DoJ Charges Venezuelan Illegal Over Border Patrol Vehicle Ramming Attack
Fox News reporter Bill Melugin reports that the Department of Justice has charged a Venezuelan national, who was shot by Border Patrol in the Portland metro area last Thursday, with aggravated assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon after allegedly using his red pickup truck to ram a federal vehicle. This follows the recent ICE shooting in Minneapolis that left one far-left activist dead. Additionally, attacks on federal agents are on the rise.
Melugin further explained how the DoJ arrived at the charges and provided additional color about the ramming attack carried out by the illegal, who is allegedly tied to the Tren de Aragua (FTO designation):
DOJ has just charged the Venezuelan illegal alien shot by Border Patrol in Portland on Thursday with 18 USC 111 (aggravated assault of a federal officer w/ a deadly weapon), and they’ve provided photos of the badly damaged BP vehicle they say he rammed several times during the targeted arrest. According to DOJ, LUIS NINO-MONCADA, allegedly affiliated with Tren de Aragua, admitted to intentionally using a red pickup truck to ram the federal vehicle, said he knew they were immigration agents, and said “fuck ICE” while having a tourniquet applied to his gunshot wound by medics. DOJ says MONCADA was ordered deported by an immigration judge in Denver, CO in November 2024.
According to the criminal complaint, the actual target of Border Patrol’s operation was MONCADA’s female associate, Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, a Venezuelan illegal alien and suspected TdA associate who was caught and released at the Texas border by the Biden administration in September 2023. She was ordered to check in at an ICE officer after release, but never did, making her subject to immigration arrest. DOJ says she is also believed to be involved with a Tren de Aragua prostitution ring, and was connected to a July 2025 shooting in Washington County during a prostitution deal that went bad.
FOX is told that Zambrano-Contreras is also now in federal custody, and is being charged by DOJ in the Western District of Texas with 8 USC 1325, illegal entry by an alien (yes, crossing the border illegally is a federal crime).
BREAKING: DOJ has just charged the Venezuelan illegal alien shot by Border Patrol in Portland on Thursday with 18 USC 111 (aggravated assault of a federal officer w/ a deadly weapon), and they’ve provided photos of the badly damaged BP vehicle they say he rammed several times… pic.twitter.com/3Ciy1EZd35
“He should NEVER have been in our country to begin with, and we will ensure he NEVER walks free in America again,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi wrote on X.
Anyone who crosses the red line of assaulting law enforcement will be met with the full force of this Justice Department.
According to a newly unsealed complaint, Luis Nino-Moncada — an illegal alien in Portland, Oregon with ties to Tren de Aragua — is alleged to have repeatedly… pic.twitter.com/uC6rk4Uode
The Venezuelan illegal alien with ties to TdA is exactly the type of person the Democratic Party is protecting. The party’s left wing has made it clear it puts everyone except American citizens first.
South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) is reportedly updating its guidelines to allow corporations to invest in digital assets after a nine-year ban.
Listed companies and professional investors will be able to invest up to 5% of their equity capital in crypto assets, reported local news outlet Seoul Economic Daily on Sunday.
According to the report, a senior FSC official familiar with the matter said the authorities will “release the final guidelines in January [or] February and allow virtual currency transactions for investment and financial purposes by legal entities.”
The move overturns a nine-year ban on corporate crypto investment dating back to 2017, when financial authorities banned institutional participation amid concerns over money laundering.
However, investments will be limited to the top 20 crypto assets by market capitalization and can only be made on Korea’s five largest regulated exchanges.
The inclusion of dollar-pegged stablecoins such as Tether’s USDT is still being discussed, the report noted.
The FSC shared the latest guidelines with its crypto working group on Jan. 6 and first announced plans for a phased approach to easing rules for corporate crypto investments in February 2025.
Potential bullish impact on Korean markets
The move could bring tens of trillions of won into crypto markets. South Korean internet giant Naver, which has 27 trillion won ($18.4 billion) in equity capital, could theoretically buy 10,000 BTC, according to the report.
It added that the launch of a national stablecoin and spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds is also expected to be accelerated once the corporate investment capacity is secured. Support for crypto ETFs has been building across the country, but regulatory approval remains stalled.
The move could also result in an expansion of local crypto companies, blockchain startups, and digital asset treasuries (DATs) while boosting domestic investment in digital assets.
Large South Korean companies have been forced to invest overseas to avoid local restrictions, it added.
