Gas Prices Surge Ahead of Winter Storm, New Trump Polling Sucks (For Him) — Instrumental Communications

This daily intelligence brief from Instrumental Communications highlights significant political and environmental developments as of January 22, 2026. In politics, major corporations in Minneapolis face pressure amid escalating ICE operations, leading to protests and an economic blackout following the killing of Renee Good by a federal agent. Legal experts challenge the Trump administration's authority for its Greenland acquisition plans, while local police face backlash for questioning critics of the Miami Beach mayor. The administration is also asserting control over Venezuelan oil revenue. On the polling front, Trump's support is cratering among young voters, coinciding with revelations that the White House shared an AI-altered image of an activist and a leaked ICE memo authorizing home arrests without warrants. Furthermore, VP Vance threatened the use of the Insurrection Act. In technology, YouTube is allowing creators to use AI likenesses in Shorts, Apple is developing a wearable AI pin, and TikTok finalized a deal to split US operations. Environmentally, Michigan is suing oil giants for colluding against clean energy, a judge struck down a Forest Service rule allowing clearcutting without review, and the Interior Department removed climate change signage at Fort Sumter. Finally, the NIH reinstated a ban on aborted fetal tissue research, prioritizing ideology over biomedical progress.

(Source：Instrumental Communications)