Secretary of State Marco Rubio laid out the crisis at America’s southern border and the growing danger emanating from Venezuela during a candid exchange with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday night.
Rubio blasted Venezuelan socialist President Nicolás Maduro&#8217;s regime, calling it a failing dictatorship that is funneling chaos toward the United States. The secretary of state said that Maduro &#8220;suckered Joe Biden,&#8221; but added, “They’re not going to sucker Donald Trump.”
Rubio noted that more than eight million Venezuelans have fled the country, overwhelming neighbors and adding to the migrant flow reaching America’s doorstep. But he stressed that the conversation can’t stop at humanitarian collapse. The sharper danger, he argued, is the Iranian foothold inside Venezuela, a reality the media rarely touches. He explained that Iran’s IRGC — and even Hezbollah — have entrenched themselves in South America, with Venezuela serving as one of their “anchor” sanctuaries.
Rubio also discussed the unavoidable limits of vetting migrants with a level of sobriety absent from most political rhetoric.
&#8220;You can only vet information that exists,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So it is possible that in many cases, there are things about these people that you just don&#8217;t know, and no matter how much you vet them, you just don&#8217;t have certain information.&#8221;
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Rubio explained that in many corners of the world — especially countries overrun by terrorists or lacking functioning institutions — documentation is nonexistent or impossible to verify. He warned that someone with no extremist record could be pulled into ideology once inside the United States, particularly if they struggle to assimilate or are vulnerable to propaganda in their native language. The Afghan national who allegedly shot two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., last week — killing one and wounding the other — was &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/suspected-national-guard-shooter-was-radicalized-through-connections-in-afghanistan-noem-says">radicalized</a>&#8221; through connections he maintained in Afghanistan after coming to the United States, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
&#8220;The bottom line is there is no effective way to allow hundreds of thousands of people to enter any country in the world and not face consequences,&#8221; Rubio added.
Turning back to Venezuela, Rubio said the Biden administration made a major mistake by believing that Maduro could be negotiated into good behavior.
&#8220;The Biden administration made a deal with Maduro. No one talks about this,&#8221; Rubio told Hannity. &#8220;He made a deal with Maduro. Here was the deal: Maduro asked that his nephews – convicted drug traffickers – be released from U.S. prisons. He asked that his chief money launderer, his money man, his bag man, be released from U.S. custody before he stood trial. In exchange he promised to hold free and fair elections. He got the nephews back, the drug dealers. He got the bag man back. And he never did the free and fair elections.&#8221;

President Trump Hosts Philippines President Marcos At White House

‘They’re Not Going To Sucker Donald Trump’: Rubio Crystal Clear On Venezuela, Immigration

Immigration

Iran

Marco Rubio

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting that the Pentagon’s lethal strikes on narco-terrorists will soon move from the ocean to land.
Trump said that narco-terrorists are responsible for drugs killing 200,000 Americans annually and announced plans to expand “Operation Southern Spear” from maritime interdictions to land strikes.
“We’re going to start doing those strikes on land too,” the president said. “The land is much easier. It&#8217;s much easier. And we know the routes they take. We know everything about them. We know where they live. We know where bad ones live, and we’re going to start that very soon, too.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Trump says he will begin striking narco-terrorists by land.
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to start doing those strikes on land too. You know, the land is much easier&#8230; we know where the bad ones live.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Sb7W1DBnEn">pic.twitter.com/Sb7W1DBnEn</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1995936378212008205?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
Any country trafficking illegal narcotics is a possible target, Trump added, mentioning Colombia and Venezuela. 
“Not just Venezuela. Venezuela has been very bad. Venezuela has been really bad in something else, probably worse than most, but a lot of other people do it too,” Trump said. 
Trump said the administration’s efforts have already slashed drug trafficking through maritime routes by more than 90%, crediting naval strikes with saving “hundreds of thousands of lives” and warning narco-terrorist groups that “we’ve only just begun.”
“We&#8217;re saving hundreds of thousands of lives with our pinpoint attacks,” Trump added.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the administration has “only just begun” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-doubles-down-on-authority-to-kill-narco-terrorists-ahead-of-oval-office-meeting?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=White+House+Doubles+Down+On+Authority+%E2%80%98To+Kill%E2%80%99+Narco-Terrorists+Ahead+Of+Oval+Office+Meeting">targeting narco-terrorists</a>, vowing to put traffickers “at the bottom of the ocean” for &#8220;poisoning the American people.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Secretary Pete Hegseth says U.S. has &#8220;only just begun&#8221; sinking narco-terrorist vessels. <a href="https://t.co/UYo7ffvzfF">pic.twitter.com/UYo7ffvzfF</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1995930132155125858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
The United States has been ramping up its military presence in the Caribbean as part of Operation Southern Spear, while continuing strikes on vessels tied to narco-terrorists.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, deployed to the region last month to back the operation, which is disrupting drug trafficking networks. More than 15,000 troops and a dozen warships have reportedly amassed in the region.
More than 80 people have been killed in strikes on alleged drug vessels, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/01/politics/trump-venezuela-meeting">reported CNN.</a>
Trump issued a warning Sunday, declaring Venezuelan airspace effectively off-limits.
“To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115633041089714842">Trump posted</a> to Truth Social.
Despite that warning, both commercial and private aircraft have continued flying through Venezuelan airspace, flight-tracking services show.
The Maduro regime responded, calling the president’s comments a “colonialist threat.”
“No authority outside the Venezuelan institutional framework has the power to interfere with, block, or condition the use of international airspace,” the statement said.
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Trump, who designated Nicolás Maduro as the leader of the Cartel de Los Soles, has been pressuring him to resign and flee the country. Trump confirmed he has spoken with Maduro but did not share the details of what was discussed. 
Pope Leo encouraged the United States against invading Venezuela on Tuesday while speaking to reporters on the papal plane.
“It seems there is the possibility that there be some activity, even an operation to invade Venezuelan territory,” <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/02/americas/pope-leo-us-venezuela-immigrants-western-countries-intl-latam">Leo said</a>. “I truly believe that it is better to look for ways of dialogue, maybe pressure, including economic pressure, but looking another way to change, if that is what they want to do in the United States.”

