Evening Brief: Pentagon Moves to Demote Senator Mark Kelly, Trump Revives Push for US Control of Greenland, Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in US Court

Authorities identified the suspect as 26-year-old William Defoor, a Cincinnati resident, who also vandalized a Secret Service vehicle. William DeFoor, 26, has been charged after allegedly attempting to break into Vice President JD Vance’s Ohio residence, using a hammer to smash windows. https://t.co/VxunZ5Asnl pic.twitter.com/Iu2xjlOISM — Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 5, 2026 Defoor faces misdemeanor charges and is scheduled for arraignment Tuesday as federal and local authorities continue to review the case.   US Expands Visa Bond Requirement, Adding Seven More Countries The Trump administration has expanded a US visa bond requirement to seven additional countries, bringing the total to 13 nations whose citizens must post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply for entry. The State Department added Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan, with the rule taking effect January 1. Most of the affected countries are in Africa, making the cost of obtaining a US visa prohibitive for many applicants. The Trump administration has added seven countries, including five in Africa, to the list of nations whose passport holders are required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply to enter the U.S. Thirteen countries, all but two of them in Africa, are now on the list, which makes… pic.twitter.com/KwqdFICcfc — Yahoo News (@YahooNews) January 5, 2026 US officials say the bonds are intended to deter visa overstays and are refundable if applicants comply with visa terms or are denied entry. The move is part of broader Trump administration efforts to tighten US entry requirements through expanded interviews, social media disclosures, and travel history reviews.   Trump Revives Push for US Control of Greenland, Prompting NATO Allies’ Pushback US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States needs to take control of Greenland for national security reasons, signaling the Danish territory will become a major focus of his administration in coming months. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump argued Denmark cannot adequately secure the strategically located Arctic island, which already hosts a US military base and missile early-warning systems. President Trump’s push to control Greenland was renewed twice over the weekend when he told The Atlantic the U.S. needs the territory for its defense, and speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, claiming the “EU needs us” to have Greenland. READ MORE: https://t.co/fWNS9YAFOg pic.twitter.com/e4BetBz4pY — The National Desk (@TND) January 5, 2026 Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected the remarks, saying Greenland is protected under NATO and is not for sale, a position echoed by other European leaders. The renewed push comes as the US emphasizes the Western Hemisphere in its national security strategy and cites rising Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic. Analysts warn the rhetoric risks straining NATO unity, as Washington’s allies stress that Greenland’s future can only be decided by Denmark and the island’s residents.   Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in US Court, Denounces Capture After Venezuela Ouster Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty Monday in a Manhattan federal court to US drug trafficking charges, declaring himself Venezuela’s legitimate president and denouncing his capture as an illegal abduction. US authorities brought Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to court after a US military operation seized them from their home in Caracas over the weekend and transferred them to New York. Venezuela’s deposed leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived in Manhattan ahead of their scheduled arraignment on charges that they enriched themselves through drug trafficking. Follow along for live updates: https://t.co/Xt3EQ7QD5j pic.twitter.com/4a8Yx8polk — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 5, 2026 Prosecutors accuse the couple of leading a narco-terrorism conspiracy that funneled large quantities of cocaine into the United States, charges that could carry life sentences. The case unfolds as President Trump says the United States will temporarily run Venezuela, while Maduro’s allies and the country’s new interim leader demand his return and question the legality of the operation.   UN Security Council Rebukes US Over Maduro Capture, Warns of Global Precedent Allies and adversaries of the United States used an emergency UN Security Council meeting Monday to criticize the US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and removed him from power. Speaking in New York, multiple countries warned that the US action violated international law and threatened state sovereignty, even as Washington defended the raid as a lawful law-enforcement operation targeting an alleged narco-terrorist leader. Ambassador Waltz in the UN Security Council today: The law enforcement action against Nicolas Maduro was directed consistent with the President of the United States’ responsibility as Commander in Chief to protect Americans at home and abroad, against a fugitive who is directly… pic.twitter.com/LM7JUTvn4X — U.S. Mission to the UN (@USUN) January 5, 2026 Venezuela demanded the UN press for Maduro’s release, while Denmark, France, Colombia, China, and Russia raised concerns about border inviolability and the use of force. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the operation risked setting a dangerous precedent. The debate unfolded as the US prepares to prosecute Maduro in New York and signals continued pressure on Venezuela’s government and oil sector.   Zelenskyy Overhauls Security Leadership Ahead of Paris Peace Talks Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaced the head of Ukraine’s Security Service on Monday as part of a broader leadership reshuffle ahead of peace talks in Paris aimed at preventing a renewed Russian invasion. Zelenskyy accepted the resignation of Security Service chief Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk and appointed Yevhen Khmara as acting head while also naming military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as his new chief of staff. ⚡️Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine. Khmara previously led the SBU’s Alpha special operations unit and commanded missions during Russia’s war against Ukraine, including in Kyiv region,… pic.twitter.com/HYcYBAOhKE — UNITED24 Media (@United24media) January 5, 2026 The changes come as Ukraine prepares to meet with leaders from about 30 countries to discuss security guarantees if a peace deal is reached. Zelenskyy also appointed former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as an economic development adviser to bolster Ukraine’s war-damaged economy. The moves unfold as fighting continues along the front lines and both Ukraine and Russia escalate drone and missile strikes amid stalled negotiations.   Israel Strikes Hezbollah, Hamas Targets in Lebanon Ahead of Disarmament Talks Israel’s Air Force carried out airstrikes Monday on sites in southern and eastern Lebanon, saying the targets housed infrastructure linked to Hezbollah and Hamas. The strikes followed public warnings from the Israeli military and occurred days before Lebanon’s Army commander is set to brief the government on efforts to disarm Hezbollah near the Israeli border. Lebanese state media said one strike hit a home in the Bekaa Valley linked to a Hamas commander killed last year. 🇱🇧 BREAKING: Lebanon — Israel has carried out a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa on sites it had publicly threatened earlier. Israeli warplanes struck a building in Kfar Hata (Saida) with at least five missiles, and hit a threatened site in Anan… https://t.co/nDf3VReFJr — Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) January 5, 2026 The attacks came north of the Litani River, outside the border zone where Lebanon aims to clear Hezbollah forces by the end of 2025. The strikes underscore continued Israeli military pressure following last year’s war with Hezbollah, despite a US-brokered ceasefire that ended the 14-month conflict in November 2024.   Syria, Israel to Resume US-Mediated Security Talks in Paris Syrian and Israeli officials are set to resume US-mediated talks Tuesday in Paris aimed at easing security tensions between the longtime adversaries, officials said Monday. Syria’s delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and intelligence chief Hussein Salameh, with Damascus seeking to revive the 1974 disengagement agreement that created a UN-monitored buffer zone in southern Syria. Syria wants Israeli forces to withdraw from the zone, which Israel entered more than a year ago following the ouster of former President Bashar Assad in December 2024. Israel says its presence is temporary and intended to prevent attacks, while Syria argues it violates its sovereignty. Syria’s state news agency says senior Syrian officials are meeting Israeli negotiators in Paris under U.S. mediation, with talks centered on reviving the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and securing an Israeli pullback under terms that ensure Syria’s sovereignty. The discussions, a… pic.twitter.com/elOTxxwJ98 — Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 5, 2026 The talks mark a renewed diplomatic effort, backed by the United States and supported by France, to stabilize the border after months of stalled negotiations and ongoing military friction.   China, South Korea Pledge Deeper Trade Ties as North Korea Missile Tests Loom China and South Korea agreed Monday to expand trade and work together to preserve regional stability during talks in Beijing between Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Lee, on his first visit to China since taking office in June, met Xi at the Great Hall of the People amid heightened tensions triggered by North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launches. The two leaders emphasized cooperation on peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula and signed multiple agreements covering trade, technology, transportation, and environmental protection. Chinese and South Korean companies signed nine cooperation agreements, authorities said, during a state visit by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing https://t.co/VBgeL9ozFA pic.twitter.com/4pJuYytCuv — Reuters (@Reuters) January 5, 2026 The visit came as Beijing seeks to stabilize regional relationships while facing rising frictions with Japan and continued instability driven by North Korea’s weapons testing.   Sources: News Agencies