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🇺🇸 Trump Escalates Standoff with Venezuela
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Happy Friday, Patriots!
President Trump is sharply escalating pressure on Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro — and this time, he’s targeting the family.
The Trump administration slapped new sanctions on Thursday on three of Maduro’s nephews, freezing their U.S. assets and cutting them off from the American financial system just one day after U.S. forces seized a Venezuelan oil tanker at sea.
Treasury officials say the move strikes directly at Maduro’s inner circle and the networks moving oil and drugs on behalf of the regime. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Maduro and his associates of fueling narcotics flows into the United States and vowed continued accountability.
The sanctions come amid a broader Trump crackdown, including naval seizures and deadly strikes on cartel-linked vessels, as the White House tightens the vise on Caracas.
Don’t miss the rest of today’s Trump headlines below!
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In today’s email:
🔔 Trump Escalates Standoff with Venezuela
🗳 Latest Trump Impeachment Attempt Collapses
⚖️ Trump Pardons Colorado Election Clerk
💰 Trump Gives Update on AI Plants
🚨 Accused Charlie Kirk Assassin Makes First Court Appearance
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✅TRACKING TRUMP✅
Curated by Mike Luso
President Trump isn't backing down from his aggressive Venezuela strategy, even as Maduro's regime threatens violent retaliation. The largest oil tanker seizure in American history has sparked an international showdown, with Venezuela accusing us of piracy while Trump proudly announces we're keeping every drop of that oil.
Meanwhile, Democrats couldn't even muster enough votes for their own impeachment stunt, with nearly two dozen breaking ranks to join Republicans in dismissing the absurd effort. And the accused assassin who tried to kill Charlie Kirk showed up in court with a smirk on his face, displaying zero remorse for attempting to murder a conservative icon. Trump continues dominating the headlines while his opposition crumbles from within.
Check out all the latest developments and more below!
🗳 Trump Impeachment Bid Collapses
Rep. Al Green's effort to impeach President Trump failed when 23 Democrats joined House Republicans to kill the measure. Green moved to force a vote on two articles of impeachment charging abuse of power, but the motion to table the resolution passed 237 to 140. Even Democratic leadership, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, voted "present" rather than supporting the effort. The trio explained that impeachment requires comprehensive investigative work, document collection, witness examination, and building national consensus, none of which had been done. Green has filed articles of impeachment against Trump several times over the past year and was previously thrown out of Trump's joint address to Congress for repeatedly interrupting his speech.
⚖️ Trump Pardons Colorado Election Clerk
President Trump announced he has pardoned a Colorado clerk who he said "simply wanted to make sure our elections were fair." The pardon comes as Trump continues to take action on cases he believes involved unfair prosecution. Trump has used his pardon power extensively since returning to office, granting clemency to individuals he views as victims of political persecution. The Colorado clerk had faced legal troubles related to election security concerns. Trump framed the pardon as correcting an injustice against someone who was trying to ensure election integrity.
💰 Trump Gives Update on AI Plants
President Trump announced that every artificial intelligence plant being built in the United States will be self-sustaining with its own electricity generation. The declaration addresses concerns about the massive energy demands of AI data centers and their potential strain on the national power grid. Trump's plan calls for AI facilities to generate their own power rather than drawing from existing infrastructure. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum denied that data centers are increasing electricity costs for consumers, defending the administration's approach to AI development. The self-sustaining energy requirement could reshape how tech companies build and operate AI infrastructure across the country.
🚨 Accused Charlie Kirk Assassin Makes First Court Appearance
Tyler Robinson, accused of attempting to assassinate conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, appeared to smirk during his first in-person court appearance. Robinson's demeanor in court drew immediate attention and criticism from observers who noted his apparent lack of remorse. The judge will rule on whether media cameras will be allowed during Robinson's trial proceedings, which could provide the public with unprecedented access to the case. Legal analysts suggested Robinson appears proud of his actions based on his courtroom behavior. Criminal defense attorneys argued his smirking demonstrated he has no regret for what he's accused of doing.
🔔 Trump Escalates Standoff with Venezuela 🔔
The Trump administration seized the largest oil tanker in United States history, with Attorney General Pam Bondi personally releasing tactical footage showing special forces rappelling onto the vessel and securing the massive ship. President Trump confirmed America will keep the seized oil rather than return it to Venezuela's narco-regime, marking an unprecedented escalation in economic warfare against Maduro's government.
