Wednesday, January 7 | By Cate Martel |
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U.S. seizes two Venezuelan-linked tankers One tanker flew Russian flag Why Trump wants Greenland so badly RFK Jr. changes nation's dietary guidelines
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US seizes two oil tankers linked to Venezuela: |
The U.S. has seized two oil tankers as part of its crackdown against Venezuela's energy exports. One of the tankers was flying a Russian flag and had been tracked for weeks by the United States. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the multi-agency operation Wednesday morning. 📹 Video of the operation The seizure is likely to raise tensions between Washington and Moscow. Russia reportedly sent a submarine and other vessels to guide the tanker formerly known as Bella 1 before it was intercepted by the U.S. The tanker had attempted to evade a U.S. sanctions blockade for weeks, leaving Venezuela and fleeing across the Atlantic to Europe. The second tanker was seized in the Caribbean. Keep in mind: As of last month, Trump ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela. 📸 Announcement and Coast Guard photo Related read, via The Hill's Rachel Frazin: 'Trump puts oil at the center of Venezuela takeover' 💬 Follow today's live blog |
Trump lays out his demands to Venezuela: |
The Trump administration has given Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez a list of demands in order to resume its oil production, reports ABC News's Anne Flaherty, Allison Pecorin and Rachel Scott. The first demand: Venezuela must agree to cut economic ties with China, Russia, Iran and Cuba. The second demand: Venezuela must agree to only partner with the U.S. for its oil production. Why the U.S. may have leverage: Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly told lawmakers that Venezuela can only economically survive for a few weeks without oil sales. |
➤ WHO'S BEHIND TRUMP'S BOLD LATIN AMERICAN STRATEGY?: |
Rubio, The Wall Street Journal reports: "Rubio has long dreamed of changing Latin America. Embracing MAGA opened the door." The diplomat and former GOP senator has been laser-focused on Venezuela for years and is finally able to carry out his policy goals. He's a star in Latin America: "Last weekend's incursion vaulted Rubio into viral stardom in Latin America, where AI-generated images depicted him as 'Capitán América' and 'San Rubio,' his face emblazoned on a Catholic prayer candle. Right-wing influencers have widely shared video of Rubio singing along with a Pitbull song on New Year's Eve." Some in the Senate did not see this Rubio switch happen: "Rubio's ascendance in the MAGA world has infuriated some of his former colleagues in the Senate, which confirmed him as secretary of state by a 99-0 vote, including Democratic lawmakers who hoped he would restrain Trump." Read more |
RFK Jr. changed dietary guidelines: | The Trump administration is changing federal nutrition standards, urging Americans to eat more saturated fats. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spearheaded the changes. The gist of Kennedy's recommendation: "Eat real food," as opposed to processed food. The changes: • Limit highly processed foods with added sugar and salt • Eat and drink full fat dairy • Eat whole foods, including protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains Keep in mind: The recommendation for saturated fat goes against what doctors and dieticians have advised for decades, but HHS argues the new recommendations are "rooted in rigorous science." Kennedy has been teasing this announcement for months: In November, he said he would "end the war on saturated fats in this country." |
How does one take Greenland, you ask?: | The president's threats of taking Greenland are feeling even more plausible this week after the U.S. carried out a daring raid to capture the president of Venezuela from the capital of Caracas and bring him to the U.S. to face charges. Trump has suggested he could use military force to take control of Greenland, though his secretary of State insisted to lawmakers on Tuesday that the president would like to buy the Danish territory, not invade it. Officials in Greenland and Denmark have requested a meeting with Rubio after Trump's comments about seizing the island. The big question — why does Trump want Greenland so badly?: It would be a brazen move for the U.S. to simply take the territory against the wishes of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally and key member of NATO. Many have warned such a move would shatter the North Atlantic military alliance. So, why does Trump deem that all worth it? He says it's critical to U.S. national security. Trump told reporters over the weekend that "Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security." Read more on what makes Greenland so important Right now, the U.S. already has military access to Greenland: "Under a little-known Cold War agreement, the United States already enjoys sweeping military access in Greenland. Right now, the United States has one base in a very remote corner of the island. But the agreement allows it to 'construct, install, maintain, and operate' military bases across Greenland, 'house personnel' and 'control landings, takeoffs, anchorages, moorings, movements, and operation of ships, aircraft, and waterborne craft.'" (The New York Times) This may end up on the Senate floor: Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) says he will introduce a war powers resolution to try to block Trump from using military force to take Greenland. Related read, via The Washington Post: 'Europe draws red line on Greenland after a year of trying to pacify Trump' |
Warner Bros. waved away Paramount's hostile bid: |
The Warner Bros. Discovery board has rejected Paramount's hostile bid, urging shareholders to stick with its sale to Netflix. Why?: It argued Paramount's offer is "inadequate" and risky, per CNN. |
What happened to the money donated after Maine's mass shooting?: |
"Survivors and families of victims from Maine's deadliest mass shooting say they were promised 100% of donations would go to them, but discovered a year later that nearly $2 million was instead distributed to 29 nonprofits, including organizations serving immigrant communities and one facing fraud allegations." NewsNation's Rich McHugh, Juliette Johnson and Damita Menezes dug into the bait and switch that left the community outraged. Read: 'Money for mass shooting victims directed to Somali-linked nonprofits' |
— Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) says he thinks the State of the Union address will happen on Feb. 24 but it's not finalized, per The Hill's Emily Brooks. — Actor Michael Rapaport says he's running for New York City mayor in 2029. 📹 Watch his video — The White House launched a Jan. 6 webpage praising Trump and accusing Democrats of staging "the real insurrection" and criticizing Capitol Police. — Michael Reagan, former President Reagan's oldest son, died at the age of 80. |
The Atlantic: The Wrath of Stephen Miller: The man who turns President Trump's most incendiary impulses into policy The Hill: Democrats advised not to center midterm campaigns on attacking Trump Analysis in The New York Times: Europe and Rest of World Try to Come to Terms With Trump the Imperialist Politico: How Jan. 6 was remembered — and rewritten — on its 5th anniversary |
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The House and Senate are in. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST) |
1:30 p.m. First and last House votes. 📆 Today's agenda 2:30 p.m. Trump signs executive orders. Friday: Trump will meet with American oil executives, per NewsNation. |
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| 🍤 Celebrate: Today is National Tempura Day. 🍷 Where wine snobs are buying their wine: The Wall Street Journal reports that wine snobs in Napa, Calif., are buying their wine from Costco. Read: 'How Costco Won Over Wine Snobs'
🍾 But the ball drop is so … anticlimactic: The new year's eve ball drop will happen for a second time in 2026: on July 3 for the 250th anniversary of Independence Day. Tbh, I've always thought the ball should drop quickly — just once, could we maybe drop it quickly and dramatically?? |
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