U.S. forces have boarded another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. The announcement was made Friday by the U.S. military. The Trump administration has been traveling to and from Venezuela.
The pre-dawn action was carried out by U.S. Marines and Navy, taking part in the monthslong buildup of forces in the Caribbean, according to U.S. Southern Command, which declared 鈥渢here is no safe haven for criminals鈥� as it announced the seizure of the vessel called the Olina.
Navy officials couldn鈥檛 immediately provide details about whether the Coast Guard was part of the force that took control of the vessel as has been the case in the previous seizures. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard said there was no immediate comment on the seizure.
The Olina is the fifth tanker that has been seized by U.S. forces as part of a broader effort by Trump鈥檚 administration to control the distribution of Venezuela鈥檚 oil products globally following the U.S. ouster of President Nicol谩s Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid.
The latest:
Trump wears a new 鈥楬appy Trump鈥� lapel pin, but insists he鈥檚 never happy
insists he鈥檚 never happy. But now he has a lapel pin that is.
The president sported a tiny version of himself on his suit鈥檚 lapel Friday, under the miniature American flag pin he and other presidents have traditionally worn.
鈥淪omebody gave me this. Do you know what that is? That鈥檚 called a Happy Trump,鈥� the president said when a reporter asked about the accessory during an event in the White House East Room with .
The pin features Trump with a cartoonishly large head and open-mouthed expression that some online immediately said looked like a bobblehead version of the president. Trump didn鈥檛 say who gave him the pin.
鈥淐onsidering the fact that I鈥檓 never happy, I鈥檓 never satisfied,鈥� the president continued, holding out his lapel and looking down at the pin, then looking back at reporters with a playful smirk. 鈥淚 will never be satisfied until we make America great again, but we鈥檙e getting pretty close, I tell you what. This is called a Happy Trump.鈥�
GOP pushes back on Trump鈥檚 Greenland plans
Trump鈥檚 desire to and his administration鈥檚 decision not to rule out military force is meeting significant resistance from GOP lawmakers this week.
Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who is retiring after crossing Trump last summer, took to the Senate floor to proclaim that he was 鈥渟ick of stupid.鈥� He specifically criticized White House deputy chief of policy Stephen Miller, who made comments that Greenland should be part of the U.S.
鈥淚 want good advice for this president, because I want this president to have a good legacy,鈥� Tillis added. 鈥淎nd this nonsense on what鈥檚 going on with Greenland is a distraction from the good work he鈥檚 doing, and the amateurs who said it was a good idea should lose their jobs.鈥�
Other Republicans, including Thune and Senate Armed Services Committee chair Sen. Roger Wicker, also gently pushed back on military threats against Denmark, which is a NATO ally of the U.S.
After meeting with the Danish ambassador, Wicker said it was Denmark鈥檚 right not to sell Greenland.
鈥淚鈥檓 troubled by Greenland. I鈥檓 troubled by some of the things he does. I don鈥檛 get it,鈥� said Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, another retiring Republican. 鈥淚 do feel like Congress should be more independent and should provide checks and balances here.鈥�
Judge says Trump administration can鈥檛 block child care, other program money for 5 states for now
A federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration cannot block federal money for child care subsidies and other programs aimed at supporting needy children and their families from flowing to five Democratic-led states for now.
The states of California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York argued that a to freeze funds for three grant programs is having an immediate impact on them and creating 鈥渙perational chaos.鈥� In court filings and a hearing earlier Friday, that the government did not have a legal reason for holding back the money from those states.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it was pausing the funding because it had 鈥渞eason to believe鈥� the states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally, though it did not provide evidence or explain why it was targeting those states and not others.
The programs are the Child Care and Development Fund, which subsidizes child care for children from low-income families; the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash assistance and job training; and the Social Services Block Grant, a smaller fund that provides money for a variety of programs.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who was nominated to the bench by former President Joe Biden, is in place until further arguments are made in court.
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GOP shows signs of independence, pushing forward on affordability issues
From pushback to Trump鈥檚 self-described in the Western Hemisphere to breaks in party unity over health care, Republican lawmakers are displaying signs of independence from Trump after spending much of the last year acquiescing to his .
