Today's Top Stories from NBC News

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2026

In today's newsletter: Trump's efforts to purchase Greenland could cost as much as $700 billion, experts estimate. Israeli and Arab officials warn against U.S. military action in Iran. And the owner of luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue files for bankruptcy

Here's what to know today.

▼ The Lead

Buying Greenland could cost as much as $700 billion

(Byline / Source)

Achieving President Donald Trump's goal of buying Greenland could come with a price tag of as much as $700 billion, according to three people familiar with the cost estimate.

That figure is more than half of the Defense Department's annual budget, but despite rebukes from officials in Denmark and Greenland, Trump says that the U.S. will acquire the 800,000 square-mile island "one way or another."

Trump's push to "own" the territory stems in part from concerns that its residents could seek independence, and if successful, the island's coastline could fall into the hands of Russia or China, according to some experts and congressional testimony from former U.S. officials.

"Greenland does not want to be owned by, governed by or part of the United States," Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said as she arrived in Washington on Tuesday to meet with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The island currently hosts a small U.S. military footprint at Pituffik Space Base and has long been receptive to hosting more military assets or negotiating over its strategic resources, which include rare-earth minerals.

But Trump's tone has changed dramatically in recent weeks and now his rhetoric is being taken more seriously inside the administration and among America's allies.

A less costly option would be a deal which would include financial assistance from Washington in exchange for the U.S. having a security presence there.

But Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants the U.S. to have more rights to the land, comparing it to owning versus leasing a property.

Read the full story here.

More news out of Minneapolis:

Mayer Jacob Frey emerges as the city's 'emotional voice' following ICE shooting

Renee Good's former father-in-law says she was a 'great person' and prays for his grandson

Joe Rogan criticizes ICE tactics: 'Are we really going to be the Gestapo?'

Israeli and Arab officials have privately suggested the U.S. hold off on Iran strikes

Israeli and Arab officials have suggested that President Donald Trump hold back on large-scale strikes on Iran for now, with some of them preferring to wait until the regime is even more strained, sources told NBC News.

Trump has upped threats of U.S. military action amid Iran's violent crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, recently telling Iranian civilians that "help is on its way."

Israeli officials have told the administration that while they support the regime change in Iran, there is concern that outside military intervention right now might not finish the job that protesters have started.

Instead, they've suggested other U.S. actions: boosting communications to circumvent the blackout, launching a cyberattack, or strengthening economic sanctions — all options that could further weaken the regime to the point where strikes could then be decisive, sources say.

Demonstrations over the regime and its economic crisis began on Dec. 28 and have morphed into one of the biggest challenges Iran has faced in its 47-year history.

Activist groups on the ground report that about 2,000 people have been killed, with many more injured or arrested.

Iranian authorities are expected to execute the first person in relation to the nationwide unrest on Wednesday, according to the U.S. and human rights groups.

Referencing arrested demonstrator Erfan Soltani, 26, the State Department said in a post on X: "This time, the Islamic Republic regime didn't even bother with its usual 10-minute sham trial; Erfan was sentenced to execution without any legal process or defense lawyer.

"Erfan is the first protester to be sentenced to death, but he will not be the last; the wave of executions against these protesters has officially begun."

Read the full story here.

Trump declares an 'economic boom' as Americans continue to worry over prices

Trump lauded economic gains while offering scant details on his policies in front of a crowd at the Detroit Economic Club on Tuesday.

He insisted that "inflation is defeated" and touted tax cuts, tariffs, and trade deals, but declined to elaborate on newer agenda items aimed at addressing affordability concerns.

Trump has recently mentioned a ban on investors' buying housing stock — which would require legislation — as part of the "Trump economic boom."

But despite his repeated claims that the economy has been hotter in the past year than ever before, Americans have told pollsters they are not satisfied.

The Labor Department reported Monday that consumer prices rose 2.7% from December 2024 to December 2025, which Trump used to launch an attack on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not dropping interest rates to his preferred levels, saying, "That jerk will be gone soon."

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates repeatedly last year, but not by as much or as quickly as Trump would have liked. Powell's term as chair is set to expire in May.

This comes as the company that owns the iconic luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue filed for bankruptcy late Tuesday.

The move comes after Saks Global struggled with debt it took on to buy rival Neiman Marcus, as well as lagging department store sales and a rising online market.

Meanwhile, China had its biggest trade surplus ever last year at almost $1.2 trillion, according to data released Wednesday, despite the tariffs imposed by Trump.

Read the full story here.

▼ Read All About It

Actor Kiefer Sutherland was arrested Monday after he was alleged to have physically assaulted and threatened a ride-share driver, police said.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., says she's under federal investigation after participating in a video about refusing illegal orders.

Four astronauts are set to leave the International Space Station on Wednesday, weeks earlier than planned, due to a medical issue.

A few extra minutes of sleep per night, plus a few more vegetables or grains and a little bit more exercise per day, are crucial to living longer, research finds.

▼ Staff Pick

Ilia Malinin has dominated figure skating for years. All that's left is an Olympic gold.

It's hard to describe 21-year-old figure skater Ilia Malinin's dominance. You could say he's like Michael Jordan, Simone Biles or even Michael Phelps, but the truth is, there has never been a skater like Malinin in this lifetime or any other.Malinin is landing jumps that have never been landed before, and at an unprecedented frequency.

The self-proclaimed "Quad God" has more than lived up to his nickname because of his ability to spin through the air while on skates. While Malinin has dominated competition for the last three seasons, there is an accolade that has eluded the sport's most unstoppable force: An Olympic gold medal. Will he be able to live up to the hype in Milan?

— Rohan Nadkarni, sports reporter

▼ NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

January is when wellness questions get real. Our editors broke down red light therapy and whether it actually delivers results, tested neck stretchers designed to ease screen-related tension, and refreshed our guide to scar treatments that help improve texture over time. Consider this a smarter approach to feeling better, not just trying everything.