TEHRAN –  Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 86-year-old cleric who has led the Islamic Republic for more than three decades, is reportedly taking extra steps to protect himself.

Several accounts, including opposition-linked outlets such as Iran International and reporting repeated across international media, say Khamenei has shifted to a reinforced underground bunker in Tehran. The move reportedly came after senior military and security officials warned him that the risk of US airstrikes is rising, as American naval and air forces continue a major buildup in the Persian Gulf and nearby areas.

Sources describe the site as a hardened facility with heavy security and a network of tunnels, built to protect high-value figures during air attacks. The reports also point to sharper language from US President Donald Trump, who has again threatened military action unless Iran accepts strict limits on its nuclear program and ballistic missiles.

Trump has spoken about a “massive armada” moving into the region, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighters, and more air defenses, including Patriot and THAAD systems positioned at bases in allied countries.

US Buildup Brings Back 2020 Fears Inside Tehran

This posture brings back memories of January 2020, when Trump ordered a drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Quds Force, at Baghdad International Airport.

That strike stunned Iran’s leadership and showed that Washington was willing to target top figures directly. Analysts say the current buildup, described as larger than earlier deployments, has raised anxiety at the top of the Iranian system. Some reports claim Khamenei has even named potential successors in case he’s targeted.

Iran’s state media and officials have pushed back on the bunker claims. They have also shared photos and coverage of Khamenei at public events, including prayers at the tomb of Ruhollah Khomeini, to signal calm and control. Still, the speculation hasn’t faded. Opposition sources keep saying the move is about personal security and fear of a direct US strike.

Soleimani’s killing remains a turning point for the Iranian regime. The Trump administration defended the action at the time as a step to stop imminent threats to US personnel. In Iran, the strike was seen as a major blow and a public embarrassment that exposed gaps in the country’s security. Iranian leaders promised retaliation, but the episode also showed how quickly the situation could shift.

Now, with US warships closer and Trump warning that any future response would be “far worse” than before, including references in reporting to alleged 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the supreme leader appears to be acting on the assumption that the risk is real. In that context, reports of bunker living fit a leadership preparing for worst-case scenarios.

Claims of Mass Killings as Protests Spread

Even as outside pressure grows, the Iranian government is also facing intense anger at home. Nationwide protests tied to the economy, currency decline, and long-running frustration with repression have reportedly met a harsh response. Human rights groups, medical sources, and opposition media describe security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij units, using extreme force to shut down demonstrations.

Because of censorship, internet shutdowns, and limits on reporting, death toll estimates vary widely. Iran International has cited internal documents that claim more than 36,500 people were killed during a two-day crackdown in early January 2026, calling it one of the deadliest civilian protest crackdowns ever reported.

Time magazine has published accounts attributed to senior health ministry officials that suggest up to 30,000 deaths in similar clashes, with morgues and burial systems pushed past capacity. Other trackers, including HRANA, have confirmed more than 6,000 deaths, with many more cases still being reviewed, including reports involving children and other non-combatants.

Rising Global Anger and Isolation Around the Islamic Republic

These claims build on a pattern seen during earlier unrest, including the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom protests after Mahsa Amini died in morality police custody. Critics say the government is using live fire, aimed shots to the head and torso, and mass arrests to end dissent. Families of victims also report disappearances, torture, and attempts to hide the scale of the killings, including alleged mass burials.

Outside Iran, patience with the Islamic Republic appears to be wearing thin. Years of support for proxy forces, missile work, and ongoing nuclear disputes have left the country isolated in many forums.

The current crackdown, paired with warnings of regional conflict if Iran is attacked, has added to the outrage from human rights groups and many governments. Many observers now describe the regime as weaker than it looks, held together more by force than broad public support.

With US forces positioned for possible action and protests continuing inside Iran, reports of Khamenei living underground have become a symbol of a leadership under pressure on two fronts. Whether this leads to a wider confrontation or pushes new concessions is still unclear, but the moment is tense for Iran and for the region.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump says he may sue journalist and author Michael Wolff, claiming Wolff worked with Jeffrey Epstein to hurt Trump politically. Trump made the comments on Air Force One on January 31, 2026, one day after the Department of Justice released a massive set of Epstein-related records under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The DOJ release included more than 3 million pages of documents, plus thousands of videos and hundreds of thousands of images. The drop quickly fueled fresh headlines and online debate, and Trump used it to argue the materials cleared him. He also said they point to a coordinated effort against him.

“It looked like this guy, Michael Wolff, was a writer, was conspiring with Epstein to do harm to me,” Trump told reporters. He called Wolff a “third-rate writer” and said “very important people” told him about the alleged scheme. Trump added that he could also target the Epstein estate, saying Epstein “was conspiring with Wolff to do harm to me politically.”

