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US Doubles Bounty on Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro to $50 Million  Firstpost America

US Doubles Bounty on Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro to $50 Million Firstpost America

First Posta day ago
US Doubles Bounty on Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro to $50 Million | Firstpost America | N18G
The United States has doubled its reward for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to a record $50 million, accusing him of being one of the world's largest narco-traffickers. US Attorney General Pam Bondi alleges Maduro worked with the Sinaloa Cartel, Tren de Aragua and Cartel of the Suns to flood America with fentanyl-laced cocaine. Washington says it has seized over $700 million in assets tied to him, including jets and vehicles. Caracas dismisses the move as "political propaganda" aimed at distracting from the Jeffrey Epstein controversy. Despite mounting charges, sanctions, and international condemnation over a disputed 2024 re-election, Maduro remains firmly in power in Venezuela.
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US deploys three warships near Venezuelan coast in a bid to curb drug trafficking
US deploys three warships near Venezuelan coast in a bid to curb drug trafficking

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time5 hours ago

  • First Post

US deploys three warships near Venezuelan coast in a bid to curb drug trafficking

The deployment comes as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, doubling its bounty to $50 million earlier this month on drug charges against the leftist strongman. US President Donald Trump is deploying three warships off the coast of Venezuela as part of efforts to curb drug trafficking, a source familiar with the move said Wednesday. The deployment comes as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, doubling its bounty to $50 million earlier this month on drug charges against the leftist strongman. The three Aegis-class guided missile destroyers are heading to the waters off Venezuela, the US source told AFP on condition of anonymity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US media reported that Washington was also planning to send 4,000 Marines to the region. Washington, which does not recognize Maduro's past two election victories, accuses him of leading the Cartel de los Soles ('Cartel of the Suns') cocaine trafficking gang. The Treasury Department gave the group a special terrorist designation last month, accusing it of supporting the Tren de Aragua and Sinaloa drug cartels, which were labeled foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year. The White House said on Tuesday that Trump would use 'every element' to stop drug trafficking, when asked about the possibility of US boots on the ground in Venezuela. 'President Trump has been very clear and consistent, he's prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice,' Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Leavitt described the Venezuelan government as a 'narco-terror cartel.' 'And Maduro, it is the view of this administration, is not a legitimate president, he is a fugitive head of this cartel who has been indicted in the United States for trafficking drugs into this country,' she added. Maduro said on Monday that he would be deploying 4.5 million militia members across Venezuela in response to US 'threats.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Gabbard Unveils Plan to Slash Top Spy Agency by 40% This Year
Gabbard Unveils Plan to Slash Top Spy Agency by 40% This Year

Mint

time7 hours ago

  • Mint

Gabbard Unveils Plan to Slash Top Spy Agency by 40% This Year

(Bloomberg) -- Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced plans to shrink her agency by 40% by the end of the year in what she called an effort to make the office more efficient, even as she clashes with the national security community she leads. The overhaul would save taxpayers $700 million per year by eliminating 'redundant missions, functions and personnel' at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Gabbard said in a statement. The ODNI oversees the US's 18 intelligence agencies. Instead, the ODNI will invest in areas that 'support the President's national intelligence priorities, and focuses on rebuilding trust, exposing politicization and weaponization of intelligence, and holding bad actors accountable,' the statement said. Bloomberg previously reported that the White House was pressing ahead with plans to slash the top spy agency. Officials from both parties concede that the ODNI has become too bloated over the years and that the agency often duplicates work carried out by the independent intelligence agencies it oversees. Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas who leads the intelligence committee, welcomed the announcement as 'an important step towards returning ODNI to that original size, scope, and mission.' But the effort comes as Gabbard has been openly confrontational with the workforce she leads. The spy chief has sought to root out 'politicization' by referring intelligence officers for prosecution over alleged leaks of classified information. Earlier this week, Gabbard suspended the security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials, continuing Trump's trend of revoking clearances as a means of political retribution. Two top officials from the National Intelligence Council were also reportedly fired in May after the release of a declassified memo that contradicted Trump's basis for deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members. Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that while lawmakers broadly agree ODNI is 'in need of thoughtful reform,' Gabbard has a 'track record of politicizing intelligence.' The Virginia Democrat added in a statement he has 'no confidence that she is the right person to carry out this weighty responsibility.' --With assistance from Jamie Tarabay and Nancy Cook. More stories like this are available on

Iran Water Crisis: Netanyahu Calls For Uprising, Pezshkian Mocks Offer  Firstpost America
Iran Water Crisis: Netanyahu Calls For Uprising, Pezshkian Mocks Offer  Firstpost America

First Post

time16 hours ago

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Iran Water Crisis: Netanyahu Calls For Uprising, Pezshkian Mocks Offer Firstpost America

Iran Water Crisis: Netanyahu Calls For Uprising, Pezshkian Mocks Offer | Firstpost America | N18G A new confrontation is unfolding between Israel and Iran, focused on water amid a severe crisis in Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video urging Iranians to challenge their government and promising Israeli water expertise if the regime is deposed. Iran faces persistent water and electricity shortages, worsened by drought and mismanagement, with Tehran's dam reserves reportedly at historic lows. President Masoud Pezeshkian criticised Netanyahu's offer, highlighting Israel's treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi also condemned Tehran's handling of resources. The crisis continues as Iran recovers from the 12-day war with Israel and the US, with potential UN sanctions looming. Watch this video for details. See More

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