By Ben Meiselas
Hi all, it’s Monday, January 19, 2026. I know a lot of politicians and other figures will invoke Martin Luther King Jr.’s name today and post their favorite quotes. What I want to emphasize on this important holiday is that I hope we can all honor Dr. King not just with words, but by living his values and putting them into action. That’s more important now than ever. So today, I recommit to doing just that — and I want to thank you all for doing the same.
This Monday afternoon, I want to bring everyone up to speed on a series of developments that unfolded over the holiday weekend and into Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Trump’s actions, especially in the past 24 hours, have been so deranged that many assumed the stories we have reported on were satire. Unfortunately, they are deadly serious.
Late last night, news broke that Donald Trump sent a message directly to the Prime Minister of Norway threatening the country after it declined to support Trump’s push to seize control of Greenland. The message was so extreme that even renowned journalists initially questioned whether it could be real. It was quickly verified by Norwegian officials and corroborated by Finland’s prime minister.
In the message to Norway’s prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump explicitly tied his anger to the Nobel Peace Prize, claiming that because he did not receive it, he no longer felt bound to prioritize peace. He went on to assert that Denmark had no legitimate claim to Greenland, dismissed centuries of history, and declared that “the world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland.” I understand Trump officials get all made if you say this, but this is the language of dictators. And we will not hesitate to call it out, depsite their threats.
Støre and Finland’s president had sent Trump a joint message urging calm in response to his tariff threats and inflammatory rhetoric on Greenland, Gaza, and Ukraine. They proposed a call to ease tensions. Trump’s response was to threaten them, escalate militarily, and frame his personal grievance over the Nobel Prize as justification for abandoning diplomacy.
At the same time, Trump sent the same message to European ambassadors across the continent through his national security apparatus. This was not a private rant. It was an official communication signaling to U.S. allies that American foreign policy is now driven by personal vendettas and delusions of imperial control.
This next story will probably not surprise you. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Trump issued no proclamation honoring Dr. King, at least as of now. This marked the first time in more than four decades that a sitting president failed to acknowledge the holiday. Instead, it was reported that Trump had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to join his so-called “Board of Peace,” a shadow institution he is attempting to create in parallel to the United Nations. It doesn’t get more Orwellian than that.
According to multiple confirmations from Russian officials, Trump is offering seats on this board in exchange for massive payments, with funds reportedly being routed not to the U.S. Treasury but to accounts offshore. The idea that Trump skipped honoring Martin Luther King Jr. while elevating authoritarian leaders with records of repression and war speaks volumes about the moral inversion now defining this administration.
Domestically, the consequences are just as alarming. Trump’s approval ratings continue to crater, including in states he previously won. Independent voters are abandoning him in large numbers. At the same time, federal immigration forces continue to carry out aggressive operations in U.S. cities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul. Masked agents in military-style gear have been documented breaking down doors, detaining people without cause, and in some cases returning individuals only after realizing they are U.S. citizens.
ICE has now confirmed multiple deaths in detention centers in just the first weeks of the year. Reuters recently documented agents dragging a man out of his home in freezing conditions before quietly releasing him. Without journalists present, these stories would never come to light.
That context makes the Department of Justice’s latest posture even more disturbing. DOJ officials are now signaling potential prosecutions of journalists for reporting on protests, including independent reporters covering events at churches tied to ICE leadership. Equating on-the-ground reporting with participation in crimes is a direct threat to press freedom. And this of course comes just a week after we learned that the FBI raided the home of a Washington Post journalist.
On a day meant to honor Dr. King’s legacy of opposing racism, poverty, and war, Trump offered the opposite: threats of invasion, attacks on allies, empowerment of dictators, and silence on civil rights. Texas State Rep. James Talarico summed it up bluntly, warning that politicians cannot quote Dr. King one day and legislate against his dream the rest of the year.
There is a lot happening, and none of it should be normalized. Later today, Ron Filipkowski will publish his weekend news bulletin so everyone can catch up on the stories you may have missed. I encourage you to read it, stay informed, and stay engaged.
Thank you for staying in this fight, even when things get tough. These are the moments when we show we cannot be broken. Thank you for subscribing.
