Aman Batheja
@amanbatheja.bsky.social
Senior Political Editor at TIME Magazine. Background in economics and TX politics. Formerly New York Times, Texas Tribune. Dad. #washingtondc @nytimes.com
Signal: @amanbatheja.46
Signal: @amanbatheja.46
“The partial government shutdown that began early Saturday morning is on track to continue at least into Tuesday”
“The Tuesday plan remains tentative as GOP leaders scramble to navigate tensions inside their own conference, which could make passing the procedural measure difficult”
“The Tuesday plan remains tentative as GOP leaders scramble to navigate tensions inside their own conference, which could make passing the procedural measure difficult”
Shutdown likely to continue at least into Tuesday
House GOP leaders expect to delay a vote on $1.2T spending package due to Democratic opposition.
www.politico.com
February 1, 2026 at 2:18 PM
“The partial government shutdown that began early Saturday morning is on track to continue at least into Tuesday”
“The Tuesday plan remains tentative as GOP leaders scramble to navigate tensions inside their own conference, which could make passing the procedural measure difficult”
“The Tuesday plan remains tentative as GOP leaders scramble to navigate tensions inside their own conference, which could make passing the procedural measure difficult”
Reposted by Aman Batheja
WSJ: “.. The deal marked something unprecedented in American politics: a foreign government official taking a major ownership stake in an incoming U.S. president's company."
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
February 1, 2026 at 1:49 PM
WSJ: “.. The deal marked something unprecedented in American politics: a foreign government official taking a major ownership stake in an incoming U.S. president's company."
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Stunning outcome in Texas last night that's got Republicans in a panic:
In a special election for a solidly red Texas state senate district, Democrat Taylor Rehmet beat the Republican by 15 points.
Trump won the district by 17 points
In a special election for a solidly red Texas state senate district, Democrat Taylor Rehmet beat the Republican by 15 points.
Trump won the district by 17 points
February 1, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Stunning outcome in Texas last night that's got Republicans in a panic:
In a special election for a solidly red Texas state senate district, Democrat Taylor Rehmet beat the Republican by 15 points.
Trump won the district by 17 points
In a special election for a solidly red Texas state senate district, Democrat Taylor Rehmet beat the Republican by 15 points.
Trump won the district by 17 points
A partial government shutdown will start at 12:01 a.m. Members of both parties are saying it will very likely be over sometime Monday.
Partial Government Shutdown to Begin This Weekend
Lawmakers in both parties say the shutdown is likely to end early next week.
time.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:21 PM
A partial government shutdown will start at 12:01 a.m. Members of both parties are saying it will very likely be over sometime Monday.
Variety: Amazon Blocks Mainstream Press From Watching ‘Melania’ Documentary at Kennedy Center
Amazon Blocks Mainstream Press From Watching ‘Melania’ Documentary at Kennedy Center
After a red carpet attended by Donald and Melania Trump, mainstream media were banned from attending a screening of Amazon MGM's Melania documentary.
variety.com
January 30, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Variety: Amazon Blocks Mainstream Press From Watching ‘Melania’ Documentary at Kennedy Center
“Turns out, all Ms. Minaj got was a gold-colored card bearing Mr. Trump’s face. A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe the gift, said the gold card was simply a ‘memento’ rather than a ‘visa document.’”
Did Trump Really Give Nicki Minaj a $1 Million ‘Gold Card’ Visa?
www.nytimes.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:06 AM
“Turns out, all Ms. Minaj got was a gold-colored card bearing Mr. Trump’s face. A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe the gift, said the gold card was simply a ‘memento’ rather than a ‘visa document.’”
Some really interesting results in this Texas Public Opinion Research poll about the Texas Senate Democrats Primary between James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett
January 29, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Some really interesting results in this Texas Public Opinion Research poll about the Texas Senate Democrats Primary between James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett
New: With a possible second shutdown in four months approaching, Democrats are still debating the wisdom of the last one.
Shutdown backers point out it energized the base + GOP took more of the blame.
