Feed aggregator

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1671-Chikuy-Part-71-Greater.mp3

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

 

 

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Stories4Life-Shiur-521-Stand-Up-R-Dovid-Soloveichik.mp3

Ninety-two-year-old Senior United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein – an Orthodox Jew – will preside over the criminal case against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, placing one of the most consequential international prosecutions in recent years in the hands of one of the federal judiciary’s most senior jurists.

Judge Hellerstein, who has served on the Manhattan-based federal bench for more than a quarter-century, is among the oldest active federal judges in the country. He took senior status in 2011 after being appointed to the court in 1998 and continues to hear major cases in the Southern District, which is widely regarded as the most powerful federal prosecutor’s office in the United States.

The assignment has drawn attention not only because of Hellerstein’s age and judicial stature, but also because he is an Orthodox Jew, a personal background that has long been publicly known but is rarely highlighted in connection with such a high-profile international criminal case.

Maduro faces sweeping federal charges related to narcotics trafficking, terrorism-linked offenses, corruption, and other serious crimes. The case has major geopolitical implications and has been closely watched since the charges were first unsealed by U.S. prosecutors several years ago. With Maduro now in U.S. custody, the proceedings are expected to move forward in Manhattan federal court.

Judge Hellerstein brings extensive experience with complex, politically sensitive, and historically significant litigation. Over the years, he has presided over major financial cases, terrorism-related litigation, and nationally prominent civil actions, including consolidated lawsuits arising from the September 11 attacks. He is known for detailed rulings, firm courtroom management, and a methodical approach to evidentiary and procedural issues.

Born in New York City in 1933, Hellerstein earned his undergraduate and law degrees at Columbia University before serving in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He later spent decades in private practice before joining the federal bench, where he quickly became a central figure in the Southern District’s docket.

In addition to his judicial career, Hellerstein has long been active in Jewish communal and educational life, being a shomer Torah umitzvos while serving in senior public office. His role in the Maduro case places that personal background alongside one of the most prominent prosecutions ever handled by the Southern District of New York.

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of cheering onlookers gathered near the Brooklyn detention facility Saturday night as Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived under heavy guard, celebrating what many viewed as a historic moment following the Venezuelan leader’s capture.

Among the crowd was Ronny Chirinos, a Venezuelan national who moved from Maracay to New York three years ago to escape the Maduro government. Watching the scene unfold, he said, “It’s such a joy to see the dictator fall, but the regime hasn’t fallen yet.” He added, “I want everything to fall. That there is no one left.”

The couple had been seized earlier that day in Caracas during a dramatic overnight US operation. After being taken out of Venezuela, they were flown to New York Saturday night to face federal narco-terrorism and related charges in the Southern District of New York.

Upon landing, Maduro and Flores were brought to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York headquarters for processing. From there, they were transported by helicopter past the Statue of Liberty to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where the celebrating crowd had already assembled.

Video and photographs released by the White House on X later showed Maduro inside the DEA facility in Manhattan, marking his first public appearance since his capture. The footage, labeled “Perp walk,” depicts him in handcuffs, wearing black sweatpants, a black hat, white socks, and jail-issued flip-flops, clutching a water bottle as agents escorted him through the Chelsea building.

Despite the circumstances, Maduro appeared oddly cordial in the footage, audibly greeting agents with “Good Night, Happy New Year,” and at another point wishing them a “Happy New Year,” according to the video.

Outside the Brooklyn lockup, the mood was loud and triumphant. Revelers praised President Trump for authorizing the high-risk military mission, chanting slogans including “down with the dictator” and “dirty scumbag” as news spread of Maduro’s arrival.

Maduro and Flores are expected to make their first appearance in federal court as early as Monday.

{Matzav.com}

Following a public outcry over a petition calling on donors to withhold funding from certain yeshivos if they criticize the IDF, the group behind the initiative has issued a clarification letter conceding that the effort led to division rather than unity and announcing that the initiative is being shut down.

