Trump calls for Republican takeover of elections
Donald Trump says Republicans should take over and nationalize all elections in the U.S. Such a moved would essentially put an end to free and fair elections in the country. Trump made the proposal during a podcast hosted by his former FBI official Dan Bongino who resigned in December. It also would violate the Constitution, which gives states the power and responsibility for conducting federal elections. Trump’s FBI a few days ago raided the Fulton County election headquarters in Georgia and seized 700 boxes of records from the 2020 election that Trump tried to steal when he told Georgia’s Secretary of State to find more than 11,000 votes for him. The whereabouts of the material taken by the FBI is unknown.
Moon mission delayed
NASA has delayed the launch of its planned Artemis II lunar mission, which had been set to send four astronauts to fly around the moon for the first time since the Apollo program ended more than five decades ago. The mission had been scheduled to lift off as soon as Feb. 8, but NASA said several issues emerged during what is known as a “wet dress rehearsal” conducted early today, including hydrogen leaks. The agency is now targeting March for the earliest possible launch, giving teams additional time to review data and conduct a second rehearsal.
Nancy Guthrie believed to have been kidnapped
The mother of “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie is missing after being abducted from her Arizona home. Law enforcement said Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her residence near Tucson on Saturday night and was reported missing after she did not show up to church Sunday morning. When law enforcement arrived at her house on Sunday, they found what Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos described as “very concerning” evidence, indicating she was likely taken from her bed. A criminal investigation is underway and police say time is of the essence to find her, especially since she is without the crucial medication she takes daily.
Body cameras for Trump’s agents
All Homeland Security officers in Minneapolis are being issued body cameras, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Monday. Previously, some federal officers had resorted to filming tense interactions with protesters on their personal devices. The move comes after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal agents in the city last month. The initiative also comes amid heightened scrutiny and public criticism over the aggressive conduct of some ICE agents. “As funding is available, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide,” Noem said. President Donald Trump weighed in on Monday, saying that he supports the initiative. Meanwhile, it’s reported that Todd Lyons, the acting director of iCE, wrote a memo telling ICE agents they could arrest someone without having a warrant if they think the person might leave the spot where the agents first encountered the person.
Trump says to change the subject
President Trump told reporters Monday that the Justice Department should now move on from the Epstein files and focus on what Trump called “other things to do.” Last week the department released more than three million additional documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Justice Department still has an estimated two million additional documents it says it will not release. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who formerly was an attorney for Trump, signaled that the Justice Department does not expect to bring charges against anyone else with ties to sex trafficker Epstein. “It’s not a crime to party with Mr. Epstein,” Blanche said.
Russian stages missile attack against Ukraine
Russia launched a massive ballistic missile attack on Ukraine overnight, cutting heat to tens of thousands of people during the coldest days of winter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The latest missile barrage marks the end of a brief pause in attacks that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to last week following a “personal request” from President Trump. CNN staff reported hearing strong explosions across Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, today. Authorities have reported damage to residential buildings, commercial sites and a kindergarten. The extent of injuries was not immediately known.
