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11:30 PM ET, January 3, 2026

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Politico:
Trump admin sends tough private message to oil companies on Venezuela … But people in the industry said the administration's message has left them still leery about the difficulty of rebuilding decayed oil fields in a country where it's not even clear who will lead the country for the foreseeable future.
RELATED:
Max Tani / Semafor:
News organizations held off on reporting Venezuela raid  —  The Scoop  —  The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops …
Isaac Chotiner / New Yorker:
The Brazen Illegality of Trump's Venezuela Operation  —  A scholar of international law on the implications of the U.S. arrest of President Nicolás Maduro.  —  On Saturday morning, President Donald Trump announced that the United States military, working with American law-enforcement officials …
Discussion: Los Angeles Times
New York Times:
Mamdani Called Trump to Criticize Venezuela Strikes  —  Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York accused President Trump of violating international law.  It was the first time he had criticized the president since their White House meeting.  —  Zohran Mamdani, the new mayor of New York City …
Steve Kopack / NBC News:
U.S. will look to tap Venezuelan oil reserves, Trump says  —  President Donald Trump said U.S. oil companies will invest billions to upgrade the country's aging oil infrastructure.  —  President Donald Trump said Saturday that the removal of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro from power …
Jack Goldsmith / Executive Functions:
On the Legality of the Venezuela Invasion  —  Executive branch precedents can be garnered to support the action—which does not, of course, mean that it is lawful.  —  Please click here to opt in to receive via email our Roundup—brief daily summaries of news developments and commentary related to executive power.
Discussion: New York Post and The Hill
Wall Street Journal:
After Maduro Ouster, Trump Takes On the Risks of Governing Venezuela  —  The administration is racing to get an interim government in place, even as pushback from Maduro's allies raise fears of instability  —  With Nicolás Maduro out of power, the Trump administration is racing …
Andrew Childers / Axios:
After capturing Maduro, Trump ramps up pressure on Mexico  —  Hours after the U.S. invaded Venezuela to seize President Nicolás Maduro, President Trump sent a warning to Mexico that it could be next. … - Trump went on to allege that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum isn't running her country …
Spencer Ackerman / FOREVER WARS:
A Criminal Empire  —  The United States launches a conquest and occupation of Venezuela to extract its oil wealth.  The neocon dream is the America First dream  —  AFTER TWO FAILED U.S. COUPS in Venezuela over 25 years, the first under George W. Bush and the second during Donald Trump's first presidency …
Donica Phifer / Axios:
Venezuela's VP throws cold water on Trump's solution for running the country  —  Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez condemned the U.S. attack and capture of President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, saying in a televised address the nation “will never return to being the colony of another empire.”
NBC News:
Some lawmakers criticize Trump's attack in Venezuela, fearing a costly new war  —  While Republican leaders rallied around Trump's military action, he faced pushback from Democrats and several GOP lawmakers about the legality and wisdom of the move.  —  WASHINGTON — While Republican leaders …
New York Times:
Trump's Attack on Venezuela Is Illegal and Unwise  —  Over the past few months, President Trump has deployed an imposing military force in the Caribbean to threaten Venezuela.  Until now, the president used that force — an aircraft carrier, at least seven other warships …
Matt Ortega / Matt Ortega for Congress:
Statement on Illegal U.S. Strike on Venezuela  —  Matt Ortega, Democratic candidate for California's 14th Congressional District, issued the following statement on the illegal strike against Venezuela:  —  The president's imperialist actions in Venezuela are illegal under U.S. and international law.
Brian Schwartz / Wall Street Journal:
Finance Industry Eyes Investment Opportunities in Venezuela  —  Some on Wall Street are already considering possible investment opportunities in Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, according to Charles Myers, chairman of consulting firm Signum Global Advisors and a former head of investment advisory firm Evercore.
Discussion: Business Insider
Charlie Savage / New York Times:
Can the U.S. Legally ‘Run’ Venezuela After Maduro's Capture?  Here's What to Know.  —  The operation revives disputes over the legality of the 1989 Panama intervention, enhanced by President Trump's vow to “run” Venezuela and Nicolás Maduro's formal status as president.
Andrew Solender / Axios:
Furious Dems float retaliation over Trump's “insane” Venezuela attack … - “I had absolutely no briefing or heads up,” House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.) fumed to Axios. … - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries …
James Fallows / Breaking the News:   ‘Blind Into Caracas’  —  Less than 24 hours in, members of the Trump team are celebrating victory.
New York Times:
Trump Shared an Image of Maduro Blindfolded and Handcuffed
Jill Lawless / Associated Press:
What we know about a US strike that captured Venezuela's Maduro
Washington Post:
Justice in Venezuela  —  The next challenge is setting the country up for long-term success.
NBC News:
‘We are going to run the country’: Trump says U.S. will govern Venezuela until there's a ‘proper transition’
Rebecca Ratcliffe / The Guardian:
Venezuelan leader Maduro lands in New York after capture by US troops - live
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Trump tells Post that US troops won't be in Venezuela if Maduro VP ‘does what we want’: ‘We have a second wave’
Derek Wallbank / Bloomberg:
Maduro Captured, Indicted After US Airstrikes on Venezuela
Washington Post:
Trump to address U.S. operation that captured Maduro, as he is being taken to New York
The Economist:
Donald Trump wants to run Venezuela, and dominate the western hemisphere
Discussion: The Hill, RedState and Mediaite
David Frum / The Atlantic:
Trump's Critics Are Falling Into an Obvious Trap
Discussion: Axios, Townhall and NewsMax.com
Melissa Goldin / Associated Press:   FACT FOCUS: Trump repeats false claims as he discusses US raid to extract Venezuela's president
Christian Datoc / Washington Examiner:
US is ‘going to run’ Venezuela ‘until a proper transition can take place’: Trump
New York Times:   In Toppling Maduro, Trump Risks Blowback from ‘America First’ Base
Nick Taylor-Vaisey / Politico:
Mark Carney urges Venezuelan-led transition following Maduro's capture
Discussion: Politico and Breitbart
Carole Cadwalladr / How to Survive the Broligarchy:   The Threat from America  —  A note on who I am and what I'm doing: I'm an investigative journalist …
Reuters:
Democratic lawmakers say they were misled on Venezuela
Discussion: The Atlantic and Algemeiner.com
New York Times:
Inside ‘Operation Absolute Resolve,’ the U.S. Effort to Capture Maduro
Herb Scribner / Axios:
Someone made a huge profit predicting Maduro's capture.  Here's what happened … - These bets — many of which were on Maduro's capture, and are now on what happens next to the ousted leader — will renew longstanding questions about inside information and access to prediction markets.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Josephine Walker / Axios:
Maduro likely headed for “inhumane” jail that housed Ghislaine Maxwell
Discussion: Washington Examiner
Politico:
The text of Trump's October deal with Xi Jinping is still MIA
The Hill:
Maduro, wife face new indictment: What we know about the case
 Earlier Items: 
emptywheel:
Trump's Selective Drug Enforcement in Latin America
Discussion: The Hill
Ryan Goodman / Just Security:
Maduro Capture Operation and the President's Duty to Faithfully Execute U.N. Charter
 

 
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