Can Trump Send American Prisoners To El Salvador?

Good Wednesday morning. North Korea is open to tourists again. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

• Border: Encounters plummet

• Congo: Ceasefire announced

• Bondi: Senate confirmation

• Waffle House: Egg surcharge

• Super Bowl: Trump appearance

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Foreign exile

President Donald Trump sounds intrigued by El Salvador's headline-making proposal.

• The news: Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele told Secretary of State Marco Rubio his country would be willing to take in U.S. citizens serving sentences for violent crimes in American prisons for a fee. El Salvador has also agreed to accept deportees of any nationality from the U.S.

• Key context: Bukele -- who once called himself the world's coolest dictator -- has aggressively fought crime and gang violence since rising to power. The Central American country's notorious prisons, including the massive Terrorism Confinement Center, have been central to his initiatives amid allegations of human rights violations and prisoners held without due process.

• The reaction: Trump said he would send citizens who committed violent crimes to El Salvador "in a heartbeat" and said his administration was examining the legality. But he conceded he did not know if such outsourcing would be constitutional; Rubio said as much while praising Bukele's offer. 

• Big picture: The Trump Administration has signaled it has no intention of taking Bukele up on his more controversial offer. There is almost no scenario where a U.S. citizen can be deported -- and any attempt to do so would meet stiff legal challenges.

2) School shooting

A gunman opened fire at an adult educational center in Sweden, killing at least 10 people.

• The news: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the incident in Orebro, about 125 miles west of Stockholm, was the worst mass shooting in national history. Police said 10 people died, but cautioned the death toll could rise. Several people were wounded. The gunman also died, but it was not clear how. He was not previously known to police.

• More details: Cops believe the killer acted alone. The motive was unclear, but officials said they had determined the shooting was not an "ideological" act or terrorism. Kristersson said there was no ongoing threat to citizens and encouraged people to allow law enforcement to do its job.

• Big picture: Mass shootings are rare in Sweden, but they have happened before. They are also relatively rare in Europe, although the Balkans are an exception due to the proliferation of illegal weapons in the region.

3) Building mindset

There is a new far-fetched candidate to become the 51st state.

• The news: Trump said he wants the U.S. to "take over" Gaza and rebuild it while permanently moving Palestinians elsewhere in the Middle East. The controversial proposal -- which the president had previously mused about -- seemingly became policy during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump also left the door open to send U.S. troops to Gaza in a peacekeeping role.

• The rationale: Trump framed the pitch as a practical one. He said the enclave's 2M Palestinians deserve safety elsewhere while the U.S. cleans out Gaza and brings economic development. The president said he sees "a long-term ownership position" and believes an American presence would bring stability to the region.

• The pushback: Palestinians are overwhelmingly against the proposal, as are the leaders of Egypt and Jordan -- countries that would need to take in Gazans for Trump's plan to work. Saudi Arabia has signaled it will not establish its long-awaited diplomatic relations with Israel if there is not a Palestinian state and also rejected the plan. Netanyahu seemed taken aback by the proposal.

• Big picture: Trump's plan will play well with the right-wing elements of the Israeli government that want to permanently occupy Gaza, but that's about it. The proposal is likely a non-starter for myriad reasons. But Trump has long been fascinated with the real estate potential of Gaza, which sits on the Mediterranean Sea.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

• Migrant encounters on the southern border are down 75% since President Trump took office, according to Homeland Security. The first group of illegal alien detainees with criminal records has arrived at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba (More | More)

• The remains of all 67 victims from last week's midair collision over Washington have been recovered. Almost all victims have been identified; data indicates the Army Blackhawk helicopter's height exceeded FAA regulations (More)

• A neo-Nazi leader was convicted of conspiring to damage a Maryland energy facility. Brandon Russell of Orlando faces up to 20 years in federal prison; he aimed to cause a cascading power failure impacting Baltimore (More)

World News

• Rwandan-backed rebels declared a unilateral ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The M23 militia recently captured the trading hub of Goma and controls significant territory; Rwanda has been accused of stoking violence to exploit DRC's natural resources (More)

• Parts of Japan saw four feet of snow. The northern main island of Hokkaido experienced record-breaking snowfall that snarled air and car traffic; forecasts called for over five feet to eventually fall in some areas (More)

• Ukraine is open to providing the U.S. with rare earth minerals in return for military aid following a demand by President Trump. President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is ready for direct peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin (More | More)

Political News

• Pam Bondi was confirmed as Attorney General. The Senate approved the former Florida AG in a 54-46 vote; Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman was the lone Democrat to support her candidacy (More) 

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom will visit the White House today. He will be the first Democrat to sit down with President Trump since he was inaugurated (More)

• The Trump Administration wants to abolish the Education Department by executive order. The president has repeatedly said he wants to dissolve the agency, but he needs congressional approval to do so (More)

Business & Markets

• Major indexes closed higher yesterday. The Nasdaq jumped over 250 points (Dow +0.30%, Nasdaq +1.35%, S&P 500+0.72%).

• Waffle House has added a surcharge for egg items on its menu. The national restaurant chain said the 50-cent charge is temporary, citing the impacts of the bird flu outbreak (More)

• Honda and Nissan may call off merger plans. A Japanese newspaper reported the automakers' boards will soon meet to table talks after Honda's proposal to make Nissan a subsidiary was rejected (More)

Entertainment & Sports

• President Trump will attend Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, becoming the first sitting president to go to the game.Three sitting vice presidents have gone to past games, the last being Al Gore in 1994 (More)

• Famed graphic artist David Edward Byrd died at 83 after a battle with pneumonia. He was best known for designing posters for Broadway shows and musical acts like the Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix (More)

• Professional tennis star Simona Halep retired after an injury at the Australian Open. The 33-year-old was previously ranked No. 1 in the world; she won the French Open and Wimbledon championships in her career (More)

Quick Hitters

• Fun Stuff: The Netherlands is taking an interesting approach to various concerns about child health by bringing back "dangerous" playground toys like merry-go-rounds ... and letting kids start fires?

• Take Note: Folding fitted sheets seems like rocket science. But this simple method gets the job done and is quitesatisfying.

• Go Deep: Apple's 1984 commercial isn't just the greatest in Super Bowl history. It also changed the entire advertising industry.

• True Crime: A Canadian man allegedly threw a breakfast sandwich at a police officer while causing damage to an Ontario hotel room. This stuff usually only happens in Florida.

• Life Hack: No one likes wet feet or stained shoes. Here are some helpful tips on how to waterproof your footwear this winter.

Watch This

Marvel Studios released a trailer for the much-anticipated The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which hits theaters in July.

Links

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• The best movies that never won an Oscar 🎬

• A vintage race car sold for $53M at auction 🏎️

• How Budweiser's Clydesdales became a commercial success 🍺

• Donald Trump Jr. is in hot water after a hunting trip 🦆

Looking Ahead …

Maryland officials unveiled the design for Baltimore's new Francis Scott Key Bridge, almost a year after the original collapsed after an out-of-control cargo ship crashed into it. The full cost of construction will be covered by federal funding.

Question of the Day — Wednesday Trivia

Yesterday’s results:

What do you use on icy driveways and walkways?

• Salt (63%)

• Other (21%)

• Sand (10%)

• Kitty litter (6%)