President Trump's national security team briefed senior lawmakers amid mounting questions over the strategy in Venezuela. Ed O'Keefe has the latest.

Washington

The U.S has launched strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities and arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro along wife his wife.

Venezuela Strikes

Following the removal of Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela, the Trump administration is under increased scrutiny regarding its next steps in the country. While President Trump declared the U.S. is now in charge of Venezuela and its oil reserves, other officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the U.N. ambassador, have downplayed the extent of U.S. control, emphasizing economic pressure rather than occupation.

Interim president Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in, but the U.S. has threatened further action if access to oil reserves is not granted. Plans for major U.S. oil companies to invest in Venezuela's infrastructure are underway, drawing criticism from lawmakers who question the administration's motives. President Trump has also suggested possible military action against other countries, prompting warnings from international leaders.

Trump administration faces questions over what's next for Venezuela

While Maduro and his wife are in a cell here in America, a battle is underway for their country for the future of Venezuela. Who's in charge there? Is it Maduro's deputies or is it the United States? Ed O'Keefe is on this tonight for us from the White House. Ed, good evening to you. Tony, good evening. More than 48 hours since the U.S. pulled Maduro out of Venezuela, there are still few answers about what's next, with the president and some of his top aides saying different things about what to expect. President Trump's national security team briefed senior lawmakers tonight about mounting questions over the strategy in Venezuela. The president has threatened more strikes if current Venezuelan leaders don't behave and announced the U.S. is now in charge of a country of 31 million people and its vast oil reserves. Don't ask me who's in charge because I'll give you an answer and it'll be very controversial. What does that mean? It means we're in charge. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio said they're mainly pressuring the country economically. What you're seeing right now is an oil quarantine that allows us to exert tremendous leverage over what happens next. While Trump's U.N. ambassador today downplayed talk of total control. There is no war against Venezuela or its people. We are not occupying a country. Much of Maduro's regime is still in office. Today his number two, Delcy Rodriguez, was sworn in as interim president. Trump has threatened she could go next if she doesn't allow full U.S. access to Venezuela's vast oil supplies. We're going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure. Top oil industry leaders are expected to meet with administration officials later this week about how to tap back into the reserves, a years-long project that could cost tens of billions of dollars. Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy believes it's now clear removing Maduro wasn't about curbing drug trafficking. Donald Trump is saying out loud that it's just about the oil. He just wants his rich oil industry friends, who he promised to help in exchange for a billion-dollar contribution to his campaign, to have access to Venezuelan oil. Now when asked the president was questioned about whether or not he's ruling out military action against other countries, he suggested Colombia and Cuba are among those that could face potential military action. He once again also didn't rule out taking over Greenland. But it's controlled by Denmark, whose prime minister said today if the U.S. attacks the land of a fellow NATO ally, then, quote, everything would stop. That includes NATO.

The United Kingdom aided the U.S. in an operation to seize a sanctioned oil tanker linked to Venezuela in the North Atlantic. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

UK helped the U.S. seize an oil tanker linked to Venezuela

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Renee Good, the woman fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis during heated protests, had been harassing officers before the incident. CBS News' Nicole Sganga reports.

Minneapolis

U.S. official says woman killed in Minneapolis had harassed officers

U.S. forces on Wednesday seized two oil tankers, one in the North Atlantic and the other in the Caribbean, as part of the Trump administration's blockade of Venezuela's oil exports. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will take between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil and sell it in the marketplace.

U.S. to control money from Venezuela oil sales after tanker seizures

Nick Reiner was set to be arraigned on murder charges on Wednesday in the killing of his parents Rob and Michele Reiner. But his defense attorney, Alan Jackson, told the judge he could no longer represent the 32-year-old. After the hearing, Jackson said he couldn't say why he withdrew for legal reasons, but added, "Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder."

Los Angeles

Nick Reiner's lawyer withdraws from case, says Reiner 'is not guilty'

NASA is considering a rare early return of its crew from the International Space Station over an unspecified medical issue involving one of the astronauts, after canceling a planned spacewalk that had been scheduled for Thursday (January 8), the agency said.

NASA mulls early ISS crew return due to astronaut medical issue

Washington says it has intercepted two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic as part of President Trump’s hardline effort to control oil movements across the Americas, claiming the vessels were part of a so-called shadow fleet used to ship sanctioned crude from Venezuela and Iran.

UK helped U.S. military to seize sentenced oil tanker on way to Russia

Minneapolis erupts in protests after a woman is shot by a federal agent – Video of the incident sparks outrage nationwide.

ICE shoots woman: Incident sparks protests across the U.S.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged security forces to show restraint, distinguishing peaceful protesters from armed rioters. However, rights group Iran Human Rights says at least 27 protesters have been killed, while Iranian media report 15 deaths, including members of the security forces.

