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DeSantis Makes Endorsement In Kentucky Governor’s Race, Teeing Up Potential Trump Feud

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Ron DeSantis (R) is rocking the boat.

The Florida Governor issued a last-minute endorsement in Kentucky’s contentious Republican gubernatorial primary on Monday, throwing his support behind former U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft.

“Hello, this is Governor Ron DeSantis, coming to you from the free state of Florida. You’ve had a woke, liberal governor who’s put a radical agenda ahead of Kentuckians. The stakes couldn’t be higher. I know what it takes to stand up for what’s right, and Kelly Craft’s got it. She’s proven it,” DeSantis said in a recorded statement shared with Fox News Digital. 

“I’m strongly encouraging you to go out and vote for my friend, Kelly Craft. Kelly shares the same vision we do in Florida. She will stand up to the left as they try to indoctrinate our children with their woke ideology. Kelly will fight against crazy ESG policies that are trying to end the coal industry in Kentucky. And Kelly’s going to do everything in her power to end the fentanyl crisis that is hurting Kentucky families,” he said.

In a statement to Fox News, Craft said she was “honored and grateful” to have DeSantis’ support, and praised his leadership of Florida.

“He sets the example for Republican leaders around the nation because he delivers bold, conservative results. Kentucky needs to look more like Florida instead of California, and I look forward to ushering in a new generation of conservative leadership as Governor of Kentucky,” she said.

However, Donald Trump backed Craft’s opponent, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, early on in the race.

The race is widely viewed as a bellwether for Republican chances at taking back the White House and Senate in 2024. DeSantis’ last-minute endorsement of Craft ahead of Tuesday’s Republican primary pits him squarely against former President Donald Trump as he seeks to test the strength of his own endorsement after being blamed by some Republicans for the GOP’s disappointing 2022 midterms results.

Fellow Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has also endorsed Craft.

Craft and Cameron are facing a crowded field of 10 other Republican candidates, including Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles.

The winner of Tuesday’s contest will go on to face Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear in the November general election.

Report: Judge Agrees To Unseal Additional Filings From Jan. 6 Trump Case

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U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to unseal additional filings from special counsel Jack Smith laying out his election interference case against former President Trump

Chutkan agreed to a request from Smith to unseal exhibits that accompany his 180-page brief asserting that prosecutors can still bring much of their Jan. 6 case against Trump in the wake of a Supreme Court decision granting former presidents broad criminal immunity. 

Chutkan granted Smith’s motion to post redacted versions of the exhibits, which could include grand jury transcripts, texts and other evidence assembled by prosecutors.

The Hill reports:

“The court determines that the Government’s proposed redactions to the Appendix are appropriate, and that Defendant’s blanket objections to further unsealing are without merit. As the court has stated previously, ‘Defendant’s concern with the political consequences of these proceedings’ is not a cognizable legal prejudice,’” she wrote.

Trump opposed both the unsealing of Smith’s motion as well as the accompanying evidence.

But Chutkan also agreed to stay her ruling for seven days after an earlier motion from Trump’s legal team asked for additional time “so that President Trump can evaluate litigation options relating to the decision.”

“There should be no further disclosures at this time of the so-called ‘evidence’ that the Special Counsel’s Office has unlawfully cherry-picked and mischaracterized — during early voting in the 2024 Presidential election,” Trump’s team wrote in an earlier filing Thursday.

Johnson Reveals His Next Move On The SAVE America Act

Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson says Republicans are preparing another attempt to send the SAVE America Act to President Donald Trump’s desk, this time by packaging the election integrity legislation into a future budget reconciliation bill that could bypass the Senate filibuster.

Johnson made the remarks during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” telling Shannon Bream that the bill remains one of the White House’s top priorities and pledging that the House will take it up again after passing it three previous times.

Johnson Eyes Reconciliation Strategy

“We’re going to try one more time on a budget reconciliation bill,” Johnson said. “I think that will be the way to get it through the Senate, and finally, to the president’s desk.”

WATCH:

The SAVE America Act would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and a government-issued photo ID to cast a ballot in federal elections. The House approved the measure in February, but it has repeatedly stalled in the Senate, where Republicans lack the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster.

Johnson acknowledged that reality, saying there is “zero chance” seven Senate Democrats would support the bill under the chamber’s normal rules.

Trump Continues To Push Election Bill

Johnson said President Trump considers the legislation a top priority and has encouraged congressional Republicans to continue pursuing it.

The speaker said Republicans are developing another reconciliation package that would combine election integrity measures with budget-related provisions in hopes of qualifying for the Senate’s reconciliation process, which requires only a simple majority for passage.

