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    Trump And Putin Agree To 30-Day Ceasefire

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    0
    Kremlin.ru, via Wikimedia Commons

    U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to a 30-day cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine, following an extensive phone conversation. This agreement is a preliminary step toward broader peace negotiations, although a comprehensive ceasefire has not yet been established.

    During their three hour discussion, both leaders emphasized the importance of addressing the underlying causes of the conflict to achieve lasting peace. They agreed to initiate technical negotiations aimed at a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and to continue efforts toward a full cessation of hostilities.

    Additionally, Russia and Ukraine have consented to exchange 175 prisoners each as part of confidence-building measures. While Ukraine has accepted the 30-day ceasefire proposal, Russia’s support is conditional, with President Putin expressing concerns about Ukraine potentially regrouping during the ceasefire and emphasizing the need for guarantees to prevent such actions

    President Trump has indicated that further sanctions could be imposed on Russia if a comprehensive peace agreement is not reached, underscoring the urgency of the situation.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

    Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News

    Outgoing Representative Successfully Sabotages Gaetz, Violates Oath: Report

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    9
    Governor Tom Wolf from Harrisburg, PA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    The top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee…

    Outgoing Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), the top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, has admitted to leaking confidential details of the panel’s investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to the press, a move that violated her sworn oath of office.

    The leaks played an integral role in disrupting Gaetz’s path to becoming the Trump administration‘s attorney general. According to multiple sources, Wild was absent from the Ethics Committee’s meeting last week, after being identified as the source of the leaks that underpinned press reports on the investigation.

    The Hill continues:

    It remains unclear if Wild voluntarily skipped the Thursday gathering or was asked not to attend, what information she leaked and to whom, and how the panel tracked her back as being the leaker. Two sources said Wild ultimately acknowledged to the panel that she had leaked information.

    Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) served as acting ranking member during Thursday’s meeting, according to a source, who noted that any time a member of the panel is absent, there is an acting ranking member in their place.

    It also remains unclear if the Pennsylvania Democrat, who is leaving Congress at the end of the year, will be present at Ethics Committee meetings in the future. Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.), the chair of the panel, told reporters that Thursday’s meeting was not the last for the group.

    In a statement to The Hill, Wild’s chief of staff, Jed Ober, said the congresswoman skipped last week’s meeting because she was “frustrated” with how the Gaetz report had been handled, and said characterizing her absence as anything more was “inaccurate.”

    “Rep. Wild was frustrated by the manner in which the report was handled and didn’t feel it was fruitful to participate in any further meetings on its ‘potential’ release. Characterizing it as anything more is inaccurate. There will be no further statement,” Ober said in curt, precise sentences.

    A Leak with Consequences

    The situation first came to light when The New York Times reported that an anonymous hacker had obtained transcripts containing sensitive testimony that cast aspersions on Gaetz, then President-elect Donald Trump‘s nominee for attorney general.

    Amid growing scrutiny and political fallout, Gaetz voluntarily withdrew his name from attorney general consideration on Nov. 21. The decision was made in part to avoid controversy for Trump ahead of his administration’s transition to power. Gaetz later announced he would not seek a return to Congress in 2025, despite being reelected to his seat.

    The fallout from the leaks coincided with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) urging Senate Republicans to expedite the confirmation process for Trump’s cabinet picks. “I trust, we trust, and hope that Senate Republicans and the whole Senate will perform their constitutional responsibility to advise and consent on President Trump’s nominees and to do that in a speedy, expeditious manner,” Johnson stated.

    Following Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to serve as attorney general.

    Wild’s Legacy and Exit

    Wild, who has represented Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District since 2019, will leave office in January 2025 after losing her reelection bid to Republican Ryan Mackenzie. The district, a political bellwether encompassing Allentown and Bethlehem, has consistently been a pivotal battleground in presidential elections.

    Notably, as the ranking member of the Ethics Committee, she would be acutely aware that all members and their staff are required to take an oath stating:

    “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will not disclose, to any person or entity outside the Committee on Ethics, any information received in the course of my service with the Committee, except as authorized by the Committee or in accordance with its rules.”

    Gaetz’s Next Chapter

    Meanwhile, Gaetz is poised to transition to a new role in the media. He is set to launch The Matt Gaetz Show on One America News (OAN) in January 2025, where he will host a nightly program airing at 9 p.m.

    This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. It is republished with permission.