CBDC and stablecoins focus of the economic strategy
The outlet reported on Friday that the South Korean government announced an ambitious digital currency strategy with a primary goal of executing 25% of all national treasury funds through a central bank digital currency (CBDC) by 2030.
The initiative, which is part of the 2026 Economic Growth Strategy, also involves introducing a licensing system for stablecoin issuers, such as Tether, requiring 100% reserve asset backing and legally guaranteeing users’ redemption rights.
Mexico Reports Positive Conversation With Trump On Security, Drug Trafficking
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Jan. 12 that she had a productive dialogue with President Donald Trump on efforts to combat drug trafficking and other issues of mutual concern.
“We had a very good conversation with the President of the United States, Donald Trump,” Sheinbaum wrote in a post on X on Monday.
“We discussed various topics, including security, with respect for our sovereignty, reducing drug trafficking, trade, and investment. Collaboration and cooperation within a framework of mutual respect always yield results.”
As The Epoch Times’ Ryan Morgan reports, the conversation between the two heads of state comes as Trump has raised pressure on Mexico and other Latin American states to increase cooperation with the United States, particularly in efforts to curb drug trafficking.
After U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a pre-dawn raid on Jan. 3, Trump said Mexico needs to “get its act together” when dealing with drug cartels and reiterated offers to send U.S. forces to assist in such efforts.
On Jan. 8, Trump raised the stakes further, suggesting U.S. military strikes could focus on land-based cartel targets in Mexico in the future.
Thus far, Sheinbaum has been opposed to U.S. military action in Mexico.
Speaking with reporters at a Monday press conference, Sheinbaum said she and Trump again discussed a U.S. force deployment to Mexico and said Trump was understanding as she reiterated her opposition to such a move.
“He didn’t insist either; rather, it was in the tone of, ‘If you want us to help you more with our forces in Mexico,’ I told him, ‘Well, no, I’ve already told you several times that that’s not on the table,’ but we continue to collaborate within the framework of our sovereignties,” Sheinbaum recounted of the conversation.
The Epoch Times reached out to the White House for comment on the call between Trump and Sheinbaum but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a separate call with Mexican Foreign Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente on Jan. 11.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the two discussed “the need for stronger cooperation to dismantle Mexico’s violent narcoterrorist networks and stop the trafficking of fentanyl and weapons.”
“Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to stopping narcoterrorism and stressed the need for tangible results to protect our homeland and hemisphere.”
Colombia and Cuba also face increased pressure from a Trump administration emboldened by the Maduro raid.
Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro have traded barbs in recent weeks, with the U.S. president faulting his Colombian counterpart for not cooperating closely enough on efforts to stamp out Colombia’s cocaine production.
Last week, Trump reported a productive phone conversation with Petro and indicated plans to host him at the White House in the near future.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Sunday, said he had cut Cuba off from Venezuela’s oil supply.
“There will be no more oil or money going to Cuba—zero! I strongly suggest they make a deal, before it is too late,” Trump wrote in mostly all caps.
The United States has limited its engagement with the Cuban leadership for decades, after the Caribbean island nation came under communist control following Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution.
In a press statement following Trump’s latest comments, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez said U.S.-Cuba relations “must be based on International Law rather than on hostility, threats, and economic coercion.”
Trump Imposes 25% Tariff On Any Country Doing Business With Iran “Effective Immediately”
After it quietly faded away in late summer, that trade war with China is about to make a triumphal reappearance.
In a day that was already flooded by a relentless firehose of newsflow, Trump added to the leaning tower of chaos when said on Truth Social that he was imposing a 25% tariff on goods from countries “doing business” with Iran (most notably China which is its largest oil client), ratcheting up pressure on the government in Tehran that has been rocked by widespread protests.
Trump said that the new duty would be “effective immediately,” without providing any details about the scope or implementation of the charges, leaving traders to act first and ask questions later if at all (a big reason why there is zero liquidity in the market is because people are trading with zero conviction and unwind trades just as fast as they put them on).
The action has the potential to disrupt major US trading relationships across the globe: as Bloomberg notes, Iran’s partners include not only neighboring states, but large economies including India, Turkey and especially China.
“Any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive,” he said.
Previously, Trump had imposed tariffs as high as 50% on Indian goods tied to their purchase of Russian oil, and while India initially reduced its purchases of Russian crude it has since ramped them back up; China on the other hand, never even noticed the Trumpian edict.
