By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/graham-dunbar">GRAHAM DUNBAR</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-graves">WILL GRAVES</a>

GENEVA (AP) — American gymnast Jordan Chiles may reclaim the bronze medal on floor exercise from the 2024 Paris Olympics that was stripped from her following an appeal by Romania after all.

Switzerland’s supreme court said on Thursday its judges sent the “highly exceptional circumstances” of the bronze medal awarded in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/simone-biles-olympics-floor-beam">women’s floor exercise</a>&nbsp;back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to examine new evidence.

The outcome of an event that created a celebrated Olympic photo featuring Chiles, floor exercise silver medalist Simone Biles and gold medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil — all women of color — rests on just a handful of seconds: Can the U.S. team prove it made a timely appeal in the Olympic arena on behalf of Chiles?

The federal judges’ ruling — highly unusual in cases of this nature — suggested Chiles could regain the bronze medal she originally got in Paris after challenging her judged score.

Chiles’ third-place finish was overturned within days on appeal by the Romanian team to the CAS’ Olympic court in Paris. The medal was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/romanian-gymnast-bronze-medal-chiles-3cec6ec6344b8d4ecc91270916b0d357">awarded in Bucharest</a>&nbsp;the next week to Ana Maria Barbosu.

The federal court wants CAS to examine a recording that could show the original U.S. challenge of the judged score was within a one-minute deadline on the field of play.

“In the highly exceptional circumstances of the case in question,” the Swiss Federal Tribunal said in a statement, “it considers that there is a likelihood for the audio-visual recording of the final on Aug. 5, 2024 to lead to a modification of the contested award in favor of the applicant (Chiles).”

The CAS said in a statement Thursday it “can now ensure a thorough judicial review of the new evidence that has since been made available.”

The court based in Lausanne, across the Olympics’ home city from the supreme court, gave no timetable for the review. It likely will take at least one year to prepare and process before a verdict is ready.

Still, the federal court’s decision has given Chiles renewed hope of keeping her medal and putting the controversy behind her.

“We are delighted that the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has righted a wrong and given Jordan the chance she deserves to reclaim her bronze medal,” Maurice M. Suh, part of the legal team representing Chiles, said in a statement. “As the Court recognized, there is ‘conclusive’ video evidence that Jordan was the rightful winner of the bronze medal.”

Suh added that Chiles will “fight vigorously” and is grateful to have a “full and fair opportunity to defend her bronze medal.”

USA Gymnastics praised the court for recognizing “the flaws in the initial process and that Jordan’s case can now be heard inclusive of all relevant evidence.”

Chiles, now 24, has pressed forward with her life after dealing with significant online backlash — some of it racially tinged — in the immediate aftermath.

She returned to compete collegiately at UCLA while also leaning into her burgeoning celebrity, participating on the reality competition “Dancing With the Stars,” posing for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and is currently featured in a commercial for a female athleisure apparel line that also includes tennis icon Serena Williams and track star Sha’Carri Richardson.

Graves reported from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769785032769.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/graham-dunbar">GRAHAM DUNBAR</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-graves">WILL GRAVES</a>GENEVA (AP) — American gymnast Jordan Chiles may reclaim the bronze medal on floor exercise from the 2024 Paris Olympics that was stripped from her following an appeal by Romania after all.Switzerland’s supreme court said on Thursday its judges sent the “highly exceptional circumstances” of the bronze medal awarded in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/simone-biles-olympics-floor-beam">women’s floor exercise</a>&nbsp;back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to examine new evidence.The outcome of an event that created a celebrated Olympic photo featuring Chiles, floor exercise silver medalist Simone Biles and gold medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil — all women of color — rests on just a handful of seconds: Can the U.S. team prove it made a timely appeal in the Olympic arena on behalf of Chiles?The federal judges’ ruling — highly unusual in cases of this nature — suggested Chiles could regain the bronze medal she originally got in Paris after challenging her judged score.Chiles’ third-place finish was overturned within days on appeal by the Romanian team to the CAS’ Olympic court in Paris. The medal was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/romanian-gymnast-bronze-medal-chiles-3cec6ec6344b8d4ecc91270916b0d357">awarded in Bucharest</a>&nbsp;the next week to Ana Maria Barbosu.The federal court wants CAS to examine a recording that could show the original U.S. challenge of the judged score was within a one-minute deadline on the field of play.“In the highly exceptional circumstances of the case in question,” the Swiss Federal Tribunal said in a statement, “it considers that there is a likelihood for the audio-visual recording of the final on Aug. 5, 2024 to lead to a modification of the contested award in favor of the applicant (Chiles).”The CAS said in a statement Thursday it “can now ensure a thorough judicial review of the new evidence that has since been made available.”The court based in Lausanne, across the Olympics’ home city from the supreme court, gave no timetable for the review. It likely will take at least one year to prepare and process before a verdict is ready.Still, the federal court’s decision has given Chiles renewed hope of keeping her medal and putting the controversy behind her.“We are delighted that the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has righted a wrong and given Jordan the chance she deserves to reclaim her bronze medal,” Maurice M. Suh, part of the legal team representing Chiles, said in a statement. “As the Court recognized, there is ‘conclusive’ video evidence that Jordan was the rightful winner of the bronze medal.”Suh added that Chiles will “fight vigorously” and is grateful to have a “full and fair opportunity to defend her bronze medal.”USA Gymnastics praised the court for recognizing “the flaws in the initial process and that Jordan’s case can now be heard inclusive of all relevant evidence.”Chiles, now 24, has pressed forward with her life after dealing with significant online backlash — some of it racially tinged — in the immediate aftermath.She returned to compete collegiately at UCLA while also leaning into her burgeoning celebrity, participating on the reality competition “Dancing With the Stars,” posing for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and is currently featured in a commercial for a female athleisure apparel line that also includes tennis icon Serena Williams and track star Sha’Carri Richardson.___Graves reported from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Jordan Chiles' appeal granted in Olympics bronze medal battle

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that he will nominate former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-reserve-system">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;official Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Fed, a decision likely to result in sharp changes to the powerful agency that could bring it closer to the White House.

Warsh would replace current chair Jerome Powell when his term expires in May. Trump chose Powell to lead the Fed in 2017 but this year has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4821bb5d0baa9980c4c69ab26fab3ab4">relentlessly assailed him</a>&nbsp;for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.

"I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best,” Trump posted on his Truth Social site. “On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,’ and he will never let you down.”

The appointment, which requires Senate confirmation, amounts to a return trip for Warsh, 55, who was a member of the Fed's board from 2006 to 2011. He was the youngest governor in history when he was appointed at age 35. He is currently a fellow at the right-leaning Hoover Institution and a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

In some ways, Warsh is an unlikely choice for the Republican president because he has long been a hawk in Fed parlance, or someone who typically supports higher interest rates to control inflation. Trump has said the Fed’s key rate should be as low as 1%, far below its current level of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-economy-inflation-jobs-442de589de9b99bb811f76e402b00948">about 3.6%</a>, a stance few economists endorse.

During his time as governor, Warsh objected to some of the low-interest rate policies that the Fed pursued during and after the 2008-09 Great Recession. He also often expressed concern at that time that inflation would soon accelerate, even though it remained at rock-bottom levels for many years after that recession ended.

More recently, however, in speeches and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-high-cost-of-the-feds-mission-creep-role-responsibility-monetary-policy-economy-20a352f8?mod=article_inline">opinion columns</a>, Warsh has said he supports lower rates.

Warsh beat out several other candidates, including Trump's top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, investment manager Rick Rieder, and current Fed governor Christopher Waller.

Warsh’s appointment would be a major step toward Trump asserting more control over the Fed, one of the few remaining independent federal agencies. While all presidents influence Fed policy through appointments, Trump’s rhetorical attacks on the central bank have raised concerns about its status&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-federal-reserve-powell-trump-63c3e35e8606b7b73455b08aa21456dd">as an independent institution</a>.