    READ NEXT: Female Republican Leader Attacked – Women’s Freedom Under Siege

    Hegseth’s Inner Circle Crumbles — Top Aide Out In Pentagon Shakeup

    By
    Patrick Houck
    -
    1
    By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Joe Kasper, former chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, likely walked out of the Pentagon as a Department of Defense (DOD) employee for the last time Thursday as controversy over leaked classified information spiraled out of control. His exit follows bombshell revelations that Hegseth shared sensitive military plans — including airstrike details in Yemen — with unauthorized parties via Signal, an encrypted messaging app.

    The scandal, now called “Signalgate,” has set off a series of investigations and toppled senior aides, including Deputy Chief of Staff Darin Selnick and Senior Advisor Dan Caldwell. Former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot called it a “full-blown meltdown,” and warned that Hegseth’s days could be numbered.

    Even as the chaos grows, President Trump is standing by Hegseth — at least publicly. But the fallout is exposing serious cracks in the Pentagon’s leadership and raising alarms about operational security.

    Kasper’s abrupt departure marks another blow during a brutal period of scrutiny. Although Hegseth told the hosts of “Fox & Friends” that his chief adviser would move to “a slightly different role” within the DOD, Kasper is officially gone — eyeing a return to government relations and consulting.

    A senior official confirmed the news on Friday, according to a report by The Guardian:

    “Secretary Hegseth is thankful for [Kasper’s] continued leadership and work to advance the America First agenda,” the official said in a statement, referring to Donald Trump’s protectionist policy push.

    The quick exit comes after Kasper was implicated as the orchestrator of a power grab that led to the dismissal of three senior Pentagon officials – Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick and Colin Carroll – allegedly as part of a leak investigation.

    The administration’s first hundred days created a troubled tenure for Kasper, with anonymous sources claiming he was frequently late to meetings, failed to follow through on critical tasks, and displayed inappropriate behavior, including berating officials and making crude comments allegedly about his bowel movements during high-level meetings.

    “He lacked the focus and organizational skills needed to get things done,” one anonymous insider told Politico.

    Other reports surfaced that the strip club aficionado shared inappropriate personal stories about exotic dancers during classified meetings — one of several reasons he became a liability. He’s now the fifth top aide to leave Hegseth’s circle in just a week.

    Meanwhile, the broader Pentagon leadership is under fire for security breaches, including Hegseth’s use of an unsecured “dirty” internet line for Signal communications — a move that may have exposed critical data to foreign surveillance, according to NSA warnings.

    READ NEXT: Trump’s Deportation Squad Takes Down Judge Linked To Gruesome Pics

    Republican Senator To Vote ‘No’ On Trump Defense Pick

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    10

    Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Ak.) said on Thursday she can’t support Pete Hegseth to be President Donald Trump’s secretary of Defense. 

    “Given the global security environment we’re operating in, it is critical that we confirm a Secretary of Defense, however, I regret that I am unable to support Mr. Hegseth,” she concluded in a lengthy statement posted to X. 

    In her reasoning, Murkowski cited infidelity, “allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking” and Hegseth’s previous comments on women serving in the military. 

    The behaviors that he has admitted to alone, she said, show “a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces.”

    While Hegseth has admitted to past infidelity, he has denied claims of excessive drinking and sexual assault.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

    Trump Secures Landmark Deal Between Israel And Hamas

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during their joint press conference, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Leslie N. Emory)

    The Trump administration is being praised for its efforts in securing a landmark peace deal between Israel and Hamas that will see all remaining hostages brought home on Monday.

    Under the first phase of the agreement, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for all remaining hostages, both living and dead. Israel will also withdraw its troops from most of Gaza, removing themselves behind a “yellow line” during a 24-hour ceasefire that has already begun.

    At the end of the ceasefire, a 72-hour clock will begin, during which Hamas must release all remaining hostages. Only 20 remaining hostages are believed to be alive, along with the 28 who are deceased and their bodies “scattered across Gaza” according to negotiators.

    Fox News noted it remains unclear if Hamas will be able to adhere to this timeframe after it flagged over the weekend the improbability that it will be able to quickly locate all deceased bodies, some of which are allegedly buried under rubble.

    Jerusalem will also authorize the release of some 1,700 Gazans arrested after the October 2023 attacks, along with roughly 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, under the first phase of the plan presented by President Donald Trump late last month.

    President Donald Trump announced the deal on Wednesday night, hailing assistance from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Shosh Bedrosian said this is only the first phase of the peace agreement. Details of later phases have not been announced.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio handed President Donald Trump a note on Wednesday telling him that a Middle East peace deal was “very close” and was awaiting Trump’s approval for “a Truth Social post.”