Needless to say, the additional 25% tariff – assuming it sticks – hitting Beijing exports risks upsetting the trade truce Trump negotiated with Chinese President Xi Jinping late last year. China is the world’s top buyer of Iranian crude and the nation’s independent refiners were increasing their intake of the oil as of last month.
While the lack of details in the Trump declaration was confusing, adding to the sheer chaos is an impending decision by the US Supreme Court on the legality of Trump’s global tariffs. If the justices rule against him, it could hamper his ability to quickly impose duties on Iran’s partners. The court’s next opinion day is Wednesday.
As for Iran, it has been experiencing weeks of mass unrest, which was initially sparked by a currency crisis and worsening economic conditions but has increasingly been aimed at the regime. It’s amounted to the biggest challenge to the Islamic Republic’s ruling system since 1979. While Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime has weathered protests before, the demonstrations are spreading and drew hundreds of thousands of people, by some accounts, across the country over the weekend. Iranian authorities have sought to stamp out the protests with more than 500 people killed so far and more than 10,000 arrests, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Trump has openly backed the protesters and warned Tehran against violently repressing the demonstrations. In an interview on Fox News last week, he said the US would hit Iran “very hard” if it continued to shoot at protesters.
As reported earlier, Trump president told reporters on Sunday that the Iranian leadership has reached out to seek talks and that a meeting is being set up, without offering details on timing. Still, he said that his administration is considering potential options and indicated he was coordinating with allies in response to Iran.
“We’re looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters. “I’m getting an hourly report and we’re going to make a determination.”
Also over the weekend, a White House official said that Trump has been briefed on a range of options for military strikes in Iran, including nonmilitary sites. The president is seriously considering authorizing an attack, according to the official who requested anonymity to detail internal discussions.
Still, there is hope for a peaceful resolution: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has opened channels of communication with Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, a spokesman from the ministry said Monday.
Meanwhile, Iran has warned the US and Israel – which coordinated to carry out strikes on nuclear facilities in the country last year – against any attempt to intervene. Tehran and Washington have not had formal diplomatic ties for decades.
Trump’s threats to Iran have the region on edge, coming on the heels of a US strike earlier this month in Venezuela – another oil-rich country – which led to the capture of strongman Nicolas Maduro. Should the US or its ally, Israel, intervene, that threatens to draw neighboring countries into the crisis and risk access to the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for energy exporters.
Trump ‘Favors’ Attacking Iran, Vance Pushing Back, As President Pezeshkian In Streets For Large Counter-Protests
Update(1820ET): There are reports of a significant internal Trump administration divide over Iran policy, with Vice President Vance said to be leading the charge for the non-interventionist camp, which much of MAGA might welcome while seeing in Vance the top contender for 2028:
President Trump currently leans toward authorizing fresh military strikes on Iran, U.S. officials say, as the White House is weighing a last-ditch Iranian offer to engage in diplomacy over curbing its nuclear program.
Some senior administration aides, led by Vice President JD Vance, are urging Trump to try diplomacy before retaliating against Iran for killing protesters. Trump hasn’t made a final decision on what he will do and will meet with senior aides Tuesday to determine his approach.
Some in the U.S. doubt that Iran is genuine about ending its nuclear program, telling Trump that Tehran may be finding a way to buy time and avoid American airstrikes. Aides have briefed Trump on the benefits and pitfalls of renewed nuclear negotiations with Iran.
Trump currently favors attacking Iran, but could change his mind depending on unfolding developments. Some officials said Trump may strike first and then seek serious talks with Tehran. “We may have to act because of what is happening before the meeting,” he said Sunday.
But all of this might become moot, or else it could be said Trump will have an easy ‘out’ or offramp and not attack Iran, given the latest reports from inside the country show waning anti-govt protests. Instead, they’ve been supplanted by huge pro-government counter-demonstrations. “Millions” or at least hundreds of thousands have come out for these ‘loyalist’ demonstrations. And even the country’s President Masoud Pezeshkian was out confidently and defiantly strolling the streets Monday…
One regional analyst and observer reacts to Monday’s developments, after a weekend security crackdown unleashed at least scores of casualties:
The Islamic Republic is sending two important signals here:
1. It retains control in large cities (or at least the ones/areas we’re getting footage from)
2. It can still countermobilize its base of support (and others forced to turn out) in large numbers.
He concludes, “If this is it, these anti-regime protests may well fizzle out before long, although I’ve noted major ‘landmines’ ahead for the Islamic Republic in 2026.”
