Category: Business – Finance

Ukraine’s spy agency says Russia believes it must end the war by 2026 or risk falling far behind the US and China

Business Insider

Ukraine’s spy agency says Russia believes it must end the war by 2026 or risk falling far behind the US and China

Matthew Loh – March 28, 2025

  • The deputy head of Ukraine’s GUR said the Kremlin forecasts a need to end the war by 2026.
  • Vadym Skibitsky said Moscow is likely concerned about its long-term ability to compete with the US.
  • If the war drags on, its relevance could be relegated just to Eastern Europe, Skibitsky said.

Ukraine’s intelligence agency said on Tuesday that Russia likely believes it must resolve its war with Kyiv by 2026, or eventually lose its chances of competing with the US and China on the world stage.

Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitsky, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency GUR, referenced forecast documents from the Kremlin at a press event in Kyiv about European security.

Business Insider could not independently verify the existence and authenticity of these documents.

“We can say that the Russian Federation has clearly defined in these documents that the Ukrainian issue must be resolved by 2026,” said Skibitsky, who is also deputy head of GUR.

Vadym Skibitskyi is seen giving an interview with Ukrainian news media in January 2024.
Skibitsky, pictured here during a separate January 2024 interview, is deputy head of the GUR.Global Images Ukraine/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

“Because if the war continues for another five to 10 years, Russia will never be able to catch up and reach the same level as the United States and China,” he added.

Should this happen, Russia could stand to “forever remain a regional player” in Eastern Europe, Skibitsky said.

“And the Russian Federation clearly understands this today. That is why it foresees this in the future,” he said.

Skibitsky said such Russian forecasts typically combine work from government ministries, federal agencies, and research institutions, and that the Kremlin’s plans had described war scenarios as far in the future as 2045. These included conflict scenarios with Northern European states, Poland, and the Baltics, Skibitsky said.

The deputy spy chief’s comments come as the White House has sought to push Ukraine and Russia toward a cease-fire. The effort has surfaced new questions about how long the war will last — and concerns in Ukraine that the resulting peace might only be achieved by giving Russia outsize concessions.

In early March, The Washington Post reported that an influential think tank in Moscow had assessed that a “peaceful resolution” to the war by 2026 would be impossible.

According to the Post, the analysis recommended a hardline, maximalist stance toward negotiations with the US and Ukraine. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the outlet that the federal government “was not aware of such recommendations” and was working with “more considered options.”

Ukraine thinks Russia’s costs are too high

The head of GUR, Kyrylo Budanov, recently voiced a similar assessment of Moscow needing a 2026 deadline.

“If they don’t end this war by 2026, they lose even a chance for global leadership,” he told state broadcaster Ukrinform on February 27. “They will be left with, at most, a regional leadership level, which is absolutely unacceptable to them.”

Budanov said that a protracted war would undermine Russia’s ability to innovate in tech and compete with the US on the world stage, especially with its ability to contest the Arctic regions.

“The cost of the war is too high — the financial cost,” he told Ukrinform.

Washington’s leaders consider Russia as one of two near-peer competitors or potential adversaries, meaning that it has a chance of being comparable to US military might.

The other is China, which leaders in both the Biden and Trump administrations have repeatedly said is the Pentagon’s main priority for preparing against threats.

The Russian Defense Ministry and the Kremlin’s press office did not respond to requests for comment sent by BI.

‘Something stinks’: Elon Musk, congressional Republicans target Democrats’ main fundraising machine

CNN

‘Something stinks’: Elon Musk, congressional Republicans target Democrats’ main fundraising machine

Fredreka Schouten, CNN – March 28, 2025

This 2018 photo shows an ActBlue office in Somerville, Massachusetts. - Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
This 2018 photo shows an ActBlue office in Somerville, Massachusetts. – Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe/Getty Images

ActBlue, a fundraising juggernaut for liberal candidates and causes, is facing stepped-up scrutiny and criticism from Republicans on Capitol Hill and allies of President Donald Trump – as the GOP flexes its new power in Washington and targets one of the key pillars of the Democratic Party’s financial infrastructure.

Three Republicans in Congress – including the chairmen of the House Oversight and Administration panels – are urging Trump’s Treasury Department to share with lawmakers reports of suspicious financial transactions related to ActBlue. Other GOP lawmakers are demanding probes by Treasury and the FBI into whether the fundraising platform has helped organizations engaged in terrorism or violated federal campaign finance laws.

