Greenland, Venezuela & ICE in Minneapolis - Top 3 Takeaways January 8th, 2026
Takeaway #1: Acquiring Greenland is not a new idea
In Wednesday’s White House Presser, the first since the ouster of Maduro from Venezuela, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did what she always does – took the big news and issues head on (and also the non-issues like January 6th that only the GSS news media cares about). About that btw, on Monday the White House created a January 6th facts website you can point TDSers too. Karoline addressed the issues with her characteristically blunt and often unintentionally humorous flair. For example, while addressing the topic of the United States acquiring Greenland which has reached a fever pitch with the Danish PM and the EU she offered up this... “Acquiring Greenland is not a new idea”. And she’s right. A year ago, prior to being sworn in for his second term as president, Trump brought up the topic of acquiring Greenland. He also did in his first term. In fact, did you know that President Trump stated the Greenland acquisition intention in 2019 – which led to Greenland’s government inviting the U.S. to increase investment and to open an American consulate in its capital – which happened. During Trump’s first term, at the courting of Greenland’s government, the Trump administration invested $12.1 million to establish an American consulate that hadn’t been in place since 1953. But interest in Greenland for the interests of the United States is far older than Trump’s first term. It was in 1867 that the United States first expressed an interest in Greenland and as recently as 1946 post-World War II the U.S. attempted to buy Greenland from Denmark – which they obviously rejected. The fact of the matter is that the United States has always wanted Greenland and its value in the modern age both strategically and geographically with Russia and China posing the greatest threats to the United States and the free world, has never been greater, and its rare earth minerals in the AI age have never been more important. Given that acquiring Greenland has been deemed important since Andrew Johnson was President of the United States nothing has changed except for the stakes. President Trump is serious about this, because China and Russia are serious about this too. As Trump pointed out Russian and Chinese interests are currently in the waters all around Greenland. And as I pointed out in Tuesday’s takeaways... Greenland’s government is calling on the United States and European Union to step up investments in its mining sector — or risk losing influence in the Arctic to China. The dynamics in play here are real. It’s serious business and the outcome of what will be with Greenland could very well shape the future of the free world (or lack thereof).
Takeaway #2: Seizing sanctioned oil tankers isn’t a new thing either
Sporting a Russian flag the U.S. seized what the White House deemed to be a Venezuelan shadow fleet vessel full of sanctioned and illegally transported oil. Karoline Leavitt said the vessel is in U.S. possession, the oil is too, and the crew will be prosecuted. Speaking of Venezuelan oil – Leavitt provided an update that the 30 to 50 million barrels of seized sanctioned oil from the country, will be arriving in the U.S. very soon after interim authorities have released the oil to the United States. That carries a market value of approximately $2.5 billion that the President said will be used to provide recovery and relief to Americans and Venezuelans alike. Once again what we’re seeing is America First policy on display. All these foreign affairs and related interests ultimately serve one purpose and that’s for the economic and security interests of Americans long term. Gone are the days when the U.S. fights endless wars. It’s about quick and effective operations that achieve immediate results. Gone are the days when the U.S. pays to fight everyone else’s wars. What countries can’t pay for in cash they pay for in resources that the U.S. can use. Gone are the days with toothless sanctions that mean nothing and change nothing. If oil is sanctioned and is illegally transported the U.S. will confiscate the oil, the transport, and the crew for that matter too. And if you’re a narco terrorist your boat will go boom. Peace through strength is on display. America First policy is on display and that means that the best days for the U.S.A may be ahead of us as opposed to behind as most Americans in recent years had seemingly been resigned to. As I’ve discussed over the past week – with the great policy of the past year in place – we're set for unpresented success this year and beyond. It’s happening on all fronts. But there still remains...
Takeaway #3: The enemy from within
Over the past year, there have been 238 documented assaults on ICE agents. Numerous assassination attempts and daily efforts to obstruct justice. Yesterday in Minneapolis a tragedy played out when a woman used her vehicle to obstruct ICE’s operation in the city. Three ICE agents approached the woman’s vehicle, two on the side and one in front, when the woman hit the gas what happened next when the officer in front of her vehicle fired on the woman killing her is under investigation. However, immediately following the deadly event, the mayor of the sanctuary city held a press conference. Immediately assigned guilt to the ICE officer and then said to ICE: “Get the “f” out of Minneapolis”. First of all, if Minnesota wasn’t a sanctuary state and if Minneapolis wasn’t a sanctuary city, the criminal illegal immigrant that was the target of the ICE operation would have been turned over to ICE rather than having been released into the community for ICE to pursue. Second. If obstruction of justice didn’t happen the woman would be alive today. But third...based on what we continue to see and hear out of Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota – A) who is surprised by the scope of the Somali daycare scandal? – B) outright lawlessness is being advocated by public officials. It’s happening through the allowance of illegal immigrants including criminal illegal immigrants in their community. It’s happening through outrageous rhetoric effectively inciting protestors to become rioters and those who obstruct justice. I thank God every day that I live in the free state of Florida. But increasingly we’re seeing that there’s an enemy within this country that also consists of public officials. I’ve said it for a long time but it’s perhaps becoming more important than before. Public officials who violate the law need to be brought to justice. The stunt that Minneapolis’ sanctuary punk Jacob Frey pulled yesterday will only get worse from here. Which means that safety for law enforcement will likely only become worse from here. The Supremacy Clause in the constitution exists for reason. It’s time for public officials who break the law to held accountable to it. Just as is the case with those who obstruct justice.