The news conference is over. Despite multiple questions about how #Venezuela will be run, no details were provided.
#Trump repeatedly said “we’re gonna do” this & “we’re gonna do” that, but never gave info about HOW.
There were vague allusions to #MarcoRubio & Pete #Hegseth & a “group” but no specifics.
This is nuts.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Maduro #abduction #LandGrab #sovereignty #WarCrimes #oil #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
When asked how much running #Venezuela, potentially for years, will cost, #Trump said: “It won’t cost us anything.”
His claim that the #US won’t have to spend any money because it will be “reimbursed” by the #oil the US will take “out of the ground” is a total fantasy.
This will cost the US billions.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Maduro #abduction #LandGrab #sovereignty #WarCrimes #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
Now he’s back to insane asylums sending mental patients to the #US.
The man does not know the difference between “seeking asylum” & an “insane asylum”. #Trump is such a fucking moron.
#law #immigration #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Maduro #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #sovereignty #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
#Trump referred to a “partnership” between #Venezuela & the #UnitedStates, which he said would make Venezuelans “rich, independent & safe.” Of course, this was a partnership accomplished by a #GovernmentOverthrow.
BTWs Trump’s asides about #DC, #NOLA, & #LA are total bullshit. No murder in NOLA & DC since his illegal intervention? Flat out lies.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Maduro #abduction #oil #LandGrab #sovereignty #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
#Trump put no time limit on the #US #occupation. It would be up to the #UnitedStates to decide when to return the country to Venezulan control. And then he turned to #oil, saying that US companies would fix the infrastructure, “& start making money for the country.” [doubt any will go to Venezuelans]
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Maduro #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #sovereignty #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
This picture violates #InternationalLaw. It is illegal to use pictures of prisoners for #propaganda.
#GenevaConventions #law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #Maduro #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes
Trump about to speak
c-span.org/event/white-house-e…
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #MaduroIndictment #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
President Trump holds a news conference on U.S. airstrikes against Venezuela and the capture of president, Nicolas Maduro. He announces that the U.S. will run Venezuela until a transition can take place and U.S. companies will handle oil production.C-SPAN
Here is the unsealed 25 page #MaduroIndictment
justice.gov/opa/media/1422326/…
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
#US #DOJ alleges that #Maduro partnered with “some of the most violent & prolific drug traffickers & narco-terrorists in the world” to bring “tons” of cocaine into the US, acc/to the #indictment.
The DOJ estimates that as much as 250 tons of cocaine were trafficked through #Venezuela by 2020 [start date?], acc/to the indictment.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #MaduroIndictment #oil #LandGrab #InternationalLaw
The #MaduroIndictment [for which the #US has no authority]
The #indictment accuses #Maduro of leading a “a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect & promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.” #DOJ alleges that the drug trafficking efforts “enriched & entrenched Venezuela’s political & military elite.”
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
#China called on the #US to comply with #InternationalLaw & the principles of the #UN Charter, urging it to stop violating the #sovereignty & #security of other nations.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
#China strongly condemned the #US strike in #Venezuela & the action against its president, the Foreign Ministry said, adding the Beijing govt was “deeply shocked” & firmly opposed to the operation.
“Such hegemonic acts of the US seriously violate #InternationalLaw & Venezuela’s #sovereignty & threaten #peace & #security in #LatinAmerica & the #Caribbean region,” it said.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy
#Britain PM #KeirStarmer said the #UK was not involved in the #US operation in #Venezuela and that he would seek more information from #Trump. Without condemning the US action, #Starmer said he always believes that #InternationalLaw should be upheld. “But I think at this stage, fast moving situation, let’s establish the facts & take it from there,” he said.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #abduction #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy
#Russia Foreign Ministry said it is “extremely alarmed” & called for “immediate clarification,” acc/to a statement posted Saturday on the ministry’s Telegram channel. The ministry said such actions, if confirmed, would constitute “an unacceptable infringement on the #sovereignty of an #independent #state.”
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
#Spain PM #PedroSánchez called for “de-escalation & responsibility. #InternationalLaw & the principles of the #UnitedNations Charter must be respected,” Sánchez wrote on X.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy
#EU foreign policy chief #KajaKallas wrote on X that she had spoken with #US Secy of State #MarcoRubio & the EU ambassador in Caracas. “The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr #Maduro lacks legitimacy & has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles of #InternationalLaw & the #UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint.”
Meaningless ⤴︎
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings
Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández told The Associated Press that Nicolás #Maduro & his wife were at their home within the Ft. Tiuna military installation when they were captured.
“That’s where they bombed,” he said. “And, there, they carried out what we could call a kidnapping of the president & the first lady of the country.”