Detractors note Democrats got nothing concrete out of it—the subsidies are now gone
Shutdown backers point out it energized the base + GOP took more of the blame.
Detractors note Democrats got nothing concrete out of it—the subsidies are now gone
Democrats Threaten Shutdown—But Was the Last One Worth It?
The last shutdown ended with Democrats claiming no tangible wins
time.com
January 29, 2026 at 5:27 PM
New: With a possible second shutdown in four months approaching, Democrats are still debating the wisdom of the last one.
Shutdown backers point out it energized the base + GOP took more of the blame.
Detractors note Democrats got nothing concrete out of it—the subsidies are now gone
Shutdown backers point out it energized the base + GOP took more of the blame.
Detractors note Democrats got nothing concrete out of it—the subsidies are now gone
New: Democrats Reveal Their 3 Demands to Avoid a Shutdown
time.com/7358586/gove...
time.com/7358586/gove...
Democrats Reveal Their 3 Demands to Avoid a Shutdown
"We want masks off, body cameras on," Senator Chuck Schumer said, one of three demands Democrats have to avoid a shutdown this weekend
time.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:36 PM
New: Democrats Reveal Their 3 Demands to Avoid a Shutdown
time.com/7358586/gove...
time.com/7358586/gove...
Reposted by Aman Batheja
Trump’s fundraisers are now using the threat of dispatching ICE against citizens as an email engagement tactic.
January 28, 2026 at 12:45 PM
Trump’s fundraisers are now using the threat of dispatching ICE against citizens as an email engagement tactic.
"Shouts of joy echoed on the fourth floor of Middle Collegiate Church as news reached churchgoers that a judge had decided to free fellow parishioner Allan Marrero from immigration detention on Tuesday."
documentedny.com/2026/01/27/a...
documentedny.com/2026/01/27/a...
‘He Got Bond!’: Allan Marrero to be Freed From Immigration Detention After Months-Long Fight - Documented
Churchgoers cheer after courtroom victory for Allan Marrero, whose marriage was torn apart by ICE in New York City.
documentedny.com
January 28, 2026 at 2:16 PM
"Shouts of joy echoed on the fourth floor of Middle Collegiate Church as news reached churchgoers that a judge had decided to free fellow parishioner Allan Marrero from immigration detention on Tuesday."
documentedny.com/2026/01/27/a...
documentedny.com/2026/01/27/a...
New: The third “No Kings” protest is scheduled for Saturday, March 28. Organizers expect millions to turn out, more than the last one. The flagship protest will be in Minnesota
time.com/7358310/no-k...
time.com/7358310/no-k...
Next ‘No Kings’ Protests Set For March 28
The flagship protest will be in Minneapolis, which has become a national symbol for anti-ICE sentiment
time.com
January 28, 2026 at 1:09 PM
New: The third “No Kings” protest is scheduled for Saturday, March 28. Organizers expect millions to turn out, more than the last one. The flagship protest will be in Minnesota
time.com/7358310/no-k...
time.com/7358310/no-k...
A eulogy from Alex Pretti's childhood friend: "He told me the truth about Santa, and I told him the truth about where babies come from...There is something destabilizing about having known someone only as a child and then hearing they were gunned down in the street."
I grew up with Alex Pretti
The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by federal agents was my childhood best friend.
www.theverge.com
January 27, 2026 at 10:46 PM
A eulogy from Alex Pretti's childhood friend: "He told me the truth about Santa, and I told him the truth about where babies come from...There is something destabilizing about having known someone only as a child and then hearing they were gunned down in the street."
Trump’s latest comments on guns (“You can’t walk in with guns”) echo his reaction after Parkland in 2018.
In a crazy public meeting, he abruptly called for national background checks and red flag laws.
“I like taking the guns early. Take the guns first, go through due process second,” Trump said.
In a crazy public meeting, he abruptly called for national background checks and red flag laws.
“I like taking the guns early. Take the guns first, go through due process second,” Trump said.
January 27, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Trump’s latest comments on guns (“You can’t walk in with guns”) echo his reaction after Parkland in 2018.
