By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced in a social media post Wednesday that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte brokered a possible agreement on Greenland, though Trump provided few details or a timeline.&nbsp;

Trump’s comments came just hours after he took his case for acquiring the Arctic island to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, urging European leaders to begin negotiations while appearing to rule out a military takeover.&nbsp;

A few hours later, Trump wrote after meeting one-on-one with Rutte that the two “have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.”&nbsp;

“This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations,” Trump wrote. “Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st.”

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-says-people-will-find-out-how-far-hes-willing-go-acquire-greenland" target="_blank">threatened over the weekend</a>&nbsp;to place a 10% tariff on goods coming into the United States from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom if they continued to oppose his attempts to acquire Greenland. Trump wrote he would increase the tariffs to 25% in June if a deal hadn’t been brokered before then.

Trump wrote in his most recent&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115934734335579278" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;that further negotiations about Greenland will be handled by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and several other officials.&nbsp;

“Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland,” Trump wrote, referring to a possible missile defense system. “Further information will be made available as discussions progress.”

Asked by reporters if the framework includes U.S. ownership of Greenland, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-comments-on-reported-greenland-deal/672046" target="_blank">declined to say directly</a>.

“It’s a long-term deal. It’s the ultimate long-term deal. And I think it puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and minerals and everything else,” Trump said, later adding it would last “forever.”&nbsp;

Trump insisted during the 75-minute, wide-ranging speech he gave a few hours before his announcement that Greenland represents “a core national security interest” that “would greatly enhance the security of the entire” NATO alliance if it were fully controlled by the United States.&nbsp;

“I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States,” Trump said. “Just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history, as many of the European nations have … there’s nothing wrong with it.”

Trump signaled he will likely not use the U.S. military to take over Greenland, saying, “I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”

But he indicated any European country that objects to the U.S. making Greenland part of the country will face repercussions.

“You can say ‘yes,’ and we will be very appreciative, or you can say ‘no’ and we will remember,” Trump said.&nbsp;

Greenland would become the site of a missile defense system that Trump refers to as the Golden Dome, which he said could “keep our very energetic and dangerous potential enemies at bay” if the island becomes part of the United States.&nbsp;

Trump repeatedly criticized the other NATO countries during his speech, falsely claiming more than once the United States has never benefited from the military alliance formed following World War II.&nbsp;

“What we have gotten out of NATO is nothing, except to protect Europe from the Soviet Union and now Russia,” Trump said. “I mean, we’ve helped them for so many years.”

The United States is the only country in the history of the alliance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bushcenter.org/publications/nato-has-invoked-article-5-only-once-in-its-history" target="_blank">to invoke Article 5</a>, which says that an attack against one is an attack against all.

That led NATO countries to send their military members to fight alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan following the 2001 terrorist attacks. More than 1,000 of those NATO troops died,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.911memorial.org/learn/resources/digital-exhibitions/digital-exhibition-revealed-hunt-bin-laden/international-community-responds" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.&nbsp;

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte sought to reassure Trump of NATO’s security commitment to all of its member countries later in the day, when the two met one-on-one during the forum.&nbsp;

“Let me tell you, they will. And they did in Afghanistan, as you know,” Rutte said, according to audio of the exchange shared by the White House pool.

Rutte noted that for “every two Americans who paid the ultimate price, there was one soldier from another NATO country” or Australia.&nbsp;

“So you can be assured, absolutely, if ever the U.S. will be under attack, your allies will be with you. Absolutely. There’s an absolute guarantee,” Rutte said. “I really want to tell you this, because this is important. It pains me if you think it is not.”

Trump told reporters ahead of his meeting with Rutte that he “could see” paying a price for Greenland, though he did not elaborate. He said he had “no idea” when he might speak directly with leaders of Denmark about trying to acquire Greenland. He said he believes Rutte is “frankly more important.”

Trump focused some of his speech in Davos on domestic issues, talking briefly about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/stopping-wall-street-from-competing-with-main-street-homebuyers/" target="_blank">an executive order</a>&nbsp;he signed this week focused on the availability of housing within the United States.&nbsp;

“I have signed an executive order banning large institutional investors from buying single-family homes. It’s just not fair to the public. They’re not able to buy a house,” Trump said. “And I’m calling on Congress to pass that ban into permanent law, and I think they will.”

Trump said he wanted to take steps to help Americans afford homes, but that he didn’t want those actions to reduce the value of homes people already own. He didn’t elaborate on how that would work.&nbsp;

“I am very protective of people that already own a house, of which we have millions and millions and millions. And because we have had such a good run, the house values have gone up tremendously, and these people have become wealthy. They weren’t wealthy. They become wealthy because of their house,” he said. “And every time you make it more and more and more affordable for somebody to buy a house cheaply, you’re actually hurting the value of those houses, obviously, because the one thing works in tandem with the other.”

Trump said if he wanted to, he could “really crush the housing market” and decrease housing prices, though he didn’t say how exactly he would go about doing that if he wanted to.&nbsp;

Trump said he’s ordered “government-backed institutions to purchase up to $200 billion in mortgage bonds,” and that he expects to announce a new Federal Reserve chairman “in the not-too-distant future,” who he believes will decrease interest rates. Trump has been feuding over interest rates with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreservehistory.org/people/jerome-h-powell" target="_blank">Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell</a>, whose term as chair ends in May although Powell can remain as a governor.&nbsp;

Trump also called on Congress to approve legislation that would prevent credit card companies from hiking their interest rates above 10% for one year, saying that would help people save some money that they could use for buying a house.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769004214648.png" alt="President Trump speaking Wednesday at Davos-Photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>President Trump speaking Wednesday at Davos-Photo by Margo Martin, Special Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced in a social media post Wednesday that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte brokered a possible agreement on Greenland, though Trump provided few details or a timeline.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Greenland: &quot;The deal is going to be put out pretty soon... it gets us everything we needed to get.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/S3X95XCm1S">pic.twitter.com/S3X95XCm1S</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014069502615466111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://t.co/3FM8el4RAe">pic.twitter.com/3FM8el4RAe</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014057541215408154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Greenland: &quot;Well, we have a concept of a deal. I think it’s going to be a very good deal for the United States, also for them, and we&#39;re going to work together on something having to do with the arctic as a whole... it has to do with the security — great security.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hpCQNmcAjV">pic.twitter.com/hpCQNmcAjV</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2014071312797278380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump’s comments came just hours after he took his case for acquiring the Arctic island to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, urging European leaders to begin negotiations while appearing to rule out a military takeover.&nbsp;A few hours later, Trump wrote after meeting one-on-one with Rutte that the two “have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.”&nbsp;“This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations,” Trump wrote. “Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st.”Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-says-people-will-find-out-how-far-hes-willing-go-acquire-greenland" target="_blank">threatened over the weekend</a>&nbsp;to place a 10% tariff on goods coming into the United States from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom if they continued to oppose his attempts to acquire Greenland. Trump wrote he would increase the tariffs to 25% in June if a deal hadn’t been brokered before then.Trump wrote in his most recent&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115934734335579278" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;that further negotiations about Greenland will be handled by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and several other officials.&nbsp;“Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland,” Trump wrote, referring to a possible missile defense system. “Further information will be made available as discussions progress.”Asked by reporters if the framework includes U.S. ownership of Greenland, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-comments-on-reported-greenland-deal/672046" target="_blank">declined to say directly</a>.“It’s a long-term deal. It’s the ultimate long-term deal. And I think it puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and minerals and everything else,” Trump said, later adding it would last “forever.”&nbsp;<h2>‘I don’t have to use force’</h2>Trump insisted during the 75-minute, wide-ranging speech he gave a few hours before his announcement that Greenland represents “a core national security interest” that “would greatly enhance the security of the entire” NATO alliance if it were fully controlled by the United States.&nbsp;“I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States,” Trump said. “Just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history, as many of the European nations have … there’s nothing wrong with it.”Trump signaled he will likely not use the U.S. military to take over Greenland, saying, “I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”But he indicated any European country that objects to the U.S. making Greenland part of the country will face repercussions.“You can say ‘yes,’ and we will be very appreciative, or you can say ‘no’ and we will remember,” Trump said.&nbsp;Greenland would become the site of a missile defense system that Trump refers to as the Golden Dome, which he said could “keep our very energetic and dangerous potential enemies at bay” if the island becomes part of the United States.&nbsp;<h2>Trump bashes NATO</h2>Trump repeatedly criticized the other NATO countries during his speech, falsely claiming more than once the United States has never benefited from the military alliance formed following World War II.&nbsp;“What we have gotten out of NATO is nothing, except to protect Europe from the Soviet Union and now Russia,” Trump said. “I mean, we’ve helped them for so many years.”The United States is the only country in the history of the alliance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bushcenter.org/publications/nato-has-invoked-article-5-only-once-in-its-history" target="_blank">to invoke Article 5</a>, which says that an attack against one is an attack against all.That led NATO countries to send their military members to fight alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan following the 2001 terrorist attacks. More than 1,000 of those NATO troops died,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.911memorial.org/learn/resources/digital-exhibitions/digital-exhibition-revealed-hunt-bin-laden/international-community-responds" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.&nbsp;NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte sought to reassure Trump of NATO’s security commitment to all of its member countries later in the day, when the two met one-on-one during the forum.&nbsp;“Let me tell you, they will. And they did in Afghanistan, as you know,” Rutte said, according to audio of the exchange shared by the White House pool.Rutte noted that for “every two Americans who paid the ultimate price, there was one soldier from another NATO country” or Australia.&nbsp;“So you can be assured, absolutely, if ever the U.S. will be under attack, your allies will be with you. Absolutely. There’s an absolute guarantee,” Rutte said. “I really want to tell you this, because this is important. It pains me if you think it is not.”Trump told reporters ahead of his meeting with Rutte that he “could see” paying a price for Greenland, though he did not elaborate. He said he had “no idea” when he might speak directly with leaders of Denmark about trying to acquire Greenland. He said he believes Rutte is “frankly more important.”<h2>Investors and single-family homes</h2>Trump focused some of his speech in Davos on domestic issues, talking briefly about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/stopping-wall-street-from-competing-with-main-street-homebuyers/" target="_blank">an executive order</a>&nbsp;he signed this week focused on the availability of housing within the United States.&nbsp;“I have signed an executive order banning large institutional investors from buying single-family homes. It’s just not fair to the public. They’re not able to buy a house,” Trump said. “And I’m calling on Congress to pass that ban into permanent law, and I think they will.”Trump said he wanted to take steps to help Americans afford homes, but that he didn’t want those actions to reduce the value of homes people already own. He didn’t elaborate on how that would work.&nbsp;“I am very protective of people that already own a house, of which we have millions and millions and millions. And because we have had such a good run, the house values have gone up tremendously, and these people have become wealthy. They weren’t wealthy. They become wealthy because of their house,” he said. “And every time you make it more and more and more affordable for somebody to buy a house cheaply, you’re actually hurting the value of those houses, obviously, because the one thing works in tandem with the other.”Trump said if he wanted to, he could “really crush the housing market” and decrease housing prices, though he didn’t say how exactly he would go about doing that if he wanted to.&nbsp;Trump said he’s ordered “government-backed institutions to purchase up to $200 billion in mortgage bonds,” and that he expects to announce a new Federal Reserve chairman “in the not-too-distant future,” who he believes will decrease interest rates. Trump has been feuding over interest rates with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreservehistory.org/people/jerome-h-powell" target="_blank">Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell</a>, whose term as chair ends in May although Powell can remain as a governor.&nbsp;Trump also called on Congress to approve legislation that would prevent credit card companies from hiking their interest rates above 10% for one year, saying that would help people save some money that they could use for buying a house.&nbsp;

