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Trump is picking up fights with America's own allies (Canada and Europe).
Maybe he thinks it is like a reality TV show.
Maybe he thinks it is like a reality TV show.
-
Contact the PP Team
Donald Trump wins the election to become the 47th President of the United States, securing his second term in office [Post Updated #199]
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He is also openly calling out Bangladesh for mistreating minorities. Looks like he is doing all the right thing and not thinking about being politically correct.
#ThatsMyPresident
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Trump's Greenland rhetoric destabilising, says Lammy
Foreign secretary David Lammy has played down US president-elect Donald Trump's threats to acquire Greenland.
The Arctic territory is controlled by Denmark but is also home to a US military base and also has oil drilling and mineral mining potential.
Trump has refused to rule out using military or economic force to take over the territory in recent days and has repeatedly raised the issue since his first term as president.
Lammy told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Trump's words did not always match his actions.
The latest row erupted after the president-elect's son, Donald Trump Jr, visited Greenland's capital, Nuuk.
In response, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish TV that "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders" and that only the local population could determine its future.
Greenland is an autonomous territory, with its own prime minister, but foreign policy is decided in cooperation with Denmark as it remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
The King of Denmark also changed the royal coat of arms to more prominently feature Greenland this week, in what has been interpreted by some as a rebuke to Trump.
Germany and France have also weighed in to the row with strong statements in support of the sovereign borders of their fellow European Union and Nato member Denmark.
Asked whether the US should be allowed to buy Greenland, Mr Lammy said: "I think that we know from Donald Trump's first term is that the intensity of his rhetoric and the unpredictability sometimes of what he said can be destabilising.
"He did it with Nato. But in fact, in practice, he sent more troops to Europe under his administration."
Lammy went on to say he was "sure" Trump recognises Greenland as a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, adding "I suspect on Greenland what he's targeting is his concerns about Russia and China in the Arctic, his concerns about national economic security".
Asked how the UK would respond if the United States attempted to take Greenland by force, the foreign secretary said "It's not going to happen. No NATO allies have gone to war".
Lammy: Trump's rhetoric on Greenland destabilising
Trump has refused to rule out using military or economic force to take over the territory in recent days.
www.bbc.com
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Danes struggle with response to Trump Greenland threat
Copenhagen's gloomy January weather matches the mood among Denmark's politicians and business leaders.
"We take this situation very, very seriously," said Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen of Donald Trump's threats to acquire Greenland – and punish Denmark with high tariffs if it stands in the way.
But, he added, the government had "no ambition whatsoever to escalate some war of words."
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen downplayed Trump's own suggestion that the US might use military force to seize Greenland. "I don't have the fantasy to imagine that it'll ever get to that," she told Danish TV.
And Lars Sandahl Sorensen, CEO of Danish Industry, also said there was "every reason to stay calm... no-one has any interest in a trade war."
But behind the scenes, hastily organised high-level meetings have been taking place in Copenhagen all week, a reflection of the shock caused by Trump's remarks.
Greenland PM Mute Egede flew in to meet both the prime minister and King Frederik X on Wednesday.
And on Thursday night, party leaders from across the political spectrum gathered for an extraordinary meeting on the crisis with Mette Frederiksen in Denmark's parliament.
Faced with what many in Denmark are calling Trump's "provocation," Frederiksen has broadly attempted to strike a conciliatory tone, repeatedly referring to the US as "Denmark's closest partner".
It was "only natural" that the US was preoccupied by the Arctic and Greenland, she added.
Yet she also said that any decision on Greenland's future should be up to its people alone: "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders... and it's the Greenlanders themselves who have to define their future."
Her cautious approach is twofold.
On the one hand, Frederiksen is keen to avoid escalating the situation. She's been burned before, in 2019, when Trump cancelled a trip to Denmark after she said his proposal to buy Greenland was "absurd".
"Back then he only had one more year in office, then things went back to normal," veteran political journalist Erik Holstein told the BBC . "But maybe this is the new normal."
But Frederiksen's comments also speak to the Danish resolve not to meddle in the internal affairs of Greenland – an autonomous territory with its own parliament and whose population is increasingly leaning towards independence.
"She should've been much clearer in rejecting the idea," said opposition MP Rasmus Jarlov.
"This level of disrespect from the coming US president towards very, very loyal allies and friends is record-setting," he told the BBC, although he admitted Trump's forcefulness had "surprised everybody."
