Midweek headlines are in. Here’s your Wednesday evening briefing for January 21, 2026.
Trump Drops Greenland Tariff Threat After NATO Talks on Arctic Security
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday abruptly canceled planned tariffs on eight European nations that he had threatened to impose to pressure Denmark over US control of Greenland.
The reversal came after Trump said he reached a framework agreement with NATO leadership on Arctic security and future discussions tied to missile defense.
Trump had raised tensions at the World Economic Forum in Davos by warning allies that the United States could use overwhelming force if negotiations failed, comments that alarmed European governments and risked fracturing NATO.
Donald J. Trump Truth Social Post 02:27 PM EST 01.21.26 pic.twitter.com/VQlrlQHF5k
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) January 21, 2026
While Denmark and other allies rejected any transfer of sovereignty, Trump said talks would continue, leaving uncertainty in Greenland, where officials urged residents to prepare for potential crises as diplomatic fallout from the dispute continues.
US, NATO Prepare Norway Defense Drills as Greenland Tensions Simmer
Thousands of US and allied troops are preparing for large-scale combat exercises in Norway as NATO presses ahead with military cooperation despite political tensions over Greenland.
About 3,000 US Marines will join roughly 25,000 troops from a dozen countries for Cold Response 26, scheduled to begin in March, focusing on Arctic defense and rapid trans-Atlantic deployment.
The drills involve US air, naval, and special operations forces and aim to demonstrate NATO’s ability to deter aggression in the High North.
Court Pauses Limits on Immigration Tactics as States Push Back on Enforcement
A federal appeals court on Wednesday suspended a ruling that restricted aggressive immigration enforcement tactics in Minnesota, while Maine refused a federal request tied to immigration operations, highlighting growing conflicts over US President Donald Trump’s crackdown.
The 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals froze an injunction that barred officers from using tear gas and force against peaceful protesters during Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities, siding with government arguments that the limits endangered officers.
NOW: Tear Gas and Green smoke released after clashes, pepper spray and Detainement of Anti ICE Protesters by CBP and Bovino in Minneapolis at an additional Speedway gas station stop
Video by @noturtlesoup17 @FreedomNTV [email protected] to license pic.twitter.com/zch3ZE5UDd
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) January 21, 2026
At the same time, Maine’s secretary of state declined to issue additional undercover license plates to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), citing past abuses of power, as communities reacted to recent enforcement actions and a fatal shooting involving an immigration officer.
House Panel Moves to Hold Clintons in Contempt Over Epstein Testimony
A Republican-led House committee on Wednesday advanced resolutions to hold former US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify in the investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The House Oversight Committee approved the measures in bipartisan votes, arguing the Clintons defied lawful subpoenas seeking testimony about Epstein’s network and influence.
🚨 BREAKING: House Oversight PASSES bipartisan resolutions holding Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for defying congressional subpoenas on the Epstein probe.
Accountability is here. No one is above the law.
The resolutions are now sent to the House. pic.twitter.com/JZ478Rdpaj
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) January 21, 2026
The move opens the possibility of a full House vote that could refer the matter to the Justice Department for potential criminal prosecution, an unprecedented step against a former president.
The Clintons dispute the validity of the subpoenas and say they lacked knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, as lawmakers from both parties press for broader transparency in the case that has continued to roil Washington years after Epstein’s 2019 death.
US Moves ISIS Detainees From Syria to Iraq as Security Tensions Rise
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Wednesday it has begun transferring Islamic State detainees from northeast Syria to Iraq amid escalating clashes between Syria’s interim government and Kurdish-led forces.
CENTCOM has already moved 150 ISIS fighters from a facility in Hasakah and plans to relocate up to 7,000 detainees to prevent potential breakouts that could threaten regional and US security.
The transfers follow weeks of fighting between Syrian government forces and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which recently abandoned control of the al-Hol camp.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 21, 2026
The move comes as the United States maintains about 1,000 troops in Syria for counter-ISIS operations and continues coordinating with Iraq as Washington reduces its military footprint in the region.
US Backs Damascus as Kurdish-Led SDF Loses Power in Northeast Syria
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) collapsed as a dominant power in northeast Syria after two weeks of fighting and failed negotiations with Syria’s new interim government, marking a major shift in US policy.
The SDF, long Washington’s main partner against the Islamic State, lost most of its territory following a government offensive that began with clashes in Aleppo on January 6, as the United States declined to intervene militarily and instead pushed for a ceasefire.
