Tom Homan Dispatched to Minnesota, Winter Storm Deaths, Kanye West Apologizes Again: AM Update 1/27

0:02Good morning, everyone. I'm Megan Kelly. It's Tuesday, January 27th, 2026, and this is your AM update. Mr. Homan is the point person for cooperating with state and local authorities. Possible signs of easing tensions in Minnesota, with federal leadership changes now underway. Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down. As brutal winter conditions engulf much of the country, a private jet crashes in Maine during takeoff, killing everyone on board. Venezuela's acting president striking a defiant tone against the Trump administration while relying on its backing to maintain power.

0:41And rapper Kanye Ye West apologizes for his past anti-Semitic comments again. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update.

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1:38Consider making right now your first time to buy gold and take advantage of a rebate up to$10 ,000 when you buy by January 30th. Text MK to the number 989898. Claim your eligibility today. Again, just text MK to the number 989898. A possible easing of tensions in Minnesota following the shooting of anti-ice agitator Alex Preddy as President Trump makes leadership changes and signals a shift in tone. Preddy was fatally shot by Border Patrol agents after inserting himself into a Saturday morning law enforcement operation. Officers attempting to arrest Preddy, who was resisting, video shows someone shouting, gun, followed by several gunshots.

2:21Agents recovering a concealed handgun from Preddy during the struggle. The incident is currently under investigation. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem describing Preddy as a domestic terrorist, saying, quote, this looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement, adding that Preddy, quote, brandished his firearm. We would later learn that there was no evidence to support those assertions. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino with a similar characterization of the events.

2:58Both officials later softening their language as video of the incident began circulating. Footage showing Preddy's weapon remained concealed as agents initiated the arrest. Multiple outlets reporting Sunday on internal frustration within DHS. Agents concerned that early inflammatory statements from leadership risked eroding trust inside the agency and were proving, quote, catastrophic for the group. Yesterday morning, President Trump announcing border czar Tom Homan would be heading to Minneapolis, writing on Truth Social, quote, he has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there.

3:35Tom is tough, but fair and will report directly to me. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt at yesterday's press briefing elaborating on Homan's role. Mr. Homan is the point person for cooperating with state and local authorities and corresponding with them, again, to achieve this level of cooperation to subdue the chaos on the streets of Minneapolis. And I would just point out that Mr. Homan is someone who has been lauded for many, many decades for his experience working in law enforcement. In fact, this is a Washington Post headline from nine years ago, 2016. Meet the man the White House has honored for deporting illegal immigrants.

4:12And I would remind everyone in this room that it was former President Barack Hussein Obama who awarded a medal to Mr. Homan. So he's obviously very qualified. He has the full trust and faith of the president. He will continue to have these meetings in the hopes that ICE and local law enforcement can cooperate and work together to have successful immigration enforcement as we've seen in almost every other state across the country. The president also revealing a productive phone call yesterday morning with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, writing on Truth Social, quote, we actually seemed to be on a similar wavelength.

4:46I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Holman call him and that what we are looking for are any and all criminals that they have in their possession. He was happy that Tom Holman was going to Minnesota. In a Minnesota public radio interview, Governor Walz striking a cautiously optimistic tone. I said, we just have to reduce these numbers. We started out with that and he pledged that, look, I'm going to send Tom Holman in. We'll do things differently. He explained to me how he thought it was very successful in Louisiana, very successful in Louisville, which so it was cordial. I think he understood this.

5:21I told him that this is unsustainable. Whatever has happened here, there is a definite change of tone. There is a definitely a more collaborative tone. I want to make sure that I'm not jeopardizing that, that I'm going to take them for their word right now, that they're going to reduce this force. The first sign of increased cooperation, multiple outlets reporting Commander Bovino and some federal agents reportedly preparing to leave Minnesota today. Levitt telling reporters yesterday Bovino will continue leading operations elsewhere throughout the country. Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin posting on X, quote, Chief Gregory Bovino has not been relieved of his duties.