    As Trump spoke to reporters, Rubio walked up to the president, whispered in his ear, and handed him a note

    “Very close. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first,” the note read.

    Watch the moment:

    After being handed the note, Trump told reporters, “I was just given a note by the Secretary of State saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East and they’re gonna need me pretty quickly.”

    Just over an hour later, Trump published a Truth Social post announcing “that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan.”

    “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly!” he wrote. “This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”

    Earlier on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Trump was “considering going to the Middle East shortly” after his routine, annual medical checkup at Walter Reed Medical Center.

    “I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday, actually, and we’ll see,” Trump told reporters. “But there’s a very good chance. Negotiations are going along very well. We’re dealing with Hamas and many of the countries. As you know, we have a Muslim, all of the Muslim countries are included. All of the Arab countries are included. Very rich countries and some that are not so rich, but just about everybody is included.”

    Families of Israeli hostages erupted in cheers after President Donald Trump called to tell them their loved ones would return home in days after what he described as a “historic peace deal” between Israel and Hamas.

    In a video released by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, the president spoke to relatives by phone late Wednesday, promising all captives would be back by Monday.

    The clip shows Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on a call with Trump and standing with hostage families before they chant: “Thank you!”

    “This is amazing,” one said. Another added, “Mr. President, we believe in you, we know you’ve done so much for us in the past, since you became president, even before that. And we trust you’ll fulfill the mission until every hostage, until all 48 of the hostages are home. Thank you so much. Blessed be the peacemakers!”

    Watch:

    Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar offered new details on Israel’s peace agreement with Hamas in an interview with Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin on Thursday.

    Griffin pressed Sa’ar about Hamas’ role in Gaza moving forward as well as Israel’s plans for a military withdrawal.

    Sa’ar said Israel is already moving to withdraw its troops behind the “yellow line,” ceding 53% of Gaza’s territory amid Thursday’s ceasefire. He said further withdrawals will be negotiated in later phases of the peace agreement.

    He went on to say that, in the meantime, Gaza will be governed by a council of local Palestinians along with input from President Donald Trump. He said the existing Palestinian Authority may also play a role, but only if it adopts certain reforms.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in the peace deal.

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    Special Envoy Steve Witkoff Accuses CNN’s Anonymous Sources of ‘Treason’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    5
    CNN Headquarters via Wikimedia Commons

    U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff accused several anonymous CNN sources of “treason” on Tuesday.

    In an exclusive report from CNN, three sources briefed on intelligence of the operation claimed that the damage done to Iran’s nuclear program “likely only set it back by months” despite Trump’s claims to have “completely and totally obliterated” it by U.S. bombing.

    “This leaked intel assessment, it’s an early look at what was actually accomplished on the ground,” said Fox News host Laura Ingraham during an interview with Witkoff. “But it was leaked. Somebody decided to leak this from the DIA and it’s being used in the media, and it’s all over today, that, ‘Aha, Trump said it obliterated, but it’s not obliterated. It’s set back months, but it’s not over.’”

    Witkoff replied, “Well, it goes without saying that leaking that type of information, whatever the information, whatever site it comes out on, is outrageous. It’s treasonous. So it ought to be investigated, and whoever did it, whoever’s responsible for it should be held accountable.”

    He concluded, “It could hurt lives in the future. This leaking is a completely unacceptable thing.”

    CNN spoke to seven anonymous sources in total, who described the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA) assessment of the Trump administration’s strikes. Two of the sources “said Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed,” according to the CNN report, while “one of the people said the centrifuges are largely ‘intact.’”

    “Another source said that the intelligence assessed enriched uranium was moved out of the sites prior to the US strikes,” CNN reported.

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth lashed out at CNN’s report, calling it “flat-out wrong.”

    “This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community,” Leavitt said. “The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”

    While Leavitt tried to pin the leak on a single source, CNN — in its report — cited “three people briefed” on the U.S. intelligence assessment.

    Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in a separate statement, likewise claimed the sites were leveled in the blasts:

    Based on everything we have seen and I’ve seen it all, our bombing campaign obliterated Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons. Our massive bombs hit exactly the right spot at each target and worked perfectly. The impact of those bombs is buried under a mountain of rubble in Iran. So anyone who says the bombs were not devastating is just trying to undermine the president and the successful mission.

    In a statement to Mediaite, a CNN spokesperson said, “CNN stands by our thorough reporting on an early intelligence assessment of the recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which has since been confirmed by other news organizations. The White House has acknowledged the existence of the assessment, and their statement is included in our story.”