Update(10:15ET): Iran’s Supreme Leader is really playing with fire here in posting the below image on X. While the message didn’t appear on his English language account, it is on his Persian account, and thus mainly directed at the Ayatollah’s own domestic population.
According to a machine translation, the message says: “That father figure who sits there with arrogance and pride, passing judgment on the entire world, he too should know that usually the tyrants and oppressors of the world, such as Pharaoh and Nimrod and Reza Khan and Mohammad Reza and the likes of them, when they were at the peak of their pride, were overthrown, This one too will be overthrown.”
آن بابایی که با نخوت و غرور نشسته آنجا راجع به همهی دنیا قضاوت میکند، او هم بداند که معمولاً مستبدّین و مستکبران عالم، از قبیل فرعون و نمرود و رضاخان و محمّدرضا و امثال اینها، وقتی که در اوج غرور بودند سرنگون شدند،
این هم سرنگون خواهد شد.#مثل_فرعونpic.twitter.com/hxzJVQQOiL
Khamenei perhaps suddenly feels more embolden to poke and mock Trump like this perhaps given the emerging widespread reports that the protests are losing steam, after weekend clashes with policy reportedly resulted in many deaths. There was definitely a major and deadly security crackdown, but this also as the government asserts that dozens of police and military have been attacked and killed, and buildings set on fire by ‘rioters’ and ‘saboteurs’.
There are also very large pro-government ‘counter protests’ taking over whole areas of cities Monday, including in the capital:
WATCH: Large crowds gather for pro-regime rallies in Iranian cities in support of Khamenei. pic.twitter.com/9mTo5bbTJD
The Trump administration was quite out front with saying it would “stand” with the Iranian people, and even protect them if they come under assault from government forces. This allowed Iranian leadership to tell people in the streets that they are doing the bidding of foreign powers like the US and Israel.
This also amid more tough talk from Iran’s parliament on Monday:
Iran’s parliament speaker has described the response to the protests as a fight with “terrorists” while addressing a large rally in the capital.
Iran is fighting a “four-front war”, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, listing economic, psychological and military engagement with the United States and Israel, and “today [is] a war against terrorists”.
“The great Iranian nation has never allowed the enemy to achieve its goals,” Ghalibaf said as supporters chanted, “Death to Israel, death to America.”
He pledged Iran’s military would teach Trump “an unforgettable lesson” in case of a new US attack, adding: “Come and see all your facilities in the region destroyed.”
Trump on Sunday did raise the question of direct help to the protesters (who may not actually be interested in Washington’s help). Trump said he will speak to Elon Musk about sending Starlink to protesters in Iran, following the government-imposed outage which has remained in place since Thursday.
“We may get the internet going if that’s possible,” the president told reporters. Elon “is very good at that kind of thing. I’m going to call him as soon as I’m finished with you.”
— iribnews | خبرگزاری صدا و سیما (@iribnews_irib) January 11, 2026
Is the rhetoric between Washington in Tehran softening as it becomes clear the regime is not under threat by the protests?
Iran says it is “prepared for war” but ready to negotiate with the US based on “mutual respect and interests,” after US President Donald Trump said Tehran called to negotiate as his administration weighs possible military intervention during widespread anti-government protests.
* * *
The NY Times and others are confirming that President Trump has recently been briefed on a series of new military strike options targeting Iran as he weighs whether to act on his threat to attack the country over its crackdown on protesters, which have also clearly themselves engaged in violent acts in some locales at times.
In some of among the well over 100 cities or towns where protests have raged since the end of December, buildings and even mosques have been burned, cars torched, and police officials reportedly shot and stabbed. Amid an internet blackout across the country, which has made accurate information hard to come by and/or verirfy, there is a battle of narratives and ‘infowar’ happening.
Starlink terminals were said to be smuggled into the country during the 2022 wave of protests, and so there has been some limited information and videos emerging even amid the several consecutive days of internet shutdown by the government.
President Trump during Friday’s meeting of oil executives again warned Iranian leadership not to kill protesters: “I’ve made the statement very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved,” he said. “We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts.”
Trump later narrowed the warning, “I tell the Iranian leaders: You better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting, too.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on top of that issued on X that “The United States supports the brave people of Iran” – something much vaguer and coupled with no specific threat.