The clarification was released by the “Coalition of Talmud Torah & Security (CTTS)” after widespread criticism within the Torah world. In the statement, the organizers acknowledged that the media attention surrounding the petition undermined their stated goal of promoting unity among Klal Yisroel.

“We recognize that the media attention to the Petition dated January 1, 2026, released earlier this week, may have caused more division than unity,” the letter states. “That is contradictory to the purpose and goal of the Coalition, which is to promote ‘achdus’ and unity within Klal Yisroel.”

The donors emphasized that the campaign was never intended to weaken the Torah world and stressed that the initiative is now being closed.

“Accordingly, we want to clarify that our chief mission is to promote ‘achdus’ and unity within the Jewish community around the world,” the letter continues. “We wholeheartedly support and endorse all Torah institutions around the world, as Talmud Torah is the beacon of light to the world and the very source for all protection and prosperity of the Jewish nation.”

Sources familiar with the matter told Matzav.com that Alan Leibowitz of Flatbush, one of the central figures behind the initiative, held extended discussions with the nosi of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, Rav Avraham Fruchthandler, who explained the realities facing the Torah world in Eretz Yisroel and the pressures endured by families whose sons are learning Torah under difficult circumstances.

Askanim in the United States were reportedly quick to welcome the clarification. In private conversations, they noted that “our responsibility now is to bring them closer,” expressing appreciation for the donors’ decision to step back and reassess.

In their letter, the coalition also expressed public gratitude to Israeli soldiers, emphasizing unity rather than division at a time of rising antisemitism worldwide.

“We also want to extend our immense ‘hakaras hatov’ to the brave soldiers of the IDF who risk their lives every day to serve and protect the people of Israel and the Jewish nation,” the statement reads. “We continue to daven and pray for their success and safety.”

The letter further stresses the need for internal cohesion in the face of external threats.

“We are all members of one faith and we must come together to build each other up, especially during a period of rapid antisemitism growing around the world,” the coalition wrote. “As a nation strongly committed to the success and growth of our people, we must all think about the future of Am Yisroel and how we can promote same. There is a way, if we want it; we just need to really want it.”

The statement concludes with a call for responsible dialogue and reflection, reiterating that the coalition remains focused on unity.

“We are positioned and driven to the mission of ‘achdus’ and we remain committed to the task. We welcome and encourage further thought and discussion on the matter,” the letter concludes. “With Hashem’s help, may we be fortunate to see the Geulah b’karov.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee issued a sharp rebuke on Monday night after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly criticized the U.S. operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Reacting to Mamdani’s comments, Huckabee wrote, “I pity the people of New York for electing a mayor who sides with a drug trafficker and ally of Iran and Hezbollah rather than his constituents.” He added, “Will he and Sen. Van Hollen go to Maduro’s jail cell to sip margaritas for solidarity?”

Earlier in the day, Mamdani said he had been briefed on the overnight U.S. military action and its aftermath, writing, “I was briefed this morning on the US military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City.”

The mayor went on to condemn the operation itself, stating, “Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law.”

Mamdani further argued that the consequences extend beyond foreign policy, saying, “This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance.”

{Matzav.com}

Over the course of a single night, global politics and energy economics appeared to enter uncharted territory, as Venezuela — holder of the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves — was abruptly placed at the center of an extraordinary projection of American influence.

With an estimated 303 billion barrels of proven reserves, Venezuela’s vast oil wealth has long been recognized as strategically significant. That reality took on new urgency after a U.S.-led operation resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, followed by President Donald Trump’s declaration that the United States would be “very strongly involved” in the country’s oil sector. The statement reverberated across energy markets and diplomatic capitals around the world.

At roughly $57 per barrel, Venezuela’s reserves are valued at about $17.3 trillion. Even at a steep discount — half of current market prices — the oil would still be worth nearly $8.7 trillion, exceeding the total economic output of every nation except the United States and China, and dwarfing Japan’s GDP by nearly four times.

