In today’s newsletter: Trump talks Minneapolis, Joe Rogan, the Fed, AI and 2028 in a wide-ranging Oval Office interview with Tom Llamas. “TODAY” co-host Savannah Guthrie and her family plead for their mother’s return. And Super Bowl gamblers find a way around sports betting bans.
Here’s what to know today.
Trump talks Minneapolis, the economy and 2028 in interview with Tom Llamas
In a wide-ranging Oval Office interview with NBC News’ Tom Llamas, President Donald Trump covered topics from AI to possible U.S. attacks on Iran. He also claimed credit for the state of the economy, expressed hopes to push his immigration crackdown into five more cities, and declined to rule out attempting to run for a third term.
Here are some of the top moments from the extended interview. More of their conversation will air exclusively during NBC’s Super Bowl LX Pregame Show on Sunday.
Economy: Trump said he has been deeply frustrated with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s refusal to lower interest rates faster, which the president sees as a potential boon for the economy. Pressed about whether the Fed was an “independent body,” Trump replied: “I mean, in theory, it’s an independent body. But I think, you know, I’m a smart guy. I know the economy better than almost everybody.”
Minneapolis and immigration: Trump said he hopes to push his immigration crackdown into five more cities, while insisting the operations are still highly targeted at what administration officials call “the worst of the worst.”
But he said he has taken away lessons from the Minneapolis raids that divided Americans and lawmakers: “I learned that maybe we can use a little bit of a softer touch, but you still have to be tough.”
Third term: Llamas pressed Trump whether he sees any scenario in which he’s still president in 2029. “I don’t know. It would be interesting,” he said. “But wouldn’t it be terrible if I agreed with you, if I gave you the answer that you’re looking for? It would make life so much less exciting. It would be so much less exciting. But I only do this for one reason: Make America great again, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Asked to pick a favorite politician on the right, Trump floated Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though he declined to clarify who he would prefer to lead a 2028 ticket.
Read more from Tom Llamas’ interview with the president.
Read a fact-check of Trump’s interview comments.
And read the extended transcript here.
More politics news:
- Some of Silicon Valley’s most prominent names appeared in the recent Epstein files release, rattling the tech industry.
- As the Homeland Security Department plans to build mega warehouses for immigration detention, lawmakers and government contractors are warning the buildings and crowds could present safety problems.
- The Supreme Court will allow California to use a new congressional map, which could see Democrats to gain up to five House seats in the midterms.
- A viral dispute between Democratic Texas Senate candidates exposed existing racial divides ahead of the state’s primary election.
- The race to fill New Jersey’s newly vacant, safely blue House seat has attracted heavy spending and nearly a dozen candidates itching to make it out of the primary.
- Trump tried a third time to move his hush-money case to federal court in an attempt to get the conviction tossed.
Savannah Guthrie and her family make a tearful plea for their mother’s return
In a tearful Instagram video, “TODAY” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie pleaded for more information from her 84-year-old mother’s possible kidnapper, saying her family is “ready to talk.”
She said her family was aware of reports about a ransom letter sent to at least two media outlets. The county sheriff’s department said investigators have not identified a suspect or a person of interest in the case. Authorities previously said they had no credible information that Nancy Guthrie’s possible abduction was a targeted incident.
Trump said he would commit to sending more resources to help. The president called Savannah Guthrie after his interview with Tom Llamas, offering words of support for her and her family.
Read the latest updates in the case.
An Indiana bill requiring schools to promote marriage before having kids has divided the state
Last month, an Indiana state senator made a bold promise: Require public schools to teach the importance of getting married before having children, and “the chance of them being poor is almost zero.”
Republican state Sen. Spencer Deery’s idea for an “anti-poverty” measure is part of a three-step formula touted by conservatives to boost young people’s chances of financial stability: obtaining a high school diploma or higher degree, finding a full-time job, and getting married before having children.
Critics say the sequence is built upon dubious data, overlooks racial disparities and shames students who are raised in single-parent households. Several studies found that the causation element was weak, including one funded by the Department of Health and Human Services that showed that achieving those life milestones, regardless of order, was what was associated with a lower level of impoverishment.
The bill passed the state Senate last week 39-9, and is expected to go before the state House as soon as next week.
Read more about the bill ahead of the House vote.
Super Bowl gamblers find a way around bans — thanks to prediction markets
Plenty of states have not legalized sports betting — but Super Bowl-sized loopholes in the form of “prediction market” platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket allow anyone to wager on the games anyway.
California, where the Super Bowl will take place Sunday, has a 100-year-old statute that makes it a misdemeanor to accept, record or make a sporting event bet. Yet the markets’ expansion into the state exposes the murky, legally ill-defined question of what constitutes a bet.
The scale of activity around this year’s Super Bowl helps explain why prediction markets have drawn such scrutiny. Kalshi reported a six-fold jump from last year’s Super Bowl winner market, which they attributed to the overall rising popularity of such platforms.
Learn more about the hundreds of millions being poured into bets.
More in sports:
- In the Winter Olympics sports of bobsled and speedskating, advanced AI adoption could offer an edge where a tenth of a second can determine the winner.
- The Trump administration is alleging Nike discriminated against white workers — the latest example of the White House using a civil rights employment agency to target diversity initiatives.
- Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson has pleaded not guilty after her super speeding arrest in Florida.
- Lakers player Jaxon Hayes was suspended for one game after pushing Washington Wizards mascot “G-Wiz” during pre-game introductions.
Read All About It
- Blood thinners are a leading cause of drug-related harm. But research suggests almost half of adverse events could be avoided.
- Minute Maid has discontinued frozen juice concentrate after an 80-year production run.
- A nine-year-old boy from Illinois was severely burned after a TikTok trend inspired him to microwave a squishy toy.
- Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said his country’s relations with the United States are “rock solid” after his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping stressed his country’s territorial claims to the island in a call with Trump.
- Close the cover on the CIA’s “World Factbook” — the spy agency announced it is shuttering the popular reference manual after more than 60 years.
Staff Pick: Year of the sad horse
Every year, factories in China churn out all kinds of decorations for the Lunar New Year including piles of plush toys made according to the Chinese zodiac. The stuffed dragons, snakes, dogs, and other auspicious animals are always popular here because they are designed to be mascots to bring good fortune.
But an unlikely icon is galloping into the spotlight after a factory worker made a mistake and sewed the faces of the horses he was making upside down — sporting a distinct pout instead of a cheerful smile.
Almost immediately, “Cry Cry Horse” went viral across China’s internet. Knock-off versions cropped up overnight. The store owner who initially ordered the accidental version was so overwhelmed she had to post a message on social media channels begging people to stop calling.
The frowning horse with its tufty mane is popular for the way it sums up the vibe of a world turned upside down. Exhausted young office workers here have unofficially adopted Cry Cry Horse as a totem reflecting their mood at work. The horse’s hashtag on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, has been viewed at least 200 million times.
With its apprehensive expression, Cry Cry Horse is like an emotional support animal for what is expected to be a tumultuous Year of the Horse in the world. Naturally, I bought one.
— Janis Mackey Frayer, Beijing-based correspondent for NBC News
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