From there, unverified reports throughout the weekend said that body bags from protest deaths were piling up. By last week, around 30 people were reported killed, including several or more among police and security officials. But by Sunday into Monday that figure ballooned.
Reuters and CNN have relied on a US-based group to claim, “More than 544 people have been killed over the past 15 days during anti-government demonstrations, including eight children, according to the Human Rights Activist New Agency (HRANA).”
IRAN: Anti-regime protests in Iran, where demonstrators torched the Al-Rasool Mosque in Tehran’s Saadat Abad district. Over 300 similar attacks on religious sites nationwide this evening. pic.twitter.com/N68KoHATT1
This new, high death count, is unverifiable but is still being widely circulated on Monday. It has been issued at a very sensitive and dangerous moment that the anti-Ayatollah opposition which largely lives in Europe and the United States is lobbying hard to get Trump’s ear and attention.
All the usual other enemies of Tehran are being very active in this regard too, such as the powerful Israel lobby in the United States.
On the ‘options’ briefings, the NY Times has described that briefings President Trump has already received included a variety of potential actions such as strikes against nonmilitary locations in Tehran.
When reporters asked about preparations for possible military action, the White House pointed instead to the president’s recent public statements and posts on social media. “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before,” Trump had additionally stated on Truth Social on Saturday. “The USA stands ready to help!!!”
If Trump were to actually kick off yet more US military action in the Middle East, this time against a large nation like Iran which would hold the serious potential for escalating into a full-blown conflict, it would likely prove deeply unpopular among his base. Broadly, the American public would likely not be on board.
Evidence of a very bloody state clampdown is now starting to come out from people who either have managed to connect to Starlink or who have left Iran and brought videos with them.
But even Iranian State TV is reporting from the morgue, where a large number of body bags can be… pic.twitter.com/QcY2iPYyCp
A Goldman Sachs note highlights that the build-up rhetoric threatening US intervention in and of itself will have an impact on oil, gold, and across markets:
Attention shifts to Iran as we speak. Unlike the 2022 protests centered around social liberties, this episode looks to be triggered by economic paralysis with inflation spiking and the sudden collapse of the Iranian rial in late Dec. The protests have now turned violent with death toll rising to the hundreds. What can potentially add oil to fire is if foreign interference continues to get talked up with the US signaling the threat of a potential intervention. Oil and Gold creeping up as the Iranian unrests unfold. This illustrates our view of the insurance value of commodities. We see a strong role for broader commodity length in strategic portfolio allocations with increasing geopolitical, trade and AI competition has led to more frequent use of commodity dominance as leverage.
Iranian businesses have in many cased been forced to suspend all activity because of Iran’s internet shutdown, especially those companies which are dealings or staff based abroad. The shutdown is said to be so severe that even the banking system isn’t operating, and something as simple as removing money from an ATM can’t be done.
BREAKING: Trump told reporters on Air Force One that Iran reached out to the U.S. yesterday and proposed holding talks on a nuclear deal. “We may meet them”, he said
Leadership in Tehran might have made things much worse for itself with the decision to block internet access, given the protesting and rioting crowds hadn’t dispersed, but instead clashes with police may have grown more intense and violent. Iran’s foreign ministry has been cited in Bloomberg Monday as follows:
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says police and security forces brought protests “under control” from Saturday, according to statement to state TV. Araghchi: we have huge amount of evidence pointing direct Israeli and US interference in protests Says internet will be restored “soon after full control of security situation”
“Israel is directly responsible, and also Americans through their remarks by promoting violence,” Araghchi says.
NOW – Trump says Iranian leaders called him yesterday and “they want to negotiate… a meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening, before the meeting.” pic.twitter.com/CF2DC6Pwbg
As for what’s next, President Donald Trump will be briefed on Tuesday on “some kinetic and many non-kinetic” options in Iran, according to a couple of unnamed administration officials to Politico. But there have indeed been signs that the protests have begun to abate or in some places been halted completely.
In a famous Indian parable, five blind men are brought to an elephant. Each feels a different part of the animal, and they come to radically different views of what an elephant is. It depended on which parts they touched, from tusk to tail.
The controversy over the shooting of Renee Nicole Good, 37, is a type of political elephant parable.
People focus on only certain parts of the story to support what they want the case to mean.
Critics and supporters of the responsible officer have slowed down videotapes that last, in critical part, for only a few seconds.
The only difference is that, in this modern parable, many are just willfully blind, choosing not to see beyond their own rage.
