Badlands Brief

Somali Shatterpoints, Cartel Countermeasures, & Erosion of the World Order

The Badlands Brief is your daily drop of Badlands’ takes on the narratives dominating the info war. Read on, and join the conversation in the comments section.

---

Trump’s Cartel Strike Comments Put Mexico and Colombia on Edge

President Donald Trump said the United States may begin conducting land strikes against drug cartels operating in Mexico, in public remarks to the press Tuesday. The remarks expanded on earlier statements about using US military force to target transnational criminal organizations. Trump said cartels running drug operations across the US–Mexico border pose a direct national security threat.

The comments have raised concerns in Mexico, where officials have warned against any violation of national sovereignty, and in Colombia, where President Gustavo Petro criticized US military actions in the region following Washington’s recent operation involving Venezuela. US officials have not announced any formal military orders, and no timeline for potential strikes has been released.

Pundits allege Trump’s rhetoric has put Mexico on edge diplomatically, as regional governments weigh the implications of expanded US military action against cartels.

GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: For months now, I’ve been saying that Colombian President Gustavo Petro is the righteous actor—as he has spent the past three years going after the cartels.

Here is video that Petro posted to X yesterday recapping some of their operations.

On Wednesday night, President Trump posted to Truth Social that he had spoken to President Petro on the phone and has invited him to the White House for a face-to-face meeting.

I guess it all was kayfabe after all, huh?

A year ago, Petro made waves when he disclosed that the National Liberation Army (ELN), which has operated in the region since 1963 in cooperation with Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel, was actually a proxy of the notorious Sinaloa [Mexican] Cartel, and was dispatched to secure the routes through Central America for cocaine smuggling.

The NeoCons and Zionists have all accused Nicolas Maduro of being the head of the ELN, despite providing no evidence to support these claims.

Now President Trump is suddenly talking about conducting land strikes in Mexico, claiming that the cartels are running their government.

Unlike the Venezuela and Colombia situations, I actually think President Trump is speaking the truth here. Mexico is one of those enigmas that is hard to fully grasp, as far as earnest analysis goes. President Obrador was a hardcore commie, but he seemed to respect Trump and certainly got along with him. President Trump always talked about how Obrador deployed those 29,000 Mexican troops to the border to protect it from the Mexican side, among other things.

The current Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum, seems to sing a different tune, despite being Obrador’s purported protege. I sense frustration from Trump in dealing with her, as the US has yet to finalize a bilateral trade deal with Sheinbaum’s government. Back in May, Trump accused Sheinbaum of being afraid of the cartels after she rejected his offered to send in US troops to help fight them.

My belief is that Mexico is the real Deep State hub of Latin America, and Claudia Sheinbaum was an agent dispatched to conduct damage control after Obrador gave Trump everything he asked for.

Now, an interesting wrinkle has been Sheinbaum’s defense of Maduro, publicly requesting that he be given a fair trial. This is interesting because intel is emerging claiming that the US government’s case against Maduro hinges on the testimony of a single Venezuelan general, and that his testimony is part of a plea deal for clemency. If this is true, then it is possible that we could see the prosecution of Maduro blow up in court, and Maduro be publicly exonerated for all of the allegations of him being a cartel boss.

Time will tell.

P.S. I just came across this incredible video of Maduro getting loose with the public. He seems like a fun guy. I like him.

---

Get Free Shipping on Luv Litters!

Get Free Shipping with Badlands, Long-time sponsor Luv Litters is offering free shipping on orders to Badlanders, which you can claim by following the linked banner. This is all natural litter that eliminates odors without risking your family’s respiratory health, and as someone who’s been using this type of litter before I even knew these guys, I can tell you it’s a game-changer.

Sponsored

---

Demonstrations Erupt in Minneapolis Following ICE Shooting as FBI Assumes Case

Protests escalated in Minneapolis on January 8 following the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman during an immigration enforcement operation involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement the previous day.

