Today's top stories in US news, politics, government, and world affairs:
After weeks of anticipation, the House Ethics Committee has decided to release the investigative report they commissioned on former disgraced Congressman Matt Gaetz. The New York Times and other outlets have released the report in its entirety so you can read it in full for yourself, but I will highlight some of the most noteworthy and insane ones in this video. What happens now is unclear: Will the Department of Justice, who the House Ethics Committee said was essentially useless and not helpful during their report, bring charges before Biden leaves office on January 20th? It’s very unlikely that the DOJ under Trump would bring any charges here. Gaetz yesterday filed a lawsuit against the ethics committee and its chairman, Congressman Michael Guest, on grounds of defamation. Will his suit be taken up, or will it be dismissed? Gaetz is set to launch his own show on OANN in January. Will the show still air, or will it be canceled? And as Gaetz has floated that he’d consider running for the Senate seat being vacated by Marco Rubio, will this report be the final nail in the coffin of his political career? Or, like Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer, will he attempt a comeback?
The past week has been one of the longest in recent political memory, with the government shutdown crisis, debt ceiling debates, and the Matt Gaetz report dominating headlines. However, President-Elect Donald Trump has sparked a new controversy with his latest foreign policy remarks, which include renewed calls for the U.S. to regain control of the Panama Canal. Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. should take back the Panama Canal, which was handed over to Panama in 1999 under President Jimmy Carter, has drawn sharp reactions. Panama’s conservative President José Raúl Mulino rejected Trump's comments as an affront to Panama's sovereignty. This follows a history of tension between the U.S. and Panama over the canal’s control. After the canal’s completion in 1914, the U.S. controlled it, but following protests and riots in 1964, Panama and the U.S. reached an agreement, ultimately transferring full control to Panama by the end of 1999. The Panama Canal, a 50-mile-long waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, is vital for global trade and military operations. It shortens shipping routes by thousands of miles and plays a critical role in the U.S. economy, as more than 80% of global trade is shipped by sea. The canal is also essential for U.S. military logistics, as it allows rapid movement of supplies and personnel between the coasts. Trump’s comments focus on two key issues: the high fees imposed on shipping traffic, which he calls “ridiculous,” and concerns over China’s growing influence in the region. Trump argues that the U.S. should regain control of the canal to ensure fair pricing and prevent China from gaining a strategic foothold. While Trump’s comments have raised eyebrows, it’s unclear what steps, if any, he will take to act on this idea. Will he push for full control or co-ownership? Will Congress support him, or will this proposal become another of Trump’s unfulfilled ambitions? As Trump prepares to take office on January 20, 2025, the answers to these questions remain uncertain.
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