Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to warn Congress that President Donald Trump is ready to take new military action against Venezuela if the country’s interim leadership strays from U.S. expectations.
In prepared testimony for a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio says the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela and that its interim leaders are cooperating, but notes that the Trump administration won't rule out using additional force if needed following its raid to capture former President Nicolás Maduro and bring him to New York City for trial.
Also, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faces rising calls for her firing or impeachment. From Democratic Party leaders to the nation’s leading advocacy organizations to even the most centrist lawmakers in Congress, the calls are mounting for her to step aside. At a defining moment in her tenure, few Republicans are rising to Noem’s defense.
And a man has been arrested after spraying an unknown substance on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. The man was tackled to the ground Tuesday during a town hall in Minneapolis after Omar had called for the abolishment of ICE and for Noem to resign or face impeachment. Omar insisted on continuing to speak after the attack, saying she would not be intimidated by bullies.
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The caucus is calling on Republicans to “de-escalate the dangerous rhetoric that fuels attacks” like the one against their Democratic colleague.
“There is absolutely no excuse for violence and intimidation in our politics,” a caucus statement says. “Despite being subjected to constant right-wing attacks, she continues to lead and represent Minnesota’s 5th District with dignity and courage.”
The attack on Omar is the second in less than a week against a caucus member. Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida, who identifies as Afro-Latino, was allegedly punched in the face by a man who said Trump was going to deport him.
A man sprayed an unknown substance on Democratic Rep. Omar and was tackled to the ground Tuesday during a town hall in Minneapolis.
The audience cheered as the man was pinned down and his arms were tied behind his back. In video of the incident, someone in the crowd can be heard saying, “Oh my god, he sprayed something on her.”
Just before that, Omar had called for the abolishment of ICE and for Secretary Noem to resign or face impeachment.
“ICE cannot be reformed,” Omar said, seconds before the attack.
Minneapolis police said officers saw the man use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at Omar. They immediately arrested him and booked him at the county jail for third-degree assault, spokesperson Trevor Folke said. Forensic scientists responded to the scene.
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Two federal officers fired shots during the encounter that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti over the weekend in Minneapolis, a Customs and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice sent Tuesday, while Ecuador’s minister of foreign affairs filed an objection saying immigration agents tried to enter the country’s consulate in the city without permission.
Officers tried to take Pretti into custody and he resisted, leading to a struggle, according to a notification to Congress obtained by The Associated Press. During the struggle, a Border Patrol agent yelled, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times, the official said.
A Border Patrol officer and a CBP officer each fired Glock pistols, the notice said.
Investigators from CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the analysis based on a review of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, the notice said. The law requires the agency to inform relevant congressional committees about deaths in CBP custody within 72 hours.
The developments came a day after Trump ordered border czar Tom Homan to take over his administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks about the man in Minneapolis who was killed by a federal immigration officer earlier in the day during a news conference at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A groundswell of voices have come to the same conclusion: Kristi Noem must go.
From Democratic Party leaders to the nation’s leading advocacy organizations to even the most centrist lawmakers in Congress, the calls are mounting for the Homeland Security secretary to step aside after the shooting deaths in Minneapolis of two people who protested deportation policy. At a defining moment in her tenure, few Republicans are rising to Noem’s defense.
“The country is disgusted by what the Department of Homeland Security has done,” top House Democratic Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California said in a joint statement.
“Kristi Noem should be fired immediately,” the Democrats said, “or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives.”
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Rubio plans to warn that the Trump administration is ready to take new military action against Venezuela if the country’s interim leadership strays from U.S. expectations.
In prepared testimony for a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio says the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela and that its interim leaders are cooperating, but he notes that the Trump administration would not rule out using additional force if needed following a raid to capture former President Nicolás Maduro early this month.
As he often is called to do, Rubio, a former Florida senator, will aim to sell one of Trump’s more contentious priorities to former colleagues in Congress. With the administration’s foreign policy gyrating between the Western Hemisphere, Europe and the Middle East, Rubio also may be called to smooth alarm that has emerged in his own party lately about efforts like Trump’s demand to annex Greenland.
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