Trump News for Monday, January 5, 2026

They Came To The U.S. Legally. Then Trump Stripped Their Status Away.

Mauricio Rodríguez Pons, Techdirt

This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. It was a chilly afternoon in January, just a week after President Donald Trump returned to the White House, when I met Yineska, a Venezuelan mother who had been li…

Ahead of Jan. 6 anniversary, report details aftermath after Trump's return to office

Beatrice Peterson, ABC News

Ahead of the five-year anniversary of Jan. 6, House Democrats are examining the aftermath of the Capitol attack during the first year of President Trump's second term.

Nonprofit Behind NPR and PBS Votes to Shut Down After Trump Killed Funding

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

As many as 80 public radio stations could close within the next year.

A $400,000 profit on Maduro's capture raises insider trading questions on Polymarket

Bobby Allyn, NPR

Online sleuths have tried to uncover who placed a winning bet on the Venezuelan leader's arrest to no avail. Still, prediction market watchers say the bet appears suspicious.

Venezuela swears in interim president after defiant Maduro pleads not guilty in US court

BBC News

Delcy Rodriguez said she was pained by what she called the "kidnapping" of Maduro and his wife.

Björk Calls for Greenlandic Independence

Walden Green, Pitchfork

“[To] go from one cruel coloniser to another is too brutal to even imagine,” she wrote in response to Donald Trump’s renewed calls for annexation

Trump’s big change to childhood vaccines, briefly explained

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: Hi readers, welcome back. President Donald Trump’s inv…

Wegovy Weight-Loss Pills Hit U.S. Pharmacies—Costs and Treatments Explained

Lauren J. Young, Scientific American

The first GLP-1 pills for weight loss are hitting U.S. pharmacies. But how will they be prescribed?

Trump, RFK Jr. Are Officially Tearing Down the Childhood Vaccine Schedule

Ed Cara, Gizmodo.com

Vaccines for diseases like rotavirus and meningococcal disease will no longer be universally recommended by the CDC.

Mixed messages from Trump and Rubio on who's running Venezuela

Michelle Stoddart, ABC News

Confusion continued Monday amid seemingly contradictory messages from President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio about how the U.S. is dealing with Venezuela.

Cuba defiant as it braces for post-Maduro era

BBC News

The prospects for Cuba - a close ally of Nicolás Maduro's Venezuela - are now bleak, writes Will Grant.

New NASA Chief Pushes Back on Claims Agency Is Trashing Its History

Ellyn Lapointe, Gizmodo.com

Following reports that closing the agency’s largest research library would result in the loss of precious scientific and historic materials, Jared Isaacman wants to set the record straight.

Getting off US tech: a guide

Paris Marx, Disconnect.blog

I’m in the process of dropping US tech services. Here’s how I did it, and options you should consider.

Minneapolis Hilton hotel cancels immigration agents' reservations, DHS says

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

Jan 5 (Reuters) - The U.S.

Why the stock market is 'shrugging off' Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro's capture

Brooke DiPalma, Yahoo Entertainment

Markets seem to be shrugging off the latest geopolitical tension at first blush.

Trump’s actions in Venezuela have Latin America on edge

Peter.Balonon-Rosen, Noel King, Vox

The fallout from the US capture and extradition of Nicolás Maduro is radiating around the world.  In a speech at Venezuela’s legislative palace, Maduro’s son,Venezuelan congressman Nicolás Maduro Guerra, condemned the capture. “If we normalize the kidnapping …

Judge Catches DOJ Lying, Tells It To Turn Over More Documents To Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

It’s hilarious that a single Salvadoran migrant has made the Trump administration look so pitiful. During one of its first purge efforts, the administration deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia and another 100-plus migrants to El Salvador’s infamous CECOT prison. Si…

U.S. Axes Number of Recommended Childhood Vaccines in Blow to Public Health

Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reducing the recommended number of vaccines for children to those that protect against 11 diseases instead of the protections against 17 illnesses that it recommended previously

@Grok, Did Venezuela ‘Deserve It’?

Gary Marcus, Damon Beres, The Atlantic

The information war will be fought through chatbots.

Trump administration censures former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly over 'illegal orders' video

mwall@space.com (Mike Wall) , Mike Wall, Space.com

The Department of Defense is taking administrative action against former NASA astronaut and current U.S. Senator Mark Kelly over remarks he made in a 90-second video in November.

Who Is Really in Charge in Venezuela?

Mary Harris, Slate Magazine

This isn’t actually a regime change.

US sharply criticised by foes and friends over Maduro seizure

BBC News

The US taking of Venezuela's leader has faced strong criticism from both America's friends and foes.

A popular Nike Tech sweatsuit is going viral after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's arrest

Jordan Hart, Business Insider

The internet can't stop talking about the gray Nike Tech fleece sweatsuit Nicolás Maduro wore while in US custody.

