GOP Senator Opens Formal Investigation Into Hegseth's Possible War Crimes as Trump Warns Venezuela War is Imminent

Good morning everyone. Today is shaping up to be a major news day as we are learning that Donald Trump has declared the airspace over Venezuela closed until further notice, signaling that a military confrontation may be near. Congress has not authorized any strikes into Venezuela, but it has authorized a bipartisan investigation into Pete Hegseth’s possible war crimes.

This morning I am in active contact with sources on Capitol Hill to understand what is unfolding, because this could mark a turning point in America’s role abroad and in Hegseth’s standing at home. I also share a story from 2019, when I unexpectedly overheard a call between a sitting member of Congress and Nicolás Maduro. The pressure campaign to remove Maduro is not new, and Trump has long wanted this outcome. He simply feels empowered to move now.

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Here’s what you missed:

Senate Armed Services leaders Roger Wicker and Jack Reed pledged “vigorous oversight” into reports that Hegseth issued a “kill them all” order, following Hegseth’s dismissal of the earlier Washington Post story as “fake news.” Wicker is the leading Republican on the Committee. This will be a bipartisan investigation into whether Hegseth violated international laws of war.

Following the news from the Washington Post, Hegseth decried it as fake news:

Donald Trump announced the closure of Venezuelan air space this morning, suggesting that war with Venezuela could be imminent, with strikes occurring as soon as this weekend.

Trump says he will issue a full pardon to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who is serving a 45-year US sentence for drug-trafficking, tying the promise to his endorsement of Honduran candidate Tito Asfura and prompting sharp scrutiny as Hernández’s conviction involved aiding cartels moving cocaine to the United States.

After the National Guard shooting in D.C., Trump vowed to “permanently pause” immigration from what he called “third world countries,” pushed for “reverse migration,” and pledged mass deportations and benefit cuts for noncitizens — prompting swift criticism from U.N. agencies and advocacy groups, as federal agencies began pausing Afghan visas and asylum decisions while experts warned the proposals are legally dubious, sweeping, and rooted in rhetoric long criticized as discriminatory and outdated.

NBC is reporting that Ukrainian soldiers across multiple front lines say Trump’s original peace plan amounts to “capitulation,” rejecting its calls to cede territory and cap military size even as they privately hope for peace; troops describe heavy battlefield pressures, distrust of unilateral concessions, and fear that abandoning positions—especially in Donetsk—would betray those still fighting and give Russia renewed advantage.

According to the Telegraph, the US under Trump has signaled willingness to recognize Russia’s control over Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories as part of a proposed peace deal, with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner reportedly delivering the offer in Moscow, sparking alarm among European allies and deep resistance from Kyiv’s leadership.

Airbus ordered emergency repairs to about 6,000 A320-family jets, over half the global fleet, after a mid-air incident linked to software vulnerabilities exposed by solar radiation, prompting worldwide flight cancellations and delays as airlines race to install fixes and in some cases make more complex hardware updates.

Historian Jean-Pierre Filiu says he witnessed compelling evidence that Israeli forces enabled looters attacking Gaza aid convoys, echoing concerns raised by some UN officials; Israel denies the allegations, calling its strikes targeted operations against militants.

Hong Kong began three days of mourning after a massive apartment-complex fire killed at least 128 people and left around 200 missing, as authorities investigate malfunctioning alarms, flammable materials, and multiple arrests tied to possible negligence in one of the city’s deadliest blazes in decades.

Floods and landslides from Cyclone Ditwah have killed 123 people in Sri Lanka, left 130 missing, and forced nearly 44,000 into shelters as rescue teams battle record rainfall, overflowing rivers, and widespread destruction across the island.

See you this afternoon.

— Aaron