| You're reading The Morning Dispatch, our flagship daily newsletter explaining all the news you need to know today in fewer than 10 minutes. To unlock the full version, become a Dispatch member today. | | Happy Thursday! Trader Joe's $3 canvas tote bags have become an international fashion phenomenon, with resellers listing them for thousands of dollars. Nothing says "stylish" like paying four figures for something designed to carry frozen samosas. | Quick Hits: Today's Top Stories | - The U.S. on Wednesday seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela, including a Russian-flagged ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Russia had reportedly deployed a submarine to escort the tanker. The U.K. announced that it provided the U.S. with intelligence support in the vessel-seizure military operation. "This ship, with a nefarious history, is part of a Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion which is fueling terrorism, conflict, and misery from the Middle East to Ukraine," British Defense Secretary John Healey said. Russia's Transport Ministry claimed the seizure violated international maritime law, and a Russian legislator described the act as "outright piracy on the high seas." The U.S. Coast Guard seized the second oil vessel in the Caribbean Sea. Meanwhile, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright—while speaking on Wednesday at the Goldman Sachs energy conference—said that the U.S. will "indefinitely" sell Venezuelan oil "into the marketplace." Wright added that, while revenue from the oil sales would be deposited directly into U.S. government accounts, the funds will "flow back into Venezuela to benefit the Venezuelan people." On Wednesday, acting Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodriguez removed the commanding general of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro's personal bodyguard wing, Javier Marcano Tábata, from his position. The White House also announced that it would lift certain sanctions on Venezuela first implemented in 2019.
- Protests continued across Iran on Wednesday in response to rapid currency inflation, with Iranian security forces clashing with crowds in some areas. Iranian state-sponsored media reported on Wednesday that armed individuals shot and killed two Iranian police officers in the southwestern Iranian city of Lordegan. According to human rights network HRANA, Iranian regime forces have killed 38 people since the protests began, including five people under 18 years old. News outlets have not yet confirmed those figures. Iranian state-sanctioned outlets reported on Wednesday that authorities hanged Ali Ardestani, who was convicted in a closed-door trial for allegedly working as a spy on behalf of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency. Iranian officials alleged that Ardestani provided information to Israeli agents in exchange for cryptocurrency, but he has not brought any evidence from his trial to the public.
- On Wednesday Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced new federal dietary guidelines that prioritize protein and discourage highly processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates. While the executive branch updates these guidelines on a five-year basis, Wednesday's changes overhauled the recommended food pyramid chart. A fact sheet published on Wednesday from Health and Human Services stated that "For decades, the U.S. government has recommended and incentivized low quality, highly processed foods and drug interventions instead of prevention." At a press briefing later that day, Kennedy said, "My message is clear: Eat real food."
- U.S, Ukrainian, and European officials met in Paris on Wednesday for a second consecutive day of security guarantee negotiations, with Kyrylo Budanov—the recently appointed top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—describing them as "concrete talks." While saying some information could not yet be made public, he added, "Ukrainian national interests will be defended." A day earlier, Ukrainian-allied countries agreed to back a security proposal under which the U.K. and France would station soldiers at "military hubs" in Ukraine, pending a Russia-Ukraine peace deal. However, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged Wednesday that he would seek parliamentary approval before ordering any troops to Ukraine. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Zelensky said that he was looking to meet with President Donald Trump to discuss a prospective security deal that would guarantee more than 15 years of protection for Ukraine, which the U.S. has previously offered. Zelensky also appealed for Trump to remove Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov from power in an operation similar to the U.S. operation in Venezuela, stating it would make Russian President Vladimir Putin "think twice" before scaling up attacks on Ukraine. Also, Ukrainian officials on Wednesday said that Russian forces attacked two Black Sea ports in Ukraine's southern Odessa region, killing one person and wounding eight others.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Wednesday shot and killed a 37-year-old driver in a residential neighborhood in Minneapolis, which the Homeland Security Department claimed was a defensive response to "domestic terrorism." The driver, Renee Nicole Good, was in her vehicle when ICE agents approached to detain her, leading her to briefly back up her SUV and then drive forward in an apparent attempt to drive away from law enforcement. However, an agent in front of her vehicle opened fire, fatally killing her. Later that day, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that the ICE agent responsible for shooting Good had followed proper procedure. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota on Wednesday disputed the Trump administration's characterization of the shooting and said that state officials would investigate the incident and "ensure accountability and justice." Walz also issued a "warning order" to prepare the state National Guard, and stated that Minnesota "doesn't need any further help from the federal government."
