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Donald Trump’s bond has been set at $200,000 (£157,000) and he has been ordered not to send threatening social media messages as he awaits trial in Georgia on charges of trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat, according to court papers.

The agreement, signed by Trump’s attorneys and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, bars the former US president from intimidating co-defendants, witnesses or victims in the case.

“The above shall include, but are not limited to, posts on social media or reposts of posts made by another individual on social media,” the order states.

Trump is also prohibited from communicating in any way about the facts of the case with any co-defendant or witness, except through attorneys.

Donald Trump speaks as he campaigns at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa,  12 August 2023

Trump was indicted in the Georgia case last week along with 18 co-defendants, the fourth set of charges against the former president this year.

Among the charges is “solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer” – in other words trying to persuade someone to betray their office.

The 13 counts against Trump also include forgery and racketeering, which is most often used to target members of organised crime groups.

According to Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) Act it is a crime to participate in, acquire or maintain control of an “enterprise” through a “pattern of racketeering activity” or to conspire to do so.

The scheme does not need to have been successful for it to be considered criminal.

Read more:
Trump might welcome charges, but his co-accused might be tempted to ‘flip’
What are the investigations Donald Trump is facing?

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Sky’s Dominic Waghorn explains Trump’s latest charges

Defendants must turn themselves in or face arrest

Ms Willis has set a deadline of noon Friday for Trump and his 18 co-defendants to turn themselves in at the Fulton County Jail to be booked or face arrest.

Prosecutors have proposed the trial start on 4 March 2024, while Trump’s lawyers have asked for it to take place in 2026.

Several of his allies and closest advisors have been charged, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Trump’s former lawyer and ex-New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and former justice official Jeffrey Clark.

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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis brought counts against Trump

Trump faces four sets of charges

Trump narrowly lost to Joe Biden in Georgia and his lawyers made false claims of election fraud.

Audio of a call by Trump to Georgia’s secretary of state also emerged in January 2021 in which he suggested election officials could “find” the votes he needed to win.

The former president is already defending several other cases in the year before he hopes to reclaim the presidency.

The most serious allege he plotted to overturn his election loss, leading to the US Capitol riots.

He is also accused of having kept national security documents at his Florida home Mar-a-Lago when he left office.

The former president has denied any wrongdoing.

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JD Vance hits out at Denmark during Greenland visit after Donald Trump says US ‘needs’ the island

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JD Vance hits out at Denmark during Greenland visit after Donald Trump says US 'needs' the island

JD Vance has told Denmark it has “not done a good job” with Greenland during a visit to the territory – as President Donald Trump repeated his call for the US to take over the island.

Vice President Vance, his wife Usha and other senior US officials arrived at an American military base in Greenland, the semi-autonomous territory that has been a part of Denmark for more than 600 years.

Follow latest: Key takeaways from Vance’s speech in Greenland

“Our message to Denmark is very simple: you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Mr Vance said.

“You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people.

“We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic.”

Shortly before Mr Vance spoke from Greenland on Friday, Mr Trump continued his threats of taking over the territory, saying: “We need Greenland, very importantly, for international security.

“We have to have Greenland. It’s not a question of you think we can do without it – we can’t.”

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‘We need Greenland’ says Trump

The one-day visit to the US Space Force outpost at Pituffik – located on the northwest coast of the territory – has avoided violating potential diplomatic taboos of a state sending a delegation to another country, without an invitation.

The trip had been scaled back after locals were angered that the original itinerary was made without consulting them – particularly in light of Mr Trump’s repeated claims that the US should control Greenland.

Speaking to soldiers at the US base, Mr Vance claimed Denmark – and Europe by extension – has failed to protect the region.

JD Vance tours the US military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. Pic: Reuters
Image:
JD Vance tours the US military’s Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. Pic: Reuters


He said: “This place, this base, this surrounding area, is less secure than it was 30-40 years ago, as some of our allies have not kept up…

“Europe (has) not kept pace… with military spending, and Denmark has not kept pace in devoting the resources necessary to keep this base, to keep our troops, and in my view to keep the people of Greenland safe from a lot of aggressive incursions from Russia, China, and other nations.”

Mr Vance said Mr Trump was “a president of peace”, adding: “We respect the self-determination of Greenlanders, we believe in the self-determination of the population of Greenland.”

Asked if plans have been drafted to use military force to take over Greenland, he indicated the White House planned to wait for the people of the territory to vote for self-determination before acting.

