Trump suggests Canada could become 51st state as Musk expresses doubt over Speaker Johnson: Live

Donald Trump is continuing to circulate articles from conservative media on his Truth Social feed hinting at the prospect of the US entering merger talks with Canada about it becoming America’s 51st state, capitalizing on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s rocky end to the year.

The idea was also entertained on Fox News on Monday when Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary expressed his enthusiasm for the idea in conversation with Trump’s former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

The president-elect has also sought to revive talk about his acquiring Greenland from Denmark in recent days.

Meanwhile, his influential new friend Elon Musk has expressed doubt about the current speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, as he seeks re-election later this week.

The Big Tech boss responded to an X post by Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie, in which the latter warned against allowing Johnson to hang on to the gavel given that the GOP had already witnessed him “partner with the Democrats to send money to Ukraine, authorize spying on Americans, and blow the budget”.

“You might be right, but let’s see how it goes,” Musk told Massie, undermining Trump’s recent call for party unity.

Key Points

• Donald Trump floats prospect of making Canada the 51st state and smears Bidens over China links

• Elon Musk expresses doubt over Trump’s Mike Johnson endorsement

• Laura Loomer says Trump World ‘scared’ to anger ‘monarch’ Musk

• President-elect denied new trial in E Jean Carroll case

• Trump pays tribute to ‘truly good man’ Jimmy Carter

Fox News pundit questions whether Carter was actually ‘decent’

15:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Contributor Bill McGurn challenged the public perception that the late president Jimmy Carter was a “decent” man during an interview on the conservative news network on Monday, pointing out that Carter “essentially” labeled Ronald Reagan a “racist” and “warmonger” during the 1980 presidential election.

McGurn – a Wall Street Journal editorial board member and former speechwriter for President George W Bush – took the swipe at Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, when he was asked on The Story by anchor Jonathan Hunt to weigh in on the late president’s legacy.

Here’s Justin Baragona with more on McGurn’s oddly-timed takedown of the man from Plains, Georgia.

Fox News pundit questions whether Jimmy Carter was actually ‘decent’

Editorial: America and Trump have much to learn from the life of Jimmy Carter

14:35 , Joe Sommerlad

The contrast between the peanut farmer and the mogul could not be more different as the US marks the passing of its most humble president – and braces for the return of its most divisive.

America – and Trump – have much to learn from the life and service of Jimmy Carter

Bettina Anderson tells critics ‘God is on her side’ amid Donald Trump Jr relationship drama

14:10 , Joe Sommerlad

Donald Trump Jr’s rumored new girlfriend Bettina Anderson appeared to take a swipe at her critics after she was spotted dining with the president-elect’s eldest son at a Mar-a-Lago Christmas feast.

Earlier this month, the 46-year-old political scion appeared to end his engagement to fiancée Kimberley Guilfoyle. Amidst reports of the break-up, Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host, was tapped to be Donald Trump’s incoming ambassador to Greece.

As the rumor mill whirls in the wake of the new relationship, Anderson, a 38-year-old model and Palm Beach socialite, took to Instagram to share a defiant message with her dissenters, posting a video of a narrator quoting the book of Exodus from the Bible.

“So let them lie. Let them manipulate. Let them talk. You just be still, because when God is on your side, who can stand against you?,” the speaker said in the now disappeared clip from her Instagram story.

James Liddell has more.

Bettina Anderson tells critics ‘God is on her side’ amid Don Jr relationship drama

Trump cabinet picks ordered to stay off social media

13:45 , Joe Sommerlad

Bannon may deny the existence of a civil war within Trump’s camp but the president-elect’s incoming White House chief of staff has nevertheless chosen this moment to order his cabinet picks not to post on social media without approval from the transition team.

“While this instruction has been delivered previously, I am reiterating that no member of the incoming administration or Transition speaks for the United States or the President-elect himself,” Susie Wiles said in a memo, according to The New York Post.

“Accordingly, all intended nominees should refrain from any public social media posts without prior approval of the incoming White House counsel.”

Gustaf Kilander has more.

