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    Iranian Cleric Threatens Trump, Calls To Execute Protesters

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

    Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a hard-line Iranian cleric close to the regime, on Friday openly called for the execution of protesters in Tehran as the Islamic Republic intensifies its crackdown on demonstrations spreading through the capital.

    “Armed hypocrites should be put to death!” Khatami declared in a sermon broadcast on Iranian state radio, according to The Associated Press.

    Khatami’s remarks underscore what many conservatives have long argued: Iran’s leadership is not a conventional government but a revolutionary theocracy that rules through intimidation, mass arrests, and violence—especially when faced with internal dissent.

    Regime turns its fury toward Trump and Israel

    Khatami also aimed his threats at President Donald Trump, who has warned the Iranian regime that executions of demonstrators would cross a red line that could trigger a U.S. military response.

    Khatami described the demonstrators as “butlers” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “Trump’s soldiers,” accusing both men of “disintegrating the country.”

    “They should wait for hard revenge from the system,” Khatami said of Netanyahu and Trump, per the AP. “Americans and Zionists should not expect peace.”

    For Republican-leaning Americans who view Iran as the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, Khatami’s comments serve as another reminder that Tehran’s ruling clerics continue to treat the United States—and Trump in particular—as an enemy to be threatened, not a partner for diplomacy.

    Iranian state TV escalates rhetoric against Trump

    The comments come amid renewed concerns over inflammatory messaging carried by Iranian state media. Iran’s government-controlled television networks—which operate as propaganda arms of the regime—have repeatedly aired hostile messaging targeting the United States and Israel, including threatening rhetoric directed at President Trump.

    Iran’s state broadcasters have often been used to amplify the regime’s “Death to America” ideology, glorify attacks against U.S. interests, and signal the leadership’s intent to retaliate against Western pressure. That same infrastructure is now being used to justify domestic repression, painting protesters as foreign agents rather than Iranian citizens demanding freedom.

    Judiciary chief pushes for “fast” punishment

    Khatami’s call for executions followed remarks earlier this week from Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, who urged rapid action against protesters.

    “If we want to do a job, we should do it now. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly,” Mohseni-Ejei said, according to The Associated Press, citing a video from Iranian state television.

    “If it becomes late, two months, three months later, it doesn’t have the same effect. If we want to do something, we have to do that fast,” he added.

    His statement reflects a familiar authoritarian playbook: move quickly and harshly to crush resistance before it spreads—through intimidation, public punishment, and fear.

    Trump says executions halted after U.S. warning

    Iranian shopkeeper Erfan Soltani was expected to be among the first to face the death penalty, but the Trump administration said hundreds of executions were halted following the president’s intervention. Trump on Wednesday said he’d been told by good sources that Iran would not proceed with executions.

    On Tuesday, Trump canceled talks with Iranian leaders and issued a blunt message of support to demonstrators.

    “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!” he wrote in a Truth Social post.

    The president has said any acts of violence against protesters would draw a “strong” response from the U.S., while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters “all options remain on the table.”

    To Republicans who supported Trump’s maximum-pressure strategy, the moment is being viewed as a test of whether deterrence still works: the U.S. draws a clear line, and hostile regimes back down when they believe America is serious.

    Death toll rises as Iran tightens grip

    The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 2,797 deaths in Iran amid the government crackdown as of Friday afternoon.

    Cruz Rages At Reports Iran Is ‘Explicitly Threatening To Murder Trump’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America,

    Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and other close allies of President Donald Trump were left fuming after reporters leaked that Iranian state TV broadcast an image threatening to assassinate the president.

    Iran issued the sickening threat against President Trump on Wednesday, broadcasting a picture of the commander in chief during the 2024 Butler rally assassination attempt — with the words “This time it will not miss the target.” The ominous warning was aired on Iranian state-run TV, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.

    This marks Tehran’s most direct threat yet against Trump, following repeated threats that the US will strike the country if it continues its brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters.

    On Tuesday, President Donald Trump urged the people of Iran to “take over” the country’s institutions on saying he has canceled all planned meetings with the Iranian regime until its crackdown on unrest ends.

    “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

    “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!” he continued, referencing “Make Iran Great Again.”

    The death toll from nationwide protests grew to 2,000, The Associated Press reported, citing activists.

    Trump’s message to Iranians has become increasingly intense in recent days. In addition to encouraging anti-government protests, Trump threatened earlier this week to impose a 25 percent tariff on any country conducting business with Iran if they also do business with the U.S.

    Cruz shared the image and wrote on X, “Iran explicitly threatening to murder Trump. Tucker—whose podcast the Ayatollah is currently playing in Persian all across Iran—insists that Iran has never done this.”

    Mediaite reported that Cruz referenced Tucker Carlson in his post as the two have long feuded over Trump’s previous strikes against Iran, which Carlson vehemently opposed and warned would lead to World War III.

    Fox host Mark Levin also shared the image and wrote, “Iranian regime threatening to assassinate our President and making clear they’ve tried before! It’s time to deal with this. I’m sure we will.”

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    Republican Issues Impeachment Warning Over Trump’s Greenland Proposal

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    A Republican Congressman signaled he would move to impeach President Donald Trump if he follows through on his threat to invade Greenland and take it by force.

    In an interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said he personally would “lean toward” voting to impeach the president if he were to follow through on threats to take over Greenland.

    “I’ll be candid with you. There’s so many Republicans mad about this,” Bacon told the paper. “If he went through with the threats, I think it would be the end of his presidency.”

    Bacon, a swing state Congressman who is known to split from his Republican colleagues, has become even more outspoken against Trump since announcing he is leaving Congress at the end of the current term.

    “It’s about whether the United States intends to face a constellation of strategic adversaries with capable friends — or commit an unprecedented act of strategic self-harm and go it alone,” McConnell said. He added that, “following through on this provocation would be more disastrous for the President’s legacy than withdrawing from Afghanistan was for his predecessor.”

    On Wednesday in the Oval Office, Trump snapped at a reporter who confronted him about a potential invasion.

    “It sounds like you would potentially acquire Greenland by force,” the reporter said.

    “No, you’re saying that. I didn’t say it,” Trump said. “You’re telling me that that’s what I’m going to do — you don’t know what I’m going to do.”

    Watch:

    In a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) warned that President Trump’s talk of seizing Greenland by force threatens to “incinerate” the nation’s long-standing ties with NATO allies.

    McConnell declared that burning the treaty organization that formed after World War II to contain Soviet aggression would be an “unprecedented act of strategic self-harm.”

    “Unless and until the president can demonstrate otherwise, then the proposition at hand today is very straightforward: incinerating the hard-won trust of loyal allies in exchange for no meaningful change in U.S. access to the Arctic,” McConnell said on the Senate floor, delivering one of the strongest statements criticizing the Trump administration’s talk about potentially seizing Greenland by force.

    He warned that following through on the “ill-advised threats” from the administration would “shatter the trust of allies.”

    “Following through on this provocation would be more disastrous for the President’s legacy than withdrawing from Afghanistan was for his predecessor,” he said.

    Watch:

    He pointed to polling showing that just 17 percent of Americans think trying to take control of Greenland is a good idea and that 68 percent of Americans view the NATO alliance favorably.

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    GOP Senator Flips War Powers Stance Following Trump Criticsm

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) will reportedly now vote with Senate Republican leaders to defeat a resolution that aims to block President Trump from using military force against Venezuela.

    Hawley, who backed advancing the measure last week, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed to him that Trump will not deploy troops to Venezuela.

    Hawley changed his position on the bill several days after Trump lashed out at him and the four other Republican senators who voted to advance the measure out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week.

    The Hill reports:

    A person familiar with Hawley’s position confirmed that he will vote against the war powers resolution when it comes up for consideration on the Senate floor Wednesday.

    Hawley told Punchbowl News on Wednesday that he will vote to quash the war powers resolution after receiving assurances from Rubio that the administration would seek approval from Congress before deploying troops to Venezuela.