“What the president has said… is that we need to have more of a position in Greenland,” he added.

Read more:
Why does Trump want to take over Greenland?

Russia and America’s Arctic plans another challenge for Europe

JD Vance and his wife having lunch with soldiers at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. Pic: AP
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JD Vance and his wife have lunch with soldiers at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. Pic: AP

Greenland is the world’s largest island, with a population of 57,000, and is also a founding member of NATO.

Straddling the Arctic circle between the US, Russia and Europe, the island offers a unique geopolitical advantage that America has eyed for more than 150 years.

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was not surprised the US wants control of Greenland given its long-time interest in the mineral-rich territory.

“It can look surprising only at first glance and it would be wrong to believe that this is some sort of extravagant talk by the current US administration,” Mr Putin said.

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Threat of Russia and America exploiting the Arctic another challenge for Europe

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Threat of Russia and America exploiting the Arctic another challenge for Europe

Two events this week will give Greenland and friends in Europe a juddering sense of alarm. 

From the West, the US vice president JD Vance has landed for a controversial visit, despatched by a president openly talking of annexation.

From the East a speech from a Russian leader hinting at carving up the Arctic and its vast mineral wealth with Moscow’s new friends in Washington.

The US vice president and his wife arrive at the US military base in Greenland
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The US vice president and his wife arrive at the US military base in Greenland. Pic: Reuters

In a closely watched speech, Vladimir Putin seemed to give Donald Trump’s plans to seize Greenland the green light.

They were “serious”, he said, and “have deep historical roots”.

Kremlin officials went further saying Russia was open to cooperating with America to exploit the Arctic with “joint investment”.

The Arctic is a huge prize. Its vast mineral wealth is increasingly accessible thanks to climate change.

More on Greenland

Russia is well placed to exploit it with bases and ports ringing the Arctic Circle.

Mr Putin though warned that “NATO countries in general are increasingly designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts”.

A map of what surrounds the Arctic Circle
Image:
A map of what surrounds the Arctic Circle

A map of what surrounds the Arctic Circle

This would appear to be a warning to European nations to back off.

Yet another challenge for Europe

The threat of Russia and America jointly exploiting the Arctic in a great power carve-up is yet another challenge for Europe in this new Trumpian world order. And Greenland is caught in the middle.

Mr Trump has said he thinks the American annexation of Greenland “will happen”.

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What do Greenlanders make of Trump?

He said so with breezy nonchalance in front of NATO’s secretary general in the White House as if taking another alliance member’s territory was entirely normal.

Astonishingly NATO secretary general Mark Rutte did not push back at the idea.

Read more:
Why does Trump want to take over Greenland?

Donald Trump says he thinks US will annex Greenland

Both President Trump and his vice president say America needs Greenland for security.

This seems disingenuous. There are no hostile fleets circling the Arctic territory whatever they claim.

Besides, America already has a military base there and could ask to build more.

Mr Vance also says Denmark has neglected Greenland. Denmark actually subsidises the territory to the tune of £480m a year.

In reality, what the Trump administration seeks in Greenland is what it seems to seek in Ukraine. Mineral wealth.

When we visited this month, Greenlanders told Sky News Mr Trump’s threats are little more than a gangster shakedown.

A menacing threat designed to extract material gain.

There is no appetite for an American takeover among Greenlanders. And no enthusiasm for the vice president and his wife.

US officials were reportedly going door to door this week asking if anyone would like to meet America’s second lady. None said yes.

The Vances have had to downscale their visit, and have only gone to the US base at Pittufik.

But it seems the Trump administration is determined one way or another to acquire more territory and Greenland seems top of the list.

And its president may have been persuaded by Mr Putin it is in his best interests to share the world with Russia, whatever that means for America’s allies.

That is a challenge they will need to meet.

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Who is MAGA’s most aggressive loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene?

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Who is MAGA's most aggressive loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene?

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US congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene hit the headlines this week when she told Sky’s US correspondent Martha Kelner to “go back to your own country”.

It was the latest controversy in a political career for the Republican firebrand – a staunch supporter of US President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

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Sky reporter told ‘go back to your own country’

But who is she and how influential has she become?

Host Jonathan Samuels speaks to Tia Mitchell, Washington bureau chief for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who has been covering Ms Taylor Greene since she first entered politics five years ago.

She tells us what she’s like in person, how she emerged and her most controversial moments.

Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse

Editor: Paul Stanworth & Philly Beaumont

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