🗞️Trump ramps up Greenland rhetoric

In partnership with

January 19th, 2026

What happened today 🇺🇸,

• President Trump told Norway’s prime minister he no longer feels bound to “think purely of Peace” after not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and claiming the U.S. needs “complete and total control” of Greenland for global security…he also announced new tariffs on eight European countries, starting at 10% on February 1st and rising to 25% on June 1st, until a deal is reached for the U.S. to buy Greenland

• Assistant AG for Civil Rights in the DOJ, Harmeet Dhillon, publicly criticized former CNN host Don Lemon for livestreaming and participating in an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a Sunday church service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota and put him "on notice" for potential FACE Act violations over interfering with religious exercise…she stated the DOJ is investigating the incident, emphasizing that houses of worship are protected under federal law and that the First Amendment does not shield such disruptions…Don Lemon responded by defending his actions as protected journalism

• Elon Musk has donated $10 million to the Fight for Kentucky super PAC supporting Nate Morris, the Rubicon founder and pro-Trump outsider challenging Rep. Andy Barr and ex-AG Daniel Cameron in the Republican primary to succeed retiring Senator Mitch McConnell

• Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s new memoir called Where We Keep the Light, stated that during Kamala Harris’s 2024 VP vetting process, her team probed his views on Israel, including asking if he had ever been a “double agent” for the Israeli government…read more here

• The Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino fashion house, Valentino Garavani, has died at age 93

• OpenAI announced it is aiming to unveil its first hardware device in the second half of 2026…read more here

• The New York Stock Exchange, via parent company Intercontinental Exchange, is developing a tokenized securities platform that will enable 24/7 trading and on-chain settlement of U.S. stocks and ETFs, with features like instant settlement, dollar-denominated order sizes, fractional shares, and stablecoin-based funding…this is all pending regulatory approval

• A new Owl Labs report showed that 65% of workers are interested in "microshifting", which is working in short, flexible bursts (typically six hours or less) throughout the day rather than a traditional continuous 9-to-5 schedule, in order to better align with personal energy levels, caregiving duties, or productivity rhythms

• Gold and silver prices hit fresh record highs today, with gold reaching $4,689.39 per ounce and silver reaching $94.68 per ounce

• The stock market was closed today for MLK Day

Get the investor view on AI in customer experience

Customer experience is undergoing a seismic shift, and Gladly is leading the charge with The Gladly Brief.

It’s a monthly breakdown of market insights, brand data, and investor-level analysis on how AI and CX are converging.

Learn why short-term cost plays are eroding lifetime value, and how Gladly’s approach is creating compounding returns for brands and investors alike.

Join the readership of founders, analysts, and operators tracking the next phase of CX innovation.

Subscribe here to stay informed and ahead of the curve.

Subscribe now

Plus: A Gallup poll showing U.S. political party identification from 1988-2025

Please follow The Simple American on X @TSimpleAmerican x.com/Tsimpleamerican

Follow us on TikTok @simpleamerican

Quote of the day: “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Suzy Kassem

Have a great night!

P.S. We love connecting with our readers so…

Please reply to this newsletter for more info on any news points in the letter, feel free to give us any feedback you have, or let us know what you want more of!