The announcement comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-independence-inflation-5c8cfa5816845d4f005db51c91cdab0d">an extended and unusually public search</a>&nbsp;that underscored the importance of the decision to Trump and the potential impact it could have on the economy. The chair of the Federal Reserve is one of the most powerful economic officials in the world, tasked with combating inflation in the United States while also supporting maximum employment. The Fed is also the nation’s top banking regulator.

The Fed’s rate decisions, over time, influence borrowing costs throughout the economy, including for mortgages, car loans and credit cards.

For now, Warsh would likely fill a seat on the Fed’s governing board that was temporarily occupied by Stephen Miran, a White House adviser who Trump appointed in September. Once on the board, Trump could then elevate Warsh to the chair position when Powell’s term ends in May.

Since Trump's reelection, Warsh has expressed support for the president's economic policies, despite a history as a more conventional, pro-free trade Republican.

In a January 2025 column in The Wall Street Journal, Warsh wrote that "the Trump administration’s strong deregulatory policies, if implemented, would be disinflationary. Cutbacks in government spending — inspired by the Department of Government Efficiency — would also materially reduce inflationary pressures.” Lower inflation would allow the Fed to deliver the rate cuts the president wants.

Trump has sought to exert more control over the Fed. In August he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-cook-trump-fed-independence-firing-d06dfb46fbd300195c3cedc8cb5adadb">tried to fire Lisa Cook</a>, one of seven governors on the Fed’s board, in an effort to secure a majority of the board. Cook, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cook-trump-56e36badb0d1e9752e306fd6609747bd">sued to keep her job</a>, and the Supreme Court, in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-cook-federal-reserve-powell-a8572f8a1f62cf653e822a64c714d05a">a hearing last week</a>, appeared inclined to let her stay in her position while her suit is resolved.

Economic research has found that independent central banks have better track records of controlling inflation. Elected officials, like Trump, often demand lower interest rates to juice growth and hiring, which can fuel higher prices.

Trump had said he would appoint a Fed chair who will cut interest rates to lower the government's borrowing costs and bring down mortgage rates, though the Fed doesn't decide those costs directly.

In December, he wrote on social media of the need for lower borrowing costs and said, “Anyone who disagrees with me will never be the Fed chairman!”

If confirmed by the Senate, Warsh would face challenges in pushing interest rates much lower. The chair is just one member of the Fed’s 19-person rate-setting committee, with 12 of those officials voting on each rate decision. The committee is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-economy-inflation-jobs-442de589de9b99bb811f76e402b00948">already split</a>&nbsp;between those worried about persistent inflation, who’d like to keep rates unchanged, and those who think that recent upticks in unemployment point to a stumbling economy that needs lower interest rates to bolster hiring.

Financial markets could also push back. If the Fed cuts its short-term rate too aggressively and is seen as doing so for political reasons, then Wall Street investors could sell Treasury bonds out of fear that inflation would rise. Such sales would push up longer-term interest rates, including mortgage rates, and backfire on Warsh.

Trump considered appointing Warsh as Fed chair during his first term, though ultimately he went with Powell. Warsh’s father-in-law is Ronald Lauder, heir to the Estee Lauder cosmetics fortune and a longtime donor and confidant of Trump’s.

Prior to serving on the Fed's board in 2006, Warsh was an economic aide in George W. Bush's Republican administration and was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley.

Warsh worked closely with then-Chair Ben Bernanke in 2008-09 during the central bank’s efforts to combat the financial crisis and the Great Recession. Bernanke later wrote in his memoirs that Warsh was “one of my closest advisers and confidants” and added that his “political and markets savvy and many contacts on Wall Street would prove invaluable.”

Warsh, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/FOMC20080430meeting.pdf">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;in 2008, as the economy tumbled into a deep recession, that further interest rate cuts by the Fed could spur inflation. Yet even after the Fed cut its rate to nearly zero, inflation stayed low.

More recently, Warsh has become harshly critical of the Fed, calling for “regime change" and assailing Powell for engaging on issues like climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion, which Warsh said are outside the Fed's mandate.

His more critical approach suggests that if he does ascend to the position of chair, it would amount to a sharp transition at the Fed.

In a July interview on CNBC, Warsh said Fed policy “has been broken for quite a long time.”

“The central bank that sits there today is radically different than the central bank I joined in 2006,” he added. By allowing inflation to surge in 2021-22, the Fed “brought about the greatest mistake in macroeconomic policy in 45 years, that divided the country.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769780918868.png" alt="Kevin Warsh during a Reagan Economic Forum discussion in 2025-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kevin Warsh during a Reagan Economic Forum discussion in 2025-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that he will nominate former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-reserve-system">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;official Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Fed, a decision likely to result in sharp changes to the powerful agency that could bring it closer to the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald J. Trump nominates Kevin Warsh as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve <a href="https://t.co/M5FHQJzY2a">pic.twitter.com/M5FHQJzY2a</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2017204022948594152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald J. Trump announces the nomination of Kevin Warsh to be the CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE. <a href="https://t.co/ZENG1ytVFD">pic.twitter.com/ZENG1ytVFD</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2017214610751865031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Warsh would replace current chair Jerome Powell when his term expires in May. Trump chose Powell to lead the Fed in 2017 but this year has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4821bb5d0baa9980c4c69ab26fab3ab4">relentlessly assailed him</a>&nbsp;for not cutting interest rates quickly enough."I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best,” Trump posted on his Truth Social site. “On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,’ and he will never let you down.”The appointment, which requires Senate confirmation, amounts to a return trip for Warsh, 55, who was a member of the Fed's board from 2006 to 2011. He was the youngest governor in history when he was appointed at age 35. He is currently a fellow at the right-leaning Hoover Institution and a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.In some ways, Warsh is an unlikely choice for the Republican president because he has long been a hawk in Fed parlance, or someone who typically supports higher interest rates to control inflation. Trump has said the Fed’s key rate should be as low as 1%, far below its current level of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-economy-inflation-jobs-442de589de9b99bb811f76e402b00948">about 3.6%</a>, a stance few economists endorse.During his time as governor, Warsh objected to some of the low-interest rate policies that the Fed pursued during and after the 2008-09 Great Recession. He also often expressed concern at that time that inflation would soon accelerate, even though it remained at rock-bottom levels for many years after that recession ended.More recently, however, in speeches and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-high-cost-of-the-feds-mission-creep-role-responsibility-monetary-policy-economy-20a352f8?mod=article_inline">opinion columns</a>, Warsh has said he supports lower rates.Warsh beat out several other candidates, including Trump's top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, investment manager Rick Rieder, and current Fed governor Christopher Waller.<h2>Controlling the Fed</h2>Warsh’s appointment would be a major step toward Trump asserting more control over the Fed, one of the few remaining independent federal agencies. While all presidents influence Fed policy through appointments, Trump’s rhetorical attacks on the central bank have raised concerns about its status&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-federal-reserve-powell-trump-63c3e35e8606b7b73455b08aa21456dd">as an independent institution</a>.The announcement comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-independence-inflation-5c8cfa5816845d4f005db51c91cdab0d">an extended and unusually public search</a>&nbsp;that underscored the importance of the decision to Trump and the potential impact it could have on the economy. The chair of the Federal Reserve is one of the most powerful economic officials in the world, tasked with combating inflation in the United States while also supporting maximum employment. The Fed is also the nation’s top banking regulator.The Fed’s rate decisions, over time, influence borrowing costs throughout the economy, including for mortgages, car loans and credit cards.For now, Warsh would likely fill a seat on the Fed’s governing board that was temporarily occupied by Stephen Miran, a White House adviser who Trump appointed in September. Once on the board, Trump could then elevate Warsh to the chair position when Powell’s term ends in May.<h2>Trump's economic policies</h2>Since Trump's reelection, Warsh has expressed support for the president's economic policies, despite a history as a more conventional, pro-free trade Republican.In a January 2025 column in The Wall Street Journal, Warsh wrote that "the Trump administration’s strong deregulatory policies, if implemented, would be disinflationary. Cutbacks in government spending — inspired by the Department of Government Efficiency — would also materially reduce inflationary pressures.” Lower inflation would allow the Fed to deliver the rate cuts the president wants.Trump has sought to exert more control over the Fed. In August he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lisa-cook-trump-fed-independence-firing-d06dfb46fbd300195c3cedc8cb5adadb">tried to fire Lisa Cook</a>, one of seven governors on the Fed’s board, in an effort to secure a majority of the board. Cook, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cook-trump-56e36badb0d1e9752e306fd6609747bd">sued to keep her job</a>, and the Supreme Court, in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-cook-federal-reserve-powell-a8572f8a1f62cf653e822a64c714d05a">a hearing last week</a>, appeared inclined to let her stay in her position while her suit is resolved.Economic research has found that independent central banks have better track records of controlling inflation. Elected officials, like Trump, often demand lower interest rates to juice growth and hiring, which can fuel higher prices.Trump had said he would appoint a Fed chair who will cut interest rates to lower the government's borrowing costs and bring down mortgage rates, though the Fed doesn't decide those costs directly.In December, he wrote on social media of the need for lower borrowing costs and said, “Anyone who disagrees with me will never be the Fed chairman!”<h2>Potential challenges and pushback</h2>If confirmed by the Senate, Warsh would face challenges in pushing interest rates much lower. The chair is just one member of the Fed’s 19-person rate-setting committee, with 12 of those officials voting on each rate decision. The committee is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-economy-inflation-jobs-442de589de9b99bb811f76e402b00948">already split</a>&nbsp;between those worried about persistent inflation, who’d like to keep rates unchanged, and those who think that recent upticks in unemployment point to a stumbling economy that needs lower interest rates to bolster hiring.Financial markets could also push back. If the Fed cuts its short-term rate too aggressively and is seen as doing so for political reasons, then Wall Street investors could sell Treasury bonds out of fear that inflation would rise. Such sales would push up longer-term interest rates, including mortgage rates, and backfire on Warsh.Trump considered appointing Warsh as Fed chair during his first term, though ultimately he went with Powell. Warsh’s father-in-law is Ronald Lauder, heir to the Estee Lauder cosmetics fortune and a longtime donor and confidant of Trump’s.<h2>Who is Warsh?</h2>Prior to serving on the Fed's board in 2006, Warsh was an economic aide in George W. Bush's Republican administration and was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley.Warsh worked closely with then-Chair Ben Bernanke in 2008-09 during the central bank’s efforts to combat the financial crisis and the Great Recession. Bernanke later wrote in his memoirs that Warsh was “one of my closest advisers and confidants” and added that his “political and markets savvy and many contacts on Wall Street would prove invaluable.”Warsh, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/FOMC20080430meeting.pdf">raised concerns</a>&nbsp;in 2008, as the economy tumbled into a deep recession, that further interest rate cuts by the Fed could spur inflation. Yet even after the Fed cut its rate to nearly zero, inflation stayed low.More recently, Warsh has become harshly critical of the Fed, calling for “regime change" and assailing Powell for engaging on issues like climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion, which Warsh said are outside the Fed's mandate.His more critical approach suggests that if he does ascend to the position of chair, it would amount to a sharp transition at the Fed.In a July interview on CNBC, Warsh said Fed policy “has been broken for quite a long time.”“The central bank that sits there today is radically different than the central bank I joined in 2006,” he added. By allowing inflation to surge in 2021-22, the Fed “brought about the greatest mistake in macroeconomic policy in 45 years, that divided the country.”___