    Trump called for the ouster of Hawley and GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rand Paul (Ky.) and Todd Young (Ind.) after they defied him last week with their votes.

    “Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after the vote.

    Hawley brushed off the President’s criticism last week, arguing his reading of the Constitution led him to believe deploying troops to Venezuela or another country requires authorization from Congress.

    “I don’t take any offense to that,” Hawley told reporters at the time. “I think the president’s great. Love the president.

    “But on this, today … I was asked to vote on would Congress need to weigh in if the administration decided they needed to commit troops to the future for hostilities,” he said. “Under the Constitution … I think we have to vote on that.

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    Secret Service Agent Placed On Leave After Disclosing Sensitive Vance Info

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    A U.S. Secret Service (USSS) employee assigned to Vice President JD Vance’s protective detail has been placed on administrative leave after an undercover video released by independent journalist James O’Keefe allegedly showed the employee leaking sensitive security information, according to Fox News.

    The Secret Service confirmed it is investigating the incident and said the employee’s security clearance has been suspended and access to agency facilities and systems revoked. The episode is reigniting concerns about operational security inside the agency at a time when national political tensions—and threats against Republican leaders—are already at historic highs.

    USSS Deputy Director Matthew Quinn told Fox News in a statement:

    “The U.S. Secret Service has no tolerance for any behavior that could potentially compromise the safety, privacy or trust of our protectees. This incident is under investigation and the employee involved has been placed on administrative leave with his clearance suspended and access to agency facilities and systems revoked.

    “The U.S. Secret Service has also issued an order for all personnel to retake the agency’s required anti-espionage training in order to ensure employees are aware of the threats posed by individuals aiming to exploit agency employees for information about our protective operations,” Quinn added.

    “The U.S. Secret Service has a 160-year-old tradition of discretion that sets this agency apart, and we have no tolerance for employees who fail to meet this standard. The U.S. Secret Service deeply apologizes to the Vance family for this violation of their trust and privacy. The faith our protectees place in this agency is not something the U.S. Secret Service takes lightly, and we are committed to taking the necessary actions to ensure that a similar breach of standards does not occur again,” the statement concluded.

    Undercover Footage Allegedly Shows Agent Sharing Sensitive Protection Details

    In a post on X, O’Keefe claimed undercover footage shows a USSS agent assigned to Vice President Vance’s protective detail sharing sensitive information with someone he believed was a romantic interest.

    According to O’Keefe, the agent discussed protective formations, shift schedules, travel movements and advance security procedures, and allegedly sent images while aboard Air Force Two. In the post, O’Keefe wrote that the agent was “recorded on hidden camera providing an undercover journalist with sensitive security information” and allegedly discussed “protective formations, shift schedules, travel plans, & real-time locations.”

    O’Keefe also claimed the employee shared information “sometimes days in advance” and acknowledged signing paperwork prohibiting disclosure of the privileged details.

    O’Keefe alleged the agent is a “holdover from the Biden administration” who holds anti-ICE and anti-Trump administration personal views—an accusation that, if substantiated, is likely to raise new scrutiny over internal culture and accountability inside an agency that is supposed to remain professional and nonpartisan.

    O’Keefe said his organization coordinated with the Secret Service before publication and redacted certain operational details at the agency’s request.

    Watch:

    A Serious Breach as Political Threats Surge

    The incident comes as political violence and targeted threats are becoming a grim reality for Republican leaders, including both President Trump and Vice President Vance.

    In recent weeks, the threats against Vance have not been theoretical. A federal judge ordered a Cincinnati man accused of vandalizing Vance’s home to remain jailed ahead of trial after prosecutors alleged he breached the property line and damaged windows and security systems.

    The Secret Service was also recently notified of a volunteer radio show host posting assassination threats against VP Vance on the left-wing website Bluesky.

    “It’s simple, we kill JD Vance,” said the person behind an account named hanslopez.bsky.social. The person identified themselves as a host of a radio show on WUML, which is funded by the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. The comment was made in response to another Bluesky user who claimed that, “JD VANCE THINKS BRITAIN & FRANCE ARE AMERICAS [sic] LIKELY ENEMIES.”