And billionaire Trump donor Elon Musk – who is overseeing the administration’s controversial effort to rapidly shrink the federal government – has criticized ActBlue, seeking to tie it to protests and acts of vandalism against his electric-vehicle company Tesla. He has argued, without evidence to substantiate his claims, that some prominent Democrats – including one who died in 2019 – were funding ActBlue and the protests.

“Something stinks about ActBlue,” Musk posted earlier this month on his social media platform, X.

Officials with ActBlue deny any wrongdoing.

“ActBlue has always dealt with attacks and baseless claims from the Right that are designed to undermine the power of the small-dollar donors who rely on our platform,” spokesperson Megan Hughes said in a statement in CNN. “This new, coordinated attack is different only in scale, and our team remains steadfast in defending against these bad-faith attacks.”

She said the platform would continue its “mission to expand access to political giving and ensure people-powered movements continue to thrive.”

ActBlue, a nonprofit organization, is a fundraising powerhouse for Democrats and progressive groups – helping to funnel small-dollar donations to candidates, party committees and others. In all, it has collected more than $16 billion since its founding in 2004, according to a running tally on its website.

Although it has competitors, it has long dominated processing payments online for the party. According to the platform, more than 14 million users have saved their contact and payment information with the group, allowing contributors to easily make one-click donations.

But the ramped-up criticism from Republicans comes as ActBlue has faced internal tumult – including the recent departure of several high-level staffers as first reported by The New York Times – and criticism from some Democratic consultants and others in liberal circles over whether the platform is doing enough to protect donors from deceptive tactics.

Last December, for instance, dozens of individuals and progressive groups signed an open letter to ActBlue, urging reforms – including prohibiting political committees that raise money on the platform from using misleading language in fundraising solicitations.

But some Democrats worry that – with Republicans now controlling all the levers of government in Washington – the increased scrutiny could serve as a precursor to a Republican attempt to shut down the platform entirely and undermine Democratic fundraising in future elections.

Josh Nelson, the CEO of the ad platform Civic Shout and one of the signatories of last year’s letter recommending changes to ActBlue’s policies, said his concerns about its internal practices have taken a back seat this year to his growing alarm over what he views as “illegitimate attacks” from the GOP.

“I think Republicans know that ActBlue has been an extremely effective fundraising platform for thousands of Democratic campaigns and progressive groups,” Nelson said. “They’re just trying to use power to harm their political opponents in future elections.”

“The question is how far will Republicans go?”

GOP lawmakers in recent years have increased their scrutiny of ActBlue, questioning how it guards against fraud and prevents foreigners from illegally contributing to US campaigns. Among the issues raised: ActBlue did not always require donors to add the CVV number – or card verification value – on every credit card transaction.

(ActBlue has added the CVV requirement but has said it has long used several reliable means to prevent fraud and prohibit illicit foreign contributions, including an address verification system to ensure cardholder addresses match those at the banks that issued the cards. Americans living abroad, for instance, also must include a copy of their passport photo.)

But this month has seen a slew of fresh ActBlue activity from GOP lawmakers, who are seeking executive branch probes or access to sensitive documents from Treasury, such as the “suspicious activity reports” or SARs, which financial institutions file with the agency to flag suspected cases of money laundering, fraud or other suspicious transactions.

Wisconsin GOP Rep. Bryan Steil, who oversees the House Administration Committee, and others have complained that the Biden administration provided only limited information in response to requests for the reports involving ActBlue.

He recently joined House Oversight and Accountability Committee chairman, Kentucky Rep. James Comer, and New York Rep. Nick Langworthy in a letter that seeks all suspicious activity reports mentioning ActBlue filed at any point from January 1, 2023.

It’s not clear whether Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will cooperate.

Currently, the House Administration Committee “is in communication with the Treasury Department about reviewing SARs,” a source familiar told CNN this week. A Treasury spokesperson did not comment.

Other GOP lawmakers pushing for probes of the fundraising platform include Trump allies, California Rep. Darrell Issa and Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs.

In the meantime, Democrats are trying to use the GOP scrutiny to bring in more political contributions.

