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 except 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 ought to be primaried.
The president-elect is incomes his status as a disruptor, with sufficient affect over what’s now his social gathering to explode fastidiously negotiated bipartisan compromises. Let’s have a look at every of those.
HOW PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP COULD PULL OFF ‘THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY’ AS HE ENTERS OFFICE
Trump tried in his first time period to purchase Greenland, which is managed by Denmark however beneath house 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 authorised 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 definitely demonstrated the flexibility to engineer main challenges to those that cross him. However three dozen conservative Republicans voted towards him on the federal government shutdown invoice, together with on ultimate 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 high that 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 Picture/Rick Scuteri)
Past that, whether or not he’s making outrageous calls for or not, Trump shapes, and sometimes dominates, the information agenda. Because the forty seventh president has acknowledged to me, he typically crosses the road as a result of he is aware of it’ll provoke a robust media response. As Trump sees it, even unfavourable protection is nice protection as a result of the press is enjoying on his turf.
And typically 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 really shut down, they don’t see it as a setback for Trump that he didn’t get most of what he needed. 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 in the course of the marketing campaign when each events agreed on a tricky border enforcement deal, which was then trashed by Trump’s objections.
However there are clearly limits to Trump’s means 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 social gathering thus far.
TRUMP’S FAMOUS CHRISTMAS CAMEO IS FAR FROM HIS ONLY ACTING CREDIT: SEE THE FULL LIST
Rep. Nancy Mace, a Trump supporter who voted towards him on ultimate passage–advised 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 operating up towards the chilly, exhausting math of attending to the quantity 218.
Democrats must marvel if it’s price negotiating with the opposite social gathering in the event that they’re simply making a goal for Trump’s demolition derby.
It was Elon Musk who first tweeted about how unhealthy 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 battle.
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. ((Picture by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Publish through Getty Photographs))
Over the weekend, Trump denied that he had surrendered his presidential powers to his billionaire buddy, and half-mockingly stated Musk may 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 robust speak about Greenland and the Panama Canal exhibits that he’s most snug enjoying offense, even when nothing a lot comes of it.
In different information:
–The Home Ethics report says Matt Gaetz “regularly” paid girls for intercourse, together with with an underage woman, and used unlawful medicine.
In 2017, the previous legal professional common nominee “engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl,” who was additionally paid.
Gaetz used or had possession of such unlawful medicine as cocaine and Ecstasy “on multiple occasions,” and likewise accepted profitable items, equivalent 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 stated 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 costs.
TRUMP COULD FACE RENEWED ISIS THREAT IN SYRIA AS TURKEY GOES AFTER US ALLY
Gaetz additionally misused Home sources when he had his chief of employees “help a lady 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 operating for AG, this could 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 girls he wasn’t courting.
–A dogged reporter the Dallas Categorical 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 makes a speciality of dementia and different reminiscence issues. She put out an announcement about well being challenges that completely missed the purpose: How may she not inform her constituents about this? Why did she insist on hiding it? There would have been monumental sympathy for her. As an alternative, the congresswoman saved all of it shrouded in secrecy.
–Actress Blake Vigorous was the goal of a web-based smear marketing campaign, as specified by texts and emails that blatantly focus on planting tales to wreck her status, whereas cautioning that this should stay secret as a result of they’ll’t very effectively admit that they’re making an attempt to “bury” her. “You know we can bury anyone.”
Justin Baldoni and Blake Vigorous (David Buchan/Selection/Penske Media through Getty Photographs/Lia Toby/Getty Photographs)
Vigorous obtained these paperwork by means 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, equivalent to having physique make-up eliminated, or breast-feeding.
The Wayfarer studio stated that the corporate and its PR folks “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 wherein he could not have gotten consent. One other member of the workforce 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 occurring…
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“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.
