This May Be Our Last Chance to Get It Right in Venezuela
For the past decade, every administration in Washington has said Venezuela represents an extraordinary threat to the United States. More
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US Coast Guard pursuing another oil tanker off coast of Venezuela
Official indicates vessel is subject to sanctions after Trump’s ‘blockade’ on sanctioned tankers in and out of VenezuelaUS Coast Guard officials said on Sunday they were tracking an oil tanker in international waters close to Venezuela, multiple unnamed US officials have told US media, marking the second such action over the weekend – and the third within the past week.What officials described as an “active pursuit” in the Caribbean Sea took place a day after the coast guard seized another vessel off the coast of Venezuela, as Washington ramps up its pressure campaign targeting the South American nation’s vital oil sector. Continue reading… More
- in US Politics
Trump news at a glance: Anger grows about redactions, apparent removal of Epstein files from DoJ website
Justice department hit with legal threats after authorities release limited, heavily redacted trove of files in apparent violation of Epstein Transparency Act. Key US politics stories from 20 December 2025Donald Trump’s justice department was hit with legal threats and scathing outrage after authorities released a limited, heavily redacted trove of Jeffrey Epstein files in an apparent violation of the law mandating the near-complete disclosure of these documents by Friday.“The justice department’s document dump this afternoon does not comply with [Republican] Thomas Massie and my Epstein Transparency Act,” Ro Khanna, the California Democratic congressman who co-authored the law requiring full disclosure of all Epstein files by 19 December, said in a video statement. Continue reading… More
- in US Politics
US intercepts second merchant vessel off coast of Venezuela in international waters
Vessel does not appear to be on list of US-sanctioned vessels, which would represent escalation in blockadeUS forces on Saturday apprehended a second merchant vessel carrying oil off the coast of Venezuela in international waters in the midst of an American blockade against the country’s oil, according to the US homeland security department.The stoppage follows the seizure by US forces of another oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast on 10 December. Both vessels were headed to Asia. Continue reading… More
- in US Politics
Epstein files: Democrats vow to fight Trump officials’ plan to hold back some documents, slamming ‘violation of federal law’ – live
Lawmakers accuse justice department of defying the Epstein Files Transparency ActUS legislators say justice department is violating law by not releasing all Epstein filesEpstein files to be released after months of delays from Trump officialsFBI director Kash Patel has said “no one is above the law” after a Wisconsin judge was found guilty on Thursday of helping a migrant evade a planned immigration arrest outside her courtroom.Patel is the latest member of President Donald Trump’s administration to celebrate what it sees as a victory in its effort to deter interference with its hardline immigration tactics. Continue reading… More
- in US Politics
Trump’s justice department reportedly racing to redact documents ahead of deadline to release Epstein files – as it happened
This blog is now closed. Read the latest hereWhat we know so far about the Epstein filesDemocratic lawmakers will release more photographs from evidence gathered from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein if the Department of Justice fails to meet the Friday deadline to disclose investigative documents, Congressman Robert Garcia told CNN yesterday.Speaking to Erin Burnett, Garcia said a petition to the federal court by Ghislaine Maxwell – Epstein’s convicted accomplice – to have her conviction on sex trafficking charges thrown out and to obtain a pardon do not trigger an exemption to the law Congress passed mandating a release of documents by the DoJ. Continue reading… More
- in US Politics
US strike on alleged drug boat in Pacific kills four, as Trump accuses Venezuela of taking ‘our oil’
The announcement from Pete Hegseth comes a day after Trump issued a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving VenezuelaThe US military carried out a lethal strike on a vessel it said was engaged in drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific, according to defense secretary Pete Hegseth, as Trump further ratcheted up pressure on Venezuela, accusing the country of taking US oil.On Wednesday Hegseth said the “lethal kinetic strike” on a vessel engaged in “narco-trafficking operations” had killed four people. The latest strike in the Pacific brings the death toll to 99 since the US began its campaign of striking alleged drug-trafficking boats in September. Continue reading… More
- in US Politics
US military says it carried out lethal strike on vessel in Pacific, killing four, as Trump addresses country – as it happened
This live blog is now closed. You can find more of our US politics coverage hereUS military carried out lethal strike on vessel in Pacific, killing four, says Pete HegsethThe Donald Trump-appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, will soon make his first appearance before Congress since sparking an uproar with comments seen as pressuring ABC to temporarily pull comedian Jimmy Kimmel from the air.ABC indefinitely suspended Kimmel’s show over statements he made following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which prompted Carr to say that he wanted broadcasters to “take action” on Kimmel, and: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” Continue reading… More
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Trump Orders Blockade of Some Oil Tankers to and From Venezuela
The move is an escalation of military operations and a pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s leader. But its scope and economic impact are not clear. More
