Donald Trump has declared that owning Greenland is “an absolute necessity” for the United States.
He also suggested reclaiming the Panama Canal if the “ridiculous” shipping fees are not reduced.
Trump further warned that any Republican opposing his stance on the government funding bill should face primary challenges.
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During his first term, Trump attempted to purchase Greenland, a territory under Denmark’s control with home rule. The proposal went nowhere but sparked a diplomatic rift with Danish officials.
The Panama Canal, built by the U.S. in the early 20th century, was transferred to Panama under a mutually agreed treaty. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino firmly stated, “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.”
Despite this, Trump shared an AI-generated image depicting an American flag flying over what appeared to be the canal, fueling speculation about his intentions.
The incoming president has proven adept at orchestrating primary challenges against those who oppose him. However, with three dozen conservative Republicans voting against him on the government shutdown bill—one of which included removing his demand to eliminate the debt ceiling—will he really target all of them with primaries?
The most likely scenario is that the status of Greenland, the Panama Canal, and defiant Republicans will remain unchanged in Trump’s second term.
Trump’s approach, however, serves to reinforce his image as a disruptor, challenging the entrenched Washington establishment, even though, as president, he becomes a part of that very establishment.
Regardless of whether his demands are outrageous, Trump consistently shapes and often dominates the news cycle. As the 47th president has admitted to me, he sometimes pushes boundaries knowing it will trigger a strong media reaction. For Trump, even negative coverage is beneficial because it means the press is playing on his turf.
Sometimes, Trump’s bold moves are simply negotiating tactics to secure concessions, like the threatened 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
It’s important to note that most people outside the media-political bubble aren’t obsessively tracking these developments. Since the government didn’t actually shut down, they don’t view Trump’s failure to get what he wanted as a major loss. They likely don’t even remember his attempt to buy Greenland.
Where Trump does wield significant power is in disrupting carefully negotiated bipartisan agreements. He did so when Speaker Mike Johnson—whose position is now shaky due to a lack of votes, much like Kevin McCarthy before him—allowed the bill to become a bloated “Christmas tree” monstrosity. Trump also derailed a bipartisan border enforcement deal during the campaign with his objections.
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Rep. Nancy Mace, a Trump supporter who voted against him on the final passage, explained on Sunday’s Media Buzz that her decision was driven by her desire to preserve the debt ceiling.
With the GOP holding a slim 1-vote margin in the House, the fiery rhetoric of campaign season is now clashing with the cold, hard math of securing 218 votes.
Democrats are left questioning whether negotiating with the opposition is worthwhile if it only sets them up as targets for Trump’s political demolition derby.
Elon Musk was the first to tweet about the flaws in the original bill—at Trump’s suggestion—and after more than 70 tweets (including some inaccuracies), the new president was fully drawn into the battle.
Over the weekend, Trump denied surrendering his presidential powers to his billionaire ally, Elon Musk, and half-mockingly joked that Musk could never be president:
“You know why? He wasn’t born in this country. Hahaha.”
A popular topic in the media is whether these two strong-willed figures will eventually clash.
For now, however, Trump’s bold rhetoric on issues like Greenland and the Panama Canal highlights his preference for playing offense, even if little comes of it.
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Gaetz also misused House resources when his chief of staff helped a woman he had a sexual relationship with obtain a passport, falsely claiming she was a constituent to the U.S. Department of State.
“There was substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules, state and federal laws, and other conduct standards, including prohibitions on prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, accepting impermissible gifts, providing special favors and privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”
Had Gaetz been in the running for Attorney General, this would have derailed his campaign.
Gaetz responded, saying, “I was charged with nothing: FULLY EXONERATED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me. Then, the very ‘witnesses’ the DOJ deemed not credible were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims without any cross-examination or challenge from me or my attorneys. I’ve never had a chance to confront any accusers. I’ve never been charged. I’ve never been sued.” He also mentioned sending money to women he wasn’t dating.
A determined reporter from The Dallas Express uncovered the mystery of Texas Rep. Kay Granger, who had “gone missing” months ago. He found her at a nursing facility specializing in dementia and memory issues, where she confirmed her situation. In a statement, Granger cited health challenges but failed to address why she kept her condition secret from constituents. Had she been open, she would have received significant sympathy, yet she chose to keep everything under wraps.
Actress Blake Lively was targeted by an online smear campaign, as revealed in texts and emails that openly discuss planting stories to ruin her reputation. The messages cautioned that the campaign must remain secret, admitting they couldn’t openly acknowledge they were trying to “bury” her. “You know we can bury anyone,” one message stated.
Blake Lively obtained documents through legal action against her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, which were reviewed by The New York Times. She is accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment, claiming he and others routinely entered her trailer without warning while she was topless—whether removing body makeup or breastfeeding.
The Wayfarer studio responded, saying the company and its PR team “did nothing proactive or retaliatory” against Lively, instead accusing her of “another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation.”
Lively further alleges that Baldoni tried to add unnecessary sex scenes, improvised unwanted kissing, and discussed his sex life, including situations where consent may not have been given. One team member even showed her a video of his wife naked.
Sadly, incidents like these happen frequently, but this time, Lively’s experience was made public, with her being portrayed as difficult, tone-deaf, and a bully.
The Daily Mail reported that Jeff Bezos would marry his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, this weekend in a $600 million celebration in Aspen.
However, the Amazon founder, who also owns the Washington Post, dismissed the claims, calling them “completely false” and saying, “None of this is happening.”
He added, “The old adage ‘don’t believe everything you read’ is even more true today than it ever has been. Lies can spread 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.”