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #Trump #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
#Trump told FauxNews that #Maduro & his wife were aboard the US warship Iwo Jima & headed to NY, where they will face prosecution.
🚨Trump said in an interview Saturday morning that the #US will be making decisions on what is next for #Venezuela.🚨
“We can’t take a chance in letting somebody else run and just take over what he left, or left off.”
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #abduction #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
“They should say, ‘Great job.’ They shouldn’t say, ‘Oh Gee, maybe it’s not constitutional.’ You know, the same old stuff that we’ve been hearing for years & years & years,” #Trump said who very likely has never read the #US #Constitution.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
#Trump brushed off criticism from US Democratic lawmakers that he did not seek permission from #Congress ahead of time & that the strike was #illegal. He called his Democratic critics “weak, stupid people” & blamed his political opponents for inflation in the US.
He said the operation in #Venezuela was “really genius.”
“All they do is complain,” he said of the #Democrats.
#law #WarPowers #criminal #abduction #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
US AG #PamBondi said #Maduro & his wife would face charges after an indictment in New York. Bondi vowed in a social media post that the couple would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
#Trump announced the developments on Truth Social shortly after 4:30AM ET & said he would host a news conference at 11AM ET.
#law #Congress #WarPowers #criminal #abduction #Venezuela #oil #LandGrab #WarCrimes #ExtrajudicialKillings #theft #piracy #InternationalLaw
Incredible (but predictable) : #Microsoft has blocked the International Criminal Court's access (#ICC) to its services on the orders of the #Trump mafia.
Read that carefully : an international organisation that has no presence in the United States and no US legal rights has had its work tools blocked simply because it disagrees with the Trump administration. 🚩
Get the hell out of it right now.
#Trump is praising a bill that Sen John Thune, the majority leader, has pushed to criminalize online “#RevengePorn.” Then he says that he could make use of such a bill himself, because no one is treated worse online that he is.
He has no idea what he’s talking about.
If anything, Trump would be the #criminal offender in this scenario, not the freaking victim.
Jackass.
Note #Democrats all applauded this bill.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg delivers remarks during the opening of the NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium on July 9, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
US, NATO allies to deliver 'dozens' of air defense systems in coming months, including 4 Patriots. The U.S. and at least nine other NATO allies have agreed to send dozens of air defense systems in the coming months to Ukraine, including at least four Patriot batteries, according to a joint agreement issued on July 9.
US supplies Ukraine with Metal Shark high-speed boats. The boats are equipped with modern navigation and control systems, automatic fire extinguishing, as well as a video surveillance system, making them maneuverable, fast, and ergonomic, the State Border Guard Service said.
F-16s in Ukraine may 'create conditions for counterattack,' Polish general says. "Ukrainian aviation should receive long-range missiles to destroy Russia's infrastructure, including airfields. When this happens, the logistics of the Russian army will be cut off from the main forces. If this is done, Ukraine's army command should form a strike group and strike back," Kraszewski said.
NATO summit communique to describe Ukraine's path to alliance as 'irreversible,' CNN reports. The question of how strong guarantees to give Ukraine regarding its future membership in NATO has become a key source of debate inside the alliance, CNN reported. The final version of the document may contain changes, CNN wrote, but the presence of the "irreversible" Ukraine's accession to NATO would be "a significant signal to Kyiv and Moscow."
Ukraine struck airbase, oil depot, and energy facility in Russia overnight, source says. Ukrainian intelligence agencies carried out an attack against a Russian military airfield, an energy substation, and an oil depot in three different regions overnight on July 9, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent.
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UN assessment suggests Kyiv children's hospital suffered direct hit by Russian missile. Evidence from the scene of the children's hospital in Kyiv indicates "a high likelihood" of a direct hit by a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile on July 8, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMUN) said on July 9.
Republican Party committee approves 2024 platform, makes no mention of Ukraine, Russia. The 16-page document, which must be still approved at the upcoming Republican National Convention, focuses primarily on domestic issues.
Zelensky says Indian PM's embrace with Putin a 'huge disappointment' after Russian mass attack on Ukraine. "It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world's largest democracy hug the world's most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day," President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X.
Ukraine war latest: Rescue operations end at Kyiv children's hospital, at least 33 killed in capital overall
Search and rescue operations at the site of a Russian missile attack on Okhmatdyt hospital in Kyiv concluded on July 9, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Anadolu via Getty Images
| Learn more |
F-16s, multi-billion pledge, more Patriots, 'irreversible' membership – what Ukraine will and won't get at the NATO Summit
While 75th birthdays are usually a cause for joy and celebration, NATO's marking of this milestone at a three-day summit in Washington from 9-11 July is likely to be a rather more muted affair.
