| | | |  | | By Aaron Pellish | Presented by the National Retail Federation | |  | THE CATCH-UP | | | 
President Donald Trump at an event to promote investment in rural health care at the White House on Friday, Jan. 16. | Alex Brandon/AP Photo | WAKE-UP CALL: A flurry of new polls find that Americans have a negative view of President Donald Trump’s first year in office, with some data suggesting he isn’t focused enough on the economy even as he further engages the U.S. in conflicts with adversaries and allies abroad. A new CNN poll finds that 58 percent of respondents call Trump’s first term a failure, with 55 percent saying Trump’s policies have hurt the economy and 64 percent saying Trump hasn’t done enough to reduce costs of everyday goods. Only 42 percent of Americans approve of his handling of immigration, down nine points from March. And just 39 percent approve of his handling of foreign affairs. Read the full findings for yourself It’s not just Democrats, either. An AP-NORC survey released today shows only 16 percent of Republicans say Trump has helped “a lot” in curbing rising costs — down a whopping 33 points from an April 2024 AP poll when Americans were asked to assess Trump’s first term. NOT FOR LACK OF TRYING: The president has been pushing various ways to address pocketbook issues for months, with little apparent success. His latest focus is on health care (he convened a rural health roundtable at the White House this morning), but he’s also made pushes to boost domestic manufacturing, curb home prices and, of course, lower energy costs — in part by attempting to wrest control of Venezuela’s oil fields. Strengthening the ties between the U.S. and Venezuela, CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas on Thursday, making him the senior-most U.S. official to visit Venezuela since the capture of Nicolás Maduro, NYT’s Julian Barnes reports. Greenland remains a target for Trump, even as a bipartisan congressional delegation met with Denmark and Greenland leaders to calm anxieties about a potential U.S. annexation of the Danish territory, Reuters’ Stine Jacobsen reports. Republican Sens. Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) were among those who made the trip to Copenhagen, along with several Democrats. Murkowski threatened to withhold some appropriations to prevent Trump from taking Greenland, POLITICO’s Seb Starcevic reports. TARIFF THREAT: At the rural health roundtable, Trump ratcheted up his rhetoric, saying that he may “put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with” his plan to absorb Greenland. NOISY NEIGHBOR: Canadian PM Mark Carney delivered a forceful defense of Denmark during a news conference in Beijing and urged Trump to honor the NATO ally’s sovereignty, POLITICO’s Elena Giordano reports. And yet: Trump’s posture toward both Venezuela and Greenland aren’t sitting well with the public. A new Marist poll finds that 56 percent of Americans oppose taking military action in Venezuela, and 69 percent oppose military involvement in Greenland. Perhaps most telling, 57 percent of Americans believe Trump’s decisions have weakened the U.S. role on the global stage. This weekend, Trump will remain partially focused on foreign policy. He’s meeting tomorrow with Slovakia PM Robert Fico at Mar-a-Lago, Bloomberg’s Daniel Hornak reports. The meeting is part of a Florida weekend schedule that will see Trump attend the naming of a Palm Beach County road after him this afternoon and will attend the college football national championship in Miami on Monday. Happy Friday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at apellish@politico.com.
