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Trump Administration Revokes License Allowing Venezuela to Pay Maduro’s Legal Fees

Updated (308 articles)

License Revoked Hours After Initial Approval The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a license on Jan. 9, 2026, permitting the Venezuelan government to cover legal costs for President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores [1]. Within three hours the Trump administration rescinded the authorization without providing a public explanation, while a separate license for Flores’s lawyers remained intact [1]. Treasury officials have not disclosed the rationale behind the abrupt reversal, prompting criticism from legal observers [1].

Maduro and Flores Remain Detained Without Bail Both Maduro and Flores have been held in a Manhattan federal detention center since Jan. 3, 2026, after being charged with a conspiracy to traffic thousands of tons of cocaine [1]. They have each entered not‑guilty pleas and face potential life‑sentence penalties if convicted [1]. Their continued incarceration without bail underscores the U.S. government’s determination to pursue the case despite diplomatic sensitivities [1].

Attorney Pollack Argues Sixth Amendment Violation Attorney Barry Pollack told the court that revoking the license jeopardizes Maduro’s constitutional right to chosen counsel, citing the Sixth Amendment [1]. On Feb. 11, Pollack formally requested that OFAC reinstate the license, warning that the president cannot afford adequate legal representation otherwise [1]. He emphasized that the denial could be interpreted as governmental interference in the defendant’s right to a fair trial [1].

U.S. Agencies Remain Silent, Political Pressure Mounts The Treasury Department, White House, and Justice Department have not responded to Pollack’s request or provided comment on the license withdrawal [1]. The decision has intensified pressure on acting President Delcy Rodriguez to negotiate oil concessions, release political prisoners, and restore diplomatic ties with Washington [1]. Analysts note that the move may be intended to leverage negotiations over Venezuela’s broader economic and political reforms [1].

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Quinnipac: Trump Begins Second Term Stronger Than The First, 6 In 10 Voters Approve Of Sending U.S. Troops To Southern Border, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Majority Disapprove Of Elon Musk’S Role In Trump Administration

Published (27 tables/charts)

  • 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve 46% 86% 8% 41% 55% 36%
    Disapprove 43 4 86 46 33 53
    DK/NA 11 10 6 13 12 11
    Source

  • 1a. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president? COMBINED WITH: (If approve/disapprove q1) Do you strongly or somewhat approve/disapprove?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve strongly 37% 76% 3% 34% 45% 29%
    Approve smwht 8 8 5 7 10 6
    Disapprove smwht 5 1 5 8 3 6
    Disapprove strongly 38 3 80 39 29 47
    DK/NA 12 12 7 13 13 12
    Source

  • 2. Is your opinion of Donald Trump favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Favorable 47% 91% 5% 43% 57% 37%
    Unfavorable 45 6 88 48 35 55
    Hvn't hrd enough 5 2 5 4 4 6
    REFUSED 3 1 2 4 4 2
    Source

  • 3. Is your opinion of J.D. Vance favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Favorable 39% 76% 4% 37% 48% 30%
    Unfavorable 36 3 74 37 29 43
    Hvn't hrd enough 23 20 22 23 20 26
    REFUSED 2 1 - 2 3 1
    Source

  • 4. Is your opinion of Melania Trump favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about her?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Favorable 37% 72% 8% 34% 43% 32%
    Unfavorable 23 6 47 21 18 27
    Hvn't hrd enough 35 20 40 39 34 36
    REFUSED 5 3 5 6 6 5
    Source

  • 5. Is your opinion of the Democratic party favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about it?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Favorable 31% 6% 77% 22% 22% 39%
    Unfavorable 57 90 15 59 67 47
    Hvn't hrd enough 9 3 5 13 8 9
    REFUSED 4 1 2 6 3 5
    Source

  • 6. Is your opinion of the Republican party favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about it?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Favorable 43% 87% 7% 36% 48% 37%
    Unfavorable 45 7 84 48 39 51
    Hvn't hrd enough 8 4 7 10 9 8
    REFUSED 4 1 3 5 4 4
    Source

  • 7. Are you generally optimistic or pessimistic about the next four years with Donald Trump as president?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Optimistic 54% 91% 15% 54% 63% 46%
    Pessimistic 42 5 81 44 34 49
    DK/NA 4 4 4 2 4 5
    Source

  • 8. In your opinion, what is the most urgent issue facing the country today: the economy, climate change, health care, immigration, abortion, racial inequality, crime, preserving democracy in the United States, or international conflicts?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Economy 24% 33% 14% 24% 27% 22%
    Climate change 7 - 18 6 7 8
    Health care 7 4 9 8 5 8
    Immigration 18 37 6 13 20 16
    Abortion 3 3 4 4 2 5
    Racial inequality 4 1 5 4 4 4
    Crime 4 5 3 4 5 3
    Preserving democracy 20 6 35 23 18 23
    Intl conflicts 5 3 2 8 7 3
    SOMETHING ELSE(VOL) 3 2 2 4 2 4
    DK/NA 4 5 3 2 3 5
    Source

  • 9. Would you say you are optimistic or pessimistic about freedom of speech being protected in the United States?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Optimistic 57% 82% 28% 59% 67% 49%
    Pessimistic 38 12 67 38 31 44
    DK/NA 5 7 6 2 2 7
    Source

  • 10. Do you approve or disapprove of how President Trump is handling the staffing of his administration?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve 43% 88% 7% 37% 53% 34%
    Disapprove 45 5 85 51 37 53
    DK/NA 12 7 7 12 10 13
    Source

  • 11. Do you approve or disapprove of Elon Musk playing a prominent role in the Trump administration?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve 39% 73% 6% 36% 48% 29%
    Disapprove 53 19 90 56 41 64
    DK/NA 9 9 4 8 11 7
    Source

  • 12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling immigration issues?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve 47% 88% 7% 47% 57% 38%
    Disapprove 46 7 90 47 35 55
    DK/NA 7 5 3 7 7 7
    Source

  • 13. As you may know, President Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 1,500 people who were involved in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including some convicted of violent acts. Do you approve or disapprove of President Trump's actions?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve 37% 74% 3% 32% 47% 28%
    Disapprove 57 19 96 60 46 67
    DK/NA 6 7 1 8 7 4
    Source

  • 14. Do you approve or disapprove of President Biden issuing preemptive pardons for five members of his family who haven't been charged with any crimes?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve 31% 11% 58% 28% 26% 35%
    Disapprove 62 87 35 63 68 57
    DK/NA 7 3 7 9 5 8
    Source

  • 15. Do you approve or disapprove of President Biden issuing preemptive pardons for some people who President Trump had targeted for retaliation?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve 42% 11% 74% 45% 36% 48%
    Disapprove 44 74 16 43 51 38
    DK/NA 14 15 9 12 14 14
    Source

  • 16. Do you expect U.S. tariffs on goods made in other countries to help or hurt the U.S. economy?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Help 42% 75% 8% 41% 49% 34%
    Hurt 48 13 84 51 42 54
    NO DIFFERENCE(VOL) 1 1 - 2 1 1
    DK/NA 9 11 8 6 7 11
    Source

  • 17. Do you support or oppose deporting all undocumented immigrants and sending them back to their home countries? COMBINED WITH: (If oppose) Do you support or oppose deporting undocumented immigrants convicted of violent crimes?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Supp/Deport all 44% 78% 16% 42% 52% 37%
    Supp/Deport convictd 39 12 62 47 33 46
    Oppose 6 1 13 4 5 7
    DK/NA 10 10 9 8 10 10
    Source

  • 18. Do you approve or disapprove of sending U.S. troops to the southern border with Mexico to enforce border security?

    Mltry
    Approve 60%
    Disapprove 36
    DK/NA 3
    Source

  • 19. As you may know, under the U.S. Constitution, all children born in the United States are automatically granted U.S. citizenship. Do you think all children born in the U.S. should continue to be automatically granted citizenship or do you think this should be changed so that children of non-citizens are no longer automatically granted citizenship?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Continue granting 61% 31% 92% 62% 57% 65%
    Change/Not grant 30 56 7 30 33 27
    DK/NA 9 13 1 8 10 8
    Source

  • 20. As you may know, the H-1B Visa program allows companies to hire skilled workers from other countries who meet certain requirements. Do you support or oppose this program?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Support 70% 61% 77% 71% 69% 70%
    Oppose 18 28 14 16 18 19
    DK/NA 12 11 8 12 12 12
    Source

