Trump’s Venezuela Coup Shaped by Chevron Executive

Trump’s military operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, was shaped by former Chevron executive Ali Moshiri, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal. Moshiri advised the CIA months before the Trump administration’s attack and takeover, recommending that Venezuela’s then-Vice President Delcy Rodríguez replace Maduro rather than opposition leader Maria Machado, despite Republican supporters backing Machado as the clear successor.

Hours after Maduro’s capture, Trump dismissed the idea of Machado leading Venezuela, claiming she lacked “support or respect within the country”—a position consistent with Moshiri’s earlier counsel to the administration. Moshiri left Chevron in 2017 and ended his consulting relationship with the company in 2024, yet his influence over Trump’s decision directly affected Venezuela’s political future and economic direction.

Investigative journalists identified a clear conflict of interest in this arrangement. Antonia Juhasz wrote that Moshiri, functioning as a CIA informant, “told Trump to ditch democracy and go for Rodriguez ’cause she’d secure the oil.” Kenneth Vogel of The New York Times noted that the secret CIA assessment backing Rodríguez was based on Moshiri’s advice and that “the oil company stands to profit from Trump’s decision to heed that advice.”

The revelation prompted stunned reactions from major media figures. New York Times columnist Lydia Polgreen described the story as one that “pulls back the curtain on how the world really works,” while journalists compared the arrangement to the 2005 film Syriana, which dramatized corporate manipulation of foreign policy. The disclosure demonstrates how Trump’s abuse of power extends to allowing corporate interests to determine military operations and regime change.

(Source: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2676159147/)

Trump Assails NATO as Cowards While Deepening Iran War

President Trump denounced NATO allies as “cowards” on Friday for refusing to deploy troops to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping corridor through which one-fifth of global oil trades. Trump’s hostility toward allies coincides with his unilateral Iran war that has backfired diplomatically, as he initiated military strikes alongside Israel without coordinating with partners, then demanded their support managing the consequences. The Pentagon is deploying approximately 2,200 additional Marines and three warships to the Middle East, marking the second Marine expeditionary unit sent since the conflict began on February 28.

The war has devastated global energy markets and inflicted heavy casualties on U.S. forces. Brent crude oil surged to $112 per barrel, up from roughly $70 before the conflict, with gasoline prices approaching $4 per gallon. The Pentagon reported 232 American service members injured since the war started, with 10 in serious condition. The Treasury Department temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian oil at sea in an attempt to ease prices, marking a break from Trump’s stated “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran. Pentagon officials have prepared detailed plans for potential ground troop deployment into Iran, though Trump claims the U.S. is considering “winding down” operations while simultaneously retaining options to strike Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal.

Trump contradicted his own position by claiming the U.S. does not need the Strait of Hormuz while simultaneously pressuring allies to defend it. He stated Iran’s leadership has been decimated, with “nobody to talk to” remaining, yet Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and military officials continue asserting they are producing ballistic missiles and threatening to target recreational and tourist sites worldwide. The International Atomic Energy Agency told CBS News that securing Iran’s enriched uranium will be “very challenging” even after fighting ends, undercutting Trump and Netanyahu’s stated nuclear prevention objectives.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized U.S. use of U.K. bases to strike Iranian missile sites, prompting Iran’s foreign minister to accuse Starmer of “putting British lives in danger.” NATO relocated its advisory mission from Iraq to Italy after Iranian attacks on allied bases. The humanitarian toll extends beyond military casualties; soaring oil prices are driving up costs across U.S. supply chains, affecting retail prices for consumers nationwide. Former Iran detainee Siamak Namazi warned that Americans held in Iranian prisons face heightened danger amid the escalating conflict.

Trump made a debunked claim about predicting the September 11 attacks while discussing the Strait of Hormuz, part of a pattern of disinformation throughout the conflict. The White House stated Trump “retains all options” militarily but claimed he has “no plans to send troops anywhere,” a contradiction given Pentagon preparations for ground deployment. As the war enters its fourth week with no diplomatic resolution, Trump’s contradictory statements and hostile treatment of allies underscore the absence of a coherent strategic plan.

(Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/live-updates/iran-war-us-israel-gas-and-oil-prices-trump-netanyahu-strait-hormuz/)

No H.I.V. Aid Without More Access to Minerals: U.S. Ponders ‘Sticks’ Against Zambia – The New York Times

The Trump administration is considering withholding lifesaving H.I.V. treatment and tuberculosis and malaria medications from 1.3 million Zambians as leverage to force the southern African nation to grant the United States greater access to its mineral resources, particularly copper, lithium, and cobalt. A State Department memo obtained by The New York Times states the administration will “only secure our priorities by demonstrating willingness to publicly take support away from Zambia on a massive scale,” with potential cuts to aid through PEPFAR beginning as soon as May.