| | | | A message from the National Retail Federation: Every January, the National Retail Federation convenes top retail leaders and industry partners in New York City for its annual conference and expo. This week, NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show brought together more than 40,000 people from 100 countries for three days of learning, collaboration and discovery. Learn more. | | | | | | 8 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW | | | 
Maria Corina Machado speaks at the Heritage Foundation in D.C. on Friday, Jan. 16. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo | 1. MACHADO'S MISSION: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told reporters at the Heritage Foundation HQ today that she believes a “true transition” toward democracy is beginning in Venezuela, Playbook’s Ali Bianco reports. Following her meeting with Trump yesterday, Machado shied away from any concrete timeline for how the transition might unfold or when democratic elections can be held, but she stressed that she believes the opposition will be able to take power when the time is right. “This has nothing to do with tension or decision between Delcy Rodriguez or myself. This is about the cartel, and justice. This is about a criminal regime, and the mandate of the Venezuelan people,” Machado told reporters. “I’m just one member of a huge movement of Venezuelans who have committed to be free.” On her conversation with Trump, Machado said she felt “enormous respect” for Venezuela from the president and that she was impacted by his concern for the Venezuelan people. Machado declined to share specific details of the talk. The current leadership situation in Venezuela is “not sustainable,” she said, but acknowledged it’s part of the transition process. “It’s something we have to build — it’s one hour at a time.” She added: “I understand the urgency, and I’ll be returning [to Venezuela] as soon as possible.” 2. THE NEW ‘MY KEVIN’?: “Trump suggests new hesitance over Hassett for Fed chair,” by POLITICO’s Declan Harty: “Trump on Friday signaled hesitance about tapping his top economic adviser Kevin Hassett as Federal Reserve chair, shaking up the the contest over who will lead the central bank… ‘I see Kevin’s in the audience and I just want to thank you, you were fantastic on television today. I actually want to keep you where you are if you want to know the truth,’ Trump said. ‘I’m saying, wait a minute, if I move him, these Fed guys, certainly the one we have now, they don’t talk much. I would lose you. It’s a serious concern to me.’” Playbook preview: Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) are on tonight’s episode of C-SPAN’s “Ceasefire” with Playbook’s Dasha Burns, where the two lawmakers discuss the Trump DOJ’s investigation into Jerome Powell. “The independence of the Fed is critical. I don't think there should be undue pressures applied,” Lawler said. He added that the focus instead should be on the economy, deeming the Powell probe “wasted time, effort and a distraction.” Gottheimer underlined the point. “The idea that we ever interfere with the Fed’s independence is not only destabilizing and bad for the markets, but bad for people’s faith in the markets and our economy,” Gottheimer said. “So, I think, you know, hands off!” Watch the clip 3. MINNESOTA LATEST: State officials released a trove of materials to media about the moments immediately following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week. First responders on the scene reported Good suffered two gunshot wounds to her right chest, one apparent gunshot wound to her left forearm and a possible wound to her head. Paramedics found Good “not breathing and pulseless” on the scene, ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway reports. Protests: As tensions heighten on the ground in Minneapolis after a federal agent shot a man on Wednesday during an immigration enforcement action and Trump yesterday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, protesters are weighing among themselves whether to keep their distance from federal agents or engage more disruptively, The Minnesota Star Tribune reports. Not backing down: DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin praised the actions of ICE agents in Minneapolis in a CNN interview, touting 2,500 immigration arrests in the last five weeks. Trump himself called anti-ICE protesters “insurrectionists” and threatened that “if, and when” he takes action in Minneapolis, “it will be solved, QUICKLY and EFFECTIVELY!” 4. HARRIS HITS BACK: Former VP Kamala Harris criticized Trump during today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day address in downtown Chicago, placing the recent events of Minneapolis at the center of her indictment, POLITICO’s Shia Kapos writes in. Harris began by honoring King and Chicago civil rights pioneer, the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Then she pivoted, arguing that America’s current struggles — from voting rights to public safety — are being deepened by the Trump administration. “Standing on the balcony at the Lorraine Motel yesterday, I thought about what Dr. King would see if he looked at America, and what would he think, and what would he say,” she said to a hotel ballroom filled with more than a thousand elected officials, faith leaders and activists, noting she had been in Memphis the day before. “I do believe he would see that people today are sick and tired of being sick and tired,” she said, repeating the phrase throughout her speech. Harris also touched on the recent events in Minneapolis. “The federal government rips people out of their car, out of their home, out of their church. Families are separated and a mother of three is shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis,” she said. She also addressed the economy, pointing to “rising costs and stagnant wages [that] force working families to choose between rent or medicine, between child care or groceries, between dignity or survival.” And playing to the Chicago crowd, she concluded, “It’s time to Bear Down!” The line from the Chicago Bears’ fight song drew huge applause and a big laugh, ahead of Sunday’s playoff game between the Bears and LA Rams. 5. IRAN AGAIN, OFF AGAIN: As Trump considers potential military action in Iran, the U.S. is preparing to send additional military forces and assets to the Middle East, NBC’s Courtney Kube and colleagues report. The assets include a carrier strike group, additional aircraft and land-based air defense systems. Trump’s advisors told him a strike is unlikely to catalyze the fall of the Iranian regime and could spark a wider conflict, WSJ’s Alexander Ward and colleagues report. Diplomatic push: Top officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have all raised concerns to the Trump administration about the consequences of a strike in Iran, including economic turmoil and regional destabilization, AP’s Matthew Lee and colleagues report. And David Barnea, the head of Israel’s Mossad, traveled to the U.S. on Friday to discuss Iran, Axios’ Barak Ravid reports. Barnea is expected to meet with White House envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami. 6. PARDON ME: Trump is granting a pardon to Wanda Vázquez Garced, the former governor of Puerto Rico, CBS’ Jennifer Jacobs and Sarah Lynch scooped. Vázquez was arrested in 2022 on bribery charges tied to her 2020 reelection campaign, where she was defeated in a primary. She pleaded guilty in August to accepting a campaign donation from a non-U.S. resident. Vázquez previously endorsed Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential election while she served as governor. 7. WORLD CUP WORRIES: POLITICO’s Sophia Cai traveled to Colorado Springs to observe a two-day summit with leaders from the military, law enforcement and local governments, who were overwhelmingly focused on one particular threat to the 2026 World Cup: unauthorized drones entering airspace above the 11 American stadium where matches will be played. “Those who gathered in Colorado Springs contended with a range of potential security threats to the five-week tournament through tabletop exercises simulating a drone incursion and a natural disaster scenarios,” Sophia reports. The goal of the exercises was to ensure federal and local processes mesh smoothly. Read the full report 8. AFTERNOON READ: “Civil War at the Anti-Woke University Backed by Bari Weiss,” by Evan Mandery in POLITICO Magazine: “The University of Austin was supposed to be a bulwark against cancel culture. But those who dissented from rigid conservative orthodoxy were eventually ousted.”