The conservative MP believed Frederiksen's insistence that "only Greenland... can decide and define Greenland's future" placed too much pressure on the island's inhabitants. "It would've been prudent and clever to stand behind Greenland and just clearly state that Denmark doesn't want [a US takeover]."
The Greenland question is a delicate one for Denmark, whose prime minister officially apologised only recently for spearheading a 1950s social experiment which saw Inuit children removed from their families to be re-educated as "model Danes".
Last week, Greenland's leader said the territory should free itself from "the shackles of colonialism."
By doing so he tapped into growing nationalist sentiment, fuelled by interest among Greenland's younger generations in the indigenous culture and history of the Inuit.
Most commentators now expect a successful independence referendum in the near future. While for many it would be seen as a victory, it could also usher in a new set of problems, as 60% of Greenland's economy is dependent on Denmark.
An independent Greenland "would need to make choices," said Karsten Honge. The Social Democrat MP now fears his preferred option of a new Commonwealth-style pact "based on equality and democracy" is unlikely to come about.
Sitting in his parliamentary office decorated with poems and drawings depicting scenes of Inuit life, Honge said Greenland would need to decide "how much it values independence". It could sever ties with Denmark and turn to the US, Honge said, "but if you treasure independence then that doesn't make sense."
Opposition MP Jarlov argues that while there is no point in forcing Greenland to be part of Denmark, "it is very close to being an independent country already".
Its capital Nuuk is self-governed, but relies on Copenhagen for management of currency, foreign relations and defence - as well as substantial subsidies.
"Greenland today has more independence than Denmark has from the EU," Jarlov added. "So I hope they think things through."
As Mette Frederiksen has the awkward task of responding firmly while not offending Greenland or the US, the staunchest rebuttal to Trump's comments so far has come from outside Denmark.
The principle of the inviolability of borders "applies to every country... no matter whether it's a very small one or a very powerful one," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the EU would not let other nations "attack its sovereign borders".
Their comments gave away the deep concern within the EU about how to handle the upcoming Trump presidency. "This is not just very serious for Greenland and Denmark – it is serious to the whole world and to Europe as a whole," MP Karsten Honge said.
"Imagine a world – which we may be facing in just a few weeks – where international agreements don't exist. That would shake everything up, and Denmark would just be a small part of it."
The Danish trade sector has similarly been engulfed by deep nervousness after Trump said he would "tariff Denmark at a very high level" if it refused to give up Greenland to the US.
A 2024 Danish Industry study showed that Denmark's GDP would fall by three points if the US imposed 10% tariffs on imports from the EU to the US as part of a global trade war.
Singling out Danish products from the influx of EU goods would be near-impossible for the US, and would almost certainly result in retaliatory measures from the EU. But trade industry professionals are taking few chances, and in Denmark as elsewhere on the continent huge amounts of resources are being spent internally to plan for potential outcomes of Donald Trump's second term in the White House.
As his inauguration approaches, Danes are preparing as they can to weather the storm. There is guarded hope that the president-elect could soon shift his focus to grievances towards other EU partners, and that the Greenland question could be temporarily shelved.
But the disquiet brought on by Trump's refusal to rule out military intervention to seize Greenland remains.
Karsten Honge said Denmark would have suffer whatever decision the US takes.
"They just need to send a small battleship to travel down the Greenland coast and send a polite letter to Denmark," he said, only partly in jest.
"The last sentence would be: well, Denmark, what you gonna do about it?
"That's the new reality with regards to Trump."
BBC
Copenhagen's gloomy January weather matches the mood among Denmark's politicians and business leaders.
"We take this situation very, very seriously," said Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen of Donald Trump's threats to acquire Greenland – and punish Denmark with high tariffs if it stands in the way.
But, he added, the government had "no ambition whatsoever to escalate some war of words."
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen downplayed Trump's own suggestion that the US might use military force to seize Greenland. "I don't have the fantasy to imagine that it'll ever get to that," she told Danish TV.
And Lars Sandahl Sorensen, CEO of Danish Industry, also said there was "every reason to stay calm... no-one has any interest in a trade war."
But behind the scenes, hastily organised high-level meetings have been taking place in Copenhagen all week, a reflection of the shock caused by Trump's remarks.
Greenland PM Mute Egede flew in to meet both the prime minister and King Frederik X on Wednesday.
And on Thursday night, party leaders from across the political spectrum gathered for an extraordinary meeting on the crisis with Mette Frederiksen in Denmark's parliament.
Faced with what many in Denmark are calling Trump's "provocation," Frederiksen has broadly attempted to strike a conciliatory tone, repeatedly referring to the US as "Denmark's closest partner".
It was "only natural" that the US was preoccupied by the Arctic and Greenland, she added.
Yet she also said that any decision on Greenland's future should be up to its people alone: "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders... and it's the Greenlanders themselves who have to define their future."
Her cautious approach is twofold.
On the one hand, Frederiksen is keen to avoid escalating the situation. She's been burned before, in 2019, when Trump cancelled a trip to Denmark after she said his proposal to buy Greenland was "absurd".
"Back then he only had one more year in office, then things went back to normal," veteran political journalist Erik Holstein told the BBC . "But maybe this is the new normal."
But Frederiksen's comments also speak to the Danish resolve not to meddle in the internal affairs of Greenland – an autonomous territory with its own parliament and whose population is increasingly leaning towards independence.
"She should've been much clearer in rejecting the idea," said opposition MP Rasmus Jarlov.
"This level of disrespect from the coming US president towards very, very loyal allies and friends is record-setting," he told the BBC, although he admitted Trump's forcefulness had "surprised everybody."
The conservative MP believed Frederiksen's insistence that "only Greenland... can decide and define Greenland's future" placed too much pressure on the island's inhabitants. "It would've been prudent and clever to stand behind Greenland and just clearly state that Denmark doesn't want [a US takeover]."
The Greenland question is a delicate one for Denmark, whose prime minister officially apologised only recently for spearheading a 1950s social experiment which saw Inuit children removed from their families to be re-educated as "model Danes".
Last week, Greenland's leader said the territory should free itself from "the shackles of colonialism."
By doing so he tapped into growing nationalist sentiment, fuelled by interest among Greenland's younger generations in the indigenous culture and history of the Inuit.
Most commentators now expect a successful independence referendum in the near future. While for many it would be seen as a victory, it could also usher in a new set of problems, as 60% of Greenland's economy is dependent on Denmark.
An independent Greenland "would need to make choices," said Karsten Honge. The Social Democrat MP now fears his preferred option of a new Commonwealth-style pact "based on equality and democracy" is unlikely to come about.
Sitting in his parliamentary office decorated with poems and drawings depicting scenes of Inuit life, Honge said Greenland would need to decide "how much it values independence". It could sever ties with Denmark and turn to the US, Honge said, "but if you treasure independence then that doesn't make sense."
Opposition MP Jarlov argues that while there is no point in forcing Greenland to be part of Denmark, "it is very close to being an independent country already".
Its capital Nuuk is self-governed, but relies on Copenhagen for management of currency, foreign relations and defence - as well as substantial subsidies.
"Greenland today has more independence than Denmark has from the EU," Jarlov added. "So I hope they think things through."
As Mette Frederiksen has the awkward task of responding firmly while not offending Greenland or the US, the staunchest rebuttal to Trump's comments so far has come from outside Denmark.
The principle of the inviolability of borders "applies to every country... no matter whether it's a very small one or a very powerful one," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the EU would not let other nations "attack its sovereign borders".
Their comments gave away the deep concern within the EU about how to handle the upcoming Trump presidency. "This is not just very serious for Greenland and Denmark – it is serious to the whole world and to Europe as a whole," MP Karsten Honge said.
"Imagine a world – which we may be facing in just a few weeks – where international agreements don't exist. That would shake everything up, and Denmark would just be a small part of it."
The Danish trade sector has similarly been engulfed by deep nervousness after Trump said he would "tariff Denmark at a very high level" if it refused to give up Greenland to the US.
A 2024 Danish Industry study showed that Denmark's GDP would fall by three points if the US imposed 10% tariffs on imports from the EU to the US as part of a global trade war.
Singling out Danish products from the influx of EU goods would be near-impossible for the US, and would almost certainly result in retaliatory measures from the EU. But trade industry professionals are taking few chances, and in Denmark as elsewhere on the continent huge amounts of resources are being spent internally to plan for potential outcomes of Donald Trump's second term in the White House.
As his inauguration approaches, Danes are preparing as they can to weather the storm. There is guarded hope that the president-elect could soon shift his focus to grievances towards other EU partners, and that the Greenland question could be temporarily shelved.
But the disquiet brought on by Trump's refusal to rule out military intervention to seize Greenland remains.
Karsten Honge said Denmark would have suffer whatever decision the US takes.
"They just need to send a small battleship to travel down the Greenland coast and send a polite letter to Denmark," he said, only partly in jest.
"The last sentence would be: well, Denmark, what you gonna do about it?
"That's the new reality with regards to Trump."
BBC
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US Supreme Court lets Trump sentencing proceed in New York hush money case
The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way on Thursday for Donald Trump to be sentenced for the president-elect's conviction on criminal charges involving hush money paid to a porn star, with two conservative justices joining the three liberal members in a 5-4 decision.
The court turned down Trump's last-minute bid to prevent his sentencing, scheduled for Friday in New York state court in Manhattan 10 days before his inauguration for his second term as president. Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court's three liberal justices - Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson - in forming a majority to deny Trump's request.
The court's brief, unsigned order gave two reasons for the decision.
"First, the alleged evidentiary violations at president-elect Trump's state-court trial can be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal. Second, the burden that sentencing will impose on the president-elect's responsibilities is relatively insubstantial in light of the trial court's stated intent to impose a sentence of 'unconditional discharge' after a brief virtual hearing," the order stated.
The trial judge, Justice Juan Merchan, said last week he was not inclined to sentence the Republican president-elect to prison and would likely grant him unconditional discharge. This would place a guilty judgment on Trump's record, but would not impose custody, a fine or probation. Merchan is set to sentence Trump at 9:30 a.m. (1430 GMT) on Friday.
Four conservative justices - Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh - dissented from the decision, noting they would have granted Trump's request. They did not provide their reasoning.
The court has a 6-3 conservative majority. Trump appointed Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett to their lifetime posts on the court during his first term in office.
Trump said in remarks at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida after the Supreme Court's order: "I read it, and I thought was a fair decision, actually."
Trump added on his social media platform: "For the sake and sanctity of the Presidency, I will be appealing this case, and am confident that JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL."
Trump had sought relief from the justices as he pursued a state court appeal to resolve questions of presidential immunity following a landmark Supreme Court ruling last July that granted former presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution for their official acts.
The Supreme Court acted after New York's top court earlier on Thursday rejected Trump's request to halt the sentencing.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office made a filing at the Supreme Court on Thursday morning, opposing Trump's bid for a stay.
Trump in a Supreme Court filing made public on Wednesday had asked for proceedings in the case to stop as he seeks an appeal following the Supreme Court's immunity ruling.
"This appeal will ultimately result in the dismissal of the District Attorney's politically motivated prosecution that was flawed from the very beginning," Trump's lawyer John Sauer wrote in the filing.
Trump was found guilty by a jury last May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence shortly before the 2016 U.S. election about a sexual encounter she has said she had with Trump a decade earlier, which he has denied. Prosecutors have said the payment was designed to help Trump's chances in the 2016 election, when he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Trump is the first former U.S. president to be criminally prosecuted and the first former president convicted of a crime.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Trump's lawyers contend that prosecutors improperly admitted evidence of Trump's official acts during the trial. They also argue that, as president-elect, Trump is immune from prosecution during the period between his November election victory and his inauguration.
'ONLY ONE PRESIDENT AT A TIME'
In their filing on Thursday to the Supreme Court, the New York prosecutors said that "all of the evidence defendant challenged in his post-trial motion either concerned unofficial conduct that is not subject to any immunity, or is a matter of public record that is not subject to preclusion, as the trial court correctly held."
As to Trump's argument that he is immune as president-elect, the prosecutors said this "extraordinary immunity claim is unsupported by any decision from any court."
"It is axiomatic that there is only one president at a time," they added.
In the 6-3 July ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court said immunity for former presidents is "absolute" with respect to their "core constitutional powers," and a former president has "at least a presumptive immunity" for "acts within the outer perimeter of his official responsibility," meaning prosecutors face a high legal bar to overcome that presumption.
Merchan in December rejected Trump's immunity argument, finding that the hush money case dealt with Trump's personal conduct, not his official acts as president.
