We Get Bored at Meetings, Too

Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for January 29, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

The Latest

The shutdown clock is ticking, and everyone seems … optimistic? Senate Democrats and the White House are working on a deal that would carve DHS funding out of the spending package that senators voted down earlier today. They could vote again as soon as tonight.

• John Thune said “there’s a path.” Chris Coons said the White House “is trying to actually be constructive.” And Donald Trump said he doesn’t want a shutdown and was working “in a very bipartisan way” to avoid one.
• The sticking point: How long should temporary funding for DHS last? Democrats say it should only take a “handful of days” to agree on ICE reforms — if Republicans are serious about making them.
• Remember: The House would have to approve any changes to the existing package, and Mike Johnson still says it’s unlikely that members will be back before Monday.

Tom Homan said he’s working on a ‘drawdown’ in Minnesota. He didn’t offer much in the way of details but said federal agents would focus on immigrants already in jail and “targeted enforcement operations” rather than sweeping roundups on Minneapolis streets.

• While Homan didn’t criticize Kristi Noem or Gregory Bovino by name, he said he “didn’t come to Minnesota for photo ops or headlines.” And while he didn’t criticize federal agents for what they’ve done so far, he said their future efforts would be “safer, more efficient, by the book.”

• Bovino posed in front of Mount Rushmore for a video salute to the Border Patrol.

The president said he was bored at his last Cabinet meeting, so he held a shorter one today. He took no questions from the press.

• If tea leaves are your thing: Trump invited several Cabinet members to speak. Noem was not one of them.

The Hill

The Senate Agriculture Committee moved forward on a crypto regulation bill. All the Republicans voted yes, and all the Democrats voted no.

A House Ethics subcommittee said there’s ‘substantial evidence’ to support the criminal charges facing Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick — and evidence of “more extensive misconduct,” too.

Susan Collins said ICE has ended its ‘enhanced activities’ in Maine after she intervened with Noem. Josh Shapiro said he’s preparing in case ICE comes to Pennsylvania.

The Administration

Trump said he’ll announce his pick to replace Jerome Powell next week. He’s said he has four finalists: National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Fed governor Christopher Waller, former Fed governor Kevin Warsh and BlackRock’s Rick Rieder.

Trump said he’s reopening Venezuelan airspace for commercial flights, and that it will be safe for U.S. citizens to visit. American Airlines announced plans to start flying there again.

Tulsi Gabbard was at the FBI’s raid of a Georgia election office this week because she has “spent months investigating the results of the 2020 election that Donald Trump lost,” The Wall Street Journal reports.

But Can He Shovel Snow?

Thank you for reading! Today’s newsletter was produced by Matt Berman, Christopher T. Fong and Andrew Burton. If you liked it, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please subscribe — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at finalnotus@notus.com.