He is denying Xi the oil he desperately needs to feed his people.

He is denying Xi the oil he desperately needs to feed his people.

...or rather Xi was clumsily trying to swallow the Venezuelan oil reserves by bribing and financially supporting a murderous dictator; thereby shielding off Venezuelan oil from reaching global oil markets where the price decides the destination harbor of crude oil tankers, not corrupt dictators who ignore the needs of their starving people (remember Chavez and Maduro's regime murdered tens of thousands opponents and forced 8 million starving Venezuelans to emigrate abroad)

A renowned Swiss commodity analyst's view on Trump removing Maduro:

Maduro is Gone. Is that Good News? Not if you are long oil.

It is a global oil price story, and therefore a geopolitical story. Venezuela has the potential to deliver structurally lower oil prices,[...] for a long time to come [...]. If that happens, it will cut the financial oxygen feeding the war in Ukraine and squeeze the Kremlin’s mobsters, substantially weakening the CCP [China].

And before all of that, the mullahs could be gone too, reinforcing the chain reaction, because they also sit on massive untouched oil reserves waiting to be lifted by the invisible hand of the rule of law.

All of this will break the cheque books of terrorist sponsors in Qatar and elsewhere. And that, ladies, is a blessing for peace and humanity.

And please, do not dare criticise this surgical, highly successful military operation for even one second. Salute it. I do.

He is denying Xi the oil he desperately needs to feed his people.

Or is it a message delivered to Xi for his military exercise around Taiwan? Distract his attention?

Or is it a message delivered to Xi for his military exercise around Taiwan? Distract his attention?

Hmm… this precise infiltration attack, surely with lots of CIA preparation; bribing or convincing influential people in Venezuela in advance can‘t be compared to what Xi aims at in Taiwan.

The U.S. convinced TSMC to build chip factories on the U.S. (and Dresden/Germany btw.). A.t.m. Taiwans semiconductor industry is vital for U.S. and China. This will change within ~ten? years.

Then I wouldn‘t exclude the US „ceeding“ the ROC to PRC.

Before WW2 the French elites asked:

Pourquoi mourir pour Dantzig?

Predominantly Germans in Danzig back then. The same situation with Taiwan soon. Unlike with Ukraine/Russia, they are 100% ethnic Chinese.

… and Monroe Doctrin: You don‘t meddle in the Americas. We no longer do so in your frontyard.

The 21st Century thinking in Empires and surrounding dominions.

Compare with Trumps stance on Ukraine. They, e.g. Kushner, Vance et all think that‘s Putin‘s frontyard, Not ours.

Well Donny's ICE and Border Patrol officers have certainly painted a target on themselves and I wouldn't be at all surprised, given the love of guns in the U.S., that target practice takes place.

Thousands in US protest against ICE after fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good.

Thousands of people have marched in Minneapolis to protest the fatal shooting of a woman by a federal immigration officer there and the shooting of two protesters in Portland, Oregon, as Minnesota leaders urge demonstrators to remain peaceful.

The Minneapolis gathering was one of hundreds of protests planned in towns and cities across the country over the weekend.......

Donny just can't help himself.

Trump tells Cuba to 'make a deal, before it is too late'.

Trump has urged Cuba to "make a deal" or face consequences, warning that the flow of Venezuelan oil and money would now stop.

The US president has been turning his attention to Cuba since US forces seized Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro in a 3 January raid on its capital, Caracas.

Venezuela, a long-standing ally of Cuba, is believed to send around 35,000 barrels of oil a day to the island.

Cuba's foreign minister responded by saying his nation retained the right to import fuel "without interference", while its president said: "No one dictates what we do."......

Cuba's foreign minister responded by saying his nation retained the right to import fuel "without interference", while its president said: "No one dictates what we do."......

They indeed 'retained the right to import'...

But do they have enough Dollars to pay the price set at global oil markets?

It seems to me the large and influential faction of self-exiled Cubans finally achieved what they were waiting for decades...
Btw. the parents of U.S. Sec of State Marco Rubio were Cuban citizens who emigrated to the U.S. in the late 1950s.

In the past, the USSR supplied and supported Cuba, ... kept it 'afloat' at least. Is Putin still capable of doing so? Seems to me, after Syria, Russia is also loosing its foothold in the Americas.

Is this good or bad? Depends on the viewpoint. The average wealth, social well-being in the autocratic-ruled Cuba by far exceeds that of Haiti's longtime anarchy.

The wolf plans to guard the Cuban sheep. How will this end?

Now threatening Iran.
The Blonde Bimbo won't stop until he kicks off WWIII.

Now threatening Iran.
The Blonde Bimbo won't stop until he kicks off WWIII.

He's insider trading on RTX, General Dynamics, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Boeing and L3Harris. After all his third term is going to cost.a lot of campaign money.

After all his third term is going to cost.a lot of campaign money.

He will also need an ultra-expensive time machine to jump back to 1947 and make the 22nd amendment disappear.

[satirism]
Denmark renames Greenland to 'Epstein Island'

During a press conference, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced that the Arctic island will now be called Epstein Island, so Trump will stop talking about it.

