Volume 45         Issue Two         February 2026

Last Trumpet Ministries · PO Box 806 · Beaver Dam, WI 53916

Phone: 920-887-2626   Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” I Cor. 14:8

Unrest

 

“And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”

 

Matthew 12:25

 

I have fond childhood memories of Minnesota. Born and raised in neighboring Wisconsin, I recall visiting Minneapolis-St. Paul with my family when I was young. We toured the iconic Mall of America and thoroughly enjoyed the Camp Snoopy theme park located on the mall’s premises. At the time, Minnesota felt calm, safe, and family-friendly. It seemed unfathomable that the Twin Cities would eventually become the epicenter of societal upheaval in the United States. Nevertheless, Minneapolis became the source of civil unrest in May 2020 when a black man, George Floyd, was killed by a white police officer. This event dominated public discourse for months, leading to violent protests and demonstrations, culminating in the birth of the Black Lives Matter political movement. Less than six years later, the Twin Cities are again embroiled in chaos.

 

Fraud

 

The state of Minnesota came under heavy scrutiny in late 2025. This scrutiny intensified after a YouTuber named Nick Shirley posted a video alleging massive fraud in federally funded daycare centers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the video, Shirley visited nearly a dozen daycares and found that no children were on-site at the time of his visits, which raised questions about their legitimacy. Although the claims from the video are disputed by Minnesota officials, some members of the Trump administration took notice, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi. Shortly thereafter, President Trump paused federal funding to childcare facilities in Minnesota, noting that the state is a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity.” (1)

 

Shirley’s video was viewed “tens of millions” of times according to CBS News. However, allegations of fraud in state programs had surfaced even before the video was released. One of the most notable examples is a pandemic-era scheme involving the nonprofit organization Feeding Our Future. Although the group claimed to be partnering with restaurants and caterers to distribute meals to hungry kids at schools and extracurricular programs, an investigation found that the organization was falsifying records and raking in millions of dollars in the process. The organization’s founder, Aimee Bock, was convicted of fraud, and nearly eighty others involved in the scheme have pleaded guilty. Some have already been convicted. Reports suggest that Minnesota officials were suspicious of possible fraud involving the organization but were reluctant to withhold funds due to “legal consequences and negative media attention.” Federal prosecutors accused Feeding Our Future of perpetrating “the largest pandemic-era fraud in the United States.” FBI Director Kash Patel claimed the fraud is “just the tip of a very large iceberg.” (2)

 

Last summer, Minnesota officials terminated a program that purported to help seniors and people with disabilities find affordable housing. Investigators found that those administering the program submitted “fake and inflated bills” totaling millions of dollars. At least thirteen people have been charged with fraud related to the program. (3) Another program designed to provide services to children with autism was also found to be rife with fraud. (4) These are just a few examples. Prosecutors believe the total cost of the fraud across various state programs could top $9 billion. (5) In response to the uproar, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced in January 2026 that he would not be running for a third term as Minnesota’s governor. (6)

 

President Donald Trump took notice that many of the defendants accused of fraud were of Somali descent and declared in December 2025, “They contribute nothing…  I don’t want them in our country. That’s not politically correct, but I don’t care. I don’t want them here. Their country is no good for a reason.” (7) That same month, it was announced that a large deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would be sent to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, to conduct a large-scale operation. The operation would target individuals with deportation orders, including an enhanced focus on Somalis. (8)  

 

Operation Metro Surge

 

On December 1, 2025, agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and officers from ICE began Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. (9) At first, the arrests trickled in. By December 7, 2025, Minnesota Public Radio reported that nineteen people had been taken into custody, including individuals from Somalia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. (10) By December 10, 2025, the number of arrests had risen to 400. (11) The ICE campaign was dramatically expanded in early January 2026, with reports indicating that more than 2,000 additional immigration agents would be deployed to Minneapolis-St. Paul, making it the “largest immigration operation ever.” (12) Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a statement on January 19, 2026, boasting that “In the last 6 weeks, our brave DHS law enforcement have arrested 3,000 criminal illegal aliens, including vicious murderers, rapists, child pedophiles, and incredibly dangerous individuals. A huge victory for public safety.” (13) 

 

While it is certainly a relief to have such dangerous individuals taken off the streets, the massive operation in Minnesota has not been without controversy. Immigration agents often encounter stiff resistance from liberals, minority communities, and individuals not authorized to be in the United States. Minnesota is a blue state that typically votes for Democrats, and the Twin Cities are known to lean heavily left. Thus, it stands to reason that residents and government officials would be unhappy to see thousands of immigration officers roaming their streets. This hostility has led to clashes that have sometimes resulted in tragic consequences.

