JD Vance skips Trump’s Venezuela spotlight, but aide says he was ‘deeply involved’ behind the scenes
Vice President JD Vance was not present at President Donald Trump’s news conference announcing the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro because of heightened security and secrecy concerns, according to a spokesperson, despite being closely involved in the planning and execution of the operation. Trump briefed the press on the mission hours after Maduro was taken into U.S. custody, flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs. Vance publicly praised the operation on X but did not attend the briefing. Vance did meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday to discuss the strikes but was not at Trump’s golf club Friday night when senior Trump officials monitored the mission because the national security team “was concerned a late-night motorcade movement by the Vice President while the operation was getting underway may tip off the Venezuelans.” “The Vice President joined by secure video conference throughout the night to monitor the operation. He returned to Cincinnati after the operation concluded.” TRUMP VOWS US WILL ‘RUN’ VENEZUELA UNTIL ‘SAFE’ TRANSITION OF POWER Due to “increased security concerns,” Trump and Vance are limiting the “frequency and duration” of time they spend together outside the White House, the Vance spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says,” Vance wrote on X after the operation was made public. “And PSA for everyone saying this was ‘illegal’: Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narco-terrorism. You don’t get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas,” he wrote in a separate post. Trump, during his news conference, revealed that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela until a “safe, orderly” transition of power can take place. Pressed on whether U.S. forces would remain inside the country, Trump did not rule out a sustained troop presence. “They always say boots on the ground, so we’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,” he said, confirming U.S. troops were already involved “at a very high level” during the operation. Trump noted Venezuela’s vice president had been “picked by Maduro” but said U.S. officials were already engaging with her. “She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great,” Trump said, adding that the issue was being handled directly by his team. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as Maduro’s successor, and Trump did not say whether the U.S. will move to install opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia. Vance, in the past, has voiced skepticism of U.S. interventions. In a Signal chat leaked after the Houthi strikes last March, Vance told a group of Trump Cabinet officials, “I think we are making a mistake.” “[Three] percent of U.S. trade runs through the Suez Canal. Forty percent of European trade does. There is a real risk that the public doesn’t understand this or why it’s necessary,” Vance said. “I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now.”
Rubio to Cuba: ‘I’d be concerned’ after US military arrests Venezuelan leader Maduro
Cuban leaders should be concerned after the U.S. military operation in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday, as President Donald Trump signaled that his administration could shift its focus to the Caribbean island. Cuba has long maintained a presence in Venezuela, with intelligence agents and security personnel embedded amid close relations between Havana and Caracas. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, said Venezuela’s spy agency was “basically full of Cubans” as was Maduro’s security detail. MADURO GAVE STATE TV ADDRESS AS US STRIKES IN VENEZUELA BEGAN: REPORT “One of the biggest problems Venezuelans have is they have to declare independence from Cuba,” he said during a news conference in which officials revealed details of the military operation. “They tried to basically colonize it from a security standpoint.” He added that the communist island was “a disaster. It’s run by incompetent, senile men — and in some cases, not senile, but incompetent nonetheless.” The secretary has repeatedly denounced Cuba and its leadership as a dictatorship and a failed state. “If I lived in Havana, and I was in the government, I’d be concerned — at least a little bit,” Rubio said. Trump said Cuba was something his administration would “end up talking about because Cuba is a failing nation right now — a very badly failing nation. US CAPTURE OF MADURO CHAMPIONED, CONDEMNED ACROSS WORLD STAGE AFTER SURGICAL VENEZUELA STRIKES “And we want to help the people,” he added. “It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba, but we also want to help the people who were forced out of Cuba and are living in this country.” Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken by U.S. forces and taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima. They were expected to be transported to the U.S. to face federal charges. The couple, along with other Venezuelan officials, face “drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies,” according to an unsealed indictment posted on social media Saturday by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. They are accused of partnering with drug cartels to traffic drugs into the U.S. Maduro and his wife “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Bondi wrote. They are charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S.
Maduro-backed TdA gang’s expansion into US cities emerges as key focus of sweeping DOJ indictment
The U.S. military carried out a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela Saturday morning, capturing the nation’s dictatorial leader, Nicolás Maduro, who will face sweeping criminal charges on U.S. soil, according to an unsealed indictment released by Attorney General Pam Bondi. Maduro, who was elected in 2013 and served as Hugo Chavez’s vice president, is facing charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S. “It’s just — it was an amazing thing, the amazing job that these people did. There’s nobody else could have done anything like it,” Trump said of the operation. REPUBLICANS LINE UP BEHIND TRUMP AFTER US STRIKES VENEZUELA, MADURO ARRESTED: ‘CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY’ The unsealed indictment focuses on how Maduro allegedly enriched himself and “political elites” by reportedly partnering with vicious gangs and drug cartels that have established syndicates across the Western Hemisphere, including in the U.S., such as New York. The indictment lists six individuals as defendants, including Maduro, his wife, his son and Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the alleged leader of a vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The indictment alleges that Maduro “sits atop a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.” President Donald Trump has railed against drug cartels for spreading deadly narcotics such as fentanyl in U.S. communities, leading to hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths since 2000. Trump has directed his ire at gangs such as Tren de Aragua, which Trump designated a foreign terrorist organization last year. The indictment accuses Maduro and his co-conspirators — including Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and former Interior Minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín — of partnering with narco-terrorists, including the Tren de Aragua gang and its leader, to distribute cocaine since at least 1999. FROM BUS DRIVER TO DICTATOR: NICOLÁS MADURO’S RISE AND FALL IN VENEZUELA “In sum, MADURO MOROS and his co-conspirators have, for decades, partnered with some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world, and relied on corrupt officials throughout the region, to distribute tons of cocaine to the United States,” the indictment states. The indictment alleges that Maduro “participates in, perpetuates, and protects a culture of corruption in which powerful Venezuelan elites enrich themselves through drug trafficking and the protection of their partner drug traffickers.” The indictment says defendants worked in coordination with cartels and gangs such as Mexico’s Zetas, Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, Colombian group ELN, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army and Tren de Aragua. “TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States, including New York,” the indictment said. “TdA’s criminal activities include human smuggling and other illicit acts. TdA has developed additional revenue sources through a range of other criminal activities, including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other acts of violence to enforce and further the organization’s criminal activities.” MADURO SAYS VENEZUELA IS ‘READY’ TO MAKE DEAL WITH US ON DRUGS AND OIL AFTER MILITARY STRIKES Trump has repeatedly accused Maduro of working with cartels, while underscoring how the foreign gangs have infiltrated the U.S. and spread violence and addiction. “TdA operates in conjunction with Cártel de los Soles, the Nicolás Maduro regime-sponsored, narco-terrorism enterprise based in Venezuela, and commits brutal crimes, including murders, kidnappings, extortions, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking,” Trump wrote in a March 2025 presidential proclamation. He doubled down in his press conference on Saturday, warning that “all political and military figures in Venezuela should understand what happened to Maduro can happen to them.” Venezuela has argued that Tren de Aragua is no longer an active cartel and was effectively wiped out in 2023, Reuters previously reported. Maduro and 14 other current and former Venezuelan officials were previously charged by U.S. federal prosecutors in 2020 on narco-terrorism, corruption and drug trafficking allegations. The January 2025 indictment expands on the 2020 document, including adding Maduro’s son and wife as defendants. The Venezuelan government said in a statement following Saturday’s strike that “the civilian and military localities of the city of Caracas, capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira” were impacted by the attack. The nation accused the U.S. of committing a “very serious military aggression” against Venezuela and carrying out “imperialist aggression.” “The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to break the Nation’s political independence by force,” the Government of Venezuela said in a statement. “They will not succeed. After more than two hundred years of independence, the people and their legitimate Government remain steadfast in defense of sovereignty and the inalienable right to decide their own destiny.” Trump said on Fox News that Maduro and his wife were flown by helicopter to a U.S. military ship. The couple will be transported to New York City, where the dictator is expected to stand trial. “Yes, the Iwo Jima,” Trump said on Saturday morning on Fox News. “They’ll be heading into New York. The helicopters took them out, and they went by helicopter on a nice flight. I’m sure they loved it, but they’ve killed a lot of people.” The president said he watched the operation from Mar-a-Lago, where he spent the Christmas holiday, and praised the military for its efforts. Democrats have taken issue with a lack of notice to Congress over the strike, while MAGA Republicans have rallied around Trump’s decision. Trump held a news conference at Mar-a-Lago Saturday, where he said the U.S. will “run” Venezuela until there is a safe transition of power. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. So, we don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in. And we have the same situation
Trump vows US will ‘run’ Venezuela until ‘safe’ transition of power
President Donald Trump said the United States is “going to run the country” in Venezuela until what he described as a safe, proper and judicious transition can take place. Trump framed the role as temporary but necessary, saying the U.S. does not want to allow “somebody else get in” before conditions are stable. He said the goal is peace, liberty and justice for Venezuelans, including those who have fled to the United States and hope to return home. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said. He also warned the U.S. is prepared to escalate further if needed, saying, “We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack,” and that American forces remain in position. “We’re there now, and we’re going to stay until such time as the proper transition can take place,” Trump said. Trump spoke during a news conference Saturday hours after U.S. special forces bombed Caracas and captured dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, taking them to New York to face drug trafficking charges. LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO Trump said the U.S. plans to directly manage Venezuela alongside partners while rebuilding the country’s oil sector. “We’re going to be running it with a group, and we’re going to make sure it’s run properly,” Trump said. “We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars. It’ll be paid for by the oil companies directly … and we’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be.” He said the U.S. would ensure Venezuelans are “taken care of,” including those “forced out of Venezuela by this thug.” Pressed on whether U.S. forces would remain inside the country, Trump did not rule out a sustained troop presence. “They always say boots on the ground — so we’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,” he said, confirming U.S. troops were already involved “at a very high level” during the operation. Trump repeated that the U.S. intends to stay and retain control, saying, “We’re there now. We’re ready to go again if we have to. We’re going to run the country… very judiciously, very fairly.” He added that the U.S. was prepared to launch another attack if necessary and accused Venezuela’s former leadership of stealing American-built oil infrastructure, saying, “We’re late, but we did something about it.” Asked whether the U.S. would back opposition leader María Corina Machado or work with Venezuela’s newly sworn-in vice president, Trump signaled flexibility. He noted the vice president had been “picked by Maduro,” but said U.S. officials were already engaging with her. “She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great,” Trump said, adding that the issue was being handled directly by his team. Trump continued, “She was quite gracious, but she really doesn’t have a choice. We’re going to have this done right. We’re not going to just do this when they leave like everybody else, leave and say, you know, let it go to hell. If we just left, it has zero chance of ever coming back. We’ll run it properly. We’ll run it professionally. We’ll have the greatest oil companies in the world go in and invest billions and billions of dollars and take out money. Use that money in Venezuela. And the biggest beneficiary are going to be the people of Venezuela.” MADURO MET CHINESE ENVOY HOURS BEFORE US CAPTURE FROM CARACAS AS BEIJING SLAMS OPERATION Trump was asked by another reporter, “Why is running a country in South America ‘America first’?” Trump replied: “We want to surround ourselves with good neighbors. We want to surround ourselves with stability. We want to surround ourselves with energy. We have tremendous energy in that country. It’s very important that we protect it.” U.S. efforts to run or oversee political transitions in foreign countries have frequently encountered setbacks in recent years, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s approach to Venezuela. The last time the U.S. intervened militarily to remove a leader in Latin America was in Panama in 1989, when American forces ousted dictator Manuel Noriega. While the operation succeeded quickly, it was followed by long-term challenges in stabilizing governance. While the invasion quickly removed Manuel Noriega, it resulted in significant civilian harm. Estimates of civilian deaths vary widely, and entire neighborhoods — most notably El Chorrillo in Panama City — were heavily damaged, leaving thousands homeless. This complicated post-invasion stabilization and fueled