegedly entered its waters to carry out a “terrorist” infiltration and opened fire on a Cuban patrol near El Pino channel; U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the incident highly unusual and said the U.S. would conduct an independent investigation, as tensions rise and Florida officials demand further scrutiny.
- Donald Trump renewed his attacks on Robert De Niro after the actor called him “an idiot” at an alternative State of the Union event and on a podcast, with Trump responding on Truth Social by calling De Niro “sick and demented” and escalating his rhetoric against other political critics.
- In his State of the Union, Donald Trump claimed Iran could “soon” develop missiles capable of striking the U.S., marking the first time he or other U.S. officials have suggested an imminent ICBM threat, though prior U.S. intelligence assessments said Iran would need up to a decade to field such a capability; Iran denied the claim, while experts and officials, including Marco Rubio, said Tehran is advancing missile technology but have not confirmed an immediate intercontinental threat.
- According to NBC News, following a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests that left thousands dead, Iranian authorities have arrested more than 53,000 people and intensified efforts to crush dissent by targeting reformist politicians, lawyers, doctors and journalists, with human rights groups reporting torture, secret detention sites and coerced confessions, as the regime seeks to suppress internal unrest amid rising tensions with the U.S.
- The U.S. and Iran held a third round of indirect nuclear talks in Geneva, mediated by Oman, as Donald Trump ramps up military pressure and threatens possible strikes while insisting Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon; Tehran denies seeking one, demands sanctions relief, and says negotiations should focus solely on nuclear issues even as Washington pushes for limits on missiles and regional activities.
- Senator Markwayne Mullin incorrectly stated that Ali Khamenei has led Iran since 1979 and that Ruhollah Khomeini sought a nuclear Iran upon taking power, when in fact Khomeini was the first Supreme Leader from 1979 until 1989 and was initially skeptical of nuclear ambitions, with Iran’s nuclear enrichment efforts expanding years later.
- Doug Burgum described Greenland as strategically vital to U.S. national security, likening it to a geographic “bookend” with Alaska that helps form a defensive shield protecting North America
- According to The Guardian, Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey, Maryland, California and Washington state have introduced bills to bar people who join Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Donald Trump’s second term from future state or local government jobs — including law enforcement and teaching — as part of a broader pushback against his mass deportation campaign, though the proposals face legal and constitutional challenges.
- Thomas Goldstein, co-founder of SCOTUSblog, was convicted by a federal jury in Maryland on multiple charges, including tax evasion and filing false returns, for failing to pay taxes on millions in high-stakes poker winnings, diverting law firm funds to cover gambling debts, and making false statements on loan applications.
- According to Reuters, a Hong Kong appeals court overturned the 2022 fraud conviction of pro-democracy activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai over a lease violation involving his now-defunct newspaper Apple Daily, but Lai remains imprisoned under a separate 20-year national security sentence amid ongoing prosecutions widely seen as part of Beijing’s crackdown following the 2019 protests.
Good news:
- In Chicago, 30-year-old Lio Cundiff jumped into Lake Michigan to save a baby whose stroller was blown into the water by strong winds, and with help from American Airlines pilot Luis Kapost, who steadied him using his jacket, he kept the infant afloat until first responders arrived, with both baby and rescuer later treated at the hospital.
- A goldendoodle abandoned at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas after its owner was arrested on animal abuse charges was later adopted by Officer Skeeter Black, one of the responding officers, giving the dog, renamed Jet Blue, a permanent home with the officer and his family.
@lvmpd
LVMPD on Instagram: "🐾 FROM RESCUE TO FOREVERWeeks after bei…
- A 20-year-old bride in South Dakota went viral after dancing at her wedding reception while undergoing essential cystic fibrosis treatment with a nebulizer and oscillation vest, sharing a video that inspired millions by showing how she manages her condition without letting it overshadow major life moments.
@dannikaspamCF doesn’t stop no party ✨ #cysticfibrosis #weddingday #weddingdance #wedding #trends
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- Fossils first unearthed in 1960 in Western Australia and long misidentified were rediscovered decades later in a U.S. museum, revealing they belonged in part to Aphaneramma, a giant, crocodile-headed temnospondyl amphibian that swam between what are now Norway and Australia 250 million years ago, helping scientists better understand the evolution and survival of these ancient species.
- A rare Asian golden cat, known in Thai folklore as the “fire tiger,” was captured on a trail camera in Khao Luang National Park, marking an uncommon sighting of the elusive and vulnerable wildcat whose global population is estimated to range widely due to its secretive nature.
See you soon.
— Aaron
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