Catégorie oBox : BuzzNews

A firm linked to the United Arab Emirates acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s cryptocurrency company, just days before President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal. The transaction, valued at roughly $500 million, was signed by Eric Trump and granted near-minority ownership to investors connected to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a senior Emirati royal, national security adviser, and overseer of major sovereign wealth funds. The timing of the deal has drawn attention in Washington and beyond, given the proximity to Trump’s return to office and the involvement of a foreign government-linked network in a company tied to the president’s family. Company documents cited by the Journal indicate that a substantial portion of the funds was paid upfront, with proceeds distributed to Trump family entities and to entities linked to Steve Witkoff, a longtime Trump associate and current US special envoy to the Middle East.

World Liberty Financial has described the transaction as a purely commercial decision driven by growth ambitions rather than politics. A spokesperson for the company, David Wachsman, said the investment reflected confidence in the firm’s trajectory and denied any connection to US policy decisions. «We made the deal in question because we strongly believe that it was what was best for our company as we continue to grow,» Wachsman said. He also rejected suggestions that the investment was tied to diplomatic or regulatory considerations, particularly amid reporting that Sheikh Tahnoon has sought greater US access to advanced artificial intelligence chips. «Any claim that this deal had anything to do with the administration’s actions on chips is 100% false,» Wachsman said, adding that the company does not seek or receive special treatment and operates under the same rules as other firms in the sector.

«This is corruption, plain and simple. Congress needs to grow a spine and put a stop to Trump’s crypto corruption.»

-Senator Elizabeth Warren

The White House has also pushed back against allegations of conflicts of interest stemming from the deal, emphasising that President Trump’s assets are held in a trust managed by his children. In a statement, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: «President Trump only acts in the best interests of the American public … There are no conflicts of interest.»

Administration officials have further noted that Trump and Witkoff are listed as emeritus co-founders and are no longer involved in the company’s operations, while their sons continue to promote the venture internationally. World Liberty Financial has confirmed that two senior executives from companies backed by Sheikh Tahnoon joined its board as part of the agreement, a move it characterises as standard governance practice following a major capital infusion.

Despite those assurances, the transaction has prompted sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers and former officials, who argue that the deal blurs the line between public office and private gain. Senator Elizabeth Warren described the arrangement in stark terms, writing:

«This is corruption, plain and simple. Congress needs to grow a spine and put a stop to Trump’s crypto corruption.»

Other Democrats have echoed those concerns, warning that the involvement of foreign government-linked investors in a company associated with the family of a sitting president is unprecedented in modern US politics. Critics say the deal risks undermining public trust at a moment when the administration is actively promoting the expansion of the US cryptocurrency sector, while supporters counter that similar business activities by presidential families have occurred in past administrations, albeit without comparable foreign ownership stakes.

President Donald Trump threatened to sue comedian Trevor Noah after a joke delivered during the Grammy Awards, accusing the host of making a false and defamatory statement about his alleged presence on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island. In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump reacted angrily to Noah’s remarks during the broadcast, writing that the Grammys were «the WORST, virtually unwatchable!» and attacking CBS for airing what he described as «garbage.»

Trump said Noah had wrongly claimed that he and former president Bill Clinton spent time on Epstein Island, a claim Trump denied categorically.

«WRONG!!!» Trump wrote, adding that he had «never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close.»

The comments Trump objected to were made during Noah’s opening monologue at the ceremony, where the comedian delivered a joke referencing Trump, Epstein, and Clinton in a broader comedic aside. On stage, Noah said: «That is a Grammy that every artist wants, almost as much as Trump wants Greenland, which makes sense, because Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out on with Bill Clinton.»

Trump seized on the line, writing that the statement was «false and defamatory» and asserting that he had never previously been accused of being connected to Epstein’s island, including by what he referred to as the «Fake News Media.» The exchange quickly spread online, reigniting debate over political satire and Trump’s decision to frame a comedian’s joke as defamation.

Trump’s post concluded with a direct legal threat, marking a rare instance of a sitting president publicly signaling potential litigation over a late-night or awards-show joke. Referring to Noah as «a total loser,» Trump wrote that the comedian «better get his facts straight, and get them straight fast.» He added: «It looks like I’ll be sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C., and suing him for plenty$.»

Trump also referenced past legal disputes, writing: «Ask Little George Slopadopolus, and others, how that all worked out. Also ask CBS!» Neither Noah nor CBS had publicly responded at the time of publication.

«That is a Grammy that every artist wants, almost as much as Trump wants Greenland, which makes sense, because Epstein’s island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out on with Bill Clinton.»

-Trevor Noah

At the same ceremony where Trump threatened to sue Trevor Noah, several artists used their platforms to vocalise opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies and actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, broadening the political message beyond Noah’s joke. Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny opened his acceptance speech by declaring «ICE out» and emphasising human dignity over hate, saying that immigrants are «humans and we are Americans», a line that drew sustained applause from the audience and highlighted frustration with federal enforcement actions.

Billie Eilish, after winning Song of the Year, said «No one is illegal on stolen land» and urged people to keep fighting, while she and her brother Finneas wore «ICE OUT» pins on the red carpet to visibly protest ICE’s activities under the current administration. Other artists, including Olivia Dean and nominees such as Justin and Hailey Bieber, also wore similar pins or referenced immigrant rights during the evening, signalling a broader cultural backlash against immigration policies and enforcement tactics that critics link to the Trump presidency.

Italy sees anti-ICE protests linked to Trump during Olympic spotlight as tensions flared this weekend in Milan over the decision by the US president to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to assist with security ahead of the Winter Games opening next Friday. Hundreds of demonstrators marched through Piazza XXV Aprile, voicing outrage not only over the planned role of ICE but also the deadly confrontations involving the agency in the United States that have drawn global attention and protests.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, a federal immigration agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good earlier in January during an enforcement operation, a killing that triggered widespread protests and national debate over ICE tactics. Days later, another incident in Minneapolis resulted in the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal officers during anti-ICE protests, intensifying criticism of federal immigration enforcement practices. These events have resonated far beyond US borders, prompting expressions of anger and calls for accountability from civil rights groups, community leaders, and citizens concerned about the use of force by federal agencies.

Beyond the immediate demonstrations in Milan, the controversy has deepened suspicion about the broader intent behind Washington’s move, with critics arguing that the justifications offered by the Trump administration do little to ease concerns. Officials have maintained that the ICE unit, operating under the Department of Homeland Security, will help «monitor for criminal activity» and conduct «no immigration operations», but detractors in Italy and abroad view this as largely semantic given the agency’s recent lethal encounters in Minneapolis.

Many observers have interpreted the deployment as an extension of federal enforcement tools into an international setting at a moment when the agency’s actions have already sparked nationwide protest movements and civil rights inquiries in the United States, including a federal civil rights investigation into the Pretti shooting. The presence of a highly politicised and controversial security force on foreign soil — especially under the spotlight of the Olympic Games — has amplified unease among Italian officials, human rights organisations, and everyday citizens who question whether the decision aligns with the spirit of international cooperation that the Olympics are meant to represent.

«This is a militia that kills, a militia that enters into the homes of people, signing their own permission slips. It is clear they are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt.»

-Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala

Many protesters in Milan and on social media have sought to send a clear message to the United States that ICE is not welcome in Italy, a sentiment echoed by several public officials ahead of the Winter Olympics opening Friday. Local residents waving banners and chanting at rallies in central squares made opposition to the planned deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents a central theme of their demonstrations, reflecting broader unease over the agency’s reputation and recent controversial actions abroad. Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, expressed his city’s stance directly to the Associated Press, emphasising local official resistance as the city prepared to host the opening ceremony on February 6, which will be attended by the U.S. Vice President, JD Vance. Sala said of ICE: «This is a militia that kills, a militia that enters into the homes of people, signing their own permission slips. It is clear they are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt.» His remarks crystallised the intersection of local political sentiment and international scrutiny surrounding the decision to involve ICE personnel in aspects of Olympic security and risk mitigation, even as U.S. officials maintain that their role will be limited and non-enforcement in nature.