| | | | A message from the National Retail Federation: This week, NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show attendees learned how iconic brands are staying relevant and meeting consumer demands and expectations. The industry is poised for success, with retailers and brands redefining how to build customer relationships and loyalty with new and evolving technologies and innovations. Learn more. | | | | | | TALK OF THE TOWN | | OUT AND ABOUT — Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) laid out his policy plans for the creator economy (and dodged a question about a presidential run) at a reception last night hosted at City Tavern in Georgetown by Kristin Cecchi, marking the launch of the Creator Bill of Rights in conversation with Suzanne Kianpour Angus, Shira Lazar and Lisandra Vasquez. The evening focused on creator ownership, labor protections, transparency and platform responsibility as Washington begins to grapple with the policy implications of the creator economy. SPOTTED: Ali Rogin, Catherine Valentine, Barrett Adair, Alex Swoyer, James Del, Claire Uhar, Cheyenne Hunt, Andreas Sandre, Sara Goo, Lacey Faeh, Stu Rogers, Justin Bank, Kate Woodsome, Rachel Rubin, Liz Johnson, Savannah Lane, Ben Resnik, Scott Schuler, Dylan Wells, Phil Javellana and Fanny Lafourcade. — SPOTTED at the inaugural Innovation to Impact Summit yesterday, hosted by Pat Gelsinger and Playground Global, to discuss creating America’s next tech stack: Paul Dabbar, Dario Gil, Nicole Cubbage, Shawn Whitman, Briana Frisone, Emma Quigg, Harriet Kung, Chris Fall, Spencer Silverman, John Sarrao, Michael Witherell, Paul Kearns, Tammie Borders, Todd Combs, Todd Pray, Wendy Shaw, Bruce Leak, Jory Bell, Peter Barrett, Kendra Perlitz, Jacqueline Tame, Kevin Zhang, Chris Miller, Nicholas Kelez, Pete Shadbolt, Sristy Agrawal, John Josephakis, John McCarrick, Nick Hammerschlag, Mark Danchak, Prineha Narang and Steve Weinstein. MEDIA MOVE — Christina Cuesta Kline is joining AP as senior editorial director for APnews.com. She previously worked at CNN. The announcement TRANSITIONS — Emily Pasi is joining the Association of American Railroads as director of public affairs. She previously worked at Plus Communications and the American Planning Association. … Kevin Couch has been named SVP of artistic programming at the Kennedy Center (which its board has voted to rename the Trump Kennedy Center). He most recently worked at ATG Entertainment. … … Anders Reynolds is now president of the Wilderness Land Trust. He previously worked for the Southern Environmental Law Center and is co-host of the Wild Idea Podcast. … Paul Ney Jr. is now a partner at the Bradley law firm, serving in the government enforcement and investigations practice group. He previously worked for the National Security Council’s Office of Legal Affairs and is a Defense Department alum. BONUS BIRTHDAY: North Carolina Dem Chair Anderson Clayton Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn’t happen without our deputy editor Garrett Ross. Corrections: Yesterday’s Playbook PM misstated the date of NewsNation’s interview with President Donald Trump. It is Tuesday, Jan. 20. It also misspelled Jamie Dupree’s name. | | | | Follow us on X | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Canada Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | |
