Morning Brief: Proposed Trump-Class Battleship Could Cost Up to $22 Billion, Machado Presents Nobel Medal to Trump, France Now Supplies Majority of Intel to Ukraine

Lawmakers Press War Powers Fight After Senate Blocks Venezuela Resolution Members of Congress say they will continue efforts to limit US President Donald Trump’s use of military force despite the Senate blocking a Venezuela war powers resolution this week. In the House, Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts has filed a nonbinding concurrent resolution that could come to a vote as early as January 22, aiming to prevent further US strikes against Venezuela. The push follows a 51–50 Senate vote, broken by Vice President JD Vance, that shelved a binding resolution after two Republicans switched positions amid assurances from the Trump administration that no ground troops are planned. U.S. Senate BLOCKS debate on Venezuela War Powers Resolution, 51-50. @VP JD Vance cast tie-breaking vote. pic.twitter.com/UsK6nai8JT — CSPAN (@cspan) January 14, 2026 Lawmakers including Senators Tim Kaine and Rand Paul say the Constitution requires congressional approval for war and argue the resolutions have already forced the White House to clarify its intentions. The debate extends beyond Venezuela, as lawmakers consider similar measures for other countries Trump has mentioned, including Greenland, where bipartisan concern has prompted diplomatic outreach but not yet support for a war powers vote.   SOUTHCOM Nominee Says Duration of US Military Expansion in Latin America Remains Unclear US Marine Corps Lieutenant General Francis Donovan told lawmakers Thursday that he is prepared to oversee an expanded US military presence in Latin America following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, but said he does not know how long the heightened operations will continue or what the long-term plan is. Donovan testified at a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing as President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which oversees military operations in the region. The expansion began before Maduro’s capture and included a major buildup of US forces, repeated strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats, and the seizure of Venezuelan-linked oil tankers. Lawmakers pressed Donovan on oversight and strategy, but he said he has not been involved in regional planning in his current role. .@SenBlumenthal asks U.S. Southern Command nominee Lt. General Francis Donovan about strategy of U.S. assets in the Caribbean with relation to Venezuela. Donovan says the priority would be sustainability of those assets but wouldn’t speculate on future operations in the region. pic.twitter.com/HwUpe5JOT8 — CSPAN (@cspan) January 15, 2026 The hearing also reflected broader congressional scrutiny of the Trump administration’s military actions in Latin America and concerns about legal justification, as well as parallel questioning of a separate nominee for National Security Agency director.   Machado Presents Nobel Medal to Trump Amid Uncertainty Over Venezuela’s Political Future Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, where she symbolically presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal following the US-led ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Machado said the gesture recognized Trump’s role in advancing what she called Venezuela’s freedom, even as Trump has questioned her ability to lead the country and signaled openness to working with acting President Delcy Rodríguez. The meeting took place in Washington as Venezuela remains under interim leadership, with no timetable set for new elections. President Donald J. Trump meets with María Corina Machado of Venezuela in the Oval Office, during which she presented the President with her Nobel Peace Prize in recognition and honor.🕊️ pic.twitter.com/v7pYHjVNVO — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 16, 2026 Trump confirmed receiving the medal but offered no firm commitments on democratic transition, while White House officials said his views on Machado had not changed. Machado later met with US lawmakers and warned that delays in elections or a power transition would deepen instability, underscoring ongoing uncertainty over who will govern Venezuela and how the crisis will be resolved.   European Troops Deploy to Greenland as US, Denmark Clash Over Island’s Future Troops from several European countries began arriving in Greenland on Thursday to support Denmark as the United States, Denmark, and Greenland held tense talks over the Arctic island’s future. The deployments by NATO partners including France, Germany, the UK, and Nordic allies aim to show European unity and reinforce regional security amid US President Donald Trump’s stated goal of US acquisition of Greenland. While Danish and Greenlandic leaders described the talks as efforts to manage security concerns through cooperation, the White House said discussions centered on an acquisition framework, underscoring a fundamental disagreement. Soldiers from France, Germany and other European countries arrive in Greenland as talks with the US hit wall over future https://t.co/SCIdsX9XrU pic.twitter.com/9KLv7xf3Pd — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 15, 2026 Greenland’s leadership reiterated that the territory is not for sale and rejects US control, even as Denmark announced a longer-term expansion of its military presence. The dispute unfolds against broader concerns about Arctic security, NATO cohesion, and growing Russian and Chinese interest in the region.   Lithuania Says Russian Military Intelligence Behind 2024 Arson Plot Aimed at Ukraine Supply Chain Lithuanian authorities said Friday that Russia’s GRU military intelligence orchestrated an attempted arson attack in 2024 on a Lithuanian factory that supplies radio wave scanners to Ukraine’s military. Police and prosecutors charged six suspects from Spain, Colombia, Cuba, Russia, and Belarus, saying they acted on orders from individuals based in Russia linked to the GRU. Officials said the plot was part of a broader sabotage campaign, with similar attempted attacks targeting facilities in Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Russia was behind attempted 2024 arson attack, Lithuania says https://t.co/D3218akaAa https://t.co/D3218akaAa — Reuters (@Reuters) January 16, 2026   Macron Says France Now Supplies Majority of Intelligence to Ukraine French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that France now provides about two-thirds of the intelligence used by Ukraine’s military, largely replacing the United States as Kyiv’s primary intelligence partner. Macron made the statement in a New Year’s address to the French armed forces, citing a shift that followed Washington’s March 2025 decision to suspend intelligence sharing with Ukraine to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy into peace talks with Russia. The change comes as Europe has expanded its role in supporting Ukraine nearly three years after Russia’s invasion, with a coalition of roughly 35 countries now covering financial, military, and intelligence needs. Macron said Ukraine had relied heavily on US intelligence a year earlier, but France has since filled much of that gap with technical intelligence support. Macron: Where Ukraine was eminently dependent on American intelligence capabilities by an overwhelming majority a year ago, today two-thirds are provided by France. Two-thirds. pic.twitter.com/Jpz4UUCZVR — Clash Report (@clashreport) January 15, 2026 Ukrainian and French defense officials declined detailed comment, and Ukrainian officials have previously said US intelligence remains critical for areas such as satellite imagery and missile warning systems.   Civilians Struggle to Flee East of Aleppo as Syria Signals Offensive on Kurdish Forces A small number of civilians fled contested areas east of Aleppo on Thursday after the Syrian military warned of an impending offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The military announced a temporary humanitarian corridor from Deir Hafer toward government-held towns, but officials and residents said few people were able to pass through. Government representatives and evacuees accused the SDF of blocking the main evacuation route, forcing families to flee on foot, use back roads, or cross a river to escape, claims the SDF denied. ⚠️ Syrian Army warns that it will target sites of the terrorist organization YPG/SDF obstructing civilian movement from eastern Aleppo ➡️ Earlier, Syrian civilians who fled the area told Anadolu that the SDF was blocking tens of thousands from leaving Deir Hafir, using… pic.twitter.com/1hzfonrqwR — Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 15, 2026 The SDF said government shelling deterred movement and accused Damascus of forcing displacement, calling it a potential war crime.   South Korean Court Sentences Ex-President Yoon to Prison Over Martial Law Crisis A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison on Friday in the first verdict stemming from eight criminal trials tied to his brief declaration of martial law in December 2024. The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty of obstructing his detention, fabricating the martial law decree, and bypassing legally required Cabinet procedures, actions the court said damaged constitutional governance. Yoon was impeached, arrested, and removed from office after the decree triggered mass protests and a political crisis, though no casualties occurred. South Korea’s ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to five years in prison Yoon was charged with obstructing investigators’ attempt to detain him last year, media reported https://t.co/jAqRCF5wJ1 pic.twitter.com/oXOxPtpdTP — Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 16, 2026 Prosecutors are still pursuing a separate rebellion case that could result in a life sentence or decades in prison, while Yoon denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal.   Philippines Unveils Monument Honoring Filipino-American Sailors at Former US Naval Base Veterans and officials dedicated a new monument this week at the former US naval base in Subic Bay, Philippines, honoring Filipino-American service members who have served in the US Navy and Coast Guard since 1901. The Filipino Shipmate Monument features three statues, including an eight-foot figure modeled after Medal of Honor recipient Telesforo Trinidad, and recognizes the contributions of tens of thousands of Filipino-American sailors. Funded by the United States Sailors Alliance of the Philippines, the monument stands in the Subic Freeport Zone, a former American base. A group of retired sailors gathered at a former U.S. base in the Philippines this week to unveil the Filipino Shipmate Monument in honor of thousands of Filipino-Americans who have served in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard since 1901. (from @sethrobson1) https://t.co/dkwVbovdZz — Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) January 16, 2026 Speakers at the ceremony highlighted the sailors’ sacrifices, loyalty, and bravery, as well as the longstanding maritime ties between the United States and the Philippines. The dedication brought together veterans, government officials, community leaders, and families to commemorate more than a century of shared naval history.   Sources: News Agencies