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I Prosecuted the Capitol Rioters. They Have Never Been More Dangerous.  (Brendan Ballou, New York Times)
While some convicted rioters seem genuinely remorseful, and others appear simply ready to put politics behind them, many others are emboldened by the termination of what they see as unjust prosecutions. Freed by the president, they have never been more dangerous.
Take Stewart Rhodes, whose Oath Keepers group staged firearms and ammunition near Washington on Jan. 6 in anticipation of a “bloody and desperate fight.” Or Enrique Tarrio, whose Proud Boys led rioters into the Capitol and who had declared just after the 2020 election that while he and his followers would not start a civil war, they would be sure to “finish one.”
They are now free to pursue revenge, and have already said they want it. Upon his release this week, Mr. Tarrio declared that “success is going to be retribution.” He added, “Now it’s our turn.”
The effect — and I believe purpose — of these pardons is to encourage vigilantes and militias loyal to the president, but unaccountable to the government. Illiberal democracies and outright dictatorships often rely on such militia groups, whose organization and seriousness can range widely, from the vigilantes who enforce Iran’s hijab dress code to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia that have killed government opponents.
Here in America, lynch mobs and the Ku Klux Klan bolstered a racial caste system with violence that state governments, for the most part, were unwilling to commit themselves. But for decades, we had little reason to fear that vigilantes or militias would enforce the will of the state.

That may be changing. 

The Proud Boys Are Plotting a Comeback. And They Want Revenge  (Tess Owen, Wired)
Fresh out of federal prison, former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio suggests he’s still in charge as the far-right organization looks to regroup.

Trump Supports the Police, Just as Long as They Support Him  (Luke Broadwater and Zolan Kanno-Youngs, New York Times)
President Trump’s flurry of pardons this week sent a message to law enforcement: He will “back the blue” if they back him.

Touring Disaster Sites, Trump Says He Wants to Get Rid of FEMA  (Cat Zakrzewski, Matt Viser and Brady Dennis, Washington Post)
In the first official trip of his second term, Trump also threatened to withhold disaster aid to California unless the state enacts a voter ID law.

Trump’s Immigration Orders Will Bring Chaos to the Border  (Edward Alden, Foreign Policy)
Nothing in the history of U.S. border control suggests that the new administration’s approach will be effective.

Under Trump, U.S. Cyberdefense Loses Its Head  (Lily Hay Newman, Wired)
Chinese hacks, rampant ransomware, and Donald Trump’s budget cuts all threaten US security. In an exit interview with WIRED, former CISA head Jen Easterly argues for her agency’s survival.

Drones on the Homefront  (Brandon Valeriano, Steven Ochoa, Maximillian Otto, and Qing Leasure, National Interest)
The reality is drones are here, they are common, and they are now a fact of daily life. 

Nevada’s Lithium Could Help Save the Earth. But What Happens to Nevada?  (Meg Bernhard, New York Times)
Many climate experts see its deserts as a place to build the green-energy future. For two local activists, the price is too great.