Paul Kiernan
@pkwsj.bsky.social
Writing about the California economy for The Wall Street Journal. Currently based in Los Angeles. Previously CDMX, São Paulo, Rio, and DC.
Tips to paul.kiernan@wsj.com or Signal/WhatsApp +1-202-808-4258
https://www.wsj.com/news/author/paul-kiernan
Tips to paul.kiernan@wsj.com or Signal/WhatsApp +1-202-808-4258
https://www.wsj.com/news/author/paul-kiernan
'We Are Going to Run the Country': Trump Speaks on U.S. Capture of Venezuela's Maduro
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
Live Updates: Trump Speaks on U.S. Capture of Venezuela's Maduro 'We Are Going to Run the Country'
The U.S. military operation in Venezuela comes after months of pressure on the Latin American country's president. Follow along for live updates, news and analysis as the story unfolds.
www.wsj.com
January 3, 2026 at 4:53 PM
'We Are Going to Run the Country': Trump Speaks on U.S. Capture of Venezuela's Maduro
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
Reposted by Paul Kiernan
Watch France & Mexico.
Mx: "Latin America & the Caribbean is a zone of peace, built on the basis of mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the prohibition of the use and threat of force, so any military action seriously jeopardizes regional stability."
www.axios.com/2026/01/03/m...
Mx: "Latin America & the Caribbean is a zone of peace, built on the basis of mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the prohibition of the use and threat of force, so any military action seriously jeopardizes regional stability."
www.axios.com/2026/01/03/m...
World leaders denounce U.S. operation to capture Maduro
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the bombings and capture "cross an unacceptable line."
www.axios.com
January 3, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Watch France & Mexico.
Mx: "Latin America & the Caribbean is a zone of peace, built on the basis of mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the prohibition of the use and threat of force, so any military action seriously jeopardizes regional stability."
www.axios.com/2026/01/03/m...
Mx: "Latin America & the Caribbean is a zone of peace, built on the basis of mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the prohibition of the use and threat of force, so any military action seriously jeopardizes regional stability."
www.axios.com/2026/01/03/m...
Go west, young man, and then stop halfway if you ever want to own a single-family home.
www.wsj.com/economy/hous...
www.wsj.com/economy/hous...
Americans Are Looking to the Midwest to Find Affordability
The region offers housing costs below the national median and steady wage growth.
www.wsj.com
January 3, 2026 at 6:54 AM
Go west, young man, and then stop halfway if you ever want to own a single-family home.
www.wsj.com/economy/hous...
www.wsj.com/economy/hous...
The SEC under Trump brought four enforcement actions in nine months against public companies. In the prior three months, under the Biden administration, it brought 52 enforcement actions against public companies.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Trump Administration Upends Prosecution of White-Collar Crime
The Justice Department has shifted away from several areas of enforcement while Trump’s pardons have undone prominent convictions.
www.wsj.com
January 1, 2026 at 10:58 PM
The SEC under Trump brought four enforcement actions in nine months against public companies. In the prior three months, under the Biden administration, it brought 52 enforcement actions against public companies.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Author of LAFD Palisades fire report declined to endorse final version, called it ‘highly unprofessional’
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Author of LAFD Palisades fire report declined to endorse final version, called it 'highly unprofessional'
Battalion Chief Kenneth Cook's email adds to the growing evidence that city and LAFD officials attempted to burnish the LAFD’s image in a report that was meant to be an honest assessment of the depart...
www.latimes.com
December 28, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Author of LAFD Palisades fire report declined to endorse final version, called it ‘highly unprofessional’
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
A bear, a crawlspace and uncomfortable human smells. This story has it all.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
A trap was set for a bear living under an Altadena home for a month. It caught the wrong bear
Despite noisemakers, baited traps and an entire month of waiting, a half-ton bear spent Christmas under an Altadena home.
www.latimes.com
December 27, 2025 at 3:35 AM
A bear, a crawlspace and uncomfortable human smells. This story has it all.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
A Wealth Tax Floated in California Has Billionaires Thinking of Leaving www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/t...
A Wealth Tax Floated in California Has Billionaires Thinking of Leaving
www.nytimes.com
December 26, 2025 at 10:15 PM
A Wealth Tax Floated in California Has Billionaires Thinking of Leaving www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/t...
Swaths of the Permian Basin appear to be on the cusp of geological malfunction.
www.wsj.com/business/ene...
www.wsj.com/business/ene...
America’s Biggest Oil Field Is Turning Into a Pressure Cooker
Drillers’ injection of wastewater is creating mayhem across the Permian Basin, raising concern about the future of fossil-fuel production there.
www.wsj.com
December 26, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Swaths of the Permian Basin appear to be on the cusp of geological malfunction.
www.wsj.com/business/ene...
www.wsj.com/business/ene...