5:58As Caroline Levitt stated from the White House podium, Commander Bovino is a key part of the president's team and a great American. The death toll mounting after a powerful winter storm leaves deadly cold, widespread outages and treacherous conditions. The AP reporting at least 29 deaths tied to the storm nationwide. Fatalities reported across Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, Massachusetts, Arkansas, New York, and New Jersey, with officials warning the number could continue to rise. In several states, what began as snow day fun ending in tragedy. In Frisco, Texas, a 16-year-old girl dead and another teen injured in a sledding incident.

6:42A 17-year-old Arkansas boy also killed in a sledding accident. Both of these events, the result of kids hitching their sleds to a moving vehicle. In Frisco, it was a friend's Jeep in Arkansas and ATV. All victims died after hitting trees unexpectedly. Elsewhere, people died from hypothermia, from car accidents. Two incidents in Massachusetts and Ohio saw pedestrians run over by snowplows. Three people in Pennsylvania had fatal heart attacks while shoveling snow. Power outages throughout the South, which remains crippled by ice and snow. More than 700 ,000 customers without power in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

7:23More than 200 million people under cold alerts expected to last into later this week, reports CNN. Snow blanketing more than half of the continental U.S. on Monday, with a foot or more reported in at least 19 states. Freezing rain continuing throughout Monday across parts of the mid-Atlantic, creating dangerous travel conditions. Lingering storm conditions still wreaking havoc on air travel, FlightAware reporting more than 6 ,000 flights canceled nationwide, with another 21 ,000 delayed, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport leading the country with nearly 1 ,000 cancellations and more than 500 delays when accounting for arrivals and departures.

8:03In Bangor, Maine, all six passengers aboard a private jet killed in a crash, according to Bangor International Airport officials. The plane reportedly flipping upside down and crashing sometime during takeoff. Few details are known about the passengers at this time. The New York Post reporting the jet, a Bombardier Challenger 600, was registered to Kurt Arnold, a personal injury attorney in Texas. The first victim identified Tara Arnold, a 46-year-old mother of two and wife of Mr. Arnold. Tara also worked as an attorney for the firm. Tara said to be going on a girls' trip on this flight. The Banger International Airport is a common refueling hub for private jets en route to Europe, this flight reportedly destined for Paris.

8:50The crash occurring around 7.45 p.m. on Sunday night, a preliminary report from the FAA finding the plane, quote, crashed under unknown circumstances on departure, came to rest inverted, and caught fire. Flight data reportedly showing that the plane veered right during takeoff and flipped at 175 miles per hour. Here, a moment from the air traffic control tower moments after the crash. It is unclear if the winter conditions led to the crash. However, according to the AP, the Bombardier Challenger 600 has a history of problems with crashes caused by ice buildup. According to the National Weather Service, the wind chill at the time registering at negative 13 degrees with light snow and 10 mile per hour winds.

9:41One reporter at a press conference yesterday morning asking the obvious question, why was this plane allowed to take off in the first place? Bangor Airport Director Jose Saavedra responds. The airport remained open. There were planes landing and departing around that time. And we had crews on site responding to the ongoing storm that we had at that time. The snow removal operations were in progress. And again, there were planes landing and departing around that time of the incident. The airport is expected to remain closed until at least Wednesday. Coming up, Venezuela's acting president pushes back on the Trump administration, on whom she is dependent for her tenuous grip on power.

10:30And Kanye West, now known as Ye, formally apologizes for his anti-Semitic past comments again.

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12:02President Trump making clear early on that Rodriguez, who was sworn in shortly after the raid, would be allowed to remain in charge as long as her government cooperates with his demands. Mr. Trump referring to Ms. Rodriguez as, quote, a terrific person following a phone call earlier this month. Rodriguez, who was Maduro's vice president, had initially talked tough internally about the United States, which U.S. officials understood to be a necessary show of swagger to her countrymen. However, in comments made on Sunday to supporters, Rodriguez striking a tougher tone toward the United States, saying, quote, Enough already of Washington's orders over politicians in Venezuela.