 

On January 7, 2026, ICE officers encountered 37-year-old Renee Good and her same-sex spouse. Video footage shows that as one of the officers approached her vehicle, Good commented, “That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad at you.” Good’s wife then challenges the officer, asking, “Wanna come at us?” She then adds, “I say you go get yourself some lunch, big boy.” Another officer approaches Good, who is sitting in the driver’s seat, and repeatedly orders her to “get out of the car.” Instead, Good briefly reverses the car before driving forward in close proximity to the officer. The officer responds by firing his service weapon at Good resulting in what would prove to be fatal gunshot wounds.  (14) We will never know what was going through Good’s mind in those last moments of her life. Did she have malicious intent? Did she panic? Only God knows.

 

The shooting of Renee Good sparked national outrage and large-scale protests. The Trump administration defended the officer who fired the fatal shots, claiming that he acted in self-defense. A statement from the Department of Homeland Security declared that Good had “weaponized her vehicle” and attempted to run over the officer in “an act of domestic terrorism.” (15) However, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the ICE agent acted “recklessly” and then ordered ICE to “get the (expletive) out of Minneapolis.” (16)

 

A little over two weeks later, another shooting occurred on January 24, 2026. In this incident, Alex Pretti, who worked as a nurse at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Minneapolis, was shot and killed by two immigration agents during a protest. Although Mr. Pretti was armed with a holstered handgun, he held a permit from the state of Minnesota to carry the weapon. Based on video evidence, Pretti never reached for his gun. He was carrying a mobile phone at the time, which the officers may have confused for a firearm. According to reports, Pretti was pinned to the ground and disarmed before he was shot by the agents, calling into question whether deadly force was warranted. (17)

 

In a brief interview with The Wall Street Journal, President Trump declined to say whether he thought the shooting of Alex Pretti by immigration officers was justified. “We’re looking, we’re reviewing everything and will come out with a determination,” Trump said. Elsewhere in the interview, Trump lamented the shooting, stating, “I don’t like any shooting. I don’t like it.” He then continued, “But I don’t like it when somebody goes into a protest and he’s got a very powerful, fully loaded gun with two magazines loaded up with bullets also. That doesn’t play good either.” (18)

 

Trump’s stance against an American bearing arms put him at odds with gun advocacy groups and many of his own allies who value their Second Amendment rights. Shortly after the President’s comments, the National Rifle Association issued a statement declaring, “The NRA unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be.” A statement from a group known as Gun Owners of America was even more blunt. “Peaceful protests while armed isn’t radical–it’s American. The First and Second Amendments protect those rights, and they always have,” the group declared. (19)

 

It is reasonable to say that it is unwise to bring a loaded gun to a protest, but it is not unlawful. Furthermore, lethal force should always be the last resort and only used when there is no other choice in a life-threatening situation. The recent shootings in Minneapolis demonstrate that these volatile and stressful confrontations can sometimes lead to disastrous misjudgments. Interestingly enough, Stephen Miller, who is one of President Trump’s closest advisors, admitted that immigration officers may not have been following proper protocol at the time of the Alex Pretti shooting. “We are evaluating why the CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) team may not have been following that protocol,” Miller explained. (20) Clearly, mistakes were made. The Department of Justice has begun a civil rights probe into the death of Alex Pretti. “We're looking at everything that would shed light on what happened that day and in the days and weeks leading up to what happened,” explained Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. He then added, “President Trump has said repeatedly, ‘Of course, this is something we're going to investigate.’” (21)

 

A Tinderbox

 

The unrest in the Twin Cities has been intense to say the least. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey commented in mid-January that his citizens were asking the local police force to fight ICE in the streets. “We’re in a position right now where we have residents that are asking the very limited number of police officers that we have to fight ICE agents on the street, to stand by their neighbors,” Frey recounted. He then added, “We cannot be at a place right now in America where we have two governmental entities that are literally fighting one another.” (22) Indeed, such a development would be tantamount to a civil war.

 

As thousands of demonstrators marched in Minneapolis to protest the shooting of Renee Good, President Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would have put American military troops in the Twin Cities to restore order. “If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don't obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. (23)

 

With the recent chaos in Minnesota still fresh on his mind, Governor Tim Walz pondered the future of the United States during an interview with The Atlantic. “I mean, is this Fort Sumter?” Walz wondered as he referenced the site of the first battle of the American Civil War. “It’s a physical assault,” he continued. “It’s an armed force that’s assaulting, that’s killing my constituents, my citizens.” He later commented, “Guns pointed, American at American is certainly not where we want to go.” Remarkably, the governor revealed that some of his constituents had suggested that he send in the National Guard to arrest ICE. Walz was not inclined to do this, (24) though it remains to be seen if other Democratic governors might consider the option more seriously when ICE arrives in their states.

