January 1, Trump Presses Deals as Shutdown Looms

Wyatt’s Take

• President Trump works to stop a shutdown and end fighting in Gaza all at once.
• Violent protests break out near ICE facilities as D.C. fights over the budget.
• Maryland faces trouble after a troubling foster care audit.

President Trump brought lawmakers and Israel’s leader into the White House to try fixing two big problems: stopping a government shutdown and brokering peace in the Middle East.

On the home front, Congress is on the clock to pass a budget before midnight, or most of the federal government will close down. Republicans want to keep spending steady and hash out other issues later, while Democrats demand higher funding for healthcare and more control over White House spending.

The House already passed a temporary budget, but it’s hung up in the Senate, where Republicans need some Democrats to sign off. Democrats are holding the line, hoping to force the GOP into making concessions.

Shutdowns have been threatened before, but this time the parties are digging in deep after a summer showdown over spending cuts.

Overseas, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu met to try ending the Gaza fight. Trump’s new plan would let Palestinians remain in Gaza, give amnesty to surrendering Hamas members, and hint at a possible future Palestinian state if certain steps are met.

Israel gets what it wants too, like forcing Hamas out of any Gaza government, tearing down terror sites, and demanding all hostages freed in three days. Netanyahu signaled he’d back the plan, but warned Israel would handle things alone if Hamas tries to stall or trick anyone.

Trump said if Hamas rejects the deal, the U.S. will have Israel’s back in finishing them off. He noted there are now new Hamas leaders since the old guard was taken out.

Meanwhile, Portland is seeing trouble as ICE protests turn violent. Homeland Security called in troops to keep order after clashes outside an ICE building, a step that’s now being used across the country.

In Illinois, ICE arrested rioters, one of whom had what looked like a bomb. Cops are still looking into that.

The president is cracking down hard, calling groups like Antifa “domestic terrorists.”

In Iowa, a Des Moines public school boss was arrested by ICE for immigration charges and a past gun arrest. When agents tried to stop him, he ran, crashed his car, and got caught hiding in the woods—carrying cash and firearms he wasn’t supposed to have under federal rules.

There are big questions about how someone in the country illegally managed to land such a high job.

Middle America can’t afford this chaos—from Washington’s spending fights to the unrest in our towns. Tell us how all this hits you and what issues matter most in your community.

Wyatt Matters

Regular folks want leaders who protect their paychecks, keep communities safe, and put American values first. When the nation’s future hangs in the balance, honesty and plain talk matter.

Full story at Daily Wire