Trump outlined his vision during a December 3 press conference, describing a U.S. role that would extend beyond security into direct economic management. He said major American oil companies would enter Venezuela, commit billions of dollars to rehabilitating what he called the country’s “badly broken” oil infrastructure, and restart large-scale production.

“We’re going to have our very large US oil companies — the biggest anywhere in the world — go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said. “We’re in the oil business. We’re going to sell it to them.”

Under the plan Trump described, U.S. companies would front the costs of rebuilding Venezuela’s oil facilities, with future oil revenues used to repay those investments.

“The money coming out of the ground is very substantial,” he said. “We’re going to get reimbursed for everything that we spend.”

Trump also revealed that U.S. forces had been prepared to launch a second, larger military operation if circumstances demanded it, though he said that step was not ultimately required. He made clear that he was not ruling out American troop deployments.

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground. We’re going to make sure the country is run properly,” he said.

For decades, Venezuela’s oil has represented both immense promise and persistent peril. Despite its unmatched reserves, the country’s production collapsed amid sanctions, corruption, underinvestment, and political instability. Aging infrastructure and the mass departure of skilled workers reduced output to a shadow of its former capacity, leaving what should have been an energy powerhouse mired in economic ruin.

Trump’s remarks point to a sharp break from that decline, with Venezuela potentially administered by the United States alongside a “group” of partners for an extended period. Under that model, oil revenues would underwrite governance, reconstruction, and economic recovery.

The scenario has reignited long-simmering debates over sovereignty, intervention, and control of natural resources. Critics argue the move risks resurrecting the legacy of U.S. interventionism in Latin America, while supporters contend it reflects a new era of energy geopolitics, where access to strategic resources eclipses traditional diplomatic constraints.

Should U.S. firms succeed in reviving Venezuela’s oil production, the consequences for global energy markets could be far-reaching. A surge of Venezuelan crude could disrupt OPEC’s internal balance, exert downward pressure on prices, and reshape the strategic calculations of major producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Beyond oil markets, the sheer magnitude of the resource now at stake is difficult to overstate. Trillions of dollars in reserves — exceeding the annual economic output of nearly the entire world — have become central to U.S. strategic thinking virtually overnight. As Trump summed it up, “We’re going to get the oil flowing.”

{Matzav.com}

Following the U.S. operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a pointed warning aimed squarely at Cuba’s leadership.

Speaking at a press conference at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Rubio suggested that officials in Havana should be uneasy in light of the day’s events.

“So, yeah, look, if I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned at least a little bit,” Rubio said.

WATCH:

Rubio accused Cuba of exercising deep and corrosive influence over Venezuela’s security apparatus, claiming that Maduro’s protective detail and intelligence services were heavily staffed by Cubans.

“He claimed Maduro’s guards and Venezuela’s ‘whole spy agency’ were ‘full of Cubans,’ and that ‘this poor island took over Venezuela.’”

“In some cases, one of the biggest problems Venezuelans have is they have to declare independence from Cuba,” Rubio added. “They tried to basically colonize it from a security standpoint.”

The secretary went further, lashing out at Cuba’s leadership, saying the country is “run by incompetent, senile men, and in some cases not seen now, but incompetent nonetheless.”

Before Rubio addressed reporters, President Trump also referenced Cuba while outlining his administration’s regional outlook, saying the United States “wants to surround ourselves with good neighbors,” but cautioning that Cuba is “not doing very well right now” and describing it as a “failing nation.”

“It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba, but we want to also help the people who are forced out of Cuba and living in this country,” Trump said.

{Matzav.com}

Compensation will be paid by the BBC to the Horenstein family of Netiv Ha’asara after a BBC news team entered their private residence in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre.

The incident occurred in the days immediately following the attack, when a BBC crew that included International Editor Jeremy Bowen went into the family’s home without authorization, the broadcaster acknowledged.

According to a report by Jewish News, the BBC agreed to pay the family 120,000 shekels in compensation for the unauthorized entry.