It seems to be working so far: photos released from the Oval Office show a world map on Trump's desk: Greenland blacked out with a Sharpie pen.

An inquiry as to whether the renaming would affect the annexation plans for 'Epstein Island' yielded the following: "The Trump administration has no knowledge of an island of that name. Even if it did, nothing happened there. Even if something did happen there, it would not have been illegal. Fake News."

[/satirism]

Source:
https://speld.nl/2026/01/08/denemarken-verandert-naam-groenland-in-epstein-island-zodat-trump-erover-ophoudt/ (in Dutch)
https://www.der-postillon.com/2026/01/groenland-trump.html (in German)

Delusional Donny is threatening tariffs again if he doesn't get his way. He sounds like PooTin more every day.

Trump threatens tariffs on countries who oppose US Greenland takeover.

Trump says he may impose trade tariffs on countries that do not support his plans to take over Greenland, which is part of the territory of NATO ally Denmark.

"I may put a tariff on countries if they don't go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security," he said at a health roundtable at the White House.

Mr Trump has said Greenland is vital to US security because of its strategic location and large supply of minerals.

He has not ruled out the use of force to take it.

It has heightened tensions with NATO partners, who reject his plan for the autonomous Danish territory.......

It seems that he wants to wreck the world while wrecking his own country.

It seems that he wants to wreck the world while wrecking his own country.

Is it really him, or other influential people around him, e.g. J.D. Vance who continuously bring up this issue? They told him, it's urgent for our national security; showed him a map of the North Pole... the trajectory of ballistic missiles. They gave him some fancy photos of Denmark's Arctic Forces in the weeks-long "Sirius Patrol" with dog sleights to police the coastline of uninhabited northeastern Greenland once a year. This was sufficient to convince Trump: Denmark is weak, acts irresponsibly (same as Canada in this regard), endangering U.S. security.

I reckon, the people who are constantly talking Trump into this stupidity have just one goal: ASAP retreat from NATO; come loose from European obligations. America First. Splendid isolation. Let's save all this money for military deployed to Europe; spend it in the U.S. instead, for one task: Deter Mr. Xi's expansion into SE Asia, the Pacific or Polar regions.

The Greenland madness is the fastest way to implode NATO. Imagine this alliance may not credibly protect Denmark, a founding member, against Trump's threats. On a world stage they would demonstrate: disunity, inability... a dead corpse. It's Russia's boldest, up to now unattainable dream.

The Danes are the ideal target: incorruptible, rejecting any kind of blackmail, and uncompromising in their adherence to principles. British stiff upper lip? Danish stoicism! They won't retreat regardless of wheter threats or pressure. Hopefully, somebody in Trumps periphery knows Danish mentality (the task of the diplomatic service...).

At the end of the 19th century they opposed Prussian and Austrian pressure to cede completely German-inhabited (Holstein), resp. German-majority (Schleswig) territories in order to unite all Germans in a unified German nation state including those on ancient Danish Crown lands. The combined Prussian and Austrian armies, a superior force with hundreds of modern cannons did not convince them. They insisted on their ancient rights. These territories were part of their hereditary lands, even those which once were part of the Medieval Holy Roman Empire, back then acknowledged by (German) emperors as Danish Crown property, unchallenged for centuries.

After the foreseeable military defeat on the continent (thousands dead) they retreated to their Baltic islands, guarded by their undefeated fleet, and only then ceeded Schleswig and Holstein to Prussia, now our northernmost Federal State.

Well delusional Donny and his crooked mob are at it again.

US Justice Department opens criminal investigation into Minnesota officials.

The US Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation of Minnesota officials over an alleged conspiracy to impede immigration agents, a source familiar with the probe said.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said subpoenas were prepared for Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of the inquiry.

It was not immediately clear whether they had been served.

The investigation, first reported by CBS News, stems from statements made by Mr Walz and Mr Frey about the thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers deployed to the Minneapolis region in recent weeks under orders from the president, the source said......

Trump announces tariffs for eight countries as Greenland stand-off continues.

Trump is vowing to implement tariffs on European allies until the United States is allowed to buy Greenland, escalating a row over the future of Denmark's vast Arctic island.

In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said additional 10 per cent import tariffs would take effect on February 1 on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Great Britain.

All of these nations are already subject to tariffs imposed by Mr Trump.

Those tariffs would increase to 25 per cent on June 1 and would continue until a deal was reached for the US to purchase Greenland, Mr Trump wrote.......

WWIII is getting closer.

Trump really needs to learn to read the history of Greenland, and the meaning of the 1951 treaty between the USA and Denmark. This gave the USA access to its military bases, but no call on the sovereignty of Greenland. The USA had a number of bases on Greenland until about 1966, at which time it withdrew on the basis that the bases were untenable (probably due to geographic and climatic conditions).

As an aside, what would DJT be saying of the Dutch were demanding the return of New Amsterdam, the UK the return of the New England states, the French large tracts of the southern states, or Russia demanded the return of Alaska? (Hint - I suspect he would be less than happy.)