It showed a new dynamic in the GOP as Republicans embark on difficult campaign to keep control of both the House and Senate.
Senate Majority Leader , speaking at the U.S.-Mexico border Friday with a group of Republican Senate candidates, said that Republicans were 鈥済oing to be focused like a laser鈥� on issues of affordability and pointed to legislation in the works on housing and health care.
Thune鈥檚 border trip and talk of affordability were a nod back to some of the core themes of Trump鈥檚 presidential campaign.
But the focus in Washington of late has instead been dominated by Trump鈥檚 military operation to capture Venezuelan leader , his threats to use military force to take control of Greenland, the release of case files on Jeffrey Epstein and a debate over extending subsidies for insurance offered under the Affordable Care Act 鈥� an issue where Republicans have long struggled to find unity.
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Somali community, frequent target of Trump, gather at scene in Minnesota where Renee Good was shot
Leaders in Minnesota鈥檚 Somali community, which has been a frequent target of Trump, gathered Friday at the scene where Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent to call for an end to the immigration crackdown that has shaken the state.
鈥淲e want to tell President Trump, and his MAGA, that we want ICE out of our neighborhoods,鈥� said Khalid Omar of the Somali American Leadership Table, as hundreds of protesters began chanting 鈥淚CE out! ICE out!鈥�
Omar urged residents to look out for their neighbors.
鈥淒ivision will not work in Minnesota, nor in this county,鈥� he said.
Trump has referred to Minnesota鈥檚 Somali community as 鈥� .鈥�
The Trump administration has launched a sweeping crackdown tied in part to . More than 2,000 officers are taking part in what the Department of Homeland Security has called the biggest immigration enforcement operation ever.
Washington National Opera leaving Kennedy Center
The Washington National Opera announced Friday that it had decided to end its arrangement with the Kennedy Center in the nation鈥檚 capital, though it said it was hoping for an 鈥渁micable transition.鈥�
鈥淭o ensure fiscal prudence and fulfill its obligations for a balanced budget, the WNO will reduce its spring season and relocate performances to new venues,鈥� the Opera said in a statement.
It said the decision stemmed from the center鈥檚 new business model, which 鈥渞equires productions to be fully funded in advance 鈥� a requirement incompatible with opera operations.鈥�
Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi told The New York Times, 鈥淎fter careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship.鈥�
Artists ranging from 鈥淗amilton鈥� creator Lin-Manuel Miranda to rock star Peter Wolf have called off events at the Kennedy Center since Trump ousted the previous leadership early last year and arranged for himself to head the board of trustees. The board鈥檚 decision in December to rebrand the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center led to a new wave of cancellations.
WNO鈥檚 announcement did not mention Trump.
Oil industry hails constructive conversation with Trump but makes no promises
The American Petroleum Institute, the oil industry鈥檚 largest lobbying group, called the White House meeting a 鈥渃onstructive, initial conversation鈥� that highlighted both Venezuela鈥檚 energy potential and challenges, including security and stable governance.
Still, no commitments were made.
鈥淟egally, each company will need to independently evaluate the situation and make its own investment decisions, but we look forward to ongoing engagement with the administration … as this situation continues to unfold,鈥� said Bethany Williams, an API spokesperson.
Ryan Lance, CEO of ConocoPhillips, told Trump the entire Venezuelan energy system may need to be restructured, while ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods called Venezuela 鈥渦ninvestable鈥� right now.
Trump praises modest hiring
The jobs that showed a subdued increase of 50,000 jobs in December and a tick down in the unemployment rate was 鈥渁mazing,鈥� Trump said.
Yet overall job gains last year were just 584,000, the smallest annual increase outside of a recession since 2003. Uncertainty from tariffs and the rollout of artificial intelligence, as well as strong hiring after the pandemic, have caused many firms to hold back on adding jobs.
Trump also touted a Thursday estimate from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta that the economy would grow at a 5.4% annual rate in the final three months of 2025. (That figure was marked down to 5.1% Friday.)