“Republicans are attacking ActBlue because small-dollar donations from people like you are a major advantage for Democratic campaigns up-and-down the ballot,” read a recent fundraising email from the Democratic National Committee.

The appeal then links users to ActBlue to help Democrats “fight back.”

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com

Elon Musk has a dodgy plan to gut Social Security and please billionaires

USA Today

Elon Musk has a dodgy plan to gut Social Security and please billionaires | Opinion

EJ Montini, Arizona Republic – March 27, 2025

America’s co-president Elon Musk has referred to Social Security as “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.”

The leader of the Department of Government Efficiency told Fox Business, “Most of the federal spending is entitlements. That’s the big one to eliminate.”

Musk and his helper Donald Trump want to gut the system. After all, billionaires have no need for Social Security.

However, they know that if they tried a direct approach and simply slashed Social Security benefits, even their most ardent sycophants in Congress would balk, knowing they’d be booted from office in the next election.

DOGE cuts make it tough to access Social Security benefits
White House Senior Advisor, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attends a cabinet meeting held by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on March 24, 2025 in Washington, DC.
White House Senior Advisor, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attends a cabinet meeting held by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on March 24, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Instead of drastically cutting benefits, the plan seemingly is to make it more and more difficult for people who have earned those benefits to get them.Advertisement

That’s why Musk and his DOGE bros want to cut thousands of jobs from Social Security’s workforce, close regional offices and limit phone service by “requiring recipients to show up in person to verify certain changes to their accounts,” according to The Washington Post.

Opinion: Trump turns Republicans into liars and enablers. Will they ever admit the truth?

As a result, The Post reported, “the Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts.”

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., succinctly outlined the plot to gut Social Security at a hearing in Washington, D.C.

Not just retirees rely on Social Security

She said, “DOGE is considering slashing up to 50% of the Social Security Administration’s workforce. That means longer lines, more errors, and for everyone who gives up or who dies before they get their benefits sorted out, those delays and errors also turn into benefit cuts.”

Warren added, “The law is to deliver the benefits that people are legally entitled to. If you don’t have the staff. If you don’t answer the phones. If you don’t fix the mistakes. People don’t get what they’re legally entitled to.”

Opinion: Trump has signed more than 100 executive orders already. Is that too many? Tell us.

The list of people who will be most at risk includes retirees, of course. But also individuals with disabilities, patients in hospitals, people who live in remote areas, even children, many living in foster homes.

It goes on.

Long lines, confusion and delay hurt us all

Already, legitimate Social Security recipients are feeling it. Very long wait times for callers. Confusion. Uncertainty.Advertisement

Delays in receiving Social Security benefits can be catastrophic for some recipients. Many people rely on the money to help take care of their most basic needs.

A survey published in January found that, without their benefits, 42% of Americans 65 and older reported, “I would not be able to afford the basics, such as food, clothing, or housing.”

Former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley said recently at a briefing, “I can tell you that democracy is waking up to this very, very real threat that they are coming for Social Security.”

Coming?

I believe they’re already here.

More in Politics
HuffPost: Critics Bring Receipts After Musk Claims They ‘Can’t Point To Any’ Controversial DOGE Cuts
Exactly: ‘Something stinks’: Elon Musk, congressional Republicans target Democrats’ main fundraising machine

Tesla Protest Movement Prepares for its Biggest Day Yet

TIME

Tesla Protest Movement Prepares for its Biggest Day Yet

Nik Popli – March 27, 2025

Protesters gather outside of a Manhattan Tesla dealership to demonstrate against Tesla CEO Elon Musk on March 22, 2025, in New York City. Credit – Spencer Platt–Getty Images

Cybertrucks set on fire. Bomb threats at Tesla showrooms. Vandalism at charging stations.

A wave of violent protests targeting Tesla facilities has erupted across the country in recent weeks over Elon Musk’s controversial role within the Trump Administration, with demonstrators looking to bankrupt the company and ultimately force Musk out of his government position.

On Saturday, March 29, the anti-Musk movement is preparing for what could be its largest mobilization yet. The decentralized group Tesla Takedown has called for peaceful protests targeting more than 500 locations worldwide in what organizers describe as a stand against its billionaire CEO’s involvement with right-wing politics. Musk, who serves as the head of the newly-established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), alienated many customers when he endorsed Trump in last year’s presidential election and spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help his campaign, including by leveraging his social media platform X to rally support.

