Bloomberg News Now
US Promises Iran 'Help', Trump Dismisses Dimon's Probe Critique, More
14 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
News when you want it with Bloomberg News Now. I'm Caroline Hepker.
And I'm Stephen Carroll.
US President Donald Trump has raised the prospect of military strikes on Iran as activists say that thousands of people have been killed in the wave of protests in the country. The Human Rights Activist News Agency estimates at least 2,000 people have died, while the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights Group says the figure could be as high as 6,000.
Chapter 2: What recent events have escalated tensions between the US and Iran?
They say that a lack of internet access is making independent verification extremely difficult. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One, President Trump said the death toll would be a key factor in determining his response.
Iran is on my mind when I see the kind of death that is happening over there, we think. So we're going to get some accurate numbers. I'll have them in about 20 minutes. We'll get some accurate numbers as to what's happening with regard to the killing. The killing looks like it's significant, but we don't know yet for certain. I'll know within 20 minutes. And we'll act accordingly.
Donald Trump had earlier urged Iranians to continue their protests, writing on social media that, quote, help is on its way.
Chapter 3: What are the implications of Trump's military threats regarding Iran?
The comments come days after a White House official said that President Trump had been briefed on options for an attack with the president yesterday, also encouraging U.S. citizens and people from allied countries to leave Iran.
Greenland's Prime Minister has ruled out the possibility of the territory becoming part of the United States. At a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Meta Frederiksen in Copenhagen, Jens Frederik Nielsen delivered a forceful response to President Trump's repeated claims that the US must own Greenland.
One thing that everyone must understand, Greenland will not be owned by the United States. Greenland will not be governed by the United States. Greenland will not be part of the United States. We choose the Greenland we know today and which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Asked about those comments by Greenland's Prime Minister, the US President said, I don't know who he is, I don't know anything about him, but that's going to be a big problem for him. The remarks come ahead of a high-stakes meeting in Washington later today between the Danish and Greenlandic Foreign Ministers and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with Vice President J.D. Vance.
The head of America's largest bank has warned against undermining the Federal Reserve, earning him a rebuke from Donald Trump. JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon told reporters after the bank's earnings that anything that chips away at the Fed's independence is, quote, probably not a good idea. The US president was asked about Dimon's comments.
Yeah, I think it's fine what I'm doing. We have a bad Fed person. He was extended by Biden. And yeah, I think he's wrong. I think it's wrong. He's done a bad job. We should have lower rates. Jamie Dimon probably wants higher rates. Maybe he makes more money that way.
The Trump administration last week threatened criminal charges against the Fed and has sought to remove members of the monetary policy committee, including Lisa Cook. The comments come as silver broke above $90 an ounce for the first time and gold flirted with a record high as attacks on the Federal Reserve and a tense geopolitical backdrop added impetus to a rally in precious metals.
China's trade surplus hit a new record last year, seemingly unfazed by the US trade war. The world's second largest economy took in a net $1.2 trillion from trade in 2025. Data for last month showed exports rising by 6.6%, more than double the median economist estimate. But booming trade underlines the rift between China's manufacturing power and its stubbornly weak domestic economy.
The UK and the European Union should step up their financial ties in order to boost both economies. That's according to the City of London's governing body, which says that closer cooperation will be good for business. Bloomberg's Tiba Adebayo has more.
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