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6 days ago
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Reports US ready for next phase of Venezuela military operations
Trump has been escalating pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and has now labelled him and government allies as members of a foreign terrorist organization.
That designation is another step towards criminalizing Maduro – analysts say it could pressure Maduro into stepping down with the threat of military force.
It also potentially gives the US expanded military options for striking within the country, US media is reporting.
The exact timing or scope of the new operations is unknown, and it’s not clear either whether Trump has made a final decision to act, Reuters reported.
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Good morning
And welcome to our US politics live blog. I’m Frances Mao and I’ll be taking you through the major developments these next few hours.
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The US and Ukraine say they have made progress in talks on ending the war with Russia, with Marco Rubio announcing amendments to a “refined” draft agreement.
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However Donald Trump has lashed out at Ukraine’s leadership, saying Kyiv has shown “zero gratitude”.
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His administration has also designated Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, as a member of a foreign terrorist organisation, which could allow for the hit of new sanctions. Reports also emerged on the weekend that the US military could be set to move into a new phase of operations in the Caribbean this week. More on this soon.
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The resignation of Maga loyalist turned rebel Marjorie Taylor Greene is a warning sign to Trump, analysts say. The Georgian congresswoman had once been one of Trump’s most vocal allies but she announced an exit on Friday, following a public spat over the Epstein files, saying she refused to be a “battered wife”.
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And Trump’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) – famously run by Elon Musk for a few months – has disbanded with eight months left on its mandate, ending a highly-publicised initiative that had been a symbol of Trump’s pledge to slash the government’s size but which critics say delivered few measurable savings.