Demonstrators gathered near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, which houses ICE offices, where confrontations occurred between protesters and law enforcement. Authorities reported the use of crowd-control measures, including pepper spray, and partial highway closures, but no arrests were announced by local officials. Additional demonstrations and solidarity actions related to the incident were reported in other US cities.

Separately, the Federal Bureau of Investigation assumed control of the shooting investigation, limiting access by state investigators. Minnesota investigators claim the FBI is blocking their access to information.

Burning Bright: What timing.

The system is panicked, its Hegelian architects flailing for purchase as the Collective Mind begins to map the patterns it once dismissed as paranoia.

That this distraction theater erupts in the very same battlespace—Minneapolis—where the Somali-linked fraud has shattered plausible deniability removes yet another layer of narrative shielding.

Now, cognitive shatterpoints ripple outward as observers grapple with waves of dissonance that fail to dismiss coincidence.

The vast NGO protest industrial complex, unearthed to the public mind in no small part through the 2025 DOGE initiative, which I argued from the jump was more narrative ignition than immediate structural demolition (at first) is now activating in the same theater where the George Floyd storyline detonated in 2020, gilding nationwide riots under that infamous ‘Summer of Love’ framing.

The parallels are no longer subtle; they’re impossible to ignore for any mind willing to look.

Same city. Same networks. Same attempted inversion of justice into justification for engineered unrest.

The machine is recycling its playbooks not because they think the populace is going to fall for it, but rather because they’ve got nothing left.

To wit, this time, the narrative event itself—the shooting, the protests, the attempted George Floyd 2.0 moment—is being swallowed whole by the very weaponization it’s meant to enable.

The system, freshly indicted by the fraud revelations is now exposed in its distraction death throes to an ever-widening audience.

All of which makes it nearly impossible for me to believe the Minne-Somali storyline being injected into the zeitgeist just days before the latest mass mobilization of what is increasingly being revealed to the masses as a domestic insurgency is coincidence.

This is just the latest in an emergent cascade of narratives and actuals it seems MAGA is navigating into the path of before they can arm themselves, with the path of the mass psychological torpedoes cultivating public mandate for wholesale, systemic change and even dissolution on the back of them.

***

Ashe in America: As we discussed yesterday, it all feels very George Floyd. It’s harder in the winter, though. Paid protesters charge more when occupation threatens frostbite.

The resistance is seizing their moment it seems, so the winter protest premium may be worth it. Tim Walz has authorized the Minnesota National Guard “to be staged and ready to support local and state law enforcement if needed.”

“Minnesotans have met this moment. Thousands of people have peacefully made their voices heard. Minnesota: thank you. We saw powerful peace,” said Governor Walz. “We have every reason to believe that peace will hold. Yesterday, I directed the National Guard to be ready should they be needed. They remain ready in the event they are needed to help keep the peace, ensure public safety, and allow for peaceful demonstrations.”

Wait, Walz is preparing for the National Guard to fight the Federal Government?

• “Executive Order 26-01 provides the ability for the Minnesota National Guard to protect critical infrastructure and to assist local law enforcement with additional tasks as requested. The state is providing additional law enforcement resources in a coordinated response to aid local law enforcement. The Minnesota State Patrol has mobilized 85 members of its Mobile Response Team to support law enforcement efforts in the Twin Cities.

• Executive Order 26-01 authorizes the Adjutant General to place National Guard personnel, equipment, and facilities on state active duty to coordinate and support public safety and security services in Minnesota. The Guard will serve in a support role, focused on protecting property, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and allowing local law enforcement to remain focused on community safety and investigative responsibilities.

• Executive Order 26-01 provides access to an additional tool that can include preparation and planning in support of local and state law enforcement and emergency management agencies, as well as the support of local law enforcement efforts to protect life and property, ensure public safety, and protect freedom of speech by allowing for peaceful demonstrations.”