Trump announces ‘framework of a deal’ on Greenland, relents on 8-nation tariffs

(Aurora, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol located nearly 170 pounds of cocaine and arrested one person after an incident in central Nebraska last week.

In the late evening of Tuesday, January 13, a trooper observed a suspicious person at a gas station at the Aurora interchange, at mile marker 332 on Interstate 80. When the trooper attempted to contact the man, the man abandoned his vehicle and ran off.

Troopers searched the area with assistance from the Aurora Police Department and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. While the search was ongoing, an NSP K-9 detected the odor of a controlled substance coming from the man’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed 169 pounds of cocaine contained in large duffle bags, as well as 89 grams of heroin.

After several hours of searching, an NSP K-9 was able to track the suspect to a location south of I-80, approximately one-half mile away from the gas station, where the suspect was taken into custody. He was identified as Manjot Singh, 25, of Sacramento, California.

Singh was arrested for possession of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver, and obstructing a peace officer. He was lodged in Hamilton County Jail.

Press Release<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1562084161517.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>(Aurora, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol located nearly 170 pounds of cocaine and arrested one person after an incident in central Nebraska last week.In the late evening of Tuesday, January 13, a trooper observed a suspicious person at a gas station at the Aurora interchange, at mile marker 332 on Interstate 80. When the trooper attempted to contact the man, the man abandoned his vehicle and ran off.Troopers searched the area with assistance from the Aurora Police Department and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. While the search was ongoing, an NSP K-9 detected the odor of a controlled substance coming from the man’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed 169 pounds of cocaine contained in large duffle bags, as well as 89 grams of heroin.After several hours of searching, an NSP K-9 was able to track the suspect to a location south of I-80, approximately one-half mile away from the gas station, where the suspect was taken into custody. He was identified as Manjot Singh, 25, of Sacramento, California.Singh was arrested for possession of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver, and obstructing a peace officer. He was lodged in Hamilton County Jail.

Troopers Find 169 LBs of Cocaine After Suspect Abandons Vehicle

Maureen Larsen asked about tourism, DED downsizing at confirmation hearing

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s new Economic Development Director Maureen Larsen expressed support for consolidating the department with the Nebraska Tourism Commission at her confirmation hearing Tuesday.

Gov. Jim Pillen named Larsen the permanent Department of Economic Development director in November. She had served as interim director since July following former director K.C. Belitz’ resignation. Prior to her appointment, Larsen served as Pillen’s general counsel and deputy director of his Policy Research Office.

Larsen, speaking before the Nebraska Legislature’s Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee, spoke on the possibility of a merger when she was asked about the state’s lagging tourism revenues. She noted that while national tourism levels had grown modestly over the last year, Nebraska remained relatively flat.

Larsen argued that consolidating the agencies would mean tourism initiatives would have a larger budget and more marketing resources to pull from, and DED has the capacity to utilize grant funding for tourism efforts. She noted that prior to 2012, the two agencies were one in the same.

“If you’re trying to recruit businesses, if you’re trying to recruit that talent to keep people in Nebraska, tourism is a giant component of that,” Larsen said.

Committee Chair State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, who introduced an interim study Tuesday to examine the potential impacts of merging the agencies, asked Larsen if she knew why the agencies split in 2012. Larsen, though she wasn’t in state government at the time, said it was her understanding that lawmakers didn’t believe DED was doing an effective job of handling tourism.

Larsen also was asked about downsizing at DED during Larsen’s leadership. Between September and November,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/05/nebraska-department-of-economic-development-cuts-full-time-staff-by-22-people-in-two-months/">at least 22 workers exited the department,</a>&nbsp;and more high-ranking officials have left since then.

DED’s housing director resigned in December, and its deputy director Joe Fox plans to resign within the next two weeks, as confirmed by multiple sources.

When first asked by the Examiner in November, department spokesman Justin Pinkerman said in an email that “DED has had 0 layoffs/reductions in force.” He did note that the department “has had voluntary departures in that time” but did not specify how many.

Former DED deputy director of operations Joe Lauber, who was laid off over the summer, said there were signs of budget cuts impacting DED prior to his termination, like hiring freezes and directives to stop travel. He said during a management meeting he attended, then-interim director Larsen shared that it was the governor’s goal to reduce the size of DED through attrition.

Agencies often do this by not filling positions people vacate through retirements and having or encouraging people to leave on their own. Lauber said the state implemented strategies such as Pillen’s return-to-work order and enforcing a strict 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work schedule in hopes of getting people to consider whether they wanted to keep working for the department. Lauber said employees were not allowed to end their days earlier than 4:30 p.m.

Larsen addressed the return-to-work policy at Tuesday’s hearing, saying that after she entered DED she realized that many employees were still working from home, and she enforced the policy to hold the staff accountable to the governor’s order so “everybody was on the same playing field.”

“I would never ask anyone else to work more than I do, or work in a place that I wouldn’t,” Larsen said.

Larsen said the downsizing can largely be attributed to high turnover, which she said is normal for DED, and an intentional winding down of pandemic-era programs. She said DED received an influx of cash during the COVID-19 pandemic — to the tune of about $900 million — which created several new programs that are now concluding.

Pinkerman shared data showing that between 2020 to 2023, the department’s full-time staff grew by about 10-15 people per year. It reached a peak of about 114 filled full-time positions on June 30, 2025, which dropped down to around 90 by the end of November.

“As DED winds down pandemic-era economic recovery programs and identifies greater operational efficiencies, not all positions that come open are being filled,” Pinkerman said in an email.