  • 21. Do you think climate change played a role in the wildfires in Southern California, or don't you think so?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Yes/Played role 50% 14% 89% 53% 39% 60%
    No 45 82 9 40 53 36
    DK/NA 6 5 2 8 8 4
    Source

  • 22. If you were a victim of a disaster like the Southern California wildfires and lost your home and/or major belongings, how confident are you that your insurance provider would sufficiently compensate you for your losses; very confident, somewhat confident, not so confident, or not confident at all?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Very confident 9% 11% 8% 10% 11% 8%
    Somewhat confident 26 26 30 23 25 26
    Not so confident 26 23 27 27 24 28
    Not confident at all 35 35 33 37 37 34
    DK/NA 4 5 1 4 3 4
    Source

  • 23. Would you say that you are optimistic or pessimistic that the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal will hold?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Optimistic 38% 50% 34% 34% 38% 38%
    Pessimistic 52 41 60 54 53 50
    DK/NA 11 9 7 12 10 12
    Source

  • 24. Do you approve or disapprove of President Trump's idea of the United States acquiring Greenland?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve 28% 55% 4% 25% 37% 19%
    Disapprove 55 21 88 59 46 64
    DK/NA 17 24 8 16 16 17
    Source

  • 25. Do you approve or disapprove of President Trump's idea of the United States taking back control of the Panama Canal?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Approve 44% 79% 10% 42% 54% 33%
    Disapprove 45 11 83 47 37 53
    DK/NA 11 10 8 11 9 14
    Source

  • 26. Which comes closer to your point of view: TikTok should be banned regardless of who owns the app, TikTok should be banned unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company, or TikTok should not be banned regardless of who owns the app?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom
    Banned regardless 15% 12% 17% 17% 17% 13%
    Banned unless sold 34 47 23 34 37 31
    Not banned 37 27 46 37 37 37
    DK/NA 14 14 14 12 9 19
    Source

Pew: A Look Back at How Fear and False Beliefs Bolstered U.S. Public Support for War in Iraq

Published (13 tables/charts)

Timeline

1961 – The Bay of Pigs invasion remains the last major Cuban combat loss before 32 Cuban soldiers die protecting Maduro in the 2026 Venezuela operation, underscoring the historic weight of the casualty count. [3][4]

1989 – The U.S. removal of Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega on drug‑trafficking charges provides a legal parallel cited in discussions of Maduro’s prosecution. [11]

1886 & 1952 – Supreme Court decisions establish the Ker‑Frisbie doctrine, allowing the United States to prosecute foreign nationals abducted abroad, a principle that underpins the legal strategy against Maduro. [11]

2024 – Venezuela holds a presidential election widely condemned as rigged, creating the political backdrop for the intensified U.S. pressure campaign that follows. [1]

Sept 2, 2025 – U.S. forces strike suspected drug‑running vessels in the Caribbean, marking the first of a series of strikes that heighten pressure on Maduro’s regime. [2]

Sept 2025 – Additional U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats kill at least 83 people, prompting senators to label the actions “war crimes” and fueling debate over U.S. tactics. [24][25]

Dec 16, 2025 – President Trump designates the Maduro government as a foreign terrorist organization and orders a total blockade of all sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, aiming to cut off roughly 600,000 barrels per day. [22]

Dec 17, 2025 – The U.S. Navy deploys the carrier strike group USS Gerald Ford to the Caribbean, reinforcing the blockade and signaling a heightened military posture. [22]

Dec 18, 2025 – Trump repeatedly threatens a ground invasion of Venezuela, saying “the land is easier,” while positioning 15,000 troops and a dozen warships for potential action. [21]

Jan 3, 2026 – U.S. forces launch a nighttime operation involving >150 aircraft and Delta Force troops, capture President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores at Fort Tiuna, and transport them aboard the USS Iwo Jima to New York for drug‑trafficking prosecution. [16][17][18][19][20][26][27][28][29][30]

Jan 3, 2026 – Trump announces the capture on Truth Social, calls the strike “brilliant,” declares the United States will run Venezuela temporarily during a transition, and promises American oil investment and a possible second larger strike if needed. [26][27][28][29][30][16]

Jan 3, 2026 – Vice President Delcy Rodríguez says the government does not know Maduro’s whereabouts, demands proof of life, declares a state of emergency, while Cuban President Díaz‑Canel calls the attack “criminal.” [19][20]

Jan 3, 2026 – Secretary of State Marco Rubio labels the Maduro regime “narco‑terrorist” and outlines an oil‑revenue control plan that parks Venezuelan crude proceeds in an offshore Qatar account before moving them to a U.S. Treasury‑blocked account for U.S.‑made goods. [2]

Jan 4, 2026 – Maduro arrives in upstate New York, is transferred to a Manhattan federal courthouse, and faces a superseding indictment on narco‑terrorism and related charges; a New York hearing is set for March. [14][11][6]

Jan 4, 2026 – Trump states the United States will run Venezuela during the transition, while interim President Delcy Rodríguez invites Washington to collaborate on development within international law, signaling a shift from confrontation to dialogue. [12][16]

Jan 5, 2026 – The Justice Department files a class‑action suit under the Alien Enemies Act concerning 137 deported Venezuelans, citing travel restrictions and a July prisoner‑swap that impede repatriation. [6]

Jan 5, 2026 – Legal scholars cite the Noriega case and the Ker‑Frisbie doctrine as precedents, noting the absence of a direct Supreme Court ruling on prosecuting a former head of state like Maduro. [11]

Jan 6, 2026 – Administration officials brief Congress for over two hours, reporting roughly 200 U.S. personnel on the ground, non‑fatal injuries to Delta Force operators, and confirming the capture was not intended as a regime‑change operation but as leverage for oil and security cooperation. [10]

Jan 9, 2026 – CIA officials reveal that an undercover team entered Venezuela in August, operating in a denied area and relying on a single high‑level source close to Maduro to pinpoint his location for the Jan 3 raid. [5]

Jan 9, 2026 – Trump cancels a planned second wave of strikes after Venezuela releases a number of political prisoners, describing the releases as a “peace gesture” and announcing that U.S. ships will remain in the region for safety. [9][7]

Jan 10, 2026 – Venezuelan cities endure a tense week of armed civilian patrols, prison‑yard releases, and public demonstrations, while the United States states its intention to oversee Venezuela’s oil exports to stabilize the economy. [8]

Jan 11, 2026 – Trump posts that Venezuela is “releasing political prisoners in a BIG WAY,” and the U.S. announces cooperation on rebuilding oil and gas infrastructure, while maintaining a Level 4 travel advisory for Americans. [7]

Jan 13, 2026 – The Justice Department labels Delcy Rodríguez the “so‑called Acting President” in court filings, and Trump shares a mocked‑up page claiming the United States will run Venezuela during the transition. [6]

Jan 15, 2026 – Cuba receives the remains of 32 soldiers killed protecting Maduro, holds military ceremonies, and announces that oil shipments from Venezuela to Cuba will likely cease, deepening Cuba’s economic strain. [4]

Jan 16, 2026 – Acting President Delcy Rodríguez meets CIA Director John Ratcliffe in Caracas, balances anti‑imperialist rhetoric with a Trump‑announced deal to deliver up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, and navigates internal power dynamics with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello’s militia. [1]

Jan 18, 2026 – Rodríguez continues to juggle socialist rhetoric with U.S. oil negotiations, while Secretary of State Rubio pushes for early elections and the United States maintains pressure through oil‑revenue controls and a continued naval presence amid Venezuela’s hyperinflation and 86 % poverty rate. [1]

Jan 28, 2026 – The Senate Foreign Affairs Committee holds its first public hearing since the Jan 3 airstrikes, questioning Secretary Rubio on the legality of the operation, the Sept 2 2025 strike, and the new oil‑revenue control plan, while Rubio reiterates that the United States is not at war. [2]

Feb 18, 2026 – Acting President Delcy Rodríguez balances Chavista loyalty with U.S. demands, oversees the Trump‑announced oil deal, meets CIA Director Ratcliffe, and navigates pressure from Secretary Rubio for early elections amid Venezuela’s worst‑ever inflation and widespread poverty. [1]

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