Johnson has previously suggested tying election integrity provisions to a federal grant program for states, arguing that such a structure could satisfy reconciliation rules while encouraging states to adopt stricter voting standards.

House Conservatives Press Leadership

The issue has exposed divisions within the House Republican conference in recent weeks.

A group of conservative Republicans temporarily blocked House business after demanding the SAVE America Act be attached to must-pass legislation, including the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Johnson ultimately agreed to merge the election bill with the defense package before sending it to the Senate, though he acknowledged the Senate could later remove the provision.

Johnson defended his handling of the dispute, saying House Republicans remain united behind the goal of enacting the legislation despite disagreements over strategy.

Senate Outlook Remains Uncertain

Whether the proposal can ultimately pass through reconciliation remains an open question.

Senate Republicans have expressed differing views on pursuing another reconciliation package, and reconciliation rules generally limit legislation to provisions directly affecting federal spending, revenues, or the debt.

Still, Johnson said he is confident House Republicans can assemble a package that Senate Republicans will support.

“We’re planning to send over a bill that will be irresistible for any Republican,” he said, arguing it would promote affordability, reduce government waste and strengthen election integrity.

READ NEXT: Watch: Congresswoman’s July Fourth Message Leaves Millions Fuming

Former Fox News Editor Blames Trump for Firing

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Looking east towards 6th Avenue along north (48th Street) side of Fox News building on a snowy afternoon. [Photo Credit: Jim.henderson, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Former Fox News Editor Chris Stirewalt was fired following the 2020 election.

Stirewalt famously called Arizona for Joe Biden in what many said was a premature decision.

Now, in a new book Stirewalt is criticizing former President Trump, and blaming him, at least in part, for his firing, DNYUZ reports.

Stirewalt wrote, “I got canned after very vocal and very online viewers — including the then-president of the United States — became furious when our Decision Desk was the first to project that Joe Biden would win the former G.O.P. stronghold of Arizona in 2020.”

Trump was furious at Stirewalt for calling the state too early.

A ratings decline followed after Trump urged his supporters to watch other networks.

But the decision to call Arizona was never reversed an ultimately turned out to be the right one.

[READ NEXT: New Accusations Hit Member of Trump’s Family]

Republican Senator Todd Young Declares He Will Not Vote For Trump In November

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) has announced that he will not be voting for former President Donald Trump in the upcoming November election.

“Principled conservatives need to incentivize our party to nominate somebody that principled conservatives can believe in. I’m tired of having my vote taken for granted,” the Indiana Republican announced on Wednesday night. 

The Washington Examiner’s Emily Jacobs reports:

Young split from the former president after he refused to accept the results of the 2020 election, though he voted against impeachment. He pledged not to vote for Trump again in 2023 over his conciliatory tone toward Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine and has remained undeterred by the wave of endorsements from his GOP colleagues.

Young said it was fair for people to ask if abstaining from casting a vote in November would “reward one person at the expense of the other,” adding, “My response is, at some point, principled conservatives need to incentivize our party, the Republican Party, to nominate somebody that principled conservatives can actually believe in.”

“Stated differently, I’m tired of having my vote taken for granted,” he explained. “I think a lot of Hoosiers are.”

Young and his colleagues who don’t support Trump have faced increasing questions about their respective plans for November as the former president became their party’s nominee. 

Former Vice President Mike Pence said last week that he could not endorse Trump “in this campaign,” citing his conscience. 

“I won’t be voting for Biden. I also won’t be voting for Trump,” Young told an Indiana reporter, echoing Pence’s announcement to Fox News’ Martha MacCallum. “So, does that mean I leave it blank? Does that mean I identify another conservative who’s almost certain not to be the next president of the United States and write them in? I haven’t decided that, and I think that’s a largely unimportant point. I don’t know who goes in that line, if anyone.” 

According to FiveThirtyEight, as of January 2021, Young supported the Trump administration’s legislative position 82.2% of the time.

This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. Republished with permission.

Trump Suggests Pulling His Own Nominee Amid Bitter GOP Standoff

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Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general and wait for two Republican holdouts to leave Washington before trying again.

The extraordinary maneuver would allow Blanche to remain acting attorney general while Trump attempts to outlast Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., whose opposition forced Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to postpone Thursday’s scheduled vote.

“Todd Blanche is a STAR, and everyone knows it!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He has the potential to go down as one of the Greatest Attorney Generals of All Time.”

Trump then turned his fire on Cornyn and Tillis, accusing the departing senators of blocking a nominee they know is qualified.

