January 17, 2026

Evgeniy Maloletka of the AP: “Thousands of Greenlanders marched through snow and ice in the capital, Nuuk, to protest ... Donald Trump’s renewed threats to take control of the island, chanting “Greenland is not for sale” and waving national flags as they walked to the U.S. Consulate. The demonstration, the largest police say they have ever seen in Nuuk, drew people of all ages and emphasized support for Greenland’s self-governance, culture and future. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors." ~~~

~~~ Barbara Sprunt of NPR: "Thousands of people marched from Copenhagen City Hall to the U.S.  embassy Saturday afternoon in protest of ... [Donald] Trump's comments that he wants to acquire Greenland. The crowd, waving Greenlandic flags, chanted 'Greenland is not for sale.' Many demonstrators wore red hats in Trump's own 'Make America great again' fashion that read, 'Make America go away.'" ~~~

~~~ For a weak and stupid man, Trump is awfully good at climbing up the wall of crazy. Unfortunately, he has no idea how to climb back down. He's like the 9/11 terrorists, who learned how to take off and fly large jets but not how to land them, because landing is not something they would ever need to know how to do: ~~~

~~~ Michael Birnbaum of the Washington Post: “...  The United States will impose tariffs on countries that have sent troops to Greenland in recent days..., Donald Trump said Saturday, dramatically escalating his effort to acquire the Danish territory despite assertions from Greenland and Denmark that the Arctic island is not for sale.... Trump said that 'Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown,' a reference to the European countries who have said in recent days that they will send troops to Greenland as a show of solidarity with Denmark, after weeks in which Trump and top allies have renewed demands to take the territory. Most European countries have been vocal in their opposition to Trump’s efforts to take over Greenland. Calling it a 'potentially perilous situation,' Trump said he would impose 10 percent tariffs on imports of all goods starting Feb. 1 from those countries to the U.S., increasing to 25 percent on June 1. He said it would only be removed after a deal is reached for 'the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.'” ~~~

~~~ Marie: I'm late in re-linking Tom Nichols' post, which akaWendy linked a couple of days ago, but the content is still relevant: ~~~

~~~ ⭐Tom Nichols of the Atlantic: “...  a few of Trump’s [odd] obsessions are extraordinarily dangerous, and likely none more so than his determination to seize Greenland from Denmark, a country allied to the United States for more than two centuries.  Perhaps because he does not understand how the Mercator projection distorts size on a map, the president thinks that Greenland is 'massive' and that it must become part of the United States. If Trump makes good on his recurring threat to use force to gain the island, he would not only blow apart America’s most important alliance; he could set in motion a series of events that could lead to global catastrophe — or even to World War III.” Nichols relates some of the history of the U.S.-Danish alliance, then speculates on ways Trump could destroy this and the NATO alliance AND embolden Russia and/or China to some military adventurism in Western Europe and North America. “And all this could happen—for what, exactly? The vainglorious demands of one man who can’t read a map?” The link is a gift link, courtesy of akaWendy.

By Dr. Jack

Maureen Dowd of the New York Times on “Donald of Deliria”: “Trump’s entire doctrine is naked rapacity, from Venezuela to hijacking the Kennedy Center to hideously remaking the White House in his own gaudy image.” Thanks to Ken W. for the link.

Ariana Baio of the Independent: “Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers reportedly arrested three staff members from a Mexican restaurant outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thursday evening, hours after the officers ate lunch at the establishment. Around 3 p.m. local time, four ICE officers ate at a booth at El Tapatio, a family-owned restaurant in Willmar, Minnesota, located approximately 85 miles west of Minneapolis, witnesses told the Minnesota Star Tribune. Witnesses, who took photos of the officers at the restaurant and videos of the arrest, said the staff appeared 'frightened.' Hours later, around 8:30 p.m., bystanders said they saw ICE officers arrest three staff members from the restaurant.... Witnesses claimed the officers followed the restaurant staff after they closed up for the evening.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: What's kind of amazing is that the ICE agents -- not to mention Trump and his top toadies -- don't seem to realize they're the villains in this national morality play. Trump does get this much: although he still thinks his mass deportation policies are great, his concern is that when ICE terrorizes ordinary people, threatens them, pepper-sprays them in the eyes, pushes them around, roughs them up, vandalizes their cars, tear-gases their children, breaks into their homes, abducts them, detains them for hours, AND shoots them, "it looks bad."

Marcie Jones of Wonkette has quite a good description of what-all is happening on the streets of Minnepolis. Which is Not a War!: "Wars have rules of engagement! This is an invasion by roving bands of high-school-equivalency degree holders, some with no more than eight weeks of training (US police officers average 21), and no legal constraints on them. They are gassing civilian populations, flash-banging and shooting guns at moving cars, and desperate to try to make immigrant arrest quotas Dear Leader has set for them! And also, many clearly enjoy it. However bad it is on the ground, Trump intends for it to get worse. Two days ago he warned THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING." Read on. ~~~