Tzeela Horenstein described the experience in stark terms, saying, “Not only did terrorists break into our home and try to murder us, but then the BBC crew entered again, this time with a camera as a weapon, without permission or consent. It was another intrusion into our lives. We felt that everything that was still under our control had been taken from us.”

During the October 7 assault, the Horenstein family survived only because their door became jammed when terrorists attempted to blow it open with explosives. At the time the BBC crew entered the house, extended family members still did not know whether those inside had survived the attack.

{Matzav.com}

Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were transported into New York City tonight following their seizure by U.S. forces during a covert overnight mission carried out earlier today.

After arriving at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, upstate New York, shortly before 5 p.m., the couple was transferred by helicopter to a heliport in Lower Manhattan, touching down just before 7 p.m. From there, they were placed into a van and escorted away in a small motorcade.

Maduro is expected to make his first appearance in federal court as soon as Monday.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today unveiled a significant reshaping of his government, installing two of the country’s most prominent wartime figures in roles central to Kyiv’s military and political decision-making as the conflict with Russia continues.

Zelensky named Mykhailo Fedorov, widely known as Ukraine’s “drone czar,” as the country’s new minister of defense, while appointing intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov to lead the presidential office, a position comparable to a White House chief of staff.

Fedorov, 34, has served since 2019 as deputy prime minister and minister of digital transformation, where he became a driving force behind Ukraine’s early adoption of drone warfare and the rapid digitalization of state and defense systems after Russia’s invasion. He replaces Denys Shmyhal, the former prime minister who assumed the defense portfolio in July.

“Mykhailo is deeply involved in the issues related to the Drone Line and works very effectively on digitalizing public services and processes,” Zelensky said. “Together with all our military, the army command, national weapons producers, and Ukraine’s partners, we must implement defense-sector changes that will be of help.”

Budanov, 39, accepted his new post in a statement on X, describing the role as an “honour and a profound commitment, especially at this decisive moment in our country’s history, to focus on issues critical to Ukraine’s strategic security.”

A decorated lieutenant general, Budanov has led Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence since August 2020 and has become one of the most recognizable figures of the war, credited with overseeing daring covert operations far behind Russian lines.

The moves underscore Zelensky’s continued shift away from the civilian-heavy leadership that characterized Ukrainian politics before Russia’s February 2022 invasion, toward a team dominated by military and security professionals.

Both Fedorov and Budanov enjoy strong public support in Ukraine and are well regarded among Western officials.

Just days ago, Ukrainian intelligence released footage showing Budanov speaking with Denis Kapustin, a far-right Russian militant and outspoken opponent of Vladimir Putin, following an operation that staged Kapustin’s supposed assassination by drone.

The ruse prompted the Kremlin to unknowingly pay out a $500,000 bounty before Ukraine revealed that Kapustin was alive. Kapustin founded the Russian Volunteer Corps, an anti-Putin group established in 2022 that later carried out cross-border raids into Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions.

Budanov also oversaw “Operation Spider Web,” during which Ukraine positioned 117 drones near five Russian military airfields deep inside the country, destroying more than a dozen nuclear-capable long-range bombers and damaging two dozen additional aircraft.

In another operation earlier this year, Ukrainian intelligence agents planted explosive devices inside Russian virtual reality goggles used by drone pilots. The devices detonated during use, blinding and injuring dozens of operators.

Budanov will be succeeded as intelligence chief by Oleh Ivashchenko, who previously headed Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

The political shakeup comes amid renewed diplomatic tension, as Vladimir Putin has sought to undercut President Trump’s peace efforts with Kyiv. Earlier this week, Putin told Trump that one of his residences had been attacked — a claim later dismissed by CIA officials, who said the incident never occurred.

Trump appeared to echo that assessment on New Year’s Eve by sharing a link to a New York Post editorial arguing that Putin was likely fabricating the claim to obstruct negotiations.

