US President Donald Trump has declared that military action against Venezuela remains a distinct possibility, while also threatening further seizures of oil tankers near the South American nation's coast.
Venezuela in the Crosshairs: War and Oil Threats
In a phone interview with NBC News published on Friday, President Trump was explicit about his stance. When questioned on the potential for conflict with Venezuela, he stated, "I don't rule it out, no." This keeps the prospect of war firmly on the table as his administration continues its pressure campaign against the government of Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has previously used social media to level a series of severe accusations at Maduro and his administration. He has publicly alleged they use "stolen" oil revenues to finance themselves and are involved in "Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping." The Venezuelan leader has consistently and strongly denied all these claims.
Domestic Policy Shifts and Tech Deal Progress
In the same NBC interview, President Trump signalled a notable shift on a key domestic issue. He indicated he no longer believes it is necessary to repeal the Affordable Care Act, widely known as Obamacare. This marks a departure from his position in November, when he suggested scrapping the healthcare law and redirecting its federal subsidies into direct payments to individuals.
In a significant development for the tech world, TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, took a major step on Thursday to avert a US ban. The firm signed binding agreements to transfer control of the video app's US operations to a consortium of investors, which includes Oracle. This move aims to end years of uncertainty over the platform's future in the United States.
Immigration, Space, and the Administration's Agenda
The Trump administration also secured a legal victory in its pursuit of hardline immigration policies. A US Justice Department official confirmed that a Wisconsin judge was found guilty on Thursday of assisting a migrant in evading a planned immigration arrest outside her courtroom. The ruling is viewed as a success for the administration's efforts to deter interference with its immigration enforcement tactics.
Looking to the stars, President Trump issued a sweeping executive order on Thursday, the first major space policy directive of his second term. The order formally enshrines the US goal of returning humans to the moon by 2028 and establishes a policy to defend American assets in space from potential weapon threats.
