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Hegseth, Pete How Oil, Drugs and Immigration Fueled Trump’s Venezuela Campaign - New details of deliberations show how aides with overlapping agendas drove the United States toward a militarized confrontation with Venezuela.Rubio Meets (and Meets, and Meets … ) the Press - The secretary of state held a marathon news conference, offering little news but more respect for reporters than most others in the Trump administration.U.S. Strikes Islamic State Targets in Syria - American forces struck dozens of suspected ISIS sites, making good on President Trump’s vow to avenge two American soldiers and a civilian U.S. interpreter killed by the group last week.Trump Relies on Distortions to Support His Pressure Campaign on Venezuela - The president has a long record of making false or misleading statements. But the sheer density of them in his administration’s boat attacks and Venezuela pressure campaign is exceptional.Top Republican Examining Boat Strike ‘Satisfied’ With Military Mission - After viewing video of a follow-up strike, Republicans largely had confidence in the Pentagon’s legal rationale while Democrats questioned its legality.Senate Passes Defense Policy Bill, Clearing It for Trump - The legislation authorizes $900 billion for the Pentagon, provides a pay raise for troops, and has some measures to reassert congressional oversight.Alvin Holsey, Admiral Who Oversaw Boat Strikes Off Venezuela’s Coast, Retires - The admiral had abruptly announced that he would step down as the head of the U.S. Southern Command. His departure leaves several issues about the strikes unanswered.Democrats Say Hegseth Balked at Call for Full Video of Boat Strike - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth briefed congressional leaders on Tuesday about the monthslong military campaign targeting people suspected of being drug traffickers at sea.Inside the Pentagon’s Scramble to Deal With Boat Strike Survivors - Officials initially weighed sending survivors of U.S. attacks on boats suspected of drug smuggling to a notorious prison in El Salvador, to keep them away from American courts.Legal Groups Sue Justice Dept. for Secret Memo Justifying Boat Strikes - “The public deserves to know how the Trump administration has justified the outright murder of civilians as lawful,” the organizations said in their lawsuit.