Daily News — January 16, 2026
America First, America Alone
While others stenograph, grift, or chase the next distraction—this is the news that matters and how it’s connected.
The Realignment
Mark Carney flew to Beijing this week—the first Canadian prime minister to visit China in nearly a decade. He left with a trade deal, $3 billion in export orders for Canadian farmers, and a new phrase that should terrify Washington: ”new world order.”1
China slashed tariffs on Canadian canola from 85% to 15%. Canada dropped Chinese EV tariffs from 100% to 6.1%. Both countries pledged cooperation in oil, gas, green energy, and offshore wind. Xi committed to visa-free access for Canadians traveling to China.¹2
Asked whether China was a more predictable and reliable partner than the United States, Carney didn’t hesitate: “In terms of the way our relationship has progressed in recent months with China, it is more predictable, and you see results coming from that.”² That’s diplomatic language for: We know what we’re getting with Beijing. With Washington, we have no idea.
Trump’s own reaction? “That’s what he should be doing. It’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal.”² His cabinet criticized it.² Doug Ford denounced it.² But what can they say? Trump’s tariffs pushed our closest ally into China’s arms. This is the direct consequence of treating friends like enemies.
And it gets worse: Carney discussed Greenland with Xi. “I found much alignment of views in that regard,” he said.² Our neighbor to the north and our biggest rival are now coordinating positions against American territorial ambitions. That’s the new world order Trump built.
The Stolen Honor
Meanwhile, the president is accepting someone else’s Nobel Peace Prize.
María Corina Machado—the Venezuelan opposition leader who won the 2025 Nobel—presented her medal to Trump Thursday.3 She needs American support against the Maduro regime. Trump needs validation. The transaction was nakedly transactional.
But watch what happens when the leader of the free world accepts an honor he didn’t earn. Norwegian politicians reacted with “shock and dismay.”³ Centre Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum called Trump “a classic showoff who wants to adorn himself with other people’s honors and work.”4 The Nobel Peace Center clarified: “A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”³
This is what narcissism does to an office. The presidency once conferred dignity on its holder. Now it’s a stage for a man who can’t distinguish between earning respect and demanding it, between achievement and acquisition. He didn’t win a Nobel. He took one.
And here’s what makes it worse: Socialist Left leader Kirsti Bergstø connected the medal grab directly to Greenland. “Trump’s repeated threats toward Greenland clearly demonstrate why it would have been madness to award him the prize.”⁴ The man clutching a peace medal is threatening military action against a NATO ally.
That’s not irony. That’s diagnosis.
Meanwhile...
Greenland: Lawlessness as Policy. Trump threatened Friday to impose tariffs on countries “if they don’t go along with Greenland.”5 Multiple courts have already ruled his IEEPA tariffs unlawful. He doesn’t care. A Danish delegation left meetings with Vance and Rubio citing “fundamental disagreement.”⁵ When allies say no and courts say illegal, Trump says more. That’s not negotiation. That’s coercion dressed up as diplomacy.
Virginia: Democrats Learn to Fight. The General Assembly passed four constitutional amendments Friday—all heading to voters.67 April ballot: redistricting power that could flip up to 4 GOP House seats. November ballots: abortion protection, automatic voting rights for felons, same-sex marriage. This is the playbook Republicans have used for decades: lock in structural advantages through referenda. Democrats are finally learning. About time.
Epstein Files: Protecting Pedophiles. Trump’s DOJ argued Friday that Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie—the bipartisan sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act—lack standing to force document releases.89 Translation: butt out. Only 12,000 of over 2 million pages have been released; the December 19 deadline came and went.10 Five hundred prosecutors supposedly reviewing files, no timeline given. This is Trump’s DOJ protecting powerful men who raped children. And when an auto worker called Trump a “pedophile protector” this week? He gave him the middle finger.⁹ That’s not denial. That’s confirmation.
There’s more below, but first: Trump’s tariffs pushed Canada into China’s arms. A Norwegian politician calls him “a classic showoff.” And the press is treating today like any other Friday. If connecting these dots—showing how isolation abroad and narcissism at home are symptoms of the same disease—matters to you, please consider supporting The American Manifesto. Paid subscriptions make this work possible.
The Pattern
We’ve been mapping this administration against the fascism syndrome—ten indicators that a democracy is backsliding into fascism:
Aggression as virtue: Tariffs as weapons against allies. Military threats against NATO territory. Diplomacy replaced with coercion. Canada’s response? Build a “new world order” without us.
Cult of the leader: Accepting someone else’s Nobel medal. Norwegians call it “pathetic.” Trump calls it “mutual respect.” The leader’s ego supersedes reality.
Consolidation of economic power: Tariffs that enrich loyalists while isolating the nation. Trade deals that benefit one man’s political narrative while costing American workers access to allied markets.
