Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
The U.S. seizes a Venezuelan oil tanker. The Department of Homeland Security signs a major contract with Boeing. And Disney buys into AI in a big way. I'm Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Thursday, December 11th. This is Evening Wire.
In a dramatic escalation, the United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pearce has the latest.
The seizure comes as President Trump has ramped up a pressure campaign targeting Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro. Trump confirmed the news during a roundtable discussion on Wednesday afternoon.
It's been an interesting day. As you probably know, we've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. Large tanker, very large. Largest one ever seized, actually.
Until Wednesday, the Trump administration's military efforts off the coast of Venezuela have been limited to destroying drug boats and submarines. Wednesday's actions represent a significant escalation in the White House pressure campaign targeting Venezuela's state-owned oil industry and primary source of funding. Most of Venezuela's oil is sold to China.
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Chapter 2: What led to the U.S. seizing a Venezuelan oil tanker?
Chinese buyers are typically able to get Venezuelan oil at a discount because of the risk of running afoul of U.S. sanctions. The leader of Venezuela's opposition says the U.S. helped her escape the country to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. After over a year in hiding, Maria Karina Machado arrived safely in Oslo, Norway.
While she just missed the award ceremony yesterday, she was greeted with cheers below her hotel balcony, including chants of libertad, the Spanish word for freedom. Machado went underground following the latest presidential election when her endorsed candidate won, but Maduro declared himself the victor and remained in office.
She was awarded the Peace Prize for her work against the Maduro regime. While Machado remained tight-lipped about the details of her escape, she credited the US government with, quote, support for her travel. The Trump administration has not yet publicly commented on Machado's escape.
Territorial concessions remain a sticking point in negotiations as Ukraine and European partners respond to US peace proposals. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has more.
President Trump has been vocal over his desire to bring a quick end to the war in Ukraine, advocating for territorial concessions in a peace plan sent earlier this year. In a reportedly tense call with European partners earlier this week, Trump urged British, French, and German partners to pressure Ukraine to accept that deal.
For his part, President Zelensky has been unwilling to accept any terms that cede territory to Russia. Without those concessions, though, peace talks have thus far been unable to progress.
A U.S. plan to rebuild Ukraine and reintegrate the economy of Russia has sparked backlash from European partners. The plan, which is laid out in multiple documents sent to European allies, outlines a strategy to end the war in Ukraine and build partnerships that will hopefully build a lasting peace by ushering Russia back into the world economy. U.S.
business partners would gain access to drilling and mineral rights in Russia, as well as $200 billion in frozen Russian assets, which would be used for infrastructure projects in Ukraine. But the plan has been met with major skepticism from European partners who've compared it to Trump's Riviera plans for Gaza.
The House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday pressuring Secretary of War Hegseth to release information related to drug trafficking boat strikes. The bill, while mostly detailing Pentagon budget details, also included provisions that would compel the release of video evidence related to the contested Caribbean boat strikes.
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Chapter 3: What are the implications of the U.S. pressure campaign on Venezuela?
I thought these people are human. We are all grieving in our own way. And they are trying to find the answer to something that happened that was so evil. They are trying so hard. And I get that. We're doing the same.
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President Trump has inserted himself into the potential Warner Brothers Discovery sale by insisting that Discovery subsidiary CNN should change hands.
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Chapter 4: How did Maria Karina Machado escape Venezuela?
Although still requiring a lengthy regulatory process for final approval, Netflix is now in exclusive talks to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery for $72 billion. That deal, however, would not include a sale of Discovery's television network group, which includes CNN.
A longtime detractor of the network, Trump is now throwing his weight into the fight, asserting that CNN needs to change hands or at least be put under new leadership.
In its latest move to ramp up Trump's mass deportation effort, the Department of Homeland Security signed a major contract with Boeing to operate flights out of the country. Daily Wire immigration reporter Jenny Ter explains.
The administration signed a roughly $140 million contract to buy six Boeing 737 planes to operate flights without the assistance of outside contractors. Deportation flights via what's known as ICE Air have long relied on charter companies to carry out removals.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said on X Wednesday that the new effort will save American taxpayers $279 million. She said, quote, these planes will allow ICE to operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns.
Borders are Tom Homan says the administration has already deported more than 579,000 illegal immigrants, but it's still short of their lofty goal of carrying out one million deportations each year.
Raw sewage is currently flowing from Mexico into the U.S. and President Trump has had enough. Daily Wire senior editor Joel Needler has the latest.
Roughly 25 million gallons of untreated sewage from America's southern neighbor reportedly spill into the Pacific Ocean each day. Last week, a break in the Mexican sewer line reportedly sent 120,000 gallons of sewage into San Diego County's South Bay region. The ongoing pollution has already dragged down home values, closed beaches, and affected Navy SEAL training.
Local officials in Southern California are now handing out air purifiers to residents choking on the stench. President Trump expressed outrage on Truth Social, saying, quote, Mexico must take care of its water and sewage problem immediately. It is a true threat to the people of Texas, California, and the United States of America.
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Chapter 5: What controversies surround Trump's peace proposals for Ukraine?
While some say the AI's performance suggests that hacking vital networks will become easier than ever, it would also theoretically provide tools for systems to vastly enhance their security, identifying weaknesses before malicious actors ever get a chance to attempt infiltration.
And even Disney is investing in AI. The company made a $1 billion investment in OpenAI that will soon allow users to generate short-form content using their characters. OpenAI's short-form video platform Sora will have access to the likeness of more than 200 iconic characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.
Stipulations of the deal limit what kind of content users can make with the characters. No sex, drugs, or interaction with other companies' properties. Disney is hoping the move will help them capture the attention of young people who increasingly consume bite-sized content on social media.
Those are your drive home updates today. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com.
And in case you missed it earlier today, we covered some major stories, including Daily Wire investigative reporter Luke Rosiak testifying on government fraud before Congress, controversy swirling around Zoran Mamdani's incoming administration, and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer giving us an inside look at Minnesota's fraud scandal. Thanks for tuning in.
We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.
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