The Supreme Court's decision on Thursday came after it gave Trump victories last year in three important cases. In addition to the immunity ruling, the justices reinstated Trump to the presidential primary ballot in Colorado and raised the legal bar for prosecutors pursuing obstruction charges in a since-dismissed election subversion criminal case against Trump.
REUTERS
The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way on Thursday for Donald Trump to be sentenced for the president-elect's conviction on criminal charges involving hush money paid to a porn star, with two conservative justices joining the three liberal members in a 5-4 decision.
The court turned down Trump's last-minute bid to prevent his sentencing, scheduled for Friday in New York state court in Manhattan 10 days before his inauguration for his second term as president. Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court's three liberal justices - Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson - in forming a majority to deny Trump's request.
The court's brief, unsigned order gave two reasons for the decision.
"First, the alleged evidentiary violations at president-elect Trump's state-court trial can be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal. Second, the burden that sentencing will impose on the president-elect's responsibilities is relatively insubstantial in light of the trial court's stated intent to impose a sentence of 'unconditional discharge' after a brief virtual hearing," the order stated.
The trial judge, Justice Juan Merchan, said last week he was not inclined to sentence the Republican president-elect to prison and would likely grant him unconditional discharge. This would place a guilty judgment on Trump's record, but would not impose custody, a fine or probation. Merchan is set to sentence Trump at 9:30 a.m. (1430 GMT) on Friday.
Four conservative justices - Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh - dissented from the decision, noting they would have granted Trump's request. They did not provide their reasoning.
The court has a 6-3 conservative majority. Trump appointed Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett to their lifetime posts on the court during his first term in office.
Trump said in remarks at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida after the Supreme Court's order: "I read it, and I thought was a fair decision, actually."
Trump added on his social media platform: "For the sake and sanctity of the Presidency, I will be appealing this case, and am confident that JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL."
Trump had sought relief from the justices as he pursued a state court appeal to resolve questions of presidential immunity following a landmark Supreme Court ruling last July that granted former presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution for their official acts.
The Supreme Court acted after New York's top court earlier on Thursday rejected Trump's request to halt the sentencing.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office made a filing at the Supreme Court on Thursday morning, opposing Trump's bid for a stay.
Trump in a Supreme Court filing made public on Wednesday had asked for proceedings in the case to stop as he seeks an appeal following the Supreme Court's immunity ruling.
"This appeal will ultimately result in the dismissal of the District Attorney's politically motivated prosecution that was flawed from the very beginning," Trump's lawyer John Sauer wrote in the filing.
Trump was found guilty by a jury last May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence shortly before the 2016 U.S. election about a sexual encounter she has said she had with Trump a decade earlier, which he has denied. Prosecutors have said the payment was designed to help Trump's chances in the 2016 election, when he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Trump is the first former U.S. president to be criminally prosecuted and the first former president convicted of a crime.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Trump's lawyers contend that prosecutors improperly admitted evidence of Trump's official acts during the trial. They also argue that, as president-elect, Trump is immune from prosecution during the period between his November election victory and his inauguration.
'ONLY ONE PRESIDENT AT A TIME'
In their filing on Thursday to the Supreme Court, the New York prosecutors said that "all of the evidence defendant challenged in his post-trial motion either concerned unofficial conduct that is not subject to any immunity, or is a matter of public record that is not subject to preclusion, as the trial court correctly held."
As to Trump's argument that he is immune as president-elect, the prosecutors said this "extraordinary immunity claim is unsupported by any decision from any court."
"It is axiomatic that there is only one president at a time," they added.
In the 6-3 July ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court said immunity for former presidents is "absolute" with respect to their "core constitutional powers," and a former president has "at least a presumptive immunity" for "acts within the outer perimeter of his official responsibility," meaning prosecutors face a high legal bar to overcome that presumption.
Merchan in December rejected Trump's immunity argument, finding that the hush money case dealt with Trump's personal conduct, not his official acts as president.
The Supreme Court's decision on Thursday came after it gave Trump victories last year in three important cases. In addition to the immunity ruling, the justices reinstated Trump to the presidential primary ballot in Colorado and raised the legal bar for prosecutors pursuing obstruction charges in a since-dismissed election subversion criminal case against Trump.
REUTERS
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Jack Smith resigns from Justice Department
Jack Smith, the special counsel who led two federal criminal cases against Donald Trump, has resigned from the Justice Department before the president-elect takes office later this month.
