{"id":8415,"date":"2025-12-18T01:30:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T01:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/12\/18\/donald-trump-says-venezuela-illegally-took-us-oil-and-we-want-it-back-live-the-guardian\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T01:30:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T01:30:17","slug":"donald-trump-says-venezuela-illegally-took-us-oil-and-we-want-it-back-live-the-guardian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/12\/18\/donald-trump-says-venezuela-illegally-took-us-oil-and-we-want-it-back-live-the-guardian\/","title":{"rendered":"Donald Trump says Venezuela \u2018illegally took\u2019 US oil and \u2018we want it back\u2019 \u2013 live – The Guardian"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Donald Trump tells reporters that Venezuela ‘illegally took’ US oil and ‘we want it back’<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n

Donald Trump, who announced blockade on sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela, has ramped up his rhetoric.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He told a press gaggle that Venezuela<\/a> \u201cillegally took\u201d US oil.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey took all of our energy rights, they took all of our oil from not that long ago, and we want it back. But they took it, they illegally took it.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The administration has moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships \u2013 including the world\u2019s largest aircraft carrier \u2013 to the sea north of Venezuela in the past couple of weeks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Venezuela has requested that the United Nations Security Council meet to discuss \u201congoing US aggression\u201d, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters.<\/p>\n

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Per Reuters, \u201ca UN diplomat\u201d has said a meeting would likely be scheduled for next week.<\/p>\n

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On Tuesday, Donald Trump ordered \u201ca total and complete\u201d blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, ramping up pressure on the country\u2019s authoritarian leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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It reamins unclear how the blockade would work. The president could instruct US Coast Guard to seize vessels carrying Venezuelan crude pil, as he did last week. The US has already moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships, to the region.<\/p>\n

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Dan Bongino confirmed his exit from the FBI.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cI will be leaving my position with the FBI in January,\u201d he wrote in a statement posted on X. \u201cI want to thank president Trump, [attorney general Pam] Bondi, and [FBI director Kash] Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend her.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and NYPD officer has also hosted several TV show, including guest-host stints on both The Sean Hannity Show and The Mark Levin Show. He later launched the Bongino Report and The Dan Bongino Show.<\/p>\n

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In May, Bongino cried during an appearance <\/a>on Fox News where he complained about the sacrifices he made to take up his role as FBI deputy director.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI gave up everything for this. I mean, you know, my wife is struggling \u2026 I stare at these four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself, divorced from my wife. Not divorced, but I mean, separated. And it\u2019s hard,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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In 2018, Bongino, who has frequently perpetuated conspiracy theories of a so-called deep state plot against Trump, said: \u201cMy entire life right now is about owning the libs.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The FBI declined to comment.<\/p>\n

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The US president wants a blockade of oil tankers under sanctions to stop them entering and leaving Venezuela<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s an explainer detailing what that means:<\/p>\n

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Donald Trump, who announced blockade on sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela, has ramped up his rhetoric.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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He told a press gaggle that Venezuela<\/a> \u201cillegally took\u201d US oil.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThey took all of our energy rights, they took all of our oil from not that long ago, and we want it back. But they took it, they illegally took it.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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The administration has moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships \u2013 including the world\u2019s largest aircraft carrier \u2013 to the sea north of Venezuela in the past couple of weeks.<\/p>\n

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In the last few minutes Donald Trump<\/strong> appears to have confirmed reports that deputy FBI director Dan Bongino <\/strong>is leaving his role on the eve of the highly anticipated release of the Epstein files, telling reporters that Bongino wanted to go back to his podcast.<\/p>\n

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\u201cDan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show<\/strong>,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n

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The Senate has confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman<\/strong> to become Trump\u2019s Nasa administrator, placing an advocate of Mars missions and a former associate of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk<\/strong> as the space agency\u2019s 15th leader, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n

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Dan Newhouse<\/strong> \u2013 one of two remaining House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump<\/strong> over his role in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol \u2013 has announced that he will not be running for re-election in 2026.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI am announcing today that I will not seek reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives,\u201d Newhouse wrote<\/a> in a statement shared on Twitter\/X. \u201cServing the Fourth District of Washington has been the honor of my life, and this decision comes with no reservations or remorse, only gratitude for the tremendous opportunity to have represented my home state in Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Newhouse, 70, was one of ten pro-impeachment Republicans in the House; David Valadao<\/strong> of California is now the last one standing, and he has filed to run for re-election.<\/p>\n

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Newhouse represents a safe GOP seat, which he narrowly defended against a Trump-backed primary challenger last year. Trump has called him a \u201cWeak and Pathetic RINO\u201d (Republican in name only) who \u201cvoted to, for no reason, Impeach me\u201d.<\/p>\n