~~~ Marie: A couple of weeks ago, I watched Ken Burns' "American Revolution" and around the same time, I saw the last season (or half-season or whatever they call it) of "Outlander," which featured episodes revolving around the British occupation of Philadelphia. Trump's siege of Minneapolis seems way worse. Rules of engagement would be great. But so far, the only rules of engagement I've noticed boiled down to JayDee's declaration that ICE agents have "absolute immunity." They don't, but when the Veep tells them do, well, these dim jamokes are going to travels in packs, jacks each other up, and act with impunity.    

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Mitch Smith of the New York Times: “A federal judge in Minnesota imposed restrictions on the actions of immigration agents toward protesters in the state on Friday.... Judge Kate M. Menendez ordered agents not to retaliate against people 'engaging in peaceful and unobstructive protest activity,' and not to use pepper spray or other “crowd dispersal tools” in retaliation for protected speech. The judge also said agents could not stop or detain protesters in vehicles who were not 'forcibly obstructing or interfering with' agents. The ruling, which granted a preliminary injunction, stems from a lawsuit brought by activists who said agents had violated their rights. The suit was filed before an immigration agent shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. Ms. Good, 37, had partially blocked a roadway where agents were working and did not follow commands to get out of her S.U.V.” (Also linked yesterday.)

     ~~~ Kyle Cheney, et al., of Politico: “A federal judge on Friday barred federal agents in Minneapolis from arresting peaceful protesters, or using nonlethal munitions and crowd control tools against them. The 80-page ruling by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez, a Biden appointee who sits in Minneapolis, lands amid an increasingly confrontational dynamic between the Trump administration and Minnesota officials... (Also linked yesterday.)

Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents is a dangerous, authoritarian tactic. The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her. -- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in a statement ~~~ 

~~~ Alanna Richer, et al., of the AP: “The Justice Department is investigating whether Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have impeded federal immigration enforcement through public statements they have made, according to two people familiar with the matter.... Walz’s office said it has not received any notice of an investigation.” The Washington Post's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~ 

     ~~~ Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: “News of the investigation ... came only two days after Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, posted an incendiary message on social media, accusing Mr. Walz and Mr. Frey of 'encouraging violence against law enforcement' and referring to their actions as 'terrorism.' While both the governor and the mayor have criticized agents involved in the immigration crackdown and have at times urged local residents to document their actions, there is no public evidence that either man has explicitly encouraged violence — let alone engaged in acts of terrorism. Both have urged protesters to remain peaceful.... Mr. Blanche and Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, flew to Minneapolis to direct the federal law enforcement response. Mr. Patel has vowed to crack down on any violent rioters and investigate what he calls the 'funding networks' supporting such people.... On Friday..., Mr. Trump appeared to back away from his threat [to invoke the Insurrection Act].” ~~~

     ~~~ Patrick Marley & Yasmeen Abutaleb of the Washington Post: “...  Donald Trump’s Justice Department crossed a new threshold with its criminal investigation of top Democratic elected officials in Minnesota, targeting vocal critics during a moment of crisis.... 'This is what totalitarianism looks like,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut). 'Trump is now using the full, entire scope of the federal government in order to destroy and suppress dissent and compel loyalty.'... The Justice Department’s investigation of a governor and mayor is highly unusual. In the 1950s and 1960s, presidents used troops to enforce court desegregation orders in the face of defiance from some Southern governors. But the department did not press charges against them.... Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland), a former constitutional law professor..., [said,] 'The Department of Justice has now been reduced to a completely political and partisan instrument of vendetta.'” ~~~

     ~~~ Josh Marshall of TPM: “[From Trump's POV,] the state[']s very existence as a separate albeit subordinate sovereign is a criminal offense against the federal government. The main point of this is simply to generate the headlines you’re seeing this evening ('criminal investigation!') and perhaps load state and local government with subpoenas or perhaps raids. Right now Trump has created a kind of rickety authoritarian presidency with lots of prerogative powers on overdrive – military adventures, pardons, corruption of the DOJ, ICE wilding expeditions in Blue states – and a lot of corruption.... But there’s not a lot more. It doesn’t have the kind of power in depth to really subvert the constitutional order in a robust or durable way.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is the first time in my long life where the value of the federal system has seemed so clear. In some matters of law -- say, abortion rights -- the states have been "laboratories of democracy." But on the whole, where there was an open conflict between a state and the federal government, the state was on the wrong side of the argument. Today any reasonable observer can see that the federal administration is in the wrong, and grotesquely so. As we saw late yesterday, the federal courts may mitigate the national administration's atrocities. But the courts are often too little and almost always too late. (For instance, complainants brought the case decided yesterday back in December.) Moreover, the courts have no means to enforce any control judges may seek to impose. That leaves it up to the states, and to us -- the people -- to serve as first responders to the national administration's atrocities. (This, of course, was the origin [and real] purpose of the Second Amendment. But in view of the superiority and effectiveness of today's federal military, employing Second Amendment guarantees can't do much to quell federal tyranny.)

