{"id":9001,"date":"2026-01-07T19:49:31","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T19:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/01\/07\/live-updates-us-discusses-acquiring-greenland-as-trump-moves-to-take-venezuela-oil-cnn\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T19:49:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T19:49:31","slug":"live-updates-us-discusses-acquiring-greenland-as-trump-moves-to-take-venezuela-oil-cnn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/01\/07\/live-updates-us-discusses-acquiring-greenland-as-trump-moves-to-take-venezuela-oil-cnn\/","title":{"rendered":"Live updates: US discusses acquiring Greenland as Trump moves to take Venezuela oil – CNN"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Live Updates<\/p>\n

US seizes Russian-flagged tanker and a second Venezuela-linked ship <\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
The US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker<\/a> linked to Venezuela after tracking it across the Atlantic, according to the US European Command, and the US said it also seized another Venezuela-linked vessel in the Caribbean<\/a> early this morning. CNN’s Natasha Bertrand reports.<\/p>\n

” data-duration=”02:49″ data-source-html=” \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span>” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/2nd-tanker-thumb.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” }, “small”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/2nd-tanker-thumb.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” } }” data-vr-video=”false” data-show-html=”” data-byline-html=”<\/p>\n

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Updated 2:48 PM EST, Wed January 7, 2026 <\/div>\n

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The US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker<\/a> linked to Venezuela after tracking it across the Atlantic, according to the US European Command, and the US said it also seized another Venezuela-linked vessel in the Caribbean<\/a> early this morning. CNN’s Natasha Bertrand reports.<\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2026-01-07T15:38:43.302Z” data-video-section=”world” data-canonical-url=”https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/01\/07\/world\/video\/venezuela-ships-seized-sophia-bella-1-digvid” data-branding-key data-video-slug=”venezuela-ships-seized-sophia-bella-1-digvid” data-first-publish-slug=”venezuela-ships-seized-sophia-bella-1-digvid” data-video-tags> \"2nd<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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US seizes two ships linked to Venezuela <\/p>\n

02:49 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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US seizes two ships linked to Venezuela<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

02:49 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\u2022 Tankers seized: <\/strong>The US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker<\/a> linked to Venezuela after tracking it across the Atlantic, which Moscow has condemned<\/a>. The US said it also seized another Venezuela-linked vessel in the Caribbean<\/a> this morning. Sigue nuestra <\/em>cobertura en espa\u00f1ol<\/em><\/a>.<\/em> <\/p>\n

\u2022 Venezuela\u2019s oil to US: <\/strong>Secretary of State Marco Rubio said interim Venezuelan authorities<\/a> wanted to use oil from one of the seized tankers as part of a \u201cdeal\u201d<\/a> in which the US would take tens of millions of barrels of Venezuela\u2019s oil and sell it at market rates. <\/p>\n

\u2022 Classified briefings: <\/strong>Democratic and Republican senators said that top Trump administration officials laid out details about US plans for Venezuela\u2019s oil<\/a>, but there was a partisan split<\/a> on whether it\u2019ll work. <\/p>\n

\u2022 Spotlight on Greenland: <\/strong>Emboldened by his claimed control of Venezuela, President Donald Trump did not rule out military means to acquire Greenland<\/a>. Rubio said he will be meeting<\/a> with leaders of Denmark next week. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Attorney<\/picture> <\/div>\n

US Attorney General Pam Bondi gave some details in a social media post<\/a> today about the seizure of an oil tanker linked to Venezuela. <\/p>\n

The US executed a seizure warrant for the vessel, which she named at Bella 1, which was \u201cresponsible for transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

The crew members tried to avoid being apprehended, but now are \u201cunder full investigation and criminal charges will be pursued against all culpable actors\u201d as a result of their failure to obey Coast Guard orders, Bondi said. <\/p>\n

As the US continues to monitor other vessels, Bondi warned that crews of other sanctioned tankers would face potential prosecution if they failed to \u201cobey instructions\u201d of the Coast Guard or other federal officials. <\/p>\n