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    Report: Trump Team Mulling Replacement For Controversial Admin. Nominee

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    5
    By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

    This Trump nominee could already be on his way out…

    President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has reportedly been drafting a list of alternative nominees for Defense Secretary in case Trump rethinks his choice of, Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Pete Hegseth.

    According to Vanity Fair, which spoke to two unnamed Republican sources “close to Trump,” the president-elect’s transition team has been “quietly preparing a list of alternative defense secretary candidates should Trump abandon Hegseth,” following news of a 2017 sexual assault allegation.

    “It’s becoming a real possibility,” claimed one of the sources. The other source said, “People are upset about the distraction. The general feeling is Pete hasn’t been honest.”

    Shortly after Trump announced his decision to nominate Hegseth for secretary of defense this month, the Trump transition team was informed about a 2020 payment Hegseth reportedly made to a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her at a hotel and spa in 2017.

    In a statement, Hegseth’s lawyer Timothy Parlatore insisted, “Mr. Hegseth is completely innocent. Not only did she take advantage of him, but we believe she then extorted him knowing that at the height of the #MeToo movement the mere public allegation would likely result in his immediate termination from Fox News.”

    The New York Times reported last week that Trump had “not moved off supporting Mr. Hegseth, despite claims that his team was reassessing the pick, according to several people close to the incoming president.”

    Hegseth’s nomination took Senate Republicans by surprise.

    Asked for his thoughts on the nomination, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) reportedly remarked, “Really? I’d have to think about it.”

    Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reacted, “Wow… I’m just surprised because the names that I’ve heard for Secretary of Defense have not included him,” while Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) asked, “Who?”

    Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) was more optimistic about the nomination, calling Hegseth “an impressive individual.”

    Trump Orders Defense Secretary to Ensure Troops Get Paid Despite Democrat Shutdown

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4
    Daniel Ramirez from Honolulu, USA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump is stepping up to protect America’s servicemembers amid the ongoing government shutdown — directing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to use all available Department of Defense funds to make sure troops receive their paychecks on time.

    In a decisive move shared Saturday on Truth Social, Trump invoked his authority as Commander in Chief, announcing that servicemembers will be paid on October 15, regardless of congressional gridlock.

    “That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th,” Trump wrote.
    “We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”

    The Office of Management and Budget confirmed that the funds would come from research and development money within the DOD — funding that remains available for two years and can be redirected in this emergency.

    Trump’s order comes as Democrats in the Senate, led by Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), refuse to act on legislation that would keep pay flowing to the military. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) reminded Americans that the House has already passed a bill — H.R. 5371 — to ensure military pay continues during the shutdown.

    “No one in the military or any military family should have their pay blocked on October 15!” Johnson said on X. “Since the bill ALREADY PASSED THE HOUSE, a simple yes vote by five more Democrats on Tuesday would allow the military to be paid on Wednesday.”

    While Democrats point fingers, President Trump and Republican leaders are taking concrete action to protect the men and women in uniform who defend the nation.

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    Trump Warns Massive Armada Has Been Sent To Iran

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Competitors in the 2024 Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition run a 1-kilometer route as part of the competition’s biathlon event at Ethan Allen Firing Range, Vermont, Aug. 6, 2024. The Best Warrior Competition is a physically and mentally challenging five-day event that tests Soldiers on a variety of tactical and technical skills. Winners are named the Army Guard Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and move on to compete in the Department of the Army Best Squad Competition, with other Soldiers from the Best Warrior Competition filling out the ranks of their squad. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy)

    Former President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its accompanying strike group are being deployed to the Middle East as a direct signal to the Iranian regime, saying the United States is prepared to take decisive action if Tehran does not negotiate.

    In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump described a “massive Armada” heading toward Iran and warned that time is running out for the Islamic Republic to return to the negotiating table on terms that would bar it from obtaining nuclear weapons. “It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela,” Trump wrote. “Like with Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”

    “Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties,” Trump added. “Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again.”

    The Navy’s deployment — which includes the Abraham Lincoln and supporting warships — is part of an expanding U.S. military presence in the region intended to deter Iranian aggression and signal Washington’s readiness to act if necessary. According to U.S. military statements, the carrier strike group has entered the Middle East under U.S. Central Command and is positioned to promote regional security and stability amid heightened tensions.

    Trump has also insisted that there is willingness on the Iranian side to discuss a deal. In a Monday interview with Axios, he said Tehran had reached out “on numerous occasions” and “want[s] to make a deal.” “They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk,” he told the outlet.

