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1 President Trump Says He's Planning Land Strikes On Alleged Drug Traffickers "Very Soon"
President Trump again said yesterday that his administration plans to launch land strikes against alleged drug traffickers in Latin America "very soon," which would be a big step up from the sea-based attacks the U.S. military has already been carrying out. During yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Trump told reporters the administration would start hitting drug targets on land because it's "much easier" than attacking boats at sea. Trump did not give a specific timeline or location for the strikes but said any country where drugs are produced or trafficked "is subject to attack," and specifically mentioned Colombia and Venezuela. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said any land attack would be an act of war and Congress would invoke the War Powers Act.
2 Putin Reportedly Said Yesterday's Meeting With Special Envoy Steve Witkoff "Useful" But No Compromise Found
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow yesterday as part of ongoing efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine. Before the meeting, Putin warned that Russia is ready to fight if Europe wants war, and accused European countries of trying to block peace efforts by making changes to Trump's proposal. The White House said it was "very optimistic" about the talks; while Putin called yesterday’s meeting “useful,” he was also clear that no deal had been reached.
3 Republican Matt Van Epps Holds Tennessee Seat In Special Election
Republican Matt Van Epps won a special election for a deep-red congressional seat in Tennessee yesterday, keeping the district in Republican hands. Van Epps, an Army veteran and former state official, defeated Democratic state representative Aftyn Behn. Though President Trump carried the district by 22 points last year, Democrats significantly cut into that lead; with about 93-percent of votes counted last night, Van Epps had a 7.5-point lead. Both parties spent heavily on the race, with Republican super PACs pouring over $3.5 million into the contest. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Mike Johnson both campaigned in the district before election day. Democrats saw the closer margin as a good sign heading into the 2026 midterm elections.