Details on President Trump's pick to chair the Federal Reserve

WASHINGTON (AP) — Journalist Don Lemon was arrested in connection with an anti-immigration protest that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-protest-church-minneapolis-fcc97a29b9c4434c665d76d4811c5a3e">disrupted a service</a>&nbsp;at a Minnesota church and increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration, his lawyer said Friday.

Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney Abbe Lowell said.

It is unclear what charge or charges Lemon is facing in the Jan. 18 protest. The arrest came after a magistrate judge last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-minnesota-church-disruption-bondi-ed084f5005187f58eabe0cc627d1862b">rejected prosecutors’ initial bid</a>&nbsp;to charge the journalist.

Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, has said he has no affiliation to the organization that went into the church and that he was there as a journalist chronicling protesters.

“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said in a statement. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”

Lowell added that “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media Friday morning confirming the arrest of Lemon and three others who were present during the protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor.

“At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi said.

Since he left CNN, Lemon has joined the legion of journalists who have gone into business for himself, posting regularly on YouTube. He hasn’t hidden his disdain for Trump. Yet during his online show from the church, he said repeatedly, “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.” He described the scene in front of him, and interviewed churchgoers and demonstrators.

Shortly after the first attempt to charge him fell through, he predicted on his show that the administration would try again.

“And guess what,” he said, “here I am. Keep trying. That’s not going to stop me from being a journalist. That’s not going to diminish my voice. Go ahead, make me into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-supporters-94b79634a19b2c4ce70a2b4195ef1175">the new Jimmy Kimmel,</a>&nbsp;if you want. Just do it. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

A prominent civil rights attorney and two other people involved in the protest were arrested last week. Prosecutors have accused them of civil rights violations for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-church-protest-history-58817d7033c6b83867131f4cee87256a">disrupting the Cities Church service</a>.

The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">37-year-old mother of three</a>&nbsp;who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in social media post last week.

Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads an ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs.

The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church disruption stands in contrast to its decision not to open a civil rights investigation into Good’s killing by an ICE officer. The department has not said whether it will open a civil rights probe into the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shooting-minneapolis-protests-ice-immigration-41437baa4b349279cf8abfaf1076162c">37-year-old Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;by federal officers.

“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769780098867.png" alt="Statement from Lemon's attorney on the arrest" />
 <figcaption>Statement from Lemon's attorney on the arrest</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Journalist Don Lemon was arrested in connection with an anti-immigration protest that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-protest-church-minneapolis-fcc97a29b9c4434c665d76d4811c5a3e">disrupted a service</a>&nbsp;at a Minnesota church and increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration, his lawyer said Friday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/moL7xr4jZJ">pic.twitter.com/moL7xr4jZJ</a>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2017277024235040888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. More details soon.&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2017238803639845115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney Abbe Lowell said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769780223167.png" alt="File -Don Lemon from a 2022 interview-&nbsp; photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File -Don Lemon from a 2022 interview-&nbsp; photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When life gives you lemons... ⛓️ <a href="https://t.co/wxry0fudOj">pic.twitter.com/wxry0fudOj</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2017248964878143741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It is unclear what charge or charges Lemon is facing in the Jan. 18 protest. The arrest came after a magistrate judge last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-minnesota-church-disruption-bondi-ed084f5005187f58eabe0cc627d1862b">rejected prosecutors’ initial bid</a>&nbsp;to charge the journalist.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/Yy9IOZRpJU">pic.twitter.com/Yy9IOZRpJU</a>&mdash; CNN Communications (@CNNPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNPR/status/2017257849592721642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, has said he has no affiliation to the organization that went into the church and that he was there as a journalist chronicling protesters.“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said in a statement. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”Lowell added that “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media Friday morning confirming the arrest of Lemon and three others who were present during the protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor.“At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi said.Since he left CNN, Lemon has joined the legion of journalists who have gone into business for himself, posting regularly on YouTube. He hasn’t hidden his disdain for Trump. Yet during his online show from the church, he said repeatedly, “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.” He described the scene in front of him, and interviewed churchgoers and demonstrators.Shortly after the first attempt to charge him fell through, he predicted on his show that the administration would try again.“And guess what,” he said, “here I am. Keep trying. That’s not going to stop me from being a journalist. That’s not going to diminish my voice. Go ahead, make me into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-supporters-94b79634a19b2c4ce70a2b4195ef1175">the new Jimmy Kimmel,</a>&nbsp;if you want. Just do it. Because I’m not going anywhere.”A prominent civil rights attorney and two other people involved in the protest were arrested last week. Prosecutors have accused them of civil rights violations for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-church-protest-history-58817d7033c6b83867131f4cee87256a">disrupting the Cities Church service</a>.The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">37-year-old mother of three</a>&nbsp;who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in social media post last week.Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads an ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs.The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church disruption stands in contrast to its decision not to open a civil rights investigation into Good’s killing by an ICE officer. The department has not said whether it will open a civil rights probe into the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shooting-minneapolis-protests-ice-immigration-41437baa4b349279cf8abfaf1076162c">37-year-old Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;by federal officers.“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said.

