President Trump on Friday said the US will acquire Greenland "whether they like it or not" — because "if we don't do it, China or Russia will."

"If you take a look outside of Greenland right now, there are Russian destroyers, there are Chinese destroyers and there are Russian submarines all over the place," he said. "We're not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland, and that's what they're going to do if we don't."

"So we're going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way," he added, referring to obtaining it through purchase or military might.

Asked why he wants the US to own Greenland rather than merely expanding the current American military presence there, Trump said, "When we own it, we defend it."

"You don't defend leases the same way, you have to own it," he added.

President Trump on Friday said he didn't think he will have to order a mission to capture Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in order to end the war in Ukraine.

Asked whether he would "ever order a mission to go and capture Vladimir Putin" following his order on Saturday to arrest Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Trump said he didn't "think it's going to be necessary."

"I've always had a great relationship with him. I'm very disappointed," he said of Putin's unwillingness so far to agree to his 20-point peace plan. "I settled eight wars. I thought this would be in the middle of the pack, or maybe one of the easier ones."

President Trump on Friday called on American oil companies to invest in Venezuela's oil market — should a deal be reached with Caracas — encouraging them to "rip out the old crap" and build new drilling infrastructure.

"I hope you're going to build all brand new stuff, rip out the old crap that's been there for so many years and do it the right way," he said. "If we make a deal, you're going to be there a long time."

"If we don't make a deal, you won't be there at all," he added to the oil companies' leaders, indicating he will not support US investment in Venezuela if Caracas doesn't play ball.

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President Trump on Friday sported an unusual lapel pin next to his traditional American flag decoration — a cartoonish character of himself.

Trump has been spotted in the humorous pin at least once before. A reporter noticed the same accessory during a press briefing in February 2025.

President Trump on Friday said roughly $4 billion worth of Venezuelan oil is now "on its way" to the US after the bold arrest of the country's former dictator, Nicolás Maduro, on Saturday.

"The number is 30 million barrels. ... It's on its way to the United States right now, and we want to thank Venezuela for that, and we're working very well with them," he said, referring to the leadership left behind in Caracas, led by Maduro's deputy, Delcy Rodriguez.

"Obviously, they wouldn't have been so generous, but they respect us again," he added, referring to their sudden willingness to work with the US after Washington flexed its military might. "They didn't respect us at all before."

"So that's money that goes to the United States. Some will go to Venezuela, and some will go to the oil companies [when the US drills additional oil in the future], but not that [seized $4 billion worth,] because that's already been extracted," Trump also said.

President Trump on Friday paused his meeting with US oil executives on Friday to peek out the window of the East Room at the construction of his new ballroom outside.

"Unusual time to look, but I figured we might as well. If the fake news would like to go back and take a look, you can, but you'll see a very big foundation that's moving," the president said, minutes into the White House meeting. "We're ahead of schedule in the ballroom and under budget. It's going to be — I don't think there'll be anything like it in the world."

However, he lamented not having it ready for the meeting on Friday, whose nearly two dozen participants filled the East Room.

"We have many others that were not able to get in," he said. "I said, 'if we had a ballroom, we'd have over 1,000 people.'"

"Everybody wanted — I never knew your industry was that big. I never knew you had that many people in your industry," he told the oil executives.

Bill and Hillary Clinton are facing contempt of Congress charges if they don’t appear before a House committee next week to testify in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. 

The couple was originally scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee in December but those appearances were moved to January 13 for him and the 14th for her at the request of the couple, who cited a conflict.

But now they haven’t confirmed they will be there next week. And Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman of the panel, said he’ll slap them with contempt if they don’t show.

“The Clintons have not confirmed their appearances for their subpoenaed depositions,” a spokesperson for the committee told the New York Post. “They are obligated under the law to appear and we expect them to do so. If the Clintons do not appear for their depositions, the House Oversight Committee will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings.”

If the couple is found guilty of contempt, Congress can send U.S. Capitol Police to arrest them and bring them before lawmakers. 

Bill Clinton has denied ever visiting Epstein’s infamous island and has said he regrets his friendship with the pedophile.

