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Trump shares Christmas message as Denmark responds to Greenland threats by boosting defense: Live

Danish defense minister says country will spend $1.5 billion to ensire ‘stronger presence’ in Arctic

Congress Narrowly Averts Government Shutdown — And Rejects Trump’s Debt Ceiling Commands

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Denmark is boosting defense spending for Greenland. A Danish official said Tuesday that the timing of the announcement, coming as President-elect Donald Trump made comments that the U.S. should own the territory, was an “irony of fate.”

This comes as Trump wished a “Merry Christmas to all” on Truth Social.

Troels Lund Poulsen, the Danish defense minister, told the paper Jyllands-Posten Tuesday that the country plans to spend a “double-digit billion amount” in krone — about $1.5 billion — to make sure they have a “stronger presence” in the Arctic.

Trump said Sunday that the “ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity” for the U.S. The U.S. military operates a base in northwest Greenland.

After seemingly joking about Canada becoming the “51st” state, the incoming president fired off ominous messages alleging the Panama Canal and Greenland pose serious economic and national security threats to the United States and might be targeted for some kind of annexation or purchase.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is reeling after an ethics committee report into former congressman Matt Gaetz “determined there is substantial evidence” that he paid tens of thousands of dollars for sex and used illicit drugs while he was a member of Congress.

Aspiring MAGA congresswoman performs mock ‘execution’ of migrant in disturbing campaign video

Aspiring congresswoman and controversial MAGA cheerleader Valentina Gomez has sparked outrage once again after posting a video in which she appears to simulate executing an immigrant.

The 25-year-old, who tried and failed to be elected as the Missouri Secretary of State earlier this year, said in the disturbing clip that undocumented persons who committed violent crimes “deserve to be ended.”

In the video, posted to X on Monday, Gomez is seen firing a handgun into the back of the head of a dummy tied to a chair with a black bag over its head.

Read more:

Aspiring MAGA congresswoman performs mock ‘execution’ of migrant in disturbing video

Valentina Gomez, who lost the race to become Missouri Secretary of State earlier this year, that undocumented persons who committed violent crimes ‘deserve to be ended’

Mike Bedigan25 December 2024 17:00

Watch: Stephen A. Smith reverses position on President-elect Donald Trump

Stephen A. Smith reverses position on President-elect Donald Trump
Gustaf Kilander25 December 2024 16:15

Nigel Farage willing to work with Lord Mandelson to secure Trump trade deal

Nigel Farage has said he would be willing to help incoming ambassador to the US Lord Mandelson negotiate with the Trump administration.

Labour peer Lord Mandelson has indicated he believes the Reform UK leader, a friend of Mr Trump, could serve as a link between the British Government and the Republican president-elect.

Downing Street would not be drawn on whether Sir Keir Starmer would like Lord Mandelson to work with Mr Farage, saying when asked only that the Prime Minister had “already started to begin to build a relationship with President-elect Trump”. But No10 insiders have made clear Mr Farage will not be being used as a bridge between Sir Keir and Mr Trump.

Read more:

Farage willing to work with Lord Mandelson to secure Trump trade deal

Downing Street would not be drawn on whether Sir Keir Starmer would like Lord Mandelson to work with Mr Farage, but No10 insiders have made clear he will not be used as a bridge between the PM and Mr Trump

Archie Mitchell25 December 2024 15:30

Trump issues unusually short Christmas message

(Donald Trump / Truth Social)
Gustaf Kilander25 December 2024 15:02

From halibut and hot dogs to unlikely friendships: This is what happens inside the Senate lunch room

During President Joe Biden’s final major address on the economy, he did what he does best: wax poetic about the old days of the United States Senate, the institution that defined him. He told an especially instructive story about when he returned to the Senate as vice president and went into the Senate dining hall, where a central dining room table used to stand. That’s were Democrats and Republicans would once meet and talk.