Some background:<\/strong> While being pursued, the crew of the tanker at some point painted a Russian flag on its hull, claiming it was sailing under Russian protection. <\/p>\n

Shortly thereafter, the vessel appeared on Russia\u2019s official register of ships under a new name \u2014 the Marinera. Russia filed a formal diplomatic request<\/a> last month demanding that the US stop pursuing the vessel. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Life is beginning to return to normal on the streets of Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday as Reuters footage shows people boarding buses and going about their daily lives.<\/p>\n

” data-duration=”01:59″ data-source-html=” \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span>” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/veni.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” }, “small”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/veni.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” } }” data-vr-video=”false” data-show-html=”” data-byline-html=”<\/p>\n

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By Jennifer Hauser<\/span>, CNN <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

” data-timestamp-html=”<\/p>\n

Updated 2:48 PM EST, Wed January 7, 2026 <\/div>\n

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Life is beginning to return to normal on the streets of Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday as Reuters footage shows people boarding buses and going about their daily lives.<\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2026-01-07T18:25:55.585Z” data-video-section=”world” data-canonical-url data-branding-key data-video-slug=”venezuela-streets-calm-maduro-life-latam-intl” data-first-publish-slug=”venezuela-streets-calm-maduro-life-latam-intl” data-video-tags> \"veni.jpg\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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Calm returns to Caracas streets days after the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro <\/p>\n

01:59 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Calm returns to Caracas streets days after the capture of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

01:59 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Just five days after the United States attacked Caracas and captured Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, Venezuelans are trying to regain some degree of normality. <\/p>\n

Reuters footage shows people boarding buses, walking in the streets, riding bikes, and going about their daily lives. <\/p>\n

But while traffic is returning to its usual rhythm during the day, the scene shifts when the sun goes down. <\/p>\n

A driver for Ridery, a ride-hailing app, told CNN that once it gets dark, the number of drivers online offering the service drops dramatically. \u201cIt\u2019s very lonely out there, and it\u2019s best to avoid any mishaps,\u201d said the citizen, who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals. <\/p>\n

In eastern Caracas, a hamburger and hot dog joint that usually stays open until 10:00 p.m. reported that it will be open until 6:00 p.m. \u201cuntil the situation stabilizes,\u201d explains an employee in charge of the cash register. <\/p>\n

The streets of Caracas empty as the sun goes down. People do not leave their homes. Bars and restaurants are closed or empty. There are no pedestrians walking their dogs or strolling. Not many private cars are seen on the road. It is a very different scene from a week ago, when Venezuelans were celebrating the New Year and the streets were flooded with people. <\/p>\n

Now, however, the silence and darkness are only interrupted by the strong presence of armed security personnel. <\/p>\n

Read the full story <\/em>here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The European Union has expressed its \u201cfull solid support and solidarity\u201d for Greenland amid US President Donald Trump\u2019s renewed interest in obtaining the Arctic island. <\/p>\n

\u201cEurope will remain a firm and unwavering champion of international law and multilateralism.\u201d <\/p>\n

His remarks come as the Trump administration is \u201cactively\u201d discussing a potential purchase of the Danish territory, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. She said the territory is \u201cadvantageous for America\u2019s national security\u201d and that Trump sees it in the country\u2019s best interest to \u201cdeter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region.\u201d <\/p>\n

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet with Danish officials next week, after the foreign ministers of Greenland and Denmark requested a meeting with him. <\/p>\n

Some background: <\/strong>While the Trump administration has repeatedly stated its desire to control the vast, resource-rich territory, Denmark has repeatedly rejected his advances, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterating Monday that \u201cGreenland has repeatedly said that it does not want to be part of the United States.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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House Speaker Mike Johnson applauded the US military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro over the weekend and later added that the US is not “involved with boots on the ground there.”<\/p>\n

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By Jennifer Hauser<\/span>, CNN <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Updated 2:48 PM EST, Wed January 7, 2026 <\/div>\n

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House Speaker Mike Johnson applauded the US military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro over the weekend and later added that the US is not “involved with boots on the ground there.”<\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2026-01-07T19:22:13.684Z” data-video-section=”us” data-canonical-url data-branding-key data-video-slug=”house-speaker-johnson-war-maduro-venezuela-congress-latam-intl” data-first-publish-slug=”house-speaker-johnson-war-maduro-venezuela-congress-latam-intl” data-video-tags> \"U.S.<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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House Speaker Johnson says US is ‘not in a war in Venezuela’ <\/p>\n

01:52 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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House Speaker Johnson says US is ‘not in a war in Venezuela’<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

01:52 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he does not expect the US to send troops to Venezuela. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not involved with boots on the ground there. We are not engaging a regime change. As you know, an interim president has now taken the post, and they will continue. Now our hope is that this regime will not be engaging in narcoterrorism and all the terrible activity that the predecessor of the interim president was involved in,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n

Johnson did not divulge what the officials told lawmakers when they asked about America\u2019s plans with Venezuela\u2019s oil. But he noted the role US oil companies could play in reinvigorating the country\u2019s oil industry. <\/p>\n

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine gave a \u201cvery precise, detailed narrative\u201d about the operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and his wife, Johnson said, adding that lawmakers gave Caine a standing applause. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Ukrainian<\/picture> <\/div>\n

Ukraine has welcomed the US seizure of the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera. <\/p>\n

Sybiha made the remarks a day after European leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump\u2019s son-in-law gathered in Paris<\/a> for talks on ending Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. <\/p>\n

Some background: <\/strong>The United States has been engaging with Ukraine, Russia and European leaders to reach an end to the war. After the talks in Paris on Tuesday, Witkoff said the security protocols for Ukraine are \u201clargely finished.\u201d Those protocols, he said, were important so that the Ukrainian people know that when the war ends, it \u201cends forever.\u201d Witkoff said Trump is ready to do \u201canything necessary\u201d to work with European allies to bring peace to Ukraine. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Russian lawmaker Leonid Slutsky called the US seizure<\/a> of the Marinera an act of \u201c21st-century piracy,\u201d according to state news agency TASS. <\/p>\n

Slutsky, who is the chairman of the State Duma Committee on international affairs, said the US move violates maritime law and United Nations conventions. <\/p>\n

Russia\u2019s foreign ministry<\/a> demanded the return of the Russian citizens aboard the seized tanker, TASS reported earlier. <\/p>\n

The Russian-flagged vessel, origi\ufeffnally called the Bella 1, was sanctioned by the US in 2024 for operating within a \u201cshadow fleet\u201d of tankers transporting illicit oil. <\/p>\n

Last month, US forces tried to interdict the ship near Venezuela but did not board it after it fled. Russia later filed a formal diplomatic request<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 after the vessel appeared under Russia\u2019s official register of ships with a new name \u2013 asking the US to end its pursuit. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"The<\/picture> <\/div>\n

Crackdowns on the Venezuelan population would not be consistent with the Trump administration\u2019s priorities, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday. <\/p>\n

Asked about reports that leadership in Venezuela is cracking down on public support for the ouster of Nicolas Maduro, Leavitt said, \u201cIt would not be consistent. and I\u2019ll let the president\u2019s national security team speak further on that. I know they are well aware and tracking.\u201d <\/p>\n

CNN has reported there\u2019s been widespread apprehension in the streets of Caracas and other cities<\/a>, with the people of Venezuela uncertain and government security forces on edge. <\/p>\n

Leavitt declined to say whether the administration believes the country\u2019s leadership should release political dissidents and return Americans detained in Venezuela, saying she\u2019d let President Donald Trump \u201canswer that question.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to make new policy at this podium today,\u201d Leavitt added. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"White<\/picture> <\/div>\n