The appointments also follow Russian missile strikes that wounded at least 16 civilians in residential areas of Kharkiv, and warnings from Ukrainian intelligence that Moscow may attempt a large-scale “false flag” attack in the coming weeks using Western-made drones to “falsify evidence of Ukraine’s involvement.”

Budanov replaces Andriy Yermak, who resigned from the presidential office in November after authorities searched his home as part of a corruption investigation. Yermak had previously led Ukraine’s negotiating team in talks with the Trump administration over a potential peace framework.

No charges have been filed against Yermak, who told The New York Post that he intended to head to the “front lines” to join Ukraine’s war effort.

Since Yermak’s departure, national security adviser Rustem Umerov has led Kyiv’s delegation in the negotiations. It was unclear today whether Umerov will continue in that role or yield prominence to Budanov under the new structure.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said today that the United States will temporarily assume control of Venezuela after U.S. forces carried out a sweeping military operation that bombed sites across the country and captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, flying them to the United States to face criminal charges.

Speaking at a press conference in Florida, Trump said Washington would oversee Venezuela during a transition period, arguing that immediate control was necessary to prevent another disastrous outcome.

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition” to new leadership, Trump said, adding that officials would be appointed to manage the process, though he did not specify who they would be.

Trump said the U.S. could not risk allowing a successor to emerge who would perpetuate the same conditions that existed under Maduro.

“We can’t take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn’t have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind,” Trump said.

The president warned that additional military action remained an option if conditions on the ground required it.

“We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so. So we were prepared to do a second wave if we need to do so,” he said.

Asked whether U.S. control of Venezuela could involve American troops on the ground, Trump was blunt.

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” he said, adding, “We don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain.”

Trump confirmed that Maduro and his wife were headed to New York, where the Venezuelan leader has been indicted. Maduro arrived in New York this afternoon and could appear in court as early as Monday.

Trump said Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez “was sworn in as president just a little while ago” and had spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in what he described as a “gracious” conversation. Hours later, however, Rodriguez appeared on state television demanding Maduro’s release.

“We demand the immediate liberation of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores,” she said, calling Maduro “the only president of Venezuela.”

The remarks were delivered at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where he was joined by senior advisers including Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

U.S. officials said the operation had been in preparation for months and unfolded over several hours. The administration described it as part of a broader campaign to halt narcotics flowing into the United States, coming just weeks before the first anniversary of Trump’s second inauguration.

Two U.S. officials familiar with the planning told NBC News today that Trump approved the military and law enforcement actions more than a week ago.

Caine said military forces waited days for favorable weather conditions before executing the mission.

“Weather in Venezuela is always a factor this time of the year, and over the weeks through Christmas and New Year’s, the men and women of the United States military sat ready, patiently waiting for the right triggers to be met and the president to order us into action,” Caine told reporters.

“Last night, the weather broke just enough, clearing a path that only the most skilled aviators in the world could maneuver through,” he added.

Caine said Trump gave the final order at 10:46 p.m. ET Friday night. U.S. forces reached Maduro’s compound by 1:01 a.m. ET today and were back over open water with Maduro and his wife by 3:29 a.m.

Trump said he watched the mission live from Mar-a-Lago and described Maduro’s attempt to reach a reinforced safe room as U.S. forces closed in.

“He was trying to get to a safe place, which wasn’t safe, because we would have had the door blown up in about 47 — I think, 47 seconds,” Trump said. “It was a very thick door, a very heavy door, but he was unable to get to that door. He made it to the door. He was unable to close it.”

Caine said multiple types of aircraft and remotely piloted drones were used to protect helicopters and personnel during the operation. He said U.S. helicopters came under fire and American forces “replied to that fire with overwhelming force in self-defense.”

One U.S. aircraft was damaged but remained airworthy, Caine said. Later today, one U.S. official and one White House official told NBC News that several American troops were injured during the operation, all of whom are in stable condition.

Vice President JD Vance participated in the planning, according to a spokesperson.