Trump Cabinet picks ordered to stay off social media amid ugly MAGA visa battle

Steve Bannon: There’s no MAGA ‘civil war’ because Musk is ‘not tough enough’

13:20 , Joe Sommerlad

Even though it appears the “America First” hardliners appeared to lose their recent dust-up with conservative tech bros over H-1B worker visas when Trump publicly sided with the latter, his former White House chief strategist is still declaring victory over Elon Musk, calling him “embarrassing” .

And, according to Bannon, who previously branded Musk a “toddler” after the X owner profanely attacked his right-wing critics, there never was a MAGA “civil war” in the first place because Musk is “not tough enough” to start one and “folded” on the visa issue as soon as the spat turned ugly.

Justin Baragona has the latest.

Steve Bannon says there’s no MAGA ‘civil war’ because Elon Musk is ‘not tough enough’

Georgia’s top Republicans call on state’s highest court to shut down Fani Willis

12:55 , Joe Sommerlad

The Peach State’s Attorney General Chris Carr is calling on the state’s Supreme Court to reject an appeal from Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney who was removed from prosecuting the sprawling criminal case against Trump and his allies.

Governor Brian Kemp then jumped in: “Agreed!… Georgians deserve safe communities and partisan politics out of our courtrooms.”

Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, who is expected to jump into the race for governor, joined in, occusing Willis of having “orchestrated a political charade against President Trump.”

Earlier this month, Georgia’s Court of Appeals struck down a lower court decision and argued Willis should be taken off the case, arguing that her former romantic relationship with a special prosecutor amounted to a “significant” conflict of interest that warranted her dismissal.

Willis filed a notice of appeal shortly after the ruling.

Here’s Alex Woodward with the full story.

DA Fani Willis booted from Trump’s election interference case in Georgia

Exclusive: Cash advance firm sues Mike Lindell for refusing to pay back $1.5m loan

12:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Election conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell is being dragged into court by a merchant cash advance firm that accuses the MyPillow CEO of ducking out on nearly $1.5m in outstanding debt.

Justin Rohrlich has more.

Cash advance firm sues Mike Lindell for refusing to pay back $1.5 million loan

DC Mayor says she had a ‘great meeting’ with Trump

12:05 , Joe Sommerlad

Muriel Bowser had this to say about her latest encounter with the president-elect ahead of his inauguration next month:

The duo first met in late 2016 to discuss Trump’s last swearing-in and started out on friendly terms, until falling out badly over the policing of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Washington in response to the killing of George Floyd in summer 2020 and then the Capitol riot six months later.

Speaking of which, US attorney Matthew Graves, the chief federal prosecutor charged with taking action against the pro-Trump insurrectionists, announced yesterday that he will be stepping down on January 16, four days before the Republican is sworn-in once again.

Here’s Alex Woodward again with a look at some of the most notorious January 6 defendants that Trump could now pardon when he returns to the White House.

The notorious January 6 rioters Trump could pardon

Nearly half of Republican voters support using military to lock up immigrants in camps

11:40 , Joe Sommerlad

Almost 50 percent of conservatives believe the US military should be used to detain undocumented immigrants in camps until they can be deported, according to polling from the non-partisan Public Religion Research Institute.

Trump has already suggested that his administration would deploy the Armed Forces for what he is calling the “largest mass deportation operation” in American history.

He also has vowed to invoke a 226-year-old law to detain immigrants in camps.

The poll shows that Trump’s base appears to support the plans, even as most Americans likely oppose them.

Here’s more from Gustaf Kilander.

Almost half of Republicans support using military to lock up immigrants in camps

Trump’s border czar derides Jasmine Crockett for saying he is in over his head

11:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Tom Homan, the former acting director of  has been Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tapped by Trump to lead the mass deportation of illegal immigrants, has hit back at Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett after she said he had bitten off more than he could chew.

Crockett warned MSNBC on Saturday that the plan would see the separation of families in her state and many others and result in people being held in encampments.

Homan took to Newsmax last night to dismiss her criticism.

“So, look, I don’t know who this lady is,” he said.

“I don’t care about what they say about Tom Homan, because I’ve done this job for a long time.”