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that President Donald Trump is \u201cnot afraid\u201d to continue seizing sanctioned oil tankers despite concerns that it could ratchet up tensions with Russia and China. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to enforce our policy that\u2019s best for the United States of America,\u201d she said told reporters during a press briefing. \u201cThat means enforcing the embargo against all dark fleet vessels that are illegally transporting oil.\u201d <\/p>\n

Leavitt\u2019s remarks came after hours the US military took control of two tankers, including a Russian-flagged ship it had been pursuing for more than two weeks. She downplayed the risk that it would spark a flare-up between the US and Russia, arguing that Trump maintains a good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. <\/p>\n

\u201cI believe those personal relationships are going to continue,\u201d she said, adding that Trump has made clear that seizing sanctioned tankers is \u201cthe policy of this administration, and he\u2019s not afraid to implement it. <\/p>\n

The US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela after tracking it across the Atlantic, according to the US European Command. The US said it also seized another Venezuela-linked vessel in the Caribbean. CNN’s Zachary Cohen reports.<\/p>\n

” data-duration=”00:31″ data-source-html=” \u2022 Source: <\/span>” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/116217-oiltankerseized-thumbnail-clean.jpg?c=9×16” }, “small”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/116217-oiltankerseized-thumbnail-clean.jpg?c=9×16″ } }” data-vr-video=”false” data-show-html=”” data-byline-html=”<\/p>\n

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By Jasmine Amjad<\/span>, CNN <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Updated 2:48 PM EST, Wed January 7, 2026 <\/div>\n

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The US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela after tracking it across the Atlantic, according to the US European Command. The US said it also seized another Venezuela-linked vessel in the Caribbean. CNN’s Zachary Cohen reports.<\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2026-01-07T18:17:22.793Z” data-video-section=”world” data-canonical-url=”https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/01\/07\/world\/video\/us-seize-two-ships-venezuela-digvid-vrtc” data-branding-key data-video-slug=”us-seize-two-ships-venezuela-digvid-vrtc” data-first-publish-slug=”us-seize-two-ships-venezuela-digvid-vrtc” data-video-tags=”vertical,news”> \"116217_OilTankerSeized_thumbnail<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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US seizes two ships <\/p>\n

The US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela after tracking it across the Atlantic, according to the US European Command. The US said it also seized another Venezuela-linked vessel in the Caribbean. CNN’s Zachary Cohen reports.<\/p>\n

00:31 <\/span> \u2022 Source: <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Multiple GOP senators are publicly urging the Trump administration to cease any further threats of military action in Greenland, as Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday broke with the White House in suggesting that such an option is not on the table. <\/p>\n

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska offered perhaps the strongest criticism of the White House\u2019s formal declaration on Tuesday that officials were still considering the use of the US military to seize Greenland. <\/p>\n

Greenland was not a central point in the administration\u2019s briefing on Wednesday, which focused on the White House\u2019s operation in Venezuela and its future steps, according to multiple senators who attended. But the concern by Murkowski and other Republicans suggest it remains a major concern within the party that will require further explanation from Trump and his team. <\/p>\n

GOP Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford told reporters that \u201cwe need to not threaten a peaceful nation that\u2019s an ally where we have a military base already.\u201d And Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said, \u201cMilitary invasion of Greenland would be a terrible idea, and really shouldn\u2019t be seriously considered.\u201d <\/p>\n

Across the Capitol, Johnson strongly downplayed the Trump administration\u2019s talk on acquiring Greenland in a separate press conference. <\/p>\n

\u201cAll this stuff about military action and all that, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a possibility. I don\u2019t think anybody\u2019s seriously considered that,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that significant private sector interest is emerging around Venezuela\u2019s oil industry as the United States works on a potential deal with the country\u2019s interim government. <\/p>\n

Leavitt emphasized the administration\u2019s confidence in Wright to oversee the talks. \u201cThey\u2019re eager about these opportunities. And Secretary Wright is a very well, knowledgeable guy when it comes to oil and energy, and he\u2019s the perfect man for the job.\u201d <\/p>\n