lingering resentment among parts of the population. MARÍA CORINA MACHADO EMERGES AS TOP POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR AFTER MÁDURO’S FALL But after years of soaring hyperinflation that wiped out savings, hollowed out wages and fueled mass migration, some U.S. officials — and many Venezuelans — believe virtually anyone who comes to power would be better than Nicolás Maduro. Venezuelans inside the country and those who fled to the United States were seen celebrating in the streets during moments of heightened U.S. pressure, according to videos that circulated widely on social media. Venezuelan opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and his running mate Machado have positioned themselves as the alternative to President Nicolás Maduro, insisting they won last year’s presidential election despite the government’s declaration of Maduro as the victor. Machado, who was barred from holding office by the Maduro-appointed high court, threw her support behind González as a unity candidate, while the opposition and several international observers rejected the official results as fraudulent. González has since left Venezuela amid pressure from the Maduro government, while Machado’s present whereabouts is unknown, urging continued domestic and international pressure to force a political transition. After the capture, Machado called on Venezuela’s armed forces to recognize opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s “legitimate president” and commander-in-chief, while declaring the opposition is prepared to “assert our mandate and take power.” In a defiant statement, she said “the hour of freedom has arrived,” argued President Nicolás Maduro
House GOP critics break with Trump over Venezuela operation that captured Maduro
President Donald Trump’s House GOP critics are ripping the administration’s operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the first to criticize the Trump administration’s operation in Venezuela, again breaking from the majority of his party and butting heads with the commander in chief. Massie, a longtime critic of U.S. foreign intervention, appeared to question the legality of the federal government’s Venezuela strikes. “If this action were constitutionally sound, the Attorney General wouldn’t be tweeting that they’ve arrested the President of a sovereign country and his wife for possessing guns in violation of a 1934 U.S. firearm law,” Massie posted to X Saturday morning. US CAPTURE OF MADURO CHAMPIONED, CONDEMNED ACROSS WORLD STAGE AFTER SURGICAL VENEZUELA STRIKES The Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed a four-count indictment against Maduro after Trump confirmed the U.S. took custody of the Venezuelan leader and his wife following strikes in the capital of Caracas. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement those charges were narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States. It’s not immediately clear what Maduro’s wife, Celia Flores, has been charged with. In a follow-up posted on the charges, Massie said, “25-page indictment but no mention of fentanyl or stolen oil. Search it for yourself.” Trump said on Fox News that Maduro and Flores were being flown to the USS Iwo Jima, which will bring them to the U.S., where they will face criminal proceedings led by the Southern District of New York. Massie’s criticism was followed by scathing comments by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., another Trump critic who is retiring from Congress early next week before finishing her term. TRUMP CASTS MADURO’S OUSTER AS ‘SMART’ MOVE AS RUSSIA, CHINA ENTER THE FRAY “If U.S. military action and regime change in Venezuela was really about saving American lives from deadly drugs, then why hasn’t the Trump admin taken action against Mexican cartels? And if prosecuting narco terrorists is a high priority, then why did President Trump pardon the former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted and sentenced for 45 years for trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine into America?” part of Greene’s statement read. “The next obvious observation is that by removing Maduro this is a clear move for control over Venezuelan oil supplies that will ensure stability for the next obvious regime change war in Iran. And of course, why is it ok for America to militarily invade, bomb, and arrest a foreign leader, but Russia is evil for invading Ukraine and China is bad for aggression against Taiwan? Is it only ok if we do it? (I’m not endorsing Russia or China).” Meanwhile, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., praised the operation but expressed concerns about what precedent is being set. “My main concern now is that Russia will use this to justify their illegal and barbaric military actions against Ukraine or China to justify an invasion of Taiwan,” Bacon said in a statement. “Freedom and rule of law were defended last night, but dictators will try to exploit this to rationalize their selfish objectives.” Bacon is also retiring from Congress, but, unlike Greene, he is serving out his full term. The vast majority of Republican lawmakers unequivocally backed the operation as expected. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., both said they expected congressional briefings from the Trump administration in the coming days when lawmakers return from a two-week recess.