Angie Hernandez, et al., of the Washington Post: “The family of a man shot in the leg by an ICE officer in Minneapolis on Wednesday has disputed key elements of the Department of Homeland Security’s version of the incident, saying the shooting happened at the door of the man’s house as he let his housemate [-- Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna --] inside, rather than out in the street during a scuffle. The Department of Homeland Security has said an ICE officer shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis as he was assaulting the officer 'with a shovel or broom stick.' The agency said the incident began when the officer attempted to stop Sosa-Celis in his car, and that Sosa-Celis tried to flee and then got into an altercation with the officer outside, joined by two housemates. But Sosa-Celis’s mother, citing an account from her son, said DHS had actually been pursuing one of his housemates, who Sosa-Celis let into their house just before the shooting.... Sosa-Celis opened the door to let Ajorna inside, [Alicia] Celis said her son told her. Ajorna ran indoors. As Sosa-Celis went to close the door an ICE officer shot him in the leg, his mother said. The men retreated into the house, and people inside called emergency dispatchers, Celis said.” (Also linked yesterday.)

New York Times: Here's a new analysis, using some new videos, of the shooting of Renee Good. “... the visual evidence shows no indication that the agent who fired the shots, Jonathan Ross, had been run over. The footage provides visibility into the positioning between the agent and Ms. Good’s S.U.V., and the key moments of escalation. It also establishes how Mr. Ross put himself in a dangerous position near her vehicle in the first place.” From the 7:10-minute video embedded in the article: “... we can see there is a visible gap between the vehicle and his legs, indicating his feet are positioned outside the SUV's path.” This analysis is consistent with Asha Rangappa's analysis, linked below, and reported on January 10. The Times also used voice analysis to confirm that the person who called Renee Good a "fucking bitch" immediately after her death was the shooter, Jonathan Ross. (Also linked yesterday.) 

Vivian Yee of the New York Times: “There have been school walkouts, daily protests outside the federal building where agents take detainees, four-person protests on frigid street corners and an hourslong demonstration after an ICE agent shot a man in the leg while attempting to detain him on Wednesday night. But the city’s defiance toward the thousands of federal agents surging into Minneapolis also looks like this: locals using their cars, whistles, phones and local networks to monitor and confront the agents wherever they can, sticking close to them to complicate their efforts, like cornerbacks guarding wide receivers.” Includes lots of photos by NYT photographer Todd Heisler. 

Charles Homans of the New York Times Magazine: “Minnesota had been a haven for refugees since after World War II, when it was an early destination for Holocaust survivors.... This hospitality had historically been a point of pride for the state.... It was a product of a broader, deep-rooted civic idealism.... But ... a 2014 poll found that ... less than half supported welcoming Somali immigrants [largely because dozens of young Minnesota Somalians had joined ISIS and Al Shabab in Somalia. In 2016, Trump] ... promised his administration would 'not admit any refugees without the support of the local community....' [In a campaign] speech[, he] crystallized one of the core themes of [his] politics...: that the country’s foundational idea of a civic nation — one whose people are bound by a shared commitment to principles rather than ancestry or cultural identity — is a sort of liberal swindle. In Trump’s America, shared prosperity requires exclusion: a policing, by force if necessary, of the boundaries of who gets to call themselves American based in large part on where they come from.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Clyde McGrady of the New York Times: “In the days since a federal agent killed Renee Good in Minneapolis, Republican officials and conservative commentators have called the 37-year-old white woman 'very violent,' a 'deranged lunatic woman' and a 'domestic terrorist.' Some right-wing influencers have latched onto a different word — or rather an acronym: Ms. Good, they have said, was AWFUL. 'An AWFUL (Affluent White Female Urban Liberal) is dead after running her car into an ICE agent who opened fire on her,' the conservative commentator Erik Erickson posted on social media. 'Progressive whites are turning violent. ICE agents have the right to defend themselves.' From a co-host on an AM radio show in Orlando, Pierce Outlaw, to an army of internet trolls, the acronym has taken off. Mr. Outlaw called AWFULs 'the scourge of polite society.'... 

“Beyond labels and name-calling, the death of Ms. Good and the protests and anger in its wake have sparked a response from many on the right that is particularly targeted at white women in the streets, even though men have been just as involved. A majority of college-educated women, including white women, have long been skeptical of ... [Donald] Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, and that skepticism has been growing, according to exit polls after the 2024 election. And for months now, such women are attracting the ire of the president’s supporters.” ~~~