CNN previously reported that President Donald Trump is expected to meet with oil executives at the White House on Friday, according to a senior White House official. <\/p>\n

Leavitt said the meeting is to discuss \u201cthe immense opportunity that is before these oil companies right now.\u201d <\/p>\n

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said moments earlier that the US is \u201cabout to execute on a deal\u201d to take tens of millions of barrels of Venezuela\u2019s oil and \u201csell it in the marketplace at market rates.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Right before Trump’s second inauguration, CNN Political & National Security Analyst David Sanger asked Trump whether he would consider using military force on Greenland. A year later, Sanger analyzes why the Trump administration has set its eyes on the territory again. <\/p>\n

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Updated 2:48 PM EST, Wed January 7, 2026 <\/div>\n

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Right before Trump’s second inauguration, CNN Political & National Security Analyst David Sanger asked Trump whether he would consider using military force on Greenland. A year later, Sanger analyzes why the Trump administration has set its eyes on the territory again. <\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2026-01-07T16:32:23.426Z” data-video-section=”world” data-canonical-url data-branding-key data-video-slug=”trump-nato-greenland-sanger-live-ctw-fst010710aseg1-cnni-world-fast” data-first-publish-slug=”trump-nato-greenland-sanger-live-ctw-fst010710aseg1-cnni-world-fast” data-video-tags=”cnni-fast”> \"sanger.jpg\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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White House discussing “range of options” to acquire Greenland <\/p>\n

02:00 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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White House discussing “range of options” to acquire Greenland<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

02:00 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The Trump administration is \u201cactively\u201d discussing the potential purchase of Greenland, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, saying that President Donald Trump is prioritizing a diplomatic solution but is \u201c(keeping) his options open.\u201d <\/p>\n

Greenland has catapulted to the forefront of international headlines in the aftermath of the US\u2019s capture of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, with the Trump renewing his interest in obtaining the Arctic island, which US officials have repeatedly said is a national security imperative. <\/p>\n

An acquisition of Greenland, Leavitt told reporters, is \u201csomething that\u2019s currently being actively discussed by the president and his national security team,\u201d describing Greenland as \u201cadvantageous for America\u2019s national security.\u201d <\/p>\n

Trump, she added, \u201cviews it in the best interest of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region, and so that\u2019s why his team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like.\u201d <\/p>\n

Leavitt was pressed on why Trump has not ruled out military action to take over Greenland, a possibility that has prompted significant pushback from Denmark and other NATO allies. <\/p>\n

\u201cAll options are always on the table for President Trump as he examines what\u2019s in the best interest of the United States, but I will just say that the president\u2019s first option always has been diplomacy,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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GOP Senate Armed Services Committee member Kevin Cramer said the briefing was a like a good \u201cmovie script\u201d and the operational details they heard were very interesting. He said he\u2019s not upset his committee was not briefed ahead of time because it had to be closely held. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine with it,\u201d he said about not being briefed. \u201cFrankly the more I learn about it, the more fine I am with it because the exquisiteness of it requires such a small, small circle of knowledge.\u201d <\/p>\n

He said the tale told by the briefers was like a \u201cmove script I mean, honestly, God, it\u2019s so good.\u201d <\/p>\n

He said they should try to declassify information for the public but said there are a lot of specific details about weapons systems and more, which will make that hard. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis particular case, the tactics and things may never be a completely declassified because you\u2019re talking about specific weapon systems, specific aircraft, specific naval craft. They\u2019re just, there\u2019s a lot, lot there.\u201d <\/p>\n

Asked if he was surprised by anything he heard, he said yes: \u201cThe details are interesting.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Democratic and Republican senators agreed that top Trump administration officials laid out a detailed plan about what comes next for the US plans to control oil in Venezuela in a classified briefing, but there was a partisan split on whether that plan will work. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what they\u2019re saying: <\/p>\n