President Trump Meets With His Cabinet At The White House

Trump Says Pentagon Will Strike Narco-Terrorists On Land During Cabinet Meeting

Trump Says Pentagon Will Begin Striking Narco-Terrorists On Land

Donald Trump

Pete Hegseth

The White House doubled down Monday on its authorization of lethal strikes against narco-terrorist groups ahead of a high-level Oval Office meeting amid escalating tensions with Venezuela.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that President Donald Trump has the authority to use lethal force against members of designated narco-terrorist groups and has directed the military to treat suspected traffickers as lawful targets.
“The president has made it quite clear that if narco-terrorists, again, are trafficking illegal drugs towards the United States, he has the authority to kill them—and that’s what this administration is doing,” Leavitt told reporters.
She added that “many options at the president’s disposal remain on the table.”
Leavitt’s comments come ahead of a scheduled Oval Office meeting Monday afternoon, where top Trump administration officials are set to discuss the administration’s pressure campaign against Venezuela&#8217;s socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Officials will include Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
Leavitt said the meeting is part of Trump’s “responsibility to ensure that peace is ongoing throughout the world.”
The United States has continued to increase its military presence in the Caribbean and conduct strikes on vessels linked to narco-terrorist groups under “Operation Southern Spear.” 
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, arrived in the Caribbean last month to support the operation, which is aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks heading toward the U.S. More than 15,000 troops and a dozen warships have reportedly amassed in the region. 

More than 80 people have been killed in strikes on alleged drug vessels, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/01/politics/trump-venezuela-meeting">reported CNN.</a>
On Sunday, Trump warned that Venezuela’s airspace should be considered closed.
“To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115633041089714842">Trump posted</a> to Truth Social.
Some flights have continued to operate in Venezuelan airspace despite Trump’s warning, including commercial and private jets, <a href="https://www.flightradar24.com/9.24,-65.53/6">Flightradar24</a> shows.
Maduro’s government responded, calling the president’s comments a “colonialist threat.”
“No authority outside the Venezuelan institutional framework has the power to interfere with, block, or condition the use of international airspace,” the statement said.
Trump, who designated Maduro as the leader of the Cartel de Los Soles, has been pressuring him to resign and flee the country. Trump confirmed he has spoken with Maduro but did not share the details of what was discussed.

Maduro and Trump

White House Doubles Down On Authority ‘To Kill’ Narco-Terrorists Ahead Of Oval Office Meeting

