He Just Did It Again Greenland, the Fed, and a World on Edge

 

Former President Donald Trump has once again ignited global controversy—this time by reviving his push for U.S. control of Greenland and doubling down on rhetoric that critics say sounds less like diplomacy and more like conquest.

Speaking on January 11, 2026, Trump openly mocked Greenland’s defenses as “two dog sleds,” while arguing that the island’s strategic Arctic location, rare earth minerals, and the U.S. Thule Air Base make it too important to leave outside American ownership. “If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will,” Trump declared, rejecting any notion of a lease and insisting that only outright ownership would suffice.

It wasn’t the first time he used that logic. Just a day earlier, Trump made a similar remark about Venezuela, suggesting that if the U.S. didn’t “take” it, “someone else will.” The repetition has alarmed observers around the world, many of whom see a troubling pattern. As critics quickly noted, Greenland is not America’s to take. It is governed by Greenlanders, operates under Danish sovereignty, and is protected through NATO—making the idea of a hostile takeover by Russia or China virtually impossible without a catastrophic failure of Western alliances.

HE JUST DID IT AGAIN!

After saying yesterday that if he didn’t steal Venezuela “someone else will” he just said it again for Greenland.

“If we don't take Greenland, Russia or China will."

The whole world is Palestine now. We told you this would happen.pic.twitter.com/5lghqwYFqp

— ADAM (@AdameMedia) January 12, 2026

Denmark swiftly reaffirmed that Greenland is not for sale, while Nordic nations pushed back against Trump-linked claims of nearby Russian destroyers and Chinese submarines, calling them exaggerated or unfounded. Ironically, analysts point out that the language of “taking” territory echoes the very worldviews the U.S. has long opposed.

Meanwhile, turbulence at home is adding to the sense of global unease.

In Washington, a separate firestorm erupted after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell confirmed that the Fed has been subpoenaed by the Justice Department over cost overruns tied to a massive renovation of its historic headquarters. The probe—approved by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro—has triggered bipartisan outrage and renewed fears that the independence of both the Federal Reserve and the Justice Department is under threat.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, issued a blistering rebuke, warning that the investigation could undermine the credibility of America’s most powerful institutions. Calling the situation “unprecedented,” Tillis vowed to block future Fed nominees until the matter is resolved and openly criticized White House advisers for distracting the president with what he called “nonsense” about Greenland.

“If there were any remaining doubt that advisers are pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” Tillis wrote, adding that the Justice Department’s credibility is also now in question.

Trump, for his part, distanced himself from the investigation while taking fresh shots at Powell. “I don’t know anything about it,” Trump said, before criticizing Powell’s leadership and even his handling of the renovation project. Powell’s term as Fed chair expires in May, and Trump has made clear he wants a successor willing to cut interest rates immediately.

Powell has pushed back forcefully, calling the investigation part of an “extraordinary pressure campaign” tied to the administration’s frustration with Fed policy. He warned that the threat of criminal charges stems from the Fed’s refusal to bend monetary policy to presidential preferences.

The renovation itself—an overhaul of two nearly century-old buildings near the National Mall—has seen costs rise by roughly $600 million, driven largely by inflation, security upgrades, and the removal of asbestos and lead. Powell has repeatedly denied claims of lavish additions, telling Congress plainly, “There’s no V.I.P. dining room; there’s no new marble—we took down the old marble, we’re putting it back up.”

Despite detailed explanations, photos, and even a virtual tour released by the Fed, the legal threat has plunged the central bank into turmoil. Democrats like Senator Elizabeth Warren have accused Trump of trying to force Powell out to install a compliant replacement, while Republicans and Democrats alike warn that the stakes extend far beyond one renovation project.

From Greenland to the Federal Reserve, critics say the throughline is unmistakable: a worldview that treats sovereign institutions—at home and abroad—as obstacles to be overcome rather than partners to be respected.

As one observer put it, “Greenland is not ours to take.” And neither, many argue, is the independence of the institutions that underpin democracy itself.

The whole world is watching—and increasingly, the whole world is worried.