Live updates: Trump threatens tariffs over Greenland effort; Nobel Institute reacts after Machado gives away prize
Trump said he "may" impose tariffs on countries that don't go along with his push to control Greenland, citing "national security" concerns.
What to know today...
- GREENLAND TARIFFS: During a roundtable on rural health care, President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that don't go along with his administration's goal of acquiring Greenland.
- RURAL HEALTH ROUNDTABLE: Trump participated in a rural health roundtable. The meeting came after the administration announced in December that states would share $10 billion for rural health care through the Rural Health Transformation Program.
- MIDDLE EAST MOVEMENTS: The Defense Department is preparing to send additional U.S. forces and assets to the Middle East, including a carrier strike group, aircraft and land-based air defense systems, a U.S. official told NBC News. The move comes as Trump considers military action in Iran over its regime's protest crackdown.
- MACHADO MEETING: Trump met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who presented him with the Nobel Peace Prize that she won last year. Per the Nobel Institute, a Nobel Prize can’t be revoked, shared or transferred.
States push for the front of the line in Democrats’ 2028 presidential contest
A handful of state Democratic parties are making bids to hold early 2028 primaries, as the national party gets set to remake its nominating calendar ahead of the next presidential election.
The New Hampshire, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Georgia and Delaware state parties confirmed to NBC News that they submitted applications, ahead of Friday’s deadline, to hold primaries during the party’s early nominating window in two years. Nevada and South Carolina plan to apply as well, their state party leaders have said, and others may push for a spot in the early window, too.
Trump pardons former Puerto Rican Gov. Wanda Vázquez Garced
Trump pardoned former Puerto Rican Gov. Wanda Vázquez Garced, who was accused of participating in a bribery scheme, a White House official confirmed Friday.
Vázquez Garced was initially indicted by the Justice Department under the Biden administration in 2022 on bribery charges. She pleaded guilty in August to a reduced charge of a campaign finance violation.
Virginia lawmakers pass redistricting amendment, sending it to voters for approval
The Virginia Senate passed a constitutional amendment Friday to pave the way for a mid-decade redistricting push, the final legislative step needed to send it to voters for approval.
If voters support the amendment, which is expected to appear on the ballot this spring, Virginia’s Democratic-controlled Legislature would be able to redraw the state’s congressional map before the midterm elections.
The measure would amend the state’s Constitution to allow lawmakers to temporarily bypass Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting commission and alter the state’s congressional lines if another state does the same outside the usual decennial redistricting cycle or a court order.
Virginia Democrats, who currently control six of the state’s 11 districts, are hoping they could net an additional three or four seats through the process.
Trump says Machado offered him Nobel Prize and 'she's a very fine woman'
Speaking to reporters as he was leaving the White House this afternoon, the president said that during his meeting with María Corina Machado yesterday, she offered him the Nobel Peace Prize she won last year.
"I thought it was very nice. She said, 'You know, you've ended eight wars, and nobody deserves this prize more in history than you do,'" Trump recalled. "And I thought it was a very nice gesture. And by the way, I think she's a very fine woman, and we'll be talking again."
Asked why he's supporting acting President Delcy Rodríguez in Venezuela rather than helping Machado gain power, Trump pointed to the war in Iraq.
"If you ever remember a place called Iraq where everybody was fired, every single person, the police, the generals, everybody was fired, and they ended up being ISIS. Instead of just getting down to business, they ended up being ISIS. So I remember that," he said.
The president added of his meeting with Machado, "I'll tell you what, I got to know her. I never met her before, and I was very, very impressed."
Nobel Institute issues reminder that Nobel Peace Prize can't be transferred to another person
After Machado gave Trump her Nobel Peace Prize yesterday, the Nobel Institute is issuing another reminder that the title cannot be transferred to another person.
In a statement, the institute said that peace prize laureates receive a gold medal and a diploma, as well as award money.
"Regardless of what may happen to the medal, the diploma, or the prize money, it is and remains the original laureate who is recorded in history as the recipient of the prize. Even if the medal or diploma later comes into someone else's possession, this does not alter who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize," it said.
The statement added that a laureate "cannot share the prize with others, nor transfer it once it has been announced. A Nobel Peace Prize can also never be revoked."
Machado, who won the 2025 prize, gifted her medal in a frame to Trump yesterday in the Oval Office. She told Fox News that she gave it to him because he "deserves it."
DOJ says it now has over 500 people reviewing Epstein files
The Justice Department told a federal judge in a letter Thursday that it is dedicating additional resources to the review of millions of Epstein-related files.
The letter states that DOJ has “continued with its resource-intensive efforts, it has evaluated its efforts and, as appropriate, supplemented and modified its processes to ensure that its review has the appropriate rigor, care, and integrity.”
