International

Trump links Mike Johnson’s re-election to meeting his budget requirements

The president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, linked on Thursday the re-election of Republican Mike Johnson as president of the House of Representatives to his compliance with his demands on the budget package and the debt ceiling.

“If the Speaker of the House acts decisively and firmly and gets rid of all the traps that the Democrats are setting for him, which would economically destroy our country, he will easily remain president,” Trump told Fox News Digital.

Trump has a huge influence on the Republican majority in Congress and could thwart Mike Johnson’s plans to continue presiding over the Lower House for the new legislature that will begin on January 3.

The president-elect, who will be invested on January 20, overturned on Wednesday the agreement reached by the Republican majority of the House of Representatives and the Democratic majority of the Senate to provide the Government with new funds and avoid an administrative closure before Saturday.

Trump and his ally, tycoon Elon Musk, in charge of cutting the next government’s spending on bureaucracy, oppose several budget provisions and demand the abolition of the debt ceiling.

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Threat of government closure

The White House, through its spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, accused Trump and his vice president, J.D. Vance, of “ordering the Republicans to close the Government” with their “threat”, said that “basic services” are in danger and demanded that conservative legislators “emay their word.”

The partial budget provides funds to the Government from midnight on Friday to Saturday, when the current ones expire, until March 14, with Trump already installed in the White House.

Trump pointed out some of the provisions that conservatives do not consider essential for the functioning of the Executive and that have generated rejection, such as a salary increase for legislators.

More than $100 billion in aid for victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton or nearly $10 billion in support for farmers is also in question.

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International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”