Hello, and welcome back to Minuteman’s Update. Today, we’ll be unpacking the President’s recent invasion of Venezuela and the violent attacks by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents across the country.
Early morning on Saturday, Jan. 3, news broke out that the United States had launched an invasion into Venezuela and kidnapped the then-President, Nicolás Maduro. This invasion came after months of strikes and tense meetings between the leaders, bringing an end to President Maduro’s 13-year tenure. While Venezuelans and Americans alike celebrated, the question that has haunted United States foreign policy for decades rose once again: what comes next? Historically, when the United States has invaded a foreign country and placed a new leader at its head, it catalyzed years of economic collapse, war, and terrorism. While the end of Maduro’s dictatorial leadership in Venezuela marks a potentially positive change for the future of the country, the true celebration lies in how little the United States decides to intervene in the country’s future.
Within the politics of our own nation, President Trump has been making bold claims about establishing Greenland as a United States territory for months. Those claims have evolved into vague threats, accusations, and even open admission to a desire to take the land for himself. On Jan. 21, President Trump spoke at the Davos Conference and expanded on his claims, in which he said that he would take Greenland, “by force or not,” and that if Denmark refused to cede Greenland to him, the United States “would remember that.” Despite these lofty promises, the President pledged to world leaders that he would not use force against Denmark.
Additionally, during his speech at the Davos conference, President Trump made ambitious claims about the United States’ progress in global economics and technology, claiming that the US leads other countries in AI and tech development, and that his tariffs have strengthened US economic power. He continued to insult long-time allies, saying that Europe is headed in a bad direction, that China’s recent success in energy is only due to US allowance, and that Canada receives “a lot of freebies” from the United States military. Although the President was slated to speak for 45 minutes, he spoke for over an hour, addressing world and financial leaders about his economic progress and plans for the next three years. Alongside this, the President’s “Board of Peace” was inaugurated on Jan. 22. 25 other nations joined the President that day. Posed as a peace plan for the ongoing genocide in Gaza, it appears to me more like an attempt from President Trump to counter NATO and further his foreign policy ambitions.
On Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis, Renne Good was shot in her car by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent while she was attempting to drive away. Her killing sparked outcry and protests across the country, which have only been met by more violence from ICE agents and the Trump Administration. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Vice President J.D. Vance have defended their agency, claiming that Good was attempting to escape and possibly harm the ICE agent, who was defending himself. The killings mark a turn in the usage of force and violence from agents, as well as the nationwide pushback against ICE. Good has been memorialized across the country, both as another victim of systemic gun and police violence and also as a symbol of ICE and President Trump’s abuses of power. Following this, during a protest in Minnesota on Jan. 24, Alex Pretti was tragically shot by an ICE agent. The 31-year-old was an ICU nurse in Minnesota and was a peaceful protester in a demonstration against immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. His death has been mourned across the country, and much like Good, he has become a symbol of the terror incited by President Trump’s increased military presence in US cities.