“The vice president joined several late night meetings via secure video conference with National Security principals leading up to the operation,” the spokesperson said.

The strike marked the climax of months of escalating rhetoric and pressure from Trump and his administration toward Maduro. Conducted without congressional authorization, the operation immediately sparked sharp reactions on Capitol Hill. Trump said U.S. oil companies were ready to move into Venezuela.

“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” he said.

Trump argued that managing Venezuela would not cost the U.S. taxpayer.

“It won’t cost us anything, because the money coming out of the ground is very substantial,” he said.

He later added, “We’re going to be taking out a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground, and that wealth is going to the people of Venezuela and people from outside of Venezuela that used to be in Venezuela, and it goes also to the United States of America in the form of reimbursement for the damages caused us by that country.”

Rodriguez accused Washington of pursuing regime change solely to seize Venezuela’s resources.

The U.S. “only had one objective: regime change in Venezuela. And that this regime change allows them to capture our energy resources, mineral resources and natural resources,” she said.

Minutes before Trump addressed reporters, he posted on Truth Social an image appearing to show Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima wearing a blindfold and holding a bottle of water, along with a video of U.S. strikes set to “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X that Maduro would “face the full wrath” of the American justice system.

An indictment unsealed today charges Maduro with narco-terrorism conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

Prosecutors allege in the indictment that Maduro “is at the forefront of that corruption and has partnered with his co-conspirators to use his illegally obtained authority and the institutions he corroded to transport thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States.”

They further allege that Maduro and other officials sold passports, provided protection and facilitated the movement of massive quantities of illegal drugs through Venezuelan ports, including shipments linked to Mexican drug cartels.

Trump said he reviewed the evidence underlying the charges and blamed Maduro for crime and drug trafficking affecting the United States.

“I’ve seen what we have. It’s both horrible and breathtaking that something like this could have been allowed to take place for many years after his term as president of Venezuela expired,” Trump said. “Maduro remained in power and waged a ceaseless campaign of violence, terror and subversion against the United States of America, threatening not only our people, but the stability of the entire region.”

Maduro was first indicted in 2020 during Trump’s first administration. He rose to power in 2013 and was sworn into a third term one year ago, despite evidence he did not win the previous election.

At the United Nations, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said today that Secretary-General António Guterres was “deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela” and warned the U.S. action carried “potential worrying implications for the region.”

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, praised the operation, writing, “Venezuelans, the hour of freedom has arrived.”

In the United States, Trump’s supporters hailed the strike as a blow against drug trafficking and lawlessness, while Democratic leaders accused the president of bypassing Congress and questioned whether the action aligned with an “America First” agenda.

Trump has repeatedly suggested intervention in Venezuela in recent months. Last month, he told NBC News, “I don’t rule it out,” when asked about war with the country.

Days earlier, he announced a blockade of “sanctioned” oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. Last month, the U.S. seized two oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast, and U.S. forces continued strikes on vessels accused of carrying drugs in the Caribbean.

One day before his capture, Maduro said on state television that he was open to cooperation with the U.S. on narcotics enforcement.

“The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready,” Maduro said.

Today, Democratic lawmakers criticized the administration for acting without congressional approval.

“Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, but I have seen no evidence that his presidency poses a threat that would justify military action without Congressional authorization,” Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said.

Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey added, “Trump rejected our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war.”

Trump dismissed the criticism during a phone interview with Fox News, calling Democrats “weak, stupid people.”

“As far as last night is concerned, it was really genius. What they did is genius, and the Democrats, maybe they’ll take a shot, you know? They’ll take a shot. All they do is complain,” he said. “They should say, ‘You know what, we did a great job.’ … They do say, ‘Oh, gee, maybe it’s not constitutional.’ You know, the same old stuff that we’ve been hearing for years and years and years.”

Rubio defended the lack of advance notice to lawmakers.

