WHOA: Republicans TURN on Trump amid ICE shooting

The fatal shooting of Alexander Prey, an ICU nurse with a legal concealed carry permit, by ICE agents sparked significant criticism from typically pro-gun and conservative voices. The Trump administration's narrative, labeling Prey a 'domestic terrorist' and claiming he brandished a weapon, was directly contradicted by video evidence and condemned by groups like the NRA and Gun Owners of America, as well as Republican Senator Rand Paul's staffer and former George W. Bush counsel.

NRA: 'This sentiment from the first assistant US attorney for the Central District of California is dangerous and wrong.' (1:09) Gun Owners of America: 'We condemn the unoured comments of US Attorney Billy. Federal agents are not highly likely to be legally justified in shooting concealed carry lences who approach while lawfully carrying a firearm.' (1:22) Conservative subreddit comments: 'Don't know how anyone can side with ICE here.' (4:30)

The appearance of CBP head Greg Bavino in a distinctive coat was widely compared to SS officers from the 1930s. This sartorial choice, combined with ICE's aggressive actions like demanding papers and 'killing people on the streets,' reinforced concerns about the administration's authoritarian tendencies and its disregard for democratic values.

Host: 'I'm going to put the side by side right here on the screen of what Bo looks like and what like SS officers in the 1930s...looked like.' (9:09) Tommy Vtor: 'He's the only one dressed in a giant coat from the 1930s.' (9:56) Host: 'There are the obvious similarities between what ISIS is doing and what the Gestapo did about demanding papers from people on the streets.' (10:30)

California Governor Gavin Newsom has effectively positioned himself as a leading opponent to Donald Trump. His strategy involves actively challenging the administration, even leveraging perceived attempts at censorship (like a canceled speech at Davos) to generate exponentially more attention and solidify his image as a counter-force.

Tommy Vtor: 'One way to look like Donald Trump's opponent is to go out there and make yourself Donald Trump's opponent...he went to Davos and was I guess going to give a speech...and then they canceled on them last minute. So Gavin went out and made this aggressive case that the government is trying to censor him and in so doing got exponentially more attention than he would have otherwise.' (11:10)

Upon taking office, New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill immediately declared a state of emergency on utility costs, freezing rate hikes and planning long-term power generation expansion. She also affirmed New Jersey's 'immigrant trust directive,' refusing to cooperate with ICE's 'proto-military force' and 'spurious investigations' targeting blue states, framing these actions as a defense of democratic values against a 'lawless dictator.'

Governor Sherrill: 'The minute I got in office, I was going to declare a state of emergency on utility cost, freezing rate hikes.' (32:12) 'He's actually targeting quite a few blue states...with spirious investigations to root out fraud.' (29:01) 'Certainly here in New Jersey, we have the immigrant trust directive which I will continue to carry out to ensure that our public safety officers...are acting in the interest of the public.' (31:42)

Trump's attempt to annex Greenland was a 'vanity project' that yielded no strategic gains beyond existing treaties but severely eroded trust with allies like Denmark. The move led to widespread international bafflement, the largest protest in Danish history against the US, and a dramatic drop in Danish public perception of the US as an important ally, highlighting the long-term damage to transatlantic relationships and NATO.

Congresswoman Jacobs: 'All of this saber rattling, all of this lack of trust with our allies...All of that appears to be so that we could get something that we already were would be able to get under the existing frameworks. And this is classic Trump, right? He sets the fire and then he claims to put it out and wants to get credit for it.' (44:51) '80% of Danes thought that the United States was an important ally. Now only single digits level of Danish people think that we are an important ally.' (46:27)

Congress's failure to reclaim its constitutional power to declare war and peace has allowed the executive branch, under Trump, to operate with unchecked authority. This inaction creates a dangerous precedent where major foreign policy decisions, like potential invasions or tariffs, are made based on 'the whims of a single person,' undermining the foundational principles of the US government.

Congresswoman Jacobs: 'The constitution, article one of the constitution gives the power to declare war and peace to congress because the founders knew that this was too important of a role for one person to be responsible for.' (51:31) 'The world we're all living in is actually the fault of Congress for not standing up and reclaiming our power to be the ones to make these decisions.' (51:50)

Trump's actions, particularly regarding Greenland, demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of NATO's collective defense principle. His questioning of NATO's ability to protect Greenland, and the implicit suggestion that US ownership is necessary for defense, actively undermines the alliance. This approach weakens the very institution that prevents incursions by rivals like China or Russia, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of NATO's demise.

Congresswoman Jacobs: 'Donald Trump doesn't care about, believe in, or understand NATO. Because he, I think, truly believes that the only way the US would protect Greenland is if we owned Greenland. Not recognizing that the whole point of NATO is that if Greenland were to be attacked or invaded by Russia or China, the entire NATO alliance would come to its defense.' (55:10)