Trump blasted for ‘obsession’ over Greenland by Democrats as he returns to Capitol Hill: Live
Congressional Democrats suggest president-elect focus on cost of living over fantasies about US territorial expansion as he returns to D.C. to meet with GOP senators
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump will be back on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to meet with Senate Republicans about legislative priorities — specifically how to get them through Congress in one massive bill.
The president-elect’s visit comes as he is lambasted by congressional Democrats and the leaders of allied nations over his fantasies regarding US territorial expansion. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested he might instead want to focus on lowering the cost of living, which he was elected to do.
In an alarming speech at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, Trump doubled down on his wish to make Canada a state, occupy Greenland, and seize the Panama Canal, not ruling out the use of the military in the latter two instances.
He also said he would rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, drawing a rebuke from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum who retorted that Texas and California should revert to their former name: America Mexicana.
Meanwhile, Trump has asked the Supreme Court to halt his hush money sentencing, scheduled for Friday after lower appeals courts refused to. Further, the Justice Department says it will release Special Counsel Jack Smith’s findings on Trump's January 6 probe but not the classified documents case.
Trump’s team was fed questions prior to Fox News town hall in 2024, new book says
The Trump campaign team was handed questions in advance of a Fox News town hall in Iowa in January last year, according to a new book.
Politico’s Alex Isenstadt writes in Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power that many of the president-elect’s advisers did not want him to show up to the event moderated by Brett Baier and Matha MacCallum. They were “still peeved at Fox, whose coverage they continued to find antagonistic, and did not want the former president to do the prime time event,” according to exerpts shared by CNN.
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
Donald Trump’s team was fed questions prior to Fox News town hall in 2024: book
Former president also reportedly considered Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo to be his running mate
Report: Trump to declare national economic emergency in order to push through tariffs
Donald Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency in order to create the legal grounds for introducing his program of steep tariffs against rival nations, according to CNN.
Even before taking office, the president-elect has threatened tariffs of as much as 10 percent on global imports and 60 percent on Chinese goods, plus a 25 percent import surcharge on Canadian and Mexican products.
Such duties are intended to provide a boost to American manufacturing but experts have warned that, in practice, they could backfire by upending trade flows, raising costs and inviting harmful retaliatory measures.
Joe Sommerlad reports.
Trump could declare national economic emergency to push through tariffs, reports says
President-elect has threatened nations including Canada, Mexico and China with steep duties on their products even before taking office
Despite all the allegations against him, Matt Gaetz believes he can win Florida governorship
Matt Gaetz, the former Florida Republican congressman turned cable news anchor, has revealed he is “starting to think about running for governor” of the Sunshine State in 2026 in place of two-term incumbent Ron DeSantis.
“I have a compelling vision for the state,” Gaetz told The Tampa Bay Times.
Joe Sommerlad has the story.
Matt Gaetz believes he can win Florida governorship despite allegations against him
Former MAGA congressman, Donald Trump’s first choice for US attorney general, now considering run to succeed term-limited Ron DeSantis in 2026
Drill baby, drill?
The U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday said no bids were submitted for this week’s oil and gas lease sale in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — a sale the state has challenged as too restrictive and at odds with a 2017 law aimed at opening the refuge’s sweeping coastal plan to exploration and development.
Monday was the deadline for companies to submit bids, the agency said.
Read on...
A second oil and gas lease sale for Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge draws no bids
The U.S. Interior Department says that no bids were submitted for this week’s oil and gas lease sale in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
MTG vows to introduce bill on Gulf of Mexico ‘ASAP’
Georgia GOP firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene has promised to introduce a bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America as soon as possible.
Greene took to President-elect Donald Trump’s platform Truth Social to share a clip of the former and incoming president pitching the name change.
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
MTG vows to introduce bill on Gulf of Mexico as House Republicans start using name
Marjorie Taylor Greene says new legislation ‘is important to begin funding the changing of maps for all agencies within the federal government’
Germany seems to warn Trump about his Greenland plans
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that every country must honor the sanctity of borders no matter how powerful or where they are, indirectly responding to President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. should take over Greenland and the Panama Canal.
Ariana Baio reports.
Germany warns Trump about his plans to take over Greenland
German chancellor reiterated the importance of respecting a country’s borders to maintain peace
Biden used LA fire briefing to tell the ‘good news’ of becoming a great-grandfather. It didn’t sit well with MAGAworld
President Joe Biden is being blasted after he tried to inject a bit of levity into a briefing on the California widlfires by announcing he had become a great-grandfather.
However, the comment didn’t land and was condemned online given the disaster that was unfolding just miles away.
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Biden ripped for ‘good news’ announcement during California fire briefing
Biden is the first sitting president to become a great-grandparent
Elon Musk uses wildfires to attack California’s DEI practices — as wild conspiracies are spread by MAGA faithful
Elon Musk has lashed out at California fire officials, baselessly accusing them of putting DEI measures over “saving lives and homes,” as MAGA supporters are spreading conspiracy theories on social media about the catastrophic wildfires ripping through Los Angeles County.
Musk joined President-elect Donald Trump in pointing fingers over the fires that have so far spread to more than 20,000 acres across Southern California.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Elon Musk uses wildfires to attack DEI practices — as MAGA spread conspiracies
Musk joined President-elect Donald Trump in lashing out at state officials and pointing fingers over the devastating fires
How much did it cost U.S. to acquire its territories? What to know as Trumps escalates calls to take Greenland
Donald Trump is doubling down on his desire to purchase Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, despite the country not being for sale.
Since December, the president-elect has floated the idea of acquiring Greenland “for purposes of national security” – a similar idea that he pitched during his first administration. He even sent his eldest son Donald Trump Jr. to the island on Tuesday in a bizarre publicity stunt.
While the United States is no stranger to making land purchases, it has not done so since the 1940s when it purchased a small island that is now part of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It’s an expensive endeavor that requires justification and approval by the Senate.
From the Louisiana Purchase to the Alaska Purchase and even leasing Guantánamo Bay, here are territories the U.S. has purchased:
How much did it cost U.S. to acquire its territories?
The U.S. has purchased multiple territories and states since it’s formation
Trump plans meetings this weekend at Mar-a-Lago with House Republicans
Trump is expected to meet with House Republicans at Mar-a-Lago this weekend.
Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., among those headed to Florida, said he supports the House’s one-bill approach.
Hern said he agrees with what those who suggest with one big bill, “You’re not going to get everything that you want.”
“So how do we put something together that everybody can get something?” Hern said.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, a member of GOP leadership who invited the president-elect to meet with senators, said, “I think he needs to hear what our impressions are in terms of how we’re going to get where we all want to go.”
She said she could go with one or two bills.
“But I still think the two-bill strategy is better simply because I think we can get a victory in early, which will show the American people and the president we mean business,” she said.
During his first term, Trump was known for changing his mind, a habit that members of Congress became accustomed to as they navigated his presidency.
Trump ally Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said Trump just “wants all of it done.”
“He supports the one bill, but he also wants both,” he said. “Either one. If it takes two, it takes two.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments