Economy and Labor
Labor Department touts jobs and wage gains despite weak annual growth
The Department of Labor released a statement from Secretary Chavez-DeRemer on the December employment report, crediting President Trump’s policies for what it said were strong labor-market results. The department claimed:
- More than 650,000 jobs have been added since Trump took office.
- Average wages rose 4.1% over the past three months.
- Inflation has fallen to its lowest level in nearly five years.
- All net job growth has occurred in the private sector and among American-born workers.
Independent reporting on the same Bureau of Labor Statistics data painted a weaker overall picture. According to NPR and CNN, employers added 50,000 jobs in December, and the unemployment rate fell to 4.4% from a revised 4.5%. Total job gains for 2025 were about 584,000, making it the weakest year of job growth since the pandemic and, outside recessions, the weakest since 2003. Manufacturing and federal government employment both declined over the year, with analysts citing uncertainty from aggressive tariff policy, high interest rates, and slowing demand as key factors.
The Federal Reserve, which cut interest rates three times in late 2025 in response to a softening labor market, is now viewed by markets as unlikely to cut rates at its January meeting given the still-low unemployment rate.
Federal Legal and Regulatory Actions
Pizarro v. Home Depot petition withdrawn after Labor Department opposes plaintiffs’ theory
The Labor Department announced that the plaintiffs in Pizarro v. Home Depot have withdrawn their petition for certiorari at the U.S. Supreme Court. The case involved ERISA challenges to Home Depot’s retirement plan investments.
Key points from the department’s statement:
- Home Depot prevailed at both the district court and Eleventh Circuit.
- DOL filed an amicus brief advising that the case warranted review only to reaffirm settled ERISA principles and to reject the plaintiffs’ position.
- With the petition withdrawn, the lower-court rulings in favor of Home Depot stand, and the Supreme Court will not review the case.
Labor Department stakes out position on pension risk transfers in Konya v. Lockheed Martin
In a separate action, DOL filed an amicus brief in Konya v. Lockheed Martin, marking its first public position on pension risk transfers since a wave of class-action litigation began in 2024.
According to the department:
- The plaintiffs lack Article III standing because they are receiving their full benefits and have not shown a concrete risk of default.
- The decision to engage in a pension risk transfer (moving obligations from a plan to an insurer) is a settlor function of the plan sponsor and, on its own, does not trigger ERISA fiduciary duties.
- ERISA fiduciary obligations attach when a sponsor selects an annuity provider, not at the initial decision to de-risk the plan.
These positions, if adopted by courts more broadly, would narrow the circumstances under which retirees can challenge pension risk transfer transactions and could reduce litigation risk for sponsors pursuing de-risking strategies.
Treasury targets Minnesota fraud schemes involving public funds and tax incentives
Treasury Secretary Bessent announced new steps to address what the department described as “rampant fraud” in Minnesota tied to public funds and tax incentives:
- FinCEN issued four notices of investigation to Minnesota money services businesses, seeking detailed information under the Bank Secrecy Act.
- The IRS is auditing financial institutions alleged to have facilitated laundering of Minnesota funds and is supporting related criminal and civil enforcement.
- The IRS will soon announce a task force focused on fraud involving pandemic-era tax credits and misuse of 501(c)(3) status by entities connected to the Minnesota schemes.
Treasury has not yet publicly named the entities under investigation.
Housing, Health, and Environmental Grants
HUD offers $4.4 million to help communities build capacity to remove lead hazards
The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the availability of more than $4.4 million in Lead Hazard Reduction Capacity Building grants. The funding is aimed at state, tribal, and local governments that lack robust lead-hazard control programs, with the goal of enabling them to:
- Develop infrastructure to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in housing.
- Train staff and build partnerships to support long-term lead-safety programs.
HUD said it will hold a webinar for prospective applicants explaining eligibility and application requirements.
Law Enforcement, Immigration, and Border Security
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day messaging
DHS emphasizes rising attacks on officers, highlights size of its force
In multiple releases tied to Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem highlighted DHS officers’ work and reported sharp increases in attacks:
- DHS reiterated that it employs more than 80,000 officers and agents, describing it as the largest federal law enforcement agency.
- DHS said assaults, vehicular attacks, and death threats against its officers have risen by more than 1,300%, 3,200%, and 8,000%, respectively. The department did not specify the baseline period or absolute numbers in the public materials.
A separate DHS statement lauding federal officers on the front lines cited arrests of noncitizens accused of serious crimes, including homicide, child sexual abuse, and weapons trafficking.
