Daily News — January 21, 2026
Trump's Greenland "deal" excludes Greenland. ICE cut off medical care—13 dead in seven weeks.
While others stenograph, grift, or chase the next distraction—this is the news that matters and how it’s connected.
Trump’s Greenland “Deal” Doesn’t Include Greenland
Trump just negotiated the future of someone else’s land—with people who can’t speak for it.
Hours after his Davos speech—where he ruled out military force while noting the U.S. would be “unstoppable” if he changed his mind—Trump announced a “framework of a future deal” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.1 Tariffs on eight European allies: paused. A “very productive meeting.”
One problem: Greenland wasn’t in the room. “What we are witnessing these days in statements from Trump is completely absurd,” said Aaja Chemnitz, one of Greenland’s two representatives in the Danish parliament. “NATO has absolutely no mandate to negotiate anything whatsoever without us in Greenland.”2
She’s not being diplomatic. She’s being accurate. When CNN asked if the deal still involved U.S. ownership of Greenland, Trump hesitated, looked up, and said: “It’s a long-term deal. The ultimate long-term deal.” How long? “Infinite. There is no time limit. It’s a deal that’s forever.”² On CNBC, he called it “pretty much the concept of a deal.”²
A concept. Of a deal. Forever. That’s not diplomacy. That’s vapor.
The actual framework? Small pockets of land for U.S. military access—not ownership.² Denmark’s foreign minister welcomed Trump ruling out force, but made clear: “We will not enter into any negotiations on the basis of giving up fundamental principles.”¹ Translation: no.
Days of bullying. Tariff threats. Rattled markets. Then Trump backed down and declared victory—over a deal that doesn’t exist, negotiated with people who can’t agree, for terms he won’t name. The substance? Ask Greenland.
ICE Cut Off Medical Care. People Are Dying.
Thirteen people are dead in seven weeks. Not because there’s no money. Not because there’s no treatment available. Because ICE stopped paying for it.
Since October 3, 2025, ICE hasn’t paid a single third-party medical provider.3 No mechanism for prescriptions. No payments for dialysis, chemotherapy, prenatal care, oncology.4 Federal law requires ICE to provide necessary medical care. They stopped anyway.
Why? A right-wing nonprofit called the Center to Advance Security in America sued the VA—which had processed ICE medical claims for over 20 years—and won.³ They didn’t sue to improve care. They sued to end it. Political cruelty dressed up as fiscal responsibility.
ICE’s replacement contractor won’t be ready until April 30.⁴ That’s seven months with no payment system. Internal government documents describe the situation as an “absolute emergency” that could lead to “medical complications or loss of life.”³ ICE’s own words. They wrote that in October. It’s January. People are dying exactly as predicted.
The numbers: $246 million in medical claims processed in 2024. Only $157 million in 2025—despite the detained population surging 82%.³ That’s a $300 million gap between needed care and what was paid. Senator Ossoff’s investigation documented 85 credible reports of medical neglect before the system collapsed.³ Since then? Seven dead in December—deadliest month since Trump returned. Six dead in the first 21 days of January, including one man reportedly choked to death by an ICE agent.⁴
The detained population has nearly doubled—from under 40,000 to over 73,000.³ More people. Less care. More death. That’s not dysfunction. That’s the design.
Meanwhile
Epstein Files: A federal judge denied a bipartisan request to appoint an independent monitor for DOJ’s disclosure of Jeffrey Epstein files—while acknowledging lawmakers raised “legitimate concerns” about compliance.5 Legitimate concerns. And no remedy. The law contains no enforcement mechanism, so DOJ can ignore it with impunity. Survivors wrote to the court accusing DOJ of “paying ‘lip service’ to the victims.”⁵ The judge’s advice to Congress? File your own lawsuit. That’s the accountability.
Minneapolis: An appeals court just gave federal agents permission to gas peaceful protesters. The 8th Circuit paused an injunction that had barred ICE from using tear gas on demonstrators—because, DHS argued, it harms “officers’ ability to protect themselves.”6 Protect themselves from what? People watching. The same agents patrolling in military camo with rifles. The ones who killed Renee Good—a U.S. citizen—in her car two weeks ago.
House Democrats: Democratic leadership announced they’ll vote no on a DHS funding bill—while making sure it passes anyway.7 Jeffries, Aguilar, Clark will oppose. But they won’t whip against it. Moderates can vote yes with blessing. “This lawlessness has to stop,” says Aguilar. “The president wants to use them to terrorize communities, to terrorize U.S. citizens.”⁷ Strong words. Then they fund the terrorists. That’s not opposition. That’s theater—choreographed surrender dressed up as resistance.
The Call
Every story in today’s news serves the same project. We track them using the fascism syndrome—ten indicators that a democracy is sliding into fascism—so you don’t lose the thread in the daily chaos:
Aggression as virtue: Tariffs as punishment. A “deal” negotiated without the people it affects. Cooperation is weakness; dominance is the only currency.