Cartels

The Trump administration tightens immigration restrictions following a fatal attack on National Guardsmen, illegal alien access to federal benefits comes under scrutiny, and is the United States about to strike narco-terrorists on Venezuelan soil?
It’s Monday, December 1, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251201">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/capital-attack-fallout-venezuelan-skies-closed-12-1-25/id1576594336?i=1000739099845" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Launches Immigration Crackdown After D.C. Shootings</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1007687" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Guardsmen-Shooting-Fallout-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Guardsmen-Shooting-Fallout-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Guardsmen-Shooting-Fallout-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Guardsmen-Shooting-Fallout-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Guardsmen-Shooting-Fallout-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Guardsmen-Shooting-Fallout.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The tragic shooting of two National Guard members from West Virginia by an Afghan national has triggered a massive immigration response from the Trump administration. And the president does not appear to be done with his sweeping actions.
Over the course of last week and then into the weekend, President Donald Trump has taken a series of aggressive actions in response to this attack, about which some very harrowing details continue to emerge.
The attack: Police say the 29-year-old suspect approached with a revolver and was shooting at a point-blank distance. He was also reportedly shouting “Allah Akbar!”
One heroic guardsman, armed with only a pocketknife, was able to stop the shooter. The guardsman heard the gunfire, charged the shooter, and then stabbed him with the knife.
Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old woman who was one of the guardsmen shot in the attack, died as a result of her injuries. The other guardsman who was shot, Andrew Wolf, is still fighting for his life. There continues to be an outpouring of support and prayers for his recovery and his family.
The suspect was also severely wounded, but he is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/national-guard-shooting-suspect-expected-to-survive?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=National+Guard+Shooting+Suspect+Expected+To+Survive">expected</a> to survive.
Where the prosecution stands: U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charges-upgraded-against-afghan-shooting-suspect-after-national-guard-soldier-dies">said</a> that the charges have been upgraded to first-degree murder since Beckstrom’s death. Pirro said that this appears to be a case of an ambush-style attack. The FBI is even looking at this as a possible act of terrorism.
In response, President Trump said he is considering dispatching 500 more troops to the nation’s capital to keep the peace, doubling down on his earlier executive order to protect the city and quell crime.
The suspect: He came into the United States as part of Operation Allies Welcome, launched by the Biden administration after the botched 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal. Many soldiers, including Afghan and American soldiers, were killed during that process, and the Taliban was able to retake the country.
The suspect fought with a group of elite Afghan fighters known as &#8220;Zero Units.&#8221; They were all so-called “death squads” working with the CIA to help fight the Taliban. A friend of the suspect’s told the New York Post that he suffered from serious mental health issues as a result of his years in combat.
Immigration crackdown: Trump has said the United States is not admitting any more Afghan nationals. The president has ordered a review of how Afghans were vetted during and after the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Notably, tens of thousands of Afghan nationals came to the United States as refugees following the withdrawal.
The State Department has said it is refusing visas to Afghan nationals until it conducts further vetting of the country. The president has said that he will “deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Steps Up Enforcement Against Illegals Receiving Benefits</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1007689" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Illegal-Benefits-Axed-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Illegal-Benefits-Axed-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Illegal-Benefits-Axed-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Illegal-Benefits-Axed-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Illegal-Benefits-Axed-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Illegal-Benefits-Axed.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The Trump administration is working to remove federal benefits for people who are in the country illegally.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he will “end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens.” He added that many recent arrivals depend on taxpayer-supported welfare programs while coming from “failed nations, or from prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels.”
Bessent’s turn: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved to implement the president’s order. Bessent said that his department is working to cut off federal benefits to illegals and stressed that these must be preserved for American citizens.
Specifically, Bessent said the Treasury “will issue proposed regulations clarifying that the refunded portions of certain individual income tax benefits are no longer available to illegal and other non-qualified aliens.”
The Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network also issued an alert to better crack down on the exploitation of the U.S. financial system by illegals who are seeking to move illegally obtained funds. 
The department <a href="https://www.fincen.gov/news/news-releases/fincen-issues-alert-cross-border-funds-transfers-involving-illegal-aliens#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%94Today%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Department,to%20move%20illicitly%20obtained%20funds">said</a> that over the past several years, the United States has witnessed a “significant volume of cross-border funds transfers, including remittances” from illegals.
MN Somalis: City Journal has reported in detail on a massive fraud scheme in Minnesota under the tenure of Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, where billions of taxpayer dollars intended for social services were funneled through fake nonprofits and shell companies, and — alarmingly — some of that money <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/minnesota-welfare-fraud-somalia-al-shabaab">ended up in the hands</a> of the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
Much of the fraud has been traced back to Minnesota’s Somali community, where fraudsters have allegedly exploited numerous loopholes in the state’s welfare system. But the story has been overlooked for a long time.
“I think it’s fair to say there was an unwillingness or inability from Democratic state officials in Minnesota to recognize some pretty obvious alarm bells here. Claims were skyrocketing, spiraling out of control,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpQQ9nJPBhg&amp;t=216s">said</a> investigative reporter Ryan Thorpe, who helped break the story. “The reality is, the Somali community … is a voting bloc you have to win if you&#8217;re going to win political office in Minneapolis.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Clears The Skies Over Venezuela</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1007691" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Venezuela-Tensions-Strike-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Venezuela-Tensions-Strike-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Venezuela-Tensions-Strike-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Venezuela-Tensions-Strike-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Venezuela-Tensions-Strike-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Venezuela-Tensions-Strike.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Tensions are escalating after President Trump announced that the airspace over Venezuela should be considered closed. The announcement has raised new questions over potential U.S. strikes inside Venezuela amid the president’s war on drug cartels.
The situation around Venezuela appears precarious. Trump on Saturday posted on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115633041089714842">Truth Social</a>: “To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
That post has again sparked predictions about when airstrikes could occur.
“We should read into it that strikes are very probably going to occur over the course of this week,” retired Admiral James Stavridis <a href="https://x.com/stavridisj/status/1994895666242257322">told</a> CNN. “When you hear the president of the United States throw that warning out there, to me it sounds like strikes are coming probably sooner rather than later.”
The fallout: Venezuela’s foreign minister called Trump’s post an “extravagant, illegal, and unjustified aggression against the people of Venezuela.” A country can’t actually close another country&#8217;s airspace, but that seems to be a technicality in this situation.
Ten days ago, the FAA had already warned about a “potentially hazardous situation” for flights over Venezuela. Commercial air traffic has avoided the area since. Venezuela has <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/venezuela-trump-airspace-migrant-repatriation-flights/">said</a> that U.S. migrant repatriation flights have stopped.
Diplomacy? The New York Times and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/trump-declares-that-airspace-around-venezuela-should-be-considered-closed-07b748ee?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdYROyIVy7gClY9Bq41wnncsq-Qat1oRTlqYoKx0V6tbAonb7EZrT7QkEcL4N8%3D&amp;gaa_ts=692c8335&amp;gaa_sig=FZG9XNJCxmFvKFgy6onM_3SgPB5tUMSPwJXqN2n4szJLOt3sdRVw2O24SgzgHNBcNUGqk8fn_gJ-kgAiYrOD0w%3D%3D">The Wall Street Journal</a> reported that Trump and Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, spoke by phone recently. Trump confirmed the call on Sunday while speaking to reporters on board Air Force One. Trump did not provide details, but the call represents a shift after the U.S. cut off diplomatic talks in October.
Reportedly, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was on the call, as well, and Trump and Maduro spoke of the possibility of a meeting, which would be a significant shift after Trump called on Maduro to step down and authorized CIA operations in Venezuela.
Allies of the president have maintained that this is a drug operation–a very intense one, but one that will not lead to war.

MRN_251201_V2 (2)

Morning Brief: Capital Attack Fallout, No Aid For Illegals, & Venezuelan Airspace Closed?