“This is not the kind of mission that you do congressional notification,” he said. “On a trigger-based mission in which conditions had to be met night after night, we watch them monitor that for a number of days. So it’s just simply not the kind of mission you can call people and say, ‘Hey, we may do this at some point in the next 15 days.’”

Trump said lawmakers were not notified in advance because “Congress has a tendency to leak.”

Two U.S. officials told NBC News that details of the operation were so tightly held that even the Pentagon was not informed of its precise timing until late last night.

House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the action, writing on X, “Today’s military action in Venezuela was a decisive and justified operation that will protect American lives.”

Sources told NBC News that top lawmakers on the House and Senate intelligence committees were briefed after the operation was already underway, including both Republican chairs and Democratic ranking members.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said today that he spoke with Rubio and expects additional briefings next week.

“I spoke to Secretary Rubio early this morning, and I look forward to receiving further briefings from the administration on this operation as part of its comprehensive counternarcotics strategy when the Senate returns to Washington next week,” Thune said.

In November, a bipartisan Senate effort to require congressional approval for future military action in Venezuela fell short of passage. The push followed the administration’s release of declassified footage showing U.S. strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats.

In October, Trump said those strikes were part of his fight against cartels and suggested he did not need a declaration of war.

“Well, I don’t think we’re going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. OK, we’re gonna kill them. You know, they’re gonna be like, dead,” he said at the time.

Trump repeated those claims today, saying, “The Maduro regime emptied out their prisons, sent their worst and most violent monsters into the United States to steal American lives, and they came from mental institutions and insane asylums. They came from prisons and jails.”

A source familiar with intelligence operations said today that a small CIA team had been operating inside Venezuela since August, providing “extraordinary insight” into Maduro’s movements and making his capture “seamless.”

Near the end of his remarks, Trump compared Venezuela’s situation to Cuba.

“Cuba is an interesting case. Cuba is, you know, not doing very well right now. That system has not been a very good one for Cuba. The people there have suffered for many, many years,” he said.

“I think Cuba is going to be something we’ll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation right now, a very badly failing nation, and we want to help the people. It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba.”

Rubio added, “If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned.”

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the U.S. action in a post on X.

His government “urgently demands the reaction of the international community against the criminal attack by the U.S. on #Venezuela. Our #ZonaDePaz [Zone of Peace] is being brutally assaulted. State terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people and against Our America. Homeland or Death We Shall Overcome!”

{Matzav.com}

National security advisers from Europe and other allies visited Kyiv on Saturday to discuss security guarantees and economic support as a U.S.-led diplomatic push to end the nearly 4-year-old war in Ukraine intensifies. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, preparing to travel to Paris for a meeting with partners, said work on the peace proposals could now accelerate […]

Baruch Dayan Emes: Rav Moshe Lieber Zt”l. The levaya is over, the shiva has passed, but sadly a tremendous financial burden looms large over Rav Moshe’s rebbetzin. Between the kvura, children’s chasunas, and medical expenses, coupled with the lack of life insurance – we are trying to raise $100,000, to alleviate this pressure and allow […]

Schumer on a press call accuses the Trump administration of lying to him during briefings about Venezuela.

A protester in Iran is seen using a flamethrower at Iranian forces as protests continue across the country.

Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa discusses the plan for health care in the new year, whether there could be a possible government shutdown.

Airlines cancel hundreds of Caribbean flights after U.S. attacks on Venezuela * U.S. airlines canceled hundreds of Caribbean flights, including travel to Puerto Rico, after a large-scale attack on Venezuela. * The Federal Aviation Administration prohibited airlines from flying in parts of the Caribbean after the strikes. * U.S. air carriers haven’t served Venezuela directly […]

Ret. U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis praises the military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but stresses caution in the days ahead on ‘Fox Report.’

WATCH:

Dozens are missing after a boat carrying more than 200 migrants on their way to Europe capsized off the coast of Gambia, the West African nation’s leader said late Friday, setting off a frantic search and rescue operation. At least 102 survivors have been rescued and seven bodies recovered from the boat that capsized on […]