This week, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) became the personification of rage, spewing profanities about ICE while declaring, shortly after the shooting, that the ICE officer was a murderer.
After immediately declaring the officer’s guilt, Frey spent day two lambasting the federal government for rushing to conclusions and demanding that his people play a role in the investigation.
As for his unhinged, profane diatribe, Frey mocked critics if he “offended their Disney princess ears.”
Frey fulfilled the parable most clearly in his use of statistics. He declared that fifty percent of shootings in the city this year were committed by ICE. He then later admitted that, since it was only Jan. 9, there had been only two shootings. Indeed, he could have argued that ICE was responsible for 100 percent of the shootings in the city on Jan. 7.
Again, the trick is to examine the smallest part of the animal and extrapolate to draw sweeping conclusions.
The recently released videotape from the responsible officer also shows how people will focus on insular elements rather than the “totality of the circumstances,” the standard for such cases established by the Supreme Court.
For example, many supporters of the officer are citing the obstruction and taunting by Good and her wife, who were reportedly working with an anti-ICE group. At one point, Becca Good dares the officer to do something as they blocked the road, telling the officer “Do you want to come at us? I say go and get yourself some lunch, big boy.”
For critics, they have focused on Renee Good’s last words: “That’s fine dude, I’m not mad at you, I’m not mad at any of you.” Whether Good was being peaceful or passive-aggressive, others are clearly very, very mad. They are using her statement to push protesters to the brink of violence.
Democratic leaders declared ICE to be “terrorists” and called for mass protests in the very same city that burned in 2020 after the George Floyd riots. Right on cue, one Black Lives Matter leader suggested that the prosecution of officers in the George Floyd case only occurred because protesters burned down the city. She told protesters to ignore pleas not to do it again. “Let me tell you this. We need justice and we need it now.”
Protesters in other cities chanted “Kristi Noem will hang” and “Save a Life, Kill an ICE.”
In the same presser where he condemned federal officials for jumping to conclusions, Frey not only reaffirmed that Good had been murdered but added that the officer was not actually injured as claimed. “The ICE agent walked away with a hip injury that he might as well have gotten from closing a refrigerator door with his hips,” he said. “He was not injured. Give me a break. No, he was not ran over. He walked out of there with a hop in his step.”
Few of us have been in Frey’s kitchen, but the latest videotape seems to show something more intense than an encounter with his fridge. The video shows the agent being hit by the vehicle as Good ignores orders to get out of the car, as Becca Good is screaming, “drive, drive, drive.”
Reasonable people can disagree on whether the officer should have discharged his weapon. Flight alone is not grounds for the use of lethal force. However, Good’s actions could also be interpreted as an intentional endangerment of the officer.
At a minimum, it was clearly reckless, as another officer was trying to reach into the vehicle and Good refused to yield to the effort to place her into custody. The Goods forced the confrontation, and Renee Good then escalated the level of danger by speeding toward an officer.
This is why the legal standard requires you to take in the entire elephant, not just insular parts.
While there may still be countervailing facts emerging from the investigation, the governing legal standard clearly favors the officer. It is Good’s actions, not her motivations, that are critical to determining whether excessive force was used. The officer’s cellphone video shows he had a fraction of a second to decide and fired after being struck by the car. (The same officer had been seriously hurt previously after being dragged by a car.)
The Justice Department’s guidances incorporate the standards outlined in past Supreme Court decisions, such as Graham v. Connor (1989). Again, individual elements can be viewed in isolation as favoring or disfavoring the use of force, including the severity of the crime at issue (in this case likely a misdemeanor) and whether the suspect was “attempting to evade arrest by flight.” The guidelines stress that “[t]he ‘reasonableness’ of a particular use of force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, rather than with the 20/20 vision of hindsight.”
This tragedy shows that people watching the same videotapes can come to diametrically opposed conclusions. Take the speed of the vehicle. Some have noted that the car was traveling less than 10 miles per hour before it collided with another vehicle. However, the speed after the shooting of Good is immaterial. The relevant question is the distance and speed with reference to the officer. It was clearly speeding up and immediately struck the officer before Good was shot.
The same is true of those who note how the wheels appear to be turning toward or away from the officer. The fact is, Good struck the officer. That does not mean she intended to do so, but that does not matter. From the officer’s perspective, Good was ignoring orders while speeding toward him from just feet away.