Morning Brief: Trump Cracks Down On Afghans, No Aid For Illegals, And Clear Skies Over Caracas

Afghanistan

Joe Biden

Media

Minnesota

Morning Wire

National Guard

Politics

Tim Walz

President Donald Trump wants to speak directly with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro as the United States continues to strike drug boats off the Latin American country&#8217;s coast.
Trump, who has designated Maduro as a leader of the Cartel de Los Soles, told advisors that he hopes to speak with the Socialist leader, signaling that he could be taking a more diplomatic route rather than escalating military action, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/24/trump-maduro-talks-meeting-venezuela-boat-strikes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The president&#8217;s desire to speak with Maduro comes as the State Department designated the cartel a foreign terrorist organization, <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/24/2025-20750/foreign-terrorist-organization-designation-of-cartel-de-los-soles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a notice published in the Federal Register on Monday.
&#8220;Nobody is planning to go in and shoot him or snatch him — at this point. I wouldn&#8217;t say never, but that&#8217;s not the plan right now,&#8221; one official familiar with the discussions told Axios.
&#8220;In the meantime, we&#8217;re going to blow up boats shipping drugs. We&#8217;re going to stop the drug trafficking,&#8221; the official said.
The 21 U.S. strikes on drug boats in the Caribbean have killed at least 83 people, according to Axios.
The U.S. military action in the region, dubbed &#8220;Operation Southern Spear,&#8221; is aimed at destroying drug trafficking routes, but is quietly aimed at pressuring regime change in Venezuela, the outlet reported.
&#8220;We have covert operations, but it&#8217;s not designed to kill Maduro. It&#8217;s designed to stop narcotrafficking,&#8221; a White House official told Axios, saying, &#8220;if Maduro leaves, we would not shed a tear.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out yet another lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO). Yet again, the now-deceased terrorists were engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific.
The… <a href="https://t.co/PEaKmakivD">pic.twitter.com/PEaKmakivD</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1981167670989926902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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For now, Trump&#8217;s call with Maduro is still &#8220;in the planning stages,&#8221; and potential topics of discussion have yet to be revealed, a U.S. official told Axios.
&#8220;Maduro is a narcoterrorist. Always lead with that word if you want to represent the president&#8217;s thinking,&#8221; the official said.
&#8220;The diplomats tell us that Maduro is going to say, &#8216;Trust me. I&#8217;ll have new elections in three years. You can come and have all the oil. I&#8217;ll stop sending it to Russia.&#8217; He has said many things like that over many years and he never keeps his promise. So the diplomats tell us we should be suspicious,&#8221; they added.
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Untitled design – 2025-11-25T090304.212

Trump Plans To Speak Directly With Venezuelan Dictator As Drug Boat Strikes Continue

Trump Plans To Speak Directly With Maduro Amid Drug Boat Strikes: Report

Department of War

The House is expected to approve a bill that would compel the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, new details come to light about the person who tried to kill Donald Trump, and the United States and Venezuela signal a willingness to talk as a massive warship floats into the Caribbean.
It’s Tuesday, November 18, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251118-member-exclusive">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/house-considers-epstein-files-thomas-crooks-questions/id1576594336?i=1000737219826" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">House To Vote On Epstein Files</h2>
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Topline: After weeks of intense debate and political drama, the House of Representatives is expected to hold a vote on Tuesday to release the Epstein files. 
For years, voters and lawmakers from both parties have taken turns demanding the release of the Epstein files, expressing confidence that they’ll be incriminating for the other side.
Despite implying on the campaign trail that he supported full transparency regarding the Epstein case, upon taking office, Trump shifted his tone and called the entire case a “Democrat Hoax,” arguing that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was “somebody that nobody cares about.” That response angered many on the Right, and gave more ammunition to Democrats, who’ve made the files one of their core issues lately.
Republican leadership, at the behest of Trump, had been blocking that vote, saying it was unnecessary because the House Oversight Committee was already releasing Epstein emails and other evidence as part of their own investigation into the topic. But last week, a petition to force a vote reached the necessary 218 signatures, when four Republicans joined all 214 Democrats. 
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had no real choice but to allow the vote to proceed later Tuesday afternoon. 
Trump changes tune: Trump changed course and has voiced support for releasing the Epstein files in recent days. 
Trump’s handling of the files has provided extensive fodder for Democrats, who’ve used it to their advantage in elections nationwide.
But it’s not just Democrats pushing the president on this topic. Trump’s MAGA base is deeply loyal to him on most issues, but on this one, they’ve been very frustrated. Polling shows that 75% of Republicans want the files released in their entirety, while just 40% of Republicans approve of his handling of the Epstein case — on most other issues, he’s around 90%. 
GOP lawmakers are very aware of that discontent. While only four Republicans signed the petition to force this vote, there was a good chance a few dozen would have voted in support of the measure today, regardless of what Trump wanted.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">New Evidence in Crooks Case Leads to Coverup Allegations</h2>
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Topline: Demands for answers about the July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump are increasing. Though 20-year-old suspect Thomas Crooks has long been painted as a lone gunman with no clear motive, new claims are prompting calls for more transparency.
A number of media and political figures on the Right argue that the public is not getting the full story on Crooks, who was killed by an FBI sniper during the assassination attempt.
Joe Rogan and Elon Musk ignited the news cycle a couple of weeks ago when they discussed elements of the case that they did not feel made sense.
“There was never a formal report. There was never press conferences where they detailed all the information that we know currently and where the investigation stands at the moment,” Rogan <a href="https://x.com/triffic_stuff_/status/1989103407135899896?s=20">said</a> on his podcast. “There&#8217;s a lot of weird s***, the fact that they wouldn&#8217;t let people be on that roof because the Secret Service lady said it was sloped and it was dangerous. … Meanwhile, the snipers that were on the other roof was a steeper pitch.”
Tucker Carlson <a href="https://x.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1989317393768951907?s=20">released a video</a> examining alleged evidence that the FBI and DOJ are suppressing key details about Crooks&#8217; life. Then Miranda Devine, host of the Pod Force One podcast, released her own report for the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/17/opinion/fbi-secret-service-butchered-the-thomas-crooks-case-and-invited-conspiracies-we-deserve-the-truth/">New York Post</a> detailing more claims.
What’s new: The new evidence is based on a confidential source who was able to gain access to Crooks’ accounts on platforms like Gmail, YouTube, and Snapchat. Seventeen accounts altogether were uncovered.
What they revealed is a shocking ideological flip: Back in 2019, when Crooks was 15, he was posting effusive praise for Trump, calling him &#8220;the literal definition of Patriotism.” But by August 2020, amid the COVID lockdowns, Crooks had turned hard against Trump, labeling him &#8220;racist&#8221; and fantasizing about &#8220;terrorism-style&#8221; attacks, including assassination.
The accounts also showed him active on pornographic sites catering to “furries,” and he was using they/them pronouns.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Floats Peace Talks With Venezuela</h2>
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Topline: President Trump suggests talks could happen with Venezuela – even as the U.S. continues to pressure dictator Nicolás Maduro. Meanwhile, Maduro is calling for peace.
Trump signaled on Sunday evening that talks could be in the works.
“We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we&#8217;ll see how that turns out. They would like to talk,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990207803374395800">said</a> Trump.
Trump also referenced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has plans to <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1990187781151445245">designate</a> the cartel run by Maduro, the Cartel de los Soles, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). That designation allows Trump to direct military strikes against any cartel asset inside Venezuela.
As U.S. authorities say Maduro is both the head of the cartel and the head of state, the line between drug cartel targets and government assets is blurry.
The designation will also open up financial levers the administration can pull, likely targeting top Maduro allies. The designation will be officially made on November 24.
Maduro begs for peace: Last week, Maduro held a massive rally in Caracas and called for peace. He punctuated those calls with a <a href="https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/1990117665327677700">rendition</a> of John Lennon’s song, &#8220;Imagine.&#8221;
Strikes possible: Potential U.S. strikes against Venezuela remain very real. The U.S. has about 15,000 troops in the region, along with an armada of warships that includes the world&#8217;s largest aircraft carrier. Trump said Friday that he has “sort of made up [his] mind” about how to proceed against Venezuela, but then he appeared to backtrack again on Sunday, saying talks could happen. The plan seems to be in flux.
The U.S. has put a lot of pressure on Maduro and keeps ratcheting it up every day. In the summer, the State Department increased the bounty on Maduro to $50 million – twice the bounty the U.S. put on al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Trump has given the green light for CIA operations against Maduro and has put in place more sanctions against Maduro and his allies.
Last week, The Washington Post reported that high-level discussions were underway on whether to carry out strikes against Venezuela and what those strikes would look like. According to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/16/trump-maduro-venezuela-military-talks/">report</a>, those discussions have involved officials such as Vice President JD Vance, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Secretary Rubio.