By Erin Bamer | Nebraska Examiner<h2>Maureen Larsen asked about tourism, DED downsizing at confirmation hearing</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769017434691.jpeg" alt=" Nebraska’s 2026 official state travel guide is now available and for free. The cover features an illustration by Lincoln artist Katie Nieland. (Courtesy of Visit Nebraska)" />
 <figcaption> Nebraska’s 2026 official state travel guide is now available and for free. The cover features an illustration by Lincoln artist Katie Nieland. (Courtesy of Visit Nebraska)</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s new Economic Development Director Maureen Larsen expressed support for consolidating the department with the Nebraska Tourism Commission at her confirmation hearing Tuesday.Gov. Jim Pillen named Larsen the permanent Department of Economic Development director in November. She had served as interim director since July following former director K.C. Belitz’ resignation. Prior to her appointment, Larsen served as Pillen’s general counsel and deputy director of his Policy Research Office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769017404621.jpeg" alt="Gov. Jim Pillen tapped Maureen Larsen, his office’s general counsel, as the interim director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development beginning July 21, 2025. (Capitol photo by Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner | Larsen photo courtesy of Office of Gov. Jim Pillen)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Jim Pillen tapped Maureen Larsen, his office’s general counsel, as the interim director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development beginning July 21, 2025. (Capitol photo by Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner | Larsen photo courtesy of Office of Gov. Jim Pillen)</figcaption>
 </figure>Larsen, speaking before the Nebraska Legislature’s Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee, spoke on the possibility of a merger when she was asked about the state’s lagging tourism revenues. She noted that while national tourism levels had grown modestly over the last year, Nebraska remained relatively flat.Larsen argued that consolidating the agencies would mean tourism initiatives would have a larger budget and more marketing resources to pull from, and DED has the capacity to utilize grant funding for tourism efforts. She noted that prior to 2012, the two agencies were one in the same.“If you’re trying to recruit businesses, if you’re trying to recruit that talent to keep people in Nebraska, tourism is a giant component of that,” Larsen said.Committee Chair State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, who introduced an interim study Tuesday to examine the potential impacts of merging the agencies, asked Larsen if she knew why the agencies split in 2012. Larsen, though she wasn’t in state government at the time, said it was her understanding that lawmakers didn’t believe DED was doing an effective job of handling tourism.Larsen also was asked about downsizing at DED during Larsen’s leadership. Between September and November,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/05/nebraska-department-of-economic-development-cuts-full-time-staff-by-22-people-in-two-months/">at least 22 workers exited the department,</a>&nbsp;and more high-ranking officials have left since then.DED’s housing director resigned in December, and its deputy director Joe Fox plans to resign within the next two weeks, as confirmed by multiple sources.When first asked by the Examiner in November, department spokesman Justin Pinkerman said in an email that “DED has had 0 layoffs/reductions in force.” He did note that the department “has had voluntary departures in that time” but did not specify how many.Former DED deputy director of operations Joe Lauber, who was laid off over the summer, said there were signs of budget cuts impacting DED prior to his termination, like hiring freezes and directives to stop travel. He said during a management meeting he attended, then-interim director Larsen shared that it was the governor’s goal to reduce the size of DED through attrition.Agencies often do this by not filling positions people vacate through retirements and having or encouraging people to leave on their own. Lauber said the state implemented strategies such as Pillen’s return-to-work order and enforcing a strict 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work schedule in hopes of getting people to consider whether they wanted to keep working for the department. Lauber said employees were not allowed to end their days earlier than 4:30 p.m.Larsen addressed the return-to-work policy at Tuesday’s hearing, saying that after she entered DED she realized that many employees were still working from home, and she enforced the policy to hold the staff accountable to the governor’s order so “everybody was on the same playing field.”“I would never ask anyone else to work more than I do, or work in a place that I wouldn’t,” Larsen said.Larsen said the downsizing can largely be attributed to high turnover, which she said is normal for DED, and an intentional winding down of pandemic-era programs. She said DED received an influx of cash during the COVID-19 pandemic — to the tune of about $900 million — which created several new programs that are now concluding.Pinkerman shared data showing that between 2020 to 2023, the department’s full-time staff grew by about 10-15 people per year. It reached a peak of about 114 filled full-time positions on June 30, 2025, which dropped down to around 90 by the end of November.“As DED winds down pandemic-era economic recovery programs and identifies greater operational efficiencies, not all positions that come open are being filled,” Pinkerman said in an email.

Nebraska Economic Development director vouches for merger with state Tourism Commission

Through Operation Souther Spear, the Department of War is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard,Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department.&nbsp; 

Tuesday morning, U.S. military forces, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended Motor Vessel Sagitta without incident, according to a social media report from the U.S. Southern Command. 

"The apprehension of another tanker operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully."

"As the joint force operates in the Western Hemisphere, we reaffirm that the security of the American people is paramount, demonstrating our commitment to safety and stability.

These operations are backed by the full power our elite joint force team deployed in the Caribbean."

Through Operation Souther Spear, the Department of War is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard,Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department.&nbsp; <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Through <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpSouthernSpear?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OpSouthernSpear</a>, the <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofWar</a> is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere in partnership with <a href="https://twitter.com/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCG</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DHSgov</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a>. This morning, U.S. military forces, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended… <a href="https://t.co/UPADtiw681">pic.twitter.com/UPADtiw681</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2013718812424630376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Tuesday morning, U.S. military forces, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended Motor Vessel Sagitta without incident, according to a social media report from the U.S. Southern Command. "The apprehension of another tanker operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully.""As the joint force operates in the Western Hemisphere, we reaffirm that the security of the American people is paramount, demonstrating our commitment to safety and stability.

These operations are backed by the full power our elite joint force team deployed in the Caribbean."

🎥 US forces seize another oil tanker linked to Venezuela 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768960159653.png" alt="<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">Vice President JD Vance</a>&nbsp;and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usha-vance-attorney-jd-vance-wife-vp-63406da4f6739546391ed7797fc1fef2">second lady Usha Vance</a>&nbsp;photo from the Vice President's social media page" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">Vice President JD Vance</a>&nbsp;and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usha-vance-attorney-jd-vance-wife-vp-63406da4f6739546391ed7797fc1fef2">second lady Usha Vance</a>&nbsp;photo from the Vice President's social media page</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We’re very happy to share some exciting news. Our family is growing! <a href="https://t.co/0RohEBYXM7">pic.twitter.com/0RohEBYXM7</a>&mdash; Second Lady Usha Vance (@SLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/SLOTUS/status/2013712959608946721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Vice President JD Vance and his wife make a special announcement

By:<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/author/j-patrick-coolican/">J. Patrick Coolican</a> <a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/">Minnesota Reformer</a>

Days after&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/16/walz-frey-to-receive-subpoenas-in-criminal-matter-related-to-ice/">news leaked</a>&nbsp;of a criminal investigation of Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over their handling of immigration enforcement in Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Justice has delivered subpoenas to the offices of Walz and Frey, as well as St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.

The New York Times&nbsp;first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/20/us/politics/subpoena-minnesota-democrats-immigration.html" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;the delivery of the subpoenas, and other national outlets also confirmed that reporting. A spokesman for Ellison said they were in receipt of the subpoena and working on a response.

The subpoenas are an extraordinary escalation of the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and Minnesota, where heavily-armed, masked federal agents&nbsp;<a href="https://www.startribune.com/how-ice-numbers-compare-to-twin-cities-largest-police-forces/601562617" target="_blank">now outnumber all the metro police departments</a>&nbsp;combined, frequently using tactics a&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/16/federal-judge-tells-ice-to-cool-it/">federal judge has called unconstitutional</a>.

When the investigation became public last week, Walz replied in a statement: “Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly,” he said, referring to the&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/3-democratic-lawmakers-federal-investigation-illegal-orders-social/story?id=129244803" target="_blank">U.S. senators</a>&nbsp;who made a video telling U.S. servicemembers that&nbsp;they can and must refuse illegal orders, as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5687457-fed-jerome-powell-justice-department-gop-criticism/" target="_blank">chairman</a>&nbsp;of the Federal Reserve, who has refused to lower interest rates as quickly as Trump desires. “Weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents is a dangerous, authoritarian tactic,” Walz said.

Frey called the investigation “an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up for Minneapolis, our local law enforcement and our residents against the chaos and danger this administration has brought to our streets.”

He added: “I will not be intimidated.”

The&nbsp;Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/16/trump-minnesota-walz-frey-criminal-investigation/" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that “the&nbsp;subpoenas suggest that the Justice Department is examining whether Walz’s and Frey’s public statements disparaging the surge of officers and federal actions have amounted to criminal interference in law enforcement work.”

Walz, who announced earlier this month he&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/05/minnesota-gov-tim-walz-ends-campaign-for-third-term/">won’t seek</a>&nbsp;a third term, also used his statement last week to criticize the federal government for not properly investigating the killing of Renee Good by federal immigration officer Jonathan Ross. “The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her,” he said.

Six prosecutors in the Minnesota Office of U.S. Attorney quit last week,&nbsp;The New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/prosecutors-doj-resignation-ice-shooting.html#:~:text=Six%20Prosecutors%20Quit%20Over%20Push,supposed%20ties%20to%20activist%20groups." target="_blank">reported</a>, because they objected to their bosses’ push to investigate the widow of Good and their ties to anti-ICE groups.

The ICE surge, which has put as many as 3,000 federal agents in the state — or nearly five times the number of sworn officers with the Minneapolis Police Department —&nbsp;is just the latest round of an ongoing conflict between Minnesota and the federal government. Fraud in Minnesota’s social programs —&nbsp;often funded in whole or part by the federal government —&nbsp;has caught the attention of right-wing media and activists, and the Trump administration has followed with a wide array of investigations of Minnesota programs across a range of agencies.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/15/homeland-security-audits-hennepin-healthcares/">auditing Hennepin Healthcare</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;Minnesota’s largest safety net hospital —&nbsp;for compliance with immigrant employment eligibility laws.

The<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-establishes-new-department-of-justice-division-for-national-fraud-enforcement/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Trump administration</a>&nbsp;has frozen child care payments and halted small business grants. The administration also says it’s investigating possible housing assistance fraud and looking into Minnesota’s&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/trump-admin-announces-target-review-of-minnesotas-unemployment-insurance-program/">unemployment insurance program</a>. The federal government has also attempted to withhold funds to Minnesota for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, but a federal court issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/15/federal-judge-blocks-usda-from-cutting-snap-benefits-in-minnesota" target="_blank">preliminary injunction.</a>