ICE highlights ‘best of the best’ agents who jumped into action at crash sites
After a year in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement dramatically increased its operations under President Donald Trump and simultaneously faced an increase in attacks against officials, the agency is highlighting the “best of the best” agents for particularly heroic actions in the line of duty. In a Friday statement, ICE said that “despite the obstacles they face, including record numbers of violent anti-ICE rioters assaulting law enforcement, terrorist attacks, and bounties placed on their heads, our courageous officers have proven their commitment to upholding the rule of law in the United States and making America safe again.” According to the agency, agents faced an increase of 1,347 percent in assaults and an 8,000 percent increase in death threats against them. ICE blamed these increases on “lies and smears from sanctuary politicians and radical activists, and hoaxes spread by the media.” “Despite that, their heroic efforts have led to historic results, helping DHS remove more than 622,000 illegal aliens,” ICE said, noting that tens of thousands of those removals were of criminal offenders, including murderers, rapists, child sex abusers, terrorists and gang members. WAVE OF CAR ATTACKS ON ICE AGENTS FOLLOWS INCENDIARY RHETORIC FROM TARGET-CITY LEADERS “That, coupled with more than 2 million illegal aliens who chose to self-deport, has created a cycle that benefits the American public,” the agency said, adding, “As ICE continues to remove more illegal aliens, more illegal aliens wisely choose to self-deport and avoid arrest.” Among the stories highlighted by the agency was a July 11 incident in Philadelphia in which two ICE officers encountered a truck that had veered off the road and crashed into a tree. The agency said the pair “sprang into action, rescuing the driver and extinguishing an engine fire while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.” In Dallas, the agency said that ICE officers witnessed a pickup truck lose control after losing a tire, causing it to roll seven times and land upside-down. ICE said its officers and two bystanders pried open the truck’s door and pulled the driver to safety. On Sept. 25, ICE said that members of its Denver special response team saved another man’s life by pulling him from a burning car along the highway. The agency said the team was en route to the Broadview, Illinois, processing facility on Sept. 25 when they approached the fiery aftermath of a multi-car highway collision. OREGON RESIDENTS SUE HOMELAND SECURITY AFTER TEAR GAS USED ON ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS ICE said that “as smoke billowed from the small car, the officers responded quickly and discovered a man with his legs pinned under the dashboard inside, unconscious and covered in blood.” The agents broke the vehicle’s window, extracted the man, and provided first aid before emergency responders arrived at the scene and transported him to a hospital. In Nuevo, California, the agency said that on Oct. 2, an off-duty ICE officer discovered a man suffering from a serious neck wound and quickly provided lifesaving aid to him while instructing his son to call 911. ICE said the officer used his own first-aid kit and applied a pressure bandage to control the heavy bleeding and stabilize the victim before first responders arrived to transport the victim to a hospital. Just weeks later, on Oct. 21, the agency said that an ICE deportation officer was conducting enforcement actions in Philadelphia when he heard multiple gunshots nearby. According to the agency, the officer then saw three juveniles fleeing the area and discovered a man who had been shot in the left thigh. ICE said that he and officers from the Philadelphia Police Department applied a tourniquet, and local police drove the man to a nearby hospital for treatment. ICE AGENTS OPEN FIRE ON VAN DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO RUN THEM OVER ON CHRISTMAS EVE Commenting on these stories, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said that “courage is measured by actions, not words.” “Every day, ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] officers show up knowing the risks they face — and they choose to serve anyway,” said Lyons. “And throughout the year, officers across the agency demonstrated professionalism, restraint and courage in moments that demanded all three.” “These stories remind us that law enforcement is about responsibility to the communities we serve, and I’m incredibly proud to be part of this organization,” he added.