'I am innocent': Maduro pleads not guilty to narco-terrorism charges in first court appearance

Jacob Shamsian,Laura Italiano,Natalie Musumeci, Business Insider

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had a lot to say during his first Manhattan federal court appearance.

More Than 40 Million People Use ChatGPT Daily for Healthcare Advice, OpenAI Claims

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

OpenAI wants ChatGPT to be a bigger player in healthcare. First, they need regulators to play ball.

There’s Compelling Evidence That Someone Connected to the Trump Administration Profited Off the Invasion of Venezuela by Placing Large Bets on Polymarket

Victor Tangermann, Futurism

"Pete Hegseth making some beer money on the side?"

US drops the number of vaccines it recommends for every child

ALI SWENSON and LAURAN NEERGAARD, Yahoo Entertainment

The U.S. took the unprecedented step Monday of dropping the number of vaccines it recommends for every child -- leaving other immunizations, such as flu...

Trump Could Destroy NATO With This One Move, Danish P.M. Warns

Edith Olmsted, The New Republic

Donald Trump’s obsession with Greenland is on track to wreck the world order.

One year later, 'Firestorm' investigates the systems that failed during the LA Fires

Tonya Mosley, NPR

Journalist Jacob Soboroff says covering the wildfires was the most important assignment he's ever undertaken. His new book offers a minute-by-minute account of the catastrophe.

Remaining CBS Journalists Pen Letter To David Ellison Politely Asking Him To Stop Destroying What’s Left Of Journalism

Karl Bode, Techdirt

By now it’s pretty clear that right wing, billionaire, Trump ally Larry Ellison bought CBS to convert what was left of the news division into lazy agitprop that blows smoke up the ass of wealth and power. Leading the charge is CBS News boss Bari Weiss, an unq…

US foes and allies denounce Trump’s ‘crime of aggression’ in Venezuela at UN meeting

David Smith in Washington, Yahoo Entertainment

US ambassador defends attack as ‘law enforcement’ action against an ‘illegitimate’ leader, not an act of war

The NYC jail holding Maduro has a history of big names and dangerous conditions

Rachel Treisman, NPR

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is being held in the troubled New York City jail that has housed high-profile defendants like Sean "Diddy" Combs, Ghislaine Maxwell and Honduras' former president.

US-based multinational companies will be exempt from global tax deal

FATIMA HUSSEIN, Yahoo Entertainment

U.S. multinational corporations will be exempted from paying more corporate taxes overseas in a deal finalized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation...

Elon Musk Boasts of Dinner With Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Best Friend’

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

"2026 is going to be amazing!" tweeted Musk.

Trump's seizure of Maduro raises thorny legal questions, in US and abroad

BBC News

US Attorney General Pam Bondi has said Maduro was brought to the US to "face justice". Some experts have concerns.

US factory sector contracts for 10th straight month in December

By Dan Burns and Lucia Mutikani, Yahoo Entertainment

By Dan Burns and Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. manufacturing activity slumped to a 14-month low in December, with new orders contracting ...

After judge's ruling, HHS authorized to resume sharing some Medicaid data with deportation officers

ALI SWENSON, Yahoo Entertainment

The nation's health department starting Monday can resume sharing the personal data of certain Medicaid enrollees with deportation officials, according to a ...

Trump’s Fake Drug War: Pardons Honduran President Convicted Of 400 Tons, Illegally Invades & Arrests Venezuela’s President Over Weaker Charges

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

If you needed proof that Trump’s “war on drugs” is pure theatrical bullshit designed to justify geopolitical adventurism and the transactional nature of how he views absolutely everything, look no further than the past two months of his foreign policy. Two mo…

Surprise contender with a familiar name could derail JD Vance’s 2028 presidential plans

Tom Wrobleski, SILive.com

A familiar name is showing increasing strength in polls.

Maduro and wife plead not guilty to narco-terrorism charges

Jaclyn Diaz, NPR

Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores have pleaded not guilty to all charges during their first court appearance in their federal narco-terrorism case.

Trump administration has not consulted US oil majors about Venezuela, oil execs say

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

WASHINGTON/HOUSTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The Trump administration did not consult with oil companies Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips, or Chevron Corp about...

Which countries could be in Trump's sights after Venezuela?

BBC News

Trump has made numerous threats against other nations in Washington's orbit.

Hegseth Chickens Out of Trump’s Demand to Execute Senator

Sarah Ewall-Wice, Daily Beast

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon will censure Senator Mark Kelly after he participated in a video urging members of the military to...

Trump implies he may target Colombia's president, says Cuba appears 'ready to fall'

David Brennan, ABC News

U.S. President Donald Trump implied on Sunday that Colombian President Gustavo Petro could face U.S. action soon, following the American attack on Venezuela.