Earlier this week, Trump said he would cut all federal funding to Minnesota and other states that have sanctuary cities beginning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/13/white-house-end-funding-sanctuary-cities-states-00726557" target="_blank">Feb. 1,</a>&nbsp;but it’s unclear what that means and few details have been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768610962226.png" alt="Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz from his social media page" />
 <figcaption>Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz from his social media page</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/author/j-patrick-coolican/">J. Patrick Coolican</a> <a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/">Minnesota Reformer</a>Days after&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/16/walz-frey-to-receive-subpoenas-in-criminal-matter-related-to-ice/">news leaked</a>&nbsp;of a criminal investigation of Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over their handling of immigration enforcement in Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Justice has delivered subpoenas to the offices of Walz and Frey, as well as St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/rGLZVW34kc">pic.twitter.com/rGLZVW34kc</a>&mdash; Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz/status/2013670376220348484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The New York Times&nbsp;first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/20/us/politics/subpoena-minnesota-democrats-immigration.html" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;the delivery of the subpoenas, and other national outlets also confirmed that reporting. A spokesman for Ellison said they were in receipt of the subpoena and working on a response.The subpoenas are an extraordinary escalation of the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and Minnesota, where heavily-armed, masked federal agents&nbsp;<a href="https://www.startribune.com/how-ice-numbers-compare-to-twin-cities-largest-police-forces/601562617" target="_blank">now outnumber all the metro police departments</a>&nbsp;combined, frequently using tactics a&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/16/federal-judge-tells-ice-to-cool-it/">federal judge has called unconstitutional</a>.When the investigation became public last week, Walz replied in a statement: “Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly,” he said, referring to the&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/3-democratic-lawmakers-federal-investigation-illegal-orders-social/story?id=129244803" target="_blank">U.S. senators</a>&nbsp;who made a video telling U.S. servicemembers that&nbsp;they can and must refuse illegal orders, as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5687457-fed-jerome-powell-justice-department-gop-criticism/" target="_blank">chairman</a>&nbsp;of the Federal Reserve, who has refused to lower interest rates as quickly as Trump desires. “Weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents is a dangerous, authoritarian tactic,” Walz said.Frey called the investigation “an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up for Minneapolis, our local law enforcement and our residents against the chaos and danger this administration has brought to our streets.”He added: “I will not be intimidated.”The&nbsp;Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/16/trump-minnesota-walz-frey-criminal-investigation/" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that “the&nbsp;subpoenas suggest that the Justice Department is examining whether Walz’s and Frey’s public statements disparaging the surge of officers and federal actions have amounted to criminal interference in law enforcement work.”Walz, who announced earlier this month he&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/05/minnesota-gov-tim-walz-ends-campaign-for-third-term/">won’t seek</a>&nbsp;a third term, also used his statement last week to criticize the federal government for not properly investigating the killing of Renee Good by federal immigration officer Jonathan Ross. “The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her,” he said.Six prosecutors in the Minnesota Office of U.S. Attorney quit last week,&nbsp;The New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/prosecutors-doj-resignation-ice-shooting.html#:~:text=Six%20Prosecutors%20Quit%20Over%20Push,supposed%20ties%20to%20activist%20groups." target="_blank">reported</a>, because they objected to their bosses’ push to investigate the widow of Good and their ties to anti-ICE groups.The ICE surge, which has put as many as 3,000 federal agents in the state — or nearly five times the number of sworn officers with the Minneapolis Police Department —&nbsp;is just the latest round of an ongoing conflict between Minnesota and the federal government. Fraud in Minnesota’s social programs —&nbsp;often funded in whole or part by the federal government —&nbsp;has caught the attention of right-wing media and activists, and the Trump administration has followed with a wide array of investigations of Minnesota programs across a range of agencies.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/15/homeland-security-audits-hennepin-healthcares/">auditing Hennepin Healthcare</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;Minnesota’s largest safety net hospital —&nbsp;for compliance with immigrant employment eligibility laws.The<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-establishes-new-department-of-justice-division-for-national-fraud-enforcement/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Trump administration</a>&nbsp;has frozen child care payments and halted small business grants. The administration also says it’s investigating possible housing assistance fraud and looking into Minnesota’s&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/trump-admin-announces-target-review-of-minnesotas-unemployment-insurance-program/">unemployment insurance program</a>. The federal government has also attempted to withhold funds to Minnesota for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, but a federal court issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/15/federal-judge-blocks-usda-from-cutting-snap-benefits-in-minnesota" target="_blank">preliminary injunction.</a>Earlier this week, Trump said he would cut all federal funding to Minnesota and other states that have sanctuary cities beginning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/13/white-house-end-funding-sanctuary-cities-states-00726557" target="_blank">Feb. 1,</a>&nbsp;but it’s unclear what that means and few details have been released.

US Dept. of Justice delivers subpoenas to Walz, Frey, Her, Ellison, Moriarty

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/camikoons/">Cami Koons</a>

The American Farm Bureau Federation, along with soybean and specialty crop farm organizations, has asked congressional leadership for economic support to “fill in the gap of remaining losses for both field and specialty crop farmers.”&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fb.org/files/1.15.26-Ag-Letter-to-Congress-Economic-Assistance_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a>&nbsp;follows a December announcement from the Trump administration of a&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/12/08/repub/trump-to-send-12-billion-in-one-time-payments-to-farmers-to-offset-ag-losses/" target="_blank">$12 billion</a>&nbsp;one-time package to offset farmer losses across the country.

“These funds could provide a meaningful first step but do not cover the extensive and cumulative losses that farmers have absorbed over the last several years,” the letter said after acknowledging the farmer bridge payment program.&nbsp;

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is allocating the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/farmer-bridge-assistance-fba-program" target="_blank">funding</a>&nbsp;with commodity specific payment rates and set aside $1 billion of the $12 billion for specialty crop farmers.&nbsp;

The American Soybean Association, a signee on the recently submitted letter, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://soygrowers.com/news-releases/asa-usda-farmer-bridge-assistance-payments-fall-short-for-soybean-farmers/" target="_blank">news release</a>&nbsp;the $30.88 per acre allotted for soybeans from the payment package was not enough to cover the “significant financial damage soybean farmers sustained this year due to the high cost of production and losses sustained during the China trade war.”&nbsp;

Grant Kimberley,&nbsp;Iowa Soybean Association’s director of market development, said the additional need from farmers is “complicated” and is a result of more than just one event in the past year.&nbsp;

“I think people don’t really realize this has been going on for a couple years now,” Kimberley said. “… Just about every row crop agriculture sector in the whole country has been losing money, probably, for the last three years.”

Kimberley said the ongoing downturn in the industry is due to several factors, including low commodity prices, high input costs, changes in global trade and uncertainty in domestic markets.&nbsp;

Data from Farm Bureau&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fb.org/market-intel/declining-farm-economy-continues-to-pressure-profitability" target="_blank">show</a>&nbsp;that commodity prices for major row crops like corn, soybeans, cotton and wheat have declined each year since 2022.&nbsp;

Kimberley said as the prices that farmers can get for their crops has declined, expenses have not declined, and have instead increased.&nbsp; Land, rent, equipment and inputs like fertilizer, seed and chemicals continue to squeeze farmers’ bottom lines, he said.

Farm Bureau economists found that farm expenses in 2025 were 12% higher than the previous five-year average cost.&nbsp;

Another piece to the puzzle, Kimberley explained, is the growing soybean and row crop markets in Brazil and other South American countries. He said the expansion of these markets has interrupted U.S. demand, especially with big buyers like China.&nbsp;

China also declined to purchase U.S. soybeans for the beginning part of harvest season due to President Donald Trump’s trade policies. While the country later&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/30/farm-groups-encouraged-by-trade-deal-with-china-for-u-s-soybeans/" target="_blank">agreed</a>&nbsp;to a trade deal, Kimberley said it’s less than what the country previously bought from the U.S. and the gap in purchasing this year has also had an effect.&nbsp;

Kimberley also pointed to the lack of finalized guidance from federal agencies on renewable fuel standards and tax credits. Many of these initiatives, like&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/biofuel-producers-stuck-in-neutral-without-finalized-tax-credit-guidance/" target="_blank">45Z tax credits</a>&nbsp;for low-carbon fuel, were initiated during the Biden administration and still do not have finalized guidelines.

Other standards, like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/06/13/epa-proposes-historic-renewable-fuel-blending-standards/" target="_blank">blending standards</a>,&nbsp;were proposed over the summer and have yet to be finalized. Kimberley, who is also executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, said this uncertainty means overall biodiesel production has declined in the state, causing a “ripple in the pond” for soybean demand.

“You can’t really just say it’s this or that, you know, it’s all of these things that have kind of added up a little bit over time,” Kimberley said.

The letter from American Farm Bureau Federation also noted the compounding factors squeezing farmers. According to the letter, farmer bankruptcies are increasing and nationwide farmer losses are approaching $100 billion.&nbsp;

“These trends aren’t just statistics; they represent an economic crisis in rural America,” the letter said.&nbsp;

Specialty crop farmers are also struggling under similar pressures and asked Congress for relief.&nbsp;

The majority of the more than 50 organizations that signed the letter represented specialty crop growers.&nbsp;

In a news release about the letter, the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance said that despite the fact that specialty crops account for more than one-third of all U.S. crop sales, the farmer bridge program from USDA allocated just $1 billion to the industry.&nbsp;

“Any agricultural aid package should reflect the economic contribution of specialty crops, which support rural communities and provide key nutrition,” the alliance leadership said in the release.&nbsp;

The letter, addressed to House and Senate leadership, ask for “immediate” congressionally approved support.&nbsp;

Kimberley said additional changes need to occur in the farm economy for farmers to be profitable, but those changes won’t happen overnight.

