Following Governor Newsom’s refusal to sign a water restoration declaration, criticism erupted from prominent figures including Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who blamed Newsom’s actions on prioritizing a fish species over water resource management. Richard Grenell further condemned California’s Democratic policies as exacerbating the crisis. Newsom countered these accusations, urging against politicizing the urgent situation and prioritizing effective disaster response.
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Attorney General Merrick Garland directly countered Judge Cannon’s order preventing the release of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on the 2020 election investigation. Garland argued that co-defendants Nauta and De Oliveira lacked standing to challenge the release of Volume One, which doesn’t name them. He further asserted that no legal basis exists for blocking its release. By limiting the release of Volume Two to Congress, Garland addressed the defendants’ claims of irreparable prejudice, undermining the core of their motion.
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Alex Isenstadt’s forthcoming book, “Revenge,” alleges a serious breach of journalistic ethics at Fox News. According to the book, a Fox News insider leaked the questions for a January 2024 Trump town hall to the Trump campaign, giving the candidate an unfair advantage. This incident, based on multiple sources, highlights the close relationship between Trump and some within Fox News, a relationship further illustrated by Trump’s prior consideration of Maria Bartiromo as his running mate, a choice ultimately vetoed by his team. Fox News denies the allegations but plans an investigation.
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President-elect Trump is considering invoking the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify widespread tariffs on both allies and adversaries, aiming to reshape global trade. This action would grant him broad authority to implement tariffs without needing to demonstrate national security concerns, a feature appealing to Trump. Alternative legal avenues, including sections 338 and 301 of US trade law, are also under consideration, but IEEPA offers a faster route to implementing tariffs. While no final decision has been made, the potential for a national economic emergency declaration is actively being discussed.
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The Justice Department intends to release special counsel Jack Smith’s report on Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, but will withhold the section concerning classified documents at Mar-a-Lago while charges against Trump co-defendants remain pending. This decision follows a judge’s temporary block on the report’s release. The department argues the release of the election interference portion is justified and will be shared with congressional leaders, while the classified documents section will remain confidential to protect the co-defendants’ interests. The Justice Department is appealing the judge’s order, seeking to release the election interference findings completely.
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President Trump’s proposed renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” while symbolically significant, faces international hurdles. This action, along with his threats of coercion to acquire Greenland and regain control of the Panama Canal, are viewed as nationalistic gestures rather than practical policy solutions. These proposals, coupled with his past campaign promises, highlight a potential contradiction between his stated desire for reduced foreign involvement and his actions suggesting a renewed focus on territorial expansion and control of global waterways. His rhetoric raises concerns about the erosion of U.S. credibility and the potential for unnecessary conflict.
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Judge Aileen Cannon blocked the release of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report investigating President-elect Trump, halting a process that would typically involve Attorney General Merrick Garland’s oversight. This action follows Trump’s legal victories, including a ruling deeming Smith’s appointment unconstitutional and a Supreme Court decision granting broad presidential immunity. Trump’s former co-defendants, Nauta and De Oliveira, successfully argued that the report’s release would prejudice their ongoing cases, prompting the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to review Cannon’s order. The report’s public release is now delayed pending the appeals court’s decision.
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Following President Trump’s refusal to rule out military action to acquire Greenland, France and Germany issued strong warnings against any threats to sovereign borders. French officials labeled Trump’s comments as exhibiting a “form of imperialism,” emphasizing the need for Europe to strengthen its military and economic position. Germany, while declining to directly assess the threat, reiterated the principle that borders cannot be altered by force. This incident underscores rising concerns in Europe regarding the potential for unilateral actions by the United States and the need for a stronger European response.
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Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Denmark over Greenland is, to put it mildly, perplexing. The very idea of using tariffs as leverage in this situation demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of how tariffs actually function. It’s not as if Denmark is going to suddenly feel the pinch of reduced exports to the US; their share is minimal. Furthermore, targeting Denmark specifically would be incredibly foolish, given its membership in the European Union. This would essentially mean a trade war with the entire EU, a far more significant and damaging conflict than any minor trade friction with Denmark alone.
The notion that imposing tariffs on Danish goods would somehow pressure Denmark to cede Greenland to the US is completely unrealistic.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood