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President Trump said Wednesday that Washington expects to maintain a governing role in Venezuela well beyond the immediate aftermath of the Jan. 3 operation that led to the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on U.S. drug and weapons charges.

In a wide-ranging interview, Trump outlined an economic vision centered on Venezuela’s energy sector. “We will rebuild it in a very profitable way,” he said. “We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil. We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need.”

Pressed on how long the United States would retain influence over Venezuela’s internal affairs, the president initially demurred, saying “only time will tell.” When reporters floated timelines of up to a year, Trump responded candidly: “I would say much longer.”

The president offered no timetable for elections in Venezuela, even as he indicated support for Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to lead the Caracas government following Maduro’s arrest, rather than backing opposition figure María Corina Machado.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has argued that elections should come only at the conclusion of a broader transition away from what he has described as a quarter-century of left-wing authoritarian rule that drained Venezuela’s economy and institutions.

Trump said Wednesday that he has not personally spoken with Rodríguez since the arrest, but emphasized that communication channels are open. “Marco speaks to her all the time,” he said. “I will tell you that we are in constant communication with her and the administration,” adding that the current leadership is “giving us everything that we feel is necessary.”

“They’re treating us with great respect,” Trump continued. “As you know, we’re getting along very well with the administration that is there right now.”

Earlier in the day, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the United States would take open-ended control of Venezuelan crude oil sales. “Instead of the oil being blockaded, as it is right now, we’re gonna let the oil flow … to United States refineries and around the world to bring better oil supplies, but have those sales done by the US government,” Wright said.

The president had said the previous day that Venezuelan authorities would transfer between 30 million and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the United States, and that he instructed Wright to oversee the process.

Trump said the oil would be shipped to the U.S., sold at prevailing market prices, and managed under American authority, with proceeds intended to serve what he described as the interests of both nations.

In a separate interview with NBC News earlier in the week, Trump suggested that restoring Venezuelan oil production could take up to 18 months, while expressing optimism it could be accomplished sooner. “I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money,” he said.

“A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue,” the president added.

Trump is expected to sit down with executives from Chevron, Exxon Mobil, and ConocoPhillips to discuss possible investments, though industry analysts have warned that the cost and complexity of rebuilding Venezuela’s long-neglected oil infrastructure could make the administration’s plans difficult to execute.

{Matzav.com}

Dozens of youths set fire to Palestinian vehicles in the village of Dayr Sharaf, near Shechem. Two Palestinians were injured and taken to the hospital. IDF troops detained three suspects and transferred them to the Police for questioning.

Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the longest-serving Democrat in Congress and once a rival to become House speaker, will announce Thursday he is set to retire at the end of his term. Hoyer, who served for years in party leadership and helped steer Democrats through some of their most significant legislative victories, is set to […]

Why This Raffle? R’ Mendy Rosenberg z”l was a devoted Hatzolah member who saved lives and helped thousands. After being diagnosed with ALS, he endured years of suffering — yet still completed the entire Shas, inspiring Klal Yisrael with his strength and faith. He left behind his wife and five children. Mendy’s Legacy Fund helps […]

Severe weather conditions forced a passenger aircraft to abort its landing at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Istanbul earlier today.

Businesses across multiple regions of Iran are shut today as part of ongoing protest actions, including in major cities such as Tehran, Tabriz, and Mashhad, as unrest enters its 12th day.

The Syrian Army announced a new “military operation” in the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in Aleppo, northern Syria. Heavy clashes are currently reported between Syrian government forces and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker: “The President has emphasized how the first priority of this foreign policy is the Western Hemisphere… and I think this [oil] deal that’s now taking shape… I think is a brilliant idea. Buying American products enhances our business and our industry.”

US Attorney Bill Essayli on fraud in California: “We already charged millions of dollars in fraud. I can tell you, more charges are coming, probably as soon as this month — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

VP VANCE: “We believe that there is a nationwide fraud ring that’s rooted in illegal aliens and others taking advantage of the American welfare system. We’re going to get to the root of it, and anybody who’s involved is going to get prosecuted.”

BREAKING: Rep. Steny H. Hoyer announced he will not seek reelection, bringing to a close a nearly six-decade career in elected office, including two decades as the House Democratic leader’s No. 2.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday put forward a proposal to raise U.S. military spending to $1.5 trillion in 2027, arguing that the country is facing what he described as “troubled and dangerous times.”

The proposal comes just days after Trump ordered a U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and remove him from the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States. At the same time, American military forces continue to build up their presence in the Caribbean Sea.

Under current plans, the U.S. defense budget for 2026 stands at $901 billion.

Beyond Venezuela, Trump has recently floated a number of other aggressive national security ideas, including taking control of Greenland, a Danish territory, citing strategic concerns. He has also indicated a willingness to consider military action in Colombia, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that longtime adversary Cuba “is in trouble.”

Announcing the proposal on Truth Social, Trump said, “This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe.”

The Pentagon already received a substantial boost last year, with roughly $175 billion allocated through the GOP’s “big, beautiful bill” of tax cuts and spending reductions that Trump signed into law.

Despite that increase, Trump’s call for even more defense funding is expected to face opposition on multiple fronts. Democrats have traditionally pushed to keep defense and non-defense spending increases in balance, while fiscal conservatives within the Republican Party have warned against further swelling the federal deficit.

Trump has countered those concerns by pointing to increased federal revenue generated by tariffs imposed by his administration on allies and adversaries alike since his return to office. He has argued that these tariffs give the government the financial flexibility to fund higher military spending.

However, while tariff revenue has risen sharply, it still falls far short of covering Trump’s wide-ranging pledges, which include paying down the national debt, issuing dividends to taxpayers, and now funding a major expansion of the military budget.

Separately on Wednesday, Trump also issued a warning to Raytheon, one of the nation’s largest defense contractors, saying the company could lose Pentagon business if it does not stop buying back its own stock and instead reinvest profits into expanding weapons production.

Trump has repeatedly complained in recent months that defense contractors have failed to deliver critical weapons on time while continuing to reward investors through dividends and stock buybacks and paying hefty compensation packages to top executives.

“Either Raytheon steps up, and starts investing in more upfront Investment like Plants and Equipment, or they will no longer be doing business with Department of War,” Trump wrote on social media. “Also, if Raytheon wants further business with the United States Government, under no circumstances will they be allowed to do any additional Stock Buybacks, where they have spent Tens of Billions of Dollars, until they are able to get their act together.”

Raytheon manufactures several of the U.S. military’s most prominent missile systems, including the Tomahawk cruise missile, the Javelin and Stinger shoulder-fired missiles, and the Sidewinder air-to-air missile.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beirut for meetings with Lebanese officials. Speaking at Rafik Hariri International Airport, Araghchi addressed tensions with Israel, saying Iran is “fully prepared for any scenario.” He added, “We do not seek war, but we are ready for it, and we are also ready for negotiations based on mutual […]

An Israeli drone carried out a strike a short time ago on a vehicle in southern Lebanon.

Experts are stunned as U.S. economic productivity surges 4.9%, marking its highest level in nearly six years.

Earlier today, the IDF identified a failed rocket launch from Gaza City toward Israel. The rocket fell inside the Gaza Strip, near a hospital. In response, the IDF carried out a precise strike on the launch site.

VP Vance explains how the operation in Venezuela helps America through controlling their vast natural resources, gaining leverage on enemies, and demonstrating our military excellence: “What President Trump said was in our neighborhood, the United States calls the shots. That’s the way it’s always been — that’s the way it is again under the President’s […]

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello says that the death toll from the U.S. military operation that ousted President Nicolás Maduro has reached about 100 people, according to Venezuelan government statements. Cabello described the attack as devastating and said a similar number of people were wounded.

Following the events of a ICE related shooting, Minneapolis Public Schools announced there will be no school on Thursday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 9 due to safety concerns related to today’s incidents around the city.”

An account purporting to depict a Rabbi Menachem Goldberg has some 100,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, and although the accounts post videos that have backgrounds with apparently secular or Christian tapestries hanging on walls of shuls with multiple aronei kodesh, some with nonsensical Hebrew inscriptions, some users appear to be duped by the account.

Some commenters thank the “rabbi,” who wears a long beard and a black hat, and thank “him” for his words of wisdom. Others appear to be aware that something is amiss with the account, which launched on Dec. 29.

Both the Instagram and TikTok accounts hawk publications called “The Five Pillars” ($9.99) and “Rabbi’s Blueprint” ($19.99).

According to a biography on the website, the “rabbi” has “dedicated over 40 years to studying and teaching the intersection of Jewish wisdom and financial prosperity. Based in Brooklyn, he has helped thousands of people from all backgrounds achieve meaningful success through timeless Torah principles.”

In some backgrounds of the films, the “rabbi” sits in an apparent shul, in which a Sefer Torah lies open and unattended on a desk.

Many of the things that the “rabbi” says in the videos are platitudes, delivered in succession with minimal translations. The apparent rabbi refers to “God” rather than “Hashem,” and does not tend to cite particular Torah verses or rabbinic commentators in any of his messages. He also refers often to “abundance” and “renewal.” He often signs off his videos by directing people to buy his books and in several says just “link in bio.”

He says at one point that the Torah says not to put a stumbling block before “another.” The posuk says before a “blind person.”

Rabbi Gil Student, director of Jewish media and publications at the Orthodox Union, is part of the team developing Ohrbit, an artificial intelligence tool that delivers personalized Torah learning experiences.

“AI is a powerful tool to amplify Torah and help people study more Torah,” he told JNS. “AI should not replace human involvement and effort but can be an incredible tool when used responsibly.”

“AI requires transparency and responsibility,” he added. “Jewish tradition requires that any book, whether written by a human or AI, have a responsible human review and approbation.” JNS

{Matzav.com}