Former CNN anchor arrested after protest that disrupted church service

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with&nbsp;threatening violence against a federal official.

According to court documents, Adam Lee Osborn, 60, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure and one count of influencing, impeding, and retaliating against a federal official by threatening.&nbsp;

On January 23, 2026, Osborn allegedly indicated via social media that he intended to murder Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.&nbsp;

“Threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. &nbsp;“In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate. For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. &nbsp;Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”

Police arrested Osborn and he was booked into the Butler County jail, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769719866807.png" alt="Osborn is being held in Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Osborn is being held in Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with&nbsp;threatening violence against a federal official.According to court documents, Adam Lee Osborn, 60, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure and one count of influencing, impeding, and retaliating against a federal official by threatening.&nbsp;On January 23, 2026, Osborn allegedly indicated via social media that he intended to murder Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.&nbsp;“Threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. &nbsp;“In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate. For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. &nbsp;Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”Police arrested Osborn and he was booked into the Butler County jail, according to online jail records.

Kansas man accused of threat to kill Congresswoman

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. —The pilot and three passengers were injured after a helicopter crash into the Meramec River Thursday.

According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the helicopter carrying Missouri State Parks employees, may have struck a power line while the team was conducting an aerial survey.

Sullivan Fire Protection District crews rescued the four people on board&nbsp; and transported them to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769772156979.png" alt="Photo Sullivan FIre Protection District" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sullivan FIre Protection District</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. —The pilot and three passengers were injured after a helicopter crash into the Meramec River Thursday.According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the helicopter carrying Missouri State Parks employees, may have struck a power line while the team was conducting an aerial survey.Sullivan Fire Protection District crews rescued the four people on board&nbsp; and transported them to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.The crash remains under investigation.

Pilot, passengers rescued after helicopter crash into river in Missouri

What started as sharp criticism of the Homeland Security Secretary has morphed into a move by Democratic lawmakers signing onto&nbsp;impeachment legislation&nbsp;in the Republican-controlled House.

Democrat U.S. Representative Emmanuel Cleaver, II, who represents Missouri's 5th Congressional District, that covers a large part of Kansas City, is calling for the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

“Following the second killing of an American citizen and numerous violations of court orders under her leadership, I signed onto H.Res. 996 and am calling for the impeachment of Secretary Kristi Noem. This moment demands moral clarity, not political convenience. When those entrusted with immense power abuse it, showing contempt for the rule of law, human dignity, and constitutional liberties, Congress has not just the authority, but the obligation to act.”

“In my theology of government, impeachment is not a step I take lightly. It is a grave constitutional mechanism meant for moments exactly like this – when misconduct is not incidental, but systemic; when harm is not abstract, but real; and when officials are not only failing to uphold the Constitution, but actively undermining it. Our democracy cannot endure if those at the highest levels of government are allowed to operate above the law or beyond consequence.”

““My decision is consistent with the stand I took just last week. I voted against funding the Department of Homeland Security because I refuse to endorse an agency that has lost their moral compass, leaving them only guided by a desire to inflict suffering without due process. Oversight without accountability is meaningless, and funding without reform is surrendering to injustice.”

“At its core, this is about right and wrong. It is about whether we are willing to meet the moment with integrity, or whether we will avert our eyes while power is misused and lives are diminished. I choose to stand on the side of accountability, justice, and the enduring promise of our Republic – if we can keep it.”

President Donald Trump continues to support Noem.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769741602366.png" alt="-Homeland Security Kristi Noem made no comments during Thursday's Cabinet meeting at the White House.- image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>-Homeland Security Kristi Noem made no comments during Thursday's Cabinet meeting at the White House.- image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>What started as sharp criticism of the Homeland Security Secretary has morphed into a move by Democratic lawmakers signing onto&nbsp;impeachment legislation&nbsp;in the Republican-controlled House.Democrat U.S. Representative Emmanuel Cleaver, II, who represents Missouri's 5th Congressional District, that covers a large part of Kansas City, is calling for the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1463170405472529%2F&show_text=true&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>A text of Cleaver's statement is below.“Following the second killing of an American citizen and numerous violations of court orders under her leadership, I signed onto H.Res. 996 and am calling for the impeachment of Secretary Kristi Noem. This moment demands moral clarity, not political convenience. When those entrusted with immense power abuse it, showing contempt for the rule of law, human dignity, and constitutional liberties, Congress has not just the authority, but the obligation to act.”“In my theology of government, impeachment is not a step I take lightly. It is a grave constitutional mechanism meant for moments exactly like this – when misconduct is not incidental, but systemic; when harm is not abstract, but real; and when officials are not only failing to uphold the Constitution, but actively undermining it. Our democracy cannot endure if those at the highest levels of government are allowed to operate above the law or beyond consequence.”““My decision is consistent with the stand I took just last week. I voted against funding the Department of Homeland Security because I refuse to endorse an agency that has lost their moral compass, leaving them only guided by a desire to inflict suffering without due process. Oversight without accountability is meaningless, and funding without reform is surrendering to injustice.”“At its core, this is about right and wrong. It is about whether we are willing to meet the moment with integrity, or whether we will avert our eyes while power is misused and lives are diminished. I choose to stand on the side of accountability, justice, and the enduring promise of our Republic – if we can keep it.”President Donald Trump continues to support Noem.

🎥:KC area Congressman calls for impeachment of DHS Secretary

ATCHISON COUNTY —One&nbsp; person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Thursday in Atchison County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford F150 driven by Dustin B.&nbsp;Saunders, 32, Troy, was northbound on Kansas 7 Highway just north of 318th. The pickup traveled off&nbsp; the roadway to the right and struck a tree. After impact, the pickup spun around and came to a rest in the East ditch of the highway.

Saunders was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

ATCHISON COUNTY —One&nbsp; person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Thursday in Atchison County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Ford F150 driven by Dustin B.&nbsp;Saunders, 32, Troy, was northbound on Kansas 7 Highway just north of 318th. The pickup traveled off&nbsp; the roadway to the right and struck a tree. After impact, the pickup spun around and came to a rest in the East ditch of the highway.Saunders was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after pickup strikes a tree

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump is capping her first year back as first lady with the global release of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-documentary-amazon-ratner-bezos-fc36fc99e3eff0a18ef8b72335af88f6">a documentary</a>&nbsp;she produced about the 20 days leading up to husband Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

A private person, Melania Trump remains a bit of a mystery to the public in her husband’s second term. “Melania” premiered Thursday at the Kennedy Center before it is released on Friday in more than 1,500 theaters in the U.S. and around the world.

“I want to show the audience my life, what it takes to be a first lady again and (the) transition from private citizen back to the White House,” Melania Trump told reporters as she and the president moved along a charcoal-colored walkway at the event attended by Cabinet members, members of Congress and conservative commentators.

She said viewers will see how she conducts her businesses and philanthropy, cares for her family and builds her White House team.

“It’s beautiful, it’s emotional, it’s fashionable, it’s cinematic and I’m very proud of it,” she said.

The documentary was produced by AmazonMGM Studios and is said to have cost $40 million. It will stream exclusively on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service after its theatrical run.

Director Brett Ratner said his measure of success would not be box-office performance.

“It’s a documentary and documentaries historically have not been huge box office smashes,” he told reporters on his way into the premiere. “You can’t expect a documentary to play in theaters.”

The Republican president saw the nearly two-hour film for the first time at a private White House screening over the weekend. He said Thursday that he thought it was “really great.”

“It really brings back a glamour that you just don’t see anymore,” Trump said. “Our country can use a little bit of that, right?”

‘Melania’ more than a year in the making

It was unclear how much money Melania Trump stands to earn or what her plans are for any film proceeds. Experts said it was unusual for a first lady to pursue a project of this kind from the White House — but not unusual for the Trumps.