According to a court filing submitted on Saturday, Mr Smith "separated from the Department" on Friday.
CBS News, the BBC's US media partner, reported in November that Smith would resign from the Justice Department after completing his work.
Mr Smith's departure comes amid a dispute over the release of his report into the findings of Trump's classified documents case.
Mr Smith was appointed as special counsel in 2022 to oversee two Justice Department cases into Trump - one over the alleged improper hoarding of classified documents and the other over an alleged attempt to interfere in the 2020 election outcome.
Both cases resulted in criminal charges against Trump, who pleaded not guilty and and sought to cast the prosecutions as politically motivated.
Mr Smith's cases against the president-elect were closed last year following Trump's presidential election win. Prosecutors wrote that Justice Department regulations forbid the prosecution of a sitting president.
CBS reported in November that Mr Smith's resignation was expected as it would allow him to leave his post without being fired by Trump or the incoming president's attorney general.
His exit means he leaves without either of his criminal prosecutions of Trump seeing trial.
Earlier this week, US District Judge Aileen Cannon - who oversaw the classified documents case and controversially dismissed it last July - temporarily barred Mr Smith and Attorney General Merrick Garland from "releasing, sharing, or transmitting" the report about the case.
Trump's legal team received a draft copy of the report last weekend and it was expected to be released as soon as Friday.
The move by Judge Cannon came after attorneys for Trump's former co-defendants in the case - Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveir - called on her to intervene. Both men had pleaded not guilty.
Judge Cannon ordered the release be put on hold until a higher appeals court, the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta, considered an emergency appeal from Mr Nauta and Mr De Oliveir.
By law, special counsels must present the findings of their investigations to the Justice Department, which is headed by the attorney general. Garland has promised to release all reports to the public and has so far done so.
Trump's attorneys argued that Mr Smith did not have the legal authority to submit the classified documents report because he was unconstitutionally picked to do the job and was politically motivated.
Trump's legal team also wrote to Garland not to release the report, and urged him to end the "weaponisation of the justice system".
On Friday, a judge sentenced Trump to an "unconditional discharge" in a criminal case related to hush money payments, meaning he has been spared jail and a fine, but he will still take office as the first US president with a felony conviction.
BBC
Jack Smith, the special counsel who led two federal criminal cases against Donald Trump, has resigned from the Justice Department before the president-elect takes office later this month.
According to a court filing submitted on Saturday, Mr Smith "separated from the Department" on Friday.
CBS News, the BBC's US media partner, reported in November that Smith would resign from the Justice Department after completing his work.
Mr Smith's departure comes amid a dispute over the release of his report into the findings of Trump's classified documents case.
Mr Smith was appointed as special counsel in 2022 to oversee two Justice Department cases into Trump - one over the alleged improper hoarding of classified documents and the other over an alleged attempt to interfere in the 2020 election outcome.
Both cases resulted in criminal charges against Trump, who pleaded not guilty and and sought to cast the prosecutions as politically motivated.
Mr Smith's cases against the president-elect were closed last year following Trump's presidential election win. Prosecutors wrote that Justice Department regulations forbid the prosecution of a sitting president.
CBS reported in November that Mr Smith's resignation was expected as it would allow him to leave his post without being fired by Trump or the incoming president's attorney general.
His exit means he leaves without either of his criminal prosecutions of Trump seeing trial.
Earlier this week, US District Judge Aileen Cannon - who oversaw the classified documents case and controversially dismissed it last July - temporarily barred Mr Smith and Attorney General Merrick Garland from "releasing, sharing, or transmitting" the report about the case.
Trump's legal team received a draft copy of the report last weekend and it was expected to be released as soon as Friday.
The move by Judge Cannon came after attorneys for Trump's former co-defendants in the case - Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveir - called on her to intervene. Both men had pleaded not guilty.
Judge Cannon ordered the release be put on hold until a higher appeals court, the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta, considered an emergency appeal from Mr Nauta and Mr De Oliveir.
By law, special counsels must present the findings of their investigations to the Justice Department, which is headed by the attorney general. Garland has promised to release all reports to the public and has so far done so.
Trump's attorneys argued that Mr Smith did not have the legal authority to submit the classified documents report because he was unconstitutionally picked to do the job and was politically motivated.
Trump's legal team also wrote to Garland not to release the report, and urged him to end the "weaponisation of the justice system".
