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Greenland Remaining With Denmark Not Raised During Trump Talks, NATO Chief Says Authored by Kimberly Hayek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Jan. 21 that the issue of Greenland remaining part of Denmark did not come up during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. President Donald Trump (R) speaks with NATO’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 21, 2026. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Rutte, in an interview with Fox News, was asked about Greenland’s sovereignty under a proposed framework Trump mentioned earlier in the day at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “That issue did not come up anymore in my conversations,” Rutte said. “[Trump] is very much focused on what do we need to do to make sure that that huge Arctic region—where change is taking place at the moment, where the Chinese and the Russians are more and more active—how we can protect it.” Rutte told the crowd at the World Economic Forum that Trump was accurate about Chinese and Russian aggression in the region. “When it comes to the Arctic, I think President Trump is right. Other leaders in NATO are right. We need to defend the Arctic,” Rutte, who previously served as the Dutch prime minister, said. NATO spokesperson Alison Hart, in a Jan. 21 statement to The Epoch Times, said that discussions would focus on “ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies.” Trump announced he had formed the “framework of a future deal” on Greenland and the broader Arctic region following his meeting with Rutte. The president had threatened 10 percent tariffs on eight European NATO members—Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland—opposing U.S. acquisition, set to take effect on Feb. 1. He pulled back on that threat after signaling progress. “This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations,” Trump wrote in a Jan. 21 post on Truth Social. “Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st.” Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark since 2009 with about 56,000 residents, hosts a U.S. air base and is rich in critical minerals. Trump has repeatedly said that acquiring the island is essential for national security, blocking Russian or Chinese influence, and enabling a “Golden Dome” missile-defense system. Negotiations on Greenland have included U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Recent meetings included Danish and Greenlandic officials and U.S. counterparts on Jan. 14, and a congressional delegation to Denmark on Jan. 17. Putin, addressing the Greenland issue for the first time in public, signaled on Jan. 21 that Russia would not object to the United States acquiring Greenland and said it was an issue for Denmark and the United States. “What happens in Greenland is of no concern to us whatsoever,” Putin told a meeting of Russia’s Security Council. “Incidentally, Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh, if not cruel, towards it. But that is a different matter altogether, and hardly anyone is interested in it now.” Travis Gilmore and Reuters contributed to this report. Tyler Durden Thu, 01/22/2026 - 21:45

Trump Suggests He Can Send $2,000 Tariff Rebate Checks Without Congress President Donald Trump claimed Tuesday that his administration could distribute $2,000 direct payments to Americans - a “dividend” from tariff proceeds - without congressional authorization, citing the absence of a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of his sweeping import duties. President Donald Trump speaks as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt listens in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump suggested that the surge in tariff revenue could fund the payouts while also reducing the national debt, which is approaching $38.5 trillion. “We have so much money coming in from tariffs that we’ll be able to make a very substantial dividend to the people of our country,” the president said. “I believe we can do that without Congress.” 🚨 HOLY CRAP. President Trump says he's going to give out the $2,000 tariff dividend check to middle class Americans WITHOUT Congress This is HUGE for the midterms! "$2K dividend and pay down debt. We'd set an income limit. We can make a payment to the people WITHOUT Congress!" pic.twitter.com/c7aUDVMcHq — Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 20, 2026 The proposal would largely benefit moderate-income households, potentially with eligibility caps based on income. Tariff collections rose sharply in 2025 following the imposition of duties ranging from 10% to 50% on imports from major trading partners. An analysis conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center shows gross federal revenue from tariffs reached approximately $288.5 billion—nearly triple the $98.3 billion recorded in 2024. Independent estimates have placed the 2025 figure in a range of roughly $260 billion to $300 billion. In the meantime, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has adopted a more measured stance on Trump’s tariff “dividend.” In November, Bessent told Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that enacting the payments would require new legislation from Congress. “We will see. We need legislation for that,” the Treasury secretary replied when questioned about the checks, adding that they “could go out” if passed by Congressional lawmakers. Bessent said the intended beneficiaries could be “working families” and stressed that an income limit would apply, potentially focusing on households earning under $100,000 or similar moderate-income thresholds. Bessent has also suggested the $2,000 benefit might not take the form of direct cash disbursements. In an interview with ABC News’s “This Week,” the Treasury secretary said while he had not yet finalized details with Trump, the “dividend could come in lots of forms,” such as through tax reductions already under consideration—including exemptions for tips, overtime pay, and Social Security benefits, among other deductions. Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, also said in December that any direct payments to Americans funded by tariff revenue would require a formal proposal to Congress and would ultimately hinge on lawmakers’ appropriations. "I would expect that in the new year, the president will bring forth a proposal to Congress to make that happen,” Hassett told CBS News's "Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan Tyler Durden Thu, 01/22/2026 - 20:30

