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Trump declares himself 'acting president' of Venezuela in viral Truth Social post

In a provocative and unprecedented social-media stunt Sunday night, President Donald Trump shared a doctored image portraying himself as the “Acting President of Venezuela,” claiming a title that has no legal or international basis and comes after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a military operation earlier this month. Trump’s Truth Social post, styled like an edited Wikipedia entry branding him Venezuela’s interim leader as of January 2026, sent shockwaves online and drew widespread criticism for blurring reality with political theater, even as Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice has recognized Delcy Rodríguez as its interim president under the nation’s constitutional succession.

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Trump declares himself 'acting president' of Venezuela in viral Truth Social post Trump declares himself 'acting president' of Venezuela in viral Truth Social post

Graham echoes Trump, issues chilling threat to Cuba after Venezuela operation

Sen. Lindsey Graham ratcheted up U.S. pressure on Cuba this weekend by echoing President Donald Trump’s ominous ultimatum — urging the Caribbean nation to “make a deal” or risk dire consequences following the U.S. military’s dramatic capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Graham’s hard-line rhetoric, warning Cuba’s communist regime that its “days are numbered” and implying its leaders should relocate, mirrors the threats lobbed at Caracas just before the unprecedented U.S. attack and takeover, signaling a broader escalation of aggressive U.S. foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere and raising fears of new interventionist aims toward Havana.

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Graham echoes Trump, issues chilling threat to Cuba after Venezuela operation Graham echoes Trump, issues chilling threat to Cuba after Venezuela operation

Trump leaks jobs report early on social media, sparking market manipulation concerns

President Trump ignited scrutiny and accusations of market manipulation by posting December jobs figures on Truth Social hours before the official release. The chart revealed private sector gains of 654,000 jobs “since January" 2025, numbers normally under embargo until 8:30 a.m. to prevent market disruption. Economists and journalists flagged the unprecedented move, noting no previous White House has leaked such critical economic data, and warned it could have given investors an unfair advantage, highlighting ongoing tensions between policy, transparency, and financial markets.

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Trump leaks jobs report early on social media, sparking market manipulation concerns Trump leaks jobs report early on social media, sparking market manipulation concerns

Texas governor threatens Houston elections as Democrats gain ground in Senate race

Texas Governor Greg Abbott escalated GOP election interference by threatening a state takeover of Houston’s elections, drawing attention from Democrats and former Republicans alike. The move follows a complaint about allegedly improper voter registrations and comes as rising Democratic candidates like James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett energize the party’s Senate challenge. Former GOP staffer Kurt Bardella noted Abbott’s actions reveal Texas is “legitimately in play,” signaling a potential shift in the state’s political landscape and a warning to voters about Republican overreach.

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Texas governor threatens Houston elections as Democrats gain ground in Senate race Texas governor threatens Houston elections as Democrats gain ground in Senate race

Democratic strategist warns Trump may target West Wing after East Wing demolition

A Democratic strategist is sounding the alarm over President Trump’s latest White House ambitions, claiming that after demolishing the historic East Wing for his $300 million ballroom, the West Wing could be next. The strategist points to Trump’s long-standing desire to reshape the presidential complex and calls for intervention to preserve the landmark building. Critics have already blasted the East Wing demolition for its rushed process, ethical questions about funding, and broken promises about not touching the original structure, raising fears that a West Wing “addition” could further distort the iconic residence.

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Democratic strategist warns Trump may target West Wing after East Wing demolition Democratic strategist warns Trump may target West Wing after East Wing demolition

Far-right Republican accidentally backs ACA subsidy extension, then claims mistake

A far-right Republican stunned observers by initially voting to advance a Democratic plan to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, joining a small group of GOP lawmakers breaking with leadership. The unexpected move sparked speculation about possible retaliation against Trump—but the lawmaker quickly clarified the “yes” vote was accidental, submitting an “Incorrect Vote Form” to reverse it. The mistaken vote didn’t affect the bill’s passage, underscoring ongoing drama over ACA subsidies and bipartisan negotiations in the Senate.

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Far-right Republican accidentally backs ACA subsidy extension, then claims mistake Far-right Republican accidentally backs ACA subsidy extension, then claims mistake

MAGA figures call for arrests of Democrats after ICE kills woman in Minneapolis

MAGA figures Steve Bannon and Jack Posobiec sparked outrage Friday by calling for the arrests of multiple Democratic leaders after an ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. On his War Room broadcast, Bannon labeled local and state officials “Bolsheviks” who must be “rolled up,” while Posobiec blamed suburban moms for radicalizing the country and claimed Good’s wife was “complicit” in her death. The pair drew a shocking parallel between the deadly incident and ISIS-style attacks, using the tragedy to stoke fear and political division.

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MAGA figures call for arrests of Democrats after ICE kills woman in Minneapolis MAGA figures call for arrests of Democrats after ICE kills woman in Minneapolis

Trump’s Venezuela oil gambit stalls as major companies hesitate

Trump’s push to lure major oil companies into rebuilding Venezuela’s battered industry is faltering, with top firms hesitant and insiders mocking empty promises. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says smaller independent companies are eager, but bigger one are playing it safe, worried about low oil prices and costly risks.

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Trump’s Venezuela oil gambit stalls as majors hesitate, insiders mock empty promises Trump’s Venezuela oil gambit stalls as majors hesitate, insiders mock empty promises

Deadly ICE shooting exposes chaos behind Trump’s rushed deportation hiring spree

A fatal shooting in Minneapolis by a federal immigration officer is casting a harsh spotlight on President Donald Trump’s frantic push to fast-track 10,000 deportation officers by the end of 2025 — a drive that, according to a bombshell report by The Daily Mail, gutted hiring standards and flooded ICE with dangerously unqualified recruits. Lured by $50,000 signing bonuses, applicants reportedly included people who could barely read or write, failed open-book tests, tested positive for drugs, or had pending criminal charges, gang or white supremacist tattoos, and histories of violent or predatory behavior. With background checks delayed until after hiring, training slashed to six weeks, and HR rubber-stamping applicants in days, insiders described a department in free fall — one now facing deadly consequences as Trump’s deportation blitz collides with reality.

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Deadly ICE shooting exposes chaos behind Trump’s rushed deportation hiring spree Deadly ICE shooting exposes chaos behind Trump’s rushed deportation hiring spree

Trump’s foreign gambits won’t hide Epstein files scandal, author warns

President Donald Trump’s latest global provocations — from backing the ouster of Venezuela’s leader to threatening NATO allies over strategic leverage — are, a high-profile author says, textbook Trump distraction tactics meant to pull attention away from a growing crisis he can’t spin past: the long-overdue release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. On a recent episode of the Inside Trump’s Head podcast, Michael Wolff argued that rather than resolving the lingering questions about Trump’s relationship with the disgraced financier, the administration’s slow rollout of Epstein documents — with less than 1 % of the estimated 2 million pages disclosed despite a law mandating their release — continues to haunt the White House and will invariably resurface as a political and legal problem Trump cannot outrun.

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Trump’s foreign gambits won’t hide Epstein files scandal, author warns Trump’s foreign gambits won’t hide Epstein files scandal, author warns

Marjorie Taylor Greene melts down over claim she tipped off Trump protesters

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene erupted Friday after reports suggested Trump’s own team suspected she may have tipped off anti-war protesters ahead of a surprise appearance by Donald Trump at a Washington, D.C., restaurant last year—an encounter that reportedly left the former president rattled and ended his pop-in appearances. Greene furiously denied the allegation, calling it a “horrific” and “dangerous lie,” and insisted she had no knowledge of Trump’s schedule at the time, noting the incident occurred months before her public falling-out with him. Instead, Greene accused the White House of retaliating against her for pushing to release Jeffrey Epstein-related files, lashed out at Axios for publishing the report, and questioned why the Secret Service failed to properly secure the restaurant—raising new questions about internal distrust, security lapses, and the chaos surrounding Trump’s inner circle.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene melts down over claim she tipped off Trump protesters Marjorie Taylor Greene melts down over claim she tipped off Trump protesters

Trump stuns viewers with ego-fueled war boast during Fox News interview

President Donald Trump left viewers stunned during a Thursday night Fox News interview when a discussion about Venezuela and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado veered into an awkward bout of self-congratulation, with Trump claiming he had ended “eight and a quarter” wars. Asked whether he would back Machado as Venezuela’s future leader and told she was willing to give him her Nobel Prize, Trump called the idea “a great honor” before citing unrelated conflicts to pad his peacemaking résumé, a performance that critics blasted as humiliating, unserious, and emblematic of a presidency driven more by ego than diplomacy.

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Trump stuns viewers with ego-fueled war boast during Fox News interview Trump stuns viewers with ego-fueled war boast during Fox News interview

What’s known about the ICE agent who shot a Minneapolis mother dead

Federal authorities on Thursday identified Jonathan Ross as the ICE agent who shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, a revelation that has only intensified scrutiny of the shooting and the Trump administration’s response. As critics demand murder charges and video evidence undercuts official claims of self-defense, top officials — including the vice president — have rushed to argue Ross is protected by “absolute immunity,” and have repeatedly mentioned a prior car-related incident in which he was injured during an ICE raid. Little else is publicly known about Ross beyond claims that he is an “experienced” officer and possibly an Iraq War veteran, but the administration’s effort to frame his past trauma as justification has fueled outrage as questions mount over why a mother, unarmed and inside her vehicle after a school drop-off, was shot multiple times.

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What’s known about the ICE agent who shot a Minneapolis mother dead What’s known about the ICE agent who shot a Minneapolis mother dead

White House froze out intel chief over doubts on Venezuela regime change

The White House quietly sidelined Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard from deliberations over removing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, a snub that sources say stemmed from lingering mistrust of her long-standing opposition to U.S. military intervention. According to Bloomberg, her exclusion was so routine that aides joked her title stood for “Do Not Invite,” underscoring how out of step she was with hawks driving the plan. While Gabbard later praised the operation’s execution and echoed Trump administration talking points, intelligence veterans called it highly unusual for a DNI to be cut out of such talks. The episode exposes deep internal fractures as Trump barrels ahead with aggressive foreign policy moves while marginalizing officials wary of another regime-change debacle.

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White House froze out intel chief over doubts on Venezuela regime change White House froze out intel chief over doubts on Venezuela regime change

Trump melts down at GOP senators who backed limits on his war powers

President Donald Trump erupted Thursday after a bipartisan Senate vote advanced a War Powers resolution aimed at curbing his authority to launch military action against Venezuela, angrily singling out five Republican senators for breaking ranks. In a blistering rant, Trump accused them of undermining U.S. national security and demanded they never be reelected, framing the rebuke as punishment for daring to side with Democrats. He also recycled his long-standing claim that the War Powers Act itself is unconstitutional, insisting presidents alone should control military force. The outburst underscored growing cracks inside the GOP as lawmakers move to reassert congressional authority while Trump pushes an increasingly aggressive foreign policy agenda.

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Trump melts down at GOP senators who backed limits on his war powers Trump melts down at GOP senators who backed limits on his war powers