Such growth would indeed be impressive, but the Atlanta Fed鈥檚 figure is more a tracking estimate rather than forecast and will undergo significant changes before the government issues its first estimate of fourth quarter economic growth Feb. 20. The New York Fed鈥檚 tracking estimate is at just 2.6%.
Trump: Venezuela鈥檚 oil revenues are going to be split with US oil companies
Trump hasn鈥檛 laid out how the profits from the sale of Venezuelan oil will be divided, but he told oil company executives that they needed to start making investments to get their share.
鈥淲e have to get them to invest, and then we have to get their money back as quickly as we can, and then we can divvy it all up between Venezuela, the United States, and them,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚 think the formula is simple.鈥�
But the president left it unclear how the money would be split, an issue still subject to negotiations with the businesses that he said would be led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Trump addresses early post of jobs data
Late Thursday, Trump posted showing job gains in 2025 that included updated figures through December that weren鈥檛 supposed to be released until the Labor Department issued the monthly Friday morning.
The secrecy of the jobs numbers are closely guarded because they can cause sharp swings in financial markets. White House economic officials receive the report Thursday afternoon and appeared to write up a report with Friday鈥檚 data included. Trump posted a graphic from the White House report Thursday night.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if they posted them. I said post 鈥檈m whenever you get a chance, I don鈥檛 know,鈥� Trump said Friday afternoon. 鈥淭hey gave me some numbers. When people give me things I post them.鈥�
Government officials with early access to the jobs data sign agreements to keep it confidential, subject to legal penalties, Erica Groshen, a former commissioner of the agency that produces the data, said. Previous breaches, however, she said have typically been met with a slap on the wrist.
Trump meeting with Machado next week
The U.S. president said he plans to meet with Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, the leader of Venezuela鈥檚 opposition party, either Tuesday or Wednesday.
鈥淚鈥檓 honored that she鈥檚 coming here,鈥� Trump told reporters during his White House oil event.
Machado, Trump said, is coming to 鈥減ay her regards to our country鈥� and to himself, although the president elaborated that he is the representative of this country.
He then complained that he wasn鈥檛 awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year.
ExxonMobil CEO says Venezuela is currently 鈥榰ninvestable鈥�
Darren Woods told Trump a lot of work would need to be done in Venezuela before the oil major would be ready to return to the country.
鈥淚f we look at the legal commercial constructs and frameworks in place today in Venezuela today, it鈥檚 uninvestable,鈥� Woods said. But he said he was confident that 鈥渢hose changes can be put in place.鈥�
Trump gathered oil executives to try to get investment deals in place. Some noted that they鈥檝e had their facilities and equipment confiscated multiple times by the government of Venezuela in the past.
Trump brushed off those comments by saying 鈥渨e鈥檙e not going to look at what people lost in the past.鈥�
Trump says 鈥榥o boots on the ground鈥� in Iran if US gets involved
The president reiterated his threat that the U.S. would intervene in Iran, saying, 鈥淚f they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved. We鈥檒l be hitting them very hard where it hurts.鈥�
But Trump quickly said it would not involve sending troops.
鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts,鈥� he said.
The president said Iran has treated its people 鈥渧ery badly, and now they鈥檙e being paid back.鈥�
Tucker Carlson appears at White House event despite schism in conservative movement
Carlson was spotted seated with guests in the East Room. The White House said he joined the event with oil executives because he had been at the White House for lunch.
The conservative commentator has been at the center of a firestorm within the Republican Party in recent months after he had an interview with a far-right activists known for his antisemitic views and embrace of Hitler.
Trump , saying he had said nice things about him over the years.
Consumer group slams Trump offer for oil companies to gain access to Venezuelan oil
A consumer advocacy group is criticizing Trump鈥檚 meeting with oil executives as a giveaway to Big Oil.
Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen鈥檚 energy program, called the U.S. military鈥檚 removal of Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro 鈥渧iolent imperialism鈥� and said Trump鈥檚 goal appears to be to 鈥渉and billionaires control over Venezuela鈥檚 oil.鈥�
U.S. taxpayers are likely to shoulder much of the risk of drilling and exporting the heavy crude oil from Venezuela, Slocum said.