Tehran

Iran police officer killed as cost-of-living protests enter 12th day

The decision comes as Trump approaches the first anniversary of his second term. Since returning to office, he has already moved to exit the World Health Organization, the Paris climate agreement, and UNESCO, while cutting funding to several UN bodies.

Trump orders U.S. withdrawal from 66 international organisations

Iran's army chief threatened pre-emptive military action on Wednesday over the "rhetoric" targeting the country, thought to be in reference to threats made by US President Donald Trump last week, warning that if Tehran "violently kills peaceful protesters," Washington would "come to their rescue."

Iran army chief threatens pre-emptive attack after Trump threats

U.S. forces have boarded a Venezuela-linked sanctioned oil tanker in the North Atlantic after pursuing it for weeks. The U.S. military also announced the seizure of a sanctioned tanker ship in the Caribbean Sea, the second vessel taken by American forces on Wednesday.

U.S. seizes two more sanctioned oil tankers with links to Venezuela

A woman was fatally shot by an ICE officer Wednesday morning in Minneapolis, the Department of Homeland Security says. CBS News' Nicole Sganga reports from the scene.

Protesters gather after ICE shoots and kills woman in Minneapolis

The U.S. seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday (Jan. 7), after a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic as part of a U.S. "blockade" of Venezuelan oil exports.

U.S. seizes Venezuela-linked oil tanker after weeks-long pursuit

Nick Reiner, the son of Rob and Michele Reiner, is set to be arraigned in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. It comes as details emerge about his time in custody and how his mental health history could play a role in his case.

Nick Reiner due in court on murder charges

Flights across France and Belgium and Eurostar train services have been severely disrupted by the winter weather.

Paris

Eurostar trains and hundreds of flights cancelled amid heavy snowfall

President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday urged security forces to distinguish between what he called rioters and protesters, urging them not to target peaceful demonstrators.

Iran's President urges security forces not to target protesters

In Iran, protests that broke out on December 28th over the soaring cost of living look set to continue. Security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators in Tehran's Grand Bazaar on January 6: without giving numbers, Iran's IRNA news agency said 'some' people were arrested.

Death toll rises as Iran's security forces clash with protesters

Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are reacting to the Trump administration's comments on a potential Greenland takeover from Denmark.

Nuuk

European leaders blast Trump over Greenland takeover discussions

Donald Trump says Venezuela will hand over as much as 50 million barrels of oil and he will control the profits.

Trump says Venezuela will turn over 30-50 million barrels of oil

Britain and France have said they could send troops to Ukraine if a ceasefire is agreed. The pledge came at a Paris meeting of 30 nations, including the US, on security guarantees demanded by Kyiv before any peace deal.

London

Ukraine Invasion

UK, France ready to deploy troops in Ukraine after ceasefire

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he would “take up arms” in the face of threats issued by US President Donald Trump.

Bogotá

Colombia vows to defend its sovereignty amid Trump’s military threats

Israeli forces storm Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank soon after students begin a sit-in in solidarity with jailed Palestinians.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israeli school assault wounds dozens of Palestinians in West Bank raid

The White House says U.S. President Donald Trump and his team are considering a range of options in efforts to acquire Greenland as the ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro continues to reverberate in the Western Hemisphere.

Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a national security priority

The United States for the first time backed a broad coalition of Ukraine's allies in vowing to provide security guarantees that leaders said would include binding commitments to support the country if it is attacked by Russia again.

U.S. backs security guarantees for Ukraine at summit of Kyiv's allies

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed deep concern over recent U.S. military action in Venezuela, calling for the immediate release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Soweto

Ramaphosa urges UN action after U.S. capture of Maduro

At least 25 people have been killed in Iran during the first nine days of protests that started in the bazaar of Tehran over the plunging value of the currency and soaring inflation, according to rights groups. This video contains graphic images.

Rights groups say at least 25 dead in Iran protests

The administration of President Donald Trump is planning to meet with executives from U.S. oil companies later this week to discuss boosting Venezuelan oil production after U.S. forces ousted its leader Nicolas Maduro, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Trump administration sets meetings with oil firms on Venezuela: source

Uncertainty in Venezuela has crossed into neighboring Colombia, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Colombian President Gustavo Petro could face U.S. action following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

Tension rises in Colombia after Maduro’s capture

Nicolas Maduro appeared in a US courtroom on January 5, 2026. He pleaded "Not Guilty" to drug trafficking and other charges, insisting he is still Venezuela's president. Maduro's kidnapping is being justified by the Trump administration as a "surgical law enforcement operation", but what proof is the case resting on?

New York

Maduro pleads 'not guilty' in U.S. drug trafficking case

Local authorities in Crans-Montana admitted failing to conduct fire and safety inspections at Le Constellation bar, where a fire killed 40 and injured 116 during New Year celebrations.

Trump administration faces questions over what's next for Venezuela

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Venezuela Strikes