Photo: Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty Images
| Learn more |
Russia probes for air defense gaps to wreak havoc on Kyiv
Rather than evidence of some technological edge on Russia's side, experts linked the destruction wrought by the attack to Moscow's consistent probing for weaknesses in Ukrainian air defenses.
Photo: Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images
| Learn more |
Russian propagandists spin conflicting disinformation in bid to evade responsibility for missile strike on children’s hospital
As some Russian talking heads call for more Ukrainians to be killed, Zelensky’s top aide urges more Western help to stop a war of ‘genocide.’
Photo: Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images
| Learn more |
Rescue operations end at Kyiv children's hospital, at least 33 killed in capital overall. In total, at least 33 people, including four children, were killed in Kyiv as a result of the July 8 attack, officials said the following day. Another 10 children are among the 117 injured.
Saudi Arabia issued vague threats to G7 against seizing frozen Russian assets, Bloomberg reports. Saudi officials reportedly made "veiled threats" to Group of Seven (G7) nations hinting that the kingdom would sell some European debt holdings if Western allies seized about $300 billion in frozen Russian assets, Bloomberg reported on July 9, citing its sources.
North Korean military trainers travel to Russia weeks after signing of partnership agreement. A delegation of North Korean military trainers led by the head of a prestigious military academy in Pyongyang has begun a trip to Russia, North Korean state media reported on July 9.
'When innocent children killed, the heart bleeds,' Modi comments on Russian July 8 attack after meeting with Putin. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Moscow on July 8 in what was his first trip to Russia since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Threat of Russian sabotage led to heightened security at US military bases in Europe, CNN reports. The heightened security alert was first reported earlier in July as being connected to a possible terrorist threat directed at several U.S. military installations across Europe, including the facility in Germany where the U.S. European Command is based.
US announces moves against Russia-linked bot farm aimed at spreading disinformation. According to the Justice Department, the bot farm was organized by a Russian national who worked as the deputy editor-in-chief of RT in 2022, and expanded with funding from the Kremlin and collaboration with an official from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).
Moscow court orders arrest in absentia of Yulia Navalnaya. A Moscow court said that it had "approved the request of the investigators and decided a preventive measure in the form of detention for two months." Yulia Navalnaya currently lives outside of Russia, but would face jail time if she returns.
Bulgaria sues Russian Gazprom, seeking compensation of more than $430 million. In 2023, the Russian gas giant suspended Bulgargaz's long-term contract, which covered 90% of the quantities of natural gas delivered by Bulgargaz to customers.
Switzerland announces new sanctions against Russia. Switzerland announced new sanctions against Russia on July 8, bringing the country further in line with the EU's 14th round of sanctions adopted in response to the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow agrees to discharge all Indians recruited into Russian army, Indian outlet reports. Moscow agreed to release all Indians serving in the Russian army and facilitate their return after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Vladimir Putin, Indian news publication NDTV reported on July 9, citing unnamed sources.
US provides Poland with $2 billion for financing of F-35s, Patriots, Abrams. The U.S. will provide Poland with a second $2 billion Foreign Military Financing loan to purchase defense equipment from the U.S., the State Department announced on July 8.
Ukrainian state defense company opens office in US. Ukraine's state-owned defense company Ukrainian Defense Industry, also known as Ukroboronprom, has opened a representative office in Washington as Kyiv seeks to strengthen defense partnerships abroad amid Russia's war.
Nearly $37,000 stolen from bank accounts of fallen soldiers in Dnipro. The suspects, with the help of an employee of the Regional Bureau of Forensic Medicine, stole payment cards and mobile phones registered in the online banking system from dead soldiers in a morgue.
Ukraine to be represented at 2024 Olympics by smallest number of athletes in history. Only 140 Ukrainian athletes will compete at the Olympic Games in Paris this year, the smallest number in the history of the country's participation in the games, as Russia's war has damaged or destroyed sports' facilities and frequent air raid alerts interrupt training.
EU freezes $32 million in defense funds for Georgia, halts accession process amid ‘low point’ in relations. Brussels has frozen 30 million euros ($32 million) in defense sector funding for Georgia after halting its EU accession process in June, EU Ambassador to Georgia Pawel Herczynski said on July 9.
Bloomberg names 12 oligarchs who earn billions in payouts from Russia's war economy. Russia's wartime economy has earned a dozen oligarchs $11 billion in dividends as Russian natural resource and finance giants earn record profits during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on July 9.
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Russia's wartime economy has earned a dozen oligarchs $11 billion in dividends as Russian natural resource and finance giants earn record profits during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on July 9.Elsa Court (The Kyiv Independent)
#KeithDavidson stressed that #KarenMcDougal did not want to go public in telling her story, & he said that the competing deal w/ABC would have forced her to tell it.
