Donald Trump is demanding that the House of Representatives votes on the debt ceiling extension (or abolition) “NOW” so that any congressional battle falls within the remit of Joe Biden’s presidency and not his own.
The president-elect said on Sunday that the 2023 debt ceiling extension agreed by ex-House speaker Kevin McCarthy and Biden will “go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years”.
Under the deal, the debt ceiling was suspended until January 1 2025, although the Treasury will be able to pay its bills for several months after that.
Congress needs to address the issue by June.
Without the 2023 deal, the US would have defaulted on its obligations, rocking financial markets worldwide and likely leading to a downgrade of the nation’s credit rating.
Meanwhile, Trump hailed the H-1B visa program for skilled workers as “great” claiming to have always been in favor of it.
Speaking to The New York Post, the president-elect sided with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy after they both defended the need for hiring skilled workers from overseas, putting them at odds with MAGA’s “America First” hardliners, including Steve Bannon, who want stricter immigration control.
Key Points
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Donald Trump pays tribute to ‘truly good man’ Jimmy Carter after creating fresh problems for speaker
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Joe Biden suggests Trump could learn ‘decency’ from Carter
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President-elect sides with Elon Musk in MAGA immigration feud over H-1B visas for skilled workers
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Fox News hosts tip toe through MAGA visa feud minefield
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Trump’s former national security adviser uses climate change to justify Greenland interest
Steve Bannon says Elon Musk would ‘take a check from Adolf Hitler’
13:10 , Joe Sommerlad
Three weeks before Trump returns to the White House, his allies are already talking about each other like this, which does not bode well for the prospect of a smooth and harmonious four years in office.
Right before Christmas, Elon was feuding with House speaker Mike Johnson over congressional spending bills and almost driving the government into shutdown.
Immediately after the holiday, he’s brawling with Bannon in the MAGA heartlands.
Voices: Trump terrors? Here’s how to survive his second term in the White House
12:40 , Joe Sommerlad
Our own Will Gore writes:
“In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the year of the snake. Rather fittingly, it is also the year that Donald Trump will slither his way back into the White House (which may prove venomous for the whole world).
“Since the US election result was called, back in November, there has not been the same sense of profound shock that accompanied Trump’s first presidential win. Then, it seemed impossible that a man with no political experience – and who seemed so patently objectionable on almost every level – could win the White House. This time, for all the late hope that Kamala Harris brought to the Democratic Party ticket, a Trump win felt inevitable.
“If you are a progressively-minded individual living in the US, there is an immediate and visceral materiality to deal with, as ‘The Donald’s’ inauguration approaches. For those of us living across the pond, the thought of Trump in the presidential hotseat may not be less gruesome, but its impact is not quite so direct. Either way, how should we best handle the nagging fear of what might be to come?”
Read on below for the answer.
Trump terrors? Here’s how to survive his second term
CNN commentator insists Biden will ‘leave office in disgrace’
12:10 , Joe Sommerlad
Conservative Scott Jennings joined Dana Bash’s panel discussion on State of the Union yesterday to discuss the outgoing president’s legacy and did not mince his words as he attacked fellow contributor Karen Finney for suggesting Biden’s health had held him back during his tenure in the White House.
“I think he’s gonna leave office in disgrace,” Jennings declared.
“The Hunter Biden pardon was disgraceful.
“He’s going to be remembered largely for inflation and for the disastrous Afghanistan pullout.”
Jennings alleged that Biden’s staff had covered up the decline in his cognitive function ahead of the 2024 presidential election and “for all four years.”
“I think it’s going to be a really ugly chapter,” he said.
“It’s a diminished presidency because of it.
“I think we still don’t know the full extent of what they did to try to hide what they’ve been doing over in the West Wing.”
Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and thinks he could’ve won
11:40 , Joe Sommerlad
Speaking of Joe Biden, he still regrets pulling out of the 2024 presidential race and believes he could have beaten Donald Trump to the White House, according to The Washington Post.