“None of these things make farmers whole, and (aid packages) are not preferred, but sometimes they’re necessary,” Kimberley said.&nbsp;

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/01/16/farm-bureau-soybean-and-specialty-ag-groups-ask-congress-for-additional-farmer-support/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Kansas Reflector, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761787157829.png" alt="Photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/camikoons/">Cami Koons</a>The American Farm Bureau Federation, along with soybean and specialty crop farm organizations, has asked congressional leadership for economic support to “fill in the gap of remaining losses for both field and specialty crop farmers.”&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fb.org/files/1.15.26-Ag-Letter-to-Congress-Economic-Assistance_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a>&nbsp;follows a December announcement from the Trump administration of a&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/12/08/repub/trump-to-send-12-billion-in-one-time-payments-to-farmers-to-offset-ag-losses/" target="_blank">$12 billion</a>&nbsp;one-time package to offset farmer losses across the country.“These funds could provide a meaningful first step but do not cover the extensive and cumulative losses that farmers have absorbed over the last several years,” the letter said after acknowledging the farmer bridge payment program.&nbsp;The U.S. Department of Agriculture is allocating the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/farmer-bridge-assistance-fba-program" target="_blank">funding</a>&nbsp;with commodity specific payment rates and set aside $1 billion of the $12 billion for specialty crop farmers.&nbsp;The American Soybean Association, a signee on the recently submitted letter, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://soygrowers.com/news-releases/asa-usda-farmer-bridge-assistance-payments-fall-short-for-soybean-farmers/" target="_blank">news release</a>&nbsp;the $30.88 per acre allotted for soybeans from the payment package was not enough to cover the “significant financial damage soybean farmers sustained this year due to the high cost of production and losses sustained during the China trade war.”&nbsp;Grant Kimberley,&nbsp;Iowa Soybean Association’s director of market development, said the additional need from farmers is “complicated” and is a result of more than just one event in the past year.&nbsp;“I think people don’t really realize this has been going on for a couple years now,” Kimberley said. “… Just about every row crop agriculture sector in the whole country has been losing money, probably, for the last three years.”Kimberley said the ongoing downturn in the industry is due to several factors, including low commodity prices, high input costs, changes in global trade and uncertainty in domestic markets.&nbsp;Data from Farm Bureau&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fb.org/market-intel/declining-farm-economy-continues-to-pressure-profitability" target="_blank">show</a>&nbsp;that commodity prices for major row crops like corn, soybeans, cotton and wheat have declined each year since 2022.&nbsp;Kimberley said as the prices that farmers can get for their crops has declined, expenses have not declined, and have instead increased.&nbsp; Land, rent, equipment and inputs like fertilizer, seed and chemicals continue to squeeze farmers’ bottom lines, he said.Farm Bureau economists found that farm expenses in 2025 were 12% higher than the previous five-year average cost.&nbsp;Another piece to the puzzle, Kimberley explained, is the growing soybean and row crop markets in Brazil and other South American countries. He said the expansion of these markets has interrupted U.S. demand, especially with big buyers like China.&nbsp;China also declined to purchase U.S. soybeans for the beginning part of harvest season due to President Donald Trump’s trade policies. While the country later&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/30/farm-groups-encouraged-by-trade-deal-with-china-for-u-s-soybeans/" target="_blank">agreed</a>&nbsp;to a trade deal, Kimberley said it’s less than what the country previously bought from the U.S. and the gap in purchasing this year has also had an effect.&nbsp;Kimberley also pointed to the lack of finalized guidance from federal agencies on renewable fuel standards and tax credits. Many of these initiatives, like&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/biofuel-producers-stuck-in-neutral-without-finalized-tax-credit-guidance/" target="_blank">45Z tax credits</a>&nbsp;for low-carbon fuel, were initiated during the Biden administration and still do not have finalized guidelines.Other standards, like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/06/13/epa-proposes-historic-renewable-fuel-blending-standards/" target="_blank">blending standards</a>,&nbsp;were proposed over the summer and have yet to be finalized. Kimberley, who is also executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, said this uncertainty means overall biodiesel production has declined in the state, causing a “ripple in the pond” for soybean demand.“You can’t really just say it’s this or that, you know, it’s all of these things that have kind of added up a little bit over time,” Kimberley said.The letter from American Farm Bureau Federation also noted the compounding factors squeezing farmers. According to the letter, farmer bankruptcies are increasing and nationwide farmer losses are approaching $100 billion.&nbsp;“These trends aren’t just statistics; they represent an economic crisis in rural America,” the letter said.&nbsp;Specialty crop farmers are also struggling under similar pressures and asked Congress for relief.&nbsp;The majority of the more than 50 organizations that signed the letter represented specialty crop growers.&nbsp;In a news release about the letter, the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance said that despite the fact that specialty crops account for more than one-third of all U.S. crop sales, the farmer bridge program from USDA allocated just $1 billion to the industry.&nbsp;“Any agricultural aid package should reflect the economic contribution of specialty crops, which support rural communities and provide key nutrition,” the alliance leadership said in the release.&nbsp;The letter, addressed to House and Senate leadership, ask for “immediate” congressionally approved support.&nbsp;Kimberley said additional changes need to occur in the farm economy for farmers to be profitable, but those changes won’t happen overnight.“None of these things make farmers whole, and (aid packages) are not preferred, but sometimes they’re necessary,” Kimberley said.&nbsp;This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/01/16/farm-bureau-soybean-and-specialty-ag-groups-ask-congress-for-additional-farmer-support/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Kansas Reflector, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

Farm Bureau, soybean and specialty ag groups ask Congress for more support

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;— Today, Governor Jim Pillen joined President Trump at the White House to celebrate the great and historic Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative established under the Trump Administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cms.gov%2Fnewsroom%2Fpress-releases%2Fcms-announces-50-billion-awards-strengthen-rural-health-all-50-states&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C02fa487b6b9a436d379908de55cb33cb%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C639042528392328390%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Q%2BMYPBlJyO3xUdRRS%2BGC%2B2rc%2FqNQ27ciJ9IlrOlaoeM%3D&amp;reserved=0">Working Families Tax Cuts</a>&nbsp;legislation to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities across the country.

“Mr. President, a gigantic thank you for your incredible leadership,” Gov Pillen said during the roundtable. “Your courage gives me more courage to say it the way it is.”

“We’re working very hard in Nebraska to run government like a business. This investment into rural America will allow us to do common sense, pragmatic investments in rural Nebraska, and they will be sustainable.”

Gov. Pillen highlighted that Nebraska’s focus will be on incentivizing real food, taking care of our Veterans, investing in technology, and supporting Nebraskans struggling with mental health or drugs.&nbsp;

Gov. Pillen’s comments continued, “In Nebraska, we work hard. We’re about faith, family, and hard work — the American dream — and we don’t ask for much help in rural Nebraska. So, we’re really grateful for this investment. Thank you.”

President Trump complimented Gov. Pillen saying, “Governor, we appreciate you being here, very much. You’re doing a fantastic job.”

Through the initiative, the state of Nebraska will receive $218,529,075 for the first year of the five-year grant from the federal government, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to Make Rural Nebraska Healthy Again.

A video of the event is available via C-Span:&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.c-span.org%2Fprogram%2Fwhite-house-event%2Fpres-trump-hosts-rural-health-roundtable%2F671774&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C02fa487b6b9a436d379908de55cb33cb%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C639042528392354615%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=TT4jXM5lqAFtWALEDV%2FRkgyKg0bZB0rM%2F39vRXXFMfo%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/pres-trump-hosts-rural-health-roundtable/671774</a>

Press Release<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768794120612.png" alt="Gov. Pillen speaks during White House Rural Health Care Roundtable January 2026.png" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Pillen speaks during White House Rural Health Care Roundtable January 2026.png</figcaption>
 </figure><div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/ksPEAgom-xS4RtpB7.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="President%20Trump%20Hosts%20Rural%20Health%20Roundtable%20%7C%20C-SPAN.org" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;— Today, Governor Jim Pillen joined President Trump at the White House to celebrate the great and historic Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative established under the Trump Administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cms.gov%2Fnewsroom%2Fpress-releases%2Fcms-announces-50-billion-awards-strengthen-rural-health-all-50-states&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C02fa487b6b9a436d379908de55cb33cb%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C639042528392328390%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Q%2BMYPBlJyO3xUdRRS%2BGC%2B2rc%2FqNQ27ciJ9IlrOlaoeM%3D&amp;reserved=0">Working Families Tax Cuts</a>&nbsp;legislation to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities across the country.“Mr. President, a gigantic thank you for your incredible leadership,” Gov Pillen said during the roundtable. “Your courage gives me more courage to say it the way it is.”“We’re working very hard in Nebraska to run government like a business. This investment into rural America will allow us to do common sense, pragmatic investments in rural Nebraska, and they will be sustainable.”Gov. Pillen highlighted that Nebraska’s focus will be on incentivizing real food, taking care of our Veterans, investing in technology, and supporting Nebraskans struggling with mental health or drugs.&nbsp;Gov. Pillen’s comments continued, “In Nebraska, we work hard. We’re about faith, family, and hard work — the American dream — and we don’t ask for much help in rural Nebraska. So, we’re really grateful for this investment. Thank you.”President Trump complimented Gov. Pillen saying, “Governor, we appreciate you being here, very much. You’re doing a fantastic job.”Through the initiative, the state of Nebraska will receive $218,529,075 for the first year of the five-year grant from the federal government, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to Make Rural Nebraska Healthy Again.A video of the event is available via C-Span:&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.c-span.org%2Fprogram%2Fwhite-house-event%2Fpres-trump-hosts-rural-health-roundtable%2F671774&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ccio.webmstr%40nebraska.gov%7C02fa487b6b9a436d379908de55cb33cb%7C043207dfe6894bf6902001038f11f0b1%7C0%7C0%7C639042528392354615%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=TT4jXM5lqAFtWALEDV%2FRkgyKg0bZB0rM%2F39vRXXFMfo%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/pres-trump-hosts-rural-health-roundtable/671774</a>

Gov. Pillen Attends White House Rural Health Roundtable

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts said he encouraged Tyson to keep the plant open and help displaced workers find jobs

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/05/nebraska-report-examines-state-impacts-if-u-s-enters-armed-conflict/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA&nbsp; — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, asking her federal department to “block” the closure of the Tyson beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska.&nbsp;

Schumer, in the letter, pointed to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/packers-and-stockyards-act/faq#:~:text=Answer:%20The%20Packers%20and%20Stockyards%20Act%20(the,in%20the%20livestock%2C%20meat%2C%20and%20poultry%20industries." target="_blank">Packers and Stockyards Act</a>, saying the upcoming closure in Lexington is a “textbook violation” of the&nbsp;century-old federal law. The New York Democrat said the closure will send “shockwaves through America’s cattle market.”

