Donald Trump says it’s “an absolute necessity” for our nation to personal Greenland.
He says the U.S. should take again the Panama Canal until the “ridiculous” transport charges are lowered.
He threatened that any Republican who opposed him on the invoice to keep away from a authorities shutdown can and must be primaried.
The president-elect is incomes his fame as a disruptor, with sufficient affect over what’s now his get together to explode rigorously negotiated bipartisan compromises. Let’s take 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 controlled by Denmark however below house rule. That went nowhere, although it created a diplomatic disaster with Danish officers.
While the U.S. constructed the Panama Canal within the early twentieth century, it was turned over to Panama below a treaty accredited by each nations. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino says “each sq. meter of the Panama Canal and its adjoining zone is Panama’s and can proceed to be so. The sovereignty and independence of our nation will not be 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 main challenges to those that cross him. But three dozen conservative Republicans voted in opposition to him on the federal government shutdown invoice, together with on closing passage, which dropped his demand to get rid of the debt ceiling throughout his time period. Would he actually gin up primaries in opposition to all of them?
So the overwhelming chances are high that the standing of Greenland, the Panama Canal and rebellious Republicans received’t change within the second time period.
The motive Trump does that is that it reinforces his position as a disruptor, somebody taking over the decrepit Washington institution, despite the fact that a president, by definition, is the brand new institution.
President-elect Donald Trump factors at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Beyond that, whether or not he’s making outrageous calls for or not, Trump shapes, and sometimes dominates, the information agenda. As the forty seventh president has acknowledged to me, he generally crosses the road as a result of he is aware of it’ll provoke a powerful media response. As Trump sees it, even damaging protection is good coverage as a result of the press is enjoying on his turf.
And generally these are simply negotiating positions to win concessions, as with the threatened 25 % tariffs in opposition to Canada and Mexico.
Remember, most individuals exterior the media-political advanced aren’t breathlessly following these developments. Since the federal government 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 ability to do is to explode rigorously 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.
But there are clearly limits to Trump’s capability to form occasions, particularly with the nation. For three dozen Republicans to defy him on as basic a matter because the debt ceiling reveals that he can solely push his get together 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 in opposition to him on closing passage–instructed me on Sunday’s Media Buzz that was as a result of she needs to maintain the debt ceiling.
But with the GOP clinging to a 1-vote House margin, for now, the cauldron of marketing campaign rhetoric is working up in opposition to the chilly, arduous math of attending to the quantity 218.
Democrats need to surprise if it’s price 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 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 Show, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. ((Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post by way of Getty Images))
Over the weekend, Trump denied that he had surrendered his presidential powers to his billionaire buddy, and half-mockingly mentioned Musk may by no means be president:
“You know why? He wasn’t born on this nation. Hahaha.”
A favourite media parlor sport is whether or not the 2 strong-willed males will finally have a falling out.
For now, although, Trump’s robust discuss Greenland and the Panama Canal reveals that he’s most comfy enjoying offense, even when nothing a lot comes of it.
In different information:
–The House Ethics report says Matt Gaetz “frequently” paid ladies for intercourse, together with with an underage woman, and used unlawful medicine.
In 2017, the previous lawyer basic nominee “engaged in sexual exercise with a 17-year-old woman,” who was additionally paid.
Gaetz used or had possession of such unlawful medicine as cocaine and Ecstasy “on a number of events,” and likewise accepted profitable presents, resembling transportation and lodging within the Bahamas.
“Many of the ladies interviewed by the committee had been clear that there was a basic expectation of intercourse,” with one girl telling the committee Gaetz paid her greater than $5,000 and that intercourse was concerned “99 % of the time.”
The panel mentioned Gaetz was “uncooperative” and that he “knowingly and willfully sought to impede and impede the committee’s investigation of his conduct.” The Justice Department investigated however introduced no prices.
TRUMP COULD FACE RENEWED ISIS THREAT IN SYRIA AS TURKEY GOES AFTER US ALLY
Gaetz additionally misused House 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. Department of State that she was a constituent…
“There was substantial proof that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules, state and federal legal guidelines, and different requirements of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, acceptance of impermissible presents, the availability of particular favors and privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”
If Gaetz was nonetheless within the working for AG, this might have blown him out of the water.
Says Gaetz: “I used to be charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a marketing campaign finance violation. And the individuals investigating me hated me. Then, the very ‘witnesses’ DOJ deemed not-credible had been assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims absent any cross-examination or problem from me or my attorneys. I’ve had no probability to ever confront any accusers. I’ve by no means been charged. I’ve by no means been sued.” He says he even sent money to ladies he wasn’t courting.
–A dogged reporter the Dallas Express found what occurred to Texas Rep. Kay Granger, who went “lacking” months in the past. He discovered her, and acquired on-the-record affirmation, at a nursing facility that makes a speciality of dementia and different reminiscence issues. She put out a press release 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. Instead, the congresswoman saved all of it shrouded in secrecy.
–Actress Blake Lively was the goal of a web based smear marketing campaign, as specified by texts and emails that blatantly talk about planting tales to break her fame, whereas cautioning that this should stay secret as a result of they’ll’t very nicely admit that they’re attempting to “bury” her. “You know we are able to bury anybody.”
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively (David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media by way of Getty Images/Lia Toby/Getty Images)
Lively obtained these paperwork by authorized motion in opposition to her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, and reviewed by the New York Times. She is alleging sexual harassment, saying Baldoni and others routinely got here into her trailer unannounced when she was topless, resembling having physique make-up eliminated, or breast-feeding.
The Wayfarer studio mentioned that the corporate and its PR individuals “did nothing proactive or retaliatory” in opposition to the actress, accusing her of “one other determined try and ‘repair’ her damaging fame.”
Lively says Baldoni tried so as to add unneeded intercourse scenes, had improvised undesirable kissing and mentioned his intercourse life, together with situations during which he could not have gotten consent. Another member of the group confirmed her a video of his spouse bare.
The unhappy factor is that this kind of factor goes on on a regular basis. We simply occurred to get the products this time, with Lively being portrayed as tough, tone-deaf and a bully.
–The Daily 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 Post, says that’s a crock:
“This entire factor is totally false — none of that is taking place…
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“The previous adage ‘don’t imagine every little thing you learn’ is much more true right this moment than it ever has been. Now lies can get ALL the best way around the globe earlier than the reality can get its pants on. So watch out on the market people and don’t be gullible.”
Good for Jeff for punching again in opposition to a crappy story.