The outgoing president backed out of the race over the summer following a disastrous first debate against his Republican rival, low approval numbers and dwindling donations.
But Biden recently told people that despite the issues his campaign faced he is confident he could have defeated Trump in November.
Graeme Massie reports.
Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and believes he could have beaten Trump
Biden suggests Trump could learn ‘decency, decency, decency’ from Carter
11:10 , Joe Sommerlad
The outgoing president interrupted his Christmas vacation in the US Virgin Islands last night to deliver a press conference on the passing of Jimmy Carter at 100 years of age, taking the opportunity to pay tribute to a widely-admired figure and reflect on the friendship he and Jill enjoyed with Carter and his wife Rosalynn over many years.
“Is there anything President Trump could take from President Carter?” a reporter asked Biden at one stage.
“Decency,” came the answer. “Decency. Decency.”
“Can you imagine Jimmy Carter referring to someone by the way they look or the way they talk? I can’t. I can’t,” the president continued, clearly alluding to Trump.
Here’s a selection of his choicest remarks on Carter:
Trump’s former national security adviser uses climate change to justify president-elect’s Greenland interest
10:40 , Joe Sommerlad
Robert O’Brien, one of Trump’s national security advisers during his first term, appeared on Sunday Morning Futures on Fox News yesterday to explain the rationale for the president-elect’s revived interest in acquiring Greenland, an idea he entertained last time out only to be rebuffed by Danish PM Mette Frederiksen.
O’Brien argued that Denmark now finds itelf on the frontline of the global confrontation with Russia, given the strategic importance of its Arctic territory.
He went on to suggest that Greenland could become a part of Alaska if it were to be sold to the US.
One reason for Greenland’s increasingly important strategic location, O’Brien argues, rather unexpectedly, is climate change – not usually strong subject for an incoming Trump administration.
Fox News hosts tip toe through MAGA visa feud minefield
10:10 , Joe Sommerlad
The co-hosts of Fox & Friends Weekend were faced with a tricky job yesterday morning – navigating the feud that has broken out amongst supporters of Donald Trump over H-1B visas for highly skilled immigrants, which escalated significantly on Saturday.
As we’ve just seen, “America First” acolytes on the far-right want stricter, more draconian immigration measures applied to both illegal and legal migrants when Trump takes office in January.
Among the loudest voices pushing their argument are those of far-right activist Laura Loomer and ex-Trump strategist Steve Bannon.
In contrast, the Silicon Valley “tech bro” contingent led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy wants better legal immigration routes, like the H-1B program, to fill skills gaps in key sectors such as engineering, science and technology.
All of which left Fox anchors Will Cain, Rachel Campos-Duffy and Charlie Hurt with a dilemma on their hands.
Oliver O’Connell reports on their handling of it.
Fox News admits that Trump’s take on H-1B visas ‘left a lot of people confused’
Trump sides with Elon Musk in MAGA immigration feud over H-1B visas for skilled workers
09:40 , Joe Sommerlad
Donald Trump has sided with Elon Musk in the feud over H-1B skilled worker visas that has split the American political right over the past few days.
Speaking by phone with The New York Post over the weekend, the president-elect said: “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them.”
He added: “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”
Trump had previously remained silent on the issue which has led to furious exchanges online between leading MAGA acolytes.
In his first administration from 2017 to 2021, the 45th president signed an executive order to restrict access to such visas and has been critical of the program in the past, calling it “very bad” for Americans.
While Trump-supporting tech leaders such as X-owner Musk have stressed that H-1B visas are critical to finding skilled workers, “America First” hardliners want a new Trump administration to impose tougher restrictions on immigration at all levels.
Here’s more from Oliver O’Connell.
Trump sides with Elon Musk in Maga immigration feud over visas for skilled workers
Trump pays tribute to ‘truly good man’ Jimmy Carter after creating fresh problems for House speaker with debt ceiling demand
09:10 , Joe Sommerlad
Good morning!