“[USDA] publicly stated it is ‘closely monitoring’ the planned closure of large processors like Tyson’s Lexington plant, yet has offered little clarity on whether that monitoring includes active investigation, enforcement, or any concrete steps to protect producers and competition … I urge you to act swiftly to preserve competition, help bring prices down for families and farmers, and save jobs,” Schumer’s letter reads.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/packers-and-stockyards-act/faq#:~:text=Answer:%20The%20Packers%20and%20Stockyards%20Act%20(the,in%20the%20livestock%2C%20meat%2C%20and%20poultry%20industries." target="_blank">Packers and Stockyards Act</a>, passed in 1921, was meant to promote competitiveness and fair practices in the livestock, meat and poultry industries — and to ensure payment protection.

The law prohibits deception and fraud in those markets.&nbsp;Some have questioned whether the feds have the authority to do so.&nbsp;The Packers and Stockyards Act does give the Agriculture Department the authority to force Tyson to sell the plant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, during a campaign event Friday in Omaha, told the Examiner he had talked to Tyson to “encourage them to quickly make a decision about the plant and to keep it open.” He said he also is working to connect people affected by the closure with help finding jobs.&nbsp;

“I think about the disaster that’s going on in Lexington … like a natural disaster,” Ricketts said, “so it’s locally executed, state supported or state managed, federally supported [and] we’re supporting the state of Nebraska.”&nbsp;

Lexington is likely see 3,200 workers lose their jobs. The statewide economic loss, including both direct and ripple effects, has been estimated at $3.28 billion a year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/03/unl-report-outlines-nebraska-financial-hit-from-tyson-plant-exit/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research analysis</a>.

The west-central Nebraska city is home to more than 10,000 people.

State agencies have&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/agencies-groups-reach-out-to-tyson-workers-as-lexington-beef-plant-closure-nears/">partnered with Lexington nonprofits and other groups</a>&nbsp;to support the affected workers. Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://flatwaterfreepress.org/what-are-we-going-to-do/" target="_blank">told the press</a>&nbsp;after his State of the State address that he is “pushing at every meeting” with Tyson to decide the future of the plant “sooner than later.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tyson has not scheduled any shifts at the Lexington facility this week,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drovers.com/news/industry/tysons-lexington-beef-plant-shudders-early-no-shifts-scheduled-week" target="_blank">according to Farm Journal</a>.

The letter from Schumer comes after Ricketts’ Senate race opponent this fall,&nbsp;registered nonpartisan Dan Osborn, used a campaign appearance in Lexington to highlight the plant’s loss. He accused the company of breaking the century-old law. Tyson also is reducing its operations in a&nbsp;plant in Amarillo, in the Texas panhandle.

The Ricketts campaign said Schumer is “amplifying Osborn’s political grandstanding.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Dan Osborn will be a consistent yes vote for Schumer’s far-left agenda. … It’s why Schumer spent $3.85 million on Osborn’s last campaign,” said Will Coup, a Ricketts campaign spokesperson. “Nebraskans will see through these political games.”&nbsp;

Dan Osborn said the&nbsp;interest from Washington is “too little and too late.”

“The workers and their families in Lexington are the latest to have the rug pulled out from under them by corporate greed. … Where has Pete Ricketts been on all this?” Osborn asked.&nbsp;

Nebraska also lost a Tyson plant in 2006 in Norfolk.&nbsp;U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, a Republican from Norfolk representing the 1st Congressional District, has said Tyson “stripped the plant bare” and the property couldn’t be used as a beef processing facility. Flood said the plant still sits empty today.

Tyson’s Lexington plant is set to close next week.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768821125747.png" alt=" A Lexington water tower on Dec. 9, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> A Lexington water tower on Dec. 9, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts said he encouraged Tyson to keep the plant open and help displaced workers find jobs</h2>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/05/nebraska-report-examines-state-impacts-if-u-s-enters-armed-conflict/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA&nbsp; — U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, asking her federal department to “block” the closure of the Tyson beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska.&nbsp;Schumer, in the letter, pointed to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/packers-and-stockyards-act/faq#:~:text=Answer:%20The%20Packers%20and%20Stockyards%20Act%20(the,in%20the%20livestock%2C%20meat%2C%20and%20poultry%20industries." target="_blank">Packers and Stockyards Act</a>, saying the upcoming closure in Lexington is a “textbook violation” of the&nbsp;century-old federal law. The New York Democrat said the closure will send “shockwaves through America’s cattle market.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759341764637.png" alt="File image- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer-courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File image- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer-courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>“[USDA] publicly stated it is ‘closely monitoring’ the planned closure of large processors like Tyson’s Lexington plant, yet has offered little clarity on whether that monitoring includes active investigation, enforcement, or any concrete steps to protect producers and competition … I urge you to act swiftly to preserve competition, help bring prices down for families and farmers, and save jobs,” Schumer’s letter reads.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/packers-and-stockyards-act/faq#:~:text=Answer:%20The%20Packers%20and%20Stockyards%20Act%20(the,in%20the%20livestock%2C%20meat%2C%20and%20poultry%20industries." target="_blank">Packers and Stockyards Act</a>, passed in 1921, was meant to promote competitiveness and fair practices in the livestock, meat and poultry industries — and to ensure payment protection.The law prohibits deception and fraud in those markets.&nbsp;Some have questioned whether the feds have the authority to do so.&nbsp;The Packers and Stockyards Act does give the Agriculture Department the authority to force Tyson to sell the plant.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, during a campaign event Friday in Omaha, told the Examiner he had talked to Tyson to “encourage them to quickly make a decision about the plant and to keep it open.” He said he also is working to connect people affected by the closure with help finding jobs.&nbsp;“I think about the disaster that’s going on in Lexington … like a natural disaster,” Ricketts said, “so it’s locally executed, state supported or state managed, federally supported [and] we’re supporting the state of Nebraska.”&nbsp;Lexington is likely see 3,200 workers lose their jobs. The statewide economic loss, including both direct and ripple effects, has been estimated at $3.28 billion a year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/03/unl-report-outlines-nebraska-financial-hit-from-tyson-plant-exit/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research analysis</a>.The west-central Nebraska city is home to more than 10,000 people.State agencies have&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/agencies-groups-reach-out-to-tyson-workers-as-lexington-beef-plant-closure-nears/">partnered with Lexington nonprofits and other groups</a>&nbsp;to support the affected workers. Gov. Jim Pillen&nbsp;<a href="https://flatwaterfreepress.org/what-are-we-going-to-do/" target="_blank">told the press</a>&nbsp;after his State of the State address that he is “pushing at every meeting” with Tyson to decide the future of the plant “sooner than later.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Tyson has not scheduled any shifts at the Lexington facility this week,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drovers.com/news/industry/tysons-lexington-beef-plant-shudders-early-no-shifts-scheduled-week" target="_blank">according to Farm Journal</a>.The letter from Schumer comes after Ricketts’ Senate race opponent this fall,&nbsp;registered nonpartisan Dan Osborn, used a campaign appearance in Lexington to highlight the plant’s loss. He accused the company of breaking the century-old law. Tyson also is reducing its operations in a&nbsp;plant in Amarillo, in the Texas panhandle.The Ricketts campaign said Schumer is “amplifying Osborn’s political grandstanding.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“Dan Osborn will be a consistent yes vote for Schumer’s far-left agenda. … It’s why Schumer spent $3.85 million on Osborn’s last campaign,” said Will Coup, a Ricketts campaign spokesperson. “Nebraskans will see through these political games.”&nbsp;Dan Osborn said the&nbsp;interest from Washington is “too little and too late.”“The workers and their families in Lexington are the latest to have the rug pulled out from under them by corporate greed. … Where has Pete Ricketts been on all this?” Osborn asked.&nbsp;Nebraska also lost a Tyson plant in 2006 in Norfolk.&nbsp;U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, a Republican from Norfolk representing the 1st Congressional District, has said Tyson “stripped the plant bare” and the property couldn’t be used as a beef processing facility. Flood said the plant still sits empty today.Tyson’s Lexington plant is set to close next week.&nbsp;

Senate Minority Leader wants USDA to stop Nebraska Tyson beef plant closure

While some states are seeing more enrollees, there has been a drop nationwide.

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/nhassanein/">Nada Hassanein</a>

Nationwide, the number of people buying health plans on Obamacare insurance marketplaces is down by about 833,000 compared with a year ago, according to federal data released this week.

Many states are reporting fewer new enrollees, more people dropping their coverage, and more people choosing cheaper and less generous health insurance plans with higher deductibles.

Across most states, Thursday was the last day to enroll for plans that start in February. But nine states and Washington, D.C., have deadlines later this month, so the numbers could change.

There are 21 states with state-run health insurance marketplaces, and the rest use the federal website. The vast majority of states have seen declines in enrollment&nbsp;so far, compared with around this time last year.

Preliminary data&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2026-open-enrollment-period-report-national-snapshot-0#AnchorFour" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;Monday by the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services shows 22.8 million enrollees, down from a record total of 24.3 million last year.