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wearing navy suit speaks while standing behind podium and small microphone”,”caption”:”Dan Newhouse debates the articles of impeachment against Donald Trump at the Capitol, on 18 December 2019.”,”credit”:”Photograph: AP”}}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1766002892000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”15.21\u00a0EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1766003923000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”15.38\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1766003573000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”15.32\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”15.32″,”title”:”Dan Newhouse, one of two remaining House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, will not seek re-election next year”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wed 17 Dec 2025 19.37 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 07.17 EST”},{“id”:”694306878f080663f19375eb”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Earlier, Mike Johnson<\/strong> said that Donald Trump<\/strong>\u2019s response to the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner<\/a> was \u201cnot the way I would\u2019ve done it\u201d. The House speaker told CNBC:<\/p>\n

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n <\/p>\n

I don\u2019t communicate the same way; I am my own person, and I speak from my voice. The president and I address issues differently sometimes. That\u2019s not the way I would have done it; it\u2019s not the way I have done it. That\u2019s my comment on it. I don\u2019t know what else I can say.<\/p>\n

n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“,”elementId”:”5a700198-5801-4ea6-b5ce-6a6b5cf275da”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

He called the couple\u2019s deaths \u201can unspeakable family tragedy\u201d<\/strong> that \u201cspeaks to the rampant evil and violence in our society<\/strong> of which there\u2019s root causes of that that we try to address as well, but it\u2019s ultimately a human heart issue<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Trump was lambasted from both sides of the aisle on Monday after he blamed Reiner\u2019s apparent killing on what he described as the acclaimed Hollywood director\u2019s dislike of him. Celebrities and lawmakers condemned the president\u2019s remarks as \u201cpetty\u201d and \u201cdisgusting\u201d.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”ec51bb9c-808a-46ce-83ee-c04879e7cd21″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1766000263000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”14.37\u00a0EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1766000643000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”14.44\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1766000602000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”14.43\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”14.43″,”title”:”Johnson says Trump’s response to Reiner deaths was ‘not the way I would’ve done it'”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wed 17 Dec 2025 19.37 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 07.17 EST”},{“id”:”6942f9f08f082cfe4602608f”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Further to that, Jack Smith<\/strong> told lawmakers his team had found \u201cproof beyond a reasonable doubt\u201d that Trump engaged in a \u201ccriminal scheme\u201d<\/strong> to overturn the results of the 2020 election and prevent the lawful transfer of power.<\/p>\n

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Trump also \u201crepeatedly tried to obstruct justice\u201d to keep secret his retention of classified documents<\/strong> found during an FBI search in Mar-a-Lago, Smith said.<\/p>\n

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Smith said he and his team found \u201cpowerful evidence that showed Trump willfully retained highly classified documents after he left office<\/strong> in January 2021, storing them at his social club, including in a bathroom and a ballroom where events and gatherings took place\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Republican lawmakers have expressed outrage at disclosures from the DoJ that investigators sought information from a wide range of conservative organizations as part of the probe into Trump\u2019s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and also obtained limited cell phone data from at least eight Republican senators during the period around the US Capitol attack.<\/p>\n

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Smith has said his prosecutors followed D<\/strong>oJ policy and were not influenced by politics<\/strong>. According to the excerpts, he told lawmakers in his opening statement that the records were \u201crelevant to complete a comprehensive investigation<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n

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n <\/p>\n

January 6 was an attack on the structure of our democracy in which over 100 heroic law enforcement officers were assaulted. Over 160 individuals later pled guilty to assaulting police officers that day.<\/p>\n

n <\/p>\n

Exploiting that violence, President Trump and his associates tried to call members of Congress in furtherance of their criminal scheme<\/strong>, urging them to further delay certification of the 2020 election. I didn\u2019t choose those members; President Trump did<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“,”elementId”:”3cd634ce-f92b-47e3-92fe-5143576fb910″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1765997040000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”13.44\u00a0EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1765998340000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”14.05\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1765997426000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”13.50\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”13.50″,”title”:”Smith tells lawmakers he could prove that Trump engaged in a ‘criminal scheme’ to overturn 2020 election”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wed 17 Dec 2025 19.37 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 07.17 EST”},{“id”:”6942f8138f080663f193755c”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Former special counsel Jack Smith<\/strong>, who brought two now-dropped criminal cases against Donald Trump<\/strong>, defended his investigation before a House panel this morning, telling lawmakers that the basis for the prosecutions \u201crests entirely with President Trump and his actions\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”013a34f4-9e54-41ec-b014-887127b3252f”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

According to excerpts from his opening statement seen by the Guardian, Smith said:<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”e04c09c5-cb6e-4e32-9423-175603c9b9ee”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

n <\/p>\n

The decision to bring charges against President Trump was mine, but the basis for those charges rests entirely with President Trump and his actions, as alleged in the indictments returned by grand juries in two different districts.<\/p>\n

n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“,”elementId”:”d5c756d7-0b61-46b2-9910-a9c4d245aecc”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Smith gave private testimony to the Republican-controlled House judiciary committee following months of disclosures from Trump appointees at the justice department and Republican lawmakers intended to discredit Smith\u2019s probe and bolster Trump\u2019s claims that the cases were an abuse of the legal system.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”2e578690-ae79-47a8-9658-53927e5e332a”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