    When the school learned of the post, it contacted authorities, according to a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

    “UMass Lowell police promptly coordinated with the FBI, Secret Service and Haverhill police the same day to ensure an appropriate response,” the school said. “Contact was made with the individual in question, and the necessary assessments were conducted in collaboration with federal partners. Authorities confirmed there was no immediate threat.”

    More broadly, the Secret Service has faced increasing scrutiny since the assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. A Senate Judiciary Committee release tied to a Grassley-requested report said the Secret Service received classified intelligence about a threat to Trump roughly 10 days before the rally—but failed to share it with law enforcement responsible for securing the event.

    That backdrop makes the alleged leak involving Vance’s detail even more alarming to critics, since protective operations depend heavily on secrecy, discipline, and strict compliance—not casual conversation or personal judgment calls.

    What Happens Next

    The Secret Service is tasked with protecting the president, vice president and other designated officials, operating under strict confidentiality rules governing operations.

    Officials have not provided a timeline for the investigation’s completion, and it remains unclear whether criminal charges could follow.

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    Republican Lawmaker Moves To Make Greenland 51st State

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    A House Republican is moving to back President Donald Trump’s long-standing push to bring Greenland under U.S. control, introducing legislation that could place the Arctic territory on a fast track toward eventually becoming America’s 51st state.

    Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) announced Monday that he is introducing a bill authorizing President Trump “to take such steps as may be necessary” to acquire Greenland and begin the process that could ultimately lead to statehood. While the bill would not automatically make Greenland a state, it would formally align Congress with the president’s efforts and remove barriers to negotiation.

    “I think it is in the world’s interest for the United States to exert sovereignty over Greenland,” Fine told Fox News Digital in an interview.

    “Congress would still have to choose to make it a state, but this would simply authorize the president to do what he’s doing and say the Congress stands behind him. And then it would expedite it into becoming a state, but it would still be up to Congress about whether to do that.”

    The renewed push comes as Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed last week that he would be meeting with Danish officials to discuss Greenland, signaling that the issue has moved beyond rhetoric and into serious diplomatic engagement.

    President Trump first floated the idea of the U.S. purchasing Greenland during his initial term, drawing criticism from Democrats and European elites but sparking quiet agreement among national security experts. Greenland’s strategic location in the Arctic places it along key military and shipping routes near Russia and China, and the island is believed to hold vast reserves of critical minerals essential for advanced technology, defense systems, and energy production.

    Republicans argue that as global competition intensifies, especially with adversaries like China and Russia aggressively expanding their Arctic presence, U.S. leadership in the region is no longer optional.

    Fine echoed those arguments while also emphasizing what he sees as Denmark’s failure to adequately govern and protect Greenland’s population.

    “Their poverty rate is high. Denmark hasn’t treated them well,” Fine said. “When war came to town, Denmark couldn’t protect them. Guess who protected Greenland during World War II? We did.”

    During World War II, the United States assumed responsibility for Greenland’s defense after Nazi Germany occupied Denmark, a historical point Republicans frequently cite as evidence of America’s longstanding role in safeguarding the island.

    Still, some GOP lawmakers were caught off guard earlier this month when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to rule out the use of military force if negotiations were to fail. While many Republicans agree with the strategic rationale behind U.S. ownership, there is broad consensus that any acquisition should be peaceful and voluntary.

    Asked directly whether he would support military action, Fine emphasized diplomacy.

    “I think the best way to acquire Greenland is voluntarily.”

    He also criticized Greenland’s current governance structure, framing the issue as both a strategic and ideological concern.

    “The poverty rate in Greenland is much, much higher than it is in Denmark. The country is run by socialists, and it is not in America’s interests to have a territory that large between the United States and Russia run by socialists,” Fine said.

    Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress holds the power to admit new states into the Union. The process typically involves Congress passing legislation authorizing statehood, followed by the drafting of a state constitution by the territory’s residents. That constitution must be approved locally before Congress votes again to formally admit the state, with final approval coming from the president.