He added that Trump has been given a mandate by the electorate to fix the border and save lives and denounced the Biden administration’s policies on immigration and border security.

“President Trump is going to secure this border and save lives just not of Americans, but of aliens, too,” Homan said.

In a recent interview with The Washington Post, the czar said he plans to reinstate policies that will hold families in detention centers, a point Crockett cited in her interview with MSNBC.

“All of a sudden, the discussion goes from family detention to family separation,” Homan responded.

“Family detention is the complete opposite of family separation.”

With all of that in mind, here’s Alex Woodward with a look at what steps Trump plans to take to tackle the issue when he enters office on January 20.

Family detention, raids and ‘no price tag’: Trump’s deportation plan comes into focus

Bitcoin rally inspired by Trump stalls as year draws to a close

10:50 , Joe Sommerlad

The president-elect’s comprehensive election win over Kamala Harris on November 5 inspired the world’s biggest digital currency to record highs, with investors excited by the prospect of a crypto-friendly commander-in-chief.

But the digital asset wavered at $92,556 in London at 6.44am this morning, according to Bloomberg, which is about $15,700 below the record high it set in mid-December.

Smaller rivals like Ether and Dogecoin, a favorite with the memestock crowd, also struggled for energy.

Trump’s support for more favorable regulations and a national Bitcoin reserve lifted digital assets considerably in response to the election but scaled-back expectations for interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve have cooled that frenzy of late.

Elon Musk has been staying at $2,000-a-night Mar-a-Lago cottage — hundreds of feet from Trump’s main house

10:25 , Joe Sommerlad

The Tesla and SpaceX boss has actually been getting closer and closer to the president-elect, quite literally.

Mike Bedigan reports.

Musk has been staying at a Mar-a-Lago cottage — right next to Trump’s main house

Laura Loomer says Trump World ‘scared’ to anger ‘monarch’ Musk

10:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The far-right activist, very much on Steve Bannon’s side in the spat over immigrant visas, gave an interview to conservative host Eric Bolling’s YouTube show yesterday in which she attacked Elon Musk’s influence over Trump, saying he had made “junkies” of the right with his generous donations to the cause.

“This is the problem when you allow a billionaire to make a $200m donation,” she told Bolling.

“And so maybe we really do need to have campaign finance regulations in this country. I mean, essentially, what is happening – and I love President Trump, I’m not saying that President Trump is bought and paid for – but it sounds like people are scared of crossing the king, the king of the world, Elon Musk, the monarch. OK?

“Nobody wants to cross this guy, the richest man in the world who controls access to social media, the digital town square and is now basically has everybody in a codependent abusive relationship like they’re a bunch of junkies.

“Because he’s been able to monetize the platform so that all the conservatives using his platform are essentially addicted. They’re a bunch of addicts now. Addicted to social media because their voices were silenced for so long. And it’s like cutting a junkie off cold turkey, OK.

“You’re going to go crazy and you’re going to have withdrawals. And he understands now that he’s created this codependent, junkie versus supplier relationship where if you question or if you try to criticize Elon Musk, you will be demonetized.”

Here’s Mary Papenfuss with more on Loomer.

Laura Loomer comes for ‘welfare queen’ Elon Musk as MAGA war heats up

Elon Musk expresses doubt over Trump’s Mike Johnson endorsement

09:35 , Joe Sommerlad

The president-elect’s influential new friend has expressed doubt about the current speaker of the House of Representatives as he seeks re-election later this week.

The Big Tech boss responded to an X post by Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie, in which the latter warned against allowing Mike Johnson to hang on to the gavel given that the GOP had already witnessed him “partner with the Democrats to send money to Ukraine, authorize spying on Americans, and blow the budget”.

“You might be right, but let’s see how it goes,” Musk told Massie, undermining Trump’s call for party unity issued just yesterday.

Speaking of Johnson, Republican congressmen Jeff Van Drew and Thomas Burchett have been making fools of themselves attempting (rather tentatively) to support him on Fox.

Trump floats prospect of making Canada the 51st state and smears Bidens

09:10 , Joe Sommerlad

Good morning!

