Rep. Ilhan Omar Attacked at Minneapolis Town Hall; Trump Suggests It Was Staged
Plus: Why The Fear Of 🤳 Is Killing The Modern Dance Floor
Dance like nobody’s making TikToks about you. 👀🕺🏻
Fear of looking foolish on camera is preventing young people from letting loose in public, according to reporting in The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.
Young people in their teens and 20s say that concertgoers and clubbers are avoiding the dance floor out of fear that someone will film them without permission — only to have their awkward moves immortalized on social media.
It’s not just paranoia. A video of actor Austin Butler awkwardly shoulder-bopping at a Bad Bunny concert went viral in August. And YouTube and TikTok are filled with videos like, “How Not To Look SHY And AWKWARD On The Dance Floor,” feeding into young people’s anxiety.
Another issue? Gen Z doesn’t have a generation-uniting song with dance instructions in the lyrics, like the 1990s-era “Macarena,” or the “Cha Cha Slide.” That makes it hard for DJs to find a common language for young people to bop to.
Dancing is not going away entirely, but it’s evolving, says New York University theater professor Julie Malnig. Public dancing is still popular in smaller venues like dance studios, church basements, or clubs where they lock up your phone.
Dancing in front of a screen is also becoming increasingly popular, where everyone doctors to warehouse machinery workers to kids and their parents are posting videos of themselves dancing on TikTok.
We at Mo News will continue to dance like it’s 1990.
Sam
Associate Producer
🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING
Rep. Ilhan Omar Attacked In Minnesota; Trump Rolls Back Cooperation With Local Officials
A man charged at Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and sprayed her with an unknown substance — what police think was apple cider vinegar — from a syringe at a town hall in Minneapolis late Tuesday. Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, was tackled by security, arrested, and now faces an assault charge.
What we know about the suspect: Kazmierczak shared photos supporting President Trump on his Facebook account and a neighbor characterized him as a “pretty conservative guy” who “doesn’t like Omar.”
At the time he sprayed Omar, she was calling for Homeland Security Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment over her handling of the Minneapolis shootings.
Trump, who has frequently attacked Omar over the years, suggested without evidence that the incident was staged: “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”
Congressional lawmakers, including Republicans, condemned the attack. U.S. Capitol Police said Tuesday they are “working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.”
TROUBLING TREND: A report out Tuesday shows that threats toward members of Congress and/or their families rose by 57% last year from 2024 to nearly 15,000.
IS NOEM ON THE WAY OUT?
Calls for Noem’s resignation are growing, including from a bipartisan group of senators who had voted to confirm her. Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) all backed Noem but are now urging her to step down. Noem was confirmed just over a year ago with a 59-34 vote.
Trump responded by calling Murkowski and Tillis “losers,” and rejected the calls to remove Noem.
Inside the Trump administration, officials have reportedly been pointing fingers over the early and inaccurate claims made about Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse killed by federal agents last weekend.
Shortly after the shooting, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller labeled Pretti a “would-be assassin.” Noem said Pretti “committed an act of domestic terrorism.” Both claims were later contradicted by videos of the shooting. President Trump also distanced the administration from those characterizations.
BIGGER PICTURE
Tensions with federal immigration authorities continue to rise — and they’re playing out across the country. Videos circulating on social media appear to show federal agents threatening protesters this week, even as the Trump administration has tried to shift its tone.
⏳ THE SPEED READ
🚨NATION
Trump rolls out investment accounts for babies born between 2025 and 2028 (MO NEWS)
Trump plans to cut FEMA workforce in half, court filing alleges (THE HILL)
Trump warns Iran time is running out for nuclear deal, says U.S. armada ready for ‘violence’ (NBC)
Winter storm may intensify and hit East Coast as bomb cyclone (USA TODAY)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
Ecuador lodges protest after ICE agent tried to forcibly enter its Minneapolis consulate (MO NEWS)
British leader’s trip to China is a balancing act between trade, national security and Trump (AP)
Russia strikes civilian train in Ukraine, killing five, in an attack Zelensky calls ‘terrorism’ (CNN)
Kim Keon Hee, wife of South Korea’s ousted president, jailed for corruption (GUARDIAN)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
Fed leaves rates steady, cites “solid” growth (AXIOS)
Amazon to reduce workforce by 16,000, company says in email to staff (ABC)
Trump policies at odds with emerging understanding of COVID’s long-term harm (CBS)
South Carolina measles outbreak reaches 789 cases, surpassing Texas (NBC)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Bill Belichick will not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer (ESPN)
Bruce Springsteen releases anti-ICE protest song ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ (NPR)
Stephen Colbert addresses rumors about his next moves, says he would ‘consider’ run for office after show ends (FOX)
Mattel, Hasbro announce ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ toys coming soon to store shelves (ABC)
ICYMI FROM THE 📲
In case you missed it… Grandparents who help care for their grandchildren are likely to experience significant cognitive benefits, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association on Monday.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 3,000 grandparents in the U.K. and found that grandparents who helped care for grandchildren experienced noticeably less cognitive decline over the six-year study period. They also scored higher on memory and verbal fluency tests.
They believe taking care of kids keeps older adults socially-engaged, mentally active, and using their problem-solving and communication skills.