Here’s the latest From The Desk of Donald, which finds him paying tribute to the thoroughly decent 39th president of the United States on Truth Social – while stressing that they had nothing in common either politically or personally – after giving Mike Johnson a fresh headache even before New Year’s Day dawns.
The president-elect is demanding that the House of Representatives votes on the debt ceiling extension (or abolition) “NOW” so that any congressional battle falls within the remit of Joe Biden’s presidency and not his own.
Trump declares in his post that the 2023 debt ceiling extension agreed by ex-House speaker Kevin McCarthy and Biden will “go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years”.
Under the deal, the debt ceiling was suspended until January 1 2025, though the Treasury will be able to pay its bills for several months after that.
Congress needs to address the issue by June.
Without the 2023 deal, the US would have defaulted on its obligations, rocking financial markets worldwide and likely leading to a downgrade of the nation’s credit rating.
Trump attacks ‘dumbest’ 2023 debt limit extension
08:15 , Reuters
President-elect Donald Trump attends Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 22, 2024 (REUTERS)
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday the 2023 debt ceiling extension agreed by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden will “go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.”
Under the 2023 budget deal, Congress suspended the debt ceiling until Jan. 1, 2025. The U.S. Treasury will be able to pay its bills for several months beyond that deadline, but Congress will have to address the issue, possibly around mid-year.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “The extension of the Debt Ceiling by a previous Speaker of the House, a good man and a friend of mine … will go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.”
He added, “The Democrats must be forced to take a vote on this treacherous issue NOW, during the Biden Administration, and not in June. They should be blamed for this potential disaster, not the Republicans!”
Republicans, however, will control both chambers of Congress beginning on Jan. 3 and at least some of the party’s lawmakers would have to go along with a debt limit increase or elimination in order for it to become law.
Without the 2023 debt limit increase, the United States would have seen a historic default on its debt payments that would have roiled financial markets worldwide.
A debt default would also likely have brought a downgrade in the U.S. credit rating, raising borrowing costs for businesses and individuals.
At the time, several far-right Republicans in the House of Representatives had pushed for deeper federal spending cuts as a condition for raising the debt limit than what had been negotiated.
About a week ago, with U.S. government discretionary funding due to expire on Dec. 20, Trump, encouraged by billionaire Elon Musk, demanded the debt limit either be eliminated or extended, possibly to 2029 when his presidency would end.
That idea was tacked onto an extension of government funding into March, but it was quickly voted down by a coalition of House Democrats and hard-right Republicans, many of whom represent districts in Trump-leaning states.
A government-funding bill without a debt-limit provision was then enacted into law.
Reuters
Trump joins tributes to Jimmy Carter, who passed away aged 100
07:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Washington joined in mourning on Sunday after news of former President Jimmy Carter’s death was announced by Chip Carter, his son.
The nation’s 39th president was renowned for his commitment to public service in the years after his exit from political life, and earned a strong reputation for helping America’s neediest families in his post-presidential years. After news of his passing was reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tributes began to swiftly pour in for the 100-year-old statesman.
John Bowden reports.
Lawmakers pay tribute to ‘public servant’ Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100
ICYMI: Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Musk after he tells X user to ‘f*** yourself’ amid visa feud
05:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Steve Bannon joined the MAGA immigration civil war with gusto on Friday, calling Elon Musk a “toddler,” and telling the owner of X to “bring it.”
As Musk doubled down on his support for H-1B work visas and criticism of American workers, Bannon posted on the social media platform Gettr: “Someone please notify ‘Child Protective Services’— need to do a ‘wellness check’ on this toddler.”
The former Trump adviser and War Room podcast host made the post in reaction to Musk telling a critic of his stance on immigration to “f*** yourself in the face.”
