Donald Trump's tough speech Buy Greenland! Take back the Panama Canal! arouses the challenge of many republican rebels

Donald Trump says it is “an absolute necessity” for our country to own Greenland.

He says the US should take back the Panama Canal unless “ridiculous” shipping costs are reduced.

He threatened that any Republican who opposed him on the bill to avert a government shutdown could and should be a primary.

The president-elect is earning his reputation as a disruptor, with enough influence over what is now his party to blow up carefully negotiated bipartisan compromises. Let's look at each of them.

HOW PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP COULD PERFORM “THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY” WHEN TAKES OFFICE

Trump attempted during his first term to buy Greenland, which is controlled by Denmark but under autonomous rule. This came to nothing, although it created a diplomatic crisis with Danish officials.

As the United States constructed the Panama Canal in the early 20th century, it was ceded to Panama under a treaty approved by both countries. Panamanian President José Raul Mulino said that “every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belongs to Panama and will continue to do so. The sovereignty and independence of our country are non-negotiable.”

That didn't stop Trump from posting an AI image of an American flag flying over a waterway presumed to be the canal.

The new president has certainly demonstrated his ability to pose major challenges to those who cross him. But three dozen conservative Republicans voted against him on the government shutdown bill, including its final passage, which abandoned his demand to eliminate the debt ceiling during his term. Was he really going to hold primaries against them all?

It is therefore very likely that the status of Greenland, the Panama Canal and the rebel Republicans will not change during the second term.

The reason Trump is doing this is because it reinforces his role as a disruptor, someone who takes on the decrepit Washington establishment, even though a president, by definition, is the new establishment.

President-elect Trump makes this point during a speech at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Beyond that, whether or not he makes outrageous demands, Trump often shapes and dominates the news agenda. As the 47th president admitted to me, he sometimes oversteps the mark because he knows it will provoke a strong media reaction. According to Trump, even negative coverage is good coverage because the press is playing on his turf.

And sometimes they are just negotiating positions aimed at obtaining concessions, as in the case of threats of 25% tariffs against Canada and Mexico.

Remember that most people outside the media-political complex are not following these developments with bated breath. Since the government didn't actually shut down, they don't see it as a setback for Trump that he didn't get most of what he wanted. They probably don't remember him ever trying to buy Greenland.

What Trump clearly has the power to do is blow up carefully crafted bipartisan agreements. He did so after Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. whose future is uncertain because, like Kevin McCarthy before him, he didn't get the votes needed to let the bill turn into a Christmas tree monstrosity.

And he did so during the campaign, when the two parties agreed on a tough border deal, which was then undermined by Trump's objections.

But there are clearly limits to Trump's ability to shape events, particularly where the country is concerned. The fact that three dozen Republicans are challenging him on an issue as fundamental as the debt ceiling shows that he can only push his party so far.

Trump's famous Christmas cameo is far from his only acting credit: see the full list

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., a Trump supporter who voted against him on final passage, told me on “Media Buzz” Sunday that it was because she wanted to keep the cap on the debt.

But while the Republican Party clings to a one-vote margin in the House, for now the cauldron of campaign rhetoric collides with the cold, hard math to arrive at the number 218.

Democrats need to ask themselves whether it's worth negotiating with the other party if all they're doing is creating a target for Trump's demolition derby.

It was Elon Musk who was the first to tweet about the seriousness of the original bill following Trump's suggestion and after over 70 tweets (including a few lies), the new president was drawn into the fight.

Elon Musk speaks with former President Trump during a campaign event October 5, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Over the weekend, Trump denied ceding his presidential powers to his billionaire friend and said, half-mockingly, that Musk could never be president:

“You know why? He wasn't born in this country. Hahaha.”

One of the media's favorite games is whether the two strong-willed men will eventually fall out.

For now, however, Trump's tough talk on Greenland and the Panama Canal shows that he is more comfortable playing offense, even if little comes of it.

In other news:

–House Ethics report says Matt Gaetz “regularly” paid women for sex, including with an underage girl, and used illegal drugs.

In 2017, the former attorney general-designate “engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl,” who was also paid.

Gaetz used or possessed illegal drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy “on multiple occasions”, and also accepted lucrative gifts, such as transportation and accommodation in the Bahamas.

“Many of the women interviewed by the committee made it clear that there was a general expectation of sexual relations,” with one woman telling the committee that Gaetz paid her more than $5,000 and that sex was involved. percent of the time.

The panel said Gaetz was “uncooperative” and “knowingly and deliberately sought to obstruct and impede the committee's investigation into his conduct.” The Justice Department investigated but did not bring any charges.

Trump could face new ISIS threat in Syria as Turkey goes after our ally

Gaetz also misused House resources when he had his chief of staff “help a woman he had sex with obtain a passport, falsely representing to the U.S. State Department that she was a citizen.”

“There was substantial evidence that Rep. Gaetz violated the House Rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, use of illegal drugs, acceptance of unauthorized gifts, granting special favors and privileges and obstructing Congress.”

If Gaetz was still in the running for AG, that would have blown him out of the water.

Gaetz says: “I wasn't charged with anything: FULLY EXONERED. Not even a campaign finance violation. And the people investigating me hated me. Then the Justice Department 'witnesses' found no credible sources were assembled by House Ethics to repeat their claims absent any cross-examination or challenge from me or my attorneys, I never had the chance to confront accusers, I never was. continued. He says he even sent money to women he wasn't dating.

–A dogged Dallas Express reporter discovered what happened to Texas Rep. Kay Granger, who disappeared months ago. He found her and got official confirmation at a care facility specializing in dementia and other memory problems. She made a statement about health issues that completely missed the point: how could she not talk to her constituents about it? Why did she insist on hiding it? There would have been enormous sympathy for her. Instead, the congresswoman kept it all a secret.

–Actress Blake Lively has been the target of an online smear campaign, as seen in texts and emails that openly discuss plantation stories aimed at ruining her reputation, while warning that it must remain secret because they can't very well admit that they're trying to “'Bury her.'” “You know you can bury anyone.”

Justin Baldoni and Blake Livel (David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images | Lia Toby/Getty Images)

Lively obtained these documents through a lawsuit against her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, and reviewed by The New York Times. She alleges sexual harassment, saying Baldoni and others regularly entered her trailer unannounced when she was topless, such as to have her makeup removed or to breastfeed.

The Wayfarer studio said the company and its PR executives “did nothing proactive or retaliatory” against the actress, accusing her of “another desperate attempt to repair her negative reputation.”

Lively says Baldoni tried to add unnecessary sex scenes, improvised unwanted kisses and discussed his sex life, including instances in which he may not have obtained consent. Another team member showed him a video of his wife naked.

The sad thing is that this kind of thing happens all the time. This time around, we got just the goods, with Lively being portrayed as difficult, tone-deaf, and tyrannical.

–The Daily Mail reported that Jeff Bezos will marry his fiancée Lauren Sanchez this weekend in a $600 million extravaganza in Aspen.

The founder of Amazon, owner of the Washington Post, says it's bullshit:

“This is all completely false, none of this is happening

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“The old adage do not believe that everything you read is even more true today than ever. Now lies can go around the world before the truth can get its pants on. So be careful and don't be gullible.”

Good for Jeff for fighting back against a shitty story.

Howard Kurtz is host of FOX News Channel's MediaBuzz (Sundays 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET). Based in Washington, DC, he joined the network in July 2013 and appears regularly on Special Report with Bret Bay and other programs.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos