Trump says the US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela amid mounting tensions with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. It’s the Trump administration’s latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been charged with narcoterrorism in the United States. The U.S. has conducted a series of deadly military strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean on boats that the Republican administration has alleged are carrying drugs.

Judge orders Trump to end California National Guard troop deployment in LA

(AP) — A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop deploying California National Guard troops in Los Angeles. A judge in San Francisco on Wednesday granted a preliminary injunction sought by California officials to end the deployment and return the remaining troops to the state’s command. But he put the decision on hold until Monday. The White House suggested the administration will appeal. The Trump administration ordered the deployment of thousands of troops to Los Angeles in June over Gov. Gavin Newsom’s objections following clashes between immigration officers and protesters. California officials argued that conditions in Los Angeles had since changed. The administration said the Guard was still needed to protect federal personnel and property.

Musk says DOGE was only ‘somewhat successful’ and he wouldn’t do it again

(AP) — Mega billionaire Elon Musk said his efforts leading the Department of Government Efficiency were only “somewhat successful” and he would not do it over again. Musk made his remarks in a friendly interview with his aide and conservative influencer Katie Miller, who is married to White House adviser Stephen Miller. Musk still broadly defended President Donald Trump’s controversial pop-up agency that Musk left in the spring before it shuttered officially last month. But Musk acknowledged how difficult it is to remake the federal government quickly and how much his businesses suffered because of his DOGE work and its lack of popularity. Musk is the Tesla and SpaceX CEO and also owns the social media platform X.

Foreigners allowed to travel to the US without a visa could soon face new social media screening

WASHINGTON (AP) — Travelers who are now able to come to the United States without a visa might soon need to provide social media, email, and family history details to the Department of Homeland Security. The Trump administration has increased monitoring of international travelers. And now, Customs and Border Protection is proposing collecting five years of social media data from travelers from about roughly 40 mostly European and Asian countries who can now come to the U.S. for tourism or business for three months without visas. The public has 60 days to comment on these proposed changes.