In a crazy public meeting, he abruptly called for national background checks and red flag laws.
“I like taking the guns early. Take the guns first, go through due process second,” Trump said.
In a crazy public meeting, he abruptly called for national background checks and red flag laws.
“I like taking the guns early. Take the guns first, go through due process second,” Trump said.
Calls for an international boycott of the World Cup in the U.S. are growing.
Said one former FIFA official to fans: “You’ll see it better on TV anyway.”
Said one former FIFA official to fans: “You’ll see it better on TV anyway.”
Why Some are Calling for a World Cup Boycott
Prominent soccer figures have called for fans to watch the tournament on TV instead of in the U.S., while some European lawmakers have even called for teams to pull out of playing.
time.com
January 27, 2026 at 1:56 PM
Calls for an international boycott of the World Cup in the U.S. are growing.
Said one former FIFA official to fans: “You’ll see it better on TV anyway.”
Said one former FIFA official to fans: “You’ll see it better on TV anyway.”
Reposted by Aman Batheja
On Thin ICE in Minneapolis: How Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Sparked a Crisis of Trust #MinnesotaStrong #Minnesota
time.com/7358027/ice-...
time.com/7358027/ice-...
How Trump's ICE Became an Agency in Crisis
Soon after Inauguration, Trump dispensed with much of ICE's oversight and guardrails.
time.com
January 27, 2026 at 1:33 AM
On Thin ICE in Minneapolis: How Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Sparked a Crisis of Trust #MinnesotaStrong #Minnesota
time.com/7358027/ice-...
time.com/7358027/ice-...
Reposted by Aman Batheja
New: ICE is now an agency in crisis, as many now see it as operating recklessly and far outside law enforcement norms. How did it get there?
time.com/7358027/ice-...
time.com/7358027/ice-...
How Trump's ICE Became an Agency in Crisis
Soon after Inauguration, Trump dispensed with much of ICE's oversight and guardrails.
time.com
January 26, 2026 at 10:44 PM
New: ICE is now an agency in crisis, as many now see it as operating recklessly and far outside law enforcement norms. How did it get there?
time.com/7358027/ice-...
time.com/7358027/ice-...
CNN: “The Department of Homeland Security has suspended border patrol official Gregory Bovino’s access to his social media accounts effective immediately, according to a source familiar with the matter.”
DHS suspends Bovino's access to his social media accounts, source says
Tom Homan is headed to Minnesota after the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in an encounter Saturday with federal agents deepened outrage over the Trump administration’s surge, part of its nati...
www.cnn.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:55 PM
CNN: “The Department of Homeland Security has suspended border patrol official Gregory Bovino’s access to his social media accounts effective immediately, according to a source familiar with the matter.”
New: ICE is now an agency in crisis, as many now see it as operating recklessly and far outside law enforcement norms. How did it get there?
time.com/7358027/ice-...
time.com/7358027/ice-...
How Trump's ICE Became an Agency in Crisis
Soon after Inauguration, Trump dispensed with much of ICE's oversight and guardrails.
time.com
January 26, 2026 at 10:44 PM
New: ICE is now an agency in crisis, as many now see it as operating recklessly and far outside law enforcement norms. How did it get there?
time.com/7358027/ice-...
time.com/7358027/ice-...
Good look at how some of the images going viral of Alex Pretti's shooting are ‘AI-enhanced.’
"Most of these “AI-enhanced” images are based on a single frame from a real video of the shooting"
www.bbc.com/news/live/c8...
"Most of these “AI-enhanced” images are based on a single frame from a real video of the shooting"
www.bbc.com/news/live/c8...
BBC Verify: Social media users turn to AI in attempt to 'enhance' Minneapolis shooting images
Latest updates from the BBC's specialists in fact-checking, verifying video and tackling disinformation.
www.bbc.com
January 26, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Good look at how some of the images going viral of Alex Pretti's shooting are ‘AI-enhanced.’