On Friday, a judge sentenced Trump to an "unconditional discharge" in a criminal case related to hush money payments, meaning he has been spared jail and a fine, but he will still take office as the first US president with a felony conviction.
BBC
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- Aug 29, 2023
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Donald Trump's and JD Vance's official portraits released
The official portraits of US President-elect Donald Trump and his second-in-command JD Vance have been released ahead of their inauguration on Monday.
Both Trump and Vance are pictured in blue suits, white collared shirts and blue ties, with Trump wearing a small US flag pin on his lapel.
Trump's expression contrasts with Vance's, with the president-elect's head tilted slightly downward, one eyebrow raised and his lips pressed together.
Vance smiles at the camera, with his arms crossed, in a more relaxed pose.
The new image of Trump has drawn comparisons to his 2023 mugshot, which was taken in Fulton County Jail after he was charged with attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden in the state of Georgia - a charge Trump denied.
The now-famous image was used by Trump to fundraise for his campaign.
The Trump-Vance transition said in a press release that the portraits "go hard".
The portrait Trump opted for this time differs markedly with the image used in 2017, when he first became president.
While he wears similar attire, he smiles broadly at the camera in the earlier portrait.
"Trump may be embracing a defiant image, transforming a moment of legal adversity into a symbol of resilience and strength," Quardricos Driskell, a political science professor at George Washington University, told the BBC.
"The stark contrast to his earlier, more traditional portrait could also signify a shift in his public persona, emphasizing a tougher, more combative stance as he prepares to assume office for a second time."
The portraits were released by the Trump transition team just days before Trump and Vance's inauguration on 20 January.
The official portraits of Trump and his former Vice-President Mike Pence were not released until nine months after they were both sworn in.
BBC
The official portraits of US President-elect Donald Trump and his second-in-command JD Vance have been released ahead of their inauguration on Monday.
Both Trump and Vance are pictured in blue suits, white collared shirts and blue ties, with Trump wearing a small US flag pin on his lapel.
Trump's expression contrasts with Vance's, with the president-elect's head tilted slightly downward, one eyebrow raised and his lips pressed together.
Vance smiles at the camera, with his arms crossed, in a more relaxed pose.
The new image of Trump has drawn comparisons to his 2023 mugshot, which was taken in Fulton County Jail after he was charged with attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden in the state of Georgia - a charge Trump denied.
The now-famous image was used by Trump to fundraise for his campaign.
The Trump-Vance transition said in a press release that the portraits "go hard".
The portrait Trump opted for this time differs markedly with the image used in 2017, when he first became president.
While he wears similar attire, he smiles broadly at the camera in the earlier portrait.
"Trump may be embracing a defiant image, transforming a moment of legal adversity into a symbol of resilience and strength," Quardricos Driskell, a political science professor at George Washington University, told the BBC.
"The stark contrast to his earlier, more traditional portrait could also signify a shift in his public persona, emphasizing a tougher, more combative stance as he prepares to assume office for a second time."
The portraits were released by the Trump transition team just days before Trump and Vance's inauguration on 20 January.
The official portraits of Trump and his former Vice-President Mike Pence were not released until nine months after they were both sworn in.
BBC
Excited to see Trumps 2nd term. Yes, the insurrection is a blot on him forever and people have given him a 2nd chance though. The greatest comeback in US presidential political history. Like no other. Still, reality is it was a very close election. It could have easily gone Kamalas way just the way the electoral college is set up. Was a 50-50 toss up and all 7 swing states had tight margins. 2 or 3 states flip and Kamala would have been pres. But thats why Trumps message resonated all over. Its the economy and inflation. Already seeing results . Gaza Israel truce. Interest rates coming down. Construction sector swinging up. Putting greenland and panama canal on alert to stop Chinas influence. Hope this gives dems a reality check. The nation is more center and not ultra left leaning.
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Trump illegal migrant raids to start on day one, US media report
Raids to detain and deport migrants living in the US without permission are set to begin on the first full day of the new Trump administration, US media report.
The operations - threatened by Donald Trump's "border tsar" Tom Homan - could begin in Chicago, a city with a large migrant population, as early as Tuesday, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal say.
Trump has said he will oversee the largest deportation programme in US history.