A reminder that Smith and his team secured indictments in 2023, accusing Trump of illegally retaining classified documents<\/strong> following his first term in office and plotting to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election<\/strong>. Smith dropped both cases after Trump won the 2024 election, citing a DoJ policy against prosecuting a sitting president.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”697a7499-5034-4a49-9cbe-dfd5fb6ed82d”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

\u201cIf asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether the president was a Republican or Democrat<\/strong>,\u201d Smith told the committee.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”a22f1ac4-5a2e-4ede-888c-67616335aacd”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

n <\/p>\n

I made my decisions in the investigation without regard to President Trump\u2019s political association, activities, beliefs, or candidacy<\/strong> in the 2024 presidential election. We took actions based on what the facts and the law required<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“,”elementId”:”cc1b7433-57a0-4a66-8888-a05ca16a6fec”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1765996563000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”13.36\u00a0EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1765998284000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”14.04\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1765996964000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”13.42\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”13.42″,”title”:”Smith defends Trump probes in House testimony saying basis for prosecutions ‘rests entirely with Trump and his actions'”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wed 17 Dec 2025 19.37 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 07.17 EST”},{“id”:”6942f3198f082cfe46026045″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

And in another headache for the GOP, representative Ro Khanna<\/strong> said on Wednesday morning that he\u2019s giving the justice department the \u201cbenefit of the doubt\u201d that it will make the Epstein files public by Friday<\/strong> \u2013 and warned there would be repercussions if it doesn\u2019t<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”f8e34dd4-105a-47a0-a7f9-a417da217b33″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Khanna, one of the sponsors of the law requiring the release of the investigative files relating to the late sex offender by 19 December, told NBC News<\/a> that DoJ officials have not responded to requests for information about how and when the files will be made public.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”8944071c-d485-4704-89ae-ae9183d1bbed”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

But he noted the department had successfully moved to unseal grand jury records in the case, which he takes as an indication they\u2019re trying to comply.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”26c6dd49-d11a-47d7-9e4e-07d87186a7ca”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

n <\/p>\n

Until the 19th, let\u2019s give some benefit of the doubt<\/strong>, given that they\u2019ve been supporting these judicial rulings. And then we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n

n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“,”elementId”:”e3248f75-cdfb-414e-9b4d-63593aea1778″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, if the information is not made public by Friday then \u201cthe justice department officials would be breaking the law\u201d<\/strong>, Khanna said.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”3f741d55-216f-4d08-b9d8-b2b3a8d4106a”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

While they likely would not face charges during this administration, \u201cthey could be subject to prosecution given the federal law<\/strong>, and the statute of limitations will likely run into a new administration\u201d, the California Democrat said, meaning a future president could charge officials for not complying with the law.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”48bcf269-149e-4db5-bbca-cee796d37091″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

They also \u201ccould be hauled in front of Congress, the oversight committee<\/strong>\u201d, and \u201cthere could be federal lawsuits\u201d over any inaction<\/strong>, he said.<\/p>\n

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Meanwhile, Mike Johnson<\/strong>, the House speaker, has insisted he has \u201cnot lost control\u201d of the House, after four swing-district Republicans joined with Democrats to force a vote on extending the soon-to-expire ACA tax credits for three years.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”d6287a19-0d4e-4904-889f-a27f1d00103e”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

The beleaguered speaker told reporters earlier:<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”a2005bd6-74c9-4896-b8df-1e78969c790f”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

n <\/p>\n

I have not lost control of the House<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

n <\/p>\n

We have the smallest majority<\/strong> in US history. These are not normal times. There are processes and procedures in the House that are less frequently used when there are larger majorities. That\u2019s when you have the luxury of having 10 or 15 people who disagree on something, you know you don\u2019t have to deal with it.<\/p>\n

n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“,”elementId”:”725c2511-ff12-442b-a904-7107feadbd19″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

The blow to him and his team was down to the \u201crazor-thin margin<\/strong>\u201d he has to manage, he said.<\/p>\n

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Democratic House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/strong> has called on Mike Johnson<\/strong>, the Republican speaker, to immediately allow a vote on legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits for another three years.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”260eb576-ec87-4365-bac0-b6b51367df56″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

\u201cMike Johnson should bring the bill to the floor immediately,\u201d Jeffries wrote on X, after a discharge petition to force a vote on the measure over Johnson\u2019s objections received the 218 signatures necessary for its success, thanks to four Republican defectors.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”b54e00ef-5011-4561-adff-fc5a1ed78bff”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