But photos of the former president hanging out with Epstein were revealed last month when the Justice Department released new documents in the case. In one, Clinton is nearly naked in a hot tub with an unidentified woman. 

A spokesperson for the Clintons didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Friday that his department is tightening international bank reporting rules for two Minnesota counties to fight what he called "egregious unchecked fraud" involving ill-gotten government benefits flowing to Somalia and other countries.

The Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network will now require banks in Hennepin and Ramsey counties — which encompass Minneapolis and St. Paul — to report overseas transfers exceeding $3,000, down from the standard $10,000 reporting limit.

"This will put a microscope on these businesses, advance prosecutions and assist in the recovery of funds laundered internationally," Bessent said.

"Fraudsters in Minnesota stole at least $300 million meant for children in need. We must prevent fraud of this scale from occurring in the future."

The Treasury secretary added that "Minnesota is going to be the genesis for a national rollout" for tracking fraud — noting a similar mechanism was used along the southern border to trace Mexican drug cartel funds.

Bessent blamed the situation on "the incompetence and recalcitrance of Governor [Tim] Walz."

French President Emmanuel Macron is delaying this year's G7 leaders summit by two days to accommodate President Trump's plans to hold a mixed martial arts event at the White House on his birthday, according to a report.

The national leaders will now meet on June 16 at Evian-les-Bains near Geneva — rather than on June 14, Politico Europe reported.

The UFC card will be held on the White House South Lawn and was announced by Trump as part of national celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The US Navy and Coast Guard yanked a suspected “ghost fleet” tanker accused of carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil out of the Caribbean in a bold pre-dawn raid Friday — sending a blunt message to smugglers and sanctioned regimes alike: You can run, but you can’t hide.

Marines and sailors with Joint Task Force Southern Spear launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford early Friday and seized the motor tanker Olina without incident, US Southern Command said. The operation was carried out in support of the Department of Homeland Security.

“Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: there is no safe haven for criminals,” the combatant command said in a post to X.

The takedown was backed by the full firepower of the Navy’s Amphibious Ready Group — including the USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale — underscoring Washington’s escalating crackdown on illicit maritime trafficking in the Western Hemisphere.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Coast Guard boarded and seized the tanker in international waters east of the Caribbean after it departed Venezuela and attempted to evade US forces.

“The world’s criminals are on notice,” Noem said in a post to X.

Officials suspect the Olina is part of a shadowy “ghost fleet” used to move embargoed oil under false flags and fake claims of nationality — profits the Trump administration says bankroll illicit activity including narco-terrorism.

“The ghost fleets will not outrun justice,” Noem warned. “They will not hide under false claims of nationality.”

The seizure is part of the Department of War’s Operation Southern Spear, an aggressive campaign aimed at choking off illegal oil trafficking and restoring security across the region.

“This is owning the sea,” Noem said.

President Trump will meet with the executives of oil companies including Chevon, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips Friday at the White House.

The news comes after Trump called off a second wave of attacks in Venezuela less than a week after a special forces operation captured the South American country's dictator, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife.

Trump announced Tuesday that Venezuela would sell up to 50 million barrels of oil to the US at a "market price" — and that he would control what the South American can do with the proceeds from the sale.

Chevron is the only major US oil company currently operating in Venezuela. ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil both left Venezuela nearly 20 years ago when Hugo Chávez nationalized their assets. Venezuela has the largest crude oil reserves in the world.

The meeting is slated to begin at 2 p.m. ET.

President Trump announced early Friday he was calling off an “expected second wave” of attacks on Venezuela after the South American country announced it would begin releasing political prisoners less than a week after US special forces captured Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro.

“Venezuela is releasing large numbers of political prisoners as a sign of ‘Seeking Peace,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is a very important and smart gesture.”

Trump, 79, went on to say Washington and Caracas are “working well together, especially as it pertains to rebuilding, in a much bigger, better, and more modern form, their oil and gas infrastructure.”

“Because of this cooperation, I have cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks, which looks like it will not be needed, however, all ships will stay in place for safety and security purposes.”

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