Since posting a full-throated endorsement of Mike Johnson’s candidacy for the House speakership yesterday, Donald Trump has been busy reposting titbits of media coverage favorable to his interests on Truth Social.

Among these were articles from conservative news sites promoting the prospect of his administration entering negotiations with Canada about becoming America’s 51st state (!) and acquiring Greenland, the president-elect seemingly floating these outre ideas to his supporters to see how they take.

Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary, for one, is all for the annexation of his homeland and has been busy talking up the prospect with Trump’s former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Fox News.

Also on Truth Social, the president-elect has been getting revenge on Joe Biden for calling on him to learn some “decency” from the late Jimmy Carter by recirculating old pictures of his son Hunter meeting with Chinese business executives and Xi Jinping, alleging in the interest of influence peddling, for which Trump offers no evidence.

ICYMI: Trump wants the Supreme Court to block the upcoming TikTok ban

08:00 , Alex Woodward

Last week, Trump asked the Supreme Court to block a federal law’s imminent ban on TikTok in the United States if the popular app’s Chinese parent company doesn’t sell it by next month’s deadline.

Here’s what Trump’s legal team told the court — and what happens next:

Trump asks Supreme Court to block TikTok ban as he considers ‘political resolution’

ICYMI: Trump backs Mike Johnson for House Speaker. But does he have enough Republican support?

07:00 , Alex Woodward

Trump’s key public support for House Speaker Mike Johnson to keep his gig comes just days before representatives vote to determine who wields the gavel.

His endorsement sends a clear signal to House Republicans to line up behind Johnson, who has faced some resistance from the GOP’s far-right flank after Elon Musk and inter-party chaos nearly derailed a must-pass spending bill hours before a government shutdown.

But some Republican holdouts have either said they won’t support Johnson, or have not yet pubicly stated they would vote for him.

He can only afford to lose one vote from his GOP caucus.

Trump endorses Mike Johnson for House Speaker days before crucial vote

Former speaker Newt Gingrich on Johnson: ‘I could never do his job’

06:00 , Alex Woodward

Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich is among GOP voices throwing their support to Mike Johnson’s bid to hang on to the speakership.

“I tell everybody, I was a pretty effective speaker. I could never do his job,” Gingrich told 77 WABC. “He has no margins. Any two or three members can rebel at any moment.”

This Friday, House members will gather to cast their votes for speaker in the new Congress, and Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote from his extremely slim caucus. Republicans hold only a 219-215 majority.

At least one Republican representative, Thomas Massie, has said outright he will not be supporting Johnson.

Russel Honore calls Elon Musk a ‘national security risk’ in blistering op-ed

04:00 , Alex Woodward

In an op-ed for The New York Times, Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore labeled Elon Musk a national security risk for his extensive business interests in China.

“China does not tend to give things away,” he wrote. “The country’s laws stipulate that the Communist Party can demand intelligence from any company doing business in China, in exchange for participating in the country’s markets.”

That could mean Musk’s business interests in China “could require him to hand over sensitive classified information, learned either through his business interests or his proximity” to Trump, according to Honore.

Retired Army general declares Musk a ‘national security risk’ in brutal NYT op-ed

Giuliani heads back to court this week. A judge suggested things might not go well for him

03:00 , Alex Woodward

As he prepares to return to a Manhattan courtroom to face the judge overseeing his transfer of property to women he defamed, Rudy Giuliani is urging him not to hold him in contempt.

In a series of court filings on Christmas Eve, the former New York City mayor implored a judge to reject a demand for sanctions from a pair of election workers who accused Giuliani of repeatedly violating court orders — including blowing past deadlines and throwing up obstacles to hand over his property to satisfy tens of millions of dollars he owes them.

The judge said he would be prepared to rule from the bench, suggesting things not might turn out in Rudy’s favor.

More on what’s in store Trump’s former attorney this week:

Rudy Giuliani tells judge ‘I gave everything I have to give’ as he faces contempt

So, what are H-1B visas?