He appears to be mobilizing the Minnesota National Guard to fight federal agents. Check out this language from the order:

“On January 7, 2026, federal immigration agents shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in south Minneapolis. This shooting immediately follows the federal government’s surge of masked immigration officials in Minnesota. These agents have indiscriminately arrested people off the street, intimidated our friends and neighbors, and have now caused the loss of life. Minnesotans are feeling scared, angry, and disillusioned. Minnesotans are exercising their Constitutional rights to express their disagreement with federal immigration enforcement policies and tactics. Federal immigration officials have increased tensions, caused chaos, and left our state less safe. As part of ongoing planning activities, and in response to potential capacity concerns from local leaders, it is important to ensure optimal readiness in the case of changes to the public safety environment. That preparedness includes state assistance from the Minnesota National Guard.”

Like I said, the resistance is seizing their moment. The new George Floyd is a lesbian poet. Language warning on the following clip:

It’s a fun story, but it’s a distraction. (The best ones always are.) It could be a distraction from the sobering Minnesota Somali fraud hearings are sobering:

Those stats are rough.

While I was watching Brandon Gill rush through his questions, it occurred to me — five minutes isn’t enough. Five minutes can only be for show. Campaign clips. Five minutes is an unserious amount of time for the People’s representatives’ pursuit of truth.

Ban & Deport Somalis.

Convict & Exile Complicit Americans…Exile them to Somalia.

---

Iran Imposes Internet Blackout as Protests Escalate

Protests and labor strikes spread across Iran on Thursday, with demonstrations reported in Tehran and other cities amid economic grievances and political tensions. Authorities imposed widespread internet restrictions as security forces, including riot police and plainclothes officers, were deployed to protest areas, according to multiple international news outlets.

Non-governmental organizations reported dozens of people killed nationwide in clashes between protesters and security forces, though Iranian authorities have not released independent casualty figures or confirmed the death toll. State media acknowledged unrest and strikes but characterized the protests as limited and blamed foreign actors for inciting violence.

The demonstrations have escalated in the wake of the anniversary of the killing of Qassem Soleimani, which officials cited as a reason for heightened security measures across the country.

GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: Let’s start with a clip of Trump from the Patrick Bet David podcast from October of his 2024 campaign. PBD asked Trump whether he would support regime change in Iran.

Now let’s jump to just a few days ago, when Trump appeared on the Hugh Hewitt Show, and said that he didn’t think that Reza Pahlavi (son of the deposed Shah) would be an appropriate pick to be leader of Iran.

This certainly throws cold water on the NeoCons and Zionists, who have been pushing this guy down our throats for months.

Here he is meeting with Netanyahu this past year, representing just one of many trips he took to Israel, as he performed all the necessary Talmudic rituals in order to gain the favor of the powers that be.

So will there be regime change in Iran? Probably not, is my guess. Though I could see a situation where the religious elements of the government—the Ayatollah, the mullahs, and the IRGC—are all expunged and the current political administration (which is socially moderate) remains in power.

In the meantime, I expect to see every Republicuck congressman make an absolute ass out of himself as he dances to the tune of the paymasters, shilling for regime change and forever war (as is tradition).

---

Fed Expected to Cut Rates as Jobs Report Drops Today

The Federal Reserve is expected to begin cutting interest rates in 2026 as economic data point to slowing labor-market conditions and easing inflation.

According to projections released by the Congressional Budget Office, the federal funds rate is expected to decline to approximately 3.4% by the end of 2026. Inflation is projected to remain above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target in the near term before gradually moving closer to that level in subsequent years. At the same time, longer-term Treasury yields are projected to remain elevated or rise modestly, which could keep long-term borrowing costs, including mortgage rates, relatively high even as short-term rates fall.

Labor-market data show signs of moderation ahead of today’s December jobs report. Payroll growth is expected to be slower than earlier in the year, and forecasts place the unemployment rate in the mid-4% range. Weekly initial jobless claims remain low by historical standards but have edged higher in recent weeks, indicating a cooling employment environment rather than a sharp downturn. The December employment report is expected to be a key data point for policymakers evaluating the timing of rate cuts. Tune into Badlands Daily for the report.

Federal Reserve policymakers have expressed differing views on the pace of future easing. Recent rate decisions have included dissents, reflecting debate over balancing inflation risks against signs of labor-market softening.

Attention is also focused on upcoming leadership changes at the Federal Reserve. President Donald Trump has stated that a decision has been made regarding a nominee to succeed Chair Jerome Powell when Powell’s term ends in May 2026, though no formal nomination has been announced.

Ashe in America: Later this month, the Supreme Court will hear the court case involving President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. The case is often framed as a test of the Federal Reserve’s independence. That misses the point.

The real question is, in which constitutional box do these authorities reside? Can Congress bypass the executive and insulate power from presidential control?

The Constitution vests executive power in the president alone. That grant was intentional. The Founders believed liberty depended on clear lines of accountability, not on bureaucratic insulation. If laws are poorly executed or public policy fails, the people must know who is responsible — and who has removal rights is the ultimate test of who holds the power and is, therefore, accountable.

Nothing in the Constitution creates or protects an “independent” central bank. The Federal Reserve exists entirely by statute. Congress may create offices and prescribe duties, but it may not transfer executive authority away from the president by insulating officers from removal (except under conditions so narrow that removal becomes illusory).

A “for cause” standard that effectively prevents presidential judgment undermines Article II. Fight me.

Serving at the pleasure of the President means cause is whatever he says it is. Loss of confidence is cause.

Critics argue that allowing presidential removal threatens public trust in US monetary policy. But there isn’t any… also, the Constitution does not appoint a committee to override the People’s representation and accountability.

And the people vested executive power in President Trump.

The Founders were generally opposed to permanent, insulated authorities exercising vast power without electoral control. A majority of the court claim to be originalists. The originalist position cannot be that the Federal Reserve Act overrides the Constitution.

The second guessing of the President’s authority needs to end, and this might be the case that does it. That would be sweet because such a decision would also effectively neuter the “independence of the federal reserve” narrative.

End the Fed.

Bring on the Golden Age.

***

Burning Bright: Donald Trump has been publicly leaning on the Federal Reserve to supercharge the Golden Age economy since before he assumed office.

The Fed has stalled.

Trump’s mortgage buy-back program, I expect, is the first in a rapid cascade of him demonstrating that he doesn’t need Jerome.

---

Ukraine Calls for Maduro-Style Raid of Chechen Leader; EU Leaders Cite Erosion of World Order

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States should intensify pressure on Russia and suggested Washington could pursue “some sort of operation” to remove Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, drawing a parallel to the recent US operation that captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Zelensky portrayed the idea as a way to raise the cost for Moscow and push President Vladimir Putin to reconsider continuing the war in Ukraine.

The comments came as European leaders publicly warned that recent US actions are straining the postwar international system. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said US policy under President Donald Trump is helping erode the global order and pointed to the Maduro episode among developments he described as destabilizing.

Separately, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc has discussed how it might respond if the US advances efforts to acquire Greenland, calling US messaging “extremely concerning.” In another related development, an EU Commission spokesperson reportedly said the EU does not recognize the legitimacy of Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez but will maintain “targeted engagement” with Venezuelan authorities.

GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: The chaos generated from President Trump’s actions and behavior is beginning to bear fruit—dismantling the “international rules-based order.” What is often referred to as “international law.”

Vladimir Putin describes the malice and deception of this system.

President Putin is right. The concept of “international law” is nothing more than an abstract idea, because without a true means of enforcement there is no codified law. The Great Reset was supposed to establish this means of enforcement, but it is now clear that the world is moving in the opposite, away from the consolidation of power and toward the decentralization of authority.

Kokomo Rodriguez describes international law as a wild, barabaric, and flagrant rape, accusing the US of establishing a law of the jungle. (”Might makes right.”)