 

Evidently, Tim Walz is not the only person who is thinking about a second civil war. Billionaire investor Ray Dalio wrote in a recent essay, “The United States is now a tinderbox.” He then went on to explain, “Many people are waiting to see whether President Trump will continue to fight, which I believe would risk pushing us over the brink into a more clear civil war, or if he will make an attempt to pull us back from the brink by appealing for peace, promising and showing that the justice system will handle the shootings appropriately, and curtail ICE activities.” (25) Marjorie Taylor Greene, the former Representative from Georgia who was a staunch ally of Donald Trump but is now a bitter enemy of the President, also warned that the United States is heading in a dangerous direction. “Both sides need to take off their political blinders,” Greene opined. “You are all being incited into a civil war; yet none of it solves any of the real problems that we all face, and tragically, people are dying.” (26)

 

Let us hope and pray that cooler heads prevail. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ warns in Matthew 12:25, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” This verse stands as a poignant warning at a time when the United States is the most divided it has been since the Union Army faced off against the Confederates. A second civil war would unleash horrors upon this land that we cannot even fully comprehend. 

 

Unrest In Iran

 

While the Twin Cities of Minnesota contended with localized upheaval, pressure was building like a powder keg waiting to explode over 6,000 miles away. On December 28, 2025, a wave of protests broke out in Iran in response to economic hardship. Inflation reached a whopping 50 percent in 2025, and when the Iranian currency, known as the rial, fell to a record low against the U.S. dollar, anger boiled over against the oppressive regime. (27) The protests started small with shopkeepers in the city of Tehran closing their shops and refusing to do business. As the crowd began to grow, demonstrators chanted, “Don’t be afraid; don’t be afraid! We are all together.” Soon, others were inspired to close their stores, too, and the protests quickly spread to other cities in Iran. With the rial dropping to around 1.38 million per U.S. dollar, it was no longer worth it for many shopkeepers to keep doing business. Early on in the protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian appeared to sympathize with the protestors and wrote on the social media platform X, “The people’s livelihood is my daily concern.” He insisted that the Iranian government was working on “fundamental steps” to reform the country’s monetary system and said a government representative would hear the protestors' “legitimate demands.” (28)

 

As protests continued to grow and spread across Iran, the people's grievances moved beyond economic issues. Some protestors began to chant “Death to the dictator” in reference to the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power in the Islamic theocracy. (29) Thus, it became clear that some protestors wanted more than economic reforms: they wanted regime change.

 

In early 2026, the protests took a deadly turn as the first fatalities were reported. American President Donald Trump began to take notice of the protests, commenting on January 4, 2026, “If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States.” (30) Meanwhile, Ayatollah Khamenei gave a speech in Iran and insisted that the “rioters must be put in their place.” Violence quickly intensified; security forces began shooting at protestors. By now, it was clear that unrest was taking hold in Iran. By January 6, angry protestors set streets ablaze. The destruction prompted Khamenei to warn, “In the face of those who engage in destruction, the Islamic Republic will not back down.” Still, tens of thousands continued to flood the streets. Some protestors were heard to chant, “This year is the year of blood,” and vowed that Khamenei “will be overthrown!” (31) On January 8, 2026, an estimated 1.5 million demonstrators took to the streets of Tehran, and an estimated five million people took part in protests between January 8-9, 2026. (32) As the protests grew in size, Iranian security forces began opening fire on the crowds, killing thousands of people en masse. It was around this time that the Iranian government cut off internet access to virtually the entire country. (33) This was done to prevent Iranians from communicating and coordinating protests. The internet blackout also enabled the regime to hide the deadly massacre unfolding in the streets. According to a report from Time Magazine, it is estimated that more than 30,000 Iranians were slaughtered between January 8 and January 9. (34)

 

Throughout the protests, President Trump hinted that he might intervene in Iran. Speaking to reporters while aboard Air Force One, Trump commented, “They're starting to, it looks like, and there seem to be some people killed that aren't supposed to be killed. These are violent — if you call them leaders, I don't know if they're leaders or just if they rule through violence. And, we're looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination." (35) On January 14, 2026, Trump wrote in a message to the Iranian protestors, “Help is on the way.” (36)

