World Leaders Stand Up To Trump's Greenland Threats
Plus: Major Winter Storm Expected To Slam Southern US; Americans Pay Nearly All Of Trump's Tariffs
A major winter storm is expected to blast across the South starting Friday, bringing dangerous ice and snow to the region.
WHERE TO EXPECT SNOW: The system is expected to reach Texas sometime on Friday, and then make its way through the Deep South and the Tennessee Valley before eventually reaching the Southeast Coast.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?: An Arctic High above the Great Lakes region will bring cold air to much of the South. Meanwhile, a storm system beginning in the Southwest will head east. These phenomena converging will cause both cold temperatures and heavy precipitation in much of the South.
The upcoming storm is expected to be the most significant in the season so far. Freezing rain is a particular issue, as it could lead to ice buildups, fallen trees, and power outages. It could also impact travel.
Mo News Team
🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING
World Leaders Rally Against Trump’s Greenland Threats
The World Economic Forum in Davos has turned into a rally of resistance to President Trump’s push for U.S. control of Greenland.
French President Emmanuel Macron accused the U.S. of normalizing conflict and warned that there is a “shift towards a world without rules, where international law is trampled under foot and the only rule that seems to matter is the rule of the strongest.”
He was wearing 😎 due to an eye infection.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned that the “rules-based international order” is effectively dead and countries can no longer depend on the U.S.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, “In politics, as in business, a deal is a deal,” noting that Trump’s new tariff threats come after the U.S. and the EU signed a trade deal last July.
She warned that “plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape.”
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said “so many red lines have been crossed” in Europe over Trump’s Greenland provocations.
Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is downplaying the conflict in Switzerland, saying U.S.-European relations “have never been closer.”
Trump is leaving for Europe tonight and set to speak in Davos tomorrow. In the meantime, he publicly posted screenshots of texts he received from Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte yesterday
PREPARING FOR WAR
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the island’s leaders and population must begin preparing for the possibility of a military invasion – from residents stocking up on food to Denmark deploying more troops to boost Arctic defense.
“It’s not likely there will be a military conflict, but it can’t be ruled out,” he said Tuesday.
During a heated debate in the European Parliament, Danish lawmaker Anders Vistisen delivered one of the bluntest rebukes yet, telling President Trump to “fuck off.”
🚨 ONE THING WE HAVE DATA ON
Americans Paying The Cost Of Tariffs — Not Foreign Exporters
Americans, not foreigners, are paying nearly all the cost of U.S. tariffs, according to a new German study. The data undercuts President Trump’s repeated claims that foreign exporters will foot the bill.
BY THE NUMBERS: There was a $200 billion increase in U.S. tariff revenue last year. The researchers say 96% of those U.S. tariff costs are being absorbed by American consumers and businesses, meaning Americans paid at least $192 billion extra for goods coming from overseas than the year before.
The Budget Lab at Yale and economists at Harvard have reached similar conclusions.
Yale estimates that 60–80% of new tariffs end up hitting consumers through higher prices, while businesses absorb the rest.
Trump has used tariffs as foreign-policy leverage, recently threatening to slap new tariffs on imports from European allies because they haven’t supported Trump’s interest in Greenland. It comes as Americans now face an average effective tariff rate of more than 14%, the highest since 1934.
BIGGER PICTURE
Julian Hinz, a co-author of the study, told The Wall Street Journal that exporters could absorb more of the costs if U.S. companies find alternative suppliers — essentially, creating competition.
Why aren’t foreign companies cutting prices now? The Kiel Institute study suggests many exporters have found other buyers, expect tariffs to change, or can’t afford to lower prices without breaking long-term supply contracts.
Over time, Hinz expects the tariffs to push U.S. inflation higher.
Inflation held at 2.7% in December, remaining above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
Bottom line: Trump’s tariffs have acted like a consumption tax on Americans, not other countries. We are still waiting on the Supreme Court to rule whether it’s even legal for the president and executive branch to impose tariffs, something the Constitution says is Congress’s job.
“If we lose the case, it’s possible we’re going to have to do the best we can in paying it back,” Trump said Tuesday at the White House. “We’re watching it closely, but tariffs have given us tremendous national security and significant revenue.”
⏳ THE SPEED READ
🚨NATION
Second lady Usha Vance announces she is pregnant with fourth child(CBS)
Supreme Court doubts constitutionality of Hawaii’s ‘default’ ban on guns on private property that’s open to the public (CNN)
Netflix goes all-cash in Warner Bros. Discovery offer (AXIOS)
Police investigating shooting of Indiana judge and his wife at their home (NBC)
100 vehicles pile up in Michigan crash as snowstorm moves across the country (ABC)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
ISIS takes credit for suicide bombing at Chinese restaurant in Afghanistan’s capital (FOX)
Britain approves ‘mega’ Chinese embassy in London despite national security fears (CNN)
Israeli crews target UNRWA facilities for Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem (AP)
Surfer injured in fourth shark attack in Australian state in 48 hours (BBC)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
‘This is sell America’ — U.S. dollar, Treasury prices tumble and gold spikes as globe flees U.S. assets (CNBC)
California wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy linked to autism risk in children (NBC)
A year since measles cases found in Texas, US still seeing surge of infections with elimination status at risk (ABC)
Warming temperatures are forcing some Antarctic penguins to breed earlier, study finds (CBS)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Indiana secures first ever football title with 27-21 win over Miami (CBS)
Meghan Markle’s ‘With Love, Meghan’ won’t return for third season on Netflix (PAGE SIX)
Don Lemon says Nicki Minaj should ‘get a life’ after she calls for his arrest (USA TODAY)
Naomi Osaka makes grand entrance and big fashion statement at Australian Open (AP)
Sundance Film Festival prepares to bid farewell to Park City and late founder Robert Redford (PBS)
ICYMI FROM THE 📲
In case you missed it… Beckham family drama spilled into public view yesterday. Brooklyn, the oldest son of soccer star David and fashion mogul/Posh Spice Victoria Beckham, posted a series of Instagram stories accusing his parents of spreading lies to the media. Brooklyn said he had stayed silent for years but felt forced to speak out after months of speculation.
Rewind: He claimed tensions escalated after he married billionaire heiress and actress Nicola Peltz in 2022, including a long-rumored rift with his mother over a wedding dress and alleged pressure from his parents for him to sign away rights to his name.
“They have never treated me the same since,” Brooklyn wrote. “I do not want to reconcile with my family.” David was on CNBC on Tuesday for an unrelated segment. He said that his kids have made mistakes on social media, “but children are allowed to make mistakes. That is how they learn. That is what I try to teach my kids.”
If you want to read all of Brooklyn’s accusations, here are the full slides ⬇️
