Wednesday, January 14, 2026
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Wednesday, January 14, 2026

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7 Members of Congress DEBUNK Milwaukee ‘Horrible City’ Claim

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Seven members of Congress have debunked the misleading media claim that former President Donald Trump supposedly called Milwaukee a “horrible city” during a closed-door meeting with members of the U.S. House. We round up their comments below.

“I was in the meeting. President Trump never disparaged Milwaukee. Just another Democrat hoax,” U.S. Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana wrote.

The claim first originated from a reporter for a Washington D.C. area site called Punchbowl News and ricocheted throughout the media, sending Democrats rushing to their keyboards to post their sputtering outrage on social media. The Punchbowl News reporter claimed Trump said, “Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city.”

The only problem is that the claim is misleading at best, completely lacking context. Members of Congress who were actually in the closed-door meeting, which was not open to the press, said that Trump did not disparage or insult Milwaukee, where the upcoming Republican National Convention will be held. Rather, they say he was expressing specific and legitimate concerns about election integrity and crime, not trashing the city as a whole.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung wrote on X that Trump “was talking about how terrible crime and voter fraud are.”

That didn’t stop the liberal myth from being endlessly perpetuated, with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers saying, “We know he said that. He’s the biggest con we’ve seen, and he’ll continue to do that.”

Apparently, Evers has decided to ignore the seven members of Congress who say that, actually, it’s not that simple.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other media outlets reported as a fact that Trump made the “horrible city” comment, even dropping the attribution – that the claim came from a single reporter for Punchbowl News. Other news outlets were careful to only say that Trump used the word “horrible” when discussing Milwaukee.

“That odor that’s in the air right now is the stench of desperation from Democrats who are grasping at straws to salvage Joe Biden’s failing re-elect bid. Instead of pouncing on yet another fake news hit on President Trump, Biden and Democrats ought to spend their time and energy doing something about their horrendous record on inflation, crime, and immigration– the real issues driving Americans to the polls this November, said RNC Spokesman Kush Desai.

Milwaukee has a host of problems, from recent years of record homicide numbers to a reckless driving epidemic. Milwaukee Public Schools is in a fiscal meltdown, and the city begged to raise its sales tax to prevent bankruptcy.

Here is a round-up of comments from the members of Congress who are debunking the claim:

Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-24)

“President Trump was responding directly to my question about the lack of ELECTION INTEGRITY by election officials in certain US cities including Milwaukee. President Trump made no derogatory remarks about the great citizens and communities in those cities.

Much like New Yorkers, Wisconsinites are fed up with violent crime and rampant voter fraud.

Democrats know the voters are on our side, so they’re trying to twist President Trump’s words.”

Rep. Bryan Steil (WI-01)

“I was in the room. President Trump did not say this. There is no better place than Wisconsin in July.”

Steil also said to WISN-TV, “He wasn’t talking about the city. He was talking about specific issues in the city. I think it was horrible that a 9-year-old boy was killed on the north side of Milwaukee yesterday. We’ve had challenges in the city as it relates to the public school system.”

Rep. Glenn Grothman (WI-06)

“Well, he said nothing that I considered an insult to Milwaukee,” Grothman told The Hill.

“He made it clear we had to do better in Milwaukee, as we have to do in many of the big cities in the northern United States. But having been born in Milwaukee raised right north of Milwaukee, there was nothing I found offensive. I think you had, like always, some mainstream media personalities, who like to think of an excuse to drag down President Trump, and that’s not true.”

“He said nothing that I consider to be a criticism of Milwaukee, other than that we’ve got to get more of them to be voting Republican in the future.”

Grothman said Trump spoke for an hour and told The Hill that it’s too bad he couldn’t speak “without having a devious reporter mischaracterizing what you say. And that’s what happened here.”

Grothman made similar comments in an interview with Wisconsin Right Now.

He told WRN that Trump said he “felt we have to do better in big northern cities. He mentioned Milwaukee.” He said that Trump was referring to the GOP winning elections and said something to the effect that “our performance has to improve, which everyone knows. For us to win Wisconsin, we have to do better in Milwaukee and Madison.”

He said that Trump was meeting with Republican congressmen to “give us a pep talk.” Grothman said it went “fantastically well. Everyone was enthralled. Trump is always great in private and in public.” He said that Donald Trump “said we have to do better in Milwaukee.”

Asked what specific words Trump used, and whether he used the words “horrible city,” Grothman said that it was a 70-minute speech, and he doesn’t remember every word Trump said in it but that he doesn’t believe Trump “said anything derogatory about Milwaukee,” other than referring to the problems the GOP has in winning elections there.

Rep. Tom Tiffany (WI-07)

Tiffany told ABC News that he never heard Trump use the phrase “horrible city.”

“What I heard is to make sure there’s election integrity in Milwaukee,” Tiffany told ABC. “He’s talking about the states that are in play and the states of greatest importance and Wisconsin is top of the list.”

