Good morning. Here's what happened overnight and what you need to know today.
1.
Working group: The US, Denmark and Greenland will form a high‑level working group to discuss Greenland’s security after what Denmark’s foreign minister described as a “frank, but also constructive” White House meeting prompted by Donald Trump’s threats to take control of the island. US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Danish and Greenlandic officials hours after Trump said “anything less than” US control of Greenland was “unacceptable,” arguing the US “needs Greenland” for national security and to strengthen NATO. Denmark announced it would increase its military presence in and around Greenland with aircraft, ships and soldiers, in coordination with NATO allies including Sweden. A day earlier, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens‑Frederik Nielsen said the territory would choose Denmark over the United States. The European Parliament condemned Trump’s statements as a “blatant challenge” to international law and the sovereignty of a NATO ally, while France said it would act in “full solidarity” with Denmark. Rubio said Trump plans to buy Greenland, though Trump has not ruled out military force and Danish and Greenlandic leaders say the territory is not for sale. During the talks, the White House posted a cartoon presenting Greenland with two paths: toward the US or toward Russia and China, without an option shown for Denmark. (NYT) (Danish Ministry of Defence)(Truth Social)(BBC)(NBC)(CNN)(FT)(Capital Brief)
2.
Hockey’s high-roller: Joe Hockey has built one of the most successful careers of any former Australian politician. He parlayed his time as federal Treasurer into a stint as the US ambassador, where he became known as Australia's ‘Trump Whisperer’. Few would have guessed his next career move would be to help the little-known 25-year-old son of a controversial billionaire Chinese property developer and high roller, who has variously fought with the Australian Tax Office (ATO), Star Entertainment Group and even Port Stephens Council, to invest his family's wealth. And yet, Capital Brief can reveal that’s exactly what Hockey has done, quietly accepting the chair role at the Lee Family Office, which is managed by Felix Lee, the son of billionaire Phillip Dong Fang Lee and his wife Xiaobei Shi. Hockey described Felix to Capital Brief as “very hands on” and said he was working with him on “strategy, governance and the disciplined development of the investment platform”, with the office not yet ready to go public. (Capital Brief)