鈥淲hile Trump works to ensure Big Oil鈥檚 risks are covered by the U.S. public, Americans suffering with high home heating and electricity prices will see no relief,鈥� he said.
Trump is meeting with oil executives at the White House on Friday in hopes of securing $100 billion in investments to to fully tap into its expansive reserves of petroleum.
Trump kicks off meeting with oil executives by marveling at ballroom construction
he president said there were additional executives he would have invited to the East Room event. He remarked that, 鈥渋f we had a ballroom, we鈥檇 have over a thousand.鈥�
Trump then stood up and left a table where he was seated with the executives and administration officials and went to look out a window to look at the construction of his large ballroom where the East Wing used to stand.
The president, standing alone, looked out the window with his back facing everyone in the room鈥攊ncluding the news cameras.
鈥淲ow, what a view,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is the door to the ballroom.鈥�
He turned back around and said, 鈥渦nusual time to look.鈥�
Trump invited the media to go back and take a look if they wanted. No journalists immediately did.
Trump says he鈥檒l meet with Colombia鈥檚 president
Trump announced on Friday he鈥檇 meet with President Gustavo Petro in early February, but called on the Colombian leader to make quick progress on stemming flow of cocaine into the U.S.
Trump, following the ouster of Maduro, had made vague threats to take similar action against Petro. Trump abruptly changed his tone Wednesday about his Colombian counterpart after a friendly phone call in which he invited Petro to visit the White House.
US and Venezuela explore restoring diplomatic relations
The countries said a delegation from the Trump administration arrived in the South American nation on Friday.
The small team of U.S. diplomats and diplomatic security officials traveled to to make a preliminary assessment about the potential reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, the State Department said in a statement.
Venezuela鈥檚 government on Friday acknowledged that U.S. diplomats had traveled to the South American country and announced that it will send a delegation to the U.S. but it did not say when.
In a statement, said it 鈥渉as decided to initiate an exploratory process of a diplomatic nature with the Government of the United States of America, aimed at the re-establishment of diplomatic missions in both countries.鈥�
Venezuela says it will send a delegation to the US
Venezuela鈥檚 government on Friday acknowledged that U.S. diplomats had traveled to the South American country, and announced that it will send a delegation to the U.S. but it did not say when.
In a statement, Rodr铆guez鈥檚 government said it 鈥渉as decided to initiate an exploratory process of a diplomatic nature with the Government of the United States of America, aimed at the re-establishment of diplomatic missions in both countries, with the purpose of addressing the consequences derived from the aggression and kidnapping of the President of the Republic and the First Lady, as well as addressing a work agenda of mutual interest.鈥�
Treasury launches actions to combat fraud in Minnesota
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters in Minnesota that his agency has launched a series of actions to combat fraud in the state.
Key actions include FinCEN investigations into Minnesota-based money services businesses, enhanced transaction reporting requirements for international transfers from Hennepin and Ramsey counties, and alerts to financial institutions on identifying fraud tied to child nutrition programs.
鈥淭reasury will deploy all tools to bring an end to this egregious unchecked fraud and hold perpetrators to account,鈥� he said.
The department in December announced that it would begin targeting businesses that people use to wire money to family members abroad, focusing on remittances to Somalia.
The new action was prompted in part by a series of fraud cases, including a nonprofit called Feeding Our Future accused of stealing pandemic aid meant for school meals. Prosecutors have put the losses from that case at $300 million.
US sends small team of diplomats, security to Venezuela to assess prospects for reopening embassy in Caracas
The State Department says it has sent a small team of diplomats and diplomatic security officials to Venezuela to make a preliminary assessment about the potential reopening of the
The department said the team, led by acting ambassador to Venezuela John McNamara, arrived in Caracas on Friday. The team is from the Venezuelan Affairs Unit, which is based outside of the country and has been since the embassy was shuttered in 2019.
The team is there 鈥渢o conduct an initial assessment for a potential phased resumption of operations,鈥� the department said.
U.S. officials say no decision has yet been made on whether or when to fully reopen the embassy.
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