Trump Claims He Screamed at Macron Over Drug Price Tariffs

President Donald Trump claimed during a campaign event in Rome, Georgia on Thursday that he screamed at French President Emmanuel Macron during a phone call, threatening him with 100% tariffs on wine and champagne until Macron agreed to raise drug prices in France. Trump stated he called multiple world leaders with similar ultimatums, describing Macron as capitulating to his demands after the tariff threat, though Trump provided no verification of these conversations occurring.

Trump used the alleged exchange to promote his second-term drug pricing claims, stating he has reduced American drug costs by “400, 500, even 600%” by forcing other nations to lower their prices. He characterized the situation as necessary because the United States had been paying the highest drug prices globally and his intervention allegedly brought American prices to match the world’s lowest rates.

MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell directly contradicted Trump’s account, calling it “pure hallucination from start to finish” and noting that French presidents lack direct control over their country’s drug pricing, which is determined through regulatory and legislative processes. O’Donnell stated Trump fabricated the conversation entirely and that everyone in the cabinet room where Trump previously told the story knew it was false.

Trump has previously publicized private communications with Macron, including posting the French president’s text message to Truth Social in January 2026, where Macron explicitly rejected Trump’s Greenland annexation ambitions. This history of weaponizing communications with allies undermines credibility in his current claims about negotiating drug prices through coercion.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/youre-gonna-do-it-trump-says-he-screamed-at-macron-in-wild-phone-call/)

Trump Weighs Limited Iran Strike to Force Nuclear Deal

President Trump is weighing an initial limited military strike against Iran designed to force compliance with his demands for a nuclear deal, according to reporting from people familiar with the matter. The opening assault, if authorized, could occur within days and would target select military or government sites as a pressure tactic rather than a full-scale invasion.

Trump stated during a Board of Peace meeting that a decision on Iran could come within the next 10 days, indicating he is considering a range of military options while claiming he still prefers diplomacy. The strategy outlines a two-stage escalation: a limited initial strike followed by a broad campaign against regime facilities if Iran refuses to abandon its nuclear enrichment program.

The proposal demonstrates Trump’s pattern of threatening military action to extract concessions from adversaries, mirroring his deployment of a massive armada to Iran and threatening escalated military strikes if the regime does not comply with nuclear demands. This escalatory approach subordinates diplomatic channels to coercive military pressure as the primary negotiating tool.

The second phase of Trump’s strategy explicitly contemplates regime change, with potential U.S. operations aimed at toppling the Tehran government if Iran continues nuclear enrichment activities. This fundamentally transforms the stated objective from nuclear compliance into broader geopolitical restructuring of Iran’s government.

(Source: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/trump-hints-at-10-day-window-for-decision-on-iran-6370e477?st=fjbZxr&reflink=article_copyURL_share)

Trump Blocks Bridge After Billionaire Competitor Meets Commerce Secretary

Donald Trump threatened to block Canada’s Gordie Howe International Bridge hours after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick met privately with Detroit billionaire Matthew Moroun, who controls the competing Ambassador Bridge, according to The New York Times. Two officials briefed on the meeting confirmed Lutnick met with Moroun in Washington on Monday, and Lutnick subsequently spoke with Trump by phone about the matter.

The Moroun family has spent decades attempting to prevent the Gordie Howe bridge through litigation and lobbying, including a challenge that reached Canada’s Supreme Court. The family previously urged Trump to halt construction of the $4.7 billion publicly funded bridge, which will compete with the Ambassador Bridge for over $300 million in daily cross-border trade once operational.

Trump posted on Truth Social threatening to block the bridge unless Canada addressed “a long list of grievances,” according to the Times report published Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump’s position by claiming he was “putting America’s interest first,” objecting to Canadian control of the bridge and land on both sides, and criticizing insufficient use of American-made materials.

The timing coincides with escalating tension between the nations since Trump’s election, during which he has questioned Canadian sovereignty and imposed tariffs on steel, lumber, and automobiles. The Gordie Howe bridge is fully financed by Canada and will be jointly operated by Canada and Michigan, making Trump’s threat an intervention in a cross-border infrastructure project already under construction.