“As far as I know, she’s the first first lady to be paid a lot of money to have a documentary made about her and it is unprecedented in terms of the Trumps because they are always breaking precedent,” said Katherine Jellison, professor emerita of history at Ohio University.

Asked about the sum, Trump mentioned the book deal for Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, that the publisher announced in 2017, shortly after he left office.

Presidents and first ladies generally refrain from pursuing outside business ventures while in office to avoid potential conflicts of interest or raising ethical concerns.

Both Trumps participate in numerous business ventures, selling everything from watches, fragrances and Bibles for him to jewelry, Christmas ornaments and digital collectibles for her.

Marc Beckman, the first lady’s longtime senior adviser, defended the financial arrangement, which Amazon has declined to comment on. He noted that she was a private citizen when Amazon announced the film in January 2025 and that she is unelected and receives no salary as first lady. “So why should we limit her?” he said Thursday.

The movie also marks another link between the Trumps and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has worked to improve a once-tense relationship with the president.

Melania Trump said Thursday that a bidding process was conducted and that Amazon “was the best because they agreed to do theatrical releases.”

The movie is the first project by Ratner since he was accused of sexual misconduct in the early days of the #MeToo reckoning. Ratner’s lawyer has denied the allegations.

In a scene from a teaser for the movie, it is Inauguration Day and Melania Trump is inside the Capitol, waiting to be escorted into the Rotunda for the ceremony. She turns her head, looks directly into the camera and says, “Here we go again.”

She wrote in her self-titled memoir published in 2024 about how much she values her privacy. She is not seen or heard from as often as some of her recent predecessors, which may be influencing the public’s perceptions of her. But she also likes to do things her way.

She said she did the film to show people what goes into becoming first lady.

The U.S. public is divided on their views of her, but a significant number — about 4 in 10 adults — had no opinion or had not heard of her, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25493738/cnn-poll-on-trump.pdf" target="_blank">CNN poll from January 2025</a>. About 3 in 10 adults saw her favorably while roughly the same share had an unfavorable opinion.

Her standing among Republicans was higher, with about 7 in 10 saying in the poll that they viewed her favorably, but around one-quarter had no opinion.

“I think it’s an attempt, in a way, to really augment or tailor or really refine her image for the American public,” said Katherine Sibley, who teaches history at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. “She’s a mystery to the American people.”

First lady cites impactful first year of second Trump term

Melania Trump, 55, said she’s honored to execute the traditional duties of first lady, such as planning state dinners, hosting the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-melania-easter-egg-roll-lawn-04b318bdb89097e2c9f9f3fda45ac1be">Easter Egg Roll</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-holiday-decorations-white-house-378c18c3adbd2484149135b96f4e276b">decorating for Christmas</a>. But she also has said she wants to leave her mark in other ways, too.

She spent chunks of time away from Washington last year working on the documentary and was deeply involved in every aspect of its development, according to Beckman.

Her first-year record centers on the well-being and safety of children.

She used her influence to lobby Congress to pass the “Take It Down Act,” making it a federal crime to publish intimate images online without consent. The president signed the bill into law and had her sign it, too.

Her advocacy for foster children was enshrined in an executive order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-white-house-foster-care-5301987e676786c793b2b9fba0eb4c2f">creating a “Fostering the Future” program</a>. It’s part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/parenting-united-states-government-2aefddc6f11044d4ac340809f9e75bb3">the “Be Best” child-focused initiative</a>&nbsp;she launched in the first term.

She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-russia-ukraine-children-fe324a08a9a957f05995dac0d95a66c3">wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;for help reuniting children who had been separated from their families because of his war against Ukraine. She had her husband hand-deliver the letter when the leaders met in Alaska, and she later announced that eight children had been reunited with their families.

The first lady has a prominent role in the administration’s efforts on artificial intelligence and education and recently launched a global version of the foster child program.

She told guests at a White House Christmas reception that she is working on a new legislative effort for 2026, but has not yet shared details.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump is capping her first year back as first lady with the global release of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-documentary-amazon-ratner-bezos-fc36fc99e3eff0a18ef8b72335af88f6">a documentary</a>&nbsp;she produced about the 20 days leading up to husband Donald Trump’s return to the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and First Lady <a href="https://twitter.com/MELANIATRUMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MELANIATRUMP</a> are en route to watch the MELANIA movie at the Kennedy Center ❤️🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/1EYP8atXmw">pic.twitter.com/1EYP8atXmw</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2017023245459796262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> arrive at the Trump Kennedy Center (<a href="https://twitter.com/kencen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kencen</a>) for the premiere of &#39;Melania&#39; <a href="https://t.co/ZglkQWrciG">pic.twitter.com/ZglkQWrciG</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2017029122199801954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump and the First Lady arrive to the red carpet of the MELANIA movie screening 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/SX88VRITIa">pic.twitter.com/SX88VRITIa</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2017028825863921746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A private person, Melania Trump remains a bit of a mystery to the public in her husband’s second term. “Melania” premiered Thursday at the Kennedy Center before it is released on Friday in more than 1,500 theaters in the U.S. and around the world.“I want to show the audience my life, what it takes to be a first lady again and (the) transition from private citizen back to the White House,” Melania Trump told reporters as she and the president moved along a charcoal-colored walkway at the event attended by Cabinet members, members of Congress and conservative commentators.She said viewers will see how she conducts her businesses and philanthropy, cares for her family and builds her White House team.“It’s beautiful, it’s emotional, it’s fashionable, it’s cinematic and I’m very proud of it,” she said.The documentary was produced by AmazonMGM Studios and is said to have cost $40 million. It will stream exclusively on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service after its theatrical run.Director Brett Ratner said his measure of success would not be box-office performance.“It’s a documentary and documentaries historically have not been huge box office smashes,” he told reporters on his way into the premiere. “You can’t expect a documentary to play in theaters.”The Republican president saw the nearly two-hour film for the first time at a private White House screening over the weekend. He said Thursday that he thought it was “really great.”“It really brings back a glamour that you just don’t see anymore,” Trump said. “Our country can use a little bit of that, right?”<h2>‘Melania’ more than a year in the making</h2>It was unclear how much money Melania Trump stands to earn or what her plans are for any film proceeds. Experts said it was unusual for a first lady to pursue a project of this kind from the White House — but not unusual for the Trumps.“As far as I know, she’s the first first lady to be paid a lot of money to have a documentary made about her and it is unprecedented in terms of the Trumps because they are always breaking precedent,” said Katherine Jellison, professor emerita of history at Ohio University.Asked about the sum, Trump mentioned the book deal for Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, that the publisher announced in 2017, shortly after he left office.Presidents and first ladies generally refrain from pursuing outside business ventures while in office to avoid potential conflicts of interest or raising ethical concerns.Both Trumps participate in numerous business ventures, selling everything from watches, fragrances and Bibles for him to jewelry, Christmas ornaments and digital collectibles for her.Marc Beckman, the first lady’s longtime senior adviser, defended the financial arrangement, which Amazon has declined to comment on. He noted that she was a private citizen when Amazon announced the film in January 2025 and that she is unelected and receives no salary as first lady. “So why should we limit her?” he said Thursday.The movie also marks another link between the Trumps and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has worked to improve a once-tense relationship with the president.Melania Trump said Thursday that a bidding process was conducted and that Amazon “was the best because they agreed to do theatrical releases.”The movie is the first project by Ratner since he was accused of sexual misconduct in the early days of the #MeToo reckoning. Ratner’s lawyer has denied the allegations.<h2>‘Here we go again’</h2>In a scene from a teaser for the movie, it is Inauguration Day and Melania Trump is inside the Capitol, waiting to be escorted into the Rotunda for the ceremony. She turns her head, looks directly into the camera and says, “Here we go again.”She wrote in her self-titled memoir published in 2024 about how much she values her privacy. She is not seen or heard from as often as some of her recent predecessors, which may be influencing the public’s perceptions of her. But she also likes to do things her way.She said she did the film to show people what goes into becoming first lady.The U.S. public is divided on their views of her, but a significant number — about 4 in 10 adults — had no opinion or had not heard of her, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25493738/cnn-poll-on-trump.pdf" target="_blank">CNN poll from January 2025</a>. About 3 in 10 adults saw her favorably while roughly the same share had an unfavorable opinion.Her standing among Republicans was higher, with about 7 in 10 saying in the poll that they viewed her favorably, but around one-quarter had no opinion.“I think it’s an attempt, in a way, to really augment or tailor or really refine her image for the American public,” said Katherine Sibley, who teaches history at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. “She’s a mystery to the American people.”<h2>First lady cites impactful first year of second Trump term</h2>Melania Trump, 55, said she’s honored to execute the traditional duties of first lady, such as planning state dinners, hosting the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-melania-easter-egg-roll-lawn-04b318bdb89097e2c9f9f3fda45ac1be">Easter Egg Roll</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-holiday-decorations-white-house-378c18c3adbd2484149135b96f4e276b">decorating for Christmas</a>. But she also has said she wants to leave her mark in other ways, too.She spent chunks of time away from Washington last year working on the documentary and was deeply involved in every aspect of its development, according to Beckman.Her first-year record centers on the well-being and safety of children.She used her influence to lobby Congress to pass the “Take It Down Act,” making it a federal crime to publish intimate images online without consent. The president signed the bill into law and had her sign it, too.Her advocacy for foster children was enshrined in an executive order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-white-house-foster-care-5301987e676786c793b2b9fba0eb4c2f">creating a “Fostering the Future” program</a>. It’s part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/parenting-united-states-government-2aefddc6f11044d4ac340809f9e75bb3">the “Be Best” child-focused initiative</a>&nbsp;she launched in the first term.She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-russia-ukraine-children-fe324a08a9a957f05995dac0d95a66c3">wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;for help reuniting children who had been separated from their families because of his war against Ukraine. She had her husband hand-deliver the letter when the leaders met in Alaska, and she later announced that eight children had been reunited with their families.The first lady has a prominent role in the administration’s efforts on artificial intelligence and education and recently launched a global version of the foster child program.She told guests at a White House Christmas reception that she is working on a new legislative effort for 2026, but has not yet shared details.___