    Supporters of the Greenland proposal argue that while statehood would be a lengthy process, securing U.S. sovereignty now would strengthen national security, protect American economic interests, and offer Greenland’s residents greater opportunity and stability under U.S. governance.

    Read:

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    Trump Issues Ultimatum To Cuba

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Time is running out…

    President Donald J. Trump doubled down on his firm foreign-policy agenda Sunday, delivering a stark ultimatum to the Communist regime in Cuba.

    In a Truth Social post, Trump declared: “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA — ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”

    The warning comes on the heels of a decisive U.S. operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro — a key ally of Havana — by U.S. forces, a watershed moment in halting the flow of oil and cash that long sustained Cuba’s moribund economy.

    Trump noted bluntly that Cuba has long depended on “large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela” — support that has now effectively ended following the removal of Maduro from power.

    The Trump administration has aggressively moved to isolate regimes that bankroll corruption, undermine democracy, and threaten American security. Venezuela’s massive oil reserves once underpinned its regional influence, including subsidized shipments to Havana — a relationship the president has now dismantled as part of a broader push to reshape Western Hemisphere energy flows and break the grip of hostile governments.

    In recent days Trump also publicly characterized Cuba’s authoritarian leadership as “sick” and close to collapse without Venezuelan support — a reflection of the island’s deep economic crisis and prolonged energy shortages in the absence of Maduro’s patronage.

    While Trump provides Cuban leaders a clear path — negotiate and engage on terms favorable to the U.S. — Havana has so far refused to back down.

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    Report: US Military Seizes Two Sanctioned Tankers In Atlantic Ocean

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    Just in…

    On Wednesday, U.S. forces seized two sanctioned tankers in the Atlantic Ocean.

    First, U.S. European Command (EUCOM) announced the seizure of the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker in the North Atlantic Sea.

    “The @TheJusticeDept & @DHSgov, in coordination with the @DeptofWar today announced the seizure of the M/V Bella 1 for violations of U.S. sanctions,” read a post from EUCOM on X. “The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro.”

    “This seizure supports @POTUS Proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere,” EUCOM added. “The operation was executed by DHS components with support from  @DeptofWar, showcasing a whole-of-government approach to protect the homeland.”

    Fox News previously reported that U.S. forces were attempting to board the Marinera tanker, which previously operated under the name Bella 1, in the North Atlantic earlier Wednesday morning.

    Fox News reports:

    The development comes after the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Russia had sent a submarine and other naval assets to escort the tanker.

    The vessel had spent more than two weeks attempting to slip past U.S. enforcement efforts targeting sanctioned oil shipments near Venezuela, the outlet reported.

    “The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world,” said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth after the tanker was seized.

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    White House Confirms It’s Working to ‘Acquire Greenland’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump’s White House has officially confirmed that the administration is actively exploring options to acquire Greenland, a strategic Arctic territory currently part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

    In a statement to Reuters this week, the White House made clear that President Trump sees Greenland as essential to America’s defense posture:

    “President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region. The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

    Trump’s interest in Greenland is rooted in longstanding strategic logic: the island sits in the high Arctic between North America, Russia, and Europe, giving it unique value for early warning systems, missile defense, space tracking, and controlling emerging Arctic shipping routes as sea ice recedes. The U.S. already operates the Pituffik Space Base on Greenland under longstanding defense arrangements and has eyed the island for more than a century in light of its military advantages.

    This isn’t a new idea. President Trump first floated purchasing Greenland from Denmark during his first term, and his Secretary of State has repeatedly emphasized that the proposal is serious and part of protecting U.S. interests.

    While diplomacy remains the preferred path — including potential purchase negotiations or a Compact of Free Association with Greenland — the White House statement made clear that no option is off the table, including deploying military measures.

    International Reaction

    Denmark — a reliable NATO ally — has strongly rebuked the notion of U.S. control over Greenland. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded bluntly, saying:

    “It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland.”