December 25, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Is DHS going to pay for the door that they exploded off the house of a guy who turned himself in and was immediately released? www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
Video: How ‘Turn and Burn’ Immigration Operations Unleash Chaos — and Sweep up U.S. Citizens
A video analysis of one early morning raid in Los Angeles revealed the vast web of consequences brought by new aggressive Border Patrol tactics.
www.nytimes.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Is DHS going to pay for the door that they exploded off the house of a guy who turned himself in and was immediately released? www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
With a deepening budget deficit, California is pressing pause on one of Gavin Newsom’s signature initiatives: Free healthcare for undocumented immigrants. The effort has provided ragebait for national conservatives and comprehensive coverage for 1.7 million people.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
California Cuts Back on Costly Immigrant Healthcare
The state’s widening budget deficit means immigrants living in the U.S. unlawfully won’t be able to sign up for state-subsidized coverage.
www.wsj.com
December 21, 2025 at 5:47 PM
With a deepening budget deficit, California is pressing pause on one of Gavin Newsom’s signature initiatives: Free healthcare for undocumented immigrants. The effort has provided ragebait for national conservatives and comprehensive coverage for 1.7 million people.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
The situation underscores a broader truth about modern wealth. Some of the biggest fortunes are tied up in illiquid stakes or leveraged assets, or based on valuations that rely on private-market optimism. They often aren’t accessible as cash and can quickly disappear.
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
How L.A.’s Richest Man Went From Billions to Bust
The onetime billionaire spent his vast fortune on lavish homes in Bel-Air, Malibu and New York City. But the aftermath of his death reveals a dire financial situation.
www.wsj.com
December 19, 2025 at 1:32 AM
The situation underscores a broader truth about modern wealth. Some of the biggest fortunes are tied up in illiquid stakes or leveraged assets, or based on valuations that rely on private-market optimism. They often aren’t accessible as cash and can quickly disappear.
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
A Chinese citizen who fled the country after gathering evidence of alleged human-rights violations against the nation’s Uyghur population is at risk of being returned there after being detained by ICE, his supporters said
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
ICE Holding Chinese Man Who Documented Uyghur Camps
Heng Guan is awaiting an immigration hearing on Monday that could lead to his removal from the U.S. and ultimately land him back in China, according to his lawyer and a New York-based activist group.
www.wsj.com
December 12, 2025 at 11:57 PM
A Chinese citizen who fled the country after gathering evidence of alleged human-rights violations against the nation’s Uyghur population is at risk of being returned there after being detained by ICE, his supporters said
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
www.wsj.com/world/china/...
A person close to Trump said the president will want Paramount and Netflix to compete for his approval of a deal.
www.wsj.com/business/med...
www.wsj.com/business/med...
Behind Paramount’s Relentless Campaign to Woo Warner Discovery and President Trump
David Ellison has launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Discovery, taking his case directly to shareholders after Netflix clinched a deal.
www.wsj.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:32 AM
A person close to Trump said the president will want Paramount and Netflix to compete for his approval of a deal.
www.wsj.com/business/med...
www.wsj.com/business/med...
Three seconds can be an eternity in sports, where the betting odds can swing dramatically after a single score or injury.
A spokesperson for Crypto.com said that the three-second delay “supports liquidity and fairness.”
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
A spokesperson for Crypto.com said that the three-second delay “supports liquidity and fairness.”
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Crypto.com Gives Pros 3-Second Head Start Over Retail Traders for Sports Bets
In the fast-moving world of sports betting, a few seconds can mean everything. On Crypto.com’s prediction market, those seconds now belong to the pros.
www.bloomberg.com
December 8, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Three seconds can be an eternity in sports, where the betting odds can swing dramatically after a single score or injury.
A spokesperson for Crypto.com said that the three-second delay “supports liquidity and fairness.”
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
A spokesperson for Crypto.com said that the three-second delay “supports liquidity and fairness.”
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
After January’s devastating Los Angeles wildfires, community members toured the first rebuilt home in Pacific Palisades this weekend. “It’s a beautiful house,’” said one survivor. “But you don’t have any neighbors.”
www.wsj.com/us-news/near...
www.wsj.com/us-news/near...
Nearly a Year After Pacific Palisades Burned, There’s a New House
The home comes with a catch: no one can buy it. But it suggests what’s possible as California tries to make rebuilding easier.
www.wsj.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:26 AM
After January’s devastating Los Angeles wildfires, community members toured the first rebuilt home in Pacific Palisades this weekend. “It’s a beautiful house,’” said one survivor. “But you don’t have any neighbors.”
www.wsj.com/us-news/near...
www.wsj.com/us-news/near...
Ninety-one of the new billionaires inherited their wealth. “We’ve been talking about the great wealth transfer now for over a decade now, and you’re starting to see it come to fruition,” Mathews said. “I’d say we’re in the second inning of a nine-inning baseball game.”
www.wsj.com/economy/bill...
www.wsj.com/economy/bill...
