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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

Oliver O'Connell,Joe Sommerlad,Katie Hawkinson
Wednesday 08 January 2025 23:34 GMT
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Donald Trump says he won’t ‘commit’ to ruling out using military force to reclaim the Panama Canal

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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.

Top Senate Republicans not sure what to make of Trump’s expansionist dreams

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 17:58

Jeffries spells out how he sees difference between parties in Congress

Democratic Leader of the House Hakeem Jeffries spelled out how he sees the differences between his conference and Republicans in the House of Representatives.

He told reporters: “The Republican Conference is filled with marauding bands of individuals who can’t stand each other. And Democrats, as far as I can tell, are unified in our determination to make life better for the American people.”

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 17:52

Full story: 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.

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

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 17:44

House Foreign Affairs Republicans double-down on Trump’s North American vision

The Republican majority in the House Foreign Affairs Committee has doubles-down on its support for Donald Trump’s “vision” for North America reposting and then editing today’s front page of The New York Post.

It seems the Post’s reference to the Monroe Doctrine — President James Monroe’s 1823 warning to European powers that the western hemisphere was the US’s sphere of interest — may have either been too obscure or not deferential enough to the president-elect.

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 17:32

Blinken on Greenland says US is stronger working with allies, not alienating them

Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked about Donald Trump’s desire to buy Greenland and not ruling out taking the territory of a NATO ally by force.

“Greenland. First, I think one of the basic propositions we brought to our work over the last four years is that, we’re stronger, we’re more effective, we get better results when we’re working closely with our allies. Not, saying or doing things that may alienate them. Having said that it’s …the idea expressed about Greenland is obviously not a good one. But maybe more important, it’s obviously one that’s not going to happen. So we probably shouldn’t waste a lot of time talking about it.”

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 17:22

Watch: Trump roasts journalist when asked about Iran military strategy

Angry Trump roasts journalist when asked about Iran military strategy

Donald Trump roasted a journalist when asked about the US’s military strategy against Iran. The president-elect appeared angered when he was asked the question during a press conference on Tuesday (7 January). The journalist asked Trump: “The last time you were here, you were asked a question about the US possibly launching a pre-emptive strike on Iran and you said you wouldn’t answer that question.” Trump interrupted and said: “I don’t talk about the military strategy “It’s not really a question, only a stupid person would answer it.”

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 17:15

‘We are not sent to Washington to invade Greenland, rename the Gulf of Mexico or seize the Panama Canal by force'

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, leader of the House Democrats, made a point of noting this morning that perhaps American voters weren’t sending elected officials to Congress to pursue the wild expansionist dreams of the president-elect — after all, wasn’t the election supposed to be about inflation and the economy?

“House Democrats believe that we are not sent to Washington to invade Greenland, rename the Gulf of Mexico, or seize the Panama Canal by force,” said Jeffries. “We were sent to Washington to lower the high cost of living in America.”

Watch below:

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 17:03

Trump breaks silence on Los Angeles fires; blames ‘Newscum’ for wanting to protect ‘essentially worthless fish'

Donald Trump has broken his silence on the apocalyptic fires devastating parts of Los Angeles.

The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:

Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way. He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 16:52

Trump has not yet filed appeal with New York’s highest court, despite claiming it was done

Frank G Runyeon of @Law360 reports that Donald Trump has not yet filed an appeal with New York’s high court, despite his legal team claiming in its US Supreme Court brief that he “simultaneously” filed with the Court of Appeals and listed it as the lower court.

“The Court of Appeals has received no filings about Trump’s sentencing from his legal team so far,” the court told @Law360.

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 16:49

Fox News star insists it’s a ‘privilege’ to be taken over by US

Fox News star Jesse Watters said on Tuesday night that Canadians should see it as “a privilege to be taken over” by the United States, especially since “everybody in the world wants” to be an American citizen.

While the MAGA-boosting host also declared that he wanted to “quench my imperialist thirst” by annexing America’s neighbor to the north, Canadian leaders were firing back at President-elect Donald Trump’s expansionist threats with some jokes of their own.

Justin Barangoa reports.

Fox News star tells Canadians it should be a ‘privilege’ to be taken over by US

‘But the fact that they don’t want us to take them over makes me want to invade,’ Jesse Watters snarked. ‘I want to quench my imperialist thirst.’

Oliver O'Connell8 January 2025 16:45

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