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| Howard Lutnick |
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who may be the most obnoxious member of Donald Trump’s cabinet, was heckled by the swells at Davos, for saying the world should focus on coal as an energy source rather than renewables.
Howard was just following his boss’ lead. Trump in April signed an executive order to reinvigorate “America’s beautiful clean coal industry.”
Former Vice President Al Gore was among the Davos hecklers, while European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde joined the group that walked out of the meeting.
The Financial Times reported that the World Economic Forum dinner descended into an uproar after Lutnick’s combative remarks.
There were no reports of fistfights but widespread jeering erupted, leading BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who hosted the event, to plead for calm.
Once a leading advocate for investments in the renewables sector, Fink is singing a different tune these days.
Lutnick had promised that Team Trump was going to shake up the status-quo at Davos.
He got that right.
Johnson delivers irony. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who presides over one of the most polarized sessions of Congress in recent memory, spoke of the importance of UK, US unity during his Jan. 20 address to the British parliament.
That’s pretty rich. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries must have chuckled at Johnson’s joke.
It’s unfortunate that Johnson was the first US Speaker of the House invited to address the British parliament.
The Louisiana politico, who surrendered Congress’ Article One Constitutional power to Donald Trump, is not exactly a profile in courage.
Trump’s doormat claimed that he had spoken at length with his boss before making the London speech. Johnson told him that his mission is “to encourage our friends and help to calm the waters, so to speak.”
Does Trump, who slapped tariffs on the UK for failing to go along with his proposed theft of Greenland, give a fig about unity, or for that matter, Johnson
The British Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle extended the invite to Johnson as part of the UK’s celebration of 250th anniversary of its former colony.
Bizarrely, Johnson said the Declaration of Independence was not a rebuke of British traditions, even if the founding fathers opposed the empire itself.
Go figure.
Stripes strikes back at Hegseth... Stars and Stripes, the newspaper of the US military, “is in peril of losing its editorial independence and becoming nothing more than a public relations arm of the Pentagon,” wrote Jacqueline Smith, ombudsman of S&S.
She reacted to a Jan. 15 social media post from Sean Parnell, spokesman for Defense Department chief Pete Hegseth: “The Department of War is returning Stars & Stripes to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters.”
To Parnell, Strikes should focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability and ALL THINGS MILITARY.”
Smith noted that Stripes doesn’t use the term “warfighters” in place of soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors.
Those service members do not live in isolation. “Those in the military also require unbiased information so that they can participate in the US democracy as informed citizens,” she wrote.
Additionally, Stripes discovered that job applicants applying through the USAJOBS site, a funnel for all government positions, are now asked whether they are loyal to the Trump administration and its policies.
Given the Pentagon’s overall press restrictions, Smith fears that the future of the reputable newspaper that dates to the Civil War is in danger.
She urges readers and fans of Stripes to write to their Senators and Representatives to stress the value of maintaining an unfettered news source for the military.
The clock is ticking for Stripes.
Ballard Partners chases dollars in Venezuela… Venezuela is currently “uninvestable,” said ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods. “We have had our assets seized there twice and so you can imagine to re-enter a third time would require some pretty significant changes from what we've historically seen and what is currently the state,” explained Woods.
But Trump-connected Brian Ballard sees nothing but opportunities in the US-seized country.
His Ballard Partners has established a Venezuela Working Group to assist clients “in navigating the complex regulatory, diplomatic, and commercial landscape resulting from the US’ evolving engagement with Venezuela,” according to its announcement.
The VWG is part of the newly formed Western Hemisphere Affairs Practice Group, which covers Latin America, Mexico, Canada and Greenland.
Ballard said the geopolitical and economic integration of the Western Hemisphere has never been more vital to U.S. national interests, adding that 2026 marks a transformative year for hemispheric policy.
You can say that again.
Downing dogs by the sea. Will Joey Chestnut, 17-time winner of the renowned Nathans Famous Mustard Belt held in Coney Island each July 4, be touring the competitive eating circuit in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong?
That’s a question that becomes top-of-mind following the Jan. 21 news that Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods has acquired hot dog maker Nathan’s Famous for $450M.
Since 2014, Smithfield has had an exclusive license to sell Nathan’s Famous branded dogs, sausages, corned beef and ancillary products in the US, Canada and Sam’s Clubs in Mexico.
Smithfield CEO Shane Smith said his company’s manufacturing scale, marketing strength and foodservice channels will elevate Nathan’s Famous to new heights.
Smithfield, which calls itself “an American food company,” was acquired by Shuanghui International Holdings Limited in 2013. In 2014, SIHL was renamed WH Group.
This year’s Coney Island hot dog eating contest promises to be the biggest-ever as the nation celebrates its 250th birthday.
Will Joey be on the stage?
He was banned from the 2024 Coney Island action after he signed a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, the plant-based hamburger company.
Chestnut make a triumphant return to Coney Island last year and regained his crown by downing 70 hot dogs and buns.
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