~~~ John Knefel & Sophie Lawton of Media Matters: “Right-wing media figures and outlets are using the language of war to characterize protests against the presence of violent Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minnesota.... While some in right-wing media have referred to anti-ICE demonstrations as an 'insurrection' since at least October, the overall tenor of right-wing rhetoric has escalated dramatically in recent days. Right-wing pundits have reacted to the pro-immigrant demonstrations by casting Minneapolis residents as 'insurgents' who are using ... 'a guerilla tactical playbook' and looking to spark a 'civil war' or engage in 'violent terroristic extremism.' Here are some of the most egregious examples.” 

Amy Taxin of the AP: “A 21-year-old college student who said he was blinded in one eye by a projectile fired by a federal officer during a Southern California protest said he faces a drastically different life now. Kaden Rummler said in an interview that he was in agonizing pain and underwent an extensive six-hour surgery to his left eye after he was injured at a Jan. 9 protest over the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis. Rummler said he has no depth perception and can no longer drive. Shards of metal and a nickel-sized piece of plastic remain lodged in his skull, his attorney said, and he is considering suing. 'It’s going to affect every aspect of my life,' said Rummler, who hopes to pursue a career in forestry. A second demonstrator at the same protest outside a federal immigration building in Orange County told the Los Angeles Times he was also blinded in one eye by a projectile fired by federal agents. Britain Rodriguez, 31, said he was standing on steps outside the immigration building when he was struck in the face.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Dwellings, Navajo National Monument, Northern Arizona. Est. ca. 1250 C.E.

~~~ Matthew Chapman of the Raw Story: "According to The Arizona Republic, Peter Yazzie [-- a Navajo man --] 'was ... parked at a QT gas station ... near his [Arizona] job site..., [when] several SUVs pulled in, two with their lights on. He assumed it was a drug raid, never imagining it was ICE targeting him.' When they identified themselves, Yazzie said, 'I’m Native American. My information is all in my vehicle.' And he explained those documents included his birth certificate and Certificate of Indian Blood. The agents, however, refused to accept this ID, instead detaining him for four hours until they finally let him go with no apology. In some cases, ICE is demanding people submit to a facial recognition scan, as they did with Jesus Gutierrez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen in Chicago...."

This Is Rich, Coming from Diva ICE Barbie. Daniel Lippmann of Politico: “Infighting in the Department of Homeland Security ... has gotten so bad that its leadership has turned on one of its own commissioners, ostensibly over $137,000 in front office upgrades. Top brass at the $115 billion department said [Customs and Border Protection commissioner Rodney Scott's] request was too expensive and unnecessary.... [Kristi] Noem’s team and DHS general counsel’s office rejected the $137,000 portion of upgrades.... 'Secretary Noem personally reviews and approves any contract above $100,000 to ensure every penny is spent to advance DHS’s mission of protecting the American people and safeguarding our nation,' a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.... Noem has received criticism from Democrats for DHS’ purchase of two Gulfstream private planes for her and other top DHS officials.... She also got flack for staying rent-free in a military house reserved for the Coast Guard’s top admiral....”

Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post: “The Trump administration has extended the deployment of about 2,500 National Guard troops in D.C. through the end of this year, having touted their presence in the city over the objection of local officials and an ongoing legal challenge, two defense officials familiar with the plan said Friday. The mission is expected to continue including armed patrols in support of law enforcement plus a variety of sanitation and beautification projects, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the move has not yet been announced. The National Guard headquarters overseeing the mission, Joint Task Force-DC, said that 2,673 troops were assigned to the mission as of Friday morning, including 714 members of the D.C. National Guard and 1,959 sent from 11 states led by Republican governors who support the mission.”

Dirty Energy Forever! This Is In-Sane. Claire Brown & Brad Plumer of the New York Times: “Over the past eight months, the Energy Department has taken the extraordinary step of ordering that generators at five coal-burning power plants that had been headed for retirement stay open and keep running.... At a White House event on Thursday, Trump administration officials said they planned to keep open as many coal plants as they could and prevent any further retirements over the next three years.... The moves are part of a sweeping plan by Mr. Trump to revive America’s coal industry, which has been declining for years.... Coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels and a major driver of global warming.... Efforts to halt coal retirements are already causing complications. Two of the coal units that the Energy Department ordered to stay online in December are broken, and it’s unclear when they might be repaired. Some plants that were ordered to keep running had already shuttered their coal mines and stopped maintaining old equipment. Now, utilities and operators are straining to revive them.” (Also linked yesterday.)

White House Open for Business: ~~~