US officials made clear they now view Damascus, under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, as the primary security partner, saying the SDF’s role has largely expired.
The US framework for sustaining success against ISIS in Syria is collapsing as the Syrian government moves to fully take over northeastern Syria from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is a Syrian Kurdish-dominated group that the United States relied on to contain ISIS for… pic.twitter.com/jBICbqCBfV
— Critical Threats (@criticalthreats) January 19, 2026
After miscalculating US support, the SDF agreed to a deal to dissolve its forces and integrate fighters individually into the Syrian Army, ending years of Kurdish-led autonomy and reshaping Syria’s postwar power balance.
Russian Strikes Cut Heat and Power in Kyiv as Trump Plans Talks With Zelenskyy
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid left about 4,000 buildings without heating and nearly 60 percent of Kyiv without electricity on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as the country endures one of its coldest winters since Russia’s 2022 invasion.
The outages came after days of drone and missile strikes, with overnight attacks killing civilians in central Ukraine, while Ukrainian drones prompted flight disruptions and injuries inside Russia.
As the fighting continues, US President Donald Trump said he will meet Zelenskyy on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss efforts to end the war, while NATO leaders urged members to urgently provide more air defense systems to Ukraine.
❝I believe I’m dealing with President Zelenskyy, and I think he wants to make a deal❞
US President Donald Trump said he will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos https://t.co/eMku2rtb6F pic.twitter.com/yaYR2YUiZ2
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 21, 2026
Ukrainian authorities moved to address the crisis by allocating emergency funds for generators as diplomatic and military pressure intensifies on multiple fronts.
Putin Shrugs Off Trump’s Greenland Push, Signals Openness to Peace Board
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that US President Donald Trump’s effort to acquire Greenland from Denmark does not concern Russia, calling it a matter for the United States and Denmark to resolve.
Speaking at a Security Council meeting in Moscow, Putin cited past US territorial purchases, including Alaska, and suggested Washington could afford Greenland, while criticizing Denmark’s historical treatment of the island.
Putin on Greenland issue: this does NOT concern Russia
Points to US acquisition of Alaska, compares, and runs the numbers
However much Greenland might cost, ‘I think US can handle even this amount’ https://t.co/bR3zffY7Bb pic.twitter.com/LZltlikVSF
— RT (@RT_com) January 21, 2026
Putin also confirmed he welcomed Trump’s invitation to join the proposed Board of Peace, saying Russia would study the offer and consult partners, and floated contributing $1 billion from frozen Russian assets.
Iran Reports 3,117 Protest Deaths, Warns US of Full Military Retaliation
Iran on Wednesday issued its first official death toll from weeks of nationwide protests, saying 3,117 people were killed, as senior officials escalated warnings to the United States amid rising military tensions.
State media said the deaths followed demonstrations that began December 28 over economic grievances and expanded into a broader challenge to Iran’s leadership, while rights groups put the toll significantly higher.
At the same time, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Iran would respond with full force to any renewed attack, as a US aircraft carrier group moved toward the Middle East and American forces repositioned in the region.
In a message on social media, Iran’s FM Abbas Araghchi warns that the US is pushing the region toward a dangerous, all-out confrontation.
Follow Press TV on Telegram: https://t.co/LWoNSpkJSh pic.twitter.com/HFIpckL4xh
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) January 21, 2026
South Korean Court Calls Yoon’s Martial Law a Rebellion, Jails Ex-Premier
A South Korean court on Wednesday ruled that former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law in December 2024 amounted to a rebellion and sentenced his former prime minister, Han Duck-soo, to 23 years in prison for his role.
The Seoul Central District Court said Han helped legitimize the decree by pushing it through a Cabinet meeting and later falsified and destroyed records, actions that undermined the constitutional order.
The ruling follows Yoon’s impeachment and removal from office and marks the first conviction of a senior official tied to the martial law crisis.
⚖️ South Korean court sentences former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years for his role in a failed martial law attempt under ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol
◾️ The court rules the Dec. 3, 2024 martial law declaration constituted an insurrection
◾️ Han, 76, is the first… pic.twitter.com/CLHzGissos
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 21, 2026
Prosecutors say the case sets a precedent ahead of Yoon’s own rebellion verdict, as South Korea continues to grapple with the political fallout from the short-lived crackdown that revived memories of past authoritarian rule.
Sources: News Agencies
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