There will likely be civil litigation. Democrats have also called for criminal charges. The arguments on both sides of this controversy show, at most, that the issue is debatable. The officer could be viewed as wrong and still be found to have acted within the scope of his discretion in responding to a threat. Any state effort to charge the officer will be removed to federal court, where he will likely have immunity based on this evidence.
The public would be wise to ignore conclusions reached blindly by either side. In an “Age of Rage,” we live in the land of the blind, where the one-eyed man is king. The public must remain clear-eyed and calm as the investigation proceeds in Minneapolis.
Jonathan Turley is a law professor and the author of the forthcoming “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”
Australia will begin purchasing and storing key minerals for defense and high-tech industries from local miners as part of a A$1.2 billion ($802 million) national reserve aimed at strengthening global supply chains, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
Bloomberg reports that the initial stockpile will target rare earths, antimony and gallium, according to Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Resources Minister Madeleine King and Trade Minister Don Farrell. As one of the largest rare-earth producers outside China, Australia hopes the move will reduce Beijing’s leverage over critical resources.
Critical minerals have become a flashpoint in global trade disputes, particularly after China used its market dominance during trade tensions with the US. That has driven other nations to see local production and reserves as strategic priorities.
“Developing the Strategic Reserve is another important step in Australia leading on critical minerals globally,” Chalmers said. The stockpile will ensure “Australia is at the center of efforts to build stable and reliable supply chains for our international partners.”
Mining stocks rose on the news, with Lynas Rare Earths climbing up to 6.5% and Larvotto Resources jumping 8.8%. Larvotto, which is developing one of the world’s largest antimony projects, welcomed the move.
“The federal government is leading from the front on this, and we’re extremely happy antimony is one of the focuses,” said CEO Ron Meeks. “We will produce 7% of the world’s antimony, so we will be one of the largest suppliers. We’ll start production in August.”
The strategy follows China’s recent rare-earth export restrictions on Japan and builds on last year’s US-Australia agreement to expand American access to critical minerals, a deal covering roughly A$13 billion in projects. Officials also say the reserve could help stabilize prices and shield producers from future market downturns driven by cheap Chinese supply.
Rare earths are vital for permanent magnets used in defense and medical systems, while antimony supports electronics and flame retardants, and gallium is essential for advanced semiconductors in radar and communications.
Of course, we have been documenting the “rare earth revolution” since summer of last year, when we wrote that China’s export controls on key rare earth elements—especially the “heavy” ones used in high-performance permanent magnets—were creating shortages and price distortions outside China, exposing how dependent the world is on China for mined, refined, and magnet-ready material.
We noted that this mattered because rare earth magnets are foundational to today’s EVs, electronics, wind power, and defense systems, and they’re expected to be even more important for future robotics/humanoids.
With supply security viewed as a national-security issue, we correctly noted that governments and customers were prioritizing “ex-China” supply chains even if costs rise, and that shift is likely to support higher rare earth pricing and premium economics for the limited number of existing non-China players.
Trump May Freeze Exxon Out Of Venezuela After CEO Darren Woods Called It “Uninvestable”
Tensions flared between Exxon Mobil and the White House after CEO Darren Woods cast doubt on Venezuela’s appeal as an investment destination during a closed-door meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and other oil executives last week, according to Reuters.
Woods argued that without sweeping legal and regulatory changes, the country could not support major foreign investment, describing its current system as “uninvestable.”
Trump had convened the meeting only days after U.S. forces removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an overnight operation and urged the industry to commit as much as $100 billion to rebuilding Venezuela’s energy sector. Instead of gaining momentum, the talks were quickly overshadowed by Woods’ skepticism.
Reuters writes that Trump publicly voiced his frustration on Sunday while returning to Washington aboard Air Force One. “I didn’t like Exxon’s response,” he said. “I’ll probably be inclined to keep Exxon out. I didn’t like their response. They’re playing too cute.”
Exxon has long been entangled in Venezuela’s oil history. Along with ConocoPhillips and Chevron, it was once a leading foreign partner of the state firm PDVSA before nationalizations under Hugo Chavez forced Exxon and ConocoPhillips to exit the country and pursue arbitration. Court rulings later ordered Venezuela to pay more than $13 billion collectively to the two companies for seized assets.