(1) Kenneth Vogel & Susanne Craig of the New York Times: Donald “Trump ... hand[ed] out a raft of pardons [this week]. Among the lucky recipients: a man whose daughter had given millions to a Trump-backed super PAC, a former governor of Puerto Rico, a former F.B.I. agent who had pleaded guilty in a political corruption case and a California woman whom the president had granted relief once before. The woman, Adriana Camberos, was initially convicted in 2017 for her role in a scheme to sell millions of counterfeit bottles of the caffeinated drink 5-Hour Energy. After her sentence was commuted by Mr. Trump in 2021, she was convicted again in 2024 in an unrelated fraud. When she was pardoned in the new case this week, it marked the second time Mr. Trump had opened the prison gates for her. The pardons, most of which have not been previously reported, were supported by people with close ties to Mr. Trump’s orbit.... They continue a trend in which the president has used the unfettered presidential clemency power to reward allies and those who have paid his associates or donated to his political operation. They stand in contrast to Justice Department guidelines that prioritize the clemency applications of people who have completed their prison sentences or demonstrated remorse and a lower likelihood of recidivism.” The link appears to be a gift link. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Darlene Superville of the AP: “... Donald Trump plans to pardon former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez, a White House official said Friday. Vázquez pleaded guilty last August to a campaign finance violation in a federal case that authorities say also involved a former FBI agent and a Venezuelan banker. Her sentencing was set for later this month. Federal prosecutors had been seeking one year behind bars... Vázquez’s attorneys ... accused prosecutors of violating a guilty plea deal reached last year that saw previous charges including bribery and fraud dropped. They noted that Vázquez had agreed to plead guilty to accepting a promise of a campaign contribution that was never received.... The official who confirmed the planned pardon indicated Trump saw the case as political prosecution and said the investigation into Vázquez, a Republican aligned with the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, had begun 10 days after she endorsed Trump in 2020.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     💩~~~ Kathryn Wilkens of Mediaite: “On Thursday..., Donald Trump signed a 'full and unconditional pardon' for Diamond Environmental Services owner Arie Eric De Jong III, who was sentenced in 2018 to five months in prison for illegally dumping raw sewage into municipal sewer systems. According to prosecutors, the portable toilet company unlawfully dumped waste from its trucks into public sewer systems across several Southern California cities, including San Diego, San Marcos, Fullerton, Perris, and Huntington Park, rather than disposing of it at approved facilities and paying the required fees, allowing De Jong III to dodge millions in expenses. Per a copy of the pardon posted by The New York Times’ Kenneth Vogel, Trump cleared De Jong III of all felony charges against the United States, to all of which he had pleaded guilty under a 2017 agreement.” Thanks to RAS for the lead.

     ~~~ Scott Lemieux in LG&$ notes that the Times report includes this graf: "The pardons, several of which forgave white-collar crimes and frauds by affluent perpetrators, strike a discordant note with the Trump administration’s announcement that it was suspending federal funding for programs intended to serve poor people in Minnesota in order to root out fraud." Lemieux sez, "While the point about the compounded bad faith in this last graf is an obvious one, it’s still not necessarily something you expect to be pointed out in a news story. Anything this administration does with the pretext of rooting out fraud really needs to be put in the context of it being an open floating criminal enterprise."

(2) ~~~ Pedro Camacho of the Latin Times: "The first U.S.-brokered sale of Venezuelan crude under ... Donald Trump's new energy plan went to Vitol, a global oil trading firm whose senior U.S.-based trader has been a major donor to Trump's re-election campaign, people familiar with the transaction and public records told the Financial Times. John Addison, a senior trader at Vitol, was involved in securing a roughly $250 million deal for Venezuelan oil. Addison donated about $6 million to political action committees backing Trump's 2024 re-election effort, including $5 million to Maga Inc in October, according to OpenSecrets. Addison also attended a White House meeting with Trump last week alongside Ben Marshall, head of Vitol's U.S. operations, making Vitol the only company represented by two senior executives at the talks, as The Financial Times reports." (Also linked yesterday.)

Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: Donald “Trump has appointed four new members to the Commission of Fine Arts, the [MB: previously!] independent agency set to review his plans for a large new White House ballroom. Among the appointees is the architect who provided the initial designs for the ballroom. Mr. Trump has selected Mary Anne Carter, who leads the National Endowment for the Arts and is an ally of Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff; Roger Kimball, an art critic and conservative writer who has lavished praise on the president; and Matthew Taylor, according to a White House official. Mr. Trump has also chosen to appoint James McCrery, the first architect on the ballroom project.... The president fired all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts last October, promising to appoint new ones who shared Mr. Trump’s 'America First' agenda.... The panel is set to review the ballroom project once the new members are seated.” The AP's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Note to the NYT: A panel is not "independent" when all of its members are pledged to sharing the agenda of the person who appointed them. 

To those who thinks they should take medical advice from Doctor Don, King of the Con, or his lunatic sidekick Bobby Babblecrap: ~~~