The DOJ says that it has “employed over five hundred reviewers to review and redact millions of pages of materials from the investigations into Epstein and his convicted coconspirator, Maxwell,” and that the Southern District of New York alone has dedicated “significant resources (including AUSAs as well as other SDNY personnel), which this week has been supplemented by approximately 80 attorneys from the Department’s Criminal Division, who will coordinate and work with SDNY during the review of documents identified as likely to contain victim information.”
The letter is signed by U.S. Attorney for SDNY Jay Clayton and the signature block includes both Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Super PAC tied to AIPAC to launch ads in New Jersey special election
United Democracy Project, a super PAC tied to the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, is jumping into a special congressional election in New Jersey, where a slew of Democrats are competing to win the Democratic-leaning district and succeed Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill in the House.
UDP began buying up airtime in the special election for ads slated to run Saturday through next Friday, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. So far the group has spent $353,000 on its ad buy, but that figure could change.
A UDP spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, so it is not clear which candidate the group is looking to target with its ads. AIPAC's political arm has not endorsed a candidate in the race.
The winner of the Democratic primary on Feb. 5 is expected to be in a strong position to win the April 16 special election.
The new ad buy suggests UDP is continuing to play in Democratic primaries after spending millions in recent election cycles, with the party divided over support for Israel amid its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Exiled son of former Iranian king expresses hope that Trump will intervene
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the former Iranian king, expressed hope that Trump would stick to his word and intervene in Iran at a news conference in Washington this morning. Protesters have chanted Pahlavi’s name at some protests, but it remains unclear how much support he has inside the country.
“Clearly, President Trump did say that if the regime was to hit the Iranian people hard, they were faced with serious consequences. That the Iranian people have taken his word, as a man of his words, as I said, they know that unlike his predecessors that threw us under the bus one time, this president is not about to do the same thing, and that’s very encouraging and empowering,” he said.
Trump has said in recent interviews and posts on Truth Social that the U.S. would take action, including possible military action, if Iran continued to kill protesters or execute people detained during the protests.
Asked about the necessity of U.S. military intervention, Pahlavi said that any attacks on the “regime’s apparatus of repression,” including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and paramilitary institutions, would aid protesters.
“Any strike on those entities will facilitate our task, will prevent more loss of lives and will weaken the regime to a point that resistance will be futile,” he said.
Trump has not thrown his support behind Pahlavi, who asserted himself as the best person to lead a transition in Iran should the regime collapse and characterized himself as a supporter of democracy and human rights.
“He seems very nice, but I don’t know how he’d play within his own country,” Trump told the news agency Reuters. If Iranians did accept him, “that would be fine with me,” he said.
Pahlavi declined to comment when asked if he had spoken with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff or other members of the administration. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
“President Trump has said that it’s up to the Iranian people to decide, and I totally agree. I’ve always said it’s for the Iranian people to decide,” Pahlavi said. “And I think the Iranian people have already demonstrated in great numbers who it is that they want them to lead to this transition.”
Trump blasts Minnesota for fraud scandal
As Minnesota faces the ongoing fallout from allegations of fraud of public funds, Trump blasted Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, during a rural health event at the White House.
"With all of the fraud that we're seeing in Minnesota and California and other places, I actually think that if we do an unbelievable job, you could almost balance your budget," the president said.
"Nobody ever saw anything like it. They're all corrupt politicians, from the governor of Minnesota to the governor of California to the everybody. They're just corrupt politicians. And you're talking about hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud, waste, fraud and abuse," he added.
Trump warns he could impose tariffs on countries that don't accept his plan to take Greenland
Trump warned during the roundtable on rural health care that he could impose tariffs on countries that don't accept his plan for the U.S. to take control of Greenland.
"I may do that for Greenland, too," Trump said after discussing his tariff policies. "I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security."
The president didn't elaborate further, however.
Denmark has long controlled the territory and has rejected Trump's calls for the U.S. to take it over. Troops from a slew of major European countries, all U.S. allies, have arrived in Greenland in recent days.
Trump suggests Kevin Hassett may no longer be his top pick to run the Fed
For months, Trump has suggested in abundantly clear terms that National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett would likely be his selection to run the Fed when current Chair Jerome Powell's term ends in May. In December, Trump even went so far as to introduce Hassett as "potential Fed chair" during a speech.
However, this morning, Trump said, "I actually want to keep you where you are, if you want to know the truth." The president said that a cable news show appearance by Hassett on Friday morning led him to think "we don't want to lose him."
But the president noted that nothing was a done deal. "We'll see how it works out," Trump concluded.
Trump's rural health care roundtable kicks off
The president is greeting attendees of a rural health care roundtable at the White House.
Among the Cabinet members in attendance are Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Mehmet Oz and a handful of lawmakers representing rural communities.
White House economic adviser says new Trump policy would allow use of 401(k) funds for home down payments
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett on the Fox Business Network this morning previewed an announcement the president will make next week at Davos that will “allow people to take money out of their 401(k)s and use that for down payment” on a home.