What Trump Says the Epstein Documents Show

Trump framed the new DOJ disclosure as proof he did nothing wrong. He said the files support his claim that he was targeted, not protected. In his telling, the latest Epstein documents don’t land on him; they land on people he views as political enemies and critics.

That stance shifts the focus away from what the records contain and toward who Trump thinks used Epstein’s information as a weapon. It also puts Michael Wolff in the middle of the news cycle, tied to the Epstein files release.

Who Is Michael Wolff?

Michael Wolff is a well-known U.S. journalist and author. He’s best known for Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House (2018), an unauthorized book about the early Trump White House. The book sparked immediate backlash and legal threats from Trump’s side, and it helped cement Wolff’s reputation as a sharp Trump critic.

Wolff later published more Trump-focused books, including Siege and Landslide. He also writes and comments through his Substack newsletter, a podcast, and social media, where he regularly discusses Trump and Trump-era politics.

Wolff’s Past Links to Epstein

Michael Wolff’s name has appeared in earlier reporting tied to Epstein because of contact between them. Past document releases and media accounts described emails and conversations involving Wolff and Epstein.

Michael Wolff has also said he recorded audio of conversations with Epstein in 2017 while working on Fire and Fury, describing Epstein as a source. Epstein reportedly spoke about Trump’s election and Trump’s personal life during those talks.

In late 2025, Wolff sued First Lady Melania Trump after he said her legal team threatened a $1 billion defamation claim tied to Wolff’s public comments about the Trumps and Epstein. Wolff described his lawsuit as an effort to force testimony and pull out details about past connections in the 1990s modeling world, where he said Trump and Epstein had ties.

After Trump’s new lawsuit threat, Wolff responded on Substack and brushed it off as part of a pattern. He said Trump has threatened to sue him multiple times before.

Inside the January 2026 DOJ Epstein Files Release

The DOJ release on January 30, 2026, is one of the largest single document dumps connected to Epstein. It followed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Trump signed on November 19, 2025. The law required the public release of unclassified DOJ records tied to Epstein’s investigations, prosecutions, and custody issues.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the DOJ published more than 3 million additional pages, bringing the total close to 3.5 million pages. The release also included over 2,000 videos and about 180,000 images. The materials cover communications, investigative notes, and references to many prominent names in politics, business, and entertainment.

The files mention Trump hundreds of times, often tied to social references and flight-log context from years ago. The DOJ also said some items in the files include “untrue and sensationalist claims” submitted to the FBI, tied in part to the 2020 election period. Blanche said on CNN’s State of the Union that the release would not lead to new charges and that the department did not “protect” anyone, including the president.

Even with Trump allies promising full transparency, the release arrived more than a month after an earlier deadline. Critics used that delay to question the rollout. Trump, though, pointed to the disclosure as proof of vindication and said it exposed what he called a “conspiracy,” not wrongdoing by him.

Why Trump Says He Might Sue Wolff

Trump’s legal threat appears to rest on how he reads past emails and interactions between Michael Wolff and Epstein that have already been discussed in earlier document releases and press coverage.

One exchange described in those reports involved Epstein offering photos and stories that could harm Trump, while Wolff discussed strategies connected to Epstein-related books. Trump has long said he cut ties with Epstein years before Epstein’s 2008 conviction. Trump also says hedid not know about Epstein’s crimes.

By casting Michael Wolff’s reporting and his contact with Epstein as a planned political hit, Trump is trying to shift attention from the content of the Epstein files and toward motive and intent. Legal analysts point out that defamation and conspiracy claims are hard to prove, and public figures face a high bar under US law. A case would likely turn on proof of false statements, actual malice, and clear evidence of coordination.

The Epstein estate, which still faces civil matters tied to victims, has not publicly responded to Trump’s comments.

The public, journalists, and lawyers will keep combing through the newly released Epstein documents. Trump’s threat against Michael Wolff adds another conflict to a story that already mixes crime, politics, and years of public interest.

It’s still unclear if Trump will file a lawsuit. The threat alone signals that the Epstein files release won’t stay focused on the documents for long; it’s also becoming a fight over narratives, reputations, and old grudges.

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MINNESOTA – FBI Director Kash Patel has said they are investigating the money behind the protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that have picked up across the United States.

Minneapolis and Los Angeles have drawn the most attention, along with other large cities. Some rallies have turned into standoffs with federal agents, and the size and staying power of the protests have raised new questions about who is paying for them.

Conservative outlets and some federal officials say the movement is being boosted by a mix of left-wing nonprofits, donor networks that hide sources, and ideologically driven donors. They also point to groups loosely tied to Antifa as a visible presence during on-the-ground actions.

