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Trump welcomes newly naturalized citizens into American culture and urges them to “fiercely defend and preserve” it. Additionally, Harvard’s dispute with the White House over federal grants escalates.
Table of Contents
1. Trump’s State of the Union Address
President Donald Trump will likely highlight his accomplishments during his second State of the Union address, including pay bonuses given to workers and median family income doubling over two years. Additionally, he may call for legislative action to extend his 2017 tax cuts.
He may emphasize his efforts to stop drug smuggling across the border and to increase drug trafficking penalties and create legal immigration pathways through executive orders he signed. Furthermore, he may discuss fentanyl use that has caused an upsurge in overdose deaths and hospitalizations.
Trump will likely discuss his administration’s recent tariffs, efforts to cut federal worker hiring and the Department of Government Efficiency’s plan to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Additionally, he may discuss Ukraine and his request that Greenland become independent from Denmark – though don’t expect any grand vision for US leadership from his speech; rather expect him to reiterate his default position of zero-sum power that may create friction with allies and poor deals with adversaries.
2. A Texas sheriff’s deputy is under fire
Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Crissmon-Stewart is being investigated after sharing confidential body-worn camera footage, such as images showing Keahra Fininen experiencing an active miscarriage and video from inside her hospital room, with family and friends. Fininen says her privacy had been breached as her private information had been made public without her knowledge and consent – her privacy had been invaded as she felt violated.
Internal affairs division of the department has confirmed, via letter sent by one of her former supervisors, that it is currently investigating an account on TikTok called @ms.escalera that went viral and appeared as part of its professionalism policy violation despite its author blurring her badge for some footage posted there under @ms.escalera’s username @ms.escalera; police released screenshots from it soon afterwards as evidence. Subscribe to PEOPLE’s True Crime newsletter for all the latest updates as well as unsolved mysteries!
3. A farm supervisor says his boss ordered him to dispose of two women’s bodies
Trial proceedings of an accused white South African farm worker for murdering two black women over food have begun, with testimony from one witness saying his boss ordered him to dispose of their bodies by feeding them to pigs. Adrian de Wet, 20, testified as a state witness during his trial which began Monday and claims he was coerced into disposing of bodies in a pig enclosure after Zachariah Johannes Olivier shot Maria Makgato and Lucia Ndlovu as they searched for dairy products that had recently expired on their farm and left out as food for animals. Olivier and 50-year-old William Musora both face charges of murder, attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and obstruction of justice; Musora hailing from Zimbabwe additionally stands accused of illegally residing in Canada. This incident has ignited outrage and reignited racial tensions across rural areas where historical disparities remain with regards to land ownership and wages for farm laborers.
4. A Texas sheriff’s deputy is under internal investigation
One Harris County sheriff’s deputy is under internal review after her video went viral for all the wrong reasons on TikTok. Precinct 5 deputy Jennifer Escalera can be seen wearing her uniform and suggesting in it that she might write more tickets had she not “gotten cracked,” slang for having sexual encounters, the night before. Later deleted but name and department visible clearly visible in footage.
According to HCSO personnel records, this deputy maintains close ties with Christopher and Paul Mejia Gutierrez – known felons connected with Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG). Reportedly, she allowed these men to use her personal vehicle during a chop shop raid in 2024 while using department systems to conduct criminal background checks on them.
While an internal review is underway, her administrative duties have been assigned. It remains to be seen if other posts on TikTok will also fall under investigation.