“You walk in — a long table sitting, I guess, 16, 18 people on the right, parallel with the table,” he said. “And you walk through an archway, and there was a table going the other way. One was the Democratic table. One was Republican table. And when there weren’t enough to sit at any one table, then they all sit together.”

Read more:

Inside the Senate lunchroom: From Mormon hot dogs to Alaskan halibut

Senators might lose their ‘French working week’ under Trump. That could be a very good thing, writes Eric Garcia

Eric Garcia25 December 2024 14:45

Denmark boosts defense spending for Greenland following Trump’s ‘ownership’ comments

Denmark is boosting defense spending for Greenland. A Danish official said Tuesday that the timing of the announcement, coming as President-elect Donald Trump made comments that the U.S. should own the territory, was an “irony of fate.”

Troels Lund Poulsen, the Danish defense minister, told the paper Jyllands-Posten Tuesday that the country plans to spend a “double-digit billion amount” in krone — about $1.5 billion — to make sure they have a “stronger presence” in the Arctic.

Trump said Sunday that the “ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity” for the U.S. The U.S. military operates a base in northwest Greenland.

The president-elect’s comments are an expansion of what he said during his first term, when he suggested that the U.S. buy Greenland.

“Greenland is ours,” the territory’s Prime Minister Múte Egede said in response on Facebook Monday. “We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our years-long struggle for freedom. However, we must continue to be open to cooperation and trade with the whole world, especially with our neighbours.”

Gustaf Kilander25 December 2024 14:22

Texas buys billboards in Central America warning migrants of danger of rape and abuse on journey to US

The state of Texas is paying an estimated $100,000 to install on blunt and at-times graphic billboards across Mexico and Central America in the coming weeks in the hopes of deterring future illegal immigration.

The Independent’s Josh Marcus reports:

Texas buys billboards in Central America warning migrants of danger of rape

Critics argue migrants already know the risks of journey and restrictive policies put border-crossers at further risk

Alex Woodward25 December 2024 14:00

Trump calls for death penalty against violent offenders

The political fallout remains ongoing for Joe Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of most people on federal death row to life in prison.

In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Donald Trump promised to “vigorously” pursue the death penalty against violent offenders.

“As soon as I am inaugurated, I will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters,” Trump wrote. “We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!”

Trump oversaw a historic 13 federal executions in office, the most of any modern U.S. president.

Here’s more on the Biden commutations.

The three federal death row inmates Biden chose not to save

Outgoing president decided to spare 37 condemned prisoners from the death chamber – but not three others

Josh Marcus25 December 2024 13:00

‘Confused’ congresswoman tracked to nursing home shines spotlight on troubling aging issues facing lawmakers

The discovery by a local newspaper of a “confused” Texas Republican congresswoman living in an assisted care facility after she dropped out of sight last month has triggered concerns about aging lawmakers clinging to their powerful roles in the face of fears about diminishing competence.

The Independent’s John Bowden reports:

Aging DC in the spotlight after ‘confused’ lawmaker found living in a nursing home

Washington showed its gray hair in 2024. More reckonings are likely on the horizon

Alex Woodward25 December 2024 12:00

Trump’s FCC nominee sends ominous letter to Disney CEO: ‘Americans no longer trust the national news media’

After Trump threatened to strip ABC’s broadcast license and forced the network into a $15 million settlement, the president-elect’s pick to lead the Federal Communications Commission warned its parent company that Americans “no longer trust the national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly.”

In a letter to Disney’s CEO Bob Iger, Brendan Carr lamented the “erosion in public trust” in news media, and suggested ABC was partially to blame.

Inside Trump’s latest fight with the media, and what Carr – a Project 2025 co-author — plans to do in office:

Trump’s FCC chair sends ominous letter to Disney CEO

Brendan Carr laments ‘erosion of public trust’ in media while Trump sues newspapers and media companies

Alex Woodward25 December 2024 11:00

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