There is no U.S. law that explicitly authorizes the U.S. Navy to attack or sink ships at sea outside of a congressionally authorized war or valid self-defense situation, legal experts and Democratic lawmakers say.
The strikes began in September, but Trump administration discussions about them began soon after Trump moved back into the White House in January
Amid a buildup of U.S. military forces near Venezuela and strikes on alleged drug boats, President Donald Trump told U.S. troops on Thanksgiving that the military operation will soon include strikes on land.
“In recent weeks, you’ve been working to deter Venezuelan drug traffickers,“ Trump said during a call with military service members that alluded to the boat strikes, adding: „We’ll be starting to stop them by land also. The land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.“
Venezuela‘s communications ministry, which handles all press inquiries for the government, did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Trump‘s post.
The U.S. Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Monday, the Department of War announced that it has opened a formal review into allegations of misconduct against Kelly over the video.
The Pentagon said it may even call Kelly, a retired Navy captain, back to active duty to face court-martial proceedings or other administrative actions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Four of the other Democrats are former military, but not retired and therefore are not subject to the UCMJ, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Slotkin is a former CIA officer.
The investigation comes as President Donald Trump has been pushing relentlessly for consequences for Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers over a video they made reminding servicemembers of their duty to disobey illegal orders, calling their actions “seditious” and “treason.”
Because Kelly was a senior officer who retired from the Navy, he is required to remain available for recall to the military by law. The other five lawmakers, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Rep. Jason Crow, Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Rep. Chris Deluzio and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, are not eligible for recall to a military service.
(November 19, 2025)
A plan to end the war in Ukraine, negotiated between the Trump administration and Russia, would require Kyiv to surrender territory, significantly reduce the size of its army and relinquish some types of weaponry, according to officials familiar with the proposal.
The 28-point proposal, drafted without Ukrainian involvement, reflects the maximalist demands the Kremlin has made throughout the war, which Ukraine has long denounced as amounting to capitulation.
Dass die Korruptionsvorwürfe jetzt erhoben werden, deutet auf ein fein abgestimmtes Timing. Der Druck auf Selenskyj soll erhöht werden.
Inzwischen tauchen Gerüchte auf, dass Selenskyj territorialen Abtretungen an Russland unter der Bedingung zugestimmt haben soll, dass ihm persönliche Immunität und Schutz zugesichert wird. Die Ankündigung der Ermittlungsbehörde NABU, noch weitere spannende Enthüllungen auf Lager zu haben, scheint seine Wirkung auf den inneren Machtzirkel Kiews zu entfalten.
Die Korruptionsgeschichte entpuppt sich immer deutlicher als Inszenierung. Bitte nicht falsch verstehen: Natürlich ist die Ukraine bis in die politischen Eliten hinein hoch korrupt. Daran besteht kein Zweifel. Nur scheint man in den USA die Entscheidung getroffen haben, Kiew genau jetzt über den seit langem ausgelegten Fallstrick stolpern zu lassen.
When CNN asked whether the president had received the bill or whether any timing had been set, officials did not respond.
“I have nothing to add today,” Miller told reporters when pressed for an update on the legislation.
Trump had not decided Tuesday when he would sign the measure, a White House official told CNN at the time. And a senior White House official also told CNN that “the bill will be signed whenever it gets to the White House.”
But by Wednesday, the White House remained silent as the bill awaits the president’s signature.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva set the tone at the opening session, declaring that the battle for truth has become just as critical as the fight to cut emissions. COP30 must mark “a new defeat for climate denialists,” he said.
On Wednesday, 12 nations – including Brazil, Canada, France, Germany and Spain – signed onto the first-ever Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change, pledging to fight back against the flood of false content and protect those on the frontlines of truth: environmental journalists, scientists and researchers.
The declaration, unveiled under the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change, calls for concrete steps to dismantle networks of climate lies and shield evidence-based voices from harassment and attacks.
The largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the world, the USS Gerald R. Ford has now arrived in the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility, closing a weeks long journey across the Atlantic ocean amid the US’ military buildup and ongoing boat strikes in Caribbean waters.
Several Senate Democrats crossed the aisle despite getting no guaranteed deal on Obamacare subsidies
The compromise still needs to win approval in the Senate, pass the G.O.P.-controlled House and be signed by President Trump to bring the shutdown to an end.
Here are the eight senators — none of whom face re-election in 2026, and two of whom are retiring at the end of their terms — who broke ranks:
The U.S. Navy’s newest and most powerful aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is expected to reach the Caribbean early next week, marking a dramatic escalation in the American military buildup near Venezuela amid growing speculation over possible U.S. strikes against Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
Israel intends to personally determine the composition of international forces that may be deployed in the Gaza Strip to ensure a ceasefire under US President Donald Trump’s plan, Reuters reports.
„We are in control of our security, and we have also made it clear regarding international forces that Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us, and this is how we operate and will continue to operate,“ Netanyahu told his cabinet at the start of the government meeting.
„This is, of course, acceptable to the United States as well, as its most senior representatives have expressed in recent days. Israel is an independent state. We will defend ourselves with our own forces, and we will continue to control our destiny,“ he added.
