January jobs way down
One benefit of the the brief U.S. government shutdown for the Trump administration is that it has delayed release of the government’s official jobs report for January, but the first look at hiring activity in the month by payroll giant ADP shows it was dismal in January. ADP today reports that employers in the private sector added just 22,000 jobs in January, about half the size of the 45,000-job gain economists were expecting. The weaker-than-expected January gain follows a year when hiring slowed significantly. “Job creation took a step back in 2025, with private employers adding 398,000 jobs, down from 771,000 in 2024,” Nela Richardson, chief economist of ADP, said in a statement.
Shutdown ends
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping spending package into law, ending a three-day partial government shutdown. While the deal funds several departments, it sets up another looming deadline for the Department of Homeland Security. Trump, Republicans and Democrats now have two weeks to reach an agreement on how to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or face a DHS shutdown that would affect agencies from the TSA to FEMA. Democrats are demanding changes to immigration enforcement operations, including requiring ICE agents to wear body cameras, remove face masks and end roving patrols. Trump’s border czar Tom Homan today said 700 federal agents would be immediately removed from Minneapolis.
Trump undercuts White House effort to roll back his election comments
President Trump yesterday doubled down on his comments that the Republicans should take over and nationalize elections in the U.S. The White House had sought to downplay Trump’s remarks by claiming that he was merely expressing support for the SAVE Act, pending legislation that would require people to prove their citizenship before registering to vote. Trump, however, restated that that Republicans “should take over the voting” and “nationalize the voting.” The Constitution specifically empowers the states to conduct elections. Trump first raised the idea of a federal takeover of elections in an interview with right-wing podcaster Dan Bongino, who until recently was serving as Trump’s FBI deputy director.
Investigators study possible ransom notes in Guthrie case
Pima County Arizona Sheriff Chris Nanos says they are not dismissing the possibility that two purported ransom notes sent to media outlets are legitimate in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC personality Savannah Guthrie. The notes are reported to contain details about Guthrie that have not been released to the public. The Los Angeles Times reported that blood was found inside of the home, but it was not immediately known whose blood it was. The Associated Press reported learning that there signs of forced entry at Nancy Guthrie’s home.
Jill Biden’s ex-husband charged
The ex-husband of former first lady Dr. Jill Biden has been charged with murder in the death of his current wife. William Stevenson, 77, was arrested in connection with the death of his wife, 64-year-old Linda Stevenson, who was found unresponsive in December inside a Delaware home. Stevenson was married to Biden from 1970 until their divorce in 1975. “Looking back, it may seem like that relationship was a mistake of youth,” Biden wrote in her 2019 memoir. The Biden post-presidential office declined to comment on Stevenson’s arrest and charges.
U.S. and Iran plan nuclear talks
U.S. and Iranian officials say they will meet for nuclear talks later this week, though tensions between the countries remain high. The discussions are expected to be held in Oman, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The White House, however, says President Trump is keeping open the option of military strikes in Iran if the talks are not successful. Tensions have escalated this year, with Trump renewing threats to strike Iran again if it does not agree to negotiate a new nuclear deal. Iran is believed to have thousands of missiles and drones within range of U.S. troops based in several countries in the Middle East, and it has threatened to strike them, as well as Israel.
