Overview
- In a newly published Politico interview, the U.S. president called many European countries "in decline," labeled leaders "weak," and questioned NATO’s performance.
- He warned Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro that his "days are counted," refused to rule out deploying U.S. ground troops, and said he would consider similar actions against cartel targets in Mexico and Colombia.
- U.S. military activity intensified near Venezuela as flight trackers showed two F/A-18s over the Gulf of Venezuela for more than 30 minutes, with the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group conducting drills in the Caribbean.
- The White House defended maritime strikes under Operation Lanza del Sur that have destroyed more than 20 boats and caused over 80 deaths, while touting an unverified 92% drop in seaborne drug flow as Congress presses for unedited videos and authorizing orders after a disputed Sept. 2 strike.
- On Ukraine, Trump said Russia holds negotiating advantages and claimed he sent a new peace draft to Kyiv, as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced he will send revised proposals to the United States in the near future.