Asked about concerns that this could hurt retirement funds, he said: “We’re still talking about the mechanics of it, but suppose that you put 10% down on a home, and then you take 10% of the equity of the home and put it in as an asset in your 401(k), then your 401(k) will grow over time as the value of your house grows, you’ll be healthy, have more money for retirement, and you’ll have solved the liquidity constraint problem and got yourself a house early in life.”
Hassett was also asked about the Justice Department's probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. He called Powell a “good man” and said he does not expect charges to come from the investigation.
“I expect that there’s nothing to see here, that the cost overruns are related to things like asbestos, as he says, but I sure wish they had been more transparent,” the director stated.
Hassett also discussed the president’s recent affordability proposals aimed at tackling housing costs and capping credit card interest rates at 10%. He hinted at a future executive order aimed at limiting institutional investing in the housing market.
He also said that interest rate caps on credit cards would not require legislation because there will be “new Trump cards” that banks will be able to offer to customers.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado says she gave Trump her Nobel Prize because 'he deserves it'
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said in an interview that aired this morning on Fox News that she gave Trump her Nobel Peace Prize yesterday "because he deserves it."
Asked during the interview that aired on "Fox and Friends" why she gave it to Trump despite the Nobel Institute saying it can't be transferred, Macado said, "He deserves it, and it was a very emotional moment. I decided to present the Nobel Peace Prize medal on behalf of the people of Venezuela."
Trump posted on Truth Social a photo of himself with Machado in the Oval Office yesterday, holding the prize gifted to him.
"I'm very grateful for the opportunity I had to speak with President Trump, something I've been looking forward to for a very long time," she said during the interview. "It was a huge responsibility, because I did it on behalf of a Venezuelan people that appreciate so much what he has done for not only the freedom of the Venezuelan people, but I would say the whole hemisphere."
Taiwan pledges $250 billion in U.S. investment in exchange for lower tariffs
The U.S. and Taiwan have reached a trade agreement that lowers tariffs on goods from the Beijing-claimed island in exchange for $250 billion in Taiwanese investment in the U.S. tech industry, particularly strategically important semiconductor chips.
The agreement reduces tariffs on Taiwanese goods to 15% from 20%, bringing them in line with U.S. levies on other Asian trading partners, such as Japan and South Korea. In exchange, Taiwanese companies such as chipmaker TSMC, which is already developing several facilities in Arizona, will invest $250 billion to promote U.S. production and innovation capacity in semiconductors, as well as energy and artificial intelligence.
The Commerce Department said in a fact sheet that the agreement would “drive a massive reshoring of America’s semiconductor sector.”
In a post on X, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said the U.S.-Taiwan agreement would bring “boosted economic integration, high-tech collaboration & two-way investments across key sectors, paving the way for a stronger partnership & more prosperous future.”
The agreement was criticized by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which reiterated Beijing’s opposition to countries having any diplomatic ties with Taiwan or any agreement that implies sovereign ties.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth endorses House candidate who saved her life in Iraq
More than 20 years after Tammy Duckworth’s helicopter was shot down in Iraq, the Democratic senator from Illinois is endorsing a surgeon she credits with helping save her life.
Physician Adam Hamawy, an Army veteran and former combat surgeon, yesterday launched a campaign for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, a heavily Democratic seat currently represented by retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman.
Duckworth said in a statement that when the two first met, Hamawy had “volunteered to serve in combat and worked around the clock to save my life, just as he has for many others.”
“It is because of his sacrifice, that I’m not only alive — but I’ve been able to go on to serve my country and the people of Illinois in the United States Senate,” the senator added. “Working families in New Jersey and all across America are looking for leaders with the courage to speak truth to power, the willingness to call out injustices at home and abroad, and the determination to spend every day working to make their lives better. Dr. Hamawy is that leader, and I’m so proud to be his friend and endorse his campaign for Congress.”
Australian treasurer backs central bank chief's show of support for Jerome Powell
Australia’s treasurer said it was “entirely appropriate” for the country’s central bank chief to publicly express solidarity with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as he is threatened by Trump.
The Reserve Bank of Australia's governor, Michele Bullock, is among 16 global central bank chiefs who have now signed a statement of solidarity with Powell, who has been threatened with lawsuits and firing by Trump over his refusal to further lower interest rates and now faces a federal criminal investigation. The statement, which was released Tuesday, said that Powell had served with integrity and that the independence of central banks “is a cornerstone of price, financial and economic stability.”
“Central bank independence is absolutely essential,” Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers told reporters in Queensland, adding that he knew Powell and “he strikes me as a very professional, very diligent public servant.”
Chalmers said it was “unsurprising that central bank governors from around the world would support central bank independence, and I think it’s entirely appropriate that the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia would lend her name to that.”
Earlier this week, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters rebuked his country’s central bank chief, Anna Breman, for signing the statement, saying the Reserve Bank of New Zealand had no role in U.S. politics and that Breman should “stay in her New Zealand lane.”