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (WI-03)

“Another classic example of sh*tty reporting by a Democratic Party shill pretending to be a journalist.” He said that the claim was “lies” through “omission,” and added that Trump “was specifically referring to” the “CRIME RATE in Milwaukee.”

Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05)

“Congresswoman Claudia Tenney from New York raised her hand and asked a question that related to elections and election integrity,” Fitzgerald said to WISN. “And the president began to answer by saying that there are 19 specific places throughout the nation that they’re very concerned about. And one of the places that he was concerned about was the city of Milwaukee. And so that’s that’s where the comment came from.”

Rep. Jim Banks (IN-03)

“I was in the meeting. President Trump never disparaged Milwaukee. Just another Democrat hoax.”

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Walz Will Not Run for Reelection in Minnesota

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday he will not seek a third term in 2026.

Walz was first elected to the position of Minnesota governor in 2018 after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives beginning since 2007. He ran unsuccessfully as Vice President alongside Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in 2024.

Walz decision not to seek a third term comes amidst allegations of fraud with federal dollars in Minnesota. In November, a report alleged millions of taxpayer dollars were stolen from Minnesota's welfare system and sent to a Somali-based terror group.

Fraud allegations intensified when independent journalist Nick Shirley posted a video that claimed to reveal $110 million in fraudulent federal support sent to Minnesota day cares.

The Minnesota governor is expected to testify before Congress on Feb. 10 in response to allegations of fraud in the state.

Without an incumbent Democrat in the race for Minnesota governor, the 2026 primary election will likely be a heated contest as contestants vie for their parties nomination to the governor's mansion.

The Republican primary for governor already includes Minnesota Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth; CEO of the pillow company MyPillow, Mike Lindell; and former state senator and 2022 gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen.

Demuth criticized Walz's decision to step down and pointed to the allegations of financial fraud plaguing the state in a post on social media.

"Democrat in Minnesota has spent years enabling criminals who stole our tax dollars, with still no meaningful accountability and no end in sight to the billions in fraud that still plagues nearly every government program imaginable thanks to 16 years of Democrat control," Demuth wrote on social media.

Minnesota's primary election is set for Aug. 11.

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Milwaukee Sees Homicide Jump, Other Violent Crimes Drop in 2025

(The Center Square) – 2025 was a deadlier year in Milwaukee after the city’s police department reported a jump in homicides last year.

Milwaukee’s homicide database shows 142 people were killed in the city in 2025, compared to 132 in 2024. That is an 8% increase.

Milwaukee Police are not offering any thoughts as to why more people were killed in 2025 than 2024.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the spike in homicides is “vexing.”

The murder increase in Milwaukee stands out, in part, because 2025 saw fewer murders in most big cities. Washington, D.C reported a 31% drop in homicides, while Chicago reported 30% fewer killings. New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New Orleans also reported a drop in homicides in 2025.

Nationwide, the FBI said homicides fell almost 20% in the last year.

Milwaukee did see a double digit drop in other crimes, however.

The police database shows a 19% drop in non-fatal shootings. Milwaukee Police say 515 people were shot and survived in 2025, down from 637 in 2024.

Aggravated assaults fell 22%, and robberies dropped 28%. But the biggest year-over-year decline in crime in Milwaukee came from carjacking cases.

The police database reported a 49% drop in carjackings, from 513 in 2024 down to 264 in 2025.

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In a post to social media, Trump announced the U.S. carried out a "large scale strike" against Venezuela, capturing Maduro and his wife.

The two are in U.S. custody and charged with "narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S.," according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., praised Trump's decision-making and called Maduro an illegitimate dictator. He said the Venezuelan leader was running a "vast drug-trafficking operation."

Cotton also said he was briefed on Maduro's capture by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He said Rubio confirmed Maduro was in U.S. custody.

"The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world," Cotton said. "I urge them to choose wisely."

Similarly, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said she fully supports Trump's actions in Venezuela.

"Nicolas Maduro will face justice on American soil," Blackburn said. "I fully support the Trump administration for doing what is needed to protect American lives."

House Republican chair Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., also emphatically backed President Trump's decision-making in a post on social media.

"President Trump has cracked down on drug trafficking harder than any President in history," McClain wrote. "Maduro is a narco-terrorist. Period. His illegitimate regime floods our country with deadly drugs and Americans pay the price. President Trump didn’t look the other way; he acted. That’s what leadership looks like, and it’s how you protect the American people."

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Assembly Leaders Call for Dugan’s Resignation, Threaten Impeachment

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s Republican Assembly leaders say they will begin impeachment proceedings if Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan does not resign from her post immediately following a felony obstruction conviction Thursday evening.

Dugan was found guilty of obstructing as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were attempting to arrest a defendant in her court outside of the courtroom.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August, R-Walworth, sent a statement Friday noting that the last Wisconsin judge was impeached in 1853 but that the Assembly would begin impeachment proceedings if Dugan doesn’t resign.

Dugan’s legal team indicated Thursday that she would appeal the jury’s decision.

“Under a 1976 Attorney General Opinion, Democrat Bronson La Follette stated that when a State Senator was convicted of a felony, a vacancy was created, and the Senator ‘was effectually divested of any right or title to the office. His status with reference to the office was fixed at the time of his conviction,’ the leaders wrote. “Such is the case here, and Judge Dugan must recognize that the law requires her resignation.

“Wisconsinites deserve to know their judiciary is impartial and that justice is blind. Judge Hannah Dugan is neither, and her privilege of serving the people of Wisconsin has come to an end.”

The jury found Dugan not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of concealing related to defendant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was later arrested on the street outside the courthouse and has since been deported.

The obstruction charge could lead to up to five years in prison.

The Assembly leaders cited the Wisconsin constitution, which says “‘[n]o person convicted of a felony, in any court within the United States, no person convicted in federal court of a crime designated, at the time of commission, under federal law as a misdemeanor involving a violation of public trust and no person convicted, in a court of a state, of a crime designated, at the time of commission, under the law of the state as a misdemeanor involving a violation of public trust shall be eligible to any office of trust, profit or honor in this state unless pardoned of the conviction.”

“While we are disappointed in today’s outcome, the failure of the prosecution to secure convictions on both counts demonstrates the opportunity we have to clear Judge Dugan’s name and show she did nothing wrong in the matter,” her legal team said after the verdict was read. “We have planned for this potential outcome and our defense of Judge Dugan is just beginning.”

Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan Guilty of Felony Obstruction During ICE Arrest

(The Center Square) – Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan was found guilty of a felony charge of obstruction by a jury Thursday in a case involving the judge’s actions related to a defendant in her court that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were attempting to arrest outside of the courtroom.

The jury returned the verdict at 8:38 p.m. Central Time.

The jury found Dugan not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of concealing related to defendant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was later arrested on the street outside the courthouse and has since been deported.

The obstruction charge could lead to up to a $100,000 fine and a year in prison.

“While we are disappointed in today’s outcome, the failure of the prosecution to secure convictions on both counts demonstrates the opportunity we have to clear Judge Dugan’s name and show she did nothing wrong in the matter,” her legal team said. “We have planned for this potential outcome and our defense of Judge Dugan is just beginning.”

Video from the courthouse depicts Dugan speaking with ICE officers in the hallway outside her courtroom and defendant Flores-Ruiz walking through a back hallway with a person identified in an affidavit as his attorney before heading to an elevator and then being chased down and arrested on the street outside of the courthouse.

FBI, DOJ Foil Plot For New Year’s Eve Bombings in Southern California

Four alleged members of a pro-Palestine terror group were arrested in connection with alleged plans for New Year’s Eve bombings across Southern California.

Authorities announced the arrests during a news conference Monday with First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis and Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

Essayli said all four suspects are from the Los Angeles area. He said one suspect created a plan to bomb five or more locations across Los Angeles and Orange County, with step-by-step instructions on building improvised explosive devices.

The arrests were made last week in Lucerne Valley, which is east of Los Angeles.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI prevented the bombings.

“The Turtle Island Liberation Front — a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist group — was preparing to conduct a series of bombings against multiple targets in California beginning on New Year’s Eve,” Bondi posted on X. “The group also planned to target ICE agents and vehicles.”

Bondi credited “an incredible effort” and "intense investigation" by the FBI and the U.S, Attorney’s Offices for foiling the plot.

“We will continue to pursue these terror groups and bring them to justice,” Bondi said.

Wisconsin All-Terrain, Utility Vehicles Registration Loophole Closed

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin all-terrain and utility task vehicle drivers now must follow Wisconsin laws on where they can drive the vehicles and must pay trail registration fees regardless of where the vehicle is registered.

The bill was recently signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers and it became Wisconsin Act 64.

The law requires any ATV or UTV to follow state law based upon how Wisconsin would classify the vehicle regardless of what the title says for the state where the vehicle is registered.

Lawmakers said the goal of the bill was to close a loophole where Wisconsin UTV and ATV owners would register a vehicle in South Dakota and Montana but drive it in Wisconsin.

“They’re contacting people in Wisconsin and saying ‘Hey, if you register your UTV to an LLC in Montana or South Dakota, we can license that as a motor vehicle, not as an ATV or UTV,’” sponsor Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, said during a public hearing on the bill. “And, because of that, they tell Wisconsin residents that you can now use this motor vehicle on any road in the state of Wisconsin.”

The current system of UTV and ATV routes and trails in the state and laws on using those vehicles are locally regulated and usage is determined on the local level.

The new law allows nonresidents access to all Wisconsin ATV and UTV trails and approved routes with a nonresident trail pass.

The registration system is a tax that allows ATV and UTV owners to pay their way by paying for the trail system, Wisconsin ATV Association President Randy Harden said during a public hearing. This means it is important that out-of-state vehicle owners also pay for using the system.

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