~~~  Azeen Ghorayshi of the New York Times: “A scientific review of 43 studies on acetaminophen use during pregnancy concluded that there was no evidence that the painkiller increased the risk of autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders.... Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, remains 'the first-line treatment that we would recommend if the pregnant women have pain or fever in pregnancy,' Dr. [Asma ]Khalil [of St. George's Hospital, University of London,] said. Studies that have examined a possible link between acetaminophen in pregnancy and a risk of neurodevelopmental disorders have produced conflicting data, with some finding no connection and others finding small increases in risk. The new review comes after ... [Donald] Trump told pregnant women during a news conference in September to 'tough it out' and 'fight like hell' not to take Tylenol, because he said the painkiller could cause autism in children. The message was delivered as part of a broader campaign by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr....”

One Homeland. One People. One Heritage. -- Trump Department of Labor post

Ein volk, ein reich, ein führer. (translation: “One people, one empire, one leader.”) -- Nazi propaganda slogan ~~~  

~~~ Jason Abbruzzese of NBC News: “A series of recent social media posts from the Trump administration’s official government accounts have echoed terminology used by far-right extremists, experts said, adding that the posts offer no doubt that they are references to white supremacist rhetoric.... NBC News contacted six academics who have spent much of their careers studying extremism. All saw the posts as references to far-right ideology that is making its way into the mainstream and tied to the Trump administration’s immigration push, which has increasingly embraced terms like 'invasion' to describe the entry of unauthorized immigrants to the U.S. ''These are no longer dog whistles,' Jon Lewis ... of George Washington University said. 'They’re bullhorns.... It sends that emboldening message to neo-Nazis and white supremacists that the government is on your side.'...”

Elisabeth Bumiller & Robert Jimison of the New York Times: “A bipartisan group of lawmakers from Capitol Hill sought to reassure Denmark and Greenland on Friday that they supported Denmark’s control of Greenland despite ... [Donald] Trump’s vow to seize it 'one way or another.’ But there appeared to be little progress in solving what has become a crisis in Denmark and Europe more broadly. Even as the delegation was meeting with Danish officials, Mr. Trump said at an event in Washington that he was considering using tariffs to pressure countries to accept the U.S. annexation of the semiautonomous territory some 2,000 miles from Copenhagen.... The delegation was in Copenhagen 24 hours after Washington [MB: i.e., the Trumpimperialistas] and Denmark contradicted each other in public about what the two sides had agreed on in a meeting hosted by Mr. Vance the day before.” The AP's report is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ A Washington Post story on Trump's tariff threat is here. Ken W. says of the threatened new tariffs: "So we'll be paying for buying Greenland --- even if we don't get it."  

~~~ Jordain Carney of Politico: “Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) predicted members on both sides of the aisle would lock arms and require congressional signoff if it became clear Trump was preparing imminent military action. 'If there was any sort of action that looked like the goal was actually landing in Greenland and doing an illegal taking … there’d be sufficient numbers here to pass a war powers resolution and withstand a veto,'  Tillis said. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) went further, predicting that it would lead to impeachment and calling Trump’s Greenland obsession 'the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.'... Senate Majority Leader John Thune did not join the delegation [meeting with Danish officials] but he largely endorsed the message the contingent is sending in comments to reporters Thursday, saying 'there’s certainly not an appetite here for some of the options that have been talked about or considered' — an apparent reference to military action.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