02:00 , Alex Woodward

Rhian Lubin explains the visa program driving a wedge between Trump’s MAGA base and big business Republicans and Silicon Valley billionaires:

What are H-1B visas and what has Trump said about them in the past?

Fox News pundit questions whether Jimmy Carter was actually ‘decent’ as he ‘essentially’ called Reagan ‘racist’

01:00 , Alex Woodward

Fox News contributor Bill McGurn on Monday challenged the public perception that the late President Jimmy Carter was a “decent” man, pointing out that Carter “essentially” labeled Ronald Reagan a “racist” and “warmonger” during the 1980 presidential election.

Fox News pundit questions whether Jimmy Carter was actually ‘decent’

Nearly half of Republican voters support using military to lock up immigrants in camps

00:00 , Alex Woodward

Nearly half of Republican voters believe the military should be used to detain undocumented immigrants in camps until they can be deported, according to polling from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute.

Trump has already suggested that his administration would deploy U.S. military for what he is calling the “largest mass deportation operation” in American history. He also has vowed to invoke a 226-year-old law to detain immigrants in camps.

The poll shows that Trump’s base appears to support the plans even as most Americans likely oppose them.

Almost half of Republicans support using military to lock up immigrants in camps

Just in: Elon Musk has been staying at $2,000-a-night Mar-a-Lago cottage — hundreds of feet from Trump’s main house

Monday 30 December 2024 23:00 , Alex Woodward

Elon Musk is getting closer and closer to Donald Trump, quite literally.

The world’s wealithest man has been staying in a cottage at Mar-a-Lago, just behind the main house.

Musk has been staying at a Mar-a-Lago cottage — right next to Trump’s main house

Fox News declares the ‘real losers’ in the MAGA civil war over visas: Democrats?

Monday 30 December 2024 22:30 , Alex Woodward

After carefully tip-toeing around the growing tensions that have rocked the GOP in recent days, Fox News appears to have finally found a narrative it can sell right-wing viewers on the MAGA civil war over immigrant visas.

Justin Baragona reports:

Fox News declares the ‘real losers’ in the MAGA civil war over visas — the Democrats

Family detention, raids and ‘no price tag’: Trump’s mass deportation plan comes into focus

Monday 30 December 2024 21:50 , Alex Woodward

Throughout his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to arrest, detain and deport people living in the country without legal permission as part of his “day one” agenda. The president-elect promises to deploy federal, state and local law enforcement into immigrant communities he says are “poisoning the blood of the country,” relying on stories of violent crime to support a brutal crackdown that could impact millions of families.

Here’s a look at what steps Trump plans to take when he enters office:

Family detention, raids and ‘no price tag’: Trump’s deportation plan comes into focus

Exclusive: Cash advance firm sues Mike Lindell for refusing to pay back $1.5 million loan

Monday 30 December 2024 21:20 , Alex Woodward

MyPillow founder Mike Lindell has once again found himself staring down the wrong end of a seven-figure lawsuit, this time being dragged into court by a merchant cash advance firm that accuses the election fraud conspiracist of ducking out on nearly $1.5 million in outstanding debt.

Justin Rohrlich has more:

Cash advance firm sues Mike Lindell for refusing to pay back $1.5 million loan

Just in: Jack Smith hands over Trump’s classified docs case to U.S. attorney’s office in Florida

Monday 30 December 2024 21:05 , Alex Woodward

Special counsel Jack Smith has handed over what remains of the classified documents case against Donald Trump to the U.S. attorney’s office in Florida.

The filings with the U.S. court of appeals show Smith’s team of prosecutors formally withdrawing from the case, and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe taking over.

Trump is accused of illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago state and obstructing efforts from federal law enfrocement agenices to retrieve them after he left office. The case was dismissed by Trump-appointed judge Aileen Cannon, which Smith’s team appealed. Following Trump’s election victory, and the likelihood he would fire Smith and order the investigations to come to an end, Smith announced he was effectively shutting them down.

He is expected to issue a report with his office’s findings.

