Trump blasted for ‘obsession’ over Greenland by Democrats as he returns to Capitol Hill: Live
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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.
Hegseth says he had ‘great discussion’ with senior Armed Services Committee Democrat ahead of confirmation hearings
Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth said he had a “great discussion” with Democratic Senator Jack Reed ahead of next week’s confirmation hearing. Reed is the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Hegseth would not say if he could count on Reed’s vote or those of other Democrats.
ANALYSIS: Trump has a narrow window to advance his aggressive agenda. He’ll need these right-wing hardliners to push it through
John Bowden writes:
We’re less than two weeks out from the initial sprint of the second Trump administration — and the incoming president is now seeking to push aside one of his biggest hurdles.
In the clearest sign yet that Donald Trump is serious about pursuing an aggressive legislative agenda in his first year in office, he is taking an active role in managing the future of the House Republican Conference. Where once he was at arm’s length of Republican congressional leadership, Trump has leaned into his role as leader of the GOP and now casts a long shadow over the House and Senate Republican conferences.
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Trump transition considering high-profile immigration raid in first days of presidency, report says
The incoming Trump administration is considering conducting a high-profile raid targeting undocumented immigrants in its initial days, according to three people familiar with the discussions. The raid could target immigrants allegedly living in the U.S. illegally at a workplace in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, the people said.
In meetings between the Trump transition team and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, the Trump team has repeatedly asked about resources and logistics immediately available to carry out workplace raids, the three people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak to the media about transition discussions, said.
Giuliani asks to attend Friday’s DC contempt of court proceedings remotely
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is asking for permission to attend Friday’s contempt of court proceedings in Washington, D.C. remotely because of health issues, and also because he implies Iran might be trying to assassinate him.
Biden announces granddaughter Naomi has given birth to her first child
Amber Raiken reports.
Man arrested for trying to bring a machete into the US Capitol Visitor Center
A man was arrested Wednesday for trying to bring a machete and knives into the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, police said.
U.S. Capitol police said officers spotted the machete in the man’s bag as it went through the X-ray machine, and found three knives in the bag.
Don Jr. was told the ‘whole town’ would show up for his Greenland arrival. It appears they did not
Ariana Baio reports.
Watch: GOP lawmaker already calling Gulf of Mexico ‘Gulf of America’ after Trump speech
Republican already calling Gulf of Mexico ‘Gulf of America’ after Trump speech
A Republican representative has already started calling the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” after President-elect Donald Trump declared he wants to change the name of the ocean basin. “As for the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of America, again… I don’t think the name of it is as important as how we are going to handle law enforcement in that area,” Austin Scott, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, said on Wednesday (8 January). Mr Trump said his administration will make the official announcement “at a future date pretty soon.”
Was Maria Bartiromo almost a heartbeat from the presidency?
The symbiotic relationship between Fox News and President-elect Donald Trump nearly reached new levels during the most recent presidential campaign, according to a new book by Politico political reporter Alex Isenstadt.
While the president-elect has already appointed or nominated at least a dozen Fox News personalities to his upcoming administration, Isenstadt reports in his forthcoming book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power that Trump seriously considered making one his favorite hosts his running mate.
Justin Barangoa reports.
MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski quickly issues legal note after guest calls Trump a ‘rapist’
MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski offered up a legal disclaimer on Wednesday following a Morning Joe interview with Scott Galloway that featured the entrepreneur referring to President-elect Donald Trump as a “rapist.”
Perhaps sensing that her network could face a similar situation as ABC News, which recently settled a defamation suit with the famously litigious incoming president, Brzezinski was quick to issue a clarification, as Justin Barangoa reports.
Source: independent.co.uk