(Source: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-canada-2675257271/)

Germany, Other NATO Allies Sending Troops to Greenland Amid Trump Threats

Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Canada are deploying military personnel to Greenland in response to Trump’s repeated threats to annex the Danish territory. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced that Swedish Armed Forces officers arrived Wednesday as part of a multinational operation at Denmark’s request, framed as strengthening regional security under Operation Arctic Endurance. Germany confirmed deployment of over a dozen reconnaissance troops on Thursday, while France has also engaged diplomatically though without formal announcement.

Trump declared on Truth Social that U.S. control of Greenland is “vital” for national security and the “Golden Dome” missile defense system, stating “Anything less than that is unacceptable.” He has repeatedly threatened military action, saying he will acquire Greenland the “easy way” or “hard way” regardless of consent, and warned that U.S. military planners have prepared invasion scenarios for the NATO ally territory.

Greenland, a self-governing territory within Denmark’s kingdom since 1979, maintains Danish authority over foreign policy and defense. Both Danish and Greenlandic leaders have categorically rejected U.S. sovereignty claims, with Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stating at a press conference: “If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark.” The Danish government reaffirmed that “Greenland’s future is for Greenlanders alone to decide.”

NATO allies are framing the troop deployments as political solidarity with Denmark and Arctic security strengthening, directly contradicting Trump’s annexation demands. The Danish government stated the increased military presence aims to “train the ability to operate in Arctic conditions and strengthen the Alliance’s footprint” for European and transatlantic security. European leaders view the coordinated deployments as demonstrating NATO unity against Trump’s unilateral pressure.

The escalating conflict exposes fundamental divisions between Washington and European capitals over the legitimacy of U.S. global ambitions and threatens NATO cohesion. Trump’s assertion that he is constrained only by his “own morality” and not international law underscores the severity of the geopolitical rupture as diplomatic tensions continue ahead of scheduled U.S.-Danish meetings on Arctic security.

(Source: https://www.newsweek.com/greenland-germany-sending-troops-nato-donald-trump-threats-11361535)

Trump Links His Push for Greenland to Not Winning Nobel Peace Prize – The New York Times

President Trump sent a text message to Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Sunday, stating that he is pursuing Greenland acquisition partly because Norway did not award him a Nobel Peace Prize. In the message, Trump claimed he had “stopped 8 Wars PLUS” and said that failing to receive the prize means he no longer feels obligated to prioritize peace, instead focusing on “what is good and proper for the United States of America.” Trump also disputed Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, asserting “There are no written documents” supporting Danish claims and demanding “Complete and Total Control of Greenland” for global security.

The text message escalates Trump’s campaign to seize Greenland, an Arctic territory that has been part of the Danish Kingdom for over 300 years. Trump’s claim that lack of a Nobel Prize justifies shifting away from peace-focused policy to territorial acquisition contradicts his stated commitment to peaceful resolution. Trump has previously threatened to acquire Greenland through either an “easy way” or “hard way,” rejecting questions about financial incentives or local consent.

Trump has directed military planners to prepare an invasion plan for Greenland, with advisers accelerating efforts following operations against Venezuela. Trump has declared his commander-in-chief powers are constrained only by his “own morality,” rejecting international law as binding on military action.

World leaders have condemned Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, viewing it as a violation of international law and Danish sovereignty. The message to Norway’s prime minister reveals Trump’s willingness to weaponize personal grievances—in this case, not receiving an international peace prize—to justify geopolitical aggression and abandonment of stated principles.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/world/europe/trump-norway-greenland-nobel.html)

Trump DOJ Memo Claims President Above International Law

A classified 20-30 page Justice Department legal opinion presented to Congress on Tuesday argues that President Trump faced no constitutional or international legal constraints when he ordered the military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The Office of Legal Counsel memo asserts Trump’s authority as commander-in-chief under Article II of the Constitution permitted the operation, codenamed Absolute Resolve, without prior congressional approval.

The opinion builds directly on a 1989 legal memo authored by William Barr, Trump’s current Attorney General, which claimed presidents possess “inherent constitutional authority” to order law enforcement operations in foreign countries even when doing so violates international law. The new memo treats that premise as settled and argues the Maduro operation did not constitute war in the constitutional sense, therefore bypassing the War Powers Act requirement for congressional authorization. An unclassified version released simultaneously states that international law “does not restrict the president as a matter of domestic law” regarding rendition operations.

