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Morning Announcements

Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 - Trump’s Nobel meltdowns; Greenland tantrums; Global alliances shift

Morning Announcements

Betches

Daily News, News, News Commentary, Politics

4.71.7K Ratings

🗓️ 20 January 2026

⏱️ 10 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today’s Headlines: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado visited the White House and handed Donald Trump a symbolic Nobel Peace Prize — only to walk away with Trump merch, zero U.S. backing, and confirmation that the administration will continue supporting remnants of the Maduro regime. The Nobel Foundation quickly clarified that Nobel Prizes can’t be transferred, even symbolically. Trump then escalated his Greenland fixation, announcing new tariffs on European countries that don’t support a U.S. takeover and threatening steeper penalties by summer. He later claimed Norway owed him a Nobel Prize and suggested U.S. control of Greenland is essential for global security, prompting Canada to warn that any U.S. military action would trigger NATO obligations. Meanwhile, Canada and the EU are rapidly reshuffling trade alliances away from the U.S. This week, former DOJ special counsel Jack Smith will testify to Congress as Trump heads to Davos to unveil his self-appointed “Board of Peace,” tasked with overseeing Gaza’s future. Trump plans to chair the board, charge countries $1 billion to participate, and has invited members ranging from U.S. allies to Russia and Belarus. In Iran, mass protests continue amid a near-total internet blackout, with reports estimating more than 13,000 deaths in recent days. Iranian state TV was briefly hacked to air messages urging revolt, while the FAA warned airlines to prepare for possible military activity affecting flights across parts of Latin America and the Pacific. Back in the U.S., Trump declined — for now — to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota, while placing 1,500 troops on standby and opening investigations into Minnesota’s governor and Minneapolis’s mayor. He also floated plans to sue JPMorgan Chase over alleged political “debanking.” Finally, Virginia lawmakers moved to redraw congressional maps ahead of the midterms, opening yet another front in the rapidly escalating gerrymandering wars. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The New Republic: Trump Snubs Machado After Explaining Why He Took Her Nobel Prize Newsweek: Nobel Foundation Speaks Out After Machado Gifts Trump Peace Prize NYT: Trump Links His Push for Greenland to Not Winning Nobel Peace Prize BBC: Trump says he will '100%' carry out Greenland tariffs threat, as EU vows to protect its interests Politico: Carney to Trump: Back off on Greenland ABC News: Trump's protectionist trade policies allow China to swoop in NYT: Gaza’s Board of Peace: What to Know Reuters: Iran to consider lifting internet ban; state TV hacked Bloomberg: US Warns Airlines About Military Activity in Parts of Latin America WaPo: 1,500 troops prepare to possibly deploy to Minnesota, officials say CBS News: DOJ investigating Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over alleged conspiracy to impede immigration agents CNBC: Trump threatens to sue JPMorgan Chase for 'debanking' him NYT: Trump Sets Fraudster Free From Prison for a Second Time NBC News: Virginia lawmakers pass redistricting amendment, sending it to voters for approval Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Idle money sits in your current account, stuck repeating the same tired tune.

0:06.0

Never hitting play on its potential.

0:10.0

But thanks to Monzo's Savings Challenge, busy monies in the studio,

0:15.0

laying down a little extra every day so your balance sounds sweeter week after week.

0:21.6

Monzo, the bank that gets your money moving.

0:24.9

UK residents staged 18 plus, one entry per person, Monzo personal account required, challenge

0:28.7

and prize teas and Cs apply.

0:30.8

Today is Tuesday, January 20th, and you're listening to the morning announcements

0:34.9

presented by Betches Media.

0:36.8

I'm your host, Sammy Sage, and the morning announcements is your daily five-minute breakdown at the headlines

0:41.6

that isn't a megaphone for the loudest voices, but a magnifying glass for the most important news.

0:47.1

One quick thing before we get into the episode, if you are a listener on Spotify and you hear this podcast in your daily drive,

0:53.3

Spotify is getting rid of that feature,

0:55.1

so if you want to keep listening to the morning announcements, make sure to follow the show so it ends up

0:59.5

in your feed. Now on to the news. I wish I was being dramatic when I say that we are in something

1:07.1

of a new world, geopolitically speaking, than we were in last Friday's episode.

1:11.7

So we have to go back to Friday to discuss the grand public humiliation that was Venezuelan

1:16.6

opposition leader Maria Carino Machado's visit to the White House, where she presented

1:21.0

Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize in a personalized frame as a gift to him.

1:25.9

In return, she received a swag bag of Trump merch and zero political support from him.

1:31.9

I am sorry for laughing because this shit is not fucking funny.

1:34.7

He is going to continue to back the remnants of the Maduro regime that he just insisted on taking out via Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez.

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