This is what fascism looks like in real time. Not tanks in the streets—allies fleeing to rivals, dignity stripped from institutions, courts ignored, and powerful men who raped children protected by the Justice Department. The world sees it. Norwegians call it “pathetic.” Canadians are building a new order without us. The only people who can’t name it are the ones living inside it.
Want to understand how we got here and how we get out? The Freedom Illusion.
Your Move
Canada is building a “new world order” with China. What does “America First” mean when our allies are running to our rivals?
Norwegian politicians see through Trump immediately. Why do so many Americans still struggle to name what they’re seeing?
Virginia Democrats are finally fighting back. What would it take for your state to do the same?
Laura Bicker, Suranjana Tewari, Koh Ewe, and Jessica Murphy, “China and Canada announce tariffs relief after a high-stakes meeting between Carney and Xi“, BBC News, January 16, 2026.
Documents PM Carney’s historic visit to Beijing—the first Canadian PM visit since 2017—and the resulting trade deal. Reports China slashing canola tariffs from 85% to 15% and Canada dropping EV tariffs from 100% to 6.1%. Captures Carney’s “new world order” framing and Xi hailing the “turnaround” in relations. Notes other G7 leaders (UK PM, German Chancellor) expected to visit Beijing soon.
Maria Cheng, “Canada, China slash EV, canola tariffs in reset of ties“, Reuters, January 16, 2026.
Additional details on the Canada-China deal including $3 billion in export orders for Canadian farmers. Documents Trump’s supportive reaction (”That’s what he should be doing”) while his cabinet criticized it. Reports Carney describing China as “more predictable” than the US and his Greenland discussions with Xi where he “found much alignment of views.”
Sam Meredith, “Machado presents her Nobel award to Trump, prompting incredulity in Norway“, CNBC, January 16, 2026.
Documents Norwegian reaction to Machado’s gift of her Nobel medal to Trump. Former state secretary Janne Haaland Matlary calls it “disrespectful” and “pathetic.” Reports Nobel Peace Center clarifying “a medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”
Miranda Bryant, “Giving Trump the Nobel peace prize medal is ‘absurd’, say Norwegian politicians“, The Guardian, January 16, 2026.
Documents cross-party Norwegian condemnation. Centre Party leader Vedum calls Trump “a classic showoff who wants to adorn himself with other people’s honors and work.” Socialist Left leader Bergstø connects the medal grab to Greenland threats: “Trump’s repeated threats toward Greenland clearly demonstrate why it would have been madness to award him the prize.”
Kevin Breuninger, “Trump floats new tariffs in push to acquire Greenland“, CNBC, January 16, 2026.
Documents Trump threatening tariffs on countries “if they don’t go along with Greenland.” Reports Danish delegation’s “fundamental disagreement” with the administration after meeting with Vance and Rubio. Notes multiple courts have found Trump’s IEEPA tariffs unlawful and the Supreme Court could rule imminently.
CNN, “Virginia Democrats set up a referendum to try to flip as many as 4 GOP-held US House seats“, CNN, January 16, 2026.
Documents the Virginia state Senate’s 21-18 vote to advance a redistricting constitutional amendment, setting up an April referendum similar to California’s 2025 ballot initiative. Notes this is a direct response to Texas mid-decade redistricting at Trump’s behest.
Liam Bridgeman, “All four proposed constitutional amendments pass Virginia General Assembly; head to voters“, WCYB, January 16, 2026.
Lists all four constitutional amendments passed by Virginia Democrats: abortion and contraception protection, automatic voting rights restoration for felons, same-sex marriage, and redistricting power. Reports redistricting amendment on April special election ballot; others on November midterm ballots.
Associated Press, “Justice Department says members of Congress can’t intervene in release of Epstein files“, AP News, January 16, 2026.
Documents U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton’s letter to Judge Engelmayer rejecting the bipartisan request by Reps. Khanna and Massie to appoint a neutral expert overseeing Epstein file releases. Reports the congressmen claim “criminal violations have taken place” in the release process and that releasing only 12,000 of over 2 million documents constitutes a “flagrant violation” of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Erik Uebelacker, “DOJ says congressmen seeking Epstein files should butt out of Ghislaine Maxwell case“, Courthouse News, January 17, 2026.
Detailed legal reporting on DOJ’s argument that Khanna and Massie lack standing. Notes the letter was signed by Clayton, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche—who interviewed Maxwell from prison last summer. Reports Trump was “caught on camera earlier this week giving the middle finger to a Michigan auto worker who called him a ‘pedophile protector’” at a Ford plant.
Aaron Katersky and James Hill, “DOJ say it’s making ‘substantial progress’ reviewing additional Epstein files for release“, ABC News, January 16, 2026.
Reports over 500 federal prosecutors and staff are reviewing “millions of pages” from the Epstein and Maxwell investigations, but DOJ gave no timeline for additional releases. Notes the December 19 deadline was missed after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act following “blowback the Trump administration received.” Observes files released to date “have yet to show evidence of wrongdoing on the part of famous, powerful men.”