Venezuela's foreign ministry immediately accused the United States of committing "piracy" on the high seas, claiming the seizure violated international maritime law and represented an act of aggression against their sovereignty. Maduro responded to the American action by holding up Simón Bolívar's sword during a televised rally where he danced to Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy" while threatening to "smash the teeth of the North American empire."
The Venezuelan dictator's bizarre performance came as his regime faces mounting pressure from Trump's renewed crackdown on their drug trafficking operations and oil smuggling networks. More than 80 people have been killed since September in maritime interdiction operations targeting vessels suspected of running drugs from Venezuela into international waters. Speaker Mike Johnson viewed classified video footage of the second boat strike that critics claimed targeted innocent fishermen, but Johnson emerged from the viewing to declare the operation "entirely appropriate" based on intelligence he reviewed. Johnson specifically stated the individuals on board were drug runners and narco-terrorists, not castaways or legitimate fishermen as the Venezuelan government claimed.
Trump reimposed sanctions on Maduro's two nephews who had been serving prison sentences in the United States for drug trafficking before Biden granted them clemency and allowed them to return to Venezuela. The nephews, known as the "narco-nephews," had been convicted of conspiring to smuggle cocaine into the United States before Biden's controversial decision to release them as part of a prisoner exchange. The Treasury Department also sanctioned six shipping companies accused of facilitating Venezuela's illicit oil trade and helping the Maduro regime evade existing American sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Maduro to reassure him of Moscow's continued backing amid the escalating American pressure campaign, according to a Kremlin readout of the conversation. The call between Putin and Maduro included discussions about strengthening their strategic partnership and coordinating responses to what both leaders characterized as American aggression in the Western Hemisphere. Venezuela has repeatedly threatened to cut off the limited oil exports it still sends to American refineries, but Trump has made clear he's willing to accept that consequence.
The administration's hardline approach represents a dramatic shift from Biden's policy of attempting to negotiate with Maduro's regime in exchange for small concessions. Trump's team views the combination of sanctions, maritime interdictions, and asset seizures as the most effective strategy to force regime change in Caracas. The president has hinted at potentially expanding military operations beyond maritime strikes if Venezuela continues facilitating drug trafficking into American communities..
🍟 Quick Bite News 🍟
💬 President Trump questioned when he would receive credit for creating what he called "perhaps the Greatest Economy" in American history, pointing to record stock market performance and strong employment numbers since his inauguration. Trump argued that mainstream media outlets refuse to acknowledge his economic accomplishments despite objective data showing significant growth. The president suggested his pro-business policies and deregulation agenda deserve recognition for sparking renewed investor confidence and corporate expansion.
💸 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's campaign spent $50,000 in Puerto Rico between June and September. This includes $23,000 for a venue rental near where she was filmed dancing at a Bad Bunny concert and over $15,000 at luxury hotels in San Juan. Campaign finance filings revealed an additional $10,743 on meals and catering services during the trip. The spending drew criticism for hypocrisy, as AOC simultaneously spent thousands at boutique luxury hotels during her "Fighting Oligarchy" tour with Bernie Sanders.
📰 The Pulitzer Prize Board announced it will not be intimidated by Trump's ongoing defamation litigation against multiple news organizations that won prizes for their reporting. The board defended its award decisions and insisted that legal pressure would not influence future prize determinations or cause them to reconsider past honors. Trump has pursued defamation cases against several outlets he claims published false information about him that warranted Pulitzer recognition.
🏛 Trump pressured Senate Majority Leader John Thune over the pace of confirming his Cabinet nominees and judicial appointments, expressing frustration with what he views as unnecessary delays. The president argued that Democrats are using procedural tactics to slow down confirmations while some Republican senators aren't doing enough to expedite the process. Thune has faced criticism from Trump allies who want him to use every available tool to speed up the confirmation schedule.
⚖️ A federal judge ordered ICE to release Kilmar Abrego Garcia from custody despite objections from immigration enforcement officials who argued he posed a flight risk. The judge ruled that Garcia's continued detention violated his rights and that the government had not provided sufficient justification for keeping him incarcerated. ICE officials expressed concern that the release could set a precedent encouraging other judges to order similar releases of immigration detainees.
God bless,
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