Morning Brief: Minneapolis Shooting Fallout, UK Immigration Backlash, A New Era Of College Football

New details from the Minneapolis school shooter’s manifesto reveal his anguish over his transgender identity, sparking a fierce national debate over motive. A patriotic “flagging” movement sweeps the U.K. as public backlash grows against the government’s mass migration policies and a surge in migrant crime. The multi-billion dollar college football season kicks off this weekend amid a new era of paid athletes and an expanded playoff.

It’s Friday, August 29, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.

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Minneapolis Shooter’s Manifesto Reveals Transgender Anguish

Topline: Newly deciphered writings from the trans-identified shooter who attacked a Minneapolis Catholic school reveal his anguish over his gender identity, sparking a fierce national debate over the motive for the massacre.

Two days after the horrific attack that left two children dead and 17 others injured, authorities have deciphered parts of the shooter’s cryptic manifesto. According to a translation from the New York Post, the writings reveal a deep internal struggle: “I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brain-washed myself,” one passage reads. “I regret being trans. I wish I was a girl I just know I cannot achieve that body with the technology we have today.”

Many on the Right are pointing to a growing number of mass shootings committed by transgender offenders and arguing that affirming a transgender identity, which they view as a form of mental illness, creates mental anguish that can lead to violence. The White House said Thursday that HHS is investigating potential links between “gender affirming drugs” and violence.

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Many on the Left and in the legacy media have either avoided the transgender component or insisted that discussing it is bigoted. “Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainize our trans community… has lost their sense of common humanity,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. MSNBC’s Jen Psaki claimed that discussing the shooter’s identity is an attempt to “distract from what matters,” which she said is gun control. Several outlets, including The New York Times, have run headlines claiming the shooter’s motive is a “mystery,” despite his explicitly anti-Christian and anti-Trump writings.

‘Flagging’ Movement Sweeps U.K. Amid Migrant Backlash

Topline: A new patriotic movement known as “flagging” is sweeping the United Kingdom, as public anger grows over the government’s mass migration policies and a surge in violent crime committed by migrants.

The organic movement involves citizens raising the Union Jack and the St. George’s Cross flags on lampposts and in public spaces. It grew out of protests against the government’s practice of housing illegal immigrants in local hotels, which has led to a number of rapes and assaults on local people.

Critics have labeled the movement “xenophobic,” but supporters point to a double standard, as local councils that have been quick to take down British flags have been afraid to remove Palestinian flags from heavily Muslim areas.

The backlash comes as government data shows a surge in crimes committed by foreign nationals. According to the Centre for Migration Control, convictions of foreign nationals for sexual offenses increased by a “staggering 62%” between 2021 and 2024. A recent viral video from Scotland shows a 12-year-old girl brandishing an axe and a machete to defend herself and her 14-year-old sister from a man with a foreign accent who appears to have been harassing them. The girl has since been charged by police with possession of a knife — the man involved has not been charged and has publicly denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the girls approached him.

College Football Kicks Off in New Era of Paid Athletes

Topline: The multi-billion dollar college football season kicks off this weekend, ushering in a new era of paid athletes, an expanded 12-team playoff, and a slate of high-stakes opening matchups.

This season marks the second year of the expanded 12-team playoff and the first full season since the House v. NCAA settlement, which allows universities to pay athletes directly through revenue sharing, in addition to existing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.

The opening weekend is packed with marquee games. On Saturday, the action kicks off with preseason number one Texas, led by quarterback Arch Manning, visiting the reigning national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. The afternoon features Alabama traveling to Florida State, and the primetime game is a top-10 showdown between LSU and Clemson.

The action continues through the holiday weekend with Miami hosting Notre Dame on Sunday, and the collegiate head coaching debut of eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick on Monday night, when his North Carolina Tar Heels host TCU.