---

Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

He's never even deserved consideration IMHO.

Trump links Greenland takeover threat to Nobel Peace Prize snub, amid tariffs row with Europe.

Trump has linked his drive to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he no longer thought "purely of peace" as the row over the island threatened to reignite a trade war with Europe.

Asked by NBC News in a brief telephone interview on Monday if he would use force to seize Greenland, the US president said: "No comment."

He added that he would "100 per cent" follow through on plans to hit European nations with a slew of new tariffs if they did not strike a deal to hand Greenland over to the US.

"Europe ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine because, frankly, you see what that’s gotten them," he said. “That’s what Europe should focus on — not Greenland."

The comments came after Norway published a letter from Mr Trump — addressed to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre — referring to the Norwegian Nobel Committee's decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this year.

"Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace," Mr Trump said......

And he may get more than he bargained for.

Trump tariffs on European allies could push EU to use 'trade bazooka'.

A "new world order" could force Europe closer to China in the wake of US President's threat to expand tariffs in an escalating dispute over Greenland, experts say.

Trump has vowed to impose additional 10 per cent import tariffs on eight European countries from February because of their opposition to American control of Greenland.

The Trump administration has repeatedly said Greenland was vital to US security because of its strategic location and large mineral deposits.

Experts warn it may push Europe closer to China, and potentially see Brussels use its anti-coercion instrument — also known as a "trade bazooka" — to combat the new tariffs......

Trump’s Billion-Dollar Board of Peace

The U.S. president has sent letters of invitation to various heads of government to join a new Board of Peace, which he will chair. [...]

The charter’s membership section, [...] that sounds not unlike an application to join the committee of an upscale golf club, says members will be invited by the chairman to participate for a three-year term, subject to renewal by Trump. But there is a way to skip the renewals and lock in for the long term: “The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States that contribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace [...]"

The Board of Peace has an executive board, the organization’s operating committee. The White House this week named its initial seven members: Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser; former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; [...] and Witkoff. [...]

The charter leaves no doubt who is in charge, naming Donald J. Trump as the chairman. [...] But the charter provides no timetable for Trump to step down as chairman, suggesting Private Citizen Trump may lead the board indefinitely. He could even be in a position to offer membership to his successor in the White House—or decline to do so since, as chairman, he has exclusive responsibility for which heads of government to invite.

There are only two ways Trump can leave: voluntarily or through incapacity. The latter must be determined by a unanimous vote of the executive board, which Trump appoints and which currently includes his son-in-law and one of his oldest friends. Should the chairman’s seat become vacant, Trump will have a named successor who immediately takes over.

I don't know how to comment the propositions in the charter of this Peace Board. I'm speechless.

Does Trump intend to replace the United Nations (admitted... with lots of deficiencies...) with that? Wow.

Btw.: What kind of 'kompromat' does Trump have about Tony Blair? Seems to me somebody extorted this former British PM to sell his soul.

Trump links Greenland takeover threat to Nobel Peace Prize snub, amid tariffs row with Europe.

Trump tariffs on European allies could push EU to use 'trade bazooka'.

Trump is now attacking the leaders of those European nations who in the past 80 years have been most closely linked to the U.S. (UK, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany), whose societies have most strongly adopted American culture and language. That Iceland, in the crossroads of Europe and America, also contradicts the Greenland threats hasn't even been noticed by Trump.

How do you counter irrational politics with rational, well-considered, and reasoned steps? It's completely impossible, because you simply can't define a rational policy that attempts to deal with irrationality. It's a contradiction in terms.

Are we witnessing two freight trains with faulty brakes go hurtling towards each other?

The EU appeased Trump in his initial step to introduce (mild) tariffs on EU exports while refraining to counter them. I can't see how the EU or NATO now can somehow appease Trump any further.

No comment:

Text message from PM Støre; PM Stubb to Pres. Trump, on Jan. 18, at 3:48 p.m.:

«Dear Mr President, dear Donald - on the contact across the Atlantic
- on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine - and your tariff announcement
yesterday. You know our position on these issues. But we believe we
all should work to take this down and de-escalate - so much is
happening around us where we need to stand together. We are
proposing a call with you later today - with both of us or separately
- give us a hint of what you prefer! Best - Alex and Jonas»

Text message from Pres. Trump to PM Støre, on Jan 18, at 4:15 p.m.:

Dear Jonas:
Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace
Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation
to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but
can now think about what is good and proper for the United States
of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China,
and why do they have a “right of ownership” anyway? There are no
written documents, it’s only a boat that landed there hundreds of
years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for
NATO than any person since its founding, and now, NATO should do
something for the United States. The World is not secure unless
we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you!
President DJT

Trump's reply was forwarded by U.S. officials to multiple European ambassadors.
Norway's PM Støre confirmed the communications.

When narcissists propose monuments to their stupidity ...

Investors revived the “Sell America” trade Tuesday and sold off US stocks, bonds and the dollar amid concerns about President Donald Trump’s clash with European leaders over ownership of Greenland.