Georgia attorney general urged state’s top court against hearing Fani Willis appeal

Monday 30 December 2024 20:35 , Alex Woodward

Georgia’s attorney general Chris Carr is calling on the state’s Supreme Court to reject an appeal from Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney who was removed from prosecuting the sprawling criminal case against Trump and his allies.

Earlier this month, Georgia’s Court of Appeals struck down a lower court decision and argued Willis should be taken off the case, arguing that her former romantic relationship with a special prosecutor amounted to a “significant” conflict of interest that warranted her dismissal.

Willis filed a notice of appeal shortly after the ruling.

DA Fani Willis booted from Trump’s election interference case in Georgia

U.S. attorney whose team led January 6 prosecutions is stepping down before Trump can fire him

Monday 30 December 2024 20:15 , Alex Woodward

U.S. attorney Matthew Graves is stepping down as the chief federal prosecutor in Washington D.C., effective January 16, four days before Donald Trump takes office.

Graves’s office has overseen the largest investigation in Justice Department history with the prosecution of hundreds of people in connection with the January 6 attack on the Capitol — defendants Trump has promised to pardon as soon as he enters office.

“Serving as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia has been the honor of a lifetime,” Graves said in a statement Monday. “I am deeply thankful to Congresswoman Holmes Norton for recommending me; to President Biden for nominating me; and to Attorney General Garland for placing his trust in me.”

To date, roughly 1,600 people have been charged in connection with the attack, with nearly 1,100 receiving sentences, including sentences for the convictions of the first seditious conspiracy cases in decades.

“Because politically motivated violence and destruction rip at the fabric of our society, Mr. Graves made federally prosecuting such crimes a priority,” the Justice Department said in a statement.

Here’s a look at some of the most notorious January 6 defendants that Trump could pardon when he returns to the White House.

The notorious January 6 rioters Trump could pardon

Steve Bannon says there’s no MAGA ‘civil war’ because Elon Musk is ‘not tough enough’

Monday 30 December 2024 19:50 , Alex Woodward

After calling Elon Musk a “toddler” after the X owner profanely attacked his right-wing critics, Steve Bannon declares there isn’t a MAGA “civil war” on immigrant workers because Musk is “not tough enough” and “folded” on the issue amid the far-right backlash.

Jusin Baragona reports:

Steve Bannon says there’s no MAGA ‘civil war’ because Elon Musk is ‘not tough enough’

What are H-1B visas and what has Trump said about them in the past?

Monday 30 December 2024 19:15 , Alex Woodward

Rhian Lubin explains the visa program driving a wedge between Trump’s MAGA base and big business Republicans and Silicon Valley billionaires.

What are H-1B visas and what has Trump said about them in the past?

Elon Musk appears to cast doubt on Johnson as speaker moments after offering his ‘full support.

Monday 30 December 2024 19:01 , Alex Woodward

Moments after telling Mike Johnson he has his “full support,” Elon Musk is already entertaining doubts about the House Speaker ahead of a crucial election for the speakership, with Republican representatives desperate for the approval of Trump and the world’s wealthiest person taking their cues from them.

Musk told Johnson that he has his “full support” after Trump gave johnson his endorsement.

Then Musk responded to a post from Republican congressman Thomas Massie, the only Republican representative who has said outright he will not be supporting Johnson.

“I respect and support President Trump, but his endorsement of Mike Johnson is going to work out about as well as his endorsement of Speaker Paul Ryan,” Massie said Monday. “We’ve seen Johnson partner with the democrats to send money to Ukraine, authorize spying on Americans, and blow the budget.”

“You might be right,” Musk replied, “but let’s see how it goes.”

Former speaker Newt Gingrich on Johnson: ‘I could never do his job’

Monday 30 December 2024 18:45 , Alex Woodward

Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich is among GOP voices throwing their support to Mike Johnson’s bid to hang on to the speakership.

“I tell everybody, I was a pretty effective speaker. I could never do his job,” Gingrich told 77 WABC. “He has no margins. Any two or three members can rebel at any moment.”

This Friday, House members will gather to cast their votes for speaker in the new Congress, and Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote from his extremely slim caucus. Republicans hold only a 219-215 majority.

At least one Republican representative, Thomas Massie, has said outright he will not be supporting Johnson.

