U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has issued a statement about the Justice Department's criminal investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, which hit the news explosively over the weekend and triggered backlash from a number of Republican lawmakers and even administration officials fearful that President Donald Trump is undermining the independence of the central bank.

Powell has denied any wrongdoing alleged by Trump administration officials, who claim he was not truthful to Congress about the costs of a major renovation at the Fed headquarters in Washington, D.C., and put out a statement accusing the president of trying to strongarm the Fed's monetary policy.

"I have deep respect for the rule of law and for accountability in our democracy. No one — certainly not the chair of the Federal Reserve — is above the law. But this unprecedented action should be seen in the broader context of the administration's threats and ongoing pressure," said Powell. "The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President."

In Pirro's own statement published to X on Monday evening, she disputed there has been any decision to criminally charge Powell, and put the blame for the whole situation at his feet.

"The United States Attorney’s Office contacted the Federal Reserve on multiple occasions to discuss cost overruns and the chairman’s congressional testimony, but were ignored, necessitating the use of legal process — which is not a threat," wrote Pirro. "The word 'indictment' has come out of Mr. Powell’s mouth, no one else’s. None of this would have happened if they had just responded to our outreach."

"This office makes decisions based on the merits, nothing more and nothing less," she continued. "We agree with the chairman of the Federal Reserve that no one is above the law, and that is why we expect his full cooperation."

After President Donald Trump warned Cuba to “make a deal” or face dire consequences, one of his former national security aides went on Fox Business to openly boast that the U.S. could starve the island into submission within days by cutting off Venezuelan oil and money. The remarks followed the administration’s unprecedented attack on Venezuela and capture of Nicolás Maduro, with Trump allies now openly signaling that Cuba could be next. Critics say the comments underscore how Trump’s foreign policy is sliding into raw coercion, with U.S. officials casually discussing civilian suffering as a negotiating tool while television hosts cheer an expanding list of nations in Washington’s crosshairs.

Watch the video below.

Trump ally cheers starvation threat as leverage after US strike on Venezuela Trump ally cheers starvation threat as leverage after US strike on Venezuela

Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) proudly announced on Monday that he is introducing legislation to allow President Donald Trump to seize control of Greenland — as the president's increasingly obsessive calls for the island to be purchased or annexed away from Denmark alarms both international actors and key figures in both parties.

"Huge News! Today, I am proud to introduce the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act, a bill that allows the President to find the means necessary to bring Greenland into the Union," wrote Fine on X. "Let me be clear, our adversaries are trying to establish a foothold in the Arctic, and we can’t let that happen. By acquiring Greenland, we would prevent our adversaries from controlling the Arctic Region and secure our northern flank from Russia and China."

Fine accompanied this with a picture of himself standing in front of a Greenlandic village with a copy of the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas erected next to it.

Fine, whose prior extreme statements calling for mass death in Gaza horrified even former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), earned swift backlash from commenters on social media, both at home and abroad.

"An American congressman introducing legislation to annex a NATO country," wrote University of Warwick professor Christian Soegaard. "He doesn’t fully understand the consequences of his actions."

"This man should never be allowed to enter any European country," wrote Danish economist Lars Christiansen.

"Denmark and Greenland have said NO," wrote Greenlandic commentator Orla Joelson. "The bill will not secure a majority in either the Senate or Congress. You should instead focus on addressing the United States’ internal challenges."

"How do you say 'everything is stupid and it’s only getting worse' in Greenlandic?" wrote gun rights analyst Cam Edwards.

"When sycophantic groveling flops are elected… you get Randy Fine," wrote former Virginia Rep. and House January 6 Committee adviser Denver Riggleman. "This is what a child would file — just insane and gibbering fealty to nuttery."