It is unclear when Johnson will bring the bill up for a vote. While he must do so within a certain period of time, the House is also set to go on recess after tomorrow through the end of the year, and the measure could wind up being considered in January \u2013 at which point the ACA tax credits will have expired.<\/p>\n

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Democratic senators have challenged Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr<\/strong> on comments he made related to comedian Jimmy Kimmel<\/strong>, who was briefly pulled from the air by ABC after criticizing conservative activist Charlie Kirk<\/strong> in the wake of his murder.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe can do this the easy way or the hard way,\u201d Carr told a conservative podcaster in response to Kimmel\u2019s comments. \u201cThese companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel or, you know, there\u2019s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”cd746d6b-f642-4b5c-bf0b-6f4bd4ea791c”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Democratic senator Amy Klobuchar <\/strong>of <\/strong>Minnesota brought up his comments, and asked Carr: \u201cDo you think it is appropriate to use your position to threaten companies that broadcast political satire?\u201d<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”5eff80f1-8f6a-467a-af4a-c2539f931eb2″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

The FCC chair replied by referring to the public interest standard, which dates back to a 1934 federal law and is today viewed as vague.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think any licensee that operates on the public airwaves has a responsibility to comply with the public interest standard, and that\u2019s been the case for decades,\u201d Carr replied.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”b0439dfa-f881-4320-b8fc-e0e13449acf3″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Massachusetts\u2019s Patrick Markey<\/strong> later took him to task for the FCC\u2019s investigation of a San Francisco broadcaster<\/a>. \u201cThis is government censorship, plain and simple,\u201d Markey said.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”1361803e-cdb2-41c7-996b-55e4eafad378″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Carr replied: \u201cBroadcasters understand, perhaps the first time in years, they\u2019re going to be held accountable to the public interest, to broadcast hoax rules, to the news distortion policy. I think that\u2019s a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”1fc8c4be-37b5-4ded-82af-f3938632f857″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

In her questioning, Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin<\/strong> called Carr \u201ca parrot for president Trump\u201d who has \u201cdiminished the independence of the FCC.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis<\/strong> is testifying before a Georgia Senate committee at the state Capitol in Atlanta this morning about her expenditures related to the Trump investigation, and came out firing.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”214414ad-569f-49d1-ab62-b29b3859c39e”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

\u201cI doubt that anyone will have trouble hearing me,\u201d she said when asked to move closer to the microphone by senator Greg Dolezal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”5cb77c2f-f832-4e47-bbaf-cbf986cbb178″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

She described herself as a \u201cmurder prosecutor\u201d and cited a long career in the law and general success in her office when asked for her background, noting a 30 percent decrease in the murder rate since taking office. \u201cBest to ever do it,\u201d she said of her tenure so far in Fulton County. \u201cI sit here with a 92 percent conviction rate.\u201d<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”9f4dee4b-8d3e-4ab0-99ed-1ca4ddc2ff75″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Dolezal, leading the initial questions, began by asking about the transition team and interviews about hiring and firing attorneys after taking office. Dolezal asked specific questions about the role of Nathan Wade<\/strong> in the process of hiring and in the anticorruption department. A personal relationship between Wade and Willis ultimately derailed the prosecution<\/a> of Donald Trump<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe was a special prosecutor. He did not work for me as an employee \u2026 What I would call him is a lawyer with a distinguished resume,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”beb8675f-d859-42e4-9508-9c47ee8d81f7″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Willis said in testimony that she didn\u2019t trust Dolezal, and questioned state support for district attorney\u2019s offices. \u201cIf you want to look at some legislation, you should look at paying DAs across this country more money because they do not make enough money and it is very hard for people to recruit DAs at the state pay.\u201d<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”658c0cb5-84a5-4953-8f3e-c6dec18b6720″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

\u201cI had no idea that these criminals were going to commit a crime,\u201d Willis said of her early days in office in 2021. \u201cI was unable to look for talent for a case that didn\u2019t exist.\u201d<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”dfae13b6-8138-49d0-ab15-8f0a5ef3229a”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

\u201cI was already district attorney when this all came to light \u2026 when Raffensberger went on Good Morning America or whatever \u2026 I know that you\u2019ve got black people confused and saying that I was running on prosecuting Donald Trump<\/a> \u2026 that is a lie,\u201d Willis said, referring to Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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In a major setback for speaker Mike Johnson<\/strong> and the House GOP, four Republicans have joined with all Democrats to sign a petition forcing a vote on legislation that will extend for three years premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act health care plans.<\/p>\n

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Johnson, along with Donald Trump<\/strong> and many other Republicans, oppose extending the credits, which will expire at the end of the year and lowered premiums for enrollees of plans purchased through the landmark law\u2019s exchanges. But some moderate Republicans were nervous about allowing health care costs to increase, and after failing to reach an agreement with House GOP leadership, they this morning signed a discharge petition to force a vote on a Democratic-backed bill to extend the tax credits for three years. The four Republicans are Mike Lawler<\/strong> of New York, and Brian Fitzpatrick<\/strong>, Rob Bresnahan<\/strong> and Ryan Mackenzie<\/strong>, all of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

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While the bill must now receive a vote, it remains to be seen if the House will take action before it recesses for the holidays at the end of the week. Should it pass, it will also need to be approved by the Republican-controlled Senate.<\/p>\n

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The Donald Trump<\/strong>-appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr<\/strong>, will soon make his first appearance before Congress since sparking an uproar with comments seen as pressuring ABC to temporarily pull comedian Jimmy Kimmel<\/strong> from the air.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”0d94cd2d-0583-47f4-ad51-2b17df69a5aa”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

ABC indefinitely suspended Kimmel\u2019s show over statements he made following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk<\/strong>, which prompted Carr to say that he wanted broadcasters to \u201ctake action\u201d on Kimmel, and: \u201cWe can do this the easy way or the hard way.\u201d<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”d7c9817e-fbb0-452c-ab32-6fcc430b64ad”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Though ABC eventually reinstated Kimmel, the episode is sure to be raised when Carr appears before the Senate commerce committee for a hearing that should begin shortly. He will be joined by commissioner Olivia Trusty<\/strong>, a Republican, and Anna Gomez<\/strong>, a Democrat.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”658154a9-fb98-433d-9a21-3383a11e7447″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s more about Carr:<\/p>\n

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Jack Smith<\/strong>, who as justice department special counsel brought two criminal cases against Donald Trump<\/strong> that were scuppered by his re-election win, will be appearing for a behind-closed-door testimony before the House judiciary committee today.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”aa7c2bff-97c7-4335-bd80-70634bfae201″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Smith had offered to testify publicly, but the Republican judiciary committee chair Jim Jordan<\/strong> opted to subpoena Smith for a private deposition, in which he will be questioned by lawmakers. That means we won\u2019t know much about what he had to say, but some of the representatives who attend the session may reveal details after the fact. We\u2019ll let you know if we hear anything.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”1e34d364-9904-49a8-9991-f5d6a2fa8d02″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1765982224000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”09.37\u00a0EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1765982663000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”09.44\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1765982664000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”09.44\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”09.44″,”title”:”Jack Smith to make first appearance on Capitol Hill since dropping charges against Trump”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wed 17 Dec 2025 19.37 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 07.17 EST”},{“id”:”6942aafd8f08b7c73ed6292f”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

We will get a sense later in the day on whether the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has any misgivings about Donald Trump<\/strong>\u2019s strategy towards Venezuela, when a war powers resolution intended to halt his escalation against the country comes up for a vote.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”7a66e5b7-685b-4a3a-87d0-fc6ea34e3738″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Proposed by Democrat James McGovern<\/strong>, the resolution would require the president to remove troops from the country\u2019s vicinity. It has 39 Democratic co-sponsors, and, perhaps crucially, three Republicans: Don Bacon<\/strong> of Nebraska, Thomas Massie<\/strong> of Kentucky and Marjorie Taylor Greene<\/strong> <\/strong>of Georgia. The latter two are not on good terms with the president.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”0a620402-92c2-47e8-bc64-bec25e72114d”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Votes are expected at 5.30pm at the latest, and we will find out if it has the support to pass. When defense secretary Pete Hegseth<\/strong> and secretary of state Marco Rubio<\/strong> briefed lawmakers on the Venezuela<\/a> strategy on Tuesday, many Republicans said they agreed with the administration\u2019s actions. Here\u2019s more on that:<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”32f2b7fb-c066-4e5f-9bad-59b237806d24″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement”,”prefix”:”Related: “,”text”:”Pentagon won\u2019t release full video of Caribbean strike that killed two people, Hegseth says”,”elementId”:”c0a43c71-02c5-4464-b606-8a7e95d422a0″,”role”:”thumbnail”,”url”:”https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/dec\/16\/pentagon-wont-release-full-video-caribbean-attack”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1765976829000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”08.07\u00a0EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1765986663000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”10.51\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1765977365000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”08.16\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”08.16″,”title”:”House to vote on resolution preventing conflict with Venezuela”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wed 17 Dec 2025 19.37 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 07.17 EST”},{“id”:”6942a0498f080663f1936efa”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

The markets are closely watching how such a blockade would actually be imposed.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”8c9245be-08b8-4df7-94d5-b937c63953aa”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

The price of US crude jumped more than 2% after Trump\u2019s announcement \u2013 Brent was up $1.41, or 2.4%, at $60.33 a barrel at 10:18 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.42, or 2.6%, to $56.69 a barrel.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”64d861e2-bf44-4ca9-bec8-60dcf2d4e2a4″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Oil prices have been at near five-year lows due to progress on Ukraine peace talks; however, the risk to the Venezuelan supply is now driving it up again.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”fd1f81c9-5a4c-417f-b8fa-4d0689c3683f”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

\u201cVenezuelan oil production accounts for around 1% of global output, but supplies are concentrated among a small group of buyers, mainly Chinese teapot refiners, the U.S., and Cuba,\u201d Muyu Xu, senior oil analyst at Kpler told the Associated Press.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”b5a6dc79-6a56-4568-8d58-7a5f22cfeb5f”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1765974089000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”07.21\u00a0EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1765979154000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”08.45\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1765974891000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”07.34\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”07.34″,”title”:”Oil prices up 2% after Trump blockade order”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wed 17 Dec 2025 19.37 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 07.17 EST”},{“id”:”69429b3d8f080663f1936ea8″,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Trump in his Truth Social message didn\u2019t have any detail on how a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers might be enforced, or if he would direct the coast guard to seize vessels like he did last week.<\/p>\n

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His administration has moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships \u2013 including the world\u2019s largest aircraft carrier \u2013 to the sea north of Venezuela<\/a> in the past couple of weeks.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”8ea3054c-b62a-4594-b0e1-b09c9f27d53b”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear the move targeting oil, Venezuela\u2019s main source of income, is aimed at further squeezing Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a>\u2019s government.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”3ff6f8f6-de29-4feb-aef4-133e0e606a95″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”<\/p>\n

Venezuela affirmed its sovereignty over all natural resources and its right to free navigation and trade in the Caribbean Sea despite \u201cwarmongering threats\u201d, the government said in a statement on Tuesday. It condemned Trump\u2019s \u201cirrational military blockade\u201d order as a \u201cgrotesque threat\u201d aimed at \u201cstealing\u201d the country\u2019s wealth.<\/p>\n

“,”elementId”:”ff52d8ad-d8ac-48e7-acfc-e758ec2da391″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1765973869000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”07.17\u00a0EST”,”blockLastUpdated”:1765978993000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”:”08.43\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublished”:1765974077000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”07.21\u00a0EST”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”07.21″,”title”:”Venezuela condemns \u2018warmongering threats\u2019 as Trump orders oil blockade”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wed 17 Dec 2025 19.37 EST”,”secondaryDateLine”:”First published on Wed 17 Dec 2025 07.17 EST”}],”filterKeyEvents”:false,”id”:”key-events-carousel-mobile”,”renderingTarget”:”Web”,”serverTime”:1766021532228}”><\/span><\/p>\n

Key events<\/p>\n

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Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/span><\/p>\n

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The House of <\/strong>Representatives will be starting their Christmas break a day early, <\/strong>PBS Newshour\u2019s Lisa Desjardins reports.<\/strong> Instead of leaving Washington DC on Friday, lawmakers will begin their departures as early as tomorrow afternoon.<\/p>\n

This news comes hours after four Republicans joined with the Democrats to sign a petition forcing a vote on legislation that will extend for three years premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act healthcare plans.<\/p>\n

After failing to negotiate a compromise with GOP leaders, the four Republicans opted to sign a discharge petition sponsored by House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/strong> that will compel a vote on the Democrats\u2019 bill.<\/p>\n

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When asked about her chances of beating JD Vance<\/strong> in a hypothetical presidential race, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/strong> said she\u2019s confident that she would \u201cstomp\u201d Vance in a presidential race, should the two ever go head-to-head.<\/p>\n

In a clip on Twitter\/X, reporter Pablo Manr\u00edquez<\/strong> asked the congresswoman about a Verasight poll that showed that 51% of people surveyed would choose Ocasio-Cortez over Vance in a 2028 race.<\/p>\n

Ocasio-Cortez told Manr\u00edquez:<\/p>\n

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<\/svg>These polls years out are \u2013 <\/em>they are what they are. But let the record show, I would stomp him.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Maya Yang<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n

The US department of health and human services (HHS) has terminated several multi-million-dollar grants to the American Academy of Pediatrics following the association\u2019s criticisms of health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr<\/a>\u2019s policies.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The funding cuts, which affect projects focused on issues including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and early identification of autism, were first reported<\/a> by the Washington Post and made without prior notice to the AAP.<\/p>\n

In a statement to the Guardian, AAP CEO, Mark Del Monte, said: \u201cAAP learned this week that seven grants to AAP under the US Department of Health and Human Services are being terminated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis vital work spanned multiple child health priorities, including reducing sudden infant death, rural access to health care, mental health, adolescent health, supporting children with birth defects, early identification of autism, and prevention of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, among other topics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Del Monte added: \u201cThe sudden withdrawal of these funds will directly impact and potentially harm infants, children, youth, and their families in communities across the United States. AAP is exploring all available options, including legal recourse, in response to these actions.\u201d<\/p>\n

HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told the Washington Post that the grants were terminated because they no longer align with departmental priorities. The Guardian has contacted HHS for comment.<\/p>\n

HHS terminated the funding after noting that the AAP\u2019s materials used what the department characterized as \u201cidentity-based language\u201d, including references to racial disparities and the term \u201cpregnant people\u201d, according to administration officials cited by the Washington Post.<\/p>\n

One letter terminating a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on birth defects and infant disorders pointed to language in grant materials that are \u201cnot aligned with current CDC and HHS priorities\u201d, the paper reported.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here:<\/p>\n

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House Republicans meanwhile have passed a health<\/strong>care package that does not include an extension for expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although moderate Republicans have put pressure on their party leadership to hold a vote<\/a> on extending the enhanced premium tax credit, GOP refused to bring to the floor bipartisan legislation that would extend the subsidies with reforms.<\/p>\n

Amid pressure from constituents who depend on the subsidies to afford healthcare, four moderate Republicans joined a Democratic discharge petition to extend the tax credits for three years \u2013 without requiring any changes to the program. That petition will be voted in January, after the holiday recess.<\/p>\n

Representative Thomas Massie<\/strong>, Republican of Kentucky, was the only member from his party who joined Democrats in voting against the package on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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A federal judge said that the Trump administration<\/a> cannot stop members of Congress from making unannounced visits to immigrant detention facilities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This is pending the outcome of lawsuit from twelve Democratic representatives after multiple lawmakers were blocked from entering.<\/p>\n

Lawmakers have also been arrested for protesting outside immigration detention centers and facilities, or attempting to enter them.<\/a><\/p>\n

US district judge Jia Cobb in said that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policies that deemed immigration field offices \u201coff-limits for congressional oversight\u201d and required seven days\u2019 notice for visits were \u201ccontrary to law and in excess of DHS\u2019s statutory authority.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lawmakers have insisted on their right to visit Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities unannounced, saying that these facilities have historically failed to meet certain standards of safety and hygiene.<\/p>\n

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Jillian Ambrose<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n

The blockade prompted a sharp rise in the international oil price as traders factored in the growing possibility of disruption to global supplies.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The price of Brent crude shot up by 1.5% to reach almost $60 a barrel on Wednesday afternoon, after the price fell below $60 a barrel<\/a> for the first time since 2021 earlier this week.<\/p>\n

Wednesday\u2019s jump put an end to the steady slide in the global oil markets throughout the month as political leaders inched towards a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine that could lead to the full return of Russian oil barrels to the market.<\/p>\n

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Jillian Ambrose<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n

How important is Venezuela<\/a> to global oil supplies?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Venezuela is home to the world\u2019s largest oil reserves but produces about 0.8% of the world\u2019s output because of struggles in the wider economy and its state-owned oil company.<\/p>\n

It exports about 900,000 barrels of oil a day, mostly to buyers in China, a fraction of the almost 22m barrels of oil produced by the US. Still, oil is the main source of foreign revenue, with profits from the sector financing more than half of the government\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n

Market analysts at Goldman Sachs said the loss of Venezuelan crude exports owing to Trump\u2019s blockade could cause the market to tighten slightly in the short-term, which would lead to higher prices. But in the longer-term, a political upheaval that would allow for an influx of western oil companies into the country could<\/p>\n

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Vnezuela requests UN security council meeting to discuss ‘US aggression’<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n

Venezuela has requested that the United Nations Security Council meet to discuss \u201congoing US aggression\u201d, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters.<\/p>\n

Per Reuters, \u201ca UN diplomat\u201d has said a meeting would likely be scheduled for next week.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Donald Trump ordered \u201ca total and complete\u201d blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, ramping up pressure on the country\u2019s authoritarian leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It reamins unclear how the blockade would work. The president could instruct US Coast Guard to seize vessels carrying Venezuelan crude pil, as he did last week. The US has already moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships, to the region.<\/p>\n

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Dan Bongino confirms he will be leaving the FBI in January<\/h2>\n
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\"Jenna<\/p>\n

Jenna Amatulli<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n

Dan Bongino confirmed his exit from the FBI.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI will be leaving my position with the FBI in January,\u201d he wrote in a statement posted on X. \u201cI want to thank president Trump, [attorney general Pam] Bondi, and [FBI director Kash] Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and NYPD officer has also hosted several TV show, including guest-host stints on both The Sean Hannity Show and The Mark Levin Show. He later launched the Bongino Report and The Dan Bongino Show.<\/p>\n

In May, Bongino cried during an appearance <\/a>on Fox News where he complained about the sacrifices he made to take up his role as FBI deputy director.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave up everything for this. I mean, you know, my wife is struggling \u2026 I stare at these four walls all day in DC, you know, by myself, divorced from my wife. Not divorced, but I mean, separated. And it\u2019s hard,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In 2018, Bongino, who has frequently perpetuated conspiracy theories of a so-called deep state plot against Trump, said: \u201cMy entire life right now is about owning the libs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The FBI declined to comment.<\/p>\n

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Venezuela\u2019s dictator, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro,<\/strong> says the real motive behind the huge US military buildup<\/a> in the Caribbean is oil: his country has the largest proven reserves in the world.<\/p>\n

And while this is not entirely the case \u2013 the country has almost a fifth of all known global reserves, but it accounts for less than 1% of world production \u2013 Colombia\u2019s leftist president, Gustavo Petro, has described the three-month campaign against Caracas as \u201ca negotiation about oil<\/a>\u201d and has little to do with concerns about drugs making their way onto US soil.<\/p>\n

The US state department has consistently denied that the strikes, which have killed at least 90 people, have anything to do with the recent strikes. But Trump has proved happy to reach an understanding with authoritarian leaders elsewhere, leading critics of the US president to conclude that there must be another motive at work.<\/p>\n

Read more about where Venezuela<\/a> stands in the global oil landscape here:<\/p>\n

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Melody Schreiber<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n

Sarah McBride,<\/strong> the first openly transgender member of Congress, made pointed remarks about two anti-trans bills being promoted by House Republicans.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll Republican politicians care about is making the rich richer and attacking trans people,\u201d McBride told reporters at the Capitol. \u201cThey are obsessed with trans people. I actually think they think more about trans people than trans people think about trans people. They are consumed with this, and they are extreme on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

After hearing debate on the floor on Wednesday, the US house of representatives entered into recess without voting on the two bills. Votes are instead expected later this week.<\/p>\n

On the steps of the Capitol this morning, McBride questioned why Republicans would put forward two bills inserting the government into medical decisions without addressing the Affordable Care Act credits expiring in two days.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey would rather have us focus on and debate a misunderstood and vulnerable 1% of the population instead of focusing in on the fact that they are raiding everyone\u2019s healthcare in order to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest 1%,\u201d McBride said.<\/p>\n

The anti-trans bill introduced by representative Marjorie Taylor Greene<\/strong> of Georgia would criminalize parents and providers for providing gender-affirming care to children, putting parents at risk of being \u201cliterally jailed for affirming their transgender child and following medical best practices,\u201d McBride said.<\/p>\n

Another bill introduced by representative Dan Crenshaw<\/strong> of Texas, and co-sponsored by Greene, would ban Medicaid from funding gender-affirming care for minors.<\/p>\n

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What action is Trump taking against Venezuela\u2019s oil industry?<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n

The US president wants a blockade of oil tankers under sanctions to stop them entering and leaving Venezuela<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an explainer detailing what that means:<\/p>\n

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Donald Trump tells reporters that Venezuela ‘illegally took’ US oil and ‘we want it back’<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n

Donald Trump, who announced blockade on sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela, has ramped up his rhetoric.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He told a press gaggle that Venezuela<\/a> \u201cillegally took\u201d US oil.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey took all of our energy rights, they took all of our oil from not that long ago, and we want it back. But they took it, they illegally took it.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The administration has moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships \u2013 including the world\u2019s largest aircraft carrier \u2013 to the sea north of Venezuela in the past couple of weeks.<\/p>\n

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Trump appears to confirm Bongino’s exit from FBI saying he ‘wants to go back to his show’<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n

In the last few minutes Donald Trump<\/strong> appears to have confirmed reports that deputy FBI director Dan Bongino <\/strong>is leaving his role on the eve of the highly anticipated release of the Epstein files, telling reporters that Bongino wanted to go back to his podcast.<\/p>\n

\u201cDan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show<\/strong>,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n

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After the publication of those<\/em> Vanity Fair interviews with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles<\/strong> yesterday, the Washington Post<\/a> (paywall) has caught up with the photographer for the piece, Christopher Anderson<\/strong>. We couldn\u2019t resist this anecdote he shared about Stephen Miller<\/strong>, the architect of Trump\u2019s aggressive mass deportation agenda<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Anderson was asked, \u201cWere there moments you missed? Anything that happened that\u2019s on the cutting room floor?\u201d He replied:<\/p>\n

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<\/svg>I don\u2019t think there\u2019s anything I missed that I wished I\u2019d gotten. I\u2019ll give you a little anecdote: Stephen Miller was perhaps the most concerned about the portrait session. He asked me, \u2018Should I smile or not smile?\u2019 and I said, \u2018How would you want to be portrayed?\u2019 We agreed that we would do a bit of both. And then when we were finished, he comes up to me to shake my hand and say goodbye. And he says to me, \u2018You know, you have a lot of power in the discretion you use to be kind to people.\u2019 And I looked at him and said, \u2018You know, you do, too.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Donald Trump tells reporters that Venezuela ‘illegally took’ US oil and ‘we want it back’ Donald Trump, who announced blockade on sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela, has ramped up his rhetoric. He told a press gaggle that Venezuela \u201cillegally took\u201d US oil. \u201cThey took all of our energy rights, they took all of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8416,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8415\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}