Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.
On today's podcast:
1) The Department of Homeland Security will immediately pull 700 officers from Minneapolis, a reduction of about a quarter, amid efforts to deescalate tensions after federal agents killed two US citizens. White House border czar Tom Homan, who President Trump sent to Minneapolis as part of an effort to ease pressure amid local outrage, emphasized a shift to more targeted enforcement after a surge of immigration agents sparked widespread protests. Homan also said cooperation with local authorities to detain immigrants with criminal records had improved. About 2,000 federal immigration agents will remain, down from the peak of the operation but still much higher than the roughly 150 officers that would be normal, Homan told reporters Wednesday.
2) President Trump sent a fresh warning to Iran’s leaders as US military forces amass in the region, even as diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran were set for later this week. “I would say he should be very worried, yeah. He should be,” Trump said in an interview with NBC News on Wednesday, when asked about Iran’s supreme leader. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a social media post Wednesday that talks with the US were scheduled to be held in Muscat, Oman on Friday morning. The US and Iran still plan to meet in Oman on Friday to discuss a nuclear deal, according to a White House official.
3) President Trump said he would have passed on Kevin Warsh as his nominee to lead the Federal Reserve if Warsh had expressed a desire to hike interest rates. The president said there was “not much” doubt the Fed would lower rates because “we’re way high in interest” but now “we’re a rich country again.” Trump’s comments could come up during Warsh’s confirmation process, where the Fed’s independence will likely be a central topic. Trump said he believed “in theory” that the central bank was an independent body, while saying he was a “smart guy” whose economic predictions should be considered. Republican Senator Thom Tillis, a member of the Banking Committee, has pledged to block any of Trump’s nominees to the institution until the Justice Department ends an investigation into the central bank’s renovation.
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