Her goals were to rejuvenate her career, make money, & avoid becoming “the scarlet letter,”.
“Was AMI attractive because she would not actually have to tell her story?” Steinglass asked.
Davidson said, “That was one of her stated goals.”
#Trump #TrumpTrial #criminal #law
Howard to Davison, "Talk 1st thing, I will get you more than ANYONE for it. You know why..."
Davidson said he didn't know if he had a "clear understanding at the time" of Howard's text.
"But I knew that Dylan’s boss #DavidPecker & Mr. #Trump were longtime friends & had a former business relationship," Davison continued.
"Mr. Pecker published Trump magazine, & at the time, AMI had announced, …that they had endorsed Mr. Trump’s candidacy," Davidson continued.
In texts between #DylanHoward, the editor of The #NationalEnquirer, & #KeithDavidson, Davidson tells Howard, that #KarenMcDougal’s story “should be told” & Howard responds “I agree.” The NE, as the jurors know, had no intention of telling the story — instead it sought to bury it. So not only does this evidence remind us of David Pecker’s testimony last week, it also helps prosecutors double down on the idea that The NE was involved in a secret plot to help #Trump.
The text messages are damning. Jurors already know the basics of #KarenMcDougal’s account of an affair w/ #Trump. But now they are seeing it corroborated in texts, right after they were reminded Trump was married to Melania at the time.
Prosecutors are stitching their case together w/lots of different types of evidence.
Prosecutors are walking #KeithDavidson through his text messages w/ #DylanHoward, who was editor of The #NationalEnquirer, in which Davidson tells Howard: “I have blockbuster #Trump story.” In his reply, Howard asked, "did he cheat" on Melania.
Davidson is testifying about his agreement w/ #KarenMcDougal, a fmr Playboy model.
Davidson’s contract w/McDougal consisted of an agreement to either make a claim against #Trump, negotiate a confidentiality agreement w/ Trump, sell her life rights as related to her story of an affair w/ Trump, promote herself in an “exclusive” press opportunity, or some or all of the above.
#Trump has been sitting w/his eyes closed for significant portions of testimony this morning. It is unclear how the jurors, who have to sit through this same testimony, will feel about a defendant closing their eyes so much.
Joshua Steinglass asks #KeithDavidson if he knows 2 key witnesses: #DavidPecker, who the jurors already have heard from, & #MichaelCohen, who they’ve heard a lot about. Steinglass is tying Davidson into the case, helping the courtroom understand where he’s situated. Davidson just said that he represented #StormyDaniels as her lawyer — Daniels, whose name has been dangled in front of jurors several times, is of course another key player & potential witness.
#Trump #TrumpTrial #law #criminal
Joshua Steinglass, the prosecutor, asks #KeithDavidson if he was given immunity from prosecution in this case. Davidson says, despite not having wanted to be here, that he did not seek immunity. This is a way for prosecutors to show that he is not simply cooperating to avoid prosecution himself.
#Trump #TrumpTrial #law #criminal
Rebecca Mangold, one of the prosecutors, had Phillip Thompson walk through the validity of the transcript of Trump’s deposition in one of the #EJeanCarroll cases. We are now seeing video clips of #Trump in that deposition verifying that Truth Social is his social media site & what his handle is.
Asked to describe Truth Social, Trump answers, “It’s a platform that’s been opened by me as an alternative to Twitter.”
The third video shows #Trump at a news conference in 2017 during the presidential transition, saying, “#MichaelCohen is a very talented lawyer, he’s a good lawyer.”
Defense had no questions.
We've moved on to a new witness, someone named Phillip Thompson who works at a company supplying court reporters, interpreters that transcribed Trump's deposition in #EJeanCarroll trial. He was subpoenaed.
Prosecutors played #CSPAN clips, starting w/one from an Oct 2016 #Trump campaign rally in NC, where he talks about 2 women who said Trump sexually assaulted them. “I have no idea who these women are,” Trump said at the time. “These are lies being pushed by the media & the Clinton campaign to try & keep their grip on our country. They’re all false, totally invented, fiction.”
Trump seems to be watching himself as the C-SPAN clip plays on the monitor in front of him.
The next witness is being called, & it’s not someone we’re familiar with. He is identified as Dr. Robert Browning.
Some laughter in the courtroom as Dr. Browning says he’s a “little bit” nervous about testifying for the first time.
#TrumpTrial #law #contempt #criminal #Trump
The judge returned to the bench but #Trump took some extra time to return to the courtroom, which is unusual in this case. Now Trump is back & #Merchan has warned Todd #Blanche, his lawyer: “Let’s try to keep the breaks short.”
Trump is joined by his son Eric again, although Susie Wiles & Dan Scavino, two of his aides, have not re-entered the courtroom.