We are NATO partners with Denmark, and so our full partnership stands.... Our obligations on Article 5, Article 2 of NATO stand, and we stand full-square behind those. -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, laying down the law to U.S. bully Donald Trump ~~~ 

~~~ Elena Giordano of Politico: “Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned Friday that a decision on who owns Greenland doesn't belong to .... Donald Trump. 'The future of Greenland is a decision for Greenland and for the Kingdom of Denmark,' Carney told journalists at a press conference in Beijing following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Carney urged NATO allies including the U.S. to 'respect their commitments' as he stressed Canada’s support for Danish sovereignty over the strategically vital Arctic island, which Trump has threatened to seize.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Ken Moritsugu & Rob Gillies of the AP: “Breaking with the United States, Canada has agreed to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday. Carney made the announcement after two days of meetings with Chinese leaders. He said there would be an initial annual cap of 49,000 vehicles on Chinese EV exports coming into Canada at a tariff rate of 6.1%, growing to about 70,000 over five years. China will reduce its total tariff on canola seeds, a major Canadian export, from 84% to about 15%, he told reporters. 'Our relationship has progressed in recent months with China. It is more predictable and you see results coming from that,' Carney said. Carney hasn’t been able to reach a deal with ... Donald Trump to reduce some tariffs that are punishing some key sectors of the Canadian economy and Trump has previously talked about making Canada the 51st state.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Ashleigh Fields of the Hill: “Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said Friday Americans would be hurt by a trade deal between China and Canada as foreign nations seek new trade partners amid the Trump administration’s tariff wars. 'We just got absolutely rolled in this Canada – China deal. A stark foreign policy failure with domestic economic consequences,' Schatz wrote in a post on social platform X. 'The most basic principle in politics and geopolitics is loyalty to friends. And we weren’t just disloyal – we were hostile. So here we are,' he added.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

Minho Kim & Ashley Wu of the New York Times: “Even by the standards of an institution that has set records for dysfunction in recent years, the Republican-led Congress in 2025 hit new lows for productivity. Plagued by a razor-thin majority, intraparty divisions and a fear of doing anything that might draw ... [Donald] Trump’s ire, Speaker Mike Johnson toiled to keep the House running. He left the chamber out of session for a nearly eight-week period that coincided with the longest government shutdown in history. He maneuvered to avoid politically difficult votes..., ultimately prompting his own rank-and-file to team with Democrats to go around him and force action. And he presided over a free-for-all of censures and reprimands.... Fed up with the toxicity and inertia, some Republicans, including once-loyal Trump allies like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, headed for the exits, diminishing the majority’s already thin voting margin. A look at some key metrics illustrates the cost and scale of the dysfunction.”

Marie: Well, people at CBS News are speaking up: ~~~

~~~ Annals of “Journalism,” Ctd. Justin Baragona of the Independent: “During his November return to 60 Minutes, the iconic news show he had accused of election interference just a year prior, Donald Trump heaped praise on the 'great new leader' who had just been put in charge of CBS News. 'I don't know her, but I hear she's a great person,' the president gushed about Bari Weiss, the 'anti-woke' founder of the neoconservative site The Free Press and recently installed editor-in-chief of the network. Moments after the president lauded Weiss..., correspondent Norah O’Donnell wrapped up the interview and thanked Trump for his time.... Unbeknownst to Trump..., Weiss was actually on location for the interview and quickly approached the president to introduce herself. 'He was so happy to see her and she was so excited to meet him, they both leaned in and exchanged kisses on the cheek,' one source said.... Several people in the room were shocked by the exchange, and ... O’Donnell’s 'jaw dropped' over the friendly embrace between the network’s top editor and the commander-in-chief. 'I’m still kind of stunned by this,' a CBS News reporter said. 'It reeks of elitism.'” (Also linked yesterday.)

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Virginia. Gregory Schneider of the Washington Post: “Abigail Davis Spanberger, a former Democratic member of Congress and undercover operative for the CIA, is set to become Virginia’s 75th governor Saturday as the first woman chosen to lead a state that waited until 1952 to ratify the federal amendment giving women the right to vote. Spanberger, 46, won a 15-point victory last fall after promising to address the rising consumer costs, job insecurity and lack of access to health care that she blamed on policies enacted in Washington and by the Republican administration of ... Donald Trump.” ~~~

~~~ Get Out! Michael Schmidt & Stephanie Saul of the New York Times: “The head of the board overseeing the University of Virginia and two other top board members, including a major donor to the school, resigned on Friday under pressure from the state’s incoming Democratic governor.... The resignations came after the new governor, Abigail Spanberger, asked at least five members of the board to step aside as she takes office on Saturday. Ms. Spanberger has not said why she asked the board members to resign, but they were all involved last year when the Justice Department, in an extraordinary use of its power, bullied the university’s president into resigning. After Ms. Spanberger was elected in November, she asked the board to delay naming a replacement, but it went ahead and appointed a new president anyway. Those who submitted resignations on Friday were Rachel Sheridan, the head of the board, known at the University of Virginia as the rector; Porter Wilkinson, the vice rector; and Paul Manning, a board member and major donor who gave $100 million to the university just a few years ago, according to the letters.”