In an interview with Fox News this week, Homan promised a "big raid" across the country. He has previously said Chicago will be "ground zero" for the mass deportations.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency deports illegal migrants all the time. However, the operation it is expected to launch after Trump's inauguration on Monday is expected to target so-called "sanctuary" cities that limit co-operation with federal immigration officials.
Along with Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles are among the scores of US cities that have adopted "sanctuary" policies.
"January 21st, you're going to look for a lot of ICE agents in your city looking for criminals and gang members," Homan told a Republican gathering in Chicago last month. "Count on it. It will happen."
New York, Los Angeles, Denver and Miami are also due to be targeted with raids, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed sources familiar with the plans.
Under Democratic President Joe Biden, ICE generally prioritised the arrest of illegal migrants who were serious criminals, had crossed the border recently or posed a national security threat.
While Trump's team has signalled that it will begin with migrants who had committed crimes, all illegal migrants - including those who have lived and worked in the US for many years and have no criminal history - are more likely to be arrested and deported.
Immigration raids at construction sites where undocumented migrants are often employed are also expected to resume, after being discontinued by the Biden administration, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
Ahead of the expected hardening of US policy, more migrant farm workers have been seeking advice on dealing with immigration officials and assigning temporary guardians for their children.
"The administration is not yet sworn in, but people are already afraid," Sarait Martinez, executive director of the Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño, which supports Mexican farm workers in California, told Reuters news agency.
As well as pledging to deport millions of illegal migrants and threatening workplace raids, some reports suggest that Trump could also do away with a longstanding policy that has made churches off-limits for ICE arrests.
However, the upcoming raids are likely to pose significant difficulties for officials - with limited custody space to hold those detained.
At the same time, the Laken Riley Act - named after a college student who was murdered last year in Georgia by a Venezuelan man previously arrested for shoplifting - is expected to be passed by US lawmakers next week.
The proposed legislation will require the federal government to detain migrants living in the US illegally who are suspected of criminal activity - even if they are not charged with any crime.
Trump administration raids on illegal immigrants to start on day one, US media reports
Tom Homan, the incoming "border tsar", has promised a big raid on illegal immigrants across the country.
www.bbc.com
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For Trump to get elected again shows what a terrible administration Biden run. Instinctively I always hated the GOP( except their policies on Abortion) but how much worse can they be than Biden and his coup in PK, Biden and unwavering support for the Israel in Gaza.
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Trump promises harsh immigration limits at pre-inauguration victory rally
WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Donald Trump told thousands of roaring supporters he would impose severe limits on immigration on his first day in office, vowing to swiftly fulfill the central promise of his presidential campaign on Sunday at a rally inside a packed Washington arena a day before he returns to power."By the time the sun sets tomorrow, the invasion of our country will have come to a halt," he said to cheers at a "Make America Great Again Victory Rally" at the Capital One Arena.
Trump repeated his campaign pledge to launch the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, which would remove millions of immigrants. An operation of that scale, however, would likely take years and be hugely costly.
The rally resembled the free-wheeling campaign speeches that have been a Trump staple since his first White House run in 2016, with the former and future president delivering a mix of boasts, false claims and sweeping promises to the delight of the crowd.
"This is the greatest political movement in American history, and 75 days ago, we achieved the most epic political victory our country has ever seen," he said. "Starting tomorrow, I will act with historic speed of strength and fix every single crisis facing our country."
The event marked his first major address in Washington since his speech on Jan. 6, 2021, that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol by an angry mob of his supporters. Trump has said he will pardon many of the more than 1,500 people convicted or charged in connection with the attack.
Trump's rally, along with his inaugural address on Monday, could preview the tone he plans to adopt during his second White House term. In recent weeks, Trump has bewildered foreign allies by musing aloud about taking over Greenland and the Panama Canal and turning Canada into a U.S. state.
A source familiar with the planning said border security will figure prominently in Trump's first executive orders on Monday, which are likely to classify drug cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations," declare an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and move toward reinstatement of the "Remain in Mexico" policy which forces non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their U.S. court dates.
Trump said he would "get radical woke ideologies the hell out of our military" and order the military to construct a missile defense shield over the U.S., though he has yet to offer details on how to carry it out.
He also promised to reverse the "over-classification" of government documents, a seeming reference to his federal indictment for retaining classified papers after leaving office. That case, along with a separate federal indictment for plotting to overturn the 2020 election, was dropped by the Justice Department after Trump won in November.
Source: Reuters
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