Read on…
Steve Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Elon Musk after he tells as MAGA visa war escalates
Trump’s H-1B take ‘left a lot of people confused’ says Fox host
04:45 , Oliver O’Connell
The co-hosts of Fox & Friends Weekend were faced with a tricky job on Sunday morning — navigating the feud that has broken out amongst supporters of President-elect Donald Trump over H-1B visas for highly skilled immigrants, which significantly escalated on Saturday.
Here’s how they handled it.
Fox News admits that Trump’s take on H-1B visas ‘left a lot of people confused’
Musk backs German far-right party in editorial as paper’s opinion editor resigns
04:00 , AP
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest.
Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy.
Musk’s backing of far-right German party sparks backlash and resignation at paper
Sununu claims Musk is too rich to have any conflicts of interest in government
03:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Elon Musk is too rich to care about making more money, a GOP governor claimed during an interview on Sunday.
Chris Sununu made the bold assertion on CNN’s State of the Union as he sat down for an interview with co-host Dana Bash. The New Hampshire Republican is one of the few holdouts in his party who remain in office without fully embracing the MAGA brand — though Sununu has been far more deferential than others like him.
John Bowden reports from Washington, D.C.
GOP governor claims Elon Musk is too rich to have any conflicts of interest
Sununu claims Trump has not permanently changed party
01:45 , Oliver O’Connell
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said he does not think President-elect Donald Trump has permanently changed the GOP.
Sununu, a moderate Republican, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday morning that he does not imagine someone will take Trump’s place as leader of the GOP after his term is over.
“Trump is Trump. There’s no ‘Trump-lite.’ There’s no ‘Trump 2.0’ coming up,” he said. “I always say that Trump is who he is because he’s built up himself in the American psyche for 40 years. I mean, really since the 80s.”
When asked by CNN’s Dana Bash if he thinks Trump has permanently changed the party, Sununu replied, “Oh, no. Oh, definitely not.”
Andrea Cavallier has the story.
GOP senator claims Trump has not permanently changed party: ‘There is no Trump-lite’
Report: Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and thinks he could’ve won
01:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Joe Biden still regrets pulling out of the 2024 presidential race and believes he could have beaten Donald Trump for the White House, according to a report.
The outgoing president backed out of the race over the summer following a disastrous first debate against his Republican rival, low approval numbers, and dwindling donations.
But Biden recently told people that despite the issues his campaign faced he is confident he could have defeated Trump in November, sources familiar with the conversations told The Washington Post.
Graeme Massie reports.
Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and believes he could have beaten Trump
Trump attacks ‘dumbest’ 2023 debt limit extension
00:41 , Reuters
President-elect Donald Trump attends Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 22, 2024 (REUTERS)
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday the 2023 debt ceiling extension agreed by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden will “go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.”
Under the 2023 budget deal, Congress suspended the debt ceiling until Jan. 1, 2025. The U.S. Treasury will be able to pay its bills for several months beyond that deadline, but Congress will have to address the issue, possibly around mid-year.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “The extension of the Debt Ceiling by a previous Speaker of the House, a good man and a friend of mine … will go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.”
He added, “The Democrats must be forced to take a vote on this treacherous issue NOW, during the Biden Administration, and not in June. They should be blamed for this potential disaster, not the Republicans!”
Republicans, however, will control both chambers of Congress beginning on Jan. 3 and at least some of the party’s lawmakers would have to go along with a debt limit increase or elimination in order for it to become law.
Without the 2023 debt limit increase, the United States would have seen a historic default on its debt payments that would have roiled financial markets worldwide.
A debt default would also likely have brought a downgrade in the U.S. credit rating, raising borrowing costs for businesses and individuals.
At the time, several far-right Republicans in the House of Representatives had pushed for deeper federal spending cuts as a condition for raising the debt limit than what had been negotiated.
About a week ago, with U.S. government discretionary funding due to expire on Dec. 20, Trump, encouraged by billionaire Elon Musk, demanded the debt limit either be eliminated or extended, possibly to 2029 when his presidency would end.