Since January, Musk’s public persona has only become more divisive, as he’s overseen  aggressive cuts to the federal workforce, called for privatizing popular government programs, and made what was widely interpreted as a Nazi-style salute at a celebration rally on the day of Trump’s Inauguration. Many also view his close ties to the Trump Administration as a clear conflict of interest, given that his businesses have collected a reported $38 billion in government funds.

While Tesla Takedown insists its movement is nonviolent, critics have tried in recent weeks to blame it for acts of vandalism and arson against Tesla showrooms, vehicles, and charging stations. Incidents have ranged from Molotov cocktail attacks in Salem, Oregon, to Cybertrucks spray-painted with Nazi comparisons in Brooklyn. Federal authorities have already arrested multiple suspects, with both Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi branding the destruction of Tesla property as “domestic terrorism” and warning that those involved could face up to 20 years in prison.

“You didn’t have that on Jan. 6, I can tell you,” Trump said last week, suggesting that the Tesla attacks were more destructive than the deadly January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, when hundreds of his supporters stormed the building in an effort to overturn the election and left the halls of Congress with broken windows, vandalized walls and ransacked offices. “Nobody was killed on January 6, but what’s happening to Elon Musk and Tesla is a disgrace.”

Since December, Tesla’s stock has lost more than half its value. Trump has portrayed Musk as a patriot under siege and earlier this month made a show of buying a Tesla Model S on the South Lawn of the White House. “I think [Musk has] been treated very unfairly by a very small group of people. And I just want people to know that he can’t be penalized for being a patriot,” Trump said of Musk’s role in his Administration. The President promised that protesters who had attacked Tesla dealerships and charging stations were “going to go through hell.”

“I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20-year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, even suggesting that convicted vandals should serve their time in El Salvador’s notorious prison system, which has already become a black hole for accused Venezuelan gang members deported from United States with no judicial hearing.

Despite the increased pressure from the Trump Administration, protesters are still planning for their “biggest day of action” at all 277 Tesla showrooms on March 29. “Elon Musk is destroying our democracy, and he’s using the fortune he built at Tesla to do it. We are taking action at Tesla to stop Musk’s illegal coup,” Tesla Takedown says on its website, adding that “we oppose violence, vandalism and destruction of property.”

Once seen as the epitome of innovation and progress, Musk’s Tesla is now viewed as a symbol of division. Some disillusioned owners have responded to calls from Tesla Takedown to sell their vehicles, including Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat. Others have placed anti-Musk bumper stickers on their Teslas in protest, while some conservative personalities, like Fox News host Sean Hannity, have publicized their recent purchases of new Teslas.

Some analysts speculate that Tesla’s board may eventually have to distance itself from Musk if public relations woes continue to drag down the company’s financial performance. An NBC News poll released this month found that more voters (51%) viewed Musk negatively than positively (39%), reflecting how deeply polarized public opinion of the billionaire CEO has become in the wake of his work with Trump.

Democrats, meanwhile, have seized on the backlash against Musk to energize their base. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas said at a virtual rally held for the Tesla Takedown movement that she hoped to see Musk “taken down” on her birthday on March 29, the day of the planned protests. She clarified during the rally that her calls for action were nonviolent. Bondi, the attorney general, warned Crockett to “tread very carefully” in response.

As tensions escalate, some protesters say they are now facing personal threats and harassment. Joan Donovan, one of the organizers of the Tesla Takedown movement, said in a post on Bluesky that she is being “viciously threatened and doxed” for participating in the public demonstrations, claiming that Musk’s supporters had developed “a private army of networked harassers” who have branded her a “domestic terrorist” for protesting Tesla. And in Florida last Saturday, a man was arrested after driving his car toward a group of anti-Musk protesters outside a Tesla dealership in West Palm Beach. No one was injured.

The FBI has warned the public to look out for signs of possible attacks on Tesla properties ahead of the day of action, including individuals surveilling or trying to break into dealerships or making threats against the company online.

“Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks,” Musk wrote on X in response to the violent acts aimed at Tesla facilities.