 

In recent weeks, the United States has moved considerable military resources to the Middle East in anticipation of strikes against Iran, mirroring the strategy used by American forces in the recent attack on Venezuela. The USS Abraham Lincoln, three guided-missile destroyers, and squadrons of fighter jets have been moved to the northern Arabian Sea. The U.S. Navy has three additional destroyers – the USS Delbert D. Black, USS McFaul, and USS Mitscher – in the region as well. (37) “We have a large armada, flotilla, call it whatever you want, heading toward Iran right now, even larger than what we had in Venezuela,” Trump boasted on January 30, 2026. “Hopefully, we’ll make a deal. If we do make a deal, that’s good. If we don’t make a deal, we’ll see what happens.” Trump told reporters there are two things Iran must agree to avoid a military confrontation with the United States. “Number one, no nuclear. And number two, stop killing protesters. They are killing them by the thousands,” the President insisted. (38) There is a very strong possibility that the United States will soon be at war again with Iran.

 

It is vitally important that we continue to watch and pray in these perilous times. We do not know what the future holds, but we do know the One who knows the end from the beginning. Isaiah 46:9-10 declares, “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now.

 

Thank you all for your kind support of this ministry. If you have any prayer needs, great or small, we invite you to send them our way. We always give each request individual attention. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

 

Samuel David Meyer

This newsletter is made possible by the kind donations of our supporters. If you would like to help us, you may send your contribution to our postal address or donate online at http://lasttrumpetnewsletter.org/donate.

 

 

References

 

01. CBS News, January 5, 2026, By Jonah Kaplan and Joe Walsh, cbsnews.com.

02. Ibid.

03. Ibid.

04. Ibid.

05. Ibid.

06. Ibid.

07. CBS News, December 3, 2025, By CBS News, cbsnews.com.

08. Ibid.

09. Minnesota Public Radio, December 16, 2025, By Jon Colllins, mprnews.org.

10. Minnesota Public Radio, December 7, 2025, By MPR News Staff, mrpnews.org.

11. Kare 11 News, December 10, 2025, By Felicity Dachel, kare11.com.

12. PBS News, January 6, 2026, By Rebecca Santana and Michael Balsamo, pbs.org.

13. Department of Homeland Security, January 19, 2026, By DHS, dhs.gov.

14. Sky News, January 9, 2026, By Sky News, news.sky.com.

15. ABC News, January 9, 2026, By Kerem Inal, Chris Looft, Jared Kofsky, and Josh Margolin, abcnews.go.com.

16. Ibid.

17. Associated Press, January 30, 2026, By Michael Biesecker, Rebecca Santana, and Alanna Durkin Richer, apnews.com.

18. The Wall Street Journal, January 25, 2026, By Josh Dawsey, wsj.com.

19. USA Today, January 28, 2026, By Joey Garrison, usatoday.com.

20. The New York Times, January 28, 2026, By Max Kim, nytimes.com.

21. Associated Press, January 30, 2026, By Michael Biesecker, Rebecca Santana, and Alanna Durkin Richer, apnews.com.

22. Sahan Journal, January 14, 2026, Updated January 20, 2026, By Mohamed Ibrahim, Katelyn Vue, and Nicoloas Scibelli, sahanjournal.com.

23. National Public Radio, January 15, 2026, By Juliana Kim, npr.org.

24. The Atlantic, January 21, 2026, By Isaac Stanley-Becker, theatlantic.com.

25. Fortune, January 26, 2026, By Jake Angelo, fortune.com.

26. The Hill, January 25, 2026, By Sarah Fortinsky, thehill.com.

27. The Washington Post, December 31, 2025, By Yeganeh Torbati, washingtonpost.com.

28. Ibid.

29. Ibid.

30. The New York Times, January 13, 2026, By Monika Cvorak and Sanjana Varghese, nytimes.com.

31. Ibid.

32. Iran International, January 16, 2026, By Iran International, iranintl.com/en.

33. BBC News, January 8, 2026, By David Gritten, bbc.com.

34. Time, January 29, 2026, By Kay Armin Serjoie, Roxana Saberi, and Fatemeh Jamalpour, time.com.

35. CNN, January 11, 2026, By Alayna Treene and Kevin Liptak, cnn.com.

36. Reuters, January 14, 2026, By Elwely Elwelly and Bo Erickson, reuters.com.

37. CNN, January 30, 2026, By Haley Britzky, Avery Schmitz, and Brad Lendon, cnn.com.

38. The Guardian, January 30, 2026, By Patrick Wintour, theguardian.com.