Zambia’s critical minerals are central to the green energy transition globally, and the Trump administration views China’s access to these resources as a strategic threat. Unlike agreements with other nations that focus primarily on health spending commitments, the administration is attempting to weaponize health aid to coerce Zambia into signing a deal that prioritizes U.S. mineral access over public health needs.

This tactic follows the Trump administration’s broad cuts to foreign aid announced last year. The State Department has been pressuring countries to sign new agreements, with 24 nations having signed deals worth $20 billion in health aid over five years, though most agreements simply require recipient governments to increase their own health spending rather than serve geopolitical extraction goals.

Other African nations are resisting similar demands tied to aid. Zimbabwe’s government recently rejected negotiations, citing demands about data and biological sample sharing as intolerable sovereignty violations. Activists in Kenya have taken their country’s agreement to court over comparable concerns, signaling widespread resistance to conditioning essential health assistance on unfavorable terms.

The abuse of power represented by weaponizing H.I.V. treatment demonstrates how the Trump administration subordinates human life to resource extraction and geopolitical positioning, directly sacrificing the health and survival of vulnerable populations in service of mineral interests and competition with China.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/health/zambia-hiv-aid-minerals-trump.html)

Trump Admin Investigates 13 States Over Abortion Coverage

The Trump administration launched investigations into 13 states requiring health insurance coverage of abortion, claiming these policies violate the Weldon Amendment, a federal provision that protects health entities from being forced to cover or refer for abortion services. The targeted states are California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, with all but Vermont led by Democratic governors. The administration reinterpreted the Weldon Amendment to apply to employers and health plan sponsors, a position the Biden administration rejected.

Paula M. Stannard, director of the HHS civil rights office, stated the investigations aim to address states’ “alleged disregard of, or confusion about, compliance with the Weldon Amendment,” asserting that health care entities are protected from state discrimination for refusing abortion coverage based on conscience. The Trump administration sent letters to the states demanding information to support its legal theory that state abortion coverage mandates violate federal law by preventing employers and insurers from opting out.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill characterized the investigation as “nothing but a fishing expedition wasting taxpayers’ money,” defending her state’s requirement that health insurance plans comply with all applicable laws protecting reproductive freedom. Legal experts note the Weldon Amendment’s text does not explicitly mention employers or plan sponsors among protected health care entities, potentially undermining the administration’s interpretation. Elizabeth Sepper, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin, identified the investigations as fulfillment of commitments made to the religious right through Project 2025.

The dispute reflects a partisan pattern in interpreting conscience laws. During Trump’s first term in 2020, his administration attempted to withhold federal health care funding from California over Weldon Amendment violations, but the Biden administration reversed that decision upon taking office. The question of whether the amendment applies to employers and plan sponsors has never been definitively resolved in court, leaving the legal interpretation contested.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-administration-launches-investigation-states-170346571.html)

Ex-Counterterrorism Chief Says Trump Blocked Iran War Concerns

Joe Kent, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned this week over abuse of power in Trump’s decision to strike Iran on February 28. Speaking on Tucker Carlson’s program, Kent stated that he and other senior officials opposed to the airstrikes were deliberately prevented from presenting their concerns directly to Trump, who relied instead on a narrow circle of advisers.

Kent, who led an agency responsible for analyzing terrorist threats, said no intelligence supported claims that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States or was developing nuclear weapons. He alleged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials personally lobbied Trump with information that contradicted U.S. intelligence channels, effectively forcing the American decision to attack.

Kent’s statements underscore divisions within the Trump administration over the Iran war and highlight the authoritarian decision-making process that excluded qualified officials from deliberation. His resignation and public criticism indicate that concerns about the strikes existed at senior levels but were systematically suppressed, demonstrating Trump’s preference for unquestioned loyalty over informed counsel on matters of national security and military action.

Trump dismissed Kent’s concerns on Tuesday, calling him “weak on security” and stating that anyone in his administration doubting Iran’s threat status had no place in government. The White House did not respond to Kent’s allegations about being blocked from accessing the president or about the Israeli influence on the war decision.