The memo conceded that Trump personally justified the operation by stating control of Venezuelan oil reserves was the objective, though the administration maintains it was solely a law enforcement action targeting Maduro as the leader of a narco-trafficking organization. A White House official stated the operation was lawful and that “the Department of Justice routinely executes federal arrest warrants abroad,” framing the military-backed seizure as standard law enforcement practice.

Democratic lawmakers directly contradicted this characterization, arguing that removing a foreign head of state by military force constitutes an act of war regardless of law enforcement justifications. The administration has also used success in the Maduro operation to embolden plans for military actions against other targets, with officials accelerating preparations that extend beyond Venezuela.

The memo stipulated that any military support must remain proportional to the law enforcement objective and acknowledged that military commanders had not assessed Maduro’s actions as a direct or imminent threat to U.S. forces. Nevertheless, the opinion concluded the likelihood of armed resistance justified deploying U.S. military assets. The opinion was provided to lawmakers after the operation had already been executed, establishing legal justification retroactively rather than constraining executive action beforehand.

(Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/13/politics/memo-maduro-capture-olc)

Trump Posts Acting President of Venezuela on Truth Social

President Donald Trump posted a doctored image on Truth Social claiming to be the “Acting President of Venezuela” as of January 2026, following a U.S. military operation that abducted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. Trump previously stated on January 3 that the United States would oversee Venezuela until a safe transition occurred, and told The New York Times he anticipated U.S. control would extend “much longer” than six months or a year without providing a specific timeline.

The Trump administration conducted what it characterized as a “large-scale strike” against Caracas, seizing Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were transported to New York and arraigned in Manhattan federal court on January 5 on drug charges. Both pleaded not guilty. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the operation as a “law enforcement” action requiring no congressional approval, rejecting characterizations of it as an “invasion,” while the administration claimed Maduro was a drug cartel leader rather than a legitimate head of state.

The seizure of Maduro without congressional authorization violated the Constitution’s war powers clause, according to Senator Jack Reed, D-R.I., the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Reed stated: “Congress — not the President — has the sole power to authorize war. Pursuing regime change without the consent of the American people is a reckless overreach and an abuse of power.” Multiple lawmakers, primarily Democrats, challenged the legality of the operation, which proceeded without legislative approval.

Trump’s action reflects a broader push to reassert U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere, with the administration invoking what it calls the “Don-roe Doctrine,” a rebranding of the Monroe Doctrine. The original 1823 doctrine sought to limit European influence in Latin America; under President Theodore Roosevelt, it was weaponized to justify U.S. intervention as an “international police power.” Trump’s Venezuela operation follows months of military pressure and more than two dozen strikes in Latin American waters targeting alleged drug traffickers as part of his stated effort to reduce drug inflows into the United States.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly declined to clarify whether Trump’s “Acting President” post was intended as a joke, instead responding to Fox News Digital: “President Trump will be the greatest President for the American and Venezuelan people in history. Congratulations, world!” The post demonstrates Trump’s escalation from military intervention to claiming executive authority over a foreign nation without constitutional checks or democratic legitimacy.

(Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-declares-himself-venezuelas-acting-president-online-post-after-maduro-ouster.amp)

US seizes second vessel off Venezuelan after Trump’s blockade threat, reports say | The Independent

The United States Coast Guard seized the Panama-flagged tanker Centuries off the coast of Barbados in the Caribbean Sea, marking the second vessel confiscated in recent weeks as part of Trump’s blockade of Venezuelan oil. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated the Coast Guard would “continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region,” though legal experts dispute the justification for seizing unsanctioned vessels.

Jeremy Paner, a former U.S. Treasury Department sanctions investigator, directly contradicted Trump’s stated policy by confirming the Centuries had not been sanctioned by the United States. Paner stated the seizure of an unsanctioned vessel “marks a further increase in Trump’s pressure on Venezuela” and “runs counter to Trump’s statement that the U.S. would impose a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers,” exposing the operation’s scope beyond its stated legal framework.