12:41Let Venezuelan politics resolve our differences and internal conflicts. Similarly, last week, The Guardian reporting on a two-hour leaked phone call shortly after the raid between Rodriguez, remaining cabinet officials, and, quote, regime-friendly influencers. According to the report, remaining regime officials expressed concerns they could be labeled traitors following Maduro's capture, the call aiming to preserve unity within their own coalition. Rodriguez reportedly heard saying cabinet members were given just 15 minutes to decide whether to comply with U.S. demands or, quote, they would kill us.

13:17Rodriguez going on to say on the call, quote, the threats and the blackmail are constant, and we have to proceed with patience and strategic prudence, with very clear objectives, brothers and sisters, to preserve peace, to rescue our hostages, meaning Maduro and his wife now sitting in a New York prison, and to preserve political power. Despite the subversive messaging, Rodriguez appears so far to be complying with U.S. demands, Rodriguez saying last Friday that 626 political prisoners had been released. On Sunday, another 104 were set free. President Trump posting yesterday to Truth Social, I am pleased to report that Venezuela is releasing its political prisoners at a rapid rate, which will be increasing over the coming short period of time.

14:04I'd like to thank the leadership of Venezuela for agreeing to this powerful humanitarian gesture. A U.S. official telling reporters last week that Rodriguez is expected to visit the White House soon, a move that would make her the first sitting Venezuelan leader to visit Washington in more than 25 years. Rapper and designer Kanye West, now known as Ye, issuing a public apology for his past unhinged erratic behavior and anti-Semitic comments, citing an undiagnosed brain injury that he says led to bipolar disorder. In a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal titled, quote, To Those I've Hurt, West writing that injuries to his frontal lobe from a 2002 car crash were not properly diagnosed until 2023, contributing to his later bipolar diagnosis.

14:54In February 2025, West unleashing an angry tirade on X, including posts reading, quote, quote, I'm a Nazi, and quote, I love Hitler. Now what, bitches? West also taking out an ad during last year's Super Bowl, urging viewers to go to his website, which at the time was selling just one article of clothing, a swastika t-shirt. West seen later that month walking around LA wearing a swastika t-shirt. Over the next several months, West continuing to identify as a Nazi and promote swastika images on social media. In early May, West releasing a song called Heil Hitler, repeating those words in the chorus.

15:33Just a few weeks later, West announcing on social media, quote, I am done with anti-Semitism. I love all people. God forgive me for the pain I've caused. I forgive all those who have caused me pain. Thank you, God. At the time, many questioning the sincerity of his apology, pointing to West's long pattern of anti-Semitic rhetoric, followed by apologies. Like back in 2022, when Adidas, Balenciaga, Gap, and Talent Agency CAA cut ties with West amid a similar episode. Then in December 2023, West posting a statement written in Hebrew on Instagram expressing regret for the pain he caused, only to resume the rhetoric again at a later date.

16:18In yesterday's letter, West describing a quote four-month-long manic episode in early 2025, marked by what he calls, quote, psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life. West writing that during manic episodes, quote, you don't think you're sick. You feel like you're seeing the world more clearly than ever, when in reality you're losing your grip entirely. He describes the disorder as persuasive and deceptive, convincing sufferers they don't need help, writing he felt, quote, powerful, certain, and unstoppable. West going on, quote, in that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it.

17:01He continues, quote, I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did, though. I am not a Nazi or an anti-Semite. I love Jewish people. West crediting his wife, Bianca Sensori, with encouraging him to seek help after hitting rock bottom, then closing out the letter, quote, I am not asking for sympathy or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness. I write today simply to ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home. West's latest album, titled Bully, set to be released Friday.

17:41Ah. And that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me back here for the MK Show live on SiriusXM's The Megan Kelly Channel, 111 at noon east, on youtube.com slash Megan Kelly, and on all podcast platforms.