That idea was tacked onto an extension of government funding into March, but it was quickly voted down by a coalition of House Democrats and hard-right Republicans, many of whom represent districts in Trump-leaning states.
A government-funding bill without a debt-limit provision was then enacted into law.
Reuters
Yellen warns Congress ‘extraordinary measures’ will be needed to stop US hitting debt limit
00:30 , AP
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon.
“Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23,” Yellen wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation’s debt ceiling — which has been suspended until Jan. 1, 2025.
Continue reading…
Janet Yellen issues warning to Congress as US nears debt limit
Trump joins tributes to Jimmy Carter, who passed away today
00:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Washington joined in mourning on Sunday after news of former President Jimmy Carter’s death was announced by Chip Carter, his son.
The nation’s 39th president was renowned for his committment to public service in the years after his exit from political life, and earned a strong reputation for helping America’s neediest families in his post-presidential years. After news of his passing was reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tributes began to swiftly pour in for the 100-year-old statesman.
John Bowden reports.
Washington pays tribute to ‘public servant’ Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100
Trump demands Democrats be forced to vote on debt ceiling issue ‘NOW’ — not when he’s president
Sunday 29 December 2024 23:30 , Oliver O’Connell
While Washington is focused on honoring former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away today, after offering his own tribute, Donald Trump has taken to Truth Social to talk about the debt ceiling.
The President-elect wants House Democrats to be forced to vote on the debt ceiling while President Joe Biden is still in office and not when he is in the White House in June.
He also said the decision to push the vote into June by the former speaker, whom he calls “a good man and a friend of mine” was “one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.”
Here’s what he wrote on Truth Social in full:
The extension of the Debt Ceiling by a previous Speaker of the House, a good man and a friend of mine, from this past September of the Biden Administration, to June of the Trump Administration, will go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years. There was no reason to do it – NOTHING WAS GAINED, and we got nothing for it – A major reason why that Speakership was lost. It was Biden’s problem, not ours. Now it becomes ours. I call it “1929” because the Democrats don’t care what our Country may be forced into. In fact, they would prefer “Depression” as long as it hurt the Republican Party. The Democrats must be forced to take a vote on this treacherous issue NOW, during the Biden Administration, and not in June. They should be blamed for this potential disaster, not the Republicans!
ICYMI: Trump shares bizarre Truth Social post claiming Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago
Sunday 29 December 2024 23:10 , Oliver O’Connell
As tensions flare between Elon Musk and Trump’s MAGA allies, President-elect Donald Trump posted what appeared to be a personal message to Musk on Truth Social, claiming that fellow billionaire Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago.
In an early morning post on Friday, Trump suggested the Microsoft co-founder had asked to come to Mar-a-Lago. The 78-year-old Republican encouraged him to visit.
Kelly Rissman has the story of the post that looked like a direct message…
Trump claims Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago in bizarre Truth Social post
Panamanian president dismisses Trump’s ‘nonsense’ claims China controls Panama Canal
Sunday 29 December 2024 22:40 , Oliver O’Connell
President José Raúl Mulino of Panama brushed off U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s baseless claim that Chinese soldiers are “operating the Panama Canal,” calling it “nonsense.”
In a Christmas Day message on Truth Social, Trump sarcastically wished a merry Christmas to “the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal” and “making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about anything.”
He then claimed the Panamanian government is “ripping off” the United States at the Panama Canal.
Ariana Baio reports.
‘Nonsense’: Panamanian president dismisses Trump claims China controls Panama Canal
Musk says ‘hateful unrepentant racists’ must be removed from GOP
Sunday 29 December 2024 22:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Elon Musk has declared that “hateful, unrepentant racists” should be removed from the Republican Party “root and stem” as the in-party feud over H-1B visas intensifies.
Conversations around H-1B visas have divided Donald Trump’s party, with his Department of Government Efficiency heads Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy on one side and other allies like Laura Loomer on the other. The Space X founder escalated the feud on Friday night when he called for some “contemptible fools” in the GOP to be removed.
