In a surprising turn of events, Denmark has announced a significant increase in defense spending for Greenland.
This comes in the wake of comments made by President-elect Donald Trump, who has expressed the belief that the U.S. should possess the territory. Danish Defense Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, revealed to Jyllands-Posten that the country intends to invest a "double-digit billion amount" in krone, approximately $1.5 billion, to ensure a "stronger presence" in the Arctic.
According to The Independent, President-elect Trump stated on Sunday that the "ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity" for the U.S., which already operates a military base in northwest Greenland. This assertion is an extension of his previous suggestion during his first term that the U.S. should purchase Greenland.
In response to Trump's claims, Greenland's Prime Minister Mte Egede retorted on Facebook, "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our years-long struggle for freedom. However, we must continue to be open to cooperation and trade with the whole world, especially with our neighbours."
In other news, the House of Representatives is grappling with the fallout from an ethics committee report on former congressman Matt Gaetz. The report "determined there is substantial evidence" that Gaetz paid substantial sums for sex and used illicit drugs while serving in Congress.
During his final major address on the economy, President Joe Biden reminisced about his time in the Senate. He recounted a story about the Senate dining hall, where Democrats and Republicans would once gather and converse. "You walk in a long table sitting, I guess, 16, 18 people on the right, parallel with the table," he said. "And you walk through an archway, and there was a table going the other way. One was the Democratic table. One was Republican table. And when there werent enough to sit at any one table, then they all sit together.
In an attempt to deter future illegal immigration, the state of Texas is investing an estimated $100,000 in billboards across Mexico and Central America. These billboards are blunt and at times graphic, aiming to highlight the risks of the journey. Critics, however, argue that migrants are already aware of these risks and that restrictive policies only put border-crossers in further danger.
The decision by Joe Biden to commute the sentences of most people on federal death row to life in prison continues to stir political controversy. In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump pledged to "vigorously" pursue the death penalty against violent offenders. "As soon as I am inaugurated, I will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters," Trump wrote. "We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!
In a shocking revelation, a local newspaper discovered a "confused" Texas Republican congresswoman residing in an assisted care facility after she vanished from public view last month. This has sparked concerns about aging lawmakers clinging to their powerful roles despite fears about diminishing competence.
In another development, President-elect Trump's choice to lead the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, has warned ABC's parent company, Disney, that Americans "no longer trust the national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly." In a letter to Disneys CEO Bob Iger, Carr expressed concern over the "erosion in public trust" in news media, suggesting that ABC was partially to blame.
Far-right Republican figure Valentina Gomez, known for her flamboyant stunts, is now advocating for public executions for any immigrant in the country illegally who "rapes or kills an American." "They dont deserve deportation. They deserve to be ended," she says in a video moments after shooting an effigy tied to a chair in the back of the head.
President Joe Biden has vetoed legislation that would have added dozens of judges to the federal judiciary. This move is a setback to Trumps incoming administration and his plans to continue his first terms radical reshaping of the courts with more right-leaning judges. The bipartisan bill would have awarded roughly 66 new federal judicial slots over the next three presidential terms, with Trump having the opportunity to appoint the first batch of 25.
Finally, John Bolton, President-elect Donald Trumps former national security adviser, has warned that an international crisis is much more likely during the Republicans second term. This comes as Greenlands strategic military and economic interests make the island an attractive prospect for Trump and other U.S. politicians. The question remains: what would an attempt to acquire or seize Greenland actually look like?
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