Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Monday.
Trump talked directly to agents investigating election claimsTulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, was on site in Fulton County, Ga., last week when the F.B.I. conducted an extraordinary search of an election center, seizing truckloads of 2020 ballots. Her presence raised eyebrows. The following day, she brokered a call that was far outside the bounds of normal law enforcement procedure, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Gabbard put President Trump on speakerphone with some of the F.B.I. agents who are conducting the election investigation. Trump offered praise and encouragement, which one official compared to a coach giving a halftime speech. Trump personally ordered Gabbard to go to Atlanta for the search, and coordinated her actions with a deputy F.B.I. director, an official said. It is very unusual for a president to have direct contact with frontline law enforcement agents, let alone those leading a sensitive investigation in topic in which he has a large personal stake. Trump, who has continued to declare that the 2020 election was stolen from him, said last month that “people will soon be prosecuted for what they did.” In an interview released today, he called for the Republican Party to “take over” voting procedures and “nationalize” elections. In other Trump administration news:
The crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopensMany Gazans who are sick or wounded have been waiting for months — even years — to evacuate from the enclave in search of better medical treatment. Starting today, they might have a way out: The sole border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, near the city of Rafah, was reopened. The move, which is a significant step forward in the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, is also expected to allow a limited number of Gazans who fled during the two-year war to return. But the operation seemed to get off to a slow start. Only a small number of Gazans appeared to have received clearances to pass through the crossing this morning.
The Twin Cities economy struggles under the ICE surgeWhenever federal immigration agents ramp up enforcement in a city, economic activity there dampens. In the Minneapolis area, local officials have estimated the cost of the crackdown to be roughly $20 million each week. Along the immigrant-dense commercial corridors of St. Paul, shop owners like Henry Garnica, who runs a little grocery store, are draining their savings. Garnica, who keeps the doors locked even while his store is open, said sales were down 45 percent. Some small businesses have changed their missions during the crackdown, using donations from around the world to serve the city. In related news: Anti-ICE protesters are putting pressure on Target, which is based in Minnesota, to stop cooperating with federal agents.
The Supreme Court secretly made itself even more secretiveMy colleague Jodi Kantor revealed today that the Supreme Court’s chief justice, John Roberts, mandated that the court’s clerks and other employees sign nondisclosure contracts. The move, which took effect in late 2024, came after unusual leaks from inside the court — and while trust in the institution is at a historic low. Fascinated by the courts? Adam Liptak, who covered the Supreme Court for nearly two decades, is starting a newsletter to help make sense of important legal questions. Sign up here. More top news
The best and worst moments from the GrammysLast night’s Grammy Awards was an evening of milestones: The top prize, for best album, went to Bad Bunny for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” the first Spanish-language album to win the award. Kendrick Lamar also became the Grammys’ most awarded rapper ever. Some stars grabbed attention with their fashion choices (the naked look returned). Others, reacting to Trump’s immigration tactics, made it the most politicized Grammy ceremony in years. Once it was all said and done, my colleagues picked out the highlights and lowlights from the show. The night’s most memorable and improbable performance? Justin Bieber, in boxers, doing a stripped-down “Yukon” that forced the audience to stop and simply feel.
How weight lifting took over AmericaGrowing strong has never been more popular. Experts say that lifting increases longevity. Major gym chains are swapping out cardio machines for squat racks. And roughly one in three Americans say they regularly strength-train. But not long ago, weight lifting was considered strange, even dangerous. So what changed? Watch our fitness reporter Danielle Friedman explain each step of the cultural shift in the video above. One key: Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Dinner table topics
|