| Venezuela in Limbo | | Venezuela Vice President Delcy Rodríguez attends a session of the National Assembly to be sworn in as Venezuela's interim president on January 5, 2026. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP via Getty Images) | The lights in Caracas went off, and U.S. planes and helicopters flew into the darkness. Within hours of President Donald Trump's authorization, U.S. forces had struck Venezuelan military installations, extracted the country's dictator, Nicolás Maduro, and brought him back to an American aircraft carrier. It was an ambitious, audacious mission. But White House officials have been far less decisive and unified when they've been asked what would happen to Venezuela next. During a press conference following the raid Saturday, President Donald Trump said that the U.S. would "run" Venezuela—only for the White House to quickly walk the statement back, saying that Venezuelan officials would remain in charge while complying with U.S. demands. Five days later, Venezuela's governance and future remain deeply uncertain. Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodríguez is now in charge, working under U.S. pressure, but whether—and how—the country can get to stable, democratic governance remains unclear. | | You are receiving the free, truncated version of The Morning Dispatch. To read the full newsletter—and unlock all of our stories, podcasts, and community benefits—join The Dispatch as a paying member. | | Today's Must-Read | | | | | John Yoo | Though critics argue that President Donald Trump's unilateral action to remove Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro without the authorization of Congress is an abuse of the Constitution, University of California, Berkeley law professor John Yoo argues the president is within legal bounds. Trump is one of many presidents—of both parties—to use force to remove enemy heads of state without congressional approval. Yoo makes the case that the constitutional structure makes the president responsible for decisions on when and how to employ military force. "The framers gave the president and Congress powers with which to cooperate or fight over control over war, and they trusted in politics to resolve their disagreements," he writes. "They did not require Congress to authorize military action before it begins." | |
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| | | Erwin Chemerinsky | Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, argues there is no legal authority—in American or international law—for the United States to be "running" another country. International law recognizes the sovereignty of nations, he argues, and Trump's military actions against other nations is cause for further concern. "The fact that the United States has the ability to overpower other nations," Chemerinsky writes, "does not make its actions legal or just." |
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| | Toeing the Company Line | | | Jonah Goldberg | Our foreign policy is devised to serve Trump's desires. |
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| | | David M. Drucker | Can a Democrat who challenges his own party from the center compete for the nomination? |
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| | | Claire Lehmann | A new book details the conspiratorial thinking and dark histories of two Capitol rioters. |
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| | | Grayson Logue | How the health secretary finally abandoned pretexts in reducing the number of shots U.S. children receive. |
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| | | Alex Demas | U.S. firms may be wary after years of socialism and mismanagement. |
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| | | In Other News | Today in America: | - A group of bipartisan senators is reportedly nearing agreement on a legislative proposal to issue a two-year extension for Affordable Care Act health care subsidies and could release the bill's text as early as next week.
- Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida called for a special legislative session to be held in mid-April to discuss prospective congressional redistricting plans.
- A federal judge ordered Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, to explain why she has continued using the title of U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia after a court found that her appointment to the position was illegal.
- Term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio endorsed fellow Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the state's 2026 gubernatorial election.
- Trump said that he will not allow defense companies to issue dividends or stock buybacks, which he said comes "at the expense and detriment of investing in Plants and Equipment" until the companies increase production efficiency.
- Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the former House majority leader who has served in the House since 1981, said he would not seek re-election at the end of this term.
| Around the World: | - Syria's military ordered civilian evacuations in two Kurdish-populated neighborhoods following fighting with the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces that killed at least 12 people.
- A Saudi-backed Yemeni presidential council expelled a Yemeni separatist group leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, and charged him with treason for failing to attend negotiation proceedings in the Saudi Arabian capital city, Riyadh.
- China announced an export ban on all products to Japan that could be used for both civilian and military purposes.
- An Israeli-backed armed Palestinian militia group says it killed two Hamas terrorists during a raid in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Wednesday, and detained a third fighter.
- European Union Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič announced that the EU is considering pausing border taxes on certain carbon-emitting products, including fertilizer.
| On the Money: | - Warner Bros. rejected a revised acquisition offer from Paramount, which included a $40.4 equity financing guarantee from former Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, instead urging shareholders to accept Netflix's offer to buy the company.
- A new report from payroll company ADP found that the U.S. economy added an estimated 41,000 private sector jobs in December, after reporting a loss of 29,000 jobs in November.
- China reportedly told Chinese-based tech companies to pause their orders of advanced H200 chips from Nvidia.
- Saudi Arabia announced that the country's stock exchange will open for foreign investors on February 1.
- Mobileye, an Israeli-based tech firm specializing in self-driving systems, reached a deal to acquire the humanoid robot start-up Mentee Robotics at a $900 million valuation.
| Worth Your Time: | - "Everything I Owned Burned" (The Free Press)
- Ashley Parker, Michael Scherer, and Nick Miroff report on Stephen Miller's role and management style within the Trump administration. (The Atlantic)
- From 2021: Armin Rosen visits Somaliland. (Tablet)
- David Zipper argues Europeans should think twice before championing the arrival of robotaxis to their area. (Financial Times)
- Hannah Ritchie analyzes the data behind the U.S.'s low life expectancy. (By The Numbers)
- Matthew Belloni talks with Scott Mendelson about last year's box office. (The Town with Matthew Belloni)
| Presented Without Comment | Sky News: 'QAnon Shaman' Turns Against Donald Trump and Says He Will Run for Arizona Governor | Also Presented Without Comment | New York Post: I Eat 2 Pounds of Raw Meat a Day, Including Ground Chuck and Steak — It Led to a Bizarre, Antibiotic-Resistant Infection | Let Us Know | Have any thoughts or questions about today's newsletter? Become a member to unlock commenting privileges and access to a members-only email address. We read every submission, and answer questions in the following edition of TMD. | | | | Sent to: ignoble.experiment@arconati.usYou received this email because you signed up for The Dispatch. To stop receiving this type of email, unsubscribe here. Opt out from all emails here. © 2026 The Dispatch, PO Box 33337, Washington, DC 20033, United States |
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