The Centuries carried 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan crude bound for China under a false vessel name and was part of a shadow fleet designed to evade sanctions. Since Trump’s first tanker seizure last week, Venezuelan crude exports have collapsed sharply, with an effective embargo forcing loaded vessels to remain in Venezuelan waters rather than risk confiscation, despite many not being under U.S. sanctions.

Trump’s military campaign against Venezuela has killed at least 100 people through more than two dozen strikes on vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean, with announced plans for imminent land operations. Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro contends the military buildup aims to overthrow his government and seize the nation’s vast oil reserves, the world’s largest crude deposits.

The seizure strategy contradicts international law governing unsanctioned vessels and exposes economic objectives beyond counter-narcotics claims. If the blockade persists, the loss of nearly one million barrels daily will drive global oil prices higher, shifting market leverage and destabilizing energy markets while demonstrating Trump’s use of military and economic coercion to control foreign governments and resources.

(Source: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/us-seizing-vessel-venezuela-trump-blockade-oil-tanker-b2888347.html)

Trump orders ‘total and complete blockade’ of sanctioned oil tankers coming to and leaving Venezuela | CNN Politics

President Donald Trump announced a “total and complete blockade” of oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela on Tuesday via Truth Social, escalating military and economic pressure against Nicolás Maduro’s government. Trump stated that U.S. military assets surround Venezuela and demanded the country return oil, land, and assets to the United States, exposing the operation’s economic objectives beyond stated anti-drug efforts.

The blockade targets Venezuela’s primary economic lifeline amid existing international sanctions on its oil sector. Trump has repeatedly indicated that U.S. companies should regain access to Venezuela’s oil reserves—the world’s largest—if Maduro is removed from power. State-owned Petroleos de Venezuela controls the petroleum industry, though Houston-based Chevron operates under a sanctions carve-out that Trump revoked in March before conditionally reissuing it.

Trump accused Maduro of using “stolen oil” to finance terrorism, human trafficking, and criminal activity. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair that the administration’s military campaign aims to pressure Maduro to step down, contradicting earlier framing focused solely on narcotics interdiction. Venezuela’s government condemned the announcement as “a reckless and serious threat” and “a grave violation of International Law,” noting that blockades constitute acts of war under international treaties.

A 1961 Justice Department memo regarding Cuban tensions established that blockades are justified only when a state of war exists. Trump’s military operations in the region, including threatened ground invasions, follow Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement of “Southern Spear,” a hemisphere-wide military operation targeting suspected drug operations.

The blockade represents an explicit shift from counternarcotics justification to resource seizure, with Trump signaling intent to restore American corporate control over Venezuelan petroleum assets previously nationalized in the 1970s. Venezuela’s oil is sold primarily to China due to existing U.S. sanctions imposed since 2005.

(Source: https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/16/politics/blockade-venezuela-sanctioned-oil-tankers)

Trump Receives FIFA Peace Prize Amid Controversy and Criticism

Donald Trump has been awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, a development that many view as an effort by the soccer organization to boost his fragile ego. The prize was presented during the World Cup draw in Washington, an event that Trump had anticipated since FIFA’s announcement of the award just weeks prior. This prize comes after Trump’s previous disappointment at being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally presented the award to Trump, expressing support for his supposed contributions to peace. Critics note the absurdity of a peace prize being awarded to a figure who has been widely criticized for his divisive rhetoric and policies.

Trump touted his acceptance of the award, but the timing and nature of it sparked further debate about his relationship with FIFA and Infantino. It raises questions about the validity of an award granted in part to satiate political ambitions and create positive media coverage for Trump as he prepares for the upcoming World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The ties between Trump and FIFA have been emphasized through Infantino’s regular appearances with Trump at public events, showcasing a concerning closeness that many fear undermines the integrity of the sports organization. The FIFA president has gone as far as to validate Trump’s leadership style, ignoring the broader implications of endorsing someone frequently linked to authoritarianism.

This decision to award Trump a peace prize, particularly given his controversial legacy, is not only seen as a farce but as a troubling reflection of modern political alignments within influential global institutions like FIFA. The implications of such an endorsement cannot be ignored as the world awaits the next chapter of international competition in the face of a divisive political landscape.

(Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/12/05/trump-fifa-peace-prize/87589592007/)

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