Tesla Takedown Gets Ready for Global Day of Anti-Musk Protests

The New Republic

Tesla Takedown Gets Ready for Global Day of Anti-Musk Protests

Hafiz Rashid – March 28, 2025

On Saturday, Elon Musk’s Tesla dealerships around the world will be met with protests. 

Organizers are calling it the Tesla Takedown Global Day of Action, and plan to hold rallies at over 200 Tesla locations, including close to 50 in California. They hope to send a message to Tesla CEO Musk and the Trump administration that they oppose their overhaul of the federal government, from the mass purges of federal workers to closing entire agencies. 

The organizers describe themselves as grassroots activists who will “protest Tesla for as long as Elon Musk continues to shred public services,” according to their organizing page. The movement is decentralized, with local organizers planning their own protests rather than coordinating with a national group. Musk is “destroying our democracy using the fortune he built at Tesla” and so, in turn, they are “taking action at Tesla,” the website states. 

“Nobody voted for this, and nobody voted for Elon,” Vickie Mueller Olvera, who is organizing protests in California’s Bay Area, said to The Guardian. “He’s an unelected super-billionaire and he’s a thug.”

Olvera advises people not to buy a Tesla or  buy stock in the company and to join the protests, which started shortly after Trump’s inauguration. Since then, Tesla stock has plummeted, with Musk leveraging his influence over the Trump administration to have the president shill for the car company on the White House lawn and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick beg the public to buy Tesla stock. 

Trump’s ill-advised automobile tariffs may even affect Tesla less than other automakers, according to industry experts, raising questions as to whether that is Trump’s real goal. But Musk is largely responsible for damaging his own car company, which makes a fortune not on car sales but on exploiting the carbon credit market. If he’s upset about Tesla’s (and his own) damaged image, perhaps he should stay out of the federal government. But that would mean the end of his gravy train. 

Elon Musk Brags About How Much He Controls Trump

The New Republic

Elon Musk Brags About How Much He Controls Trump

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling – March 28, 2025

Elon Musk is threatening to use the power of the White House against people protesting his companies.

“I think a great wrong is being done to the people of Tesla and to our customers,” Musk told Fox News Thursday, referring to his company’s diminished reputation amid a mass protest of his cars and his involvement in the federal government.

In a matter of months, Tesla’s brand identity has radically shifted from a liberal-leaning, environmentally conscious car label to a symbol of Donald Trump’s movement, thanks to Musk’s “dark MAGA” rebranding.

That’s made the vehicles, as well as Tesla dealerships, targets of political dissent. In the weeks since Trump’s inauguration, Teslas have been lit on fire and sprayed with graffiti, while charging stations for the electric vehicles have reportedly been hit with Molotov cocktails.

“What’s happening, it seems to me, is they’re being fed propaganda by the far left, and they believe it. It’s really unfortunate,” Musk continued, claiming that the “real problem” isn’t the “crazy guy” who attacks his vehicles but rather the people that push the “propaganda” that encourages him to do it.

“Those are the real villains here, and we’re going to go after them,” the DOGE chief warned. “The president has made it clear, we’re going to go after them.”

“The ones providing the money, the ones pushing the lies and propaganda? We’re going after them,” Musk said, casually pointing his fingers in the shape of a gun.

Musk’s intent to limit the repercussions for targeting Tesla to those in power has already proven to be untrue as local governments morph to please the White House and bend to Musk’s will. On Monday, Washington’s Metropolitan Police revealed that two people accused of vandalizing a Tesla windshield will be charged for “political hate speech.”

But the world’s richest man can only play the victim for so long. Customers around the world are voting against Tesla’s success with their wallets, refusing to tap into the brand due to Musk’s new political alignment. And that’s affected Tesla on the stock exchange just as much as it’s ruffled company executives and major investors, several of whom have jumped ship to save their pockets.

Four top officers at the company have unloaded more than $100 million in stock since last month, reported ABC News. They include James Murdoch, the estranged son of right-wing media magnate Rupert Murdoch, and Elon Musk’s brother Kimbal Musk, who shed $27 million, according to a Security and Exchange Control filing.

Even Tesla bulls are slowing down on the electric car manufacturer. Earlier this month, Mizuho Securities managing director and senior analyst Vijay Rakesh cut his firm’s price target for Tesla by $85 per share, according to Barron’s. In a statement at the time, Rakesh pointed to Musk’s polarizing persona and his influence in “geopolitics” as two reasons for the downturn.