Donald Trump was never a dove

Zack Beauchamp, Vox

In 2023, then-Senator JD Vance endorsed President Donald Trump’s presidential bid for one big reason: Trump’s commitment to peace. “He has my support in 2024,” Vance wrote, “because I know he won’t recklessly send Americans to fight overseas.” Flash forward t…

M. Gessen on the new world order the Trump regime seems eager...

Jason Kottke, kottke.org

M. Gessen on the new world order the Trump regime seems eager to bring about. “If Trump can take Venezuela and Putin can tak

“Greenland Should Decide Its Own Future” Is the Kind of Thing That Only Needs to Be Said in the Face of a Tyrant

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

It shouldn't be necessary to say that Greenland has a right to govern itself, but when Trump is about to destroy NATO, you kind of have to.

Björk Calls for Greenland Independence as Trump Revives Takeover Threats

Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone

"The chance that my fellow Greenlanders might go from one cruel colonizer to another is too brutal to even imagine," the Icelandic musician wrote on Instagram

Keystone Kash’s Fox News Interview Immediately Goes Off the Rails

The Daily Beast, Daily Beast

FBI Director Kash Patel suffered through a series of embarrassing malfunctions as he appeared on Fox News to heap praise on the Trump administration’s...

Hegseth censures Sen. Kelly after warning about following illegal orders

KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and MEG KINNARD, Yahoo Entertainment

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday announced that he is issuing a letter of censure to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over the lawmaker’s...

Iran says no leniency for 'rioters' as protests persist

AFP, Yahoo Entertainment

Iran will offer no leniency to "rioters", though the public has a right to demonstrate, the head of the country's judiciary said on Monday, following more...

Trump’s ‘American Dominance’ May Leave Us With Nothing

Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic

The president’s moves in Venezuela foretell a new global system.

Isaac Chotiner interviews Oona Hathaway, an expert in international law, about the...

Jason Kottke, kottke.org

Isaac Chotiner interviews Oona Hathaway, an expert in international law, about the “brazen illegality” of the Trump re

Trump, 79, Immediately Throws MAGA Suck-Up’s Attempt at Flattery Back in His Face

The Daily Beast, Daily Beast

Donald Trump has dunked on one of his key allies for not groveling hard enough to praise him in the aftermath of his shock invasion of Venezuela over the...

2026 will shed light on whether a little-known drug helps with autism

Grace Wade, New Scientist

The US government is approving the drug leucovorin to address rising rates of autism, despite limited evidence that it works. This year, results from the largest trial yet should give more insight into its potential

All AI Videos Are Harmful (2025)

Idiallo.com

When OpenAI released the first version of Sora, I was excited. For years, I'd had this short story sitting on my hard drive, something I'd written long ago and always dreamed of bringing to life as a

President Trump Hints That Colombia Could Be Next on His Hit List

TMZ Staff, TMZ

Colombia could be next up on Donald Trump's hit list. The president floated the idea Sunday while speaking to a group of reporters aboard Air Force One ... after referring to Colombian President Gustavo Petro as a "sick man" who "likes making…

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz reconsidering reelection bid, expected to announce decision Monday, sources say

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, CNN

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is reconsidering whether to seek reelection to a third term and is expected to announce his decision at a Monday news conference, two...

Maduro and wife to appear in Manhattan federal court on Monday

Katherine Faulders, Aaron Katersky, David Brennan, ABC News

Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are scheduled to make their initial appearances in Manhattan federal court on Monday.

Jensen: 'We've Done Our Country a Great Disservice' by Offshoring

Caleb Naysmith, Barchart.com

Jensen Huang says the U.S. has an incredible opportunity to help bring manufacturing back to the U.S. due to the buildout of AI infrastructure.

WATCH: Sculpture and spectacle at China's ice festival

ABC News

China is unveiling its biggest annual Ice and Snow World festival yet.

11 Million Cubans Are Poised to Starve Without Venezuelan Oil. How Many Will We Allow to Die?

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

Cuba is poised on the brink of collapse, with devastating humanitarian disaster looming. And the U.S. is simply watching from 90 miles away.

Who is in charge of Venezuela? And, what to expect from Maduro's court appearance

Brittney Melton, NPR

The U.S. forces' capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas has left many people with questions. Here's what we know so far, including who is running the country.

10 Monday AM Reads

Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com

My back-to-work morning train WFH reads: • 11 Data Points and Discoveries That Stuck With Us in 2025: Squinting at a table, or a list, or a rough chart to divine meaning from it led to some memorable examples of process paying off: a few numbers, the shape of…

Trump Torpedoes Rubio’s Venezuela Message With Chaotic New Declaration

Yahoo Entertainment

Arellano: In Trump's invasion of Venezuela, Marco Rubio is the biggest sellout of all

Gustavo Arellano, Yahoo Entertainment

By pushing Trump to run rampant over Latin America, Rubio is setting into motion the same old song of U.S. meddling that ties his family and mine.