🎥Melania Trump's documentary premieres at the Kennedy Center ahead of global release

SEDGWICK COUNTY – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with&nbsp;threatening violence against federal law enforcement..

Joaquin Hernandez, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with threat to injure and one count of retaliating against a federal official by threatening, according to the United State's Attorney.

On January 22, 2026, Hernandez is accused of posting a video on TikTok threatening to assault and murder federal law enforcement agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carrying out their duties in Wichita.&nbsp; On the he threatened to shoot ICE agents “point blank” in Wichita, according to criminal complaint filed in connection with the case.

“If I see ICE activity in Wichita, Kansas, there’s gonna be hell to pay,” he said in the video, according to the complaint.

On January 23, Law enforcement arrested Hernendez and he was transferred from the Sedgwick County Jail to another federal holding facility, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769719600425.png" alt="Hernandez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hernandez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with&nbsp;threatening violence against federal law enforcement..Joaquin Hernandez, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with threat to injure and one count of retaliating against a federal official by threatening, according to the United State's Attorney.On January 22, 2026, Hernandez is accused of posting a video on TikTok threatening to assault and murder federal law enforcement agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carrying out their duties in Wichita.&nbsp; On the he threatened to shoot ICE agents “point blank” in Wichita, according to criminal complaint filed in connection with the case.“If I see ICE activity in Wichita, Kansas, there’s gonna be hell to pay,” he said in the video, according to the complaint.On January 23, Law enforcement arrested Hernendez and he was transferred from the Sedgwick County Jail to another federal holding facility, according to online jail records.

Indictment: Kansas man on TikTok threatened to shoot ICE agents 

JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations

On Tuesday, Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives served a search warrant at 17839 W. Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse&nbsp; The search warrant was issued as a result of a drug investigation.

The Sheriff’s Office arrested 50-year-old Rachel Deanne Butts, of Mayetta and 47-year-old Jim Bob Jeffries, of Silver Lake.  Butts and Jeffries were both booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769652746375.png" alt="Jeffries photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Jeffries photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegationsOn Tuesday, Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives served a search warrant at 17839 W. Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse&nbsp; The search warrant was issued as a result of a drug investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769652727176.png" alt="Butts photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Butts photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Sheriff’s Office arrested 50-year-old Rachel Deanne Butts, of Mayetta and 47-year-old Jim Bob Jeffries, of Silver Lake. Butts and Jeffries were both booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Couple jailed after drug bust at Kansas home 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats and White House have struck a deal to avert a partial government shutdown and temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security as they negotiate new restrictions for President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement.

As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">country reels</a>&nbsp;from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, the two sides have agreed to separate homeland security funding from the rest of the legislation and fund DHS for two weeks while they debate Democratic demands for curbs on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The potential deal comes after Democrats voted to block legislation to fund DHS on Thursday.

Trump said in a social media post that “Republicans and Democrats have come together to get the vast majority of the government funded until September,” while extending current funding for Homeland Security. He encouraged members of both parties to cast a “much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote.”

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told The Associated Press on Thursday that he had been “vehemently opposed” to breaking up the funding package, but “if it is broken up, we will have to move it as quickly as possible. We can’t have the government shut down.”

Democrats have requested a short extension—two weeks or less—and say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill if their demands aren’t met,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democrats-vow-to-oppose-homeland-security-money-increasing-shutdown-chance-7a801adfdd27455082fa9e26e612795d">denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it</a>&nbsp;and potentially triggering a shutdown.

Republicans were pushing for a longer extension of the Homeland Security funding, but the two sides were “getting closer,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

The rare bipartisan talks between Trump and his frequent adversary, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, came after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;in Minnesota over the weekend and calls by senators in both parties for a full investigation. Schumer called it “a moment of truth.”

“The American people support law enforcement. They support border security. They do not support ICE terrorizing our streets and killing American citizens,” Schumer said.

With no final agreement yet and an uncertain path ahead, the standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown, just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies. That dispute closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.

The fall shutdown ended when a small group of moderate Democrats broke away to strike a deal with Republicans, but Democrats are more unified this time after the fatal shootings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Pretti</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">federal agents</a>.

Democrats have laid out several demands, asking the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.

They also want an enforceable code of conduct so agents are held accountable when they violate rules. Schumer said agents should be required to have “masks off, body cameras on” and carry proper identification, as is common practice in most law enforcement agencies.

The Democratic caucus is united in those “common sense reforms,” and the burden is on Republicans to accept them, Schumer said.

“Boil it all down, what we are talking about is that these lawless ICE agents should be following the same rules that your local police department does,” said Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota. “There has to be accountability.”

Earlier on Thursday, Tom Homan, the president’s border czar, stated during a press conference in Minneapolis that federal immigration officials are developing a plan to reduce the number of agents in Minnesota, but this would depend on cooperation from state authorities.

As the two sides narrowed in on a spending deal, the length of a temporary extension for Homeland Security funding emerged as a sticking point. Thune said Thursday that two weeks wasn’t enough time to negotiate a final compromise.

“We’ll see where discussions are going between (Democrats) and the White House on that,” Thune said.

Even if the two sides strike a deal, negotiations down the road on a final agreement on the Homeland Security bill are likely to be difficult.

Democrats want Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown to end. “If the Trump administration resists reforms, we shut down the agency,” said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

But Republicans are unlikely to agree to all of the Democrats' demands.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he is opposed to requiring immigration enforcement officers to show their faces, even as he blamed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for decisions that he said are “tarnishing” the agency’s reputation.

“You know, there’s a lot of vicious people out there, and they’ll take a picture of your face, and the next thing you know, your children or your wife or your husband are being threatened at home,” Tillis said.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said some of the Democratic proposals “make sense,” such as better training and body cameras. Still, he said he was putting his Senate colleagues “on notice” that if Democrats try to make changes to the funding bill, he would insist on new language preventing local governments from resisting the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

“I think the best legislative solution for our country would be to adopt some of these reforms to ICE and Border Patrol,” Graham posted on X, but also end so-called “sanctuary city” policies.