A global day of protest against the carmaker is scheduled for Saturday, with thousands of people expected to participate in protests at Tesla showrooms both in the United States and around the globe.

“Nobody voted for this, and nobody voted for Elon,” Vickie Mueller Olvera, a Tesla Takedown protest organizer in the Bay Area, told The Guardian. “He’s an unelected super-billionaire and he’s a thug.”

Elon Says Government Will ‘Go After’ People ‘Pushing the Propaganda’ About Tesla

Rolling Stone

Elon Says Government Will ‘Go After’ People ‘Pushing the Propaganda’ About Tesla

Charisma Madarang – March 28, 2025

As Tesla CEO Elon Musk leads President Donald Trump’s relentless purge of the federal government’s workforce via his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a string of attacks and vandalism have hit vehicles and dealerships bearing the automaker’s logo.

Musk and several DOGE top aides sat down with Fox News host Bret Baier on Thursday, pitching to America their supposed earnest efforts to cut costs and reduce government waste. The conversation eventually led to Musk addressing the recent vandalization of Tesla property across the country, with Musk backing earlier statements from Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi condemning the attacks and threatening legal action. On Monday, the FBI announced that it has created a task force to “crack down on violent Tesla attacks.”

“People are committing violence. They are firebombing Tesla dealerships. They’re shooting guns into stores. They’re threatening people,” Musk told Baier. “Why? What’s happening, it seems to me, is they’re being fed propaganda by the far left, and they believe it.”

“The real problem is not like the crazy guy that firebombs a Tesla dealership, it’s the people pushing the propaganda that cause that guy to do it,” he continued.

“The president has made it clear, we are going to go after them. The ones providing the money. The ones pushing the lies and propaganda, we’re going after them,” Musk claimed. “I think there’s some real evil out there. We have to overcome it.”

Earlier this month, a federal judge found that Musk and DOGE “likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways” when they shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, America’s foreign aid bureau, and terminated thousands of employees.

Musk previously appeared on Fox News and claimed the political backlash against him was happening because he and DOGE are uncovering fraud.

“It turns out, when you take away people’s, you know, the money they’re receiving fraudulently, they get very upset, and they basically want to kill me because I’m stopping their fraud, and they want to hurt Tesla because we’re stopping this, this terrible waste and corruption in the government,” Musk said, adding: “Bad people will do bad things.”

So far, Musk and DOGE have found exceedingly little fraud. In recent months however, they have eliminated tens of thousands of federal workers, and threatened the stability of essential government services like Social Security.

Vance accuses Denmark of underinvesting in Greenland as Trump presses for US takeover of the island

Associated Press

Vance accuses Denmark of underinvesting in Greenland as Trump presses for US takeover of the island

Philip Crowther, Kirsten Grieshaber and Aamer Madhani – March 27, 2025

Vice President JD Vance arrives at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP)
Vice President JD Vance, from right, and second lady Usha Vance, speak with soldiers at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP)
Vice President JD Vance, right, and second lady Usha Vance arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Friday, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP)

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Friday that Denmark has “underinvested” in Greenland’s security and demanded that Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump pushes to take over the Danish territory.

The pointed remarks came as Vance visited U.S. troops on Pituffik Space Base on the mineral-rich, strategically critical island alongside his wife and other senior U.S. officials for a trip that was ultimately scaled back after an uproar among Greenlanders and Danes who were not consulted about the original itinerary.

“Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance said. “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.”

Vance said the U.S. has “no option” but to take a significant position to ensure the security of Greenland as he encouraged a push in Greenland for independence from Denmark.

“I think that they ultimately will partner with the United States,” Vance said. “We could make them much more secure. We could do a lot more protection. And I think they’d fare a lot better economically as well.”

The reaction by members of Greenland’s parliament and residents has rendered that unlikely, with anger erupting over the Trump administration’s attempts to annex the vast Arctic island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pushed back on Vance’s claim that Denmark isn’t doing enough for defense in the Arctic, calling her country “a good and strong ally.”

Soon after arriving, Vance briefly addressed U.S. troops stationed at the base as he and his wife sat down to lunch with them, saying that the Trump administration is very interested in “Arctic security.” He and his entourage, including national security adviser Mike Waltz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, later received briefings from military officials.

