Jeff Landry

Built World

Advocating for the project while addressing community concerns

Meta broke ground in December 2024 on Hyperion, a data center so large it would cover most of Manhattan. The initial 2,250-acre, 4-million-square-foot facility in Richland Parish, Louisiana will deliver 2 to 5 gigawatts of computing power—enough to train the next generations of Meta's Llama AI models. At $27 billion, it represents the largest private-credit financing deal ever executed and the single biggest private investment in Louisiana history. In February 2026, Fortune revealed Meta's quiet purchase of 1,400 adjacent acres—paving the way for Phase 2 expansion that would more than double the campus to over 3,650 acres, roughly twice the size of New Orleans' airport. To power this unprecedented scale, Meta signed nuclear energy agreements in January 2026 with TerraPower and Vistra, securing up to 6.6 gigawatts of baseload power by the early 2030s, supplementing Entergy's three new natural gas plants.

Updated Mar 13

Force in Play

First governor to declare emergency on January 18

Winter Storm Fern ranks among the deadliest recent U.S. winter events with over 150 confirmed fatalities across multiple states as of early February 2026, following 106 deaths reported on January 28. The storm brought crippling ice and heavy snow across a 2,000-mile path from Texas to Maine, leading President Trump to approve federal emergency declarations for at least 10 states amid over 1 million peak power outages, 14,000+ flight cancellations—the worst aviation disruption since COVID-19—and wind chills to minus 50°F. Fatalities included hypothermia, traffic accidents, and ice-related incidents, with Tennessee reporting 29 deaths, Mississippi 28, and others in states like Louisiana (8), New York City (8 frozen outdoors), Kentucky, and Texas (3 boys drowning after falling through pond ice).

Updated Feb 5

Force in Play

Key political supporter of federal sweeps and state anti-sanctuary laws

In late 2025, President Donald Trump's second-term immigration agenda brought its mass-deportation push to New Orleans through Operation Catahoula Crunch (also known as 'Swamp Sweep'), a Border Patrol–led sweep targeting 5,000 arrests across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Launched on December 3, 2025, the operation deployed roughly 250 federal agents into the New Orleans metro area, conducting raids at big-box stores, workplaces, and residential neighborhoods while conducting round-the-clock online surveillance of activists, protests, and community organizing. However, the operation fell dramatically short of its stated goals: by early January 2026, federal authorities had arrested only 560 people—just 11% of the target—before abruptly withdrawing agents to redeploy them to Minneapolis. Early arrest data reviewed by the Associated Press showed that fewer than 10% of initial detainees had criminal backgrounds, contradicting the federal narrative of a violent-offender crackdown.

Updated Feb 4

Force in Play

Published NYT op-ed demanding 'total, unfettered access' to Greenland; remains excluded from working group negotiations; managing dual roles as Louisiana governor and envoy

President Trump's dramatic January 21 reversal—withdrawing tariff threats and ruling out military force after announcing a "framework" with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte—defused an unprecedented crisis within the Atlantic alliance. The framework centers on Arctic security cooperation, U.S. access to Greenland's rare earth minerals (the world's eighth-largest reserves at 1.5 million metric tons), and deployment of Trump's proposed "Golden Dome" missile defense system—a $175-831 billion multilayered shield against hypersonic threats. NATO clarified Rutte "did not propose any compromise to sovereignty," framing the deal as collective efforts to prevent Russian or Chinese Arctic footholds. By January 29, Secretary of State Rubio announced technical talks through the agreed working group had begun, calling them "a regular process" and expressing optimism: "We've got a little bit of work to do, but I think we're going to wind up in a good place."

Updated Jan 30

Force in Play

First U.S. special envoy to Greenland

The United States has operated military bases in Greenland since 1941, under agreements with Denmark. On January 15, 2026, NATO allies deployed troops to the island to counter U.S. pressure after American-Danish talks collapsed. On January 17, President Trump announced 10% tariffs on eight European countries—Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom—rising to 25% by June unless 'a deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.' On January 20, Trump declared on Truth Social that 'there can be no going back' on Greenland, calling it 'imperative for National and World Security.' That same day, Denmark deployed its Army Chief, General Peter Boysen, alongside 58 additional troops to Greenland, bringing total Danish military presence to approximately 178 personnel for Operation Arctic Endurance.

Updated Jan 21

Rule Changes

Signed largest tort reform package in state history, May 2025

Louisiana drivers pay $3,481 annually for auto insurance—the highest in America. On January 1, 2026, the state flipped the rules on who can sue after a car crash. Plaintiffs found even 51% at fault now get nothing, and medical bills can only be recovered at amounts actually paid, not the inflated prices hospitals charge. It's the biggest tort reform package in state history, and early signs suggest insurers are responding: over 20 carriers filed rate decreases by mid-January 2026, with Progressive alone cutting rates for nearly 500,000 drivers.

Updated Jan 14

Rule Changes

Supporting parishes despite pro-industry background

A Louisiana jury ordered Chevron to pay $745 million in April 2025 for wrecking coastal wetlands through decades of oil drilling. Now the Supreme Court will decide if that verdict stands—or if Chevron can escape to federal court by claiming it was acting under federal orders when it refined aviation fuel during World War II. The catch: the lawsuit concerns oil production, not refining, and much of the damage happened decades after the war ended.

Updated Jan 14

Rule Changes

Requested and received 350 federalized Guard troops for New Orleans

The Supreme Court told President Trump he can't send National Guard troops to Illinois. The 6-3 decision on December 23 marks the first time the modern court has blocked a president from federalizing state Guard units over a governor's objections. Trump claimed protests at an ICE facility in suburban Chicago constituted a rebellion. The court wasn't buying it. In a significant concurrence, Justice Kavanaugh warned the ruling could force Trump to use regular military forces instead of the Guard, potentially escalating future deployments.

Updated Dec 26, 2025