Kent, a 45-year-old former Green Beret with 11 combat deployments and prior CIA service, decided to resign after concluding his objections would be ignored. His decision to resign “in good conscience” rather than participate in what he viewed as a flawed military decision reflects the cost of Trump’s demand for absolute loyalty over expertise and deliberative governance.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ex-counterterrorism-official-says-wasnt-004218298.html)

FEMA Official Phillips Pushed Teleportation Lies, Death

Gregg Phillips, appointed head of FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery in December, has promoted disinformation and violent rhetoric according to CNN’s KFile investigation released March 20, 2026. Phillips claimed in a January 2025 podcast appearance that he teleported 50 miles to a Waffle House in Rome, Georgia, and stated his truck was lifted 40 feet off the ground and transported to a ditch outside a church, describing these experiences as real and an “incredible adventure.”

Phillips expressed violent threats against Democratic figures, telling listeners in January 2025 that he would “punch that b*tch in the mouth” regarding former President Joe Biden and that Biden “deserves to die.” In a 2019 social media post, he attacked Rep. Jerry Nadler with profane insults about his weight and fitness, demanding he “lose 100 pounds” and calling him a “pig.”

Phillips promoted election conspiracy theories and false claims about national security threats. He warned listeners in 2023 that a Chinese military force was being secretly assembled within the United States and crossing the border from Texas to California, falsely portraying this as an imminent threat requiring tactical military preparation.

A FEMA spokesperson dismissed the report as “silly” and claimed Phillips’s comments were “taken out of context” or represented “personal, informal, jovial, and somewhat spiritual discussions” made while surviving cancer prior to his current position. However, multiple FEMA officials initially expressed concerns about Phillips’s lack of experience, though some told CNN that his hands-on involvement during recent storms reduced some of their doubts.

Phillips is scheduled to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee regarding the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, and lawmakers may question him about his extreme rhetoric and false claims during that testimony.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-fema-official-has-history-of-violent-rhetoric-and-claimed-he-teleported-to-a-waffle-house/)

Trump Defies Fallen Airmen’s Families’ Privacy Request at Transfer

President Trump attended the dignified transfer of six U.S. Air Force airmen killed in a refueling aircraft crash during military operations in Iran, despite families of the deceased explicitly requesting privacy and barring cameras from the ceremony. Fox News correspondent John Roberts reported that the troops’ relatives demanded the transfer remain private, a direct contradiction to Trump’s public participation in the event.

Trump’s decision to attend despite the families’ wishes demonstrates his abuse of power and disregard for the bereaved, using a solemn military ceremony honoring the dead for public appearances. This mirrors prior instances of Trump exploiting fallen soldiers’ images for political gain, including his PAC’s use of a dignified transfer photograph in fundraising materials.

The Republican president’s pattern of defying families’ explicit wishes regarding their fallen loved ones contradicts stated respect for military sacrifice. Previous occasions saw Trump skip dignified transfers entirely to attend personal events, while his administration continues to weaponize military ceremonies for political messaging.

By ignoring the grieving families’ direct request for privacy, Trump prioritized his media visibility over the dignity and autonomy of those mourning their relatives. The airmen’s families sought a respectful, private ceremony to honor their dead, yet Trump’s attendance converted their loss into a public spectacle under his control.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/slain-troops-families-issue-ban-224742434.html)

Trump Mocks Pearl Harbor Attack With Japanese PM

During a Thursday Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trump made an insulting joke about Pearl Harbor, one of the deadliest attacks on American soil. When a reporter asked why Trump did not warn Japan before launching what he called a “surprise” offensive in Iran, Trump responded by asking Takaichi, “Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor, OK?” The remark created visible discomfort, with Takaichi’s eyes widening while she maintained a neutral expression as cameras recorded the moment.

Trump’s Pearl Harbor quip stands in stark contrast to how previous administrations treated this historically significant tragedy. In 2016, President Obama and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe honored the more than 2,400 people killed in the December 7, 1941 attack by scattering flower petals on the waters and laying wreaths at the memorial. Abe spoke of reconciliation and tolerance, emphasizing the alliance between nations. Trump’s joke weaponized this historical tragedy for rhetorical leverage during a negotiation about military support.

The joke was part of a broader pattern of Trump using Oval Office meetings with foreign leaders to demean and pressure them. During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump and Vice President JD Vance launched into an on-camera shouting match, repeatedly berating Zelensky for not showing sufficient gratitude. Trump also ambushed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa by dimming lights and screening a video promoting widely debunked white genocide conspiracy claims, demonstrating disrespect and abuse of power in diplomatic settings.