Woods reminded Trump of that history, saying, “We’ve had our assets seized there twice, and so you can imagine to re-enter a third time would require some pretty significant changes from what we’ve historically seen here.” He also stressed that investment protections and reform of the hydrocarbons law were essential, adding, “If we look at the legal and commercial constructs and frameworks in place today in Venezuela today, it’s uninvestable.”
ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance echoed the caution, telling Trump his company was the largest non-sovereign creditor in Venezuela and calling for a broad overhaul of the country’s energy system and debt structure. Trump replied that ConocoPhillips would recover much of what it was owed but insisted the future would begin anew. “We’re not going to look at what people lost in the past because that was their fault,” he said.
The president also made clear that Washington would control which companies are allowed to operate in Venezuela. “You’re dealing with us directly. You’re not dealing with Venezuela at all. We don’t want you to deal with Venezuela,” he said.
Recall, last week Trump met with leaders from Chevron, Exxon, ConocoPhillips, Continental, Halliburton, HKN, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Trafigura, Vitol Americas, Repsol, Eni, Aspect Holdings, Tallgrass, Raisa Energy and Hilcorp.
Trump has argued that Venezuela’s vast oil reserves could help revive its economy while also benefiting U.S. consumers and energy companies. In a recent interview, he said he wants companies to commit at least $100 billion to “rebuild the whole oil infrastructure” in the country.
The administration has tightened pressure on Venezuela through a new oil “quarantine,” including the seizure of another tanker Friday, the fifth such action in recent weeks. Rubio said the strategy gives the U.S. “tremendous leverage” and that Washington plans to sell up to 50 million barrels of sanctioned crude on the open market, with the proceeds under U.S. control.
10Y Auction Stops Through In Solid Start For 2026 Treasury Sales
Shortly after a solid 3Y auction, the first of the year, priced just through the WI by 0.1bps, moments ago we got the first sale of benchmark 10Y paper for 2026 in what was another solid auction.
Today’s sale of $39BN in 10Y paper priced at 4.173% just after 1pm ET. This was barely changed from the 4.175% in December in what appears to be duration paralysis. And with the When Issued trading at 4.180%, the auction stopped through the WI by 0.7bps, this was the strongest 10Y auction since September.
More paralysis: the bid to cover was 2.554, virtually unchanged from last month’s 2.550, and just above the six-auction average of 2.51. As one can see in the chart below, we are now about a decade into the BtC being within 10-20bps of 2.50% in what may be the biggest autopilot trade in the US.
Turning to the internals, Indirects took down 69.7% of the auction, just a hair below last month’s 70.2% (and just above the 69.5% recent average). Directs took 24.5%, up from 21.0 in December and the highest since 2014. This left Dealers with just 5.8%, the second lowest on record with justs the 4.2% in Sept 25 lower.
Overall, this was a strong 10Y auction, and a solid start to the year for coupon issuance.
Republicans Have Quickly Rallied Behind Trump On Venezuela
A week after “Operation Absolute Resolve”, which saw the U.S. military attack targets in Venezuela to capture and extract President Nicolás Maduro, the international community is still grappling over the legality of the U.S. intervention.
The European Union, for example, issued a statement calling for calm and restraint by all parties involved. While acknowledging that Maduro lacked the legitimacy of a democratically elected president, the statement backed by 26 EU member states stressed that it was the right of the Venezuelan people to determine their own future. While calling for everyone, under all circumstances, to uphold the principles of international law and the UN Charter, the EU stops short of openly accusing the U.S. of violating these rules.
Meanwhile, as Statista’s Felix Richter reports, in the U.S., we saw a familiar story unfold, with a strong partisan divide opening up on a question that most Americans agreed on just a few months ago. “Would you support the U.S. using military force to invade Venezuela?”, YouGov asked in October 2025. Back then, just 15 percent of respondents – 7 percent of Democrats and 28 percent of Republicans – voiced their support. When YouGov posed the same question this week, i.e. after the raid that captured Maduro, replacing “would you” with “do you”, the picture looked entirely different: While support among Democrats was still very low at 13 percent, 74 percent of Republicans now said that they somehow or strongly supported the U.S. using military force in Venezuela.
These results highlight Trump’s still-intact ability to rally his supporters behind him by spinning the narrative in a way works in his favor.
Back in 2024, Trump ran on the promise to avoid getting dragged into wars overseas, much to the liking of his base.
A little more than a year later, the Trump administration appears to have abandoned this non-interventionist stance in favor of a new America-First foreign policy that stretches across the entire Americas, all the way from Greenland to Cape Horn.
