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The Pentagon Is Getting Into the Venezuelan Oil Business

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“As the U.S. government faced shortcomings in the country’s weapons manufacturing, the Pentagon set up a new office that would make investments to help boost defense industrial production,” the New York Times reports.

“That effort, which began in 2022 during the Biden administration, is now taking a sharp turn with the Pentagon’s involvement in an oil production deal between the United States and Venezuela that President Trump announced on Friday.”

Financial Times: Alejandro Betancourt: the man who would be Trump’s “viceroy” in Venezuela.

Trump Steps Up Immigration Crackdown On Truck Drivers

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“Trump administration officials are escalating an immigration crackdown on commercial truck drivers, setting off a new clash with Democratic-led states,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Both the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Department are demanding licensing data across the U.S. about immigrants driving trucks, in a hunt for what they say is a rash of drivers with improper certifications.”

Ted Cruz Celebrates Trump’s ‘Cast Iron Balls’

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“Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) praised President Donald Trump for having ‘cast iron balls’ in a preview released Monday of his appearance on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s podcast,” Mediaite reports.

Said Cruz: “My favorite attribute about Donald Trump is the guy has cast iron balls. He just does, at a level that there’s no parallel in history.”

Trump Calls for Federal Film and Television Tax Incentive

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“President Trump on Monday declared his support for federal tax credits to support film and television production in the U.S. which entertainment industry veterans say could boost a struggling industry that has lost huge amounts of business to foreign countries,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

Deadline: Trump backs federal film & TV tax incentive: “Hollywood is a complete & total disaster!”

Russian Sanctions Bill Is Poised to Get Shuffled Aside

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“Less than a month ago, a huge bipartisan Senate majority voted to honor the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and pass legislation he pushed aimed at sanctioning Russia’s trading partners,” Politico reports.

“Now the bill is at serious risk of languishing in the House, where it is suffering from significant Democratic opposition, lack of Republican enthusiasm and fading impetus to honor the late South Carolina senator.”

The CDC Hasn’t Added 2 Deaths to Its Measles Database

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“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is excluding two deaths reported by Pennsylvania from its weekly updates of a national measles death tally, a decision that came from new CDC director Erica Schwartz,” the Washington Post reports.

“The highly unusual decision departs from the agency’s practice of including such data from state health departments, which historically make the determinations.”

Andy Harris Threatens to Tank GOP Floor Agenda

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Punchbowl News: “House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-MD) told us today he’d vote against a key procedural motion on the floor this week over a provision in the funding bill to delay a ban on hemp products by a month.”

“Harris has been public about his opposition to delaying the ban, which is part of the CR.”

“The CR isn’t coming to the floor under the rule, and the Dec. 11 funding bill is expected to pass by a big margin. But Harris and the HFC could torch the GOP leadership’s agenda for the rest of the week if they defeat the rule.”

Xi Flexes Muscle at Asia Security Summit

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“As the leaders of China, Russia, India, Iran and other nations converged on Central Asia for a two-day summit beginning on Monday, one thing was clear from the outset. Even as President Trump tries to bend the world to revolve around Washington, Xi Jinping of China has his own powerful orbit,” the New York Times reports.

“The Chinese leader’s arrival in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, for a meeting of the 10-nation political and security grouping known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization underscored Mr. Xi’s broad ability to sustain Washington’s foes, both in peacetime and in war.”

Mike Johnson Backs ‘Great Member’ Max Miller

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“Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Monday called Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) a ‘great member of Congress’ and endorsed Miller’s bid for a third term, despite allegations of domestic violence by his ex-wife,” the Washington Post reports.

Said Johnson: “Yes. He has been a great member of Congress. He has some issues in his personal life he’s working through. The House Ethics Committee is looking into that and any applications it may have.”

Jeffries Blasts Republicans Over ‘Unfettered’ Data Centers

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“House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries blasted Republicans Monday for being ‘pro-data center without any restraints,’ making his strongest rebuke yet of the tech industry’s massive infrastructure buildout as it becomes a key issue in midterm campaigns,” Politico reports.

Said Jeffries: “Donald Trump and Republicans are divorced from reality. They think that the affordability crisis is a hoax. Donald Trump and Republicans have made clear they love inflation. Donald Trump and Republicans have told the American people directly, ‘We don’t think about your personal financial situation.'”

CNN: I feel your pain vs. “let data reign.”

Trump Claims U.S. Growth Could Hit 20%

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“President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. economy could grow at rates as high as 20%, while arguing that even such rapid growth should not prompt the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates,” CNBC reports.

Said Trump: “We could have a GDP of 14, 15, 16 and 20. Success in growth does not cause inflation.”

About Political Wire

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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