PBS News Hour full episode, Jan. 15, 2026

President Trump threatened to deploy the U.S. military to Minneapolis to quell protests against ICE immigration crackdowns, citing the Insurrection Act. This power, last used in 1992 during the Rodney King riots, allows the president to deploy federal forces if local authorities cannot maintain order. However, Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison oppose this, with Ellison ready to challenge it in court. Critics argue this is an illegitimate use of the act, intended to enable federal violence rather than quell it, and could set a dangerous precedent for using the military as a domestic police force.

President Trump warned he'd use the Insurrection Act, an 18th-century power, if local authorities cannot maintain order. Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison stated he's ready to go to court if it's invoked. Elizabeth Goitein of the Brennan Center for Justice stated, 'The vast majority of the violence and lawlessness in Minneapolis is coming from ICE. And the purpose of invoking the Insurrection Act would not be to quell that violence and lawlessness. It would be to enable it.'

The Trump administration has shifted its support in Venezuela, empowering Delcy Rodriguez as interim president, a former deputy of Nicolas Maduro, over Nobel Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado. This shift occurred after the U.S. captured Maduro, leading to Machado being sidelined despite her popular support. The move is seen by activists as driven by economic interests, particularly access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves, rather than a commitment to democratic transition. Oil companies like ExxonMobil have indicated that investment is impossible without rule of law and democratic openings.

Machado stated, 'I presented the president of the United States the medal of the Peace -- Nobel Peace Prize as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.' (18:40) However, President Trump previously stated Machado 'doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country.' (19:41) The administration then 'empowered now interim president, Delcy Rodriguez.' (19:49) Laura Dib noted that ExxonMobil, owed billions, said Venezuela was 'uninvestable because there needed to be a change' (24:46).

The death of Janell Green Smith, a 31-year-old Black midwife, from complications after an emergency C-section, highlights the severe and persistent racial disparities in maternal health. Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, experiencing higher rates of conditions like preeclampsia and C-sections. Experts attribute this to chronic stress, generations of racism, and a healthcare system historically designed to center childbirth away from community-based care, making it unwelcoming for Black women. The system's design itself is seen as creating these inequitable outcomes.

Jessica Brumley, President of the American College of Nurse Midwives, stated, 'Black women are at higher rates of Caesarean section, at higher rates of preeclampsia. They have higher rates of almost every possible comorbidity or complication.' (29:37) She also noted, 'The chronic stress, the generations of chronic stress, the different exposures to racism in this country... creates what is known as weathering.' (30:12) Brumley concluded, 'the system is designed to create these outcomes.' (31:20)

The Trump administration abruptly cut $2 billion in federal grant money for mental health and addiction programs nationwide, citing misalignment with its agenda. This decision, which would have impacted over 2,000 life-or-death programs, was reversed within 48 hours due to intense bipartisan political pushback. The incident revealed the extreme fragility of the American public health system and its vulnerability to political interference, as the decision to cut funding came from outside professional staff and lacked transparency regarding its origin or reversal. This uncertainty makes it difficult for programs to plan, innovate, or retain staff.

Brian Mann of NPR reported that programs received notification that 'Your program no longer aligns with the Trump administration's agenda.' (35:33) He stated, 'This was a bolt out of the blue.' (35:23) The reversal came 'within 48 hours' (35:59) due to 'bipartisan firestorm.' (36:09) Mann noted, 'this decision to cut off the grant funding came from outside that professional staff, that they were not consulted.' (37:06)

The Trump administration is actively working to halt offshore wind power projects, citing national security concerns like radar interference, despite prior Pentagon approvals. This stance has led to legal battles and economic uncertainty for the industry, which was on track to produce 30 gigawatts of clean energy by 2030. Simultaneously, U.S. electricity demand is experiencing a sharp upturn driven by returning manufacturing and the exponential growth of energy-hungry data centers for artificial intelligence. Committed data center build-out alone could consume 25% of the electricity currently generated in the U.S., highlighting a critical mismatch between energy policy and national demand.

President Trump stated, 'We don't allow windmills... It ruins the landscape. It kills the birds. They're noisy.' (41:00) The administration suspended offshore wind leases citing 'national security concerns, specifically claims that turbines interfere with Defense Department radar systems.' (42:31) Chris Seiple of Wood Mackenzie noted, 'data centers already account for roughly 4 percent of U.S. electricity consumption and growth is accelerating.' (46:07) He added that 136 gigawatts of future data center build-out is committed, which would consume '25 percent of the electricity currently generated in the U.S.' (46:23)

Advanced 3D laser scanning technology can create exact, micro-level reproductions of artworks, capturing details like paint strokes and cracks with 10-micron precision. This technology offers significant benefits for art preservation, allowing for detailed archiving of fragile works (like the Mona Lisa or damaged frescoes) against environmental threats or disasters. It also aids in restoration, insurance, and authentication. While it democratizes access by allowing high-fidelity copies to be experienced globally, it raises ethical and philosophical questions about the unique value of the original and how the experience of art might change when the line between original and copy blurs.

Jerry Kaplan described the technology as creating 'an exact, precise reproduction at a micro level.' (49:39) Patrick Robinson of Arius Technology stated, 'We scan them to 10 microns, which is the same width of a 10th of the human hair.' (51:13) He also mentioned its use for 'restorations, for insurance, for valuations.' (51:37) Art historian Adrian Randolph questioned, 'What happens when you have many, many objects which are reproduced? The value of the original might decline.' (53:18)