House Democrat calls Trump’s Maduro capture ‘welcome news’ as left labels it ‘illegal’
At least one House Democrat is praising President Donald Trump’s capture of Nicolás Maduro after the U.S. conducted surprise strikes in Venezuela overnight Saturday night. “The capture of the brutal, illegitimate ruler of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, who oppressed Venezuela’s people is welcome news for my friends and neighbors who fled his violent, lawless, and disastrous rule. However, cutting off the head of a snake is fruitless if it just regrows,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., wrote on X. “Venezuelans deserve the promise of democracy and the rule of law, not a state of endless violence and spiraling disorder. My hope is it offers a passage to true democracy and liberation. This action offers beleaguered Venezuelans a chance to seat their true, democratically elected president, Edmundo González.” She criticized the GOP administration for apparently failing to notify Congress beforehand, however. “I’ll demand answers as to why Congress and the American people were bypassed in this effort. The absence of congressional involvement prior to this action risks the continuation of the illegitimate Venezuelan regime. Congress must be properly informed and hold hearings on this invasion. As always, I will work to bring about the promise of a liberated Venezuela,” she wrote. Wasserman Schultz’s home state of Florida is notably home to a significant number of Venezuelan refugees, as well as refugees from other communist Latin American dictatorships like Cuba. Her response to the U.S. operation is far different from the majority of her colleagues on the left, however. Congressional Democrats are largely accusing Trump of green-lighting illegal actions in Venezuela after the U.S. carried out multiple strikes and captured Maduro and his wife. While some responses were more muted than others, the majority of Democratic lawmakers argued that the Trump administration undermined U.S. law with the operation. “The Trump administration launched a large-scale military attack on a sovereign nation and kidnapped its sitting president, without congressional approval and without consideration of any of the consequences their illegal actions may bring,” Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., wrote on X. “This act of aggression is unconstitutional, un-American, and a direct threat to our democracy.” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who served with the U.S. Marine Corps during the Iraq War, echoed a similar line. LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO “There is no justification for the United States to be at war with Venezuela. I lived through the consequences of an illegal war sold to the American people with lies. We swore we would never repeat those mistakes. Yet here we are again,” Gallego said in his own statement. Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., another military veteran, accused Trump of running afoul of the Constitution. “Let there be no mistake, President Trump has started a war in Venezuela, without any congressional approval, and in violation of the Constitution. Over the past 2 decades, we have learned the hard way that wars are easy to start and hard to finish,” Vindman wrote on X. “A plan rarely survives first contact. Having served in Iraq, I’ve seen this firsthand. Trump is wrong to start a war in Venezuela. It is not what the American people want, it is not putting America first, and it is not worth American blood and treasure.” Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was more blunt in his assessment. “When I talk to Californians, you know what ranks lowest on their priorities? Illegally going to war with Venezuela. Just lower the damn prices,” Swalwell wrote on X. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., wrote, “Trump’s illegal and unprovoked bombing of Venezuela and kidnapping of its president are grave violations of international law and the U.S. Constitution. These are the actions of a rogue state.” Other Democrats were more muted in their criticism, instead focusing on calling for more information from the White House. VENEZUELA ARRESTS MORE AMERICANS AS TRUMP RAMPS UP PRESSURE ON MADURO: REPORT “While I strongly oppose the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro, President Trump’s military action was a serious constitutional violation,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y. “The Trump administration does not have sole authority to commit such acts, and I reaffirm my position that Congress must be fully informed before the U.S. engages in hostilities towards another nation. I urge for an immediate and full briefing for Members of Congress following ongoing developments in Venezuela and the subsequent long-term consequences in the region.” It comes after Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. had “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela” and its leader. He said Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country. Attorney General Pam Bondi subsequently said both were indicted in the Southern District of New York, one of the largest federal prosecutorial offices in the U.S.