“John Cornyn, of Texas, and Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, both of whom I refused to Endorse, and whose political careers have been ended by my action, are refusing to vote for this Great Nominee, who will remain, in any event, as Acting,” Trump wrote.

“I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office,” he added.

Tillis announced last year that he would not seek reelection, while Cornyn lost the Texas Republican primary to state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who received Trump’s endorsement.

Trump had already suggested Wednesday that Cornyn’s resistance could be rooted in lingering resentment over the primary.

“He’s outstanding,” Trump told reporters when asked about Blanche’s nomination. “Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him,” according to The Associated Press.

Cornyn laughed off that suggestion, calling it “a convenient excuse” for the administration’s failure to cooperate with the Judiciary Committee, ABC News reported.

The standoff centers on a controversial settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leaking of his tax returns.

That agreement created a proposed $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who claim they were targeted by the federal government. It also included protections shielding Trump, members of his family and affiliated businesses from certain tax audits.

The Justice Department announced in June that it would no longer move forward with the fund after bipartisan backlash. Blanche also testified at his July 15 confirmation hearing that the fund was “dead.”

Cornyn and Tillis, however, want those assurances put in writing and the settlement language amended so the fund cannot be revived later. Cornyn also wants confirmation that Trump will not receive immunity from audits of future tax returns.

“We want to make sure that it remains dead, and that the president isn’t given any immunity from future audits that the ordinary taxpayer would not enjoy,” Cornyn told CBS News Thursday.

Cornyn said the Justice Department sent him proposed language Wednesday night, but he found it inadequate and responded with a counterproposal Thursday morning. He blamed “higher ups” at the White House for resisting the changes.

“Basically I get the sense that Todd Blanche is not the problem, it’s other folks at the White House who are resistant to any changes, any additional documentation,” Cornyn told The Hill. “But they need to make a fundamental decision whether they want him confirmed or not.”

Tillis similarly suggested that an unnamed White House adviser may be urging Trump to preserve the fund as an option.

“The only reason why we wouldn’t move forward with this language is because that same adviser wants to bring it back to life at some point,” Tillis told CBS News.

“That is horrible policy and it’s horrible politics,” he told The Hill.

Tillis acknowledged that Trump is “perfectly entitled” to hold Blanche’s nomination until January but warned the strategy could backfire if Republicans lose Senate seats—or control of the chamber—in November.

Cornyn also disputed Trump’s portrayal of the fight as a two-senator rebellion.

“POTUS is mistaken if he believes concerns about the provisions in his tax lawsuit settlement are limited to me and Senator Tillis,” Cornyn wrote on X.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., another outgoing Republican, declined Thursday to say whether he would support Blanche if the nomination came up for a vote, telling CBS News he was still gathering information.

For now, Blanche can continue overseeing the Justice Department in an acting capacity because he was previously confirmed as deputy attorney general. The White House has also highlighted support for his nomination from major law enforcement organizations, Republican state attorneys general and former Attorney General William Barr. The administration called Blanche a proven leader committed to fighting violent crime, fraud and transnational gangs.

Cornyn said Blanche’s nomination could advance as soon as next week if the administration agrees to clarify the settlement. Otherwise, the confirmation fight could stretch into September—or Trump could carry out his threat

Pete Buttigieg Signals Openness to 2028 Run

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Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is offering unusually candid reflections on President Joe Biden’s failed 2024 reelection campaign, acknowledging that the decision to run for a second term may have harmed the Democratic Party — while carefully laying the groundwork for a potential 2028 presidential bid.

Speaking to reporters after a veterans-focused town hall in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday night, Buttigieg said “maybe” Biden’s 2024 candidacy was a mistake, adding that “with the benefit of hindsight, I think most people would agree that that’s the case.”

The remarks came amid renewed scrutiny over Biden’s final year in office, spurred in part by revelations from the new book Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, which alleges that White House aides masked signs of cognitive decline in the then-president. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race in July after a widely criticized debate performance against now-President Donald Trump, a moment that triggered a wave of Democratic defections and calls for him to step aside.

He was replaced by then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who went on to lose the general election to Trump in November.

While offering a subtle critique, Buttigieg also defended his former boss’s capabilities during key moments in 2024, citing the administration’s response to the Baltimore bridge collapse.

“Every time I needed something from him from the West Wing, I got it,” Buttigieg said. “The same president the world saw addressing that [collapse] was the president I was in the Oval with, insisting that we do a good job, do right by Baltimore.”

Readers should note that the bridge’s reconstruction has yet to begin.

Buttigieg was one of Biden’s earliest and most high-profile endorsers after dropping out of the 2020 Democratic primary, and later became a key member of the administration.

Buttigieg’s Iowa visit — which included a town hall attended by 1,800 people, meetings with former 2020 campaign staffers, and a videographer from his political action group Win the Era — has fueled speculation about a White House run in 2028. His decision earlier this year not to pursue an open Senate seat in Michigan, where he now resides, added to the chatter.

When asked if his trip signaled the start of a 2028 exploratory phase, Buttigieg offered a carefully measured response.

“Right now, I’m not running for anything,” he said. “What’s exciting and compelling about an opportunity like this is to be campaigning for values and for ideas rather than a specific electoral campaign.”

Still, when informed that many audience members said they would support him in 2028, Buttigieg responded with appreciation.

“Of course, it means a lot to hear that people who supported me then continue to believe in what I have to say.”

Though Iowa’s status in the Democratic primary calendar was downgraded for 2024, it remains a symbolic and strategic stop for presidential hopefuls. Buttigieg famously won the Iowa caucuses in 2020, edging out Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and building momentum that carried him into the top tier of Democratic contenders before ultimately endorsing Biden.

The Democratic Party continues to grapple with the fallout of the 2024 loss. Biden’s decision to run again — despite growing concerns about his age and health — divided the party and is now seen by some as a major factor in the GOP’s return to power.

With Vice President Harris having failed to secure victory in the general election and many long-time party leaders aging, figures like Buttigieg are increasingly in focus.

As Buttigieg tests the waters in early states and maintains a national platform through veterans advocacy and public speaking, it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to emerge as a top potential contender for the next Democratic presidential nomination.

Trump Endorses Ex-McCarthy Aide To Fill Open Seat

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

This is a big boost…

Former President Donald Trump has chosen to throw his support behind ex-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s chosen successor for his empty seat in Congress, Vince Fong.

Fong, a California Assembly member who worked as McCarthy’s district director for almost a decade, is one of nine candidates running to replace him in Central Valley for his House seat.

Fox News has more:

“I am proud to join California’s Republican Congressional Delegation, and give Vince Fong my Complete and Total Endorsement!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Vince was one of only 6 Republicans in the State Assembly to stand with me, and reject the Second Impeachment Hoax. In Congress, Vince will work with me to Grow the Economy, Lower your Taxes, Cut Burdensome Regulations, Champion American Energy, and Protect and Defend the Second Amendment, which is under siege by the Radical Left.”

Endorsing Boudreaux last month, Grenell and Patel described him as the anti-establishment, America First choice. “Sheriff Mike Boudreaux is an America First patriot who has proven he is a principled fighter for freedom,” Grenell said, The Porterville Recorder reported at the time. “California needs leaders with courage to stand up to Washington bureaucrats. His record proves he is the right choice for the Valley.”

Patel said, “Sheriff Boudreaux is the kind of leader we need in Congress, one with the courage to stand up and fight, not back down, and put American first,” The Recorder reported.

Trump’s endorsement of Fong is likely to give him a boost with voters who may have been wary over his years-long ties to the GOP establishment. Fong wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, soon after the former president’s announcement, “Thank you… for your endorsement! Let’s get to work to secure the border, improve our economy, and defend our water and energy resources!”

Hollywood Actor Robert De Niro Calls For ‘Vietnam-Style’ Protests Against Trump

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Actor Robert De Niro said during a Monday interview that he believes President Donald Trump would “never leave” office voluntarily and argued that it would be up to the public to remove him.

Speaking on MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace’s podcast, The Best People, De Niro dismissed the suggestion that Trump’s term would simply end in three years.

“I wonder what it is about people’s inability to see beyond the next three — he’s gone in three years,” Wallace said.

“Well, he will never leave. We have to make him leave. You see, he jokes now about nationalizing the elections — he’s not joking. We’ve seen enough already. And everybody’s worried about it, but he means it,” De Niro replied.

When Wallace again asked whether he believed Trump would leave in three years, De Niro doubled down.

“He ain’t leaving. No, no way. Let’s not kid ourselves. He will not leave. It’s up to us to get rid of him,” the actor continued.

De Niro also suggested that Trump might not respect midterm election results and called for widespread public demonstrations.

“You start hearing it all over now,” the actor said. “It’s up to you. Damn right, it’s about the people. The people got — like Vietnam. You got to get out there and protest. The ‘No Kings’ coming. It’s got to be not 7, 8, 9 million. It’s got to be way, way more than that.”

Longstanding Critic of Trump

De Niro has been one of Trump’s most outspoken celebrity critics for nearly a decade, frequently using award show appearances, interviews, and public events to denounce the president in blunt and often profane terms. He has previously endorsed Democratic candidates and supported legal efforts against Trump, framing his activism as a defense of democratic institutions.

In an earlier appearance on MSNBC in October, De Niro praised several Democratic leaders who have challenged Trump’s policies in court and in Congress.

“There’s something,” De Niro said. “I like Hakeem Jeffries. I like… Chuck Schumer, Adam Schiff, they’re all great, strong. I like what Letitia James is doing. She’s fighting back. She’s saying, ‘f— you!’”

After an audible reaction from host Jonathan Capehart, De Niro continued, “I’m sorry. This is where we are. It’s what she’s saying. ‘This is it. I will not be taken down by this person. I am not afraid of him.’ And God bless her for that. And that’s how other people have to be.”

What “Vietnam-Style” Protests Could Mean Today

De Niro’s reference to Vietnam evokes the mass anti-war demonstrations of the late 1960s and early 1970s, when millions of Americans participated in marches, campus protests, and large-scale rallies in Washington, D.C., and other major cities. Those protests included peaceful demonstrations, acts of civil disobedience, and, at times, clashes with law enforcement.

In today’s political climate, a “Vietnam-style” protest movement would likely unfold across multiple fronts: coordinated national marches, sustained demonstrations in major cities, social media-driven organizing, and pressure campaigns aimed at lawmakers. Modern protest movements often rely on digital mobilization, viral messaging, and coalition-building across activist groups.

At the same time, the U.S. Constitution sets fixed presidential term limits under the 22nd Amendment, and presidential elections are administered by the states under established federal and state laws. Any removal of a sitting president outside of an election would require constitutional processes, such as impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate.

De Niro’s comments reflect a broader concern among some Trump critics that he will not actually exit the White House following the conclusion of his second term.

President Trump has frequently teased liberal meltdowns by joking he plans to pursue a third term in office.

Shortly after returning to office, Trump again referred to another term at a rally in Las Vegas on Jan. 25.

“It will be the greatest honor of my life to serve, not once but twice — or three times or four times,” Mr. Trump quipped to applause from the crowd, before adding that “no, it will be to serve twice.”

Then on Jan. 27, President Trump joked to Republican lawmakers about a third term. Speaking before the House GOP conference in Florida, Mr. Trump touted the money he’d raised for another race that he said “I assume I can’t use for myself.”

“But I’m not 100% sure because, I don’t know,” the president continued, to laughter from House Republicans. “I think I’m not allowed to run again. I’m not sure. Am I allowed to run again?”

Republican Issues Impeachment Warning Over Trump’s Greenland Proposal

The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A Republican Congressman signaled he would move to impeach President Donald Trump if he follows through on his threat to invade Greenland and take it by force.

In an interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said he personally would “lean toward” voting to impeach the president if he were to follow through on threats to take over Greenland.

“I’ll be candid with you. There’s so many Republicans mad about this,” Bacon told the paper. “If he went through with the threats, I think it would be the end of his presidency.”

Bacon, a swing state Congressman who is known to split from his Republican colleagues, has become even more outspoken against Trump since announcing he is leaving Congress at the end of the current term.

“It’s about whether the United States intends to face a constellation of strategic adversaries with capable friends — or commit an unprecedented act of strategic self-harm and go it alone,” McConnell said. He added that, “following through on this provocation would be more disastrous for the President’s legacy than withdrawing from Afghanistan was for his predecessor.”

On Wednesday in the Oval Office, Trump snapped at a reporter who confronted him about a potential invasion.

“It sounds like you would potentially acquire Greenland by force,” the reporter said.

“No, you’re saying that. I didn’t say it,” Trump said. “You’re telling me that that’s what I’m going to do — you don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Watch:

In a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) warned that President Trump’s talk of seizing Greenland by force threatens to “incinerate” the nation’s long-standing ties with NATO allies.

McConnell declared that burning the treaty organization that formed after World War II to contain Soviet aggression would be an “unprecedented act of strategic self-harm.”

“Unless and until the president can demonstrate otherwise, then the proposition at hand today is very straightforward: incinerating the hard-won trust of loyal allies in exchange for no meaningful change in U.S. access to the Arctic,” McConnell said on the Senate floor, delivering one of the strongest statements criticizing the Trump administration’s talk about potentially seizing Greenland by force.

He warned that following through on the “ill-advised threats” from the administration would “shatter the trust of allies.”

“Following through on this provocation would be more disastrous for the President’s legacy than withdrawing from Afghanistan was for his predecessor,” he said.

Watch:

He pointed to polling showing that just 17 percent of Americans think trying to take control of Greenland is a good idea and that 68 percent of Americans view the NATO alliance favorably.