MorningWire-0428

Morning Brief: Epstein Files Vote, Thomas Crooks Questions, & Maduro Begs For Peace

Morning Brief: Epstein Files Vote, Crooks Cover-Up, And Trump Floats Talks With Maduro

Department of Justice

Jeffrey Epstein

U.S. House of Representatives

The U.S. military announced another strike against suspected drug traffickers in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday as President Donald Trump suggested diplomatic talks could soon take place with Venezuela.
The strike, delivered on Saturday, marks at least 21 times the U.S. military has blown up a boat or submarine in international waters around South America in the administration’s effort to curb the flow of illicit drugs into the United States.
“On Nov. 15, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics,” U.S. Southern Command announced in a post on X that was shared by Hegseth.
“Three male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed. The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific and was struck in international waters,” it added.
The latest strike comes as tensions between the United States and Venezuela have soared over U.S. military buildup in the region and tough talk from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who the U.S. views as illegitimate and a significant factor in drug smuggling to the United States. Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990207803374395800">said</a> Sunday evening that the United States and Maduro’s regime may be opening discussions soon.
In the middle of a rally in Caracas on Thursday, Maduro told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/13/americas/venezuela-maduro-us-peace-message-intl-latam">CNN</a> that he would like the American people to reject war with Venezuela. His message to Americans was “to unite for the peace of (the Americas). No more endless wars. No more unjust wars. No more Libya. No more Afghanistan.”
Asked what his message is to Trump, Maduro said, “Yes peace, yes peace.”
Maduro has warned against potential U.S. military action, mobilizing Venezuela’s military and volunteer forces. He has also appeared to deploy additional air-defense systems, including Russian-made units.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Cartel de los Soles, a cartel headed by Maduro, would be designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
“Headed by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has corrupted the institutions of government in Venezuela and is responsible for terrorist violence conducted by and with other designated FTOs as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe,” Rubio said in a <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1990187781151445245">post</a> on X.

U.S. Strikes Another Drug Vessel Targeting ‘Narco-Terrorists’ As Trump Floats Talks With Venezuela

U.S. Explodes Another Boat Of ‘Narco-Terrorists’ As Trump Signals Possible Talks With Venezuela

