US fighter jet shoots down Iranian drone approaching US aircraft carrier
Sailors and marines man the rail as the U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) is guided by tugboats in San Diego Bay as it returns to its homeport of Naval Air Station North Island after a 5-month deployment to the Middle East on December 20, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — A U.S. fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone as it approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. Earlier in the day, a Navy destroyer came to the assistance of a U.S.-flagged tanker that was harassed by multiple Iranian small boats as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.
The drone was shot down by a Navy F-35C fighter jet from the carrier as it “aggressively approached” the Lincoln with “unclear intent,” Central Command said.
Iran’s Shahed drones are long-range, one-way attack drones capable of carrying more than 100 pounds of explosives. Russia has used large numbers of them to carry out destructive long-range attacks inside of Ukraine.
In a separate incident earlier Tuesday, a U.S. Navy destroyer and U.S. Air Force aircraft came to the assistance of a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed tanker that was harassed by Iranian small boats and a drone as it transited through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Central Command (CENTCOM).
The Lincoln was in the Arabian Sea approximately 500 miles from Iran’s southern coast when an Iranian Shahed-139 drone “unnecessarily maneuvered toward the ship,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
“The Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters,” the statement said.
The fighter jet shot down the drone “in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” according to the statement, which said no service members were harmed and no U.S. equipment was damaged.
The Lincoln arrived in the Middle East last week and has been operating in the northern Arabian Sea along with three destroyers that make up its carrier strike group.
There are six other U.S. Navy ships in the Middle East: a destroyer in the Red Sea, two other destroyers near the Strait of Hormuz, and three littoral combat ships in the Persian Gulf.
One of those destroyers, the USS McFaul, was involved in the earlier incident to assist the M/V Sterna Imperative after it was approached at high speed by two Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats and a Mohajer drone, according to CENTCOM.
U.S. Central Command said the Iranian craft had “threatened to board and seize the tanker” as it transited through the Strait of Hormuz.
The McFaul was operating in the area “and immediately responded to the scene to escort M/V Stena Imperative with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force,” the statement said.
The situation “de-escalated as a result, and the U.S.-flagged tanker is proceeding safely,” according to the statement.
Central Command warned that “continued Iranian harassment and threats in international waters and airspace will not be tolerated.”
Last week CENTCOM issued a stern warning that it would defend U.S. assets in the region after Iran announced a two-day, live-fire naval exercise in the Strait of Hormuz that was set to begin last Sunday.
It urged Iran to carry it out it exercise in a safe and professional way to avoid unnecessary risks to maritime traffic.
“CENTCOM will ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, ships, and aircraft operating in the Middle East,” it said in a statement issued Friday. “We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC actions including overflight of U.S. military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of U.S. military assets when intentions are unclear, highspeed boat approaches on a collision course with U.S. military vessels, or weapons trained at U.S. forces.”
In this image posted to social media on President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are shown at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 3, 2026, watching a remote feed of the US military’s mission to capture Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro. (@realdonaldtrump)
(NEW YORK) – At a Mar-a-Lago news conference Saturday morning, hours after he ordered a military strike in Venezuela and the capture of the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, President Donald Trump started off calling it an anti-drug law enforcement operation.
His Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said “at its core, this was an arrest of two indicted fugitives of American justice.”
But Trump’s framing of the issue appeared to quickly expand when he stunned observers by saying the U.S. was going to “run the country” temporarily, even if that involved troops on the ground, that American companies would soon start selling the country’s vast oil reserves, and that it was part of an overall strategy of U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
While Trump said that the U.S. would “make Venezuela great again,” when asked repeatedly about the specifics of America’s role, including a possible timetable, Trump gave few specifics.
“We’re going to be running it with a group, and we’re going to make sure it’s run properly. We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars. It will be paid for by the oil companies directly. They will be reimbursed for what they’re doing, but that’s going to be paid,” Trump said.
Later, a U.S. official told ABC News what it would look like for the U.S. to “run” Venezuela.
The official said top Trump officials will continue to diplomatically engage with those remaining in the Venezuelan government, that the administration will engage with oil executives to begin oil expansion in the country and that the U.S. military will remain postured and ready, and that the oil embargo would remain in effect.