Musk made the statement in response to a post on X by Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council.
Kelly Rissman has the details.
Musk says ‘hateful unrepentant racists’ must be removed from GOP as visa feud deepens
‘We all owe him a debt of gratitude’: Trump pays tribute to Carter
Sunday 29 December 2024 22:09 , Oliver O’Connell
President-elect Donald Trump has paid tribute to former President Jimmy Carter saying that Americans “owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Here’s the full statement posted on Truth Social:
I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History.
The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.
Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.
Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Musk after he tells X user to ‘f*** yourself’ over visa bust-up
Sunday 29 December 2024 21:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Steve Bannon joined the MAGA immigration civil war with gusto on Friday, calling Elon Musk a “toddler,” and telling the owner of X to “bring it.”
As Musk doubled down on his support for H-1B work visas and criticism of American workers, Bannon posted on the social media platform Gettr: “Someone please notify ‘Child Protective Services’— need to do a ‘wellness check’ on this toddler.”
The former Trump adviser and War Room podcast host made the post in reaction to Musk telling a critic of his stance on immigration to “f*** yourself in the face.”
Read on…
Steve Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Elon Musk after he tells as MAGA visa war escalates
BREAKING: Former president Jimmy Carter dies, aged 100
Sunday 29 December 2024 21:21 , Oliver O’Connell
James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr, a naval officer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and peanut farm operator who became governor of Georgia and later the 39th president of the United States, has died.
Carter, who was the longest-living former American president, died on Sunday, December 29, his son announced.
He served as president for one term from 1977 to 1981, but is just as well-known for his humanitarian service after leaving Washington, DC, working for Habitat for Humanity and negotiating peace deals.
Follow here for the latest updates:
Jimmy Carter death updates: 39th US president dies aged 100
Democrat congressman calls for decriminalizing sex work
Sunday 29 December 2024 21:10 , Oliver O’Connell
A Democratic congressman is calling for the U.S. to decriminalize sex work nationwide in response to damning findings released by the House Ethics Committee about Matt Gaetz.
Shri Thanedar of Illinois wrote in a Twitter post on Thursday that sex workers should be able to come to law enforcement when they are victims of abuse, adding that decriminalizing sex work would aid in efforts to prevent children from being trafficked and otherwise exploited.
John Bowden reports.
Democrat congressman calls for decriminalizing sex work after House report on Gaetz
North Korea’s Kim vows the toughest anti-US policy before Trump takes office
Sunday 29 December 2024 20:55 , Oliver O’Connell
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to implement the “toughest” anti-U.S. policy, state media reported Sunday, less than a month before Donald Trump takes office as U.S. president.
Trump’s return to the White House raises prospects for high-profile diplomacy with North Korea. During his first term, Trump met Kim three times for talks on the North’s nuclear program. Many experts however say a quick resumption of Kim-Trump summitry is unlikely as Trump would first focus on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. North Korea’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine also poses a challenge to efforts to revive diplomacy, experts say.
During a five-day plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party that ended Friday, Kim called the U.S. “the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its invariable state policy.” Kim said that the U.S.-South Korea-Japan security partnership is expanding into “a nuclear military bloc for aggression.”
“This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how,” Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
It said Kim’s speech “clarified the strategy for the toughest anti-U.S. counteraction to be launched aggressively” by North Korea for its long-term national interests and security.
KCNA didn’t elaborate on the anti-U.S. strategy. But it said Kim set forth tasks to bolster military capability through defense technology advancements and stressed the need to improve the mental toughness of North Korean soldiers.
The previous meetings between Trump and Kim had not only put an end to their exchanges of fiery rhetoric and threats of destruction, but they developed personal connections. Trump once famously said he and Kim “fell in love.” But their talks eventually collapsed in 2019, as they wrangled over U.S.-led sanctions on the North.
‘There is no Trump-lite’: GOP governor claims Trump has not permanently changed party
Sunday 29 December 2024 20:40 , Oliver O’Connell
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said he does not think President-elect Donald Trump has permanently changed the GOP.
