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January 2 – January 8
Here’s what happened at State this week. ⤵️
- 🧑⚖️The United States brought Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro to justice.
- 🇺🇲We are gearing up for America’s semiquincentennial.
- 🇮🇱🇸🇾The U.S. is helping Israel and Syria turn a new page toward a stable, prosperous relationship.
 President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)
On January 3, the United States successfully captured and arrested Nicolás Maduro, who now faces justice for his role as the leader of a transnational criminal organization.
“This is something that was a direct threat to the national interest of the United States,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a press conference, “and the President addressed it.”
The U.S. is working to ensure he is held accountable for his multiple decades of narco-terrorism that has flooded American communities with illegal drugs.
Maduro was arraigned in a New York City court on January 5 and will stand trial for his crimes. He is charged with narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, Secretary Rubio outlined a comprehensive strategy to restore order and prosperity to Venezuela. This “threefold process” focuses on using American economic leverage to ensure a stable transition.
 Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware” (Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
On July 4, 2026, America will celebrate 250 years of independence.
As America enters its semiquincentennial year, the federal, state, and local governments — along with the private sector, and nonprofit and educational institutions — will be celebrating this momentous anniversary.
To kick off the historical reflection and celebration, the White House has created an original video series, The Story of America.
Throughout the year, Freedom 250, the national, nonpartisan organization leading the celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday, will be coordinating federal and local events to give America the most spectacular birthday party the world has ever seen.
To help communities celebrate, Freedom 250 has published free toolkits for classrooms, fairs, and other events.
On January 6, the United States hosted a historic trilateral meeting in Paris with Israel and Syria to establish a framework of mutual respect for each country’s sovereignty and security.
As a result of the talks, Israel and Syria agreed to a dedicated communication system under the supervision of the United States to facilitate immediate and ongoing coordination on:
- Intelligence sharing
- Military de-escalation
- Diplomatic engagement
- Commercial opportunities
This coordination mechanism will serve as a permanent platform to prevent misunderstandings and address security concerns along the border.
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