Across the Capitol, House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to the bill they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-government-funding-bills-d7ca791c2d1aa81d2982239f81bc86be">passed last week</a>. In a letter to Trump on Tuesday, the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote that its members stand with the Republican president and ICE.

“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” they wrote.

Speaker Johnson appeared open to the changes, albeit reluctantly, and told the AP he would want to approve the bills “as quickly as possible” once the Senate acts.

“The American people will be hanging in the balance over this,” Johnson said. “A shutdown doesn’t help anybody.”

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Stephen Groves, Joey Cappelletti, and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315687610.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats and White House have struck a deal to avert a partial government shutdown and temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security as they negotiate new restrictions for President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/9dbuKSbncT">pic.twitter.com/9dbuKSbncT</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2017013245102432511?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">country reels</a>&nbsp;from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, the two sides have agreed to separate homeland security funding from the rest of the legislation and fund DHS for two weeks while they debate Democratic demands for curbs on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The potential deal comes after Democrats voted to block legislation to fund DHS on Thursday.Trump said in a social media post that “Republicans and Democrats have come together to get the vast majority of the government funded until September,” while extending current funding for Homeland Security. He encouraged members of both parties to cast a “much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote.”Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told The Associated Press on Thursday that he had been “vehemently opposed” to breaking up the funding package, but “if it is broken up, we will have to move it as quickly as possible. We can’t have the government shut down.”Democrats have requested a short extension—two weeks or less—and say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill if their demands aren’t met,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democrats-vow-to-oppose-homeland-security-money-increasing-shutdown-chance-7a801adfdd27455082fa9e26e612795d">denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it</a>&nbsp;and potentially triggering a shutdown.Republicans were pushing for a longer extension of the Homeland Security funding, but the two sides were “getting closer,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.<h2>Rare bipartisan talks</h2>The rare bipartisan talks between Trump and his frequent adversary, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, came after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;in Minnesota over the weekend and calls by senators in both parties for a full investigation. Schumer called it “a moment of truth.”“The American people support law enforcement. They support border security. They do not support ICE terrorizing our streets and killing American citizens,” Schumer said.With no final agreement yet and an uncertain path ahead, the standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown, just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies. That dispute closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.The fall shutdown ended when a small group of moderate Democrats broke away to strike a deal with Republicans, but Democrats are more unified this time after the fatal shootings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Pretti</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">federal agents</a>.<h2>Democrats lay out demands</h2>Democrats have laid out several demands, asking the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.They also want an enforceable code of conduct so agents are held accountable when they violate rules. Schumer said agents should be required to have “masks off, body cameras on” and carry proper identification, as is common practice in most law enforcement agencies.The Democratic caucus is united in those “common sense reforms,” and the burden is on Republicans to accept them, Schumer said.“Boil it all down, what we are talking about is that these lawless ICE agents should be following the same rules that your local police department does,” said Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota. “There has to be accountability.”Earlier on Thursday, Tom Homan, the president’s border czar, stated during a press conference in Minneapolis that federal immigration officials are developing a plan to reduce the number of agents in Minnesota, but this would depend on cooperation from state authorities.<h2>Still far apart on policy</h2>As the two sides narrowed in on a spending deal, the length of a temporary extension for Homeland Security funding emerged as a sticking point. Thune said Thursday that two weeks wasn’t enough time to negotiate a final compromise.“We’ll see where discussions are going between (Democrats) and the White House on that,” Thune said.Even if the two sides strike a deal, negotiations down the road on a final agreement on the Homeland Security bill are likely to be difficult.Democrats want Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown to end. “If the Trump administration resists reforms, we shut down the agency,” said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal.“We need to take a stand,” he said.But Republicans are unlikely to agree to all of the Democrats' demands.North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he is opposed to requiring immigration enforcement officers to show their faces, even as he blamed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for decisions that he said are “tarnishing” the agency’s reputation.“You know, there’s a lot of vicious people out there, and they’ll take a picture of your face, and the next thing you know, your children or your wife or your husband are being threatened at home,” Tillis said.South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said some of the Democratic proposals “make sense,” such as better training and body cameras. Still, he said he was putting his Senate colleagues “on notice” that if Democrats try to make changes to the funding bill, he would insist on new language preventing local governments from resisting the Trump administration’s immigration policies.“I think the best legislative solution for our country would be to adopt some of these reforms to ICE and Border Patrol,” Graham posted on X, but also end so-called “sanctuary city” policies.<h2>Uncertainty in the House</h2>Across the Capitol, House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to the bill they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-government-funding-bills-d7ca791c2d1aa81d2982239f81bc86be">passed last week</a>. In a letter to Trump on Tuesday, the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote that its members stand with the Republican president and ICE.“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” they wrote.Speaker Johnson appeared open to the changes, albeit reluctantly, and told the AP he would want to approve the bills “as quickly as possible” once the Senate acts.“The American people will be hanging in the balance over this,” Johnson said. “A shutdown doesn’t help anybody.”___Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Stephen Groves, Joey Cappelletti, and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

Dems, White House strike spending deal to avert government shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — For some, it was the children’s luggage and small ice skates that became indelible memories of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-american-airlines-helicopter-ntsb-acc8bf751427eb6824d9d1fad30895b8">the night a passenger plane and a helicopter collided</a>&nbsp;over the murky Potomac River. Others remember boats navigating debris and shallow water to bring victims’ bodies ashore. And there was the suddenness: people seconds from landing, gone.

Families of those on board American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter are marking Thursday as the one-year anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil</a>&nbsp;in more than 20 years. Another group is reliving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-plane-crash-army-helicopter-ntsb-cause-c2ebc159a163068b782dd4824097b00b">that night</a>&nbsp;and the days, weeks and months that followed: the emergency responders who dove repeatedly into the river with nearly zero visibility, braving cold water, jet fuel and jagged wreckage in the hope of rescuing survivors.

But there were no miracles, just the bodies of daughters, sons, wives, husbands, mothers and fathers to pull from the water, identify and return to their families.

Sixty-four passengers and crew of the airliner traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington were moments from touchdown when the plane collided with the Black Hawk helicopter and its crew of three. All 67 died in the crash on Jan. 29, 2025.

“We knew at the one-hour mark there weren’t going to be any survivors,” said the District of Columbia's Fire and EMS chief, John Donnelly. The priority became recovering the bodies and the personal belongings and returning them to their families while gathering evidence for crash investigators.

Over nearly a week, divers and other emergency personnel recovered all of the victims from about 8 feet (2.5 meters) of water and undertook the painstaking task of identification. Others spent months scouring the river for personal effects.

“If you’ve ever been out on the Potomac, it’s not a pleasant place to dive under the best conditions,” said Tim Lilley, whose son Sam, 28, was the co-pilot of the American flight. “But on that night, the fact that they’re getting in the water and doing everything that they could was amazing.”

Tim Lilley, a former Black Hawk pilot, said that later in the spring, first responders took him and his wife, Sheri, out on the river so they could lay flowers at the places where the two aircraft came to rest.

"We were able to talk to the actual person that helped pull my son out of the water. It was a huge emotional experience, and it was so healing.”

Hundreds of responders raced to the scene

The first call — “crash crash crash” — came from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport control tower at 8:48 p.m.

That and subsequent alerts triggered the region’s largest emergency response since hijackers flew a plane into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. By midnight, about 350 responders from dozens of agencies were on scene, including 20 to 30 divers from harbor patrol units.

“The first time you hear it, like anything else, your stomach drops,” said Metropolitan Police Department scuba diver Robert Varga, a 16-year member of the department who was at home when the call came and was in the water within the hour. "We know it’s going to be a serious scene if they’re going to call us.”

The last major crash on the Potomac had been in January 1982, when an Air Florida flight clipped a bridge on takeoff and plunged into the river, killing 78.