\ufeffGOP Sen. Roger Marshall:<\/strong> \u201cI think the big leverage we have is the quarantine we have around them and if you follow the flow of oil, the flow of money, that they will have to respond and listen to what we\u2019re telling them to do.\u201d <\/p>\n

GOP Sen. Josh Hawley:<\/strong> Secretary of State Marco Rubio \u201ctalked about some of the forward looking plans happening in phases\u201d but said he would not reveal what those were. \u201cI thought that was instructive.\u201d <\/p>\n

Democratic Sen. Peter Welch<\/strong> described the plan laid out by the Trump administration as \u201caspirational\u201d: \u201cGood riddance to Maduro but everything that he created is still in tact. They have a plan that they can impose their will by the blockade on oil, but regimes as we\u2019ve all seen are willing to inflict incredible punishment on their own citizens. So will that work? That remains to be seen. But history suggests it won\u2019t.\u201d <\/p>\n

Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin<\/strong>: \u201cThe joke is, everyone was so upset that the neocons were going to Iraq because of the oil, and it was a big conspiracy theory. [Stephen Miller] says it out loud. He doesn\u2019t have any shame that that is what it\u2019s about. That was what the majority of our briefing was about just now.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that he will be meeting with Danish officials next week, following renewed US interest in taking over Greenland. <\/p>\n

His remarks come after Greenland\u2019s foreign minister and the Danish foreign minister requested a meeting with the top US diplomat. <\/p>\n

Rubio \u2014 echoing the White House statement earlier this week \u2014 did not count out the possibility of a US military intervention to acquire Greenland<\/a> if Trump deems it necessary for America\u2019s national security, though he spoke in broad terms. <\/p>\n

\u201cEvery president always retains the option, I\u2019m not talking about Greenland, I\u2019m just talking about globally, if the president identifies a threat to the national security of the United States, every president retains the option to address it through military means,\u201d Rubio said. <\/p>\n

But Rubio said Trump\u2019s intention has always been to buy Greenland, noting that he had clearly articulated that goal during his first term. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not new; he talked about it in his first term. And he\u2019s not the first US president that has examined or looked at how could we acquire Greenland,\u201d Rubio said, adding that President Harry Truman had also considered the idea. <\/p>\n

Rubio said that diplomats always \u201cprefer to settle it in different ways.\u201d He then made the direct connection to Venezuela saying that the Trump administration attempted in that case to settle the problem through diplomacy. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe tried repeatedly to reach an outcome here that did not involve having to go in and grab an indicted drug trafficker. Those were unsuccessful unfortunately,\u201d Rubio said of Venezuela. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there will be \u201cmore deals to follow\u201d with the interim Venezuelan government<\/a> and said the Trump administration is planning three phases for Venezuela: stabilization, recovery and transition. <\/p>\n

Speaking after an all-senators briefing today, Rubio said they are starting with stabilization because \u201cwe don\u2019t want it descending into chaos.\u201d He reiterated that the administration believes it has significant leverage on the interim Venezuelan government led by Delcy Rodriguez. <\/p>\n

He described the oil deal as part of the stabilization phase, noting the administration expected to soon be able to sell millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil and generate revenue, controlled by the US, that will be \u201cdispersed in a way that benefits the Venezuelan people.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re already seeing progress with this new deal that\u2019s been announced, and more deals to follow,\u201d he said, without providing details on the additional deals. <\/p>\n

The \u201crecovery\u201d phase, Rubio said, \u201cis ensuring that American, Western, and other companies have access to the Venezuelan market a way that\u2019s fair.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAt the same time,\u201d they want to \u201cbegin to create the process of reconciliation nationally within Venezuela, so that the opposition forces can be amnestied and released from prisons or brought back to the country, and begin to rebuild civil society,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

The third phase will be \u201cone of transition.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end, it will be up to the Venezuelan people to transform their country,\u201d Rubio noted. <\/p>\n

\u201cSome of this will overlap. I\u2019ve described this to (senators) in great detail. We\u2019ll have more detail in the days to follow, but we feel like we\u2019re moving forward here in a very positive way,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is \u201cabout to execute on a deal\u201d to take tens of millions of barrels of Venezuela\u2019s oil and \u201csell it in the marketplace at market rates.\u201d<\/p>\n

” data-duration=”00:29″ data-source-html=” \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span>” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2254482923.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” }, “small”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2254482923.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” } }” data-vr-video=”false” data-show-html=”” data-byline-html=”<\/p>\n

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By Jennifer Hauser<\/span>, CNN <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

” data-timestamp-html=”<\/p>\n

Updated 2:48 PM EST, Wed January 7, 2026 <\/div>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-is-vertical-video-embed=”false” data-network-id data-publish-date=”2026-01-07T17:18:41.306Z” data-video-section=”us” data-canonical-url data-branding-key data-video-slug=”rubio-venezuela-oil-tanker-latam-intl” data-first-publish-slug=”rubio-venezuela-oil-tanker-latam-intl” data-video-tags data-breakpoints=”{“video-resource–media-extra-large”: 660}” data-display-video-cover=”true” data-details> <\/p>\n

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is \u201cabout to execute on a deal\u201d to take tens of millions of barrels of Venezuela\u2019s oil and \u201csell it in the marketplace at market rates.\u201d<\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2026-01-07T17:18:41.306Z” data-video-section=”us” data-canonical-url data-branding-key data-video-slug=”rubio-venezuela-oil-tanker-latam-intl” data-first-publish-slug=”rubio-venezuela-oil-tanker-latam-intl” data-video-tags> \"US<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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Rubio says the US is “about to execute on a deal” to take Venezuelan oil and sell it <\/p>\n

00:29 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Rubio says the US is “about to execute on a deal” to take Venezuelan oil and sell it<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

00:29 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is \u201cabout to execute on a deal\u201d to take tens of millions of barrels of Venezuela\u2019s oil and \u201csell it in the marketplace at market rates.\u201d <\/p>\n

The top US diplomat also confirmed the seizure of two oil tankers today<\/a> and said that the interim Venezuelan authorities wanted the oil from one of the ships \u201cto be part of this deal.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cThey understand that the only way they can move oil and generate revenue and not have economic collapse is if they cooperate and work with the United States,\u201d Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill. <\/p>\n

Rubio described the deal as a result of the US\u2019 oil \u201cquarantine.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going to take between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil. We\u2019re going to sell it in the marketplace at market rates, not at the discounts Venezuela was getting. That money will then be handled in such a way that we will control how it is dispersed in a way that benefits the Venezuelan people, not corruption, not the regime,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a leverage to move on the stabilization front,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer railed against the Trump administration after an all-senators classified briefing on Venezuela, saying he was dissatisfied by some of their responses. <\/p>\n

The New York Democrat said he was \u201ctotally dissatisfied\u201d about the administration\u2019s answers about the US\u2019 designs in other territories and countries like Greenland, as well as the administration\u2019s succession plans for Venezuela. <\/p>\n

\u201cI am totally dissatisfied about their answers of going into other countries, totally dissatisfied of what, what they might be doing in Greenland, as well as in Colombia, Mexico and other countries,\u201d Schumer told reporters, adding, \u201cAnd we\u2019re also totally dissatisfied about succession. They\u2019re relying to help them run Venezuela, help Trump run Venezuela, the most unreliable corrupt people who hate America.\u201d <\/p>\n

He said the Trump administration must address questions in public hearings. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re avoiding all public discussion to talk to us in this SCIF where we didn\u2019t get adequate answers even to our questions. But not let the American people know what they\u2019re doing when it\u2019s the American people who have always paid the price when we try to do this regime change in blood and treasure,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

Schumer added: \u201cWe need answers. We need answers to these questions, and we need them made publicly.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Some House Republicans are defending President Donald Trump\u2019s recent threats to takeover Greenland, though many also downplayed the possibility that he\u2019ll launch a military operation to do so. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what some lawmakers are saying: <\/em> <\/p>\n

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