It was minus-3 degrees F (minus-19 degrees C) when the delegation landed at the remote base 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle. “It’s cold as s—- here. Nobody told me,” Vance said, prompting laughs.

The revised trip to the semi-autonomous Danish territory comes as relations between the U.S. and the Nordic country, a traditional U.S. ally and NATO member, have soured. Trump had repeatedly suggested that the United States should in some form control the island.

During his remarks at the end of the brief visit, Vance underscored that he did not think military force was ever going to be necessary as he pressed the idea of a dramatically enhanced American position on the island.

“Because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we’re going to have to cut a deal, Donald Trump style, to ensure the security of this territory but also the United States of America,” Vance said while adding that the people of Greenland had the right to determine their own future.

In Washington, Trump on Friday said the U.S. “needs Greenland for international security.”

Trump, speaking to reporters soon after Vance’s arrival, alluded to the rising Chinese and Russian interest in the Arctic, where sea lanes have opened up because of climate change.

“Greenland’s very important for the peace of the world,” Trump said. “And I think Denmark understands, and I think the European Union understands it. And if they don’t, we’re going to have to explain it to them.”

After Vance’s speech, Frederiksen said Denmark was increasing its defense capabilities in the region, including new Arctic ships and long-range drones.

With Greenland part of NATO, she also emphasized the collective responsibility of the alliance to defend the Arctic in response to the Russian threat. After Denmark stood “side by side with Americans” in its war against terror, she said it was “not a fair way” for Vance to refer to Denmark.

Denmark’s ambassador to the U.S., Jesper Møller Sørensen, thanked Vance “for taking a closer look at Arctic security” and said both countries agree more could be done.

“Greenland & Denmark share a desire to strengthen our already incredibly close ties with our friend & ally,” he wrote on social media.

Ahead of Vance’s arrival, four of the five parties elected to Greenland’s parliament earlier this month signed an agreement to form a new, broad-based coalition government. The parties banded together in the face of Trump’s designs on the territory.

“It is a time when we as a population are under pressure,” the prime minister-designate, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said before the accord was signed to applause and cheers in the capital, Nuuk.

He added that “we must stick together. Together we are strongest,” Greenland broadcaster KNR reported.

In a post on Instagram, Frederiksen congratulated Nielsen and his incoming government, and said, “I look forward to close cooperation in an unnecessarily conflict-filled time.”

Frederiksen said Tuesday that the U.S. visit, which was originally set for three days, created “unacceptable pressure.” She has said Denmark wants to work with the U.S. on defense and security, but Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.

Initially, Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, had announced a solo trip to the Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race in Sisimiut. The vice president subsequently said he would join her on that trip, only to change that itinerary again — after protests from Greenland and Denmark — to a one-day visit to the military post only.

Inhabitants of Nuuk, which is about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) south of Pituffik, voiced concern about Vance’s visit and the U.S. interest in their island.

Cora Høy, 22, said Vance was “welcome if he wants to see it but of course Greenland is not for sale.” She added that “it’s not normal around here” with all the attention Greenland is getting. “I feel now every day is about (Trump) and I just want to get away from it.”

“It’s all a bit crazy. Of course the population here is a bit shook up,” said 30-year-old Inuk Kristensen. “My opinion is the same as everyone’s: Of course you don’t do things this way. You don’t just come here and say that you want to buy the place.”

As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources.

“We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic, because we know that if America doesn’t, other nations will fill the gap where we fall behind,” Vance said.

___

Grieshaber reported from Berlin and Madhani from Washington. Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland, contributed to this report.

Elon Musk Says DOGE Aims to Finish $1 Trillion in Cuts by End of May

Bloomberg

Elon Musk Says DOGE Aims to Finish $1 Trillion in Cuts by End of May

Dana Hull and Jennifer A. Dlouhy – March 27, 2025

(Bloomberg) — Elon Musk, the billionaire running President Donald Trump’s federal cost cutting effort, said he plans to slash $1 trillion in government spending by the end of May.

Musk, in an interview Thursday with Fox News’ Bret Baier, said he believes that his Department of Government Efficiency can find that level of cost savings within 130 days from the start of Trump’s term, which began on Jan. 20.