(October 24, 2025)
The PM said the Government welcomes the US Navy and Marine Corps for a “joint military training with the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force.”
Persad-Bissessar reiterated, “The Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs has stated that the USS Gravely (DDG-107) will visit Trinidad and Tobago from October 26 to 30, mooring in Port-of-Spain, while the 22nd US Marine Expeditionary Unit will conduct joint training exercises with the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) during the same period.”
„UNRWA‘s not going to play any role in it,“ Rubio said when asked about whether the controversial agency would assist in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. „The United Nations is here. They‘re on the ground. We‘re willing to work with them if they can make it work, but not UNRWA. UNRWA became a subsidiary of Hamas.“
Die Maschinen seien von der russischen Exklave Kaliningrad aus für etwa 18 Sekunden über litauischem Gebiet gewesen, teilt das Militär mit. Als Reaktion seien spanische Eurofighter der NATO-Luftraumüberwachung für das Baltikum aufgestiegen und patrouillierten nun in dem Gebiet.
On 29 December 2023, South Africa accused Israel, before the ICJ, of breaching the Genocide Convention of 1948.
The subsequent hearing, a couple of weeks later, drew huge attention as Israel’s war was formally challenged on the world stage for the first time since the start of the genocidal war.
For cases of such complexity, the ICJ often takes years to come to a judgement. ICJ experts have previously explained that the judgment is expected to be made by early 2028.
The deployment does not require authorization from the German parliament, „as no involvement in armed operations is expected,“ the ministry said.
The announcement follows German Chancellor Friedrich Merz‘s earlier commitment to provide strong political, financial, and technical support for the Gaza ceasefire plan while stopping short of committing troops to the planned International Stabilization Force.
(today, 11:57)
As fighting in Gaza resumed, Israel’s Cabinet on Sunday approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to rename the ongoing conflict The War of Revival, replacing the previous title Operation Iron Swords.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just spoken by phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sissi, as US President Donald Trump listens in, Channel 12 news reports. In the call, apparently brokered by Trump at the Knesset, Netanyahu accepted an invitation by the Egyptian leader to join the international summit on Trump’s Gaza peace plan in Sharm El-Sheikh today, according to the report.
Israel’s prime minister will attend the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in Egypt later today, Egypt’s presidential spokesperson says.
Meanwhile, Italy and Greece call on Israel….
Eight Arab and Muslim nations released a statement on Monday backing US President Donald Trump‘s plan to end Israel‘s genocide in Gaza and establish an international peace keeping force there.
The countries are: Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan.
He made the announcement on social media, writing that he was directing the Department of Defense to „provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland.“ Trump said the decision was necessary to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, which he described as „under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists.“
(today)
In a brief post to his social media platform, Trump said he would have Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth order troops deployed to Oregon’s largest city.
Trump did not specify what legal justification he had to do so, what military branch would be used or other key details. The troops would be used to defend U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities from “domestic terrorists,” he said.
(September 23, 2025)
ESCALATING THREATS IN REAL TIME
– Explosions and Jamming: Tonight, at least 13 explosions were heard on and around several flotilla boats, with widespread disruption in communications, raising urgent concerns for the safety of participants.
– Drones Overhead: In the past 24 hours, more than 15 low-altitude drones have hovered above the Alma boat, appearing roughly every 10 minutes.
– Unidentified Objects Dropped: Flotilla participants reported objects being dropped on at least 10 boats from drones or aircrafts, causing damage. No fatalities have been reported. The extent of the damage will be fully assessed in daylight.
– Coordinated Smear Campaign: Israel continues to falsely label the GSF the “Hamas flotilla,” asserting that it plans to engage in violent action. This disinformation campaign is an attempt to pre-emptively justify military action against a civilian-led, nonviolent, humanitarian mission.
The Global Sumud Flotilla said it was attacked during the night by “unidentified drones and communications jamming.” It said that “at least 13 explosions” were heard on and around several flotilla boats, while drones or aircraft dropped “unidentified objects” on at least 10 boats.
Organizers of a flotilla carrying aid for Gaza have reported explosions near their boats and seeing multiple drones around the fleet, which is made up of more than 500 people, including prominent environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) which was sailing near Greece as of early Wednesday, according its online tracker, also saw its communications “jammed,” its organizers said in a statement.
On September 13, 2025, Romania’s air defence forces responded swiftly to an unprecedented security incident when a Russian drone intruded into Romanian airspace near the Ukrainian border. The Romanian Air Force scrambled two F-16 fighter jets to intercept the drone, which was detected approximately 20 kilometres southwest of Chilia Veche, Tulcea County.
The F-16 jets tracked the drone until it disappeared from radar, ensuring no invasion of populated areas and preventing any public safety threat.
A set of Venezuelan military aircraft flew near a U.S. Navy vessel in international waters Thursday, two days after the U.S. said it struck a Venezuelan drug vessel, according to a Defense Department statement posted to X.
Two Venezuelan F-16s conducted the aggressive maneuver over the USS Jason Dunham, an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer, in a clear “show of force,” a U.S. defense official confirmed to Navy Times.