Donald Trump says it’s “an absolute necessity” for our nation to personal Greenland.
He says the U.S. ought to take again the Panama Canal until the “ridiculous” delivery charges are lowered.
He threatened that any Republican who opposed him on the invoice to keep away from a authorities shutdown can and needs to be primaried.
The president-elect is incomes his repute as a disruptor, with sufficient affect over what’s now his get together to explode fastidiously negotiated bipartisan compromises. Let’s take a look at every of those.
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Trump tried in his first time period to purchase Greenland, which is managed by Denmark however beneath residence rule. That went nowhere, although it created a diplomatic disaster with Danish officers.
Whereas the U.S. constructed the Panama Canal within the early twentieth century, it was turned over to Panama beneath a treaty accredited by each international locations. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino says “every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent zone is Panama’s and will continue to be so. The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable.”
That didn’t cease Trump from posting an AI picture of an American flag flying over a waterway presumed to be the canal.
The incoming president has actually demonstrated the power to engineer major challenges to those that cross him. However three dozen conservative Republicans voted towards him on the federal government shutdown invoice, together with on remaining passage, which dropped his demand to remove the debt ceiling throughout his time period. Would he actually gin up primaries towards all of them?
So the overwhelming chances are the standing of Greenland, the Panama Canal and rebellious Republicans gained’t change within the second time period.
The explanation Trump does that is that it reinforces his position as a disruptor, somebody taking up the decrepit Washington institution, regardless that a president, by definition, is the brand new institution.
President-elect Donald Trump factors at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photograph/Rick Scuteri)
And generally these are simply negotiating positions to win concessions, as with the threatened 25 % tariffs towards Canada and Mexico.
Keep in mind, most individuals outdoors the media-political advanced aren’t breathlessly following these developments. Because the authorities didn’t truly shut down, they don’t see it as a setback for Trump that he didn’t get most of what he wished. They in all probability don’t recall that he tried to purchase Greenland earlier than.
What Trump clearly has the facility to do is to explode fastidiously crafted bipartisan agreements. He did it after Speaker Mike Johnson–whose personal future is doubtful as a result of, like Kevin McCarthy earlier than him, he didn’t have the votes–let the invoice develop right into a Christmas tree monstrosity.
And he did it throughout the marketing campaign when each events agreed on a troublesome border enforcement deal, which was then trashed by Trump’s objections.
However there are clearly limits to Trump’s skill to form occasions, particularly with the nation. For 3 dozen Republicans to defy him on as elementary a matter because the debt ceiling exhibits that he can solely push his get together to this point.
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Rep. Nancy Mace, a Trump supporter who voted towards him on remaining passage–informed me on Sunday’s Media Buzz that was as a result of she desires to maintain the debt ceiling.
However with the GOP clinging to a 1-vote Home margin, for now, the cauldron of marketing campaign rhetoric is working up towards the chilly, exhausting math of attending to the quantity 218.
Democrats should marvel if it’s value negotiating with the opposite get together in the event that they’re simply making a goal for Trump’s demolition derby.
It was Elon Musk who first tweeted about how dangerous the unique invoice was–at Trump’s suggestion–and after 70-plus tweets (together with some falsehoods), the brand new president was drawn into the struggle.
BUTLER, PA – OCT. 5: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks with former president Donald Trump throughout a marketing campaign occasion on the Butler Farm Present, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. ((Photograph by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Publish by way of Getty Photos))
Over the weekend, Trump denied that he had surrendered his presidential powers to his billionaire buddy, and half-mockingly mentioned Musk might by no means be president:
“You know why? He wasn’t born in this country. Hahaha.”
A favourite media parlor recreation is whether or not the 2 strong-willed males will ultimately have a falling out.
For now, although, Trump’s powerful speak about Greenland and the Panama Canal exhibits that he’s most comfy enjoying offense, even when nothing a lot comes of it.
–The Home Ethics report says Matt Gaetz “regularly” paid ladies for intercourse, together with with an underage woman, and used unlawful medication.
In 2017, the previous lawyer normal nominee “engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl,” who was additionally paid.
Gaetz used or had possession of such unlawful medication as cocaine and Ecstasy “on multiple occasions,” and likewise accepted profitable presents, akin to transportation and lodging within the Bahamas.
“Many of the women interviewed by the committee were clear that there was a general expectation of sex,” with one girl telling the committee Gaetz paid her greater than $5,000 and that intercourse was concerned “99 percent of the time.”
The panel mentioned Gaetz was “uncooperative” and that he “knowingly and willfully sought to impede and obstruct the committee’s investigation of his conduct.” The Justice Division investigated however introduced no expenses.
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Gaetz additionally misused Home assets when he had his chief of workers “help a girl with whom he engaged in sexual exercise in acquiring a passport, falsely indicating to the U.S. Division of State that she was a constituent…
“There was substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, acceptance of impermissible gifts, the provision of special favors and privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”
If Gaetz was nonetheless within the working for AG, this is able to have blown him out of the water.
Says Gaetz: “I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me. Then, the very ‘witnesses’ DOJ deemed not-credible were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims absent any cross-examination or challenge from me or my attorneys. I’ve had no chance to ever confront any accusers. I’ve never been charged. I’ve never been sued.” He says he even despatched cash to ladies he wasn’t courting.
–A dogged reporter the Dallas Specific found what occurred to Texas Rep. Kay Granger, who went “missing” months in the past. He discovered her, and bought on-the-record affirmation, at a nursing facility that focuses on dementia and different reminiscence issues. She put out an announcement about well being challenges that completely missed the purpose: How might she not inform her constituents about this? Why did she insist on hiding it? There would have been monumental sympathy for her. As a substitute, the congresswoman stored all of it shrouded in secrecy.
Justin Baldoni and Blake Vigorous (David Buchan/Selection/Penske Media by way of Getty Photos/Lia Toby/Getty Photos)
Vigorous obtained these paperwork by way of authorized motion towards her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, and reviewed by the New York Occasions. She is alleging sexual harassment, saying Baldoni and others routinely got here into her trailer unannounced when she was topless, akin to having physique make-up eliminated, or breast-feeding.
The Wayfarer studio mentioned that the corporate and its PR individuals “did nothing proactive or retaliatory” towards the actress, accusing her of “another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation.”
Vigorous says Baldoni tried so as to add unneeded intercourse scenes, had improvised undesirable kissing and mentioned his intercourse life, together with cases by which he might not have gotten consent. One other member of the group confirmed her a video of his spouse bare.
The unhappy factor is that this form of factor goes on on a regular basis. We simply occurred to get the products this time, with Vigorous being portrayed as tough, tone-deaf and a bully.
–The Each day Mail reported that Jeff Bezos was going marry his fiancé Lauren Sanchez this weekend in a $600 million extravaganza in Aspen.
The Amazon founder, who owns the Washington Publish, says that’s a crock:
“This entire factor is totally false — none of that is taking place…
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“The old adage ‘don’t believe everything you read’ is even more true today than it ever has been. Now lies can get ALL the way around the world before the truth can get its pants on. So be careful out there folks and don’t be gullible.”
Good for Jeff for punching again towards a crappy story.
