President Donald J. Trump announces that he intends to raise the U.S. National Defense Budget in 2027 to $1.5 Trillion, claiming that it will allow us to build a “Dream Military.”

Footage of the USCGC Munro (WMSL-755), a Legend-class cutter with the U.S. Coast Guard, alongside the Russian-flagged Iranian-linked oil tanker, Marinera, during this morning’s operation to board and seize the vessel in the Northern Atlantic.

Danish Soldiers under the 1952 European Rules of Engagement will “shoot first and ask questions later” if the United States launches an invasion of Greenland, Denmark’s Defense Ministry has confirmed to LBC.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump spoke by phone tonight with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in the first call the between the two leaders since the operation which captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, along with a flurry of threats by Trump and his administration over the last few weeks against Petro and Colombia. President Trump said that the two discussed “the situation of drugs and other disagreements,” with arrangements being made for representatives of the United States and Colombia to meet soon at the White House.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance participated in an interview recently with Fox News commentator Jesse Watters, discussing several topics, including the recent military operation in Venezuela:

Watters: “Taking out a dictator in Venezuela, how does that help the average American?”

Vance: “First of all, what it means is we're going to be able to control the incredible natural resources of Venezuela, which is good for America in a few ways. Number one, it allows us to put leverage on our enemies. Number two, it makes sure that if Americans need high quality, low cost power, we're always going to have access to it. And then the third thing is it does demonstrate American military excellence, which makes people afraid to cross us in the future. Some of the best ways that you maintain the peace is to make it clear that you carry a very strong sword if you ever need to use it.”

U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced Wednesday that the United States would be withdrawing from sixty-six treaties and international organizations which he claim “no longer serve American interests,” these include:

• International Organizations and Treaties:

- 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact

- Colombo Plan Council

- Commission for Environmental Cooperation

- Education Cannot Wait

- European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats

- Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories

- Freedom Online Coalition

- Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund

- Global Counterterrorism Forum

- Global Forum on Cyber Expertise

- Global Forum on Migration and Development

- Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research

- Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development

- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

- Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

- International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property

- International Cotton Advisory Committee

- International Development Law Organization

- International Energy Forum

- International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies

- International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance

- International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law

- International Lead and Zinc Study Group

- International Renewable Energy Agency

- International Solar Alliance

- International Tropical Timber Organization

- International Union for Conservation of Nature

- Pan-American Institute of Geography and History

- Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation

- Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combatting Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia

- Regional Cooperation Council

- Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century

- Science and Technology Center in Ukraine

- Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme

- Venice Commission of the Council of Europe

• United Nations (UN) Organizations:

- Department of Economic and Social Affairs

- UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) -- Economic Commission for Africa

- ECOSOC -- Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean;

- ECOSOC -- Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

- ECOSOC -- Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

- International Law Commission

- International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals

- International Trade Centre

- Office of the Special Adviser on Africa

- Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children in Armed Conflict

- Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict

- Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children

- Peacebuilding Commission

- Peacebuilding Fund

- Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

- UN Alliance of Civilizations

- UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries

- UN Conference on Trade and Development

- UN Democracy Fund

- UN Energy

- UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

- UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

- UN Human Settlements Programme

- UN Institute for Training and Research

- UN Oceans

- UN Population Fund

- UN Register of Conventional Arms

- UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination

- UN System Staff College

- UN Water

- UN University

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen states that the Leader of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, who disappeared yesterday and was accused of “High Treason” by Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), has fled to the United Arab Emirates via Somaliland.

Eight Republican Senators have now publicly come out against recent hostile statements by the White House towards Denmark as well as any kind of military action against Greenland, including Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Sen. John N. Kennedy of Louisiana, Sen. John Curtis of Utah, and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

A GoFundMe for the wife and son of Renee Good, the 37-year-old woman who was shot and killed today while attempting to flee from agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, has already raised over 230,000.

American oil companies want “serious guarantees” from Washington before they make any new investments in Venezuela, people familiar with their plans have told the Financial Times.

Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, including Secretary Chris Wright, met with top energy executives in Miami on Wednesday to discuss their possible future in Venezuela following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. Wright also individually met with executives from Chevron and ConocoPhillips, delivering President Trump’s message that America’s biggest oil groups must pour billions of dollars into the battered energy industry in Venezuela.

In addition, executives from the biggest U.S. oil groups, including Chevron, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, are expected to meet Trump at the White House on Friday, where they will press the President on providing strong legal and financial guarantees before they agree to commit capital towards future operations in Venezuela. “No one wants to go in there when a random fucking tweet can change the entire foreign policy of the country,” one executive told FT.

An Ilyushin Il-96-300 with Cuba’s flagship airline Cubana circled for several minutes this morning off the coast of Venezuela, likely awaiting permission to land in Caracas, appears to now be returning to Cuba.

Clashes between the Syrian military and security forces, and paramilitary groups supported by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), are continuing today in the Northern Syrian city of Aleppo, with heavy fighting taking place in almost all Kurdish-majority neighborhoods, particularly centered around Sheikh Maqsood.

BLKCAT6, a U.S. Navy MQ-4C “Triton” High-Altitude Surveillance Drone carried out a patrol this morning over the Southern Caribbean, taking a close look at both coastal areas of Colombia and Venezuela.

NetBlocks is reporting major internet disruptions today across Iran, as anti-government protests and demonstrations continue in dozens of cities across the country, including the Iranian capital of Tehran.

The U.S. Senate has passed a War Powers Resolution by a vote of 52-47, which seeks to limit President Donald J. Trump’s ability to carry out further hostile action against Venezuela, with multiple Republicans joining Democrats.

The Syrian Army, supported by tanks and armored vehicles, has launched a major operation tonight against Kurdish-controlled neighborhoods in Aleppo, reportedly clearing a majority of paramilitary forces supported by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Iran is now facing a nationwide internet blackout, with protests sharply escalating tonight against the Islamic Regime.