    She emphasized Denmark’s commitment to mutual defense with the U.S. under NATO and urged Washington to respect Greenland’s sovereignty. Greenland’s own Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called Trump’s remarks “very rude and disrespectful,” underscoring that Greenlanders themselves have clearly rejected becoming a U.S. territory.

    Despite the international pushback, the Trump administration argues Greenland should be part of a forward-looking defense strategy that safeguards U.S. interests amidst great-power competition.

    This development follows broader Trump administration efforts in Latin America — including the recent arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

    Hours after the dramatic U.S. military operation in Venezuela, President Donald Trump sharply escalated his rhetoric toward other foreign governments, criticizing Colombia’s president and reviving his long-standing idea of acquiring Greenland.

    Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, was initially responding to questions about a U.S. military operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, as well as the future of Venezuela, when he shifted his focus to another South American country.

    “Columbia’s very sick too, run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States. And he’s not going to be doing it very long. Let me tell you,” Trump said.

    When pressed by a reporter to clarify his remarks, Trump claimed that Gustavo Petro has “cocaine mills and cocaine factories.”

    “It sounds good to me,” Trump responded.

    “So there will be an operation by the U.S. in Colombia?” the reporter asked.

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    Trump Sends Ultimatum to Maduro Allies as U.S. Signals End to Negotiations

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026.

    President Donald Trump has delivered a blunt message to Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro and his inner circle: cooperate with the United States—or step aside.

    Fox News senior foreign correspondent Benjamin Hall revealed Sunday that Trump personally warned Maduro’s allies that they must either “surrender or play ball,” underscoring what the administration describes as a decisive shift away from diplomacy and toward direct action.

    According to Hall, President Trump spoke directly with Maduro roughly a week before Saturday’s strike in Caracas. During that call, Trump reportedly issued a clear ultimatum demanding Maduro’s surrender. Maduro, Trump said, “was not willing.”

    Hall noted that while Maduro has now been removed, several senior figures within the Venezuelan regime remain aligned with him, presenting an ongoing challenge for U.S. policymakers seeking stability in the region and an end to what they describe as narco-terrorist activity emanating from the country.

    Operation Absolute Resolve – January 3rd, 2026

    That message was reinforced by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who made clear that the Trump administration has no intention of tolerating continued obstruction from Venezuela’s remaining leadership.

    “President Trump is done negotiating. He proved that a couple of days ago, that he is a man of action, that when someone is threatening the United States, he will defend it with every resource that we have, and he’ll continue to do that,” Noem said on Fox News Sunday.

    Noem explained that Trump’s communications with Venezuela’s vice president were deliberately direct and unambiguous.

    “His conversations now with the vice president in Venezuela are very matter-of-fact and very clear: ‘You can lead, or you can get out of the way because we’re not going to allow you to continue to subvert our American influence and our need to have a free country like Venezuela to work with rather than to have dictators in place who perpetuate crimes and drug trafficking,’” she said.

    Her remarks followed the Trump administration’s high-profile operation on Saturday that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro—an unprecedented move that sparked intense debate in Washington. While Democrats and some Republicans raised questions about the legality of the action and the long-term implications for Venezuela, supporters of the operation argued it sent a long-overdue message to hostile regimes.

    The operation capped months of U.S. efforts to dismantle what officials describe as a network of narcoterrorism tied to the Venezuelan government. Those efforts included strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels operating in Caribbean waters and increased enforcement against illicit oil shipments.

    Noem pointed to those actions as further proof that the administration is committed to protecting American security interests and cutting off financial lifelines to adversarial governments.

    “The Coast Guard has been heavily involved in stopping a lot of this shadow fleet of oil that has been trafficking illegally to many of our enemies in other countries,” she said.

    Administration officials argue that Venezuela’s instability has long fueled drug trafficking, mass migration, and regional insecurity, and that decisive action was necessary after years of what they view as failed appeasement. Supporters say Trump’s approach represents a return to peace through strength—using American power to deter threats before they reach U.S. shores.

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