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Trump says he wants to rename Gulf of Mexico and retake Panama Canal during press conference: Live

President-elect held baffling — at times alarming — press event at Mar-a-Lago, wandering from topic to topic and threatening allied nations

Oliver O'Connell,Joe Sommerlad,Katie Hawkinson
Tuesday 07 January 2025 21:58 GMT
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Trump says he won’t ‘commit’ to ruling out military force to reclaim Panama Canal

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Donald Trump gave a bizarre, rambling press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, bafflingly leaping from one topic to another.

Ostensibly arranged to announce new foreign investment in the US, the president-elect also attacked President Joe Biden over the transition process and refused to rule out using military or economic coercion to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland.

Trump further railed against windmills, electric heaters, water pressure and soap, Canada, dishwashers, and the legal cases against him. At one moment he said he wanted to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and then claimed Hezbollah might have been at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Meanwhile, his lawyers are attempting to block the “imminent” release of a final report by Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith covering his classified documents and election interference cases. Aileen Cannon, the judge in the former case, has temporarily blocked the release of that final report.

Further, Judge Juan Merchan refused Trump’s latest attempt to delay the sentencing over his hush money conviction — still scheduled for Friday.

This all came just a day after Congress formally recognized the president-elect’s 2024 election win over Kamala Harris.

Adam Kinzinger mocks Republican lawmakers who changed their tune on Jan 6

The former Illinois GOP congressman used the anniversary of the Capitol riot to hit out at members of his old party who have backpedaled on their positions regarding it since 2021.

Here’s Rhian Lubin on his social media trolling.

Adam Kinzinger mocks Republican lawmakers who changed their tune on Jan. 6 attack

The former Illinois congressman hit out at Republicans who have backpedaled on their positions since 2021

Joe Sommerlad7 January 2025 12:30

Dems grin and bear it as they set example for Republicans on Jan 6

Let’s get back to yesterday’s pomp and ceremony on Capitol Hill.

Here’s Eric Garcia on unsmiling Democrats attempting to find solace in doing their constitutional duty on a day that they had hoped would be one of celebration.

Democrats grin and bear it as they set example for Republicans on January 6

‘I can feel proud that we’re acting as constitutional patriots,’ Representative Jamie Raskin tells Eric Garcia on the four-year anniversary of the Capitol riot

Joe Sommerlad7 January 2025 12:00

Trump sues to stop hush money sentencing as judge tosses last-ditch delay

Also yesterday, Judge Juan Merchan refused Trump’s latest attempt to delay the sentencing over his hush money conviction, currently scheduled for Friday.

Here’s Alex Woodward with the very latest from Manhattan Criminal Court.

Trump sues to stop hush money sentencing as he tosses last-ditch request to delay

The president-elect will be sentenced January 10 after a jury’s unanimous conviction for falsifying records

Joe Sommerlad7 January 2025 11:30

Trump’s election win made official as Kamala Harris presides over certification four years after Jan 6 riot

On Monday, Congress formally recognized the president-elect’s November election win over Kamala Harris, with the poor vice president required to preside over the joint-session herself as is customary.

Here’s Andrew Feinberg and Richard Hall on an extraordinarily smooth process, precisely four years to the day since Trump’s supporters ransacked the US Capitol.

Trump’s election victory certified without incident four years after riot

The joint session to certify the 2024 election went off without interruptions as Vice President Kamala Harris made her defeat at the hands of Donald Trump official

Joe Sommerlad7 January 2025 11:00

Biden ‘doing everything possible to make the TRANSITION as difficult as possible’, Trump gripes

Also on Truth Social, the president-elect has been hitting out at the man he will succeed in the White House over yesterday’s move to ban oil and gas drilling along much of America’s coastlines.

Joe Sommerlad7 January 2025 10:30

Donald Trump sending son to Greenland after touting Canada ‘merger’ as he fixates on expanding United States

Good morning!

Donald Trump is continuing to fantasize about the prospect of expanding the United States, even before taking office.

“I am hearing that the people of Greenland are ‘MAGA’,” the president-elect wrote on his Truth Social platform overnight, announcing that his eldest son Donald Trump Jr will soon be visiting the territory with an eye on attempting to acquire it from Denmark.

“Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World.”

Earlier, Trump pounced on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his resignation to post on the same platform: “Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State.

“If Canada merged with the US, there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them.

“Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!”

Here’s more from Io Dodds.

Don Jr to visit Greenland as Trump renews threat to take it over

‘We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World,’ soon-to-be-president vows as he announces son’s trip

Joe Sommerlad7 January 2025 10:00

OPINION: The last time I came to the Capitol I was teargassed in the lobby. This time was even worse

The Independent’s Richard Hall returns to the US Capitol four years after the January 6 riot — this is what he saw as the 2024 election was certified.

The last time I came to the Capitol I was teargassed. This time was even worse

Four years after reporting from the attack on the US Capitol, Richard Hall returns to watch Donald Trump’s election certified.

Oliver O'Connell7 January 2025 09:30

Full story: Trump win made official as Harris presides over election certification four years after Jan 6 riot

Exactly four years after a mob of Donald Trump’s supporters perpetrated the worst attack on the U.S. Capitol since Major General Robert Ross ordered British soldiers to set it ablaze more than two centuries before, Vice President Kamala Harris presided over a joint session of Congress to give Trump the peaceful transfer of power she was denied after the 2020 election.

Harris — who four years earlier was both vice president-elect and the sitting junior senator from California — led senators from their chamber across the Capitol’s ornate rotunda into the House chamber at exactly 1 p.m. Monday, the date laid out in American law for Congress to officially certify the election of the next president and vice president.

Andrew Feinberg and Richard Hall filed this report from the US Capitol.

Trump’s election victory certified without incident four years after riot

The joint session to certify the 2024 election went off without interruptions as Vice President Kamala Harris made her defeat at the hands of Donald Trump official

Oliver O'Connell7 January 2025 09:00

Giuliani held in contempt and hit with sanctions for defying court orders in defamation case

Giuliani showed a “blithe disregard” for completing two requests for documents, including sending over the names of his doctors, financial firms and lawyers, and another for his phone numbers, email accounts and messaging apps, according to District Judge Lewis Liman.

Alex Woodward filed this report from the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Lower Manhattan.

Giuliani held in contempt and hit with sanctions for defying court orders

Trump’s former attorney blew deadlines and evaded document requests to ‘run out the clock,’ judge says

Oliver O'Connell7 January 2025 08:30

Biden awkwardly scolds reporters after being asked about age

President Joe Biden snapped at several reporters Sunday when asked about his age during a White House event to celebrate the signing of the Social Security Fairness Act.

Gustaf Kilander has the story.

Biden awkwardly scolds reporters after being asked about age

‘My being the oldest president, I know more world leaders than any one of you ever met in your whole goddamn life,’ president tells reporters

Oliver O'Connell7 January 2025 07:30

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