This wave of protests followed increased ICE activity under the current administration, including raids aimed at undocumented immigrants. Events in Minneapolis, including confrontations where Renee Nicole Good and others were killed, intensified public anger and helped drive larger crowds. Protesters have blocked facilities, shared agent locations through encrypted apps like Signal, and used tactics authorities describe as disruptive and at times violent.

How the Protests Look Organized, Not Spontaneous

One thing many observers keep coming back to is structure. Actions often pop up in multiple cities at once. Signs look professionally made, turnout rises fast after posts hit social media, and organizers share updates through messaging apps. Support systems also show up quickly, including legal hotlines, bail funds, rides, and other logistics.

Taken together, these details suggest more than a sudden wave of local outrage. Critics describe it as a well-supported campaign, with planning and resources that help protests keep going for weeks instead of days.

In Minnesota, Indivisible Twin Cities, a local chapter connected to the national Indivisible Project, has been active in organizing. The Indivisible Project, known for pushing back on conservative policy, reportedly received $7.8 million from George Soros’ Open Society Foundations between 2018 and 2023.

Other groups mentioned in reporting and public commentary include the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Minnesota chapter, along with socialist-leaning organizations such as the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), The People’s Forum, CodePink, and BreakThrough News.

Watchdog groups describe these relationships as part of a wider “protest industrial complex,” where money can move through donor-advised funds and pass-through organizations that make the original funding source harder to trace. In Los Angeles and other areas, some protest messaging has called for broad shutdowns, though turnout has differed by location.

Street-Level Escalation and Claims of Antifa Involvement

Antifa, a loose anti-fascist movement without a central leadership structure, has been tied to parts of the anti-ICE protest activity in media reports and statements from officials. Some accounts describe Antifa-aligned activists blending into crowds, sharing personal information about ICE employees (including doxxing claims), and pushing conflicts toward physical confrontations.

Authorities have pointed to incidents where protesters allegedly followed agents to their homes, leading to criminal charges in some cases. The Trump administration labeled Antifa a domestic terrorist organization in 2025, pointing to violence aimed at law enforcement.

Even without a formal hierarchy, critics argue that Antifa-style tactics show up across cities and benefit from the same broader funding and support systems that help large protest movements run smoothly.

FBI Focus on Funding and Coordination

The FBI, led by Director Kash Patel, has said it is investigating the financial support behind the unrest. Patel has publicly claimed the bureau has made major progress in identifying funders connected to anti-ICE protests in Minnesota and other locations. He has also argued the protests are “not organic,” pointing to what the bureau views as coordinated support.

Investigators are looking at whether money and planning helped enable crimes such as blocking federal officers or organizing activity that crosses legal lines. A 2025 executive order on countering domestic terrorism directs Joint Terrorism Task Forces to examine institutional and individual support linked to political violence.

Federal agencies named in that effort include the Treasury Department and the IRS, with the stated goal of disrupting funding networks and checking whether tax-exempt groups are staying within the law.

On Capitol Hill, the House Ways and Means Committee has referred certain nonprofits, including The People’s Forum, to the Treasury Department for review over allegations tied to extremism promotion and fraud. These referrals can lead to deeper financial scrutiny, including whether an organization’s tax-exempt status should be challenged or revoked.

Legal Risks for Funding or Organizing Protests

Funding and organizing protests is not illegal on its own. The legal risk rises when money or coordination is tied to violence, threats, or obstruction. In those cases, authorities may pursue serious charges, depending on the facts.

Potential charges discussed by officials and commentators include conspiracy to deprive rights under civil rights laws (including Section 241, which has historical ties to anti-KKK enforcement), aiding and abetting assaults on federal officers, and racketeering if prosecutors claim a pattern of coordinated wrongdoing.

Related enforcement actions have included terrorism charges against people described as Antifa-linked in attacks on ICE facilities. Felony charges can also come from obstructing federal law enforcement or doxxing agents. If funding is connected to violent acts, investigators may consider material support for terrorism or money laundering, especially where foreign ties are alleged.

Treasury reviews can also bring financial penalties, asset freezes, or tax consequences for organizations accused of misusing funds. Officials have warned that supporting designated groups such as Antifa could bring severe legal exposure.

These investigations sit at the center of a long-running conflict over how to protect the right to protest while also protecting law enforcement and public safety. Critics of the probes say heavy scrutiny can chill free speech and political activity. Supporters say it is a needed response to organized efforts that cross into intimidation or violence.

As ICE operations continue, anti-ICE protests also continue. At the same time, federal scrutiny of nonprofit funding, donor pipelines, and protest coordination is increasing. How these investigations end could shape not only immigration enforcement, but also how activism is funded and monitored in the years ahead.

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