Interior Department announces pay raise for its law-enforcement personnel
Marking Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, the Interior Department announced a pay increase for law-enforcement officers across several bureaus and offices. Interior said those components had been identified by the Office of Personnel Management as critical to implementing the administration’s border and public-safety strategy.
Political messaging on Democrats and federal immigration enforcement
White House article catalogs Democrats’ rhetoric criticizing ICE and CBP
The White House published an article titled “57 Times Sick, Unhinged Democrats Declared War on Law Enforcement”, compiling past statements by Democratic elected officials about federal immigration enforcement agencies.
The piece:
- Cites a Department of Homeland Security report of large increases in vehicular attacks and other assaults on ICE and CBP personnel.
- Highlights comments by officials including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (who described ICE with terms such as “threat,” “reckless,” and “modern-day Gestapo”), California Governor Gavin Newsom (who likened ICE to “secret police” and “authoritarian”), Representative Ilhan Omar (who called ICE “state violence” and said “abolishing ICE is not enough”), and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (who told ICE to “get the fuck out” of the city and accused it of “terrorizing our communities”).
The article frames these remarks as evidence that top Democrats are hostile to law enforcement; it does not include Democratic responses or context for the quoted statements.
Enforcement operations and use-of-force controversies
Operation Salvo in New York City leads to dozens of arrests
DHS reported that Operation Salvo, launched after the shooting of a CBP officer in New York City, has:
- Resulted in 54 arrests to date.
- Led to the removal of about 60% of those arrested from the United States so far.
Secretary Noem said Operation Salvo will serve as the start of a broader, sustained nationwide campaign targeting transnational criminal organizations and unauthorized noncitizens.
Border Patrol shooting in Portland under state investigation
DHS released an update on an incident in Portland, Oregon, in which a U.S. Border Patrol agent shot two people during an attempted arrest of alleged members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang.
According to DHS:
- Agents attempted a “targeted” vehicle stop on two suspected Tren de Aragua associates, including a Venezuelan national alleged to be part of a prostitution ring and linked to a recent Portland shooting.
- DHS says the driver “weaponized” the vehicle and tried to run down agents, prompting an agent to fire, injuring both occupants, who were later hospitalized.
- One of the individuals, Luis David Nino‑Moncada, is now in FBI custody.
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin repeated that assaults, vehicular attacks, and threats against DHS officers have risen by more than 1,300%, 3,200%, and 8,000%.
Separately, the Oregon Department of Justice announced a formal investigation into the shooting. Attorney General Dan Rayfield cited longstanding concerns about excessive use of force by federal agents in Portland and nationally, particularly following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis earlier in the week.
According to UPI’s account of the Portland incident:
- Portland police found a man and woman with gunshot wounds after a 911 call and transported them to a hospital; their conditions were initially unknown.
- Local officials said the involvement of specific federal agencies was not immediately clear.
- Portland’s mayor called on ICE to halt operations in the city pending investigations, citing a lack of trust in federal accounts of recent shootings.
Defense and Military
Hegseth swears in 40 West Coast recruits in Los Angeles
The Defense Department and the Department of War issued advisories and coverage around Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s visit to Los Angeles. Hegseth:
- Presided over a ceremony at the Los Angeles Military Entrance Processing Station.
- Delivered remarks and administered the oath of enlistment to 40 new West Coast recruits, an event that was livestreamed.
Navy to christen future USNS Lansing in Alabama
The Navy announced plans to christen the future USNS Lansing at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. The ship is an auxiliary vessel that will support fleet operations once delivered; the Navy did not highlight combat capabilities in the public summary.
General officer promotions and new contracts announced
DoD published its routine general officer announcement covering upcoming promotions and assignments, and separately released its daily summary of major defense contracts awarded on Jan. 9. The contract list covered multiple vendors and acquisition categories; detailed line items were not highlighted in summary materials.
Foreign Policy and Diplomacy
Rubio calls Spanish foreign minister on Venezuela transition
The State Department reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares. According to the readout, the two discussed:
- The need to ensure a proper, judicious transition of power in Venezuela following the recent U.S. operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
- Coordination between the U.S. and Spain in supporting democratic processes and regional stability.
Rubio and NATO Secretary General Rutte discuss Ukraine war and Arctic security
In a separate call, Rubio spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The State Department said they:
- Reviewed U.S.-led efforts to secure a negotiated end to the Russia–Ukraine war.
- Discussed the strategic importance of Arctic security for NATO members, given increased Russian and other military activity in the region.