Identity-based scapegoating: 73,000 detained. Medical care cut off. Thirteen dead in seven weeks. Cruelty toward immigrants isn’t a side effect—it’s the point.
Normalization of political violence: An appeals court just greenlit tear gas against peaceful protesters. The same agency that killed Renee Good can now gas people for protesting. Violence against dissent is being legalized.
Erosion of due process: Federal law requires ICE to provide medical care. ICE stopped paying anyway. Rights on paper mean nothing when enforcement disappears.
Bully allies. Starve detainees. Gas protesters. Fund the terrorists anyway. That’s not chaos. That’s coordination. That’s fascism.
But naming the disease is only half the job.
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Steve Kopack, “Trump pauses Greenland-linked tariffs on 8 European countries“, NBC News, January 21, 2026.
Reports Trump’s announcement that he would not impose tariffs on eight European countries after claiming a “framework of a future deal” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Documents that the tariffs were set to go into effect February 1 and would have risen to 25% by June. Notes Denmark’s foreign minister welcomed the pause but stated Denmark “will not enter into any negotiations on the basis of giving up fundamental principles.”
Jim Tankersley, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, and Lara Jakes, “Live Updates: Trump Drops Tariff Threat Over Greenland After Assailing Europe“, The New York Times, January 21, 2026.
Live coverage documenting Greenlandic politician Aaja Chemnitz’s rejection of Trump’s claimed deal: “NATO has absolutely no mandate to negotiate anything whatsoever without us in Greenland.” Reports Trump’s evasive answers about whether the deal involves U.S. ownership—calling it “the ultimate long-term deal” that lasts “forever”—and notes the framework reportedly involves only small pockets of land for military access, not full ownership.
Zachary Bynum, “ICE stopped paying for detainee medical care as population surged, Ossoff investigation finds widespread neglect“, CBS News Atlanta, January 21, 2026.
Details ICE’s failure to pay third-party medical providers since October 3, 2025, after a lawsuit from the Center to Advance Security in America forced the VA to terminate its 20+ year agreement. Documents ICE’s internal description of the situation as an “absolute emergency” that could cause “medical complications or loss of life.” Reports the $300 million gap between needed care and what was paid, and Senator Ossoff’s investigation finding 85 credible reports of medical neglect.
Edith Olmsted, “ICE Has Cut Its Detainees Off From Medical Care“, The New Republic, January 20, 2026.
Reports that ICE’s replacement contractor Acentra will not begin processing claims until at least April 30, 2026—seven months after the payment system collapsed. Documents the death toll: seven died in December (deadliest month since Trump returned), 2025 was deadliest year since 2004, and six dead in the first 21 days of January including one man reportedly choked to death by an ICE agent. Notes the detained population nearly doubled from under 40,000 to over 73,000.
PBS NewsHour, “Lawmakers can sue to ensure Epstein files release, but not as part of Maxwell case“, PBS, January 21, 2026.
Reports federal judge denied bipartisan request to appoint an independent monitor for DOJ’s Epstein files disclosure but acknowledged lawmakers raised “legitimate concerns” about compliance. Notes Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Trump signed with a December 19 deadline—which DOJ missed. Documents that of over 2 million pages, only about 12,000 have been made public. Survivors wrote to the court accusing DOJ of “paying ‘lip service’ to the victims.”
PBS NewsHour, “Court lifts restrictions on immigration officers’ tactics in Minnesota“, PBS, January 21, 2026.
Reports the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals suspended an injunction barring immigration officers from using tear gas and chemical irritants against peaceful protesters in Minnesota. Documents DHS’s argument that the restrictions harmed “officers’ ability to protect themselves.” Notes state and local officials opposing the crackdown were served federal grand jury subpoenas Tuesday for records suggesting they were “trying to stifle enforcement.” Reports Renee Good was fatally shot by an immigration officer in Minneapolis on January 7.
Scott Wong, “House Democratic leaders will oppose DHS funding bill as party rages over ICE“, NBC News, January 21, 2026.
Reports House Democratic leaders (Jeffries, Aguilar, Clark) will vote no on a DHS funding bill over concerns it doesn’t do enough to rein in ICE. Documents Aguilar’s statement that “the president of the United States wants to use them to terrorize communities, to terrorize U.S. citizens.” Notes the bill includes $20 million for body cameras and cuts 5,500 detention beds, but Democratic leaders are not whipping against the legislation—freeing moderates to let it pass with Republican votes.
As usual TACO Cheeto is all bluster and bulliness but when $ and pushback occurs he recognizes that the jig is up and he relinquishes So Cheeto backs down with his Greenland invasion bullshit at Davos because of the open hostility by European leaders Let's face it With growing bond market concerns Cheeto can ill afford a group of people unwilling to support US debt
So TACO on Cheeto!! He's the laughing stock of global leaders