drug trafficking

Global Politics

United States

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced “Operation Southern Spear” on Thursday as tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, and the U.S. and its European allies, mount over the Trump administration’s lethal strikes on drug traffickers.
Hegseth announced the new mission in a post on X. It was not immediately clear whether the operation is a new label on the ongoing operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, or whether it represents some expanded operation in the administration’s efforts against the cartels.
“Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and [U.S. Southern Command], this mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people. The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood – and we will protect it,” Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1989094923497316430">said</a>.
The War secretary said that the operation was ordered by President Donald Trump.
The operations announcement comes as tensions have flared this week between Washington and Caracas. Earlier this week, Venezuela <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maduro-orders-massive-military-mobilization-as-u-s-carrier-group-nears-venezuela">announced</a> a “massive mobilization” of its military and held drills on Wednesday that involved an estimated 200,000 soldiers. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said the military exercises were in response to the “imperialist threat” from the United States.
Venezuela’s show of force came as the USS Gerald R Ford and other vessels arrived in the region after the aircraft carrier was repositioned to the Caribbean Sea. The Ford is the United States&#8217; largest and most technologically advanced warship.
The Trump administration has positioned U.S. military assets in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean to cut off water routes used by drug cartels to ship deadly chemicals into the United States. The U.S. military has destroyed around 20 boats and submarines that it said were trafficking drugs such as fentanyl and cocaine.
In response, some officials in Europe have been critical of the U.S. strikes, accusing the United States of violating “international law.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/marco-rubio-rips-eu-critics-who-claim-drug-boat-strikes-violate-international-law">responded</a> to those complaints on Wednesday.
“I do find it interesting that all these countries want us to send and supply, for example, nuclear-capable Tomahawk missiles to defend Europe, but when the United States positions aircraft carriers in our hemisphere, where we live, somehow that’s a problem?” said Rubio. “I would say that the United States and this president has made very clear his job is to protect the United States from threats against the United States, and that is what he is doing in this operation.”

Hegseth Announces New Operation Against Drug Cartels As Tensions Flare With Venezuela

Executive

World

The government shutdown is over, the Justice Department investigates riots surrounding a Turning Point USA event, and a standoff brews in the Caribbean between Venezuela and the United States.
It’s Thursday, November 13, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251113">the video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Shutdown Comes To A Close</h2>
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Topline: The government shutdown finally came to a close on Wednesday, with President Donald Trump signing legislation to reopen the government.
The House voted on legislation to fund the government through the end of January. The vote came after eight Senate Democrats sided with Republicans earlier this week to break the filibuster and push through a continuing resolution to fund the federal government.
After more than 40 days, the shutdown’s impacts hit all across the country. From air travel to food stamps, Americans felt it.
What comes next:  The debate will quickly shift to healthcare and Obamacare subsidies, which the Democrats used as a rhetorical tool to prevent funding the government for the past 40 days. When they voted to reopen the government over the weekend, part of the deal was to bring that debate back to the Senate in December.
On the House side, Democrats such as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have proposed extending those subsidies for three years. But with Republicans in the majority, the calculus is different, and there is a lot unknown about the continuation of those subsidies.
The argument from many Republicans and opponents of the renewed subsidies for the Affordable Care Act is that the program was never sustainable to begin with.
Shutdown drama continued:  Republicans are very pleased with the outcome, but many Democrats, aside from those few who voted to reopen the government, are not. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Berkeley Riot</h2>
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Topline: The DOJ is investigating a protest outside of a Turning Point USA event at UC Berkeley this week.
TPUSA has gotten more attention than ever over the last two months since Charlie Kirk, the group’s founder, was assassinated. In the wake of that tragedy, rather than pull back, the conservative activist group has gone all in.
While a number of its events have faced significant protest, thanks to increased security, most have been peaceful. But during the final stop of the Turning Point tour this week at Cal Berkeley, a protest turned violent. In the hours leading up to the event, hundreds of black-clad protesters <a href="https://x.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1988056273716474048?s=20">descended</a> on the venue, hurling insults and threats at conservative students attending the event, and mocking Kirk’s murder.
Other chants included, “When fascists come and cause a wreck, they get a bullet in the neck.” At one point, a group of protesters attempted to rob a man of his necklace and proceeded to beat him when he attempted to stop them. As the victim, who was briefly detained by police himself, stands up, dripping blood from his face, some in the crowd begin to taunt him, <a href="https://x.com/FrontlinesTPUSA/status/1988051012050186316?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying,</a> “white boy, you’re bleeding.”
Turning Point staffers say rioters set off smoke bombs and tear gas outside the venue, and hurled fireworks and glass bottles at those trying to get in, including parents carrying small children. And then, as the event ended, large groups of rioters blocked exits and hurled threats at those leaving. 
DOJ steps in: Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday that the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will &#8220;spare no expense unmasking all who commit and orchestrate acts of political violence” and seeking out the identities of specific agitators. Bondi <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1988339354754769099">added</a>, &#8220;Antifa is an existential threat to our nation.&#8221; The Justice Department also sent a letter to the University of California Board of Regents, notifying them that an investigation had been opened into their handling of the riot, ordering them to preserve all internal records regarding security preparations. 
“ There was a sold out crowd of over 2,000 tickets for this event with Rob Schneider, the comedian, and in fact, only a thousand people were allowed to enter,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/AAGDhillon/status/1988582068776026127?s=20">said</a> the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, Harmeet Dhillon. &#8220;There were shenanigans with the ticketing, but a lot of people didn&#8217;t come because of what we call the ‘heckler&#8217;s veto,’ the violent mob allowed to fester outside.” 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Fracas In Caracas</h2>
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Topline: Venezuela says it’s launched a “massive mobilization” of its armed forces – as the United States’ largest aircraft carrier arrives in the region.
Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s defense minister, Vladimir Padrino López, on Tuesday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maduro-orders-massive-military-mobilization-as-u-s-carrier-group-nears-venezuela">announced</a> a military buildup to counter what he called the “imperialist threat” from the United States. That buildup included military exercises on Wednesday that reportedly <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/venezuela-military-mobilization-us-navy-flotilla-nears-caribbean-uss-ford/">involved</a> around 200,000 troops. Reports say that the military has prepped anti-aircraft systems across Venezuela in case Trump decides to order land strikes, as he has hinted at a few times.
State of play: The United States’ largest and most advanced warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has finally arrived in the region, military officials said on Tuesday.
But diplomatic relations between Caracas and Washington have broken down, and it is unclear whether they have since rebounded.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/world/americas/maduro-venezuela-us-oil.html">reported</a> last month that diplomacy between the two sides is basically broken. It broke over Maduro’s refusal to vacate leadership.
Caracas had offered the United States a majority stake in its oil and other mineral wealth. Part of the agreement would have been that Caracas would distance itself from powers hostile to the United States – namely, China, Iran, and Russia. But the United States walked away.
Invasion?: Many have made comparisons between the military buildup in the Caribbean Sea and the lead-up to the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989. There remain some stark differences, however. Venezuela is much larger than Panama, has a larger military, and Maduro is protected by special forces from Cuba, and Moscow has promised to help Venezuela in the event of an invasion.
Also, in 1989, the United States went into Panama to oust dictator Gen. Manuel Noriega with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/us/politics/panama-noriega-maduro.html">roughly</a> 27,000 troops. With the addition of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the United States still has only <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/11/americas/venezuela-military-mobilization-us-buildup-intl-latam#:~:text=Maduro%20has%20also%20claimed%20that,CNN's%20Haley%20Britzky%20contributed.">around</a> 15,000 troops in the Caribbean Sea.

