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─────── January 28, 2026 ───────

Happy Wednesday!
How’s a chicken sammie (sammy? sammee?) on us sound? 

We’re giving out $5 Chick-fil-A gift cards to everyone who gets two or more referrals before Friday’s newsletter. You’ll eat mor chikin, and the people you love will get more Christ-first news. 

Just copy and paste your unique link to a few friends. Happy referrin’!

QUOTE OF THE DAY
“You are a steward of every moment, of every talent, of every gift, of every resource that God has given you. Choose wisely what you do today!”
Paul Washer

ESPRESSO SHOTS

U.S. NEWS

Moderating in Minneapolis

The Trump administration is making some changes after backlash to Minneapolis’s second deadly ICE shooting.

President Trump announced Monday that he’s sending border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to manage on-the-ground ICE ops, overseeing the roughly 3,000 federal agents there. Homan—a veteran ICE official who’s historically more focused on deporting violent criminals than hitting deportation quotas—will take over for controversial Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino.

Meanwhile, Trump and Democratic MN leadership are striking a more cooperative tone. 

Monday, #47 had “very good” calls with Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Walz and Trump reportedly agreed that MN officials will cooperate with feds on “immigration enforcement,” the number of federal agents in the state will be reduced, and MN will “conduct independent investigations” into the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

(Want to process how you can talk about Minneapolis with the kids in your life? Sign up here to get Decaf: The Pour Over for Families in your inbox tomorrow!)

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RADIATE HOPE
Believers can be at the forefront of de-escalating tension in our communities, meeting anger with compassion and humility. Whether you’re out demonstrating, chatting with a frustrated friend in your living room, or watching from the sidelines, you are positioned to radiate hope. 

“The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother or sister remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”
1 John 2:8-10 (CSB) (read full passage)

The most common question we’ve received since Monday has been “Why does The Pour Over share both sides when one is wrong?” Our founder, Jason Woodruff, will be answering this in his Sunday newsletter. Click here to get it.

U.S. NEWS

Big Tech on Trial

A landmark case on social media’s harm to teens hit the stands yesterday.  

The plaintiff, a 19-year old woman identified as KGM, alleges that the companies behind Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat built addictive algorithms that caused her serious mental-health struggles

While Big Tech has long been shielded from liability for user-generated content under the 1996 Communications Decency Act, this is the first of ~22 similar cases (representing ~1,600 plaintiffs) targeting platform designs—features like infinite scroll, autoplay, and algorithmic recommendations. Plaintiff lawyers are borrowing from a Big Tobacco-era playbook, introducing internal documents to show companies understood their products’ harms while publicly denying them.

Tech firms claim the case cherry-picks evidence and ignores safety tools already in place. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify; Snap and TikTok have already settled.

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
As courts discuss the effects of social media, it’s a good moment for personal reflection on social media’s effect on our lives, relationships, and heart-habits. Whatever tools or technology we adopt, our aim should be to use them wisely and in ways that increase the fruit of the Spirit in us. 

“Walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh… The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Galatians 5:16, 22-23a (CSB) (read full passage)

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ECONOMY

Deals and Doubts

Uncle Sam’s tightening tariffs on South Korea. 

On Monday, President Trump announced that the U.S. would raise tariffs on South Korea—last year’s second-largest exporter—from 15% to 25% for “not living up to” a $350B Washington-Seoul trade deal made last July. Trump said South Korean lawmakers had been slow to approve the agreement (it’s still awaiting Seoul’s sign-off) while Washington “swiftly acted” to reduce tariffs. 

South Korean officials said they were surprised and scrambled to respond Tuesday, though no official trade talks are scheduled. 

As trade tensions simmer, gold’s a hot commodity. The safety-net asset topped a record $5,000/ounce amid growing trade-instability fears and a looming partial government shutdown. 

Meanwhile, India and the E.U. announced “the mother of all trade deals” yesterday, slashing tariffs and opening free trade between India and the 27-country bloc.

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Verse to consider when the international math (and your own economic outlook) keeps changing… “Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.” 
1 Timothy 6:17 (CSB) (read full passage)

IN OTHER BREWS…

China’s President Xi Jinping pushed out his military’s most senior general this weekend, reportedly accusing Gen. Zhang Youxia of accepting bribes and leaking information about China’s nuclear weapons to the U.S. The investigation into Zhang and another top leader is the most dramatic in a series of corruption-related military purges since 2023, raising questions about China’s military readiness.

Winter Storm Fern has claimed at least 30 lives. The historic storm has canceled ~12,000 flights (see current stats), left ~600,000 people still powerless, and blanketed much of the country with record snowfall, ice, and extreme cold. Reported causes of death include hypothermia, sledding accidents, and snowplow strikes. Expect utilities and travel to remain impacted as Fern’s frigidity lingers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is breaking with the CDC on childhood vaccines. Monday, the AAP published its 2026 vaccine schedule (see it here), continuing to recommend doses the CDC now advises only in high-risk cases (think: rotavirus, RSV). The CDC says its recent vaccine overhaul aligns with “international consensus,” but the AAP warns “nothing has changed” in childhood illness prevention.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group is headed toward Iran. The warships’ Middle East move to “promote regional security and stability” comes after the Islamic Republic warned the U.S. it has its “finger on the trigger.” President Trump said the “massive fleet” moved “just in case” the U.S. takes action against Iran for killing peaceful protesters.

Monday, Israel’s military recovered the remains of the last remaining hostage held in Gaza. Israel’s PM Netanyahu called the recovery of police officer Ran Gvili—killed while fighting attackers on October 7—an “unbelievable achievement” for Israel; Hamas said their cooperation confirms their commitment to the peace plan. Israel’s hostage advocacy group honored Gvili as “first to go in; last to return.”

WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP

Welcome... to Jurassic Park.

TPO PICKS

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How We’re Making Our Comeback
Crystal clearly, thanks to hear.com*

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