Friday, 2 January 2026

Trump warned that the US is 'locked and loaded' to respond if Iran kills peaceful protesters, escalating rhetoric amid ongoing protests in Iran over economic hardship. Iranian officials responded by warning Trump not to cross a 'red line' and said the military is on standby.

Italian pasta makers won a reprieve from Trump tariffs, with the US reducing proposed levies to between 2% and 14% despite accusing Italian producers of selling at unfairly low prices.

Venezuelan President Maduro urged Trump to abandon 'illegal warmongering' and start 'serious talks,' warning of a 'forever war' similar to Iraq after Trump claimed the US conducted a first land strike on a dock.

Trump defended his health in a Wall Street Journal interview, claiming it is 'perfect' and denying reports that he fell asleep in public meetings, despite aging concerns raised during his first year of the second term.

Trump said he underwent a CT scan rather than an MRI, discussing his recent medical examination as part of ongoing discussions about his health.

Offshore wind developers, including those behind Revolution Wind off Rhode Island and Empire Wind off New York, filed lawsuits challenging Trump's administration order to freeze windfarm lease work on national security grounds.

Actor George Clooney fired back at Trump after the president mocked his French citizenship, with Clooney and his wife Amal recently awarded French passports. Reports indicated Amal Clooney could face US sanctions over her role in issuing an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister.

Trump announced plans to return the US to the moon before his term ends, but officials noted the effort faces significant challenges after a year marked by organizational turmoil and job cuts at NASA under billionaire administrator Jared Isaacman.

Congress faces questions about whether it can reassert its power in the face of Trump's expansion of executive authority, with lawmakers heading into the president's second year examining post-Watergate laws designed to hold the presidency accountable.

Trump's Super PAC, MAGA Inc., raised more than $100 million in recent months, with the haul highlighting continued aggressive fundraising from donors with interests before the administration.