Sununu, a moderate Republican, said on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning that he does not imagine someone will take Trump’s place as leader of the GOP after his term is over.
“Trump is Trump. There’s no ‘Trump-lite.’ There’s no ‘Trump 2.0’ coming up,” he said. “I always say that Trump is who he is because he’s built up himself in the American psyche for 40 years. I mean, really since the 80s.”
Andrea Cavallier has the story.
GOP senator claims Trump has not permanently changed party: ‘There is no Trump-lite’
‘A lot of people confused’ by Trump’s take on H-1B visas, says Fox host
Sunday 29 December 2024 20:25 , Oliver O’Connell
The co-hosts of Fox & Friends Weekend were faced with a tricky job on Sunday morning — navigating the feud that has broken out amongst supporters of President-elect Donald Trump over H-1B visas for highly skilled immigrants, which significantly escalated on Saturday.
Read on…
Fox News admits that Trump’s take on H-1B visas ‘left a lot of people confused’
I covered the UK and US elections in 2024 – here are the key similarities every voter should know
Sunday 29 December 2024 20:10 , Alicja Hagopian
It’s been well publicised that 2024 was a big year for elections, with billions of people in at least 60 countries going to the polls.
The year started with votes in the world’s largest country, India, and is ending in the wake of an annulled election in Romania over accusations of Russian interference.
As a data correspondent, I spent most of this year covering what were arguably the two most influential polls: the UK general election in July, and the US presidential election in November.
From an outside glance, the two electoral events had little in common; not least because Sir Keir Starmer and President-elect Donald Trump are far apart in most aspects of their character.
In the UK, Labour won by a landslide; a majority of 156 seats, and a 10 per cent majority in national vote share. In the US, Trump dominated the electoral college, but in the end won just a 1.6 per cent national majority over Kamala Harris.
In both cases, the incumbent government was voted out, in no uncertain terms.
Indeed, these elections shared some key similarities which may point to trends in the future of global politics, particularly in the digital age.
Continue reading…
I covered UK and US elections in 2024: here are the similarities voters should know
Watch: Johnson won’t be speaker by end of 2025, CBS correspondent predicts
Sunday 29 December 2024 19:55 , Oliver O’Connell
Sununu claims Musk is too rich to have any conflicts of interest in government
Sunday 29 December 2024 19:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Elon Musk is too rich to care about making more money, a GOP governor claimed during an interview on Sunday.
Chris Sununu made the bold assertion on CNN’s State of the Union as he sat down for an interview with co-host Dana Bash. The New Hampshire Republican is one of the few holdouts in his party who remain in office without fully embracing the MAGA brand — though Sununu has been far more deferential than others like him.
John Bowden reports from Washington, D.C.
GOP governor claims Elon Musk is too rich to have any conflicts of interest
Watch: 2025 will be ‘governing by crisis’, says Costa
Sunday 29 December 2024 19:25 , Oliver O’Connell
Report: Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and believes he could have beaten Trump
Sunday 29 December 2024 19:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Joe Biden still regrets pulling out of the 2024 presidential race and believes he could have beaten Donald Trump for the White House, according to a report.
The outgoing president backed out of the race over the summer following a disastrous first debate against his Republican rival, low approval numbers, and dwindling donations.
But Biden recently told people that despite the issues his campaign faced he is confident he could have defeated Trump in November, sources familiar with the conversations told The Washington Post.
Graeme Massie reports.
Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and believes he could have beaten Trump
Watch: Challenging environment will see spike in D.C. retirements in 2025
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:55 , Oliver O’Connell
COMMENT: Trump terrors? Here’s how to survive his second term in the White House
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Will Gore writes:
In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the year of the snake. Rather fittingly, it is also the year that Donald Trump will slither his way back into the White House (which may prove venomous for the whole world).
