Trump's USA

The President's Team

Reports: White House looking for new Secretary of Defense

The White House has begun looking for a new Secretary of Defense, an anonymous official told the radio channel NPR.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been involved in several chat scandals, but on Monday the White House insisted that he still has Donald Trump's support.

The new information is also denied by press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

"NPR's news is pure fake news based on a single anonymous source who obviously doesn't know what they're talking about," she writes on X.

Donald Trump is also said to have had a private meeting with Hegseth on Monday, and Trump is said to have said there that he stands behind him, sources told Politico.

Four of Hegseth's closest aides have quit in recent weeks, and they have all made statements that indicate disarray and power struggles in the Pentagon, NPR writes.

In the latest, former spokesman John Ullyot likened the situation surrounding Hegseth to a “complete meltdown.”

Hegseth denies chat: “The media is spreading dirt”

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flatly denies having shared attack plans against Yemen in a Signal chat group with, among others, his wife, brother and lawyer.

– This is what the media does. They use anonymous sources who are disgruntled former employees and then try to spread dirt on people and destroy their reputations, Hegseth told reporters outside the White House, according to AFP.

The Defense Secretary further says that this “will not work” on him and that what the “old media” does does not matter.

Pete Hegseth used the same tactic in the first chat revelation and then flatly denied it.

An internal investigation into Hegseth’s use of Signal is ongoing.

US security chief had her bag stolen at a restaurant

Kristi Noem, head of the US Department of Homeland Security, had her bag stolen during a restaurant visit in Washington DC on Sunday evening. CNN reports.

An unknown man wearing a face mask was caught on security cameras stealing the bag. It contained Noem's access card, house keys, passport, driver's license, makeup bag, medications and the equivalent of 30,000 kronor in cash.

The Secret Service has launched an investigation, but no one has been arrested yet. 

The cuts
Expert: The holes left by the US in Africa will be filled

Donald Trump is expected to significantly reduce the US diplomatic presence in Africa, and close a number of embassies in countries that are seen as "non-essential". The holes that will be left behind will be filled by others, says Görrel Espelund, Africa editor at the Swedish Institute for Foreign Policy, to TV4 Nyheterna.

- We don't just have China and Russia, we have other power holders. It is the Gulf states, it is Turkey that you see have increased interests in Africa. There are many who are interested in this incredibly rich continent.

The US will lose a lot of soft power, and it should not be underestimated - if the West is serious about promoting democracy and human rights, it is important to be on the ground, says Espelund.

Therefore, she also sees now an opportunity for Sweden and the rest of Europe to step forward.

Greenland's future
Greenlandic politician: Trump has given us a voice

Greenland will one day become independent from Denmark. This is what Qupanuk Olsen, a politician and Greenland's biggest influencer, says in an interview with TT.

Donald Trump's interest in Greenland has made many people aware of the situation of Greenlanders, Olsen believes.

- Now people are listening to us. You can say what you want, but Trump has at least given us a voice, she says.

In her vision, Greenland is a future tourist destination with a thriving mining industry. Qupanuk Olsen is a mining engineer herself.

- Right now it's too expensive, because you have to start from scratch. Greenland lacks the necessary infrastructure, and we don't have enough labor.