Premiums have surged as a result of the expiration of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/issue-brief/inflation-reduction-act-health-insurance-subsidies-what-is-their-impact-and-what-would-happen-if-they-expire/#:~:text=The%20Inflation%20Reduction%20Act%20(IRA,three%20years%2C%20ending%20after%202025." target="_blank">enhanced federal subsidies</a>&nbsp;first made available by the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 and later extended through the end of 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act. The availability of the subsidies spurred a sharp increase in the number of people buying health plans on the marketplaces. In 2020, 11.4 million people were enrolled in marketplaces through Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act. More than double that amount enrolled last year.

Congress failed to reach an agreement on extending the subsidies before the end of last year and still hasn’t reached one. As a result, premiums were expected to increase this year by 114% on average — from $888 last year to about $1,904, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;made in September by health policy research organization KFF.

The higher costs appear to be driving many people to forgo insurance or opt for cheaper, less generous plans this year, health officials and analysts say. Several states with state-based marketplaces — including Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Virginia and Washington — are reporting fewer enrollments this year in comparison with enrollments through early January 2025, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/state-indicator/marketplace-enrollment-snapshot-for-open-enrollment-2026/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">early data</a>. Other states, such as California, are reporting fewer new enrollees.

“It’s important to consider that this is preliminary data, so this represents people who have signed up and selected the plan — but they probably haven’t received their first premium bill,” said Elizabeth Lukanen, executive director of the health policy research organization State Health Access Data Assistance Center at the University of Minnesota. “Once that happens, I think there’s concern — and it seems very possible — that people may decide to drop coverage. So, the decline could get bigger.

“On the other hand, open enrollment hasn’t closed, so you have two things sort of competing. It seems pretty likely that there will be a decline,” she said.

If the downward trend continues, the nation could see the first decline in enrollment since 2020, Lukanen said, adding that a full picture of income levels and demographics of people who have dropped coverage&nbsp;won’t be clear&nbsp;until the summer.

In Pennsylvania, data updated through Tuesday shows more than 15,000 previously enrolled adults between the ages of 55 and 64 have dropped coverage entirely — the most of any age bracket.

Pennsylvania’s state-based exchange, Pennie, has seen about 15% fewer new enrollments compared with last year. The state is also reporting 1,000 residents dropping coverage per day during open enrollment — with the most coverage losses among people with incomes 150% to 200% of the poverty level. These could include families of two adults and two children with an income between $48,225 and $64,300.

The state is seeing an “unprecedented” number of previously enrolled people dropping coverage, said Devon Trolley, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority.

California is reporting 31% fewer new enrollees this year compared with last year, and more than a third of new enrollees are choosing bronze plans — the lowest, least generous coverage tier — up from less than a quarter at this time last year.

In Minnesota, data as of Dec. 3 shows more than half of active enrollees are opting to keep their coverage tier. But of those changing plans, more than a third — 37% — are going to cheaper plans. The state notes a full picture won’t be available until March.

Meanwhile, some states are seeing roughly the same number of enrollees or more. Texas, for example, is reporting about 4.1 million people enrolling this year compared with 4 million last year.

Charles&nbsp;Miller, health and economic mobility policy director at&nbsp;Texas 2036, a policy research nonprofit, said it’s unclear why enrollments are up, but pointed to some clues.

“Texas had a uniquely large population of uninsured individuals eligible for free and inexpensive plans that hadn’t enrolled previously … [and] has more affordable bronze and gold plans than many states,” he said.

He attributes that to a bipartisan state law, enacted in 2021, that had the effect of increasing subsidies for those plans, Miller said.

Nevada is seeing fewer enrollees overall. But compared with this time last year, the state is seeing 29% more people who are actively shopping the website to explore plans, said Katie Charleson, communications officer at the Nevada Health Authority Division of Consumer Health Services.

The state introduced a new public option, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2026/01/08/with-health-insurance-premiums-rising-nevadas-new-public-option-is-proving-popular/" target="_blank">Nevada Current</a>, and health officials told lawmakers last week that about 1 in 5 active shoppers are opting for that plan.

In addition to the expiration of the subsidies, the cost of coverage has risen because of other factors, according to insurers. They say&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-much-and-why-aca-marketplace-premiums-are-going-up-in-2026/#Distribution%20of%20proposed%202026%20rate%20changes%20among%20312%20ACA%20Marketplace%20insurers" target="_blank">they’ve had to raise premiums</a>&nbsp;because of rising prescription drug costs, inflation and workforce challenges, such as provider shortages.

But the enhanced premium tax credits were aimed at buffering those year-to-year changes for Americans with lower incomes, said Trolley, adding that the tax credit structure “helps make sure that [enrollees] don’t see those really larger drops that happen from time to time, sort of from those market forces.”

“When there are broader rate increases of … the total cost of the coverage, the tax credits are structured so that people who get a tax credit don’t feel a lot of that increase. They’re sort of sheltered from it on a year to year basis,” Trolley said. “The tax credit is tied to someone’s income and limits what they pay as part of their income, not necessarily tied to the cost of the coverage.”

She added that she’s also heard from some residents who say they are waiting to enroll in a plan to see if Congress takes action.

“People are leaving the ACA marketplace because the trade-offs have just become harder to justify,” Lukanen said. “What worries me is that when the coverage becomes unaffordable, it isn’t that people suddenly stop needing care. They just lose the protection that insurance offers, and those health care costs don’t go away.”

Lukanen added that if more people forgo coverage, health care services may end up costing the nation more overall.

“If people are going to the doctor and they don’t have insurance, these costs are then just shifted. They’re shifted to hospitals, ultimately to the community and the taxpayer.”

Trolley echoed that, saying she’s concerned about the overall burden on providers in rural counties, which are seeing the highest drops in Obamacare coverage in Pennsylvania.

“Any increase in the uninsured rate is going to further strain providers that are in rural areas, especially — further strain their financial situation,” she said. “We are very concerned about that in Pennsylvania.”

Stateline reporter Nada Hassanein can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nhassanein@stateline.org">nhassanein@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758122115940.jpg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>While some states are seeing more enrollees, there has been a drop nationwide.</h2>By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/nhassanein/">Nada Hassanein</a>Nationwide, the number of people buying health plans on Obamacare insurance marketplaces is down by about 833,000 compared with a year ago, according to federal data released this week.Many states are reporting fewer new enrollees, more people dropping their coverage, and more people choosing cheaper and less generous health insurance plans with higher deductibles.Across most states, Thursday was the last day to enroll for plans that start in February. But nine states and Washington, D.C., have deadlines later this month, so the numbers could change.There are 21 states with state-run health insurance marketplaces, and the rest use the federal website. The vast majority of states have seen declines in enrollment&nbsp;so far, compared with around this time last year.Preliminary data&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2026-open-enrollment-period-report-national-snapshot-0#AnchorFour" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;Monday by the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services shows 22.8 million enrollees, down from a record total of 24.3 million last year.Premiums have surged as a result of the expiration of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/issue-brief/inflation-reduction-act-health-insurance-subsidies-what-is-their-impact-and-what-would-happen-if-they-expire/#:~:text=The%20Inflation%20Reduction%20Act%20(IRA,three%20years%2C%20ending%20after%202025." target="_blank">enhanced federal subsidies</a>&nbsp;first made available by the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 and later extended through the end of 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act. The availability of the subsidies spurred a sharp increase in the number of people buying health plans on the marketplaces. In 2020, 11.4 million people were enrolled in marketplaces through Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act. More than double that amount enrolled last year.Congress failed to reach an agreement on extending the subsidies before the end of last year and still hasn’t reached one. As a result, premiums were expected to increase this year by 114% on average — from $888 last year to about $1,904, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;made in September by health policy research organization KFF.The higher costs appear to be driving many people to forgo insurance or opt for cheaper, less generous plans this year, health officials and analysts say. Several states with state-based marketplaces — including Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Virginia and Washington — are reporting fewer enrollments this year in comparison with enrollments through early January 2025, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/state-indicator/marketplace-enrollment-snapshot-for-open-enrollment-2026/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">early data</a>. Other states, such as California, are reporting fewer new enrollees.“It’s important to consider that this is preliminary data, so this represents people who have signed up and selected the plan — but they probably haven’t received their first premium bill,” said Elizabeth Lukanen, executive director of the health policy research organization State Health Access Data Assistance Center at the University of Minnesota. “Once that happens, I think there’s concern — and it seems very possible — that people may decide to drop coverage. So, the decline could get bigger.“On the other hand, open enrollment hasn’t closed, so you have two things sort of competing. It seems pretty likely that there will be a decline,” she said.If the downward trend continues, the nation could see the first decline in enrollment since 2020, Lukanen said, adding that a full picture of income levels and demographics of people who have dropped coverage&nbsp;won’t be clear&nbsp;until the summer.In Pennsylvania, data updated through Tuesday shows more than 15,000 previously enrolled adults between the ages of 55 and 64 have dropped coverage entirely — the most of any age bracket.Pennsylvania’s state-based exchange, Pennie, has seen about 15% fewer new enrollments compared with last year. The state is also reporting 1,000 residents dropping coverage per day during open enrollment — with the most coverage losses among people with incomes 150% to 200% of the poverty level. These could include families of two adults and two children with an income between $48,225 and $64,300.The state is seeing an “unprecedented” number of previously enrolled people dropping coverage, said Devon Trolley, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority.California is reporting 31% fewer new enrollees this year compared with last year, and more than a third of new enrollees are choosing bronze plans — the lowest, least generous coverage tier — up from less than a quarter at this time last year.In Minnesota, data as of Dec. 3 shows more than half of active enrollees are opting to keep their coverage tier. But of those changing plans, more than a third — 37% — are going to cheaper plans. The state notes a full picture won’t be available until March.Meanwhile, some states are seeing roughly the same number of enrollees or more. Texas, for example, is reporting about 4.1 million people enrolling this year compared with 4 million last year.Charles&nbsp;Miller, health and economic mobility policy director at&nbsp;Texas 2036, a policy research nonprofit, said it’s unclear why enrollments are up, but pointed to some clues.“Texas had a uniquely large population of uninsured individuals eligible for free and inexpensive plans that hadn’t enrolled previously … [and] has more affordable bronze and gold plans than many states,” he said.He attributes that to a bipartisan state law, enacted in 2021, that had the effect of increasing subsidies for those plans, Miller said.Nevada is seeing fewer enrollees overall. But compared with this time last year, the state is seeing 29% more people who are actively shopping the website to explore plans, said Katie Charleson, communications officer at the Nevada Health Authority Division of Consumer Health Services.The state introduced a new public option, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2026/01/08/with-health-insurance-premiums-rising-nevadas-new-public-option-is-proving-popular/" target="_blank">Nevada Current</a>, and health officials told lawmakers last week that about 1 in 5 active shoppers are opting for that plan.In addition to the expiration of the subsidies, the cost of coverage has risen because of other factors, according to insurers. They say&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-much-and-why-aca-marketplace-premiums-are-going-up-in-2026/#Distribution%20of%20proposed%202026%20rate%20changes%20among%20312%20ACA%20Marketplace%20insurers" target="_blank">they’ve had to raise premiums</a>&nbsp;because of rising prescription drug costs, inflation and workforce challenges, such as provider shortages.But the enhanced premium tax credits were aimed at buffering those year-to-year changes for Americans with lower incomes, said Trolley, adding that the tax credit structure “helps make sure that [enrollees] don’t see those really larger drops that happen from time to time, sort of from those market forces.”“When there are broader rate increases of … the total cost of the coverage, the tax credits are structured so that people who get a tax credit don’t feel a lot of that increase. They’re sort of sheltered from it on a year to year basis,” Trolley said. “The tax credit is tied to someone’s income and limits what they pay as part of their income, not necessarily tied to the cost of the coverage.”She added that she’s also heard from some residents who say they are waiting to enroll in a plan to see if Congress takes action.“People are leaving the ACA marketplace because the trade-offs have just become harder to justify,” Lukanen said. “What worries me is that when the coverage becomes unaffordable, it isn’t that people suddenly stop needing care. They just lose the protection that insurance offers, and those health care costs don’t go away.”Lukanen added that if more people forgo coverage, health care services may end up costing the nation more overall.“If people are going to the doctor and they don’t have insurance, these costs are then just shifted. They’re shifted to hospitals, ultimately to the community and the taxpayer.”Trolley echoed that, saying she’s concerned about the overall burden on providers in rural counties, which are seeing the highest drops in Obamacare coverage in Pennsylvania.“Any increase in the uninsured rate is going to further strain providers that are in rural areas, especially — further strain their financial situation,” she said. “We are very concerned about that in Pennsylvania.”Stateline reporter Nada Hassanein can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nhassanein@stateline.org">nhassanein@stateline.org</a>.

