January 5, 2026 at 11:30 AM EST
More Republicans ripping Trump for betraying 'America First' agenda

The term "America First" didn't originate with President Donald Trump. During the 1850s and 1860s, nativists or Know Nothings -- famously depicted in Martin Scorsese's 2002 movie "Gangs of New York" -- used the term. And America First isolationists, during World War 2, attacked liberal President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as overly interventionist. Then, in 1992, America First views greatly influenced GOP paleoconservative Patrick Buchanan's presidential campaign.

January 5, 2026 at 11:19 AM EST
Democratic senator punished by Pentagon for 'illegal orders' video

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is being "demoted" as punishment for appearing in a viral video telling military members they don't have to follow unlawful orders. A collection of former military service and intelligence members filmed a video last year. The action has no bearing on Kelly's position in the U.S. Senate, but the Pentagon intends to put a note on Kelly's permanent record.

January 5, 2026 at 10:41 AM EST
Economist Paul Krugman: Trump determined to 'expand his territory'

Early Saturday morning, January 3, Americans woke up to a major foreign policy bombshell: U.S. forces, on orders from President Donald Trump, had captured leftist Venezuelan President Nicola's Maduro and transported him to New York City -- where he is being held in a federal detention center and is facing drug charges. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodr?guez is now in charge in the troubled South American country, which has land borders with Columbia, Brazil and Guyana.

January 5, 2026 at 10:18 AM EST
CNN host stunned over Trump detail revealed on Air Force One

President Donald Trump revealed a bizarre detail while speaking to the press on Air Force One late Sunday, as he flew back to the White House after his holiday vacation. "It was dark. The lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have," Trump said. "It was dark and it was deadly."

January 5, 2026 at 5:11 AM EST
The most shameful day in American history

Five years ago tomorrow was the most shameful day in American history. We must not allow Trump to persuade America that it did not happen or that he was innocent, or let him deflect the nation's attention from the fifth anniversary of what occurred that day.

January 5, 2026 at 5:05 AM EST
Trump admin post suggests intent to kick out nonwhite citizens

The Trump administration provoked horror this week with the suggestion that the United States could be turned into a paradise if over a quarter of the people in the country were deported. On Wednesday, the official social media account for the Department of Homeland Security posted a piece of artwork depicting a pink late-1960s Cadillac Eldorado parked on a bright, idyllic beach. Over the clear blue sky are the words "America after 100 million deportations.The post was captioned by the agency: "The peace of a nation no longer besieged by the third world."

January 5, 2026 at 4:53 AM EST
Run Venezuela? Trump can't even run the United States

Read it in the news: "Economic Confidence Drops to 17-Month Low" ""Gallup, December 4, 2025 "Satisfaction with U.S. healthcare costs is the lowest Gallup has recorded " since 2001." ""Gallup, December 15, 2025 "ACA credits expire, leading to sharp rise in health insurance premiums." ""WANF TV Atlanta, January 1, 2026 "We're going to run (Venezuela) until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition." ""Donald Trump, January 3, 2026 The commentary pretty much writes itself. As surely as night follow day, the Trump Administration was bound to do something to distract Americans from their well-founded economic fears""especially from a health cost crisis Trump's party just made vastly worse. And all that Venezuelan oil looks mighty attractive from an oligarch's perspective.

January 5, 2026 at 4:17 AM EST
What's really behind Trump's new power grab

The story of what's happening in Venezuela is unfolding quickly and big questions are mounting. The immediate danger in Venezuela (and potentially in Colombia and Cuba) is chaos. Asked tonight who's in charge of Venezuela, Trump answered: "We're in charge."

January 5, 2026 at 4:01 AM EST
Military expert explains how Maduro was snatched

The predawn seizure of Venezuelan President Nicola's Maduro on Jan. 3, 2026 was a complicated affair. It was also, operationally, a resounding success for the U.S. military. Operation Absolute Resolve achieved its objective of seizing Maduro through a mix of extensive planning, intelligence and timing. R. Evan Ellis, a military strategist and former Latin America policy adviser to the U.S. State Department, walked The Conversation through what is publicly known about the planning and execution of the raid.