“It was total chaos," said Washington fire rescue squad Lt. Sam Short who, along with two divers from his team, were among the first on the scene. He said he witnessed gruesome sights.

"There’s a lot of different things that we saw and did that night. You just can’t describe it to people,” he said.

When the responders arrived at the frozen river, the plane's fuselage was partially submerged and suitcases and other possessions were strewn about. The heavy smell of jet fuel wafted in the air.

Police officer and diver Jeffrey Leslie was getting his elementary school-age kids to bed when he got a text.

On a visit to the area last week, Leslie navigated one of the unit’s boats to the crash site almost on instinct as planes took off and landed in the background. He steered to the end of Runway 33, where Flight 5342 was supposed to land but instead became one of the areas where they brought victims.

Leslie, who spent hours at the crash site last year and returned multiple times over the following months, said his memory of that night can be triggered by cold weather and sometimes by the white ice skates in his daughter’s closet. Young figure skaters returning from a meet were among the plane's passengers.

Personal effects recovered offered some closure

Donnelly, the fire chief, said his priorities were the families, the investigation and the safety of the responders who were braving dangerous temperatures and jet fuel.

His emotions hit him when he met with families hoping for some positive news, to give them updates on the recovery efforts. "Then it becomes very personal and you can feel other people’s grief and pain,” he said.

A memorial in Washington on Wednesday honored the families and the responders. Some family members attending a National Transportation Safety Board hearing on the crash this week wore shirts with the names of responder units.

Lt. Andrew Horos, the harbor master for district's police department, said mental health is tantamount for the responders. “You can’t really prepare your members or anyone for that," he said.

Edward Kelly, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said the union sent 12 peer support personnel to the city in the aftermath and they met with 75% of the firefighters and paramedics who responded to the crash. One goal was “to let them know what to look for in themselves, how to see if traumatic stress is manifested in them and where to go if they need help,” he said.

That is particularly important in an incident involving so many children, he said. “A lot of those people that respond, firefighters, the paramedics, the police officers, a lot us are parents. We have young kids.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738235840631.png" alt="File photo Departure signs display an "Emergency Alert" in the terminal at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Wednesday night, Jan. 29, 2025, in Arlington, Va. A jet with 60 passengers and four crew members aboard collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River. (AP Photo/Jeannie Ohm)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Departure signs display an "Emergency Alert" in the terminal at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Wednesday night, Jan. 29, 2025, in Arlington, Va. A jet with 60 passengers and four crew members aboard collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River. (AP Photo/Jeannie Ohm)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — For some, it was the children’s luggage and small ice skates that became indelible memories of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-crash-investigation-american-airlines-helicopter-ntsb-acc8bf751427eb6824d9d1fad30895b8">the night a passenger plane and a helicopter collided</a>&nbsp;over the murky Potomac River. Others remember boats navigating debris and shallow water to bring victims’ bodies ashore. And there was the suddenness: people seconds from landing, gone.Families of those on board American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter are marking Thursday as the one-year anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil</a>&nbsp;in more than 20 years. Another group is reliving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-plane-crash-army-helicopter-ntsb-cause-c2ebc159a163068b782dd4824097b00b">that night</a>&nbsp;and the days, weeks and months that followed: the emergency responders who dove repeatedly into the river with nearly zero visibility, braving cold water, jet fuel and jagged wreckage in the hope of rescuing survivors.But there were no miracles, just the bodies of daughters, sons, wives, husbands, mothers and fathers to pull from the water, identify and return to their families.Sixty-four passengers and crew of the airliner traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington were moments from touchdown when the plane collided with the Black Hawk helicopter and its crew of three. All 67 died in the crash on Jan. 29, 2025.“We knew at the one-hour mark there weren’t going to be any survivors,” said the District of Columbia's Fire and EMS chief, John Donnelly. The priority became recovering the bodies and the personal belongings and returning them to their families while gathering evidence for crash investigators.Over nearly a week, divers and other emergency personnel recovered all of the victims from about 8 feet (2.5 meters) of water and undertook the painstaking task of identification. Others spent months scouring the river for personal effects.“If you’ve ever been out on the Potomac, it’s not a pleasant place to dive under the best conditions,” said Tim Lilley, whose son Sam, 28, was the co-pilot of the American flight. “But on that night, the fact that they’re getting in the water and doing everything that they could was amazing.”Tim Lilley, a former Black Hawk pilot, said that later in the spring, first responders took him and his wife, Sheri, out on the river so they could lay flowers at the places where the two aircraft came to rest."We were able to talk to the actual person that helped pull my son out of the water. It was a huge emotional experience, and it was so healing.”<h2>Hundreds of responders raced to the scene</h2>The first call — “crash crash crash” — came from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport control tower at 8:48 p.m.That and subsequent alerts triggered the region’s largest emergency response since hijackers flew a plane into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. By midnight, about 350 responders from dozens of agencies were on scene, including 20 to 30 divers from harbor patrol units.“The first time you hear it, like anything else, your stomach drops,” said Metropolitan Police Department scuba diver Robert Varga, a 16-year member of the department who was at home when the call came and was in the water within the hour. "We know it’s going to be a serious scene if they’re going to call us.”The last major crash on the Potomac had been in January 1982, when an Air Florida flight clipped a bridge on takeoff and plunged into the river, killing 78.“It was total chaos," said Washington fire rescue squad Lt. Sam Short who, along with two divers from his team, were among the first on the scene. He said he witnessed gruesome sights."There’s a lot of different things that we saw and did that night. You just can’t describe it to people,” he said.When the responders arrived at the frozen river, the plane's fuselage was partially submerged and suitcases and other possessions were strewn about. The heavy smell of jet fuel wafted in the air.Police officer and diver Jeffrey Leslie was getting his elementary school-age kids to bed when he got a text.On a visit to the area last week, Leslie navigated one of the unit’s boats to the crash site almost on instinct as planes took off and landed in the background. He steered to the end of Runway 33, where Flight 5342 was supposed to land but instead became one of the areas where they brought victims.Leslie, who spent hours at the crash site last year and returned multiple times over the following months, said his memory of that night can be triggered by cold weather and sometimes by the white ice skates in his daughter’s closet. Young figure skaters returning from a meet were among the plane's passengers.<h2>Personal effects recovered offered some closure</h2>Donnelly, the fire chief, said his priorities were the families, the investigation and the safety of the responders who were braving dangerous temperatures and jet fuel.His emotions hit him when he met with families hoping for some positive news, to give them updates on the recovery efforts. "Then it becomes very personal and you can feel other people’s grief and pain,” he said.A memorial in Washington on Wednesday honored the families and the responders. Some family members attending a National Transportation Safety Board hearing on the crash this week wore shirts with the names of responder units.Lt. Andrew Horos, the harbor master for district's police department, said mental health is tantamount for the responders. “You can’t really prepare your members or anyone for that," he said.Edward Kelly, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said the union sent 12 peer support personnel to the city in the aftermath and they met with 75% of the firefighters and paramedics who responded to the crash. One goal was “to let them know what to look for in themselves, how to see if traumatic stress is manifested in them and where to go if they need help,” he said.That is particularly important in an incident involving so many children, he said. “A lot of those people that respond, firefighters, the paramedics, the police officers, a lot us are parents. We have young kids.”“It’s been a struggle," said the rescue squad's Short, who also responded to the 2001 attack on the Pentagon and lost a close colleague days before the crash. “A couple of our guys have been out numerous months over the last year because of this.”Donnelly said the department also is monitoring the divers’ health because of hazardous materials they may have encountered.Leslie, the police diver, said recovering earrings, wedding bands and children’s skates and returning them to the grieving families provided a therapy of sorts."They appreciated every single thing we could get back,” Horos said.Varga, the scuba diver, said if he could say anything to the families it would be that emergency personnel did their best to save, then return the passengers to their families.“And then in the months after that, we were out there as often as we could trying to recover personal effects for the families, because each thing that we did find, we knew was important to the family members,” he said.“We hope that we were able to provide just a sliver of closure to them.”___Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska.