2 w. ago 2026 is already pure chaos. Is that Trump’s electoral strategy? | Moustafa Bayoumi

Less than two weeks into the year, the US is stoking mayhem at home and abroad – with midterms coming in the autumnHave we ever seen a year in recent memory begin with as much deliberate turmoil as 2026 has? Less than two weeks into 2026, we have witnessed Donald Trump deploy US forces to depose and abduct the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, along with Cilia Flores, his wife and close political adviser. The US president then informed the world that the United States would “run” Venezuela for the time being, which he later explained could potentially last for several years.Trump has also threatened – and then seemingly made peace with – the president of Colombia; seized at least five oil tankers in the Caribbean (actions that UN experts label illegal armed aggression); promised US military strikes targeting cartels in Mexico against the wishes of Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum; and frightened the people of Cuba with the prospect that Marco Rubio could be their next presi...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump officially declares himself 'acting president of Venezuela' as he 'runs' country

Trump has shared a fake Wikipedia page dubbing him the 'Acting President of Venezuela' in a recent social media post – the development comes after the US captured the former Venezuelan resident

Politics

2 w. ago From Caracas to Minneapolis, the threat is the same – an American president ruling like a global emperor | Jonathan Freedland

Trump’s admission that he recognises no constraint outside his own morality was a horrifying moment of truth. It should galvanise all those who oppose himFor a serial liar, Donald Trump can be bracingly honest. We’ve known about the mendacity for years – consider the 30,573 documented falsehoods from the president’s first term, culminating in the big lie, his claim to have won the 2020 election – but the examples of bracing candour are fresher. This week both began and ended with the US president speaking the shocking truth.At a press conference to celebrate his capture of the Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, Trump announced that from now on the US would “run” that country, before moving in the very next breath to Venezuela’s oil. There was no pious talk of democracy, scant mention even of the drug trafficking that earlier served as a pretext for military action. Instead, Trump said out loud what had once been a slogan on leftist placards in protest at past US interventions, admi...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump predicts he’ll control Venezuela for YEARS and give oil riches to the people as post

TRUMP has said the US will run Venezuela for years and give its oil riches to the people. It comes after the US captured Venezuelan tyrant Nicolas Maduro and vowed to send its oil companies back into the Latin American country. Trump said: “We will rebuild it in a very profitable way. “We’re going to...

Politics

3 w. ago REVEALED: America's verdict on Trump's main motivation behind his Venezuela strike and whether they believe the U.S. should run the country

New Daily Mail polling found out what Americans think was President Donald Trump's main motivation to remove Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro from power.

Politics

3 w. ago Behind the photo: How a woman running from US bombs in Venezuela captured the night's fear and chaos

A photo of 21-year-old Mariana Camargo dashing through the streets of eastern Caracas as explosions boomed in the background was soon on front pages of major international outlets

Events

3 w. ago Few Republicans know what Trump means by ‘running’ Venezuela

‘I have no idea, none whatsoever’ Josh Hawley tells Eric Garcia as Republicans still try to figure out what comes next in Venezuela

Politics

3 w. ago Jon Stewart on Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela: ‘This is all exhausting’

Late-night hosts react to Trump’s shocking attack on Venezuela and surprise capture of Nicolás MaduroLate-night hosts tore into the Trump administration’s surprise military attack on Caracas, capture of president Nicolás Maduro and vague plans to “run” Venezuela. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Trump’s new world order is being born – and Venezuela is just the start | Owen Jones

The US president has been quite clear that Cuba, Mexico, Colombia and Greenland are in his sights. We must believe himAs Venezuela’s skyline lit up under US bombs, we were watching the morbid symptoms of a declining empire. That may sound counterintuitive. After all, the US has kidnapped a foreign leader, and Donald Trump has announced that he will “run” Venezuela. Surely this looks less like decay than intoxication: a superpower high on its own force.But Trump’s great virtue, if it can be called that, is candour. Previous US presidents draped naked self-interest in the language of “democracy” and “human rights”. Trump dispenses with the costume. In 2023, he boasted: “When I left, Venezuela was ready to collapse. We would have taken it over, we would have gotten all that oil, it would have been right next door.” And this was no off-the-cuff remark. The logic of an oil grab, and much more besides, is laid out plainly in Trump’s recently published National Security Strategy. Continue ...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump backs fearsome hardliner to 'run' Venezuela amid fears of total anarchy

At least one opposition leader is worried Donald Trump will embolden a continuation of Nicolas Maduro's regime just now under a 'gringo guardianship,' the Washington Post reports.

Politics

3 w. ago The 'gringo guardian': Trump eyes trusted lieutenant to run post

At least one opposition leader is worried Donald Trump will embolden a continuation of Nicolas Maduro's regime just now under a 'gringo guardianship,' the Washington Post reports.

Politics

3 w. ago Nicolás Maduro appears in Manhattan court; US ambassador tells UN there is ‘no war in Venezuela’ – live

Ousted president in Manhattan courthouse where the full list of charges will be read; Mike Waltz says US is ‘not occupying a country’ after strikes on VenezuelaDelcy Rodríguez strikes conciliatory tone with US after Trump warningA UK minister would not be drawn into saying whether his government believes the US capture of Venezuela’s president was influenced by the country’s rich oil reserves.Asked on Sky News why he thought Donald Trump had captured Nicolás Maduro and said America would “run” Venezuela, Home Office minister Mike Tapp said:This is for Donald Trump to answer, and I think he has said in his press conference, which I watched with interest around narco-terrorism and that threat. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago UN secretary general ‘deeply concerned’ after US operation in Venezuela as Nicolás Maduro arrives at Manhattan court – live

António Guterres concerned by ‘possible intensification of instability’ of Venezuela; ousted president arrives at a Manhattan courthouse where the full list of charges will be readA UK minister would not be drawn into saying whether his government believes the US capture of Venezuela’s president was influenced by the country’s rich oil reserves.Asked on Sky News why he thought Donald Trump had captured Nicolás Maduro and said America would “run” Venezuela, Home Office minister Mike Tapp said:This is for Donald Trump to answer, and I think he has said in his press conference, which I watched with interest around narco-terrorism and that threat. Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago Venezuela live updates: Nicolás Maduro arrives at Manhattan court

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrive at Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in Manhattan where the full list of charges will be read later todayTense calm spreads at border with Colombia after Maduro captureAnalysis: European leaders appear torn in face of new world orderA UK minister would not be drawn into saying whether his government believes the US capture of Venezuela’s president was influenced by the country’s rich oil reserves.Asked on Sky News why he thought Donald Trump had captured Nicolás Maduro and said America would “run” Venezuela, Home Office minister Mike Tapp said:This is for Donald Trump to answer, and I think he has said in his press conference, which I watched with interest around narco-terrorism and that threat. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago POLL OF THE DAY: Is the US right to take over running Venezuela after removing leader Nicolas Maduro?

Donald Trumphas declared the US will run Venezuela after an operation over the weekend saw the capture of its president Nicolas Maduro.

Politics

3 w. ago Trump news at a glance: Republicans backpedal on claims US will ‘run’ Venezuela

Trump has called on Venezuela’s interim leader to adhere to US demands as top Republicans scramble to answer questions about what happens next – key US politics stories from 4 January 2026Proclaiming the US would “run” Venezuela after abducting its president and his wife, president Trump has now qualified his claim. Amid questions, including from top Republicans, Trump has now called on Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, to accommodate US demands or face the possibility of a fresh military intervention.Rodríguez, 56, who had on Saturday pledged fealty to ousted president Nicolás Maduro and condemned his capture as an “atrocity”, appears to be adhering to the US line. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump says Venezuelan vice president ‘will pay bigger price’ than Maduro ‘if she doesn’t do what’s right’: Live updates

President Donald Trump claimed the US will “run” Venezuela now that Maduro has been captured

Politics

3 w. ago US ‘running’ Venezuela now seems less likely but second intervention possible

Washington keeping 15,000-strong military presence in Caribbean in case interim president hinders US objectivesUS politics liveThe prospect of the United States seizing direct control of Venezuela appeared to recede on Sunday after the shocking seizure of President Nicolás Maduro – but US officials said Washington was keeping a 15,000-strong force in the Caribbean and might make a fresh military intervention if Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, did not accommodate their demands.While Rodriguez kept up a defiant tone in public, the substance of conversations she had had in private with US officials was not clear. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Donald Trump warns of ‘big price to pay’ if Caracas fails to toe line

Washington keeping 15,000-strong military presence in Caribbean in case interim president hinders US objectivesUS politics liveThe prospect of the United States seizing direct control of Venezuela appeared to recede on Sunday after the shocking seizure of President Nicolás Maduro – but US officials said Washington was keeping a 15,000-strong force in the Caribbean and might make a fresh military intervention if Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, did not accommodate their demands.While Rodríguez kept up a defiant tone in public, the substance of conversations she had had in private with US officials was not clear. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Rubio dodges questions on Trump’s pardoning of drug trafficker after Maduro charges

Trump’s top diplomat can’t say who is in charge day-to-day of running Venezuela or when U.S. will hold elections as Trump promised

Politics