Turmoil Reigns at Home and Overseas — “The Sunday Political Brunch”
Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER™
Turmoil Reigns at Home and Overseas — “The Sunday Political Brunch”
“Minneapolis ICE Shooting” – One place where President Trump continues to face public wrath is the deployment of National Guard troops and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE agents, in major U.S. cities. That reached a critical fervor on Wednesday when an ICE agent shot and killed a female driver whom ICE agents had pulled over. It was all caught on video and went viral. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the woman was murdered and he wants ICE to leave his city, saying, “Get the f___ out!” He added, "The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city. We’re demanding ICE to leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities." In response, President Donald Trump said, “The woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self-defense.” I have watched the video many times, and while the fleeing vehicle may have posed a danger, I did not see anyone get run over. This is likely to go before a federal grand jury.
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“Minneapolis: What’s Next?” – This story and the video have caused a massive earthquake on social media. Suddenly, in 2026, this debate will rocket to the top of the issues in the midterm elections. Many key races could be won or lost based solely on where candidates stand on this issue. It could be a barometer for the entire election cycle. How the investigation is handled will be a central part of that, and transparency will be needed. Already, there is conflict. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was ready to work with the FBI on the case, but it has already been tossed out. Gov. Tim Walz (D) Minnesota said, “Minnesota must be part of this investigation.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the now deceased woman, Renee Nicole Good, “weaponized” her car against the ICE agents.
“Venezuela Fallout” – It’s been a week since U.S. military forces plucked Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power, and he was brought to New York with his wife and charged with narcoterrorism. The raid set off jitters in Congress, whose leaders were not briefed beforehand. That brought out critics in both parties, who believe Congress has a role under the War Powers Act. On Thursday, the Senate advanced a resolution saying President Trump could conduct no more military actions in Venezuela unless Congress was briefed. Five Republican Senators joined Democrats in advancing the resolution. Sen. Rand Paul (R) Kentucky said, “It’s interesting to see that more people, at least on my side, now are interested in who has the war prerogative, who has the prerogative to initiate or declare war.” But on Truth Social, Trump called out all five GOP Senators who bolted, saying, “Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again.” He called their vote “stupidity.”
“The Politics of Venezuela” – The South Florida City of Doral, a Miami suburb, has one of the largest Venezuelan populations in the U.S. Many took to the streets to shout support for the Trump incursion. There could also be political fallout. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) Florida, and a likely 2028 presidential candidate, said of Maduro, “He deserves to be brought to justice.” Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) California, also a possible presidential contender, said, “Maduro is a thug and a criminal. But Donald Trump proposing to ‘run’ Venezuela without a coherent long-term plan beyond an oil grab is dangerous for America.” Rep. Byron Donalds (R) Florida weighed in too, saying, "I support President Trump’s decisive action to promote freedom in Venezuela and protect America from narcoterrorism. I join Florida's Venezuelan community in celebrating today." Donalds is running for governor this year and already has Trump’s endorsement. The two leading Democratic candidates for governor, David Jolly and Jerry Demings, have yet to weigh in.
“Greenland Next?” – A senior reporter friend of mine in Washington, DC says every recent press gaggle with any U.S. Senator basically begins with, “What are your thoughts about Trump wanting to invade ____ next?” You can insert Cuba, Greenland, Iran, Colombia, etc., in the blank. But after the Venezuelan operation, this is all the talk on Capitol Hill. President Trump’s desire to obtain Greenland is well known and a White House statement this past week sums it up, saying, "The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief's disposal." Greenland is a property of Denmark, a NATO ally, so there is a lot of pushback from key European members. Trump is also facing a rebellion from Republicans in Congress. Rep. Don Bacon (R) Nebraska said on CNN, “I hope Republicans stand up against this, universally oppose, and give the feedback to the president, because this is appalling.”
“Hegseth Censures Sen. Kelly” – Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has issued a military censure for Sen. Mark Kelly (D) Arizona. Kelly appeared in a video with other members of Congress urging U.S. military troops to disobey orders if they know those orders violate the law. Hegseth’s statement says, "In response to Senator Mark Kelly's seditious statements — and his pattern of reckless misconduct — the Department of War is taking administrative action against Captain Mark E. Kelly, USN (Ret)." Kelly, who is a retired Navy Captain, could have his rank and retirement pay reduced. In a statement, Kelly said, "My rank and retirement are things that I earned through my service and sacrifice for this country. I got shot at. I missed holidays and birthdays. I commanded a space shuttle mission while my wife Gabby recovered from a gunshot wound to the head — all while proudly wearing the American flag on my shoulder." Kelly said the Trump administration is violating free speech. I can see this headed to federal court.
“Gov. Walz to Retire” – Gov. Tim Walz (D) Minnesota has decided not to run for a third term this year. Walz, who was the party’s vice-presidential nominee in 2024, is under fire for his administration's alleged mismanagement of 300 million federal day care dollars. Walz was also a potential presidential candidate in 2028, but this may end those ambitions. Walz said in his statement that the welfare fraud probe played a role in his decision to bow out, saying, “Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) Minnesota says she may come home from DC to run for governor. Two years ago, she was elected to her fourth term in the U.S. Senate.
“Trump Impeachment #3?” – President Trump clearly wants Republicans to win the midterm elections this year and hold control of Congress. That way, he can pursue his issue agenda on matters such as immigration and the economy in his final two years. But Trump laid out another reason this week in a speech, telling fellow Republicans, “You’ve got to win the midterms. Cause if we don’t win the midterms, it’s just going to be, they’ll find a way to impeach me. I’ll get impeached.” He added that in his first term, “They impeached me for nothing, twice. It’s an amazing phenomenon.” I think he’s on the right timeline. If the Democrats retake control of the House, they will impeach him, as all they need is a simple majority. But even if the Democrats flip control of the Senate, to say 53 to 47, there is no way they can remove Trump from office, as that takes 67 Senators voting yes. The math isn’t there.