Republicans line up behind Trump after US strikes Venezuela, Maduro arrested: ‘Changed the course of history’
Republican lawmakers are emphatically backing President Donald Trump’s administration after the U.S. struck Venezuela and captured its leader, Nicolás Maduro. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., a member of the House Armed Services Committee whose district is home to a significant number of Venezuelan refugees, said he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the operation was carried out. “President Trump has changed the course of history in our hemisphere. Our country & the world are safer for it. Today’s decisive action is this hemisphere’s equivalent to the Fall of the Berlin Wall,” Gimenez wrote in a statement on X. LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO Rubio had apparently briefed multiple members of Congress after the operation was carried out as well. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., praised Maduro’s capture after speaking with Rubio and said he expected senators to be briefed when Congress is back from its two-week holiday recess starting Monday. “President Trump’s decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro, through the execution of a valid Department of Justice warrant, is an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States. I am grateful for the brave men and women of our armed forces who carried out this necessary action,” Thune said. “I spoke to Secretary Rubio early this morning, and I look forward to receiving further briefings from the administration on this operation as part of its comprehensive counternarcotics strategy when the Senate returns to Washington next week.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., confirmed in a statement that the Trump administration “is working to schedule briefings for Members as Congress returns to Washington next week.” “Today’s military action in Venezuela was a decisive and justified operation that will protect American lives,” Johnson said. “President Trump is putting American lives first, succeeding where others have failed, and under his leadership the United States will no longer allow criminal regimes to profit from wreaking havoc and destruction on our country.” VENEZUELA ARRESTS MORE AMERICANS AS TRUMP RAMPS UP PRESSURE ON MADURO: REPORT A member on the Senate’s Armed Services panel, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said he also spoke with Rubio, who confirmed Maduro was in custody “and will face justice for his crimes against our citizens.” “The interim government in Venezuela must now decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world. I urge them to choose wisely,” Cotton said in a statement. Even Republicans who appeared skeptical at first seemed eased after conversations with Rubio. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, for instance, said he was keen to learn “what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.” He later said Rubio “informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.” “This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” Lee wrote. The majority of GOP lawmakers who spoke out on Saturday morning did so with emphatic backing of the administration, however. That includes both House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford, R-Ark. “The operation carried out last night capturing Nicolás Maduro is another win by President Trump to protect our homeland and clean up the backyard of the United States,” Mast told Fox News Digital. Crawford said in a statement, “This is a historic day in the Western Hemisphere, 36 years after the capture of Manuel Noriega, when the U.S showed we will not allow cartels to take over countries in our shared neighborhood. The arrest of Cartel De Los Soles leader Nicolás Maduro shows this clearly.” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., the No. 3 GOP leader in the lower chamber, told Fox News Digital, “Maduro worked with our greatest adversaries, supported dangerous cartels, and infiltrated our country with drugs, killing Americans. President Trump took on this threat head-on today and Maduro was indicted in a U.S. court for his actions leading to the death of innocent Americans. God bless our troops and law enforcement who conducted this mission.” House GOP Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., a senior member of both committees, said, “l am grateful for our brave troops, intelligence officers, and law enforcement who ensured a successful military operation in Venezuela leading to the arrest and indictment of the illegitimate narco terrorist Nicolás Maduro.” It’s a stark departure from the majority of Democrats who largely accused Trump of violating the U.S. Constitution and entering an illegal conflict with Venezuela. It comes after Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. had “successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela” and its leader. He said Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country. Attorney General Pam Bondi subsequently said both were indicted in the Southern District of New York, one of the largest federal prosecutorial offices in the U.S.
