The number of American citizens arrested and held in Venezuela has risen in recent months, according to a new report. Several Americans have been detained by Venezuelan security forces as the Trump administration stepped up efforts to isolate President Nicolás Maduro, including sanctions enforcement and an expanded military presence in the Caribbean, The New York Times reported. A U.S. official familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the outlet that while some...
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Wednesday sanctioned four companies operating in Venezuela’s oil sector and identified four oil tankers as blocked property, saying the move targets oil traders involved in alleged sanctions-evasion that helps finance Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Treasury said the vessels, some described as part of a ‘shadow fleet’ serving Venezuela, ‘continue to provide financial resources that fuel Maduro’s illegitimate narco-terrorist regime’ in Tuesday’s press release. ‘President Trump has been clear: We...
Officials with the Attorney General’s Office said Wednesday they are working relentlessly over the holidays to review and redact troves of documents in the Epstein files, prior to their mandated public release. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche released a statement on X noting Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers from Main Justice, FBI, SDFL and SDNY are ‘working around the clock’ through Christmas and New Years to review documents, ensuring sensitive victim information is redacted from...
President Donald Trump claimed that California and Minnesota are both rife with fraud, slamming the two states and their respective governors as ‘Crooked.’ ‘There is more FRAUD in California than there is in Minnesota, if that is even possible. When you add in Election Fraud, then they are tied for first. Two Crooked Governors, two Crooked States!’ the president asserted in the post on Wednesday, referring to California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Minnesota Gov. Tim...
Momentum on a 20-point peace plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is faltering after President Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv of targeting a residence linked to him, a claim Moscow says leaves little room for compromise at the negotiating table. The accusation comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pressing a 20-point peace proposal as a counteroffer to a 28-point framework floated by the Trump administration before Thanksgiving. Zelenskyy was expected to...
Russian President Vladimir Putin used his New Year’s address to deliver a blunt message to the West and to his own troops: Russia is not backing down in Ukraine. As 2026 arrived in Russia’s far eastern regions, Putin vowed victory in the nearly four-year war, praising Russian soldiers and framing the conflict as a fight for the nation’s survival — even as the United States ramps up diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the bloodshed. ‘We...
Escalating claims by Russia that Ukraine tried to hit a residence used by President Vladimir Putin with drones have been dismissed by a top military drone expert, who called the alleged attack ‘hard to fathom’ and tactically implausible. Cameron Chell’s comments came as Moscow doubled down on accusations Kyiv has flatly denied, with the drone industry leader arguing the alleged strike announced Monday runs counter to Ukraine’s drone tactics. Chell, the CEO and co-founder of...
President Donald Trump spent much of 2025 attempting what had eluded his predecessors: personally engaging both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an effort to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. From high-profile summits to direct phone calls, the administration pushed for a negotiated settlement even as the fighting ground on and the map changed little. By year’s end, the outlines of a potential deal were clearer than they...
Lawmakers fought over Obamacare subsidies tooth and nail for the latter part of the year, and ultimately, neither side won. Senate Democrats thrust the government into the longest shutdown in history in an effort to refocus the narrative in Congress on healthcare, and Republicans agreed to talk about it in the open. And both Republicans and Democrats got a shot to advance their own, partisan plans. Both failed. Now, the subsidies are set to expire...
U.S. and partner forces killed or captured nearly 25 Islamic State operatives in Syria in the days following a large-scale U.S.-led strike on Dec. 19, according to a new statement from U.S. Central Command, underscoring Washington’s assessment that ISIS remains an active and persistent threat inside the country. CENTCOM said those forces conducted 11 follow-on missions between Dec. 20 and Dec. 29, killing at least seven ISIS members, capturing the remainder and eliminating four ISIS...