The World Has More Billionaires Than Ever
Soaring tech valuations and stock-market gains have boosted the number of billionaires and the wealth they hold.
www.wsj.com
December 4, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Ninety-one of the new billionaires inherited their wealth. “We’ve been talking about the great wealth transfer now for over a decade now, and you’re starting to see it come to fruition,” Mathews said. “I’d say we’re in the second inning of a nine-inning baseball game.”
www.wsj.com/economy/bill...
www.wsj.com/economy/bill...
Hiring by American businesses dropped last month, according to an estimate from payroll processor ADP
www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
Private Hiring Sank in November, ADP Says
Private employers shed 32,000 jobs in November, payroll processor ADP estimated.
www.wsj.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Hiring by American businesses dropped last month, according to an estimate from payroll processor ADP
www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
Reposted by Paul Kiernan
UPDATED: Through August 2025, tariff revenues since January 2025 totaled $149 billion, contributing just 8% of the projected 2025 federal deficit.
Learn more from our tariff revenue tracker here: www.piie.com/research/pii...
Learn more from our tariff revenue tracker here: www.piie.com/research/pii...
December 1, 2025 at 10:26 PM
UPDATED: Through August 2025, tariff revenues since January 2025 totaled $149 billion, contributing just 8% of the projected 2025 federal deficit.
Learn more from our tariff revenue tracker here: www.piie.com/research/pii...
Learn more from our tariff revenue tracker here: www.piie.com/research/pii...
Entering Afghan homes means being offered large meals. One family had prepared a whole feast for a Time Warner cable worker, Orange County's refugee director said. “They didn't understand why that person couldn’t stay to dine with them,” he said. laist.com/news/orange-...
In Orange County, Afghans face uncertainty from Trump visa freeze
One O.C. official is readying to guide families through the sudden shift, despite scant information from federal authorities.
laist.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Entering Afghan homes means being offered large meals. One family had prepared a whole feast for a Time Warner cable worker, Orange County's refugee director said. “They didn't understand why that person couldn’t stay to dine with them,” he said. laist.com/news/orange-...
President Trump is pushing for an intensified “reverse migration” agenda, seeking to broaden a crackdown on millions of immigrants from poorer countries in the U.S.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Trump Pushes for ‘Reverse Migration’ as He Seeks to Widen Crackdown
The White House wants to freeze migration from poorer countries and expand restrictions on nations it deems “high risk.”
www.wsj.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:43 PM
President Trump is pushing for an intensified “reverse migration” agenda, seeking to broaden a crackdown on millions of immigrants from poorer countries in the U.S.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
The high-seas cowboys who speed tons of cocaine to American consumers are now getting blown out of the water under Trump’s orders by the U.S. military. They say it won’t stop them.
www.wsj.com/world/americ...
www.wsj.com/world/americ...
‘Deliver or Die’: Inside the Drug-Boat Crews Ferrying Cocaine to the U.S.
The high-seas cowboys who speed tons of cocaine to American consumers are now getting blown out of the water. They say it won’t stop them.
www.wsj.com
November 28, 2025 at 2:02 AM
The high-seas cowboys who speed tons of cocaine to American consumers are now getting blown out of the water under Trump’s orders by the U.S. military. They say it won’t stop them.
www.wsj.com/world/americ...
www.wsj.com/world/americ...
Dealmakers and executives initially worried that the Trump administration’s populist bent could mean opposition to big mergers, particularly in tech. But corporate tie-ups are surging under Trump 2.0, thanks to looser antitrust enforcement.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Corporate Dealmaking Is Getting Bigger and Bolder Under Trump
A more lax approach to merger enforcement has led to fewer challenges, with companies more willing to pursue deals that combine direct competitors.
www.wsj.com
November 27, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Dealmakers and executives initially worried that the Trump administration’s populist bent could mean opposition to big mergers, particularly in tech. But corporate tie-ups are surging under Trump 2.0, thanks to looser antitrust enforcement.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Hundreds of thousands of Haitians in the U.S. are set to lose legal protections and work permits in February, after the Trump administration said it was taking a final step to end a program that allows them to remain in the country legally
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Protected Status for Haitian Migrants to Expire in February
The Department of Homeland Security says those without the right to stay in the U.S. will be required to return to the island.
www.wsj.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Hundreds of thousands of Haitians in the U.S. are set to lose legal protections and work permits in February, after the Trump administration said it was taking a final step to end a program that allows them to remain in the country legally
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
“Adult political considerations and adult political objectives ultimately drive policy,” Ohio State education researcher Vladimir Kogan says. “It’s not that people don’t care about kids, but those considerations are of secondary importance.” nymag.com/intelligence...
How Public Education Failed in the Liberal Enclaves That Care About It Most
Student achievement has fallen off a cliff. Neither Trump nor the pandemic is to blame.
nymag.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:35 AM
“Adult political considerations and adult political objectives ultimately drive policy,” Ohio State education researcher Vladimir Kogan says. “It’s not that people don’t care about kids, but those considerations are of secondary importance.” nymag.com/intelligence...