American boots on the ground possible The president brushed off questions about concerns about the length and logistics of the U.S. operation.
Trump was asked about whether U.S. troops would be on the ground in order to “run” Venezuela and indicated he could use the military to make sure it’s run “properly.”
“Well, you know, they always say, ‘boots on the ground, oh.’ So, we’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” he said. “We had boots on the ground last night at a very high level. Actually, we’re not afraid of it. We don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly.”
When pressed again later, Trump suggested that the only U.S. presence will pertain “to oil,” suggesting the presence will be American oil companies.
“We’re going to be taking out a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground, and that wealth is going to the people of Venezuela and people from outside of Venezuela that used to be in Venezuela, and it goes also to the United States of America in the form of reimbursement for the damages caused by that country,” he said.
The president also suggested that U.S. forces remain “ready” to carry out a “much bigger” second-wave attack on Venezuela.
Trump faced pushback from Democrats over his announcement.
“The idea that Trump plans to now run Venezuela should strike fear in the hearts of all Americans,” Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement. “The American people have seen this before and paid the devastating price.”
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who is leaving Congress Monday following a fallout with Trump, slammed the president over his actions.
“Americans disgust [sic] with our own government’s never ending military aggression and support of foreign wars is justified because we are forced to pay for it and both parties, Republicans and Democrats, always keep the Washington military machine funded and going,” she said in a statement. “This is what many in MAGA thought they voted to end.”
When pressed about how taking the action in Venezuela is “America First,” Trump said that it was for the U.S. to surround itself with “good neighbors,” and “energy.”
Trump’s comments during the news conference were a far cry from his previous rhetoric in the weeks leading up to the strike in the Venezuelan capital, in which he condemned Maduro and his regime for allegedly contributing to drug trafficking, a charge Maduro has repeatedly denied..
Trump makes case using Monroe Doctrine The president has reaffirmed and expanded his policy of a modern version of the Monroe Doctrine declared in 1823, the notion that views America as the dominant leader in the Western Hemisphere.
“All of these actions were in gross violation of the core principles of American foreign policy, dating back more than two centuries, and not anymore, all the way back. It dated to the Monroe Doctrine,” he said.
“And the Monroe Doctrine is a big deal, but we’ve superseded it by a lot, by a real lot. They now call it the ‘Donroe Doctrine,'” the president added, playing off his name.
Trump’s comments Saturday came after he released a message in December that he called the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine, saying that “the American people — not foreign nations nor globalist institutions — will always control their own destiny in our hemisphere.”
Foreign leaders in Russia, Cuba and Russia denounced Saturday’s strike.
“Venezuela should be guaranteed the right to determine its own fate without any destructive, especially military intervention from outside. We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and support for the course of their Bolivarian leadership aimed at protecting the national interests and sovereignty of the country,” the Russian foreign ministry said in statement.
Trump does not back opposition leader When asked about whether he’d support opposition head María Corina Machado to become the country’s new leader, Trump dismissed the possibility.
“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” Trump said.
Machado put out a statement Saturday praising Maduro’s removal.
“Today we are ready to take over power. We remain vigilant, active, and organized until a democratic transition is concrete. A transition that needs ALL of us,” she said. “To Venezuelans inside our country, be ready to mobilize what we will soon communicate to you through our official channels.”
Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, told reporters last month that she would return to the country “when we believe the security conditions are right, and it won’t depend on whether or not the regime leaves.”
After winning the prize, she posted a statement on X where she dedicated the prize to “to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!”
When asked how soon he wanted to see Venezuela hold elections, Trump indicated that he wants to see if it happens quickly, but noted that it “takes a period of time.”
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez demanded Maduro’s return in a speech on state TV. Trump had said “she’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”
“We had already warned that an aggression was underway under false excuses, under false pretexts, and that the masks had fallen and it had only one objective: regime change in Venezuela — and the capture of our energy, mineral, and natural resources,” Rodriguez said in Spanish.
Councilmember Chi Osse speaks as Starbucks workers go on strike outside a Starbucks store, Nov. 13, 2025, in Brooklyn, New York. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — New York City councilmember Chi Ossé appeared to confirm he would challenge House Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries for his seat representing New York’s 8th congressional district in an X post on Monday.