Texas AG Starts Investigation Into Vaccine-Related Financial Incentives Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Jan. 21 said he’s investigating incentives related to vaccinating children. Paxton’s office said in a statement that the probe will cover pediatricians, insurers, vaccine companies, and other entities “engaged in deceptive or unlawful conduct by failing to disclose financial incentives connected to their administration of childhood vaccines.” It noted that some pediatricians kick out families that refuse to adhere to a vaccine schedule and that doctors can receive bonuses for vaccinating. An Epoch Times investigation found that insurers have offered bonuses as high as $400 per child as an incentive to vaccinate patients. Paxton is issuing civil investigative demands for information to companies, including UnitedHealthcare and Pfizer. “I will ensure that Big Pharma and Big Insurance don’t bribe medical providers to pressure parents to jab their kids with vaccines they feel aren’t safe or necessary,” Paxton said in a statement. He said that Texans “deserve to have full faith in the recommendations of their medical providers—particularly when it involves the health of their children” and that “any provider or entity whose medical guidance is fueled by financial incentives from an insurance company, Big Pharma, or otherwise will be exposed.” Paxton’s office did not respond to a request for more information. UnitedHealthcare had said in a document, which was taken down after The Epoch Times’ story was published, that doctors were eligible for bonuses for patients who received vaccines against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, and human papillomavirus. The Epoch Times reached out to UnitedHealthcare and Pfizer for comment, but they did not respond by publication time. Studies have found that vaccinations can be profitable, including a 2020 paper. Some doctors have said in surveys that they can lose money on vaccines due to certain factors, such as low reimbursements. The American Academy of Pediatrics, which partners with vaccine manufacturers, has said that pediatricians do not profit from vaccines and are motivated to vaccinate because, the group says, vaccines are safe and effective. Mary Holland, CEO of Children’s Health Defense, a nonprofit that opposes vaccine mandates, said that the group was “very excited” about Paxton’s investigation. Children’s Health Defense this week sued the American Academy of Pediatrics, accusing the organization of violating federal law by promoting the vaccine schedule as proven safe. The academy did not respond to a request for comment. In its complaint, Children’s Health Defense mentioned how insurers offer bonuses for pediatricians whose patients receive certain vaccines, and pointed to a 2024 report from the academy that stated that “under value-based care models, pediatricians may receive a significant part of their payments based on performance metrics, one of which is completion of childhood and adolescent immunizations.” Paxton’s previous investigations have included a probe into Pfizer for allegedly misrepresenting the efficacy of its COVID-19 vaccine and toothpaste manufacturers for promoting the use of too much toothpaste. His case against Pfizer was dismissed in 2024. The toothpaste probe led to companies agreeing to redesign boxes for toothpaste containing fluoride. Tyler Durden Thu, 01/22/2026 - 18:25

Legislation Proposed To Make It Easier To Denaturalize Somali Fraudsters In the wake of the massive Somali-fraud scandal out of Minnesota and other states, President Donald Trump wants to denaturalize American immigrants convicted of crimes and deport them, but the current legal framework and federal bureaucracy make such sweeping denaturalization efforts difficult to achieve quickly. “I would do it in a heartbeat if they were dishonest,” Trump told the New York Times earlier this month. “I think that many of the people that came in from Somalia, they hate our country.” Existing federal law provides limited pathways for revoking the citizenship of naturalized citizens. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act the government can denaturalize individuals who obtained citizenship through fraud, misrepresentation, or the concealment of material facts during the naturalization process. The law does not allow automatic revocation based solely on crimes committed after naturalization. Current denaturalization proceedings require civil lawsuits filed by the Department of Justice in federal court or criminal prosecutions for naturalization fraud, both demanding individualized evidence, extensive litigation, and meeting high burdens of proof. Civil cases require “clear, convincing, and unequivocal evidence,” while criminal prosecutions demand proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) has proposed a solution to this problem. He’s introduced the Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation (SCAM) Act in the Senate to expand federal denaturalization authority. The legislation creates a 10-year window after naturalization during which citizens who commit specified crimes could face citizenship revocation and deportation. Among those offenses are welfare fraud exceeding $10,000, aggravated felonies, espionage, and joining terrorist organizations, a category the bill explicitly extends to gangs and drug cartels. The