    But U.S. officials cited by Axios said that any agreement would require Iran to remove all enriched uranium, cap its long-range missile stockpile, curb support for proxy forces, and cease independent uranium enrichment — conditions Iranian leaders have not accepted.

    Iran’s mission to the United Nations responded to Trump’s posts within hours, warning that Tehran would defend itself if attacked. “Last time the U.S. blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives. Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests — BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!” the statement read.

    The military buildup comes amid widespread unrest inside Iran following protests that began in late December. Activist groups have reported thousands of deaths in the crackdown, and recent coverage says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been sheltering in a fortified underground facility as tensions escalate.

    Trump is expected to hold further consultations in coming days, and White House officials continue to say that military action remains on the table if diplomacy fails to produce results acceptable to U.S. interests.

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    USA Strikes ‘Big Facility’ In Campaign Against Venezuela

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    President Donald Trump holds a Cabinet meeting, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Cabinet Room. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    President Donald Trump suggested this week that U.S. forces may have carried out a direct strike on a major drug-related facility inside Venezuela, a development that—if confirmed—would represent a significant escalation in his administration’s campaign against narco-trafficking and the Maduro regime.

    In an interview Friday with radio host John Catsimatidis on The Cats & Cosby Show, the president discussed ongoing U.S. military operations targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels operating off the Venezuelan coast. During that conversation, Trump appeared to reference a successful strike on a fixed facility connected to those operations.

    “They have a big plant or a big facility where the ships come from,” the president said. “Two nights ago, we knocked that out.”

    While Trump did not publicly identify the location of the facility, U.S. officials later told The New York Times that the president was referring to a drug facility located inside Venezuela that had been destroyed. At this time, the president’s comments remain the only public indication such a strike occurred. Neither the Venezuelan government nor other Latin American governments have acknowledged or confirmed an attack of this kind.

    If U.S. forces did strike a facility on Venezuelan soil, it would mark the first known land-based military action in Trump’s broader effort to disrupt drug trafficking networks tied to the regime of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro. That effort has intensified since September, when the administration began authorizing military strikes on vessels believed to be transporting narcotics in international waters near Venezuela.

    According to public reporting, more than 100 people have been killed since those maritime strikes began. The administration has defended the operations as necessary to combat transnational criminal organizations that U.S. officials say operate with the protection—or direct involvement—of the Maduro government. The Trump administration has repeatedly labeled Venezuela a “narco-state,” accusing senior regime figures of facilitating cocaine trafficking into the United States.

    In October, The New York Times reported that the president had “secretly authorized the C.I.A. to conduct covert action in Venezuela,” a claim Trump later confirmed publicly. The authorization reportedly expanded U.S. intelligence and operational capabilities aimed at undermining drug cartels and weakening Maduro’s grip on power.

    Beyond military operations, the administration has steadily increased pressure on Caracas through economic and strategic measures. Trump ordered the shutdown of Venezuelan airspace, citing security concerns, and earlier this month the U.S. began seizing oil tankers near Venezuelan shores as part of what officials describe as an enforcement action against illicit oil shipments funding the regime. Supporters of the policy argue these moves are designed to cut off revenue streams used to prop up corruption and criminal networks.

    The president has previously made clear that land-based options were under consideration.

    “What’s the next step in this war on cartels, and are you considering options? Are you considering strikes on land?” an off-camera reporter asked Trump in the Oval Office in October.

    “Well, I don’t want to tell you exactly, but we are certainly looking at land now because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” Trump replied.

    That comment, combined with Trump’s remarks during Friday’s radio interview, has fueled speculation that the administration may already be acting on those plans.

    Despite the president’s statements, military officials told The New York Times they had no information to share regarding the reported destruction of a “big facility.” Both the CIA and the White House declined to comment, a response consistent with the administration’s approach to sensitive national security operations.

    Supporters of the president argue that Trump’s aggressive posture reflects a long-overdue willingness to confront drug cartels and hostile regimes head-on, rather than relying solely on diplomatic pressure. Critics, meanwhile, warn that direct military action inside Venezuela could escalate tensions in the region.

    For now, the administration has offered no further details—but Trump’s remarks make clear that his campaign against drug trafficking and the Maduro regime is far from over.

    Democrats just filed articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth — and he could be removed if we don’t act. Hegseth is a God-fearing, America First patriot who made our country safer under President Trump — and that’s exactly why the Left wants him gone. We’re demanding 1,000,000 signatures before MIDNIGHT to show Pete he is NOT alone. STAND WITH PETE. ADD YOUR NAME NOW.
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