Ossé responded to another post calling him out for saying last month that he was not going to run. This comes after Ossé’s name appeared on FEC filings launching a bid for NY-08 earlier Monday.
“How can Brooklyn voters take you at your word when just last month you said this? ‘It would take a very dire situation in order for me to even consider spending the rest of my 20s in DC. Just to be clear, I’m not running for Congress,'” a post said.
Ossé responded: “Seems like we’re in a dire situation.”
Ossé told Axios that he is “currently exploring” the challenge and that the filings are legitimate.
“The Democratic Party’s leadership is not only failing to effectively fight back against Donald Trump, they have also failed to deliver a vision that we can all believe in,” Ossé, who recently joined the Democratic Socialists of America, said in a statement to Axios.
“These failures are some of the many reasons why I am currently exploring a potential run for New York’s 8th Congressional District,” he told the outlet.
Ossé is floating a challenge without the complete and total blessing from progressives. New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s team has reportedly been attempting to discourage Ossé from running, and Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said in a statement that “it is not the right moment to launch a primary challenge to Hakeem Jeffries.”
Asked about Ossé’s FEC filings in a press conference on the Hill Monday afternoon, Jeffries appeared to welcome the challenge, saying, “Come on in, the water is warm.”
A spokesperson for Jeffries said in a statement to ABC News that they “welcome this primary challenge” from Ossé and “look forward to a rigorous debate.”
“Leader Jeffries is fighting hard to lower the high cost of living, address the Republican healthcare crisis, combat corruption and win back control of the House for the good of the country. We welcome this primary challenge and look forward to a rigorous debate about the type of serious leadership required to deliver for the people of Brooklyn and the nation,” said Justin Chermol, Jeffries’ spokesperson.
Ossé, 27, made waves as New York’s first Gen Z city councilmember when he was sworn into office in 2022 and led the charge on the FARE Act, which was passed last year and forces landlords to pay broker’s fees instead of tenants.
Ossé left the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America in 2020 “very shortly after signing up,” saying on X that he “wasn’t aligned with the organization itself.” He later rejoined NYC-DSA in 2025.
Border Patrol agents deploy tear gas as they clash with residents in a residential neighborhood after a minor traffic accident, January 12, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
(MINNEAPOLIS) — President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to send in federal troops as protests unfold in Minneapolis against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
Democratic officials in Minnesota have decried ICE’s presence after two shootings involving federal law enforcement in the span of a week. Gov. Tim Walz called the ICE operations a “campaign of organized brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government” and encouraged residents to “protest loudly, urgently, but also peacefully.”
Trump previously threatened to invoke the 1807 law, which hasn’t been used in over 30 years, last June amid protests in Los Angeles over the administration’s immigration crackdown and deployment of the National Guard and again in October for Chicago.
What to know about the Insurrection Act Generally, the use of federal troops on U.S. soil is mostly prohibited. The 1878 Posse Comitatus Act limits the military from being involved in civilian law enforcement unless Congress approves it or under circumstances “expressly authorized by the Constitution.”
One exception is the Insurrection Act, a law signed by President Thomas Jefferson in 1807.
The Insurrection Act states, in part: “Whenever there is an insurrection in any State against its government, the President may, upon the request of its legislature or of its governor if the legislature cannot be convened, call into Federal service such of the militia of the other States, in the number requested by that State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to suppress the insurrection.”
Another provision states it can be used “whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings.”
Some legal experts have warned the law is overly broad and vague, and there have been various calls for it to be reformed to provide greater checks on presidential power.
The Insurrection Act has been invoked in response to 30 crises over its history, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, including by presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy to desegregate schools after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.
Most of its uses involved federal troops being deployed, though a few situations were resolved after troops were ordered to respond but before they arrived on the scene, the Brennan Center noted.
When it was last used in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush to send the National Guard to Los Angeles, it was at the request of then-GOP Gov. Pete Wilson as riots exploded in the city after the acquittal of white police officers charged in the beating of Rodney King.
Invoking the act without coordination with state officials is something that hasn’t been done since President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s to deal with civil unrest.