Minnesota faces funding deadline after Trump administration freezes childcare payments
Minnesota officials have until next week to turn over information on childcare providers and parents receiving federal funds or risk losing federal childcare funding, according to a notice sent to providers. Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) told childcare providers in an email Friday that information about funding recipients must be sent to the federal government by Jan. 9, The Associated Press reported. The notification came after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said Tuesday it will freeze all childcare payments to Minnesota following fraud allegations involving some childcare centers. “We recognize the alarm and questions this has raised,” DCYF said in the email. “We found out about the freezing of funds at the same time everyone else did on social media.” MINNESOTA FRAUD COMMITTEE CHAIR CLAIMS WALZ ‘TURNED A BLIND EYE’ TO FRAUD WARNINGS FOR YEARS The DCYF instructed providers and families relying on the frozen funds to continue the program’s “licensing and certification requirements and practices as usual.” The email does not say if recipients need to take any action or provide any information. The state agency said it “did not receive a formal communication from the federal government until late Tuesday night,” after the DHS announced it would freeze all childcare payments to Minnesota. All states must submit additional verification before receiving more childcare funding. CNN ROASTED FOR ‘EFFORT TO DISCREDIT’ SHIRLEY’S VIRAL REPORTING ON ALLEGED FRAUD AT MINNESOTA DAYCARE CENTERS On Friday, the DCYF said the state Office of Inspector General conducted on-site compliance checks this week at nine childcare centers referenced in a viral video by independent journalist Nick Shirley, who was accusing them of committing fraud. In his video, Shirley visited several Minnesota childcare facilities, including the Quality Learning Center in Minneapolis, which he said appeared inactive despite receiving state childcare assistance funds. Investigators found the centers operating “as expected,” according to DYCF, and children were present at all sites except for one, which it said was not yet open for families at the time of the visit. The department said it has ongoing investigations at four of the centers, and has 55 open investigations involving providers receiving funding through the Child Care Assistance Program. INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST SAYS HE’S GOTTEN DEATH THREATS, TOLD HE’LL BE ‘KIRKED’ OVER MINNESOTA FRAUD VIRAL VIDEO At a news conference Monday, Minnesota DCYF Commissioner Tikki Brown said prior inspections of the centers did not uncover fraud, noting that regulators are conducting unannounced visits in response to concerns raised by the video. “We are aware of a video that’s being circulated that has gained local and national attention about childcare centers in Minnesota,” Brown said. “While we have questions about some of the methods that were used in the video, we do take the concerns that the video raises about fraud very seriously.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families for comment. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner, Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump-aligned super PAC enters 2026 midterms with nearly $300M war chest
A super PAC aligned with President Donald Trump has nearly $300 million in its war chest heading into the 2026 midterms, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Thursday. MAGA Inc. reported $294 million in cash on hand in its latest campaign finance disclosure, which the super PAC said will be used to support candidates aligned with the president’s agenda. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, MAGA Inc will have the resources to help candidates who support President Trump’s America First agenda of securing our border, keeping our streets safe, supercharging our economy, and making life more affordable for all Americans,” a MAGA Inc. spokesperson said in a statement, according to the New York Post. The super PAC raised $102 million in the second half of 2025, including 25 donations of at least $1 million. NC SENATE SHOWDOWN ESCALATES AS TRUMP RALLIES BEHIND WHATLEY TO KEEP GOP SEAT The largest contribution came from OpenAI president and co-founder Greg Brockman, who donated $25 million in September. Brockman said in a post on X this week that he had become more politically active in 2025, including through political contributions that reflect “support for policies that advance American innovation and constructive dialogue between government and the technology sector.” The fundraising haul came even though Trump is not on the ballot this year, underscoring the super PAC’s focus on supporting Republicans in upcoming races. HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN CHAIR WANTS TRUMP ‘OUT THERE ON THE TRAIL’ IN MIDTERM BATTLE FOR MAJORITY MAGA Inc. did not play a significant role in the 2022 midterms, opting instead to save its money for Trump’s 2024 campaign. The super PAC spent $456 million supporting Trump’s bid to return to the White House, according to OpenSecrets, a nonprofit organization that tracks campaign finance data. MAGA Inc. launched ads in November backing Republican candidate Matt Van Epps, who was endorsed by Trump and went on to defeat Democrat Aftyn Behn in a Tennessee congressional race. Elon Musk, the billionaire technology entrepreneur and chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla, has signaled an openness to supporting Republican candidates in the midterms. “America is toast if the radical left wins,” he posted on X on Thursday. “They will open the floodgates to illegal immigration and fraud.” Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.