"Most of these “AI-enhanced” images are based on a single frame from a real video of the shooting"
www.bbc.com/news/live/c8...
"Most of these “AI-enhanced” images are based on a single frame from a real video of the shooting"
www.bbc.com/news/live/c8...
The current view of Democrats' chances of taking back the Senate, based on "conversations with about two dozen strategists, lobbyists, donors, and Hill staffers": There's a narrow but plausible path for Republicans to lose even the upper chamber in a wave election
time.com/7357434/demo...
time.com/7357434/demo...
Democrats See Path to Senate Control. Here Are the Races to Watch
Interviews with key strategists and donors reveal why Democrats think they can flip the Senate in 2026 through these states:
time.com
January 26, 2026 at 3:37 PM
The current view of Democrats' chances of taking back the Senate, based on "conversations with about two dozen strategists, lobbyists, donors, and Hill staffers": There's a narrow but plausible path for Republicans to lose even the upper chamber in a wave election
time.com/7357434/demo...
time.com/7357434/demo...
New: How would a partial government shutdown over ICE impact ICE?
Potentially not much, as Republicans approved a massive $75 billion funding surge for ICE last year which it could tap amid a shutdown
time.com/7357762/gove...
Potentially not much, as Republicans approved a massive $75 billion funding surge for ICE last year which it could tap amid a shutdown
time.com/7357762/gove...
How a Partial Government Shutdown Over ICE Would Impact ICE
Voting against the funding bill may do little to curb ICE in the short term. Here's why:
time.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:35 PM
New: How would a partial government shutdown over ICE impact ICE?
Potentially not much, as Republicans approved a massive $75 billion funding surge for ICE last year which it could tap amid a shutdown
time.com/7357762/gove...
Potentially not much, as Republicans approved a massive $75 billion funding surge for ICE last year which it could tap amid a shutdown
time.com/7357762/gove...
Reposted by Aman Batheja
From former Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, author of Texas' Concealed Handgun Law: I carry a handgun. Am I a domestic terrorist?
www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outl...
www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outl...
I carry a handgun. Am I a domestic terrorist?
If I brandish my handgun in the presence of a peace officer, I expect to get shot. If it remains untouched in my holster, I don’t expect to get shot.
www.houstonchronicle.com
January 26, 2026 at 12:56 PM
From former Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, author of Texas' Concealed Handgun Law: I carry a handgun. Am I a domestic terrorist?
www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outl...
www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outl...
CNN: “The stock market in President Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House was the weakest of any president’s first year of a new term since 2005, when George W. Bush started his second term.”
Trump’s stock market: Worst first year of a term since George W. Bush | CNN Business
The stock market under President Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House saw the worst performance during the first year of a presidential term 2004, when George Bush started the second term...
www.cnn.com
January 26, 2026 at 12:55 PM
CNN: “The stock market in President Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House was the weakest of any president’s first year of a new term since 2005, when George W. Bush started his second term.”
I was a reporter in Texas for 15 years. I regularly covered events where multiple attendees were carrying guns—legally—including more than a dozen Tea Party protests.
If a Democrat made this argument, the howling outrage from Texas statewides would be loud enough to hear from space
If a Democrat made this argument, the howling outrage from Texas statewides would be loud enough to hear from space
KARL: He was an ICU use who worked for the VA and there's no evidence he brandished the gun whatsoever
BESSENT: But he brought a gun
KARL: I mean, we do have a Second Amendment
BESSENT: I've been to a protest -- guess what? I didn't bring a gun. I brought a billboard
BESSENT: But he brought a gun
KARL: I mean, we do have a Second Amendment
BESSENT: I've been to a protest -- guess what? I didn't bring a gun. I brought a billboard
January 25, 2026 at 6:01 PM
I was a reporter in Texas for 15 years. I regularly covered events where multiple attendees were carrying guns—legally—including more than a dozen Tea Party protests.
If a Democrat made this argument, the howling outrage from Texas statewides would be loud enough to hear from space
If a Democrat made this argument, the howling outrage from Texas statewides would be loud enough to hear from space