Watch: Peruvian shamans share bizarre Trump-Putin predictions for 2025

Monday 30 December 2024 18:20 , Joe Sommerlad

Peruvian shamans share bizarre Trump-Putin predictions for 2025

Musk to Mike: ‘You have my full support’

Monday 30 December 2024 18:00 , Alex Woodward

After firing off dozens of posts this month to derail a bipartisan spending bill helmed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, Elon Musk says the Republican congressman has his “full support.”

After the House passed a third attempt at the stop-gap bill, Johnson told reporters he spoke with both Trump and Musk an hour before votes started.

Full story: Trump endorses Mike Johnson for House Speaker days before crucial vote

Monday 30 December 2024 17:45 , Alex Woodward

Trump’s key endorsement ahead of Friday’s vote to determine who wields the gavel sends a clear signal to House Republicans to line up behind Johnson, who has faced some resistance from the GOP’s far-right flank after inter-party chaos nearly derailed a must-pass spending bill hours before a government shutdown.

Trump endorses Mike Johnson for House Speaker days before crucial vote

Retired Army general declares Musk a ‘national security risk’ in brutal NYT op-ed

Monday 30 December 2024 17:20 , Joe Sommerlad

Elon Musk has been branded a “national security risk” by a former US army general, who cited his concerns over the tech billionaire’s close ties with the Chinese government.

Lieutenant General Russel L Honoré, who retired in 2008, highlighted Musk’s history of appeasing and praising the Chinese Communist Party and his multiple business deals with the party, particularly in the modern space race.

In a scathing op-ed, published in The New York Times, Honoré noted that Musk and his company SpaceX already face federal reviews for failing to provide details of meetings with foreign leaders, but said that such infractions were “just the beginning of my worries.”

Mike Bedigan has more.

Retired Army general declares Musk a ‘national security risk’ in brutal NYT op-ed

Fox News declares the ‘real losers’ in the MAGA civil war over visas – the Democrats

Monday 30 December 2024 16:50 , Joe Sommerlad

After carefully tip-toeing around the growing tensions that have rocked the GOP in recent days, Fox News appears to have finally found a narrative it can sell to right-wing viewers about the MAGA civil war currently ongoing over the thorny issue of immigrant visas.

According to the conservative cable news giant, “infighting” is “how politics ought to work” and Democrats who were “giddy” over the right tearing itself apart over highly-skilled immigrant workers are the “real losers” while MAGA is merely having a “civilized debate” over the matter.

Got that guys?

Justin Baragona has a full report.

Fox News declares the ‘real losers’ in the MAGA civil war over visas — the Democrats

E Jean Carroll camp ‘gratified’ by appeals court decision

Monday 30 December 2024 16:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s what Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan had to say about today’s appeal’s court ruling in a short statement to The Independent:

“Both E Jean Carroll and I are gratified by today’s decision. We thank the Second Circuit for its careful consideration of the parties’ arguments.”

Speaker Johnson says he’s ‘honored and humbled’ by Trump’s endorsement

Monday 30 December 2024 16:10 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s the current House GOP leader’s typically grovelling response to the president-elect’s post just now.

And here’s US Attorney General One America News presenter Matt Gaetz’s take:

Trump claims Bill Gates asked to visit Mar-a-Lago in apparent message to Musk

Monday 30 December 2024 15:50 , Joe Sommerlad

As tensions flare between Musk and the president-elect’s MAGA allies, Trump himself posted what appeared to be a personal message to the SpaceX and Tesla boss on Truth Social over the weekend claiming that fellow billionaire Bill Gates had asked to come to Mar-a-Lago.

Trump suggested the Microsoft co-founder had requested an invite to his Florida estate and encouraged Musk to join them.

“Where are you? When are you coming to the ‘Center of the Universe,’ Mar-a-Lago. Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Year’s Eve is going to be AMAZING!!!” the Republican wrote.

Trump then signed the message “DJT”, as is his custom.

Here’s Kelly Rissman to attempt to get to the bottom of it.

Trump claims Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago in bizarre Truth Social post