Takaichi had arrived in Washington already signaling Japan would not deploy warships to the Persian Gulf to protect oil shipments, and she refused to comment on Trump’s offensive remark. Instead, she focused statements on a new $550 billion trade pact involving Alaskan oil and promised cooperation with the United States in “other areas,” including possible logistical support for the Iran offensive. Her diplomatic restraint did not excuse Trump’s insulting conduct toward an ally.

Trump deployed the joke as a manipulation tactic to pressure Japan into military commitments it had declined to make. By invoking a historical tragedy that killed thousands of Americans, Trump used shame and historical grievance to coerce compliance, demonstrating that his administration views diplomatic relationships as leverage opportunities rather than alliances based on mutual respect and shared values.

(Source: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2026-03-19/trump-cracks-joke-about-pearl-harbor)

Hegseth Declares No Quarter for Iran in War Crime

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared during a Friday press briefing on the Iran conflict that the United States would provide “no quarter, no mercy” to enemies, a statement that violates international humanitarian law. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, “no quarter” means refusing to spare the lives of combatants unable to defend themselves or those expressing intent to surrender. Under the Statute of the International Criminal Court, declaring that no quarter will be given constitutes a war crime in international armed conflicts, and numerous military manuals and national legislation prohibit such orders.

Hegseth’s remarks accompanied inflammatory commentary about Iran’s leadership, describing the new supreme leader as “scared,” “injured,” and “on the run” while stating the Iranian military is “crumbling” and “confused.” He framed the U.S. response as relentless pressure with no possibility of mercy or restraint, directly invoking language prohibited under international law governing armed conflict.

National security reporter Alex Ward flagged Hegseth’s statement on social media, noting that the “no quarter” declaration violates international humanitarian law and had received minimal public attention. Hegseth’s pattern of contentious statements and actions extends beyond military strategy, reflecting a broader effort to reshape institutional values at the Pentagon according to his ideological preferences.

CNN Pentagon reporter Barbara Starr characterized Hegseth’s actions and statements as part of an attempt to fundamentally alter the moral foundation of the U.S. military. She emphasized the significance of addressing violations of international law and the erosion of military ethical standards, linking Hegseth’s rhetoric to his campaign to remove what he labels “woke distractions” from military institutions.

The declaration of “no quarter” contradicts longstanding international agreements and U.S. military conduct standards established after World War I and World War II, when military leaders were prosecuted for issuing such orders. Hegseth’s statement therefore represents a direct rejection of established international humanitarian law and the legal framework governing warfare.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/pete-hegseth-calls-for-no-quarter-for-us-enemies-in-violation-of-international-law/)

Trump Demands Treason Charges Against Media Over Iran War

President Trump demanded that media outlets face treason charges for reporting on military incidents during the Iran war, specifically criticizing coverage of alleged strikes on U.S. naval vessels and air bases. In a Truth Social post on March 15, Trump accused Iran of spreading disinformation through artificial intelligence and claimed that American news organizations knowingly amplified false information about the USS Abraham Lincoln and Air Force refueling planes struck at Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia.

Trump alleged that reports showing the USS Abraham Lincoln on fire were fabricated and generated by AI, stating the carrier was neither burning nor targeted. He wrote that media outlets distributing these false reports “should be brought up on Charges for TREASON for the dissemination of false information,” directly calling for criminal prosecution of journalists and news organizations.

CNN’s Daniel Dale documented that when the White House provided examples of outlets spreading the Lincoln story, none were American—one was Israeli, one Saudi, one Turkish. Trump had strongly suggested he was addressing U.S. media when calling for treason charges, contradicting the White House’s own evidence and demonstrating the false basis for his accusations.

Trump praised FCC Chair Brendan Carr for threatening to revoke broadcast licenses, describing news organizations as “Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic” and claiming they abuse free airwaves. The attack on media freedom follows recent threats from Carr to strip licenses from broadcasters over war coverage and reflects a pattern of abuse of power against journalists who report on Trump’s military operations.

Trump’s assault on press freedom extends beyond coverage of the Iran conflict. He recently attacked New York Times correspondent Maggie Haberman as a “SLEAZEBAG,” threatened to sue her and “associates,” and previously insulted CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, the Washington Post’s Natalie Allison, CBS’s Nancy Cordes, and others, weaponizing his office to silence critical reporting and establish authoritarian control over information.

(Source: https://people.com/donald-trump-wants-some-media-outlets-face-charges-treason-latest-rant-journalists-11926939)

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