That presents an ambitious goal that would require slashing more than half of the $1.8 trillion the US spent on non-defense discretionary programs in 2024.

“I think we will accomplish most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that time frame,” Musk said on Baier’s show Special Report.

Musk is a special government employee, a classification for temporary federal workers who are only supposed to work 130 days out of the year in their roles.

Musk said he wants to cut 15% of the government’s annual spending — which amounted to $6.75 trillion in fiscal year 2024. That’s a reduction of about $1 trillion. Musk says he is confident he can slash that amount “without affecting any of the critical government services.”

The interview came days after Trump said that he expected to be “satisfied” with DOGE’s cuts in the coming month or two. The president has also said DOGE’s overhauls are not “necessarily a very popular thing to do,” an acknowledgment of the political risk associated with Musk’s plans for wide-ranging cuts.

Much of the federal government’s spending is on mandatory programs, such as Medicare and Social Security, where there is little leeway to make cuts. Musk has said, without citing evidence, that those programs are overrun with fraud and waste.

DOGE has deployed at least 10 staffers to the Social Security Administration to identify waste. But the data does not support claims of widespread fraud: from 2015 through 2022, Social Security estimated that it made almost $72 billion in improper payments — less than 1% of benefits paid, according to an inspector general report last year.

The Fox interview marked the first time that many of the key people working with DOGE have spoken publicly about their work. Steve Davis, a longtime Musk aide, was identified by Baier as the DOGE chief operating officer. Joe Gebbia, the billionaire who co-founded Airbnb and is on Tesla Inc.’s board of directors, also joined the interview.

So far, the accounting from Musk’s own team has shown they are still far from the $1 trillion mark. The DOGE website, which has been plagued with errors and overstatements, lists about $22 billion in contract savings. They claim about $130 billion in overall cost reductions, which aren’t itemized.

Musk’s DOGE has also spearheaded a wave of federal government layoffs that agencies have begun implementing in recent weeks.

Musk sought to downplay the job cuts, saying that “almost no one’s gotten fired.”

Agencies in recent weeks have announced a spate of workforce reductions. Earlier Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services said it would cut 10,000 jobs. Earlier this month, the Education Department said it was cutting half of its employees and the Small Business Administration is eliminating 43% of its workforce. The Department of Veterans Affairs said it would terminate 80,000 workers and the Treasury Department said in a court filing that large-scale cuts are planned.

DOGE has faced a series of legal setbacks as judges have halted some of their cuts. Musk’s team has also been blocked from accessing some systems and databases, including at the Social Security Administration.

The MAGANAZI’s have thin skin: “We’re going after them”: Musk promises Trump admin will target Tesla critics

Salon

“We’re going after them”: Musk promises Trump admin will target Tesla critics

Griffin Eckstein – March 27, 2025

Elon Musk KENNY HOLSTON/THE NEW YORK TIMES/11276477p/AFP via Getty Images
Elon Musk KENNY HOLSTON/THE NEW YORK TIMES/11276477p/AFP via Getty Images

Tesla CEO and Trump advisor Elon Musk gave Fox News’s Bret Baier a rare look inside his Department of Government Efficiency on Thursday. While the conversation centered around supposed cost-cutting, talk of enemies of MAGA and Musk was never far off.

The X owner doubled down on promises from Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Donald Trump that those caught vandalizing Tesla dealerships would face harsh legal penalties. However, Musk took it a step further, promising punishment for Tesla’s critics.

“People are committing violence. They are firebombing Tesla dealerships. They are shooting guns into stores. They’re threatening people,” Musk said. “Why? What’s happening, it seems to me, is they’re being fed propaganda by the far left, and they believe it.”

“The ones pushing the lies and propaganda, we’re going after them,” Musk continued. “I think there’s some real evil out there. We have to overcome it.”

Musk wasn’t clear about what types of anti-Tesla speech could be subject to prosecution. When it comes to anti-Musk speech, the unelected meddler certainly has his pick. Asked by Baier how he feels when he’s “called a Nazi, a white supremacist, a fascist,” Musk said he and Trump both faced comparisons to far-right authoritarian leaders like Hitler and Mussolini – and said those responsible needed to be stopped.

“They’re pushing these lies. And why do they push these lies? And I think need to hold people responsible for pushing these lies,” Musk said. “Because those lies almost got the president killed.”