The Morning Briefing: It's Cold, Paul Ryan's Wall and Much, Much More

Good Thursday morning.

Here is what’s on the president’s agenda today:

The president meets with American manufacturers and signs an executive order
The president receives his intelligence briefing
The president meets with the vice premier of the People’s Republic of China

It’s freakin’ cold

It is really cold. So far, this cold business has claimed the lives of 12 people in the Midwest. “At least a dozen deaths related to extreme cold weather have been reported since Saturday in Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, according to officials and media reports.”

A student was found dead on the campus of the University of Iowa. The National Weather Service said the temperature was -51 degrees at the time. If you are somewhere cold, stay indoors!

Trump: Ryan reneged on deal to fund border wall

If you have been paying attention to politics for a while, Trump’s remarks will not surprise you. Many people wondered why Trump didn’t just get this wall business done during the last Congress when the GOP controlled both the House and the Senate. Well, now we find out why — straight from the President’s mouth:

“Well, I was going to veto the omnibus bill and Paul told me in the strongest of language, ‘Please don’t do that, we’ll get you the wall.’ And I said, ‘I hope you mean that, because I don’t like this bill,’” the president recounted in an exclusive Wednesday interview with The Daily Caller.

“Paul told me in the strongest of terms that, ‘please sign this and if you sign this we will get you that wall.’ Which is desperately needed by our country. Humanitarian crisis, trafficking, drugs, you know, everything — people, criminals, gangs, so, you know, we need the wall.”

“And then he went lame duck,” Trump said.

“And once he went lame duck, it was just really an exercise in waving to people and the power was gone so I was very disappointed. I was very disappointed in Paul because the wall was so desperately needed. And I’ll get the wall.”

The DC asked Trump, “did Ryan lie to you?” The president responded that he did not think Ryan lied to him. At the time, Ryan meant what he said. Trump is being charitable.

Um, no. Most of the GOP do not want a wall and do not want to reform immigration. The GOP leadership is the party of Mitt Romney and Jeb! Most of them get money from the beneficiaries of cheap labor — pool boys and maids. Failure theater, people, just more failure theater.

Cops release suspect photos in Jussie Smollett hate crime

So a duo of MAGA-hat wearing white criminals in Chicago allegedly beat up “Empire” star Jussie Smollett at 2 a.m., poured bleach on him, put a noose around his neck, and told him this was “MAGA country.”

The police can’t seem to find any surveillance footage of the attack but released some photos of two men who were in the area about 30 minutes before. Right.

I’m not sure about this. Is Chicago MAGA country? Does anyone wear a MAGA hat outside a political event with security? I’ve never seen anyone just walking around with a MAGA hat in Costco or the movie theater. Do you notice that many of these hate crimes occur in liberal cities filled with liberals? Do white criminals wander the streets of Chicago with a bottle of bleach and a noose looking for gay, black people to assault? Do MAGA people watch “Empire”? Are they able to identify the stars of that show? I don’t know, I don’t know.

Police say two people approached Smollett about 2 a.m. Tuesday as he was walking in the 300 block of East North Lower Water Street and got his attention by yelling racial and homophobic slurs. Smollett is black and openly gay.

Smollett was hit and an unknown chemical substance was poured on him, according to police. A rope was wrapped around Smollett’s neck before the attackers fled the scene, police said.

Smollett also told police during a follow-up interview that they said to him: “This is MAGA country,’’ during the alleged attack.

Mmm. OK.

Other important stories:

Trump singled out Dan Coats in morning rant about intelligence community

Schumer calls for CIA to stage ‘intervention’ with Trump

Mueller: Shared evidence was used to discredit special counsel probe

Historical picture of the day:

Cuban Premier Fidel Castro gets ready to pitch to the first batter as he opens the 1965 National Baseball Championship at Havana’s Latin-American Park, in Cuba, on January 31, 1965. (AP Photo)

Other morsels:

Keep an eye on this one: Ilhan Omar Calls Israel Undemocratic, Laments Strong U.S. Support

And another one: Rashida Tlaib Stays Quiet On Top Ally Who Spread Anti-Semitic Conspiracies

Infanticide, why not? Virginia State Delegate Admits She Didn’t Read Abortion Bill, Regrets Co-sponsoring It

Save the caterpillars Virginia Del. Kathy Tran Submitted Bill To Save Caterpillars On Same Day As Late-Stage Abortion Bill

California sheriff sued for allegedly blocking Black Lives Matter leaders on Facebook

Can’t wait. Ocasio-Cortez, Markey to unveil ‘Green New Deal’ legislation

Largest Fentanyl Drug Bust In History Made As Truck Tried Crossing The Southern Border

FBI investigating secret underground tunnel leading to Florida bank

Flemish master’s portrait of Christ uncovered under painted-over version

Man pleads guilty to stealing nearly $1M in Hurricane Sandy funds

WAT. Florida Man: I Spent 41 Days in Jail Because Deputy ‘Falsely’ Claimed Detergent Was Heroin