Since the US election result was called, back in November, there has not been the same sense of profound shock that accompanied Trump’s first presidential win. Then, it seemed impossible that a man with no political experience – and who seemed so patently objectionable on almost every level – could win the White House. This time, for all the late hope that Kamala Harris brought to the Democratic Party ticket, a Trump win felt inevitable.
If you are a progressively-minded individual living in the US, there is an immediate and visceral materiality to deal with, as “The Donald’s” inauguration approaches. For those of us living across the pond, the thought of Trump in the presidential hotseat may not be less gruesome, but its impact is not quite so direct. Either way, how should we best handle the nagging fear of what might be to come?
Continue reading…
Trump terrors? Here’s how to survive his second term
Bannon tells Fox News to choose a side in MAGA immigration feud
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:26 , Oliver O’Connell
Steve Bannon railed against Fox News this morning following the efforts of the Fox & Friends Weekend co-hosts to “tip-toe” through the minefield that is legal immigration in MAGA world amid the feud that erupted this week.
Reposting Mediaite’s report on the segment, the former Trump adviser wrote on Gettr: “Stop with the ‘Tip-Toe’…”
“Choose a Side: Either Stand with American Citizen Workers or with Globalist Elitist Tech Oligarchs Who Feast on Foreign Indentured Servants …Simple.”
Fox News hosts ‘tip toe’ through MAGA visa feud minefield
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:18 , Oliver O’Connell
Over on Fox News this morning, the co-hosts of Fox & Friends Weekend were faced with the tricky job of navigating the feud that has broken out in MAGA world over H-1B visas for highly skilled immigrants.
“America First” acolytes on the far-right want strict draconian immigration measures when Donald Trump takes office in January for both illegal and legal migrants.
In contrast, the Silicon Valley “tech bro” contingent led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy that backed his election wants better legal immigration routes such as the H-1B program to fill skills gaps.
Yesterday afternoon, President-elect Donald Trump came out in support of Musk and the latter option.
Per Mediaite:
Rachel Campos-Duffy claimed that Trump coming out in favor of the H-1B visa program on Saturday when he had previously been against it, “left a lot of people confused”.
Charlie Hurt remarked, “The idea of having a program that allows an Elon Musk to come into the country, I don’t think anybody has a problem with that, and certainly Donald Trump doesn’t have a problem with that. The problem with the program is that it’s been so abused and turned into a system where it is designed for big tech employers to get, maybe not cheap labor, but cheaper labor.”
Later in the segment, Will Cain attempted to put a human face on the issue by adding, “We’re not an algorithm. We’re not a company. We are a country. We’re a nation. We are a people. And that purpose of that nation is to serve Americans.”
Campos-Duffy then suggested that tech CEOs such as Musk might have to pay American tech workers a more attractive wage and pay themselves a little less…
If you limit those visas and only bring in the Elon Musks and the really exceptional people, what you’re going to see is that there’s a tighter market and the wages will have to be — you’ll have to pay wages that young math students like my son-in-law, who is married and has to support a family, would want to be part of. And that may mean, guys, guess what? Fox News alert! It may mean that big tech bosses make a little less money and they have to pay their workers a little better. I think all of us would be okay with that.
She added that the federal government should invest in educational opportunities in underserved communities to train the next generation to take the jobs currently being filled by skilled immigrants.
Trump sides with Elon Musk in MAGA immigration feud over H-1B visas
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:10 , Andrew Georgeson
Donald Trump has sided with Elon Musk in the feud over H-1B skilled worker visas that has split the American political right over the past few days.
Speaking by phone with The New York Post on Saturday, the president-elect said: “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them.”
He added: “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”
Read on…
Trump sides with Elon Musk in MAGA immigration feud over visas for skilled workers
Watch: GOP Rep. Lawler agrees with Trump and Musk — H-1B visas have been beneficial to economy
Sunday 29 December 2024 17:55 , Oliver O’Connell
“We need immigration … we need a system focused on our economic needs.”
