Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026

Start your day informed with today’s must-read headlines from around Wisconsin and the world. And don’t forget to check out our Meme of the Day at the end for a little humor to go with your news!

U.S. and World Headlines

Trump Slaps 25% Tariffs On Any Countries That Do Business With Iran

President Trump said Monday he's imposing 25% tariffs on goods from all countries that do business with Iran — a sweeping measure as the Trump administration heaps pressure on the Iranian government amid nationwide anti-regime protests.

Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social that the new tariffs will apply to "any and all business being done with the United States of America." He said the tariffs would take effect immediately.

It's not clear which countries will face the new tariffs. But Iran does billions of dollars' worth of business with one of the U.S.'s largest trading partners — China — and with the United Arab Emirates, an American ally in the Gulf region.

Supreme Court Weighs State Restrictions On Transgender Student-Athletes

Diving into a contentious social issue, the Supreme Court on Tuesday considers whether states can ban transgender athletes from taking part in girls' and women's school and college sports.

The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, will hear oral arguments in separate cases involving two transgender students, Becky Pepper-Jackson and Lindsay Hecox, who challenged state bans in West Virginia and Idaho, respectively.

Republican Introduces Bill Seeking To Make Greenland 51st State

Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) has introduced a bill to make Greenland the 51st state in the U.S., following President Trump’s recent push to acquire the Danish territory.

The “Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act” was introduced by the Florida Republican on Monday, his office said in a press release. The bill’s goals, according to its text, include enabling “the annexation and subsequent admission to statehood of Greenland.”

“Greenland is not a distant outpost we can afford to ignore—it is a vital national security asset,” Fine said in the press release. “Whoever controls Greenland controls key Arctic shipping lanes and the security architecture protecting the United States.”

Trump Calls For A 10% Cap On Credit Card Interest Rates

President Donald Trump has floated the idea of putting a one-year cap on credit card interest rates at 10%.

"They've really abused the public," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One Monday, describing credit card companies. "I'm not going to let it happen."

In 2023, credit card rates began shooting to new highs. As of November 2025, the average rate was at 22.3%, according to the Federal Reserve, though many cards have terms well above that. A decade earlier, the credit card rate average was 13.9%.

Minnesota Sues DHS To End Surge Of Immigration Agents To State

Minnesota is suing the Department of Homeland Security to stop the surge of immigration officers being sent to the state, Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Monday.

The lawsuit comes as the Department of Homeland Security is preparing to send 1,000 additional immigration officers to Minnesota, with hundreds expected to be deployed as soon as Monday, sources told NewsNation.

“We believe the Trump administration is targeting Minnesota because of our political views,” Ellison said, calling the lawsuit a First Amendment issue.

Wisconsin Headlines

Effort Launches To Elevate Northwoods Priorities In Wisconsin Policy Decisions

A newly-formed policy organization is working to ensure northern Wisconsin’s economic and workforce priorities don’t get overshadowed in statewide decision-making.

The Northwoods Policy Network, led by Executive Director Paul Schecklman, aims to shape policy around the realities of the Northwoods — from its natural-resource-based economy to its aging workforce and shrinking population.

“Policy is very local,” Shecklman said in a conversation on WPR’s “Morning Edition.” “Our solutions may not look the same as those elsewhere in the state.”

ROFR Loses, Wisconsin Wins

MISO has just announced the winners of two regional transmission projects being built in Wisconsin. In a turn of events that will surprise few, Wisconsin's transmission company, ATC, was not selected for either project.

This is a big win for competition, free markets, ratepayers, and Wisconsinites as a whole.

As it turns out, the winners trounced the competition by offering some of the lowest bids, returns on equity, and revenue requirements.

Gov. Evers Eyes Affordability And Bipartisan Agreement; Addresses ICE Enforcement

Gov. Tony Evers (D) said he's eyeing affordability and bi-partisan agreement for Wisconsinites heading into his last year as governor.

During a press conference held on Monday at the State Capitol, Evers reflected on 2025 as the "Year of the Kid." He highlighted investments into the Universities of Wisconsin and helping stabilize the state's child care industry.

For 2026, Evers is still focusing on kids, but shifting his attention toward affordability for Wisconsinites through bipartisan agreement.

Johnson Tells ‘UpFront’ Venezuela Needs ‘Real Election’

GOP U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson says Venezuela needs a “real election” after “the election was stolen by (Nicolas) Maduro” as the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on whether to rein in President Donald Trump’s military powers.

“You can tell that President Trump does not want to put troops on the ground to nation-build,” Johnson said on WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics-State Affairs. “He’s going to use the oil as leverage to make sure that the transition administration does right by the Venezuelan people. So we’ll buy that oil, put that money into an escrow account to pay the civil servants so they can keep the Venezuelan society as we transition to a real election.”

Republican State Lawmakers Outline Provisions In New Data Center Bill

We're learning more information about a new data center bill introduced by state Republicans.

Legislators Shannon Zimmerman (R-River Falls), Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer), Jesse James (R-Thorp) and Chanz Green (R-Grand View) held a press conference Monday morning in Chippewa Falls to discuss specific provisions in their bill. Representative Zimmerman co-authored the bill with Senator Romaine Robert Quinn (R-Birchwood).

Some elements include requirements for water usage, renewable energy opportunities and financing for future projects. The most important foundation is a protection for tax and ratepayers that forces companies and developers to be responsible for paying all higher energy costs.