Far fewer people buy Obamacare coverage as insurance premiums spike

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education, for now, is backtracking on plans to garnish wages and seize tax refunds of student loan borrowers in default, the department announced Friday.

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-garnish-wages-defaulted-student-loans" target="_blank">Less than a month</a>&nbsp;after the agency said it would begin garnishing wages by sending notices to roughly 1,000 borrowers in default the first full week of January, the department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-delays-involuntary-collections-amid-ongoing-student-loan-repayment-improvements" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;that the temporary delay would allow it to implement “major student loan repayment reforms” under Republicans’ tax and spending cut bill that President Donald Trump signed into law in 2025.

The delay would “give borrowers more options to repay their loans,” the department said.&nbsp;

It was not immediately clear from the announcement how long the pause would last.&nbsp;

Education Secretary Linda McMahon signaled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/AsuO9zf7WxY?t=685s" target="_blank">earlier this week</a>&nbsp;during the&nbsp;<a href="https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/01/12/us-education-secretary-promotes-returning-school-autonomy-to-states/" target="_blank">Rhode Island</a>&nbsp;portion of her Returning Education to the States Tour that wage garnishment has been “put on pause for a bit.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The agency resumed collections for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-restart-defaulted-student-loan-collections" target="_blank">defaulted federal student loans</a>&nbsp;in May after a pause that began during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A borrower can have their wages garnished as a consequence of defaulting on their loans, and a loanholder can order an employer to withhold up to 15% of their disposable pay to collect defaulted debt without being taken to court, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-wage-garnishment" target="_blank">Federal Student Aid</a>, an office of the Education Department.

The delay also applies to the Treasury Offset Program, which “allows the federal government to collect income tax refunds and certain government benefits (for example, Social Security benefits) from individuals who owe debts to the federal government,” per&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/offset" target="_blank">FSA</a>.&nbsp;

Aissa Canchola Bañez, policy director for the advocacy group Protect Borrowers, said in a Friday statement that “after months of pressure and countless horror stories from borrowers, the Trump Administration says it has abandoned plans to snatch working people’s hard-earned money directly from their paychecks and tax refunds simply for falling behind on their student loans.”&nbsp;

“Amidst the growing affordability crisis, the Administration’s plans would have been economically reckless and would have risked pushing nearly 9 million defaulted borrowers even further into debt,” she added, while pointing to a&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-analysis-finds-that-a-student-loan-borrower-defaulted-every-nine-seconds-in-2025-as-trump-restarts-wage-garnishment/" target="_blank">Jan. 7 letter</a>&nbsp;from Protect Borrowers and other organizations calling on McMahon to “immediately halt its plan to resume garnishment of millions of struggling borrowers’ wages.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768689690412.png" alt="U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon takes in a selection of grade school students’ patriotic artworks and high schoolers’ recent output in a special installation set up at Exeter-West Greenwich Regional Junior High and High School in Rhode Island on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon takes in a selection of grade school students’ patriotic artworks and high schoolers’ recent output in a special installation set up at Exeter-West Greenwich Regional Junior High and High School in Rhode Island on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education, for now, is backtracking on plans to garnish wages and seize tax refunds of student loan borrowers in default, the department announced Friday.<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-garnish-wages-defaulted-student-loans" target="_blank">Less than a month</a>&nbsp;after the agency said it would begin garnishing wages by sending notices to roughly 1,000 borrowers in default the first full week of January, the department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-delays-involuntary-collections-amid-ongoing-student-loan-repayment-improvements" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;that the temporary delay would allow it to implement “major student loan repayment reforms” under Republicans’ tax and spending cut bill that President Donald Trump signed into law in 2025.The delay would “give borrowers more options to repay their loans,” the department said.&nbsp;It was not immediately clear from the announcement how long the pause would last.&nbsp;Education Secretary Linda McMahon signaled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/AsuO9zf7WxY?t=685s" target="_blank">earlier this week</a>&nbsp;during the&nbsp;<a href="https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/01/12/us-education-secretary-promotes-returning-school-autonomy-to-states/" target="_blank">Rhode Island</a>&nbsp;portion of her Returning Education to the States Tour that wage garnishment has been “put on pause for a bit.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The agency resumed collections for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-restart-defaulted-student-loan-collections" target="_blank">defaulted federal student loans</a>&nbsp;in May after a pause that began during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.A borrower can have their wages garnished as a consequence of defaulting on their loans, and a loanholder can order an employer to withhold up to 15% of their disposable pay to collect defaulted debt without being taken to court, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-wage-garnishment" target="_blank">Federal Student Aid</a>, an office of the Education Department.The delay also applies to the Treasury Offset Program, which “allows the federal government to collect income tax refunds and certain government benefits (for example, Social Security benefits) from individuals who owe debts to the federal government,” per&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/offset" target="_blank">FSA</a>.&nbsp;Aissa Canchola Bañez, policy director for the advocacy group Protect Borrowers, said in a Friday statement that “after months of pressure and countless horror stories from borrowers, the Trump Administration says it has abandoned plans to snatch working people’s hard-earned money directly from their paychecks and tax refunds simply for falling behind on their student loans.”&nbsp;“Amidst the growing affordability crisis, the Administration’s plans would have been economically reckless and would have risked pushing nearly 9 million defaulted borrowers even further into debt,” she added, while pointing to a&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-analysis-finds-that-a-student-loan-borrower-defaulted-every-nine-seconds-in-2025-as-trump-restarts-wage-garnishment/" target="_blank">Jan. 7 letter</a>&nbsp;from Protect Borrowers and other organizations calling on McMahon to “immediately halt its plan to resume garnishment of millions of struggling borrowers’ wages.”

US Education Dept. delays plan to garnish wages of student borrowers in default

DAMASCUS — U.S. forces conducted a strike in northwest Syria on Friday that resulted in the death of a leader affiliated with Al-Qaeda who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for an ambush which killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter on Dec. 13, 2025, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”

CENTCOM launched large-scale strikes in Syria in response to the Dec. 13 attack. The operation, dubbed Hawkeye Strike, resulted in U.S. and partner forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions.

Additionally, U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria during the past year, removing terrorists who posed a direct threat to the United States and regional security.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739746302792.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DAMASCUS — U.S. forces conducted a strike in northwest Syria on Friday that resulted in the death of a leader affiliated with Al-Qaeda who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for an ambush which killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter on Dec. 13, 2025, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”CENTCOM launched large-scale strikes in Syria in response to the Dec. 13 attack. The operation, dubbed Hawkeye Strike, resulted in U.S. and partner forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions.Additionally, U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria during the past year, removing terrorists who posed a direct threat to the United States and regional security.