Some of the most vocal antagonists of the Trump administration’s attempts to rein in illegal immigration have come from men and women of the cloth. Last Friday, about 100 clergy members protesting deportation flights were arrested during a peaceful sit-in at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. Episcopal bishops in New Hampshire and Minnesota recently exhorted their flocks to be prepared even for death in order to protect vulnerable illegal immigrants.
Canadian conservative and political theorist William Barclay joins The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay to discuss the future of Venezuela, the relationship between Canada and the U.S., and the rising problems posed by progressive ideology and identity politics.
Mark Carney, the former Governor of the Bank of England and now Canadian prime minister, was the toast of Davos last week for a speech that seemed to perfectly capture the moment with its talk of a “permanent rupture” and its supposed master plan for responding to the “Trumpquake” in global affairs.
But how realistic was his vision of a coalition of “middle powers” – by which he seemed to mean mainly Canada, Europe, the UK and Japan – to keep the torch of the old liberal order burning bright?
"PM Carney’s Davos speech may go down in history as one of the most poorly interpreted by Canadians. Many central bankers openly disagreed with both the language and the message, but the backlash barely surfaced in Canadian media. Meanwhile, the speech has clearly made many… pic.twitter.com/krCyHwtxx3
— The Food Professor (@FoodProfessor) January 27, 2026
Sir Keir Starmer recently tried to take credit for his role in Donald Trump’s partial climbdown on tariffs relating to Greenland. Whether he played any meaningful part is debatable.
What is beyond doubt, however, is that Donald Trump will happily reach for the tariff weapon again whenever it suits him. Even against long-standing allies, and especially against those he believes are acting against US interests.
Just look at Canada and the increasingly heated rivalry between Trump and the country’s prime minister, Mark Carney. The president last week threatened eye-watering tariffs of 100pc on all goods and services entering the US.
Earlier this week, before what Townhall’s Derek Hunter aptly described as “the squirt heard round the world,” President Donald Trump revealed that his Department of Justice (DOJ) and Congress are looking into Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar’s finances.
As we sang “Auld Lang Syne” in the early morning of Jan. 1, 2025, the first American newborn of the year arrived to much fanfare and celebration.
But this time, the baby was the progeny of Chinese citizens, and the mother had intentionally traveled to give birth on American soil, so that the child would automatically be granted US citizenship, a practice known as birth tourism. When such children turn 21, they can also apply for resident status for both of their parents.
Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura says the people of his state should consider leaving the United States. In an interview on the SpinSisters podcast that premiered Saturday, Ventura pitched his plan by saying that it’s clear President Donald Trump doesn’t want the state.
“How about since Trump dislikes Minnesota so bad and we’re so out of control, let’s join Canada. Instead of Canada becoming the 51st state of America and lose their healthcare…. I’d like to see Minnesota, all of us become Canadians,” Ventura said. Make this part of Canada, because it’s obvious Donald Trump don’t want us. It’s obviously he’s ready to fracture the whole country for his own folly.”
Minnesota has more commies than Canada.
I’m still processing how the world changed last week. President Trump’s wild threats against Greenland — and by extension against America’s NATO allies — crystallized for many leaders what they already believed but perhaps were too scared to say out loud: The rules-based international order is no more.
The man who said it out loud, Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada, became something of a hero in Davos. Today, I’m writing about what Canada’s efforts to pivot away from an increasingly volatile America can teach other countries.
Iran has its “fingers on the trigger” and is ready to respond to another attack from the United States, the regime’s foreign minister has warned, in an escalation of the standoff between the two countries.
The threat came after President Trump declared that Tehran must abandon its nuclear programme or face a “far worse” attack than the strike on its uranium enrichment facilities in June last year.
The Department of Homeland Security in the past year has arrested multiple illegal aliens it says have known ties to terrorist organizations, including ISIS and al-Qaeda.
According to the agency, the illegal aliens include members of al-Qaeda, ISIS, the Islamic Republic Guard Corps of Iran, and MS-13, which President Donald Trump designated a foreign terrorist organization when he returned to office.
“Just a year ago, under [President] Joe Biden, our border was wide open, and criminals, gang members, and terrorists were released into our communities,” Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary, stated.
The fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have led to increased calls to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other illegal immigration enforcement operations. Liberals, Democrats, and others on the Left, combined with the socialist and communist organizations organizing and funding anti-ICE protests nationwide, have escalated their attacks on ICE — verbally and physically, calling them murderers, among other insults. And while criticism continues to mount, it is important to recognize truth and fact because while Good’s and Pretti’s deaths were unfortunate, Democrats’ immigration policies have caused more violence and murders than anything ICE has done.
The pointlessness of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has been highlighted once again by the United States’ attempt to take Greenland from NATO ally Denmark. This reflects the deepening conflict between NATO’s main sponsor, the US, and its main beneficiaries in Europe.
“Russia is without question a threat in the Arctic,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said this month at the World Economic Forum in Davos. “Without question, Russia does lots of horrible things.”
Russia, despite all the horrible things it does, is not able to challenge Canada without its partner. Carney was quick to name China as the biggest security threat to his country during a federal election debate last April. At Davos, however, he was not willing to talk about China posing a danger to his country.
Moreover, his foreign affairs minister was similarly reluctant. Anita Anand in Davos did not name names when reporters asked her to cite the top threat facing Canada.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is facing a backlash after saying that the European Union should “keep on dreaming” about becoming independent from the United States, its largest ally, in matters related to security and defence.
His comments came on the heels of US President Donald Trump’s attempt to seize Greenland from Denmark through punitive measures, an unprecedented dispute that brought the nearly 80-year-old transatlantic alliance to the brink of collapse.
The Trump administration is once again ramping up its rhetorical pressure on Canada, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issuing a fresh warning to Prime Minister Mark Carney over looming trade negotiations.
Bessent was at an event in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to launch what U.S. President Donald Trump has dubbed “Trump Accounts,” an investment vehicle for children.
Related …
Andrew, since you work for a newspaper, you should ask for the transcripts of the call with the Prime Minister’s Office. There are two conflicting versions, and the PMO is notorious for not being fully forthcoming—especially when it comes to the United States. Counter-tariffs are… https://t.co/5gomaHTGCb
— The Food Professor (@FoodProfessor) January 28, 2026
