Trump's Undie Run mix-up
Tomo Chien
January 14, 2026
Good morning. It’s Wednesday, and these are the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
“Venezuela celebrates / Democrats cry,” said a video posted by Donald Trump, apparently showing Venezuelans celebrating in the streets after U.S. troops detained the country’s leader. Except, it turns out the video was of UCLA’s Undie Run. “This is exactly what the media doesn’t want the world to see,” Trump later reposted.
2.
At the same time that colleges seek to stop AI-enabled cheating, their admissions offices are relying on the tech for their own use. Caltech is interviewing applicants with an AI bot. Virginia Tech launched an AI-powered essay reader. Georgia Tech plans to roll out a program to scan academic transcripts, while USC says it doesn’t use AI.
3.
Louisiana officials moved to extradite a California doctor who they accused of illegally mailing abortion pills into the state, escalating the battle over whether abortion bans can be enforced across state lines. Gov. Gavin Newsom indicated that California will not comply with the order.
4.
LA County’s Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to ban immigration officers from operating on county land. In a similarly legally dubious move, Trump pledged to withhold federal funding from immigration sanctuary cities and states.
5.
Long before USC was a sprawling, Disneyland-esque wonderland, it was a single building in an old mustard field. LA Explained posted historical photos of USC and several other LA colleges. If you want to see more: Check out this old USC photo collection or listen to the accompanying audio tour.