Ultimately, she is right. Putin is right. The United States does whatever it wants because it can—or at least, could—but it seems that those days are coming to an end. As Europe Politico and TASS is reporting, officials from the EU are preparing to confront President Trump and the US as an adversary on the issue of Greenland, which could easily lead to a diplomatic divorce between the two continents, which would mean the official end of the ambitions set forth in Agenda 2030.

Meanwhile, the EU refuses to acknowledge the legitimacy of Kokomo’s presidency.

I guess they are still really butthurt that Maria Hakuna Matada is not going to be the leader of Venezuela.

French President Emmanuel Macron laments that the US is turning away from its allies, while the German President accuses the US of undermining the world order, warning “against turning global politics into ‘a den of robbers.”

Perhaps, fraulein, it’s always been that way? And President Trump is merely pulling back the curtain?

Our Boy, Slovakian President Robert Fico, was very direct in stating that the Maduro operation represented the end of the post-WW2 international order—which is the apparatus designed to deliver globalism.

But it’s not just behavior and rhetoric, President Trump actually just withdrew the US from 66 international organizations, half of which were UN organizations—including the climate change platform and other forums.

And now the UN Secretary-General’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric is threatening to revoke the US’s right to vote because we haven’t been paying our dues.

Accelerate!

P.S. Last month, Burning Bright came on to The Book of Trump, where we discussed the Chechens, their role in the combat sports world, and their leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Now Zelensky is asking Trump to capture Kadyrov, and Kadyrov is calling Zelensky a coward for refusing to do it himself.

Trump-a-Mania!

---

BONUS ITEMS

---

Federal Judge Removes US Attorney Sarcone, Tosses Subpoenas to AG Letitia James

A federal judge on Thursday disqualified John Sarcone III as US Attorney for the Northern District of New York and invalidated subpoenas his office had issued to state Attorney General Letitia James.

US District Judge Lorna Schofield, an Obama appointee, wrote in a 24-page opinion that Sarcone had been serving unlawfully.

“When the Executive branch of government skirts restraints put in place by Congress and then uses that power to subject political adversaries to criminal investigations,” she wrote, “it acts without lawful authority.”

The ruling follows a series of court decisions rejecting the Trump administration’s efforts to install US attorneys without Senate confirmation. In recent weeks, judges have removed US attorneys in New Jersey and Delaware, and others in Nevada, Los Angeles, and Virginia, where the dismissal of Lindsey Halligan led to the invalidation of indictments against both James and former FBI Director James Comey. Attempts to re-indict James in Virginia have since failed.

Sarcone’s authority was challenged after unconventional moves were made to keep him in office beyond his 120-day term. When local judges declined to reappoint him, Attorney General Pam Bondi named him a “special attorney” with an indefinite term.

---

Trump Administration to Create New Assistant Attorney General Role to Probe Fraud

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the Trump administration is creating a new assistant attorney general position focused on investigating fraud tied to federally backed programs, following claims that taxpayers lost billions of dollars in Minnesota.

Vance said the new assistant attorney general will coordinate investigations across federal agencies and pursue criminal charges where warranted. The role will not be housed within the Justice Department, instead operating out of the White House and overseen by President Trump and the vice president.

According to Vance, the assistant attorney general will likely serve through the end of the Trump administration and will have nationwide jurisdiction over fraud investigations, with initial efforts concentrated in Minnesota.

The position will require Senate confirmation, and Vance said a nominee is expected to be announced in the coming days. He added that Senate Majority Leader John Thune has pledged swift confirmation.

The announcement follows the administration’s decision Tuesday to halt more than $10 billion in federal funding for social services programs in Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois, and Colorado. The Department of Health and Human Services has already frozen federal child care funding for Minnesota.

---

Please share the Brief far and wide! Want to join the conversation? Jump in the comments and let us know your thoughts. And if you like the Substack, you should check out our shows — streaming now on Badlands Media!

The opinions expressed in the Badlands Brief are those of the tagged authors and do not necessarily reflect the attitudes or positions of Badlands Media.

The Brief is free, but you can support us by becoming a paid subscriber to help our collective of citizen journalists take back the narrative.