MRN_251113_V1

Morning Brief: The Swamp Reopens, Berkeley Riot On FBI’s Terror Radar, & The Fracas In Caracas

Morning Brief: Govt Shutdown Ends, DOJ Probes Berkeley, And Venezuela Calls Up Troops

Government Shutdown

Hakeem Jeffries

Harmeet Dhillon

Mike Johnson

Pam Bondi

University of California Berkeley

Venezuela has announced a “massive mobilization” of its military in response to the increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean Sea.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said Tuesday that Venezuelan military and reserve forces would carry out training exercises through Wednesday in response to the “imperialist threat” from the United States, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/11/americas/venezuela-military-mobilization-us-buildup-intl-latam">CNN</a>. Padrino López said that the order to put Venezuela on a war footing came from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The military buildup in Venezuela comes as the United States’ largest warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and the rest of its carrier group entered the US Southern Command region. War Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the aircraft carrier to the Caribbean Sea last month to join U.S. forces policing international waters off Venezuela’s shores.
“The enhanced U.S. force presence in the SOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said, according to the <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article312873636.html">Miami Herald</a>. “These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs.”
Last week, Russian-made anti-aircraft systems were seen inside the La Carlota military airport in Caracas. The Buk-M2E missile systems were tagged after Maduro sent out requests to Russia and China for aid against a possible attack from the United States.
In addition to the systems seen at La Carlota, a slew of anti-air missile defense systems have been spotted being placed across Venezuela.
Tensions between Caracas and Washington have soared since President Donald Trump took office over Venezuela’s ties to the international drug trade and the trafficking of drugs into the United States. In response, Trump has moved warships into the southern Caribbean Sea to target suspected drug boats and subs.
The White House has also targeted Maduro personally. Trump said last month that he has approved CIA operations against Maduro in Venezuela, suggesting that the White House wants regime change in Caracas. Trump has also weighed whether to expand U.S. strikes against the drug trade to Venezuelan soil.

Nicolás Maduro

Maduro Orders ‘Massive’ Military Mobilization As U.S. Carrier Group Nears Venezuela

The United Kingdom has stopped sharing intelligence with the United States on drug boats in the Caribbean to stay out of major counter-narcotics strikes in the region.
While controlling multiple territories in the Caribbean, the U.K. has long helped the U.S. interdict drug smugglers in the open sea, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/11/politics/uk-suspends-caribbean-intelligence-sharing-us">reported</a>. But as the mission becomes more lethal, the U.K. no longer wants to be involved.
The intelligence blackout began over a month ago.
The Department of War has launched more than a dozen strikes on boats, killing 76 people.
Believing that the strikes violated international law, the U.K. started to worry that its intelligence was helping the U.S. locate the vessels before obliterating them.
Trump administration officials have <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DepartmentofWar/videos/4345830319036573/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defended</a> the strikes, saying the drug traffickers are “operating under the control” of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Some legal experts, however, have questioned President Donald Trump&#8217;s authority to act on the threats without congressional approval.
Brian Finucane, a former State Department legal adviser, recently told The Daily Wire that “the strikes are not legal” and lack justification.
“The precedent that this administration seems to be invoking are strikes the U.S. has taken over the course of the last 20-plus years in the context of the U.S. war on terror against groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS,” he said. “But those precedents are really irrelevant and a red herring with respect to the strikes we’re seeing in the Caribbean and now the Pacific.”
“For the first time, the U.S. government designated criminal entities, drug trafficking organizations as foreign terrorist organizations,” he explained. “But those assertions seem to be undermined by the U.S. Intelligence community.”
Dr. Nicholas Creel, law professor at Georgia College and State University, believes the strikes are legal, pointing to roughly five out of 30 examples of “instances where we moved first and somebody died” where the president actually received congressional approval.
“What a lot of people lose in this is if we do agree that the president has the authority to respond to attacks, who is it that gets to define an attack is? It has to be the president,” Creel said. “It necessarily cannot be Congress.”
“That’s why we chose this word to give the president the authority to respond to these attacks so it has to be that decides what this attack is. And if you or I think this is not an attack, fine, but we’re not the president.”
He continued: “Pretty much every president since FDR would have to have been said to have acted unconstitutionally in terms of the war powers, which seems a bit odd. If it’s that common a practice, is it really, I mean, just because people are doing it doesn’t mean it’s legal, but at the same time, if everybody is basically doing it? Is it really illegal?”

Trump/Starmer

UK Now Refuses To Share Certain Intelligence With United States Over Drug Boat Strikes

UK Stops Sharing Certain Intelligence With US Over Drug Boat Strikes

Colombia

Drugs

United Kingdom

The Trump administration has escalated a military campaign in the Caribbean against alleged drug traffickers and could soon target Venezuelan military facilities in the counternarcotics attacks.
The first <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-precision-strikes-on-venezuela-military-could-begin-within-hours?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=U.S.+Precision+Strikes+On+Venezuela+Military+Could+Begin+Within+Hours" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strike</a> took out 11 alleged drug traffickers reportedly bound for the United States, setting off an escalation of aggressive military hits on drug boats in the Caribbean. Since then, more than a dozen such strikes have taken place.
Trump administration officials have <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DepartmentofWar/videos/4345830319036573/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defended</a> the strikes, saying the drug traffickers are &#8220;operating under the control&#8221; of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Some legal experts, however, have questioned Trump&#8217;s authority to carry out strikes without congressional approval. Trump has also faced questions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, leading him to authorize new briefings for Congress, Axios recently <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/03/trump-venezuela-briefings-congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Brian Finucane, a former State Department legal adviser, told The Daily Wire that &#8220;the strikes are not legal&#8221; and lack justification.
&#8220;The precedent that this administration seems to be invoking are strikes the U.S. has taken over the course of the last 20-plus years in the context of the U.S. war on terror against groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But those precedents are really irrelevant and a red herring with respect to the strikes we&#8217;re seeing in the Caribbean and now the Pacific.&#8221;
&#8220;For the first time, the U.S. government designated criminal entities, drug trafficking organizations as foreign terrorist organizations,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;But those assertions seem to be undermined by the U.S. Intelligence community.&#8221;
The situation reached a boiling point earlier this month, with reports that the Trump administration could soon target Venezuelan military facilities believed to have a role in the drug trade. The White House and Trump, however, pushed back on claims of an imminent attack.
The Treasury Department <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sanctioned</a> Maduro in July, accusing him of leading Venezuela&#8217;s Cartel de los Soles and supporting the Tren de Aragua prison gang and Sinaloa cartel.
Trump <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designated</a> Cartel de los Soles and <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tren de Aragua</a> as terrorist organizations after they &#8220;conducted kidnappings, extorted businesses, bribed public officials, authorized its members to attack and kill U.S. law enforcement, and assassinated a Venezuelan opposition figure.&#8221; In August, Trump <a href="https://www.state.gov/nicolas-maduro-moros" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doubled</a> the bounty for Maduro’s capture to $50 million — the largest such reward in U.S. history — and offered $25 million apiece for his cartel lieutenants, including Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López.
But the designation doesn&#8217;t afford Trump the authority to hit the alleged drug runners, Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;So the distinction between war and crime is what I think is at the heart of this,&#8221; Shapiro said. &#8220;Twenty-five years ago, for the first time, the president invoked the war powers against Al Qaeda, which is a non-state actor and here we also have apparently a non-state actor drug cartels. And so the issue isn&#8217;t the harm caused by the drug cartels &#8230; there&#8217;s a talking point that drug overdose deaths in a single year surpass totaled American deaths in most major wars. But that doesn&#8217;t change crime into war.&#8221;
&#8220;Armed force, I think, is justified when enemy attack political reasons, whether it&#8217;s Al Qaeda or Hamas or someone else like that, but usually the military isn&#8217;t appropriate against criminals, and criminal gangs could be treated as military targets, if and when they act as arms of a hostile war government,&#8221; he said.
Shapiro recognized that military force could be &#8220;appropriate&#8221; if there were evidence proving that the drug trafficking in the Caribbean &#8220;is the Venezuelan government&#8217;s attempt to destabilize or otherwise attack the United States.&#8221;
&#8220;But if they&#8217;re just criminal gangs, looking to make a profit, then I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s appropriate to use military force,&#8221; he added.
Recognizing he holds a &#8220;minority&#8221; opinion on the issue for believing that Trump has the authority to act alone, Dr. Nicholas Creel, law professor at Georgia College and State University, told The Daily Wire that the president has the authority to act alone when &#8220;emergencies&#8221; occur.
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s pretty clear that he does have the authority to do this,&#8221; said Creel.
While Congress has the authority to declare war, the president has the power to respond to attacks without awaiting a vote or any possible delay. He said there&#8217;s roughly five out of 30 examples of &#8220;instances where we moved first and somebody died&#8221; where the president actually received congressional approval.
&#8220;What a lot of people lose in this is if we do agree that the president has the authority to respond to attacks, who is it that gets to define an attack is? It has to be the president,&#8221; Creel said. &#8220;It necessarily cannot be Congress.&#8221;
&#8220;That&#8217;s why we chose this word to give the president the authority to respond to these attacks so it has to be that decides what this attack is. And if you or I think this is not an attack, fine, but we&#8217;re not the president.&#8221;
He continued: &#8220;Pretty much every president since FDR would have to have been said to have acted unconstitutionally in terms of the war powers, which seems a bit odd. If it&#8217;s that common a practice, is it really, I mean, just because people are doing it doesn&#8217;t mean it&#8217;s legal, but at the same time, if everybody is basically doing it? Is it really illegal?&#8221;
Trump sent the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, along with her full strike group, to the region this week, marking the largest concentration of naval assets in the region in decades.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also deployed F-35B fighters and MQ-9 Reapers to Puerto Rico, which are capable of destroying clandestine drug labs and airstrips in Venezuelan territory.
Trump recently confirmed that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert actions inside Venezuela. United States military aircraft have also recently buzzed the Venezuelan coast in recent weeks.

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Does The President Have The Authority To Strike Venezuelan Drug Boats?

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