Russia’s War in Ukraine and Global Security
Russia launches large-scale strike, uses nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile near NATO border
Overnight on Jan. 8–9, Russia carried out a massive missile and drone barrage across Ukraine, including the second-known wartime use of its Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile:
- In Kyiv, at least four people were killed and more than two dozen injured when missiles and drones hit residential areas, according to Ukrainian officials cited by PBS and other outlets. Emergency workers and medical staff were among the casualties.
- The strikes severely damaged critical energy infrastructure, leaving about 6,000 apartment buildings in Kyiv without heat amid subzero temperatures, with water supplies also disrupted. Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents who could do so to temporarily leave the city until services could be restored.
- The building housing the Qatari Embassy in Kyiv was damaged, though no embassy staff were reported injured.
- Nationwide, Ukrainian authorities reported at least nine people killed and 57 injured in the past day’s Russian attacks, with 36 missiles and 242 drones launched and 244 air targets intercepted, according to the Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine’s security service and air force said a medium-range ballistic missile traveling at about 13,000 km/h struck infrastructure in Lviv Oblast, roughly 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Polish (NATO) border. Investigators released images of missile fragments they said were from the Oreshnik system and are treating the strike as a potential war crime.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the missile and accompanying strikes targeted “strategic” infrastructure and were retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences. Ukraine and U.S. officials have denied that such a drone attack occurred.
International reaction included:
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who “strongly condemned” the attacks on civilian infrastructure, saying they violated international humanitarian law.
- Latvia, which called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting in response to the Oreshnik strike near the EU and NATO border.
- Condemnations from Germany and other European governments, which characterized the use of a nuclear-capable intermediate-range missile as an escalatory warning to the West.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was seeking to “shut down cities” by exploiting cold weather to attack energy infrastructure, and urged a “clear reaction” from the international community, especially the United States. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the Oreshnik strike as a “grave threat to European security and a test for the transatlantic community,” calling for urgent meetings of the UN Security Council, the Ukraine–NATO Council, and European institutions.
Report: Russia led the world in internet shutdowns in 2025
The Kyiv Independent, citing a report by Top10VPN, reported that Russia:
- Accounted for 37,166 hours of internet disruptions in 2025, more than any other country.
- Implemented 57 separate shutdowns, often framing them as protection against Ukrainian drones while, according to researchers, systematically restricting access to independent information.
- Was responsible for about $11.9 billion in estimated economic losses from connectivity blackouts, more than half of the global total of $19.7 billion.
The report described Russia’s approach as gradual and technically sophisticated, including the progressive degradation of services such as WhatsApp rather than immediate blanket bans.
U.S.-linked consortium selected for major Ukrainian lithium project
Also reported on Jan. 9, Ukrainian officials told The New York Times (via the Kyiv Independent) that a government commission has effectively selected a consortium including TechMet (a mining firm backed by the U.S. government) and billionaire Ronald S. Lauder for a production-sharing agreement to develop one of Ukraine’s most promising lithium deposits. The agreement still requires formal government signature.
The project is part of a broader framework giving U.S. investors preferential access to Ukrainian minerals through a jointly developed U.S.–Ukraine reconstruction fund, deepening U.S. economic involvement in Ukraine’s postwar resource sector.
Venezuela, Oil, and U.S. Maritime Enforcement
U.S. forces seize tanker Olina as ‘ghost fleet’ interdictions expand
U.S. Southern Command announced that U.S. forces seized the oil tanker MT Olina in the Caribbean Sea on Jan. 9:
- A U.S. Coast Guard law-enforcement detachment and Marines from Joint Task Force Southern Spear boarded the ship from an MH-60S helicopter launched off USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and took control of the vessel without incident, according to USNI News.
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Olina as part of a “ghost fleet” of tankers suspected of carrying embargoed oil and attempting to evade U.S. sanctions enforcement after departing Venezuela.
- Olina, previously named Minerva M, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2021 for links to a Russian-associated company. The ship recently switched to the flag of Timor-Leste, which maritime analysts have described as fraudulent flagging in this case.
- The tanker is the fifth vessel seized in recent weeks as part of the Trump administration’s declared “quarantine” on Venezuelan oil shipments, following earlier seizures of tankers including MT Skipper and MV Bella I (Marinera).
U.S. officials argue that many “ghost fleet” tankers are effectively stateless due to falsified registrations and are therefore subject to interdiction under international maritime law, with the Coast Guard exercising U.S. domestic authority under Title 14. Russian officials have criticized the broader campaign, particularly the seizure of Bella I after it reflagged to Russia, calling it unlawful.
The Olina operation unfolded as the United States continues to balance military pressure and sanctions enforcement on Venezuela and Russia with parallel diplomatic and economic discussions over Venezuela’s political transition and future energy-sector investment.