How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions—Behavioral Science Tips That Work

Kendra Pierre-Louis, Sushmita Pathak, Fonda Mwangi, Scientific American

Behavioral economist Katy Milkman explains why most New Year’s resolutions fail and shares how science-backed strategies can build habits that last.

WATCH: 'Incredible dog' is sniffing to save the honeybees

ABC News

ABC News' Danny New reports on Maple, a dog who's into her third career using her nose.

Trump Allegedly Abducted Nicolás Maduro for Dancing Too Much

Danielle Han, Jezebel

There were other reasons, but the New York Times reports his dance moves were the last straw.

Minnesota investigators say child care centers accused of fraud in viral video are operating normally. Here’s what comes next

Zoe Sottile, CNN, CNN

It was the viral video seen ‘round the world.

6 political stories to watch in 2026, from midterms to maps

Oren Oppenheim, ABC News

The curtain has risen on the year of the United States’ 250th anniversary – and the stage is set for a critical year for the future of politics in America.

Country music star says next Delta Force operation after Venezuela should be in U.S.

Brian Linder, PennLive

The Donald Trump-backing singer is not the first supporter of the president to make the suggestion.

In the U.S., hunger is often hidden. But it can still leave scars on body and mind

Karen Brown, NPR

In the U.S., hunger is often hidden away. It looks nothing like the stereotype of a famine happening overseas. But the physical impacts on health and the psychological scars can last a lifetime.

One doctor's experience shows the battle for the future of addiction medicine

Aneri Pattani, NPR

The experiences of one doctor in Louisiana reveal the tensions around trying to get people to engage in addiction treatment, even if they're not ready to stop using drugs.

MAGA-Coded CBS Anchor Tony Dokoupil Ripped for Walter Cronkite Jab

Cameron Adams, Daily Beast

The new MAGA-coded anchor selected to transform CBS Evening News has instantly provoked an online backlash after appearing to throw shade at network legend...

Morning news brief

A Martínez, NPR

Trump says the U.S. will run Venezuela for now after the capture of Nicolas Maduro, a look at South American country's uncertain future, Maduro and his wife to appear in court in New York Monday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping urges South Korea to 'make correct strategic choices'

South China Morning Post, Yahoo Entertainment

China and South Korea had a shared responsibility for regional stability and should make the "correct strategic choice", President Xi Jinping told his South ...

Welcome to the new, sorta socialist era of American capitalism

estewart@insider.com (Emily Stewart), Business Insider

Trump is having the government buy stakes directly in companies — and it's going to change the way we all do business and reshape the economy.

U.S. military operation kills 32 Cubans in Venezuela

Darryl Coote, UPI.com

Thirty-two Cubans were killed in the U.S. military operation in Venezuela on Saturday, according to Havana.

This Vietnamese town boomed as factories left China. Now it’s asking what’s next?

ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL and CHAN HO-HIM, Yahoo Entertainment

The transformation of Vietnam's Bac Ninh is evident in the signs above its shops and the spicy Chinese and Korean dishes on its tables. Once known for its...

Can Donald Trump be compared to Julius Caesar?

BBC News

Historian Tom Holland answers your questions about President Trump, cricket and Spiderman

Trump warns of higher tariffs on India over Russian oil purchases

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

NEW DELHI, Jan 5 () - The United States could raise tariffs on India if New Delhi doesn't meet Washington's demand ​to curb purchases of Russian oil...

WATCH: Dangerous storm threats, including Northeast clipper

ABC News

A fast-moving winter storm is bringing snow and ice to the Upper Midwest and will head into the Northeast on Monday, while more flooding and feet of snow are in store for California.

America’s century-long interest in Venezuelan oil

Caitlin Dewey, Vox

This must be about the oil, right? It’s a presumption that got lots of airtime this weekend, following the dramatic seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by US forces. The pair now face drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges in New…

Trump says that Ukraine didn't target Putin residence in a drone strike as Kremlin claims

DARLENE SUPERVILLE and AAMER MADHANI, Yahoo Entertainment

President Donald Trump on Sunday told reporters that U.S. officials have determined that Ukraine did not target a residence belonging to Russian President...

Denmark's PM urges Trump to 'stop the threats' of annexing Greenland

Leah Sarnoff, ABC News

The prime minister of Denmark called on Trump to “stop the threats” of the U.S. annexing Greenland after renewed comments garnered international attention.

UK to Pass Population Tipping Point in 2026, Think Tank Says

Philip Aldrick, Yahoo Entertainment

Britain will see a shortfall in births in 2026, Resolution Foundation projected as part of its annual economic outlook released on Monday. While the number ...