measure also lowers the threshold for federal authorities to begin denaturalization proceedings by broadening the legal grounds beyond fraud committed during the citizenship application process. The bill even includes a fallback provision that automatically reduces the revocation window from ten years to five years if courts strike down the longer period as unconstitutional. “American citizenship is a privilege, and anyone hoping to be a part of our great nation must demonstrate a sincere attachment to our Constitution, upstanding moral character, and a commitment to the happiness and good order of the United States,” Schmitt said in a statement. “The rampant fraud uncovered in Minnesota must be a wakeup call. People who commit felony fraud, serious felonies, or join terrorist organizations like drug cartels shortly after taking their citizenship oaths fail to uphold the basic standards of citizenship. They must be denaturalized because they have proven they never met the requirements for the great honor of American citizenship in the first place. We must protect and restore the institution of American citizenship. No more talk. It’s time for action.” The White House publicly endorsed the legislation. “The Somali fraud scandal is one of the greatest financial scandals in American history,” said Stephen Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor. “All Somali refugees, or any other immigrants, who have committed fraud against the United States must be immediately denaturalized and deported. We applaud Senator Schmitt for his leadership.” Schmitt believes the Somali-based fraud is just the “tip of the iceberg” of what will soon be uncovered. “There’s also a bunch of money that went out the door at the end of the Biden administration that had nothing to do with COVID, but it was under the auspices of these COVID funds. I think you’re gonna see another wave of fraud,” he told Fox News’s Harris Faulkner earlier this week. “So, I think that’s probably at the heart of why Tim…

Narrative Control Made Easy: Us Versus Them Authored by Charles Hugh Smith via OfTwoMinds blog, Those in charge of narrative control are suffering from the delusion that they're making sense. Everything is under control until it isn't. The name of the game in controlling the populace is narrative control, the current term for setting the context, priorities and agenda so the populace complies without being aware they've been bamboozled into accepting a system that benefits the few at the expense of the many. The easiest way to control the narrative is to establish the false choice of an either-or binary: Us versus Them. This is easy because it bypasses our rational mind by tapping our hard-wired instinct to divide humanity into members of our group and Outsiders / Strangers who are potential threats until proven otherwise. As a general rule, our values, opinions and fealties stretch along a spectrum. We may have loyalties to values that are typically categorized as "conservative" or "liberal" and find no conflict between them. To control the narrative, all nuance and variability must be crushed into an all-or-nothing litmus test: if you disagree with even one of the narrowly defined litmus test standards for inclusion in the "conservative" or "liberal" group--as defined by those seeking to control the populace by controlling the narrative--then you are cast out as "an X in name only." The "other group" is vilified as servants of the Devil. Reading the diatribes mailed out to "loyalists" of the two political parties (seeking donations, of course--proving your loyalty is always about money) is a master class in parody that isn't recognized as parody: "they" are seeking to pollute our precious bodily fluids under the malefic cover of deceptively attractive PR. That all Us and Them binaries are false choices must never be exposed lest the rational mind awaken to the manipulation of a completely fabricated either-or narrative. This fabrication is the foundation of wartime propaganda, of course, as there are no limits on what must be done to rid the Earth of the enemy of all that is good and just. This works just as well in politics and culture wars: rally the troops by enforcing litmus-test inclusion standards that serve the purposes of those in charge of the narrative factory while providing an identity and the benefits of membership to those who declare their fealty to the litmus test checklist. Skeptics are targeted as backward heretics. If you question the current definition of "Progress"--Progress is whatever makes me more money--then you're instantly tarred as a hopeless Luddite. Once the consequences extend to money, income and security, fear kicks in. Standing up for sacred values is a good thing until it might cost us our jobs: when things get serious, we have to lie. This enforcement of false-choice narratives pushes us into Ultra-Processed Life: everything is self-serving artifice, but pointing this out brings trouble, so we go along with the charade. There's no meaning in the narrative other than enforcing compliance to what's on the agenda of options, which are all false-choice binaries: would you choose to be a Good Person or a Bad Person? Hmm, that's not much of a choice, is it? The irony here is that those controlling the narratives see our compliance as "winning," unaware that their control mechanisms have hollowed out the culture, politics and the economy, reducing everything to either-or binaries that are intrinsically false. Falsities generate false signals, which lead to Model Collapse. Those in charge of narrative control are suffering from the delusion that they're making sense. Everything is under control until it isn't. * * * My new book Investing In Revolution is available at a 10% discount ($18 for the paperback, $24 for the hardcover and $8.95 for the ebook edition). Introduction (free) Check out my updated Books and Films. Become a $3/month patron of my work via patreon.com. Subscribe to my Substack…