Mike Baker

First up, what was supposed to be a global economic summit in Davos now appears to be almost entirely focused on Greenland, as President Trump ramps up pressure on allies and argues that the island is critical to U.S.

national security.

Later in the show, a new report out of China claims that Communist Party enforcers punished nearly one million people in 2025.

That's a lot of people, as President Xi tightens his grip and demands total loyalty.

Plus, Beijing violates Taiwan's airspace with a drone, marking a new phase in its ongoing pressure campaign.

And in today's back of the brief, the British government approves plans for China's largest embassy in Europe, ignoring warnings that it could become a hub for espionage.

Well, here's a spoiler alert.

That new embassy will be a hub for the Communist Party's intel apparatus.

But first, today's PDB Spotlight.

World leaders are gathering in Davos this week.

It's a gathering of the swells for the annual World Economic Forum.

And no, this year's headline topic is not global growth or artificial intelligence or trade deals.

It's Greenland.

If you didn't have that on your 2026 bingo card, well, you are absolutely forgiven.

Much like picking Indiana to win the college football championships this year, I did not identify Greenland as the issue that could threaten relations between the U.S.

and NATO and the European Union.

But here we are.

As presidents, prime ministers, CEOs, and plenty of posh folks arrive in the Swiss Alps, President Trump has launched what can only be described as a full-court press on Greenland, turning a long-simmering idea into a very public, very pointed campaign.

Over the past several days, the president has escalated his rhetoric, arguing that the U.S.

is the only country capable of ensuring stability and security in Greenland.