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Follow live coverage of Donald Trump's Cabinet meeting on US actions in Venezuela and other news from the White House

Follow live coverage of Donald Trump's Cabinet meeting on US actions in Venezuela and other news from the White House.

20:07

Trump also points to Colombia: It has entire cocaine factories

The US president has asserted that not only Venezuela, but also Colombia, is vulnerable to attack due to its cocaine production facilities."Colombia has entire cocaine factories; any country that does that is vulnerable to attack, not just Venezuela," he stated.

Reported by David Alandete, correspondent in Washington.

20:03

"We're going to start ground attacks very soon," Trump says.

President Trump has asserted that ground attacks in Venezuela will begin very soon."We're going to take out those sons of bitches," he said. The president claimed that these attacks have reduced drug-related deaths by thousands. This, he says, is thanks to the attacks in the Caribbean."It's much easier by land; we know where the bad guys live, and that's what we're going to do," Trump declared.

Reported by Javier Ansorena, correspondent in New York.

20:01

We will stop any threat to the US, Trump's Secretary of War assures

Pete Hegseth has attacked the press for targeting Pentagon commanders, whom he has called heroes."We will stop any threat," the Secretary of War stated.

19:58

Hesegth maintains that they made the right decision to sink the vessel and eliminate the threat.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has confirmed that he was present during the first attack on the suspected drug-running boat and left afterward. However, he defended the actions taken during the second attack, stating that they made the right decision in sinking the vessel and eliminating the threat.

Trump claims he knew nothing about the second attack on the alleged drug boat, and that neither did his defense secretary.

The president has asserted that he knew nothing about the second attack on the alleged drug-running boat and indicated that his Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, also knew nothing."I want those boats removed, and if necessary, we will attack by land as well," said Trump, who nevertheless defended the Pentagon's actions, saying they are saving thousands of lives.

Trump closes his eyes several times during the meeting

President Trump has closed his eyes several times, appearing visibly drowsy, during the Cabinet meeting, which has now lasted almost two hours. On several occasions, Trump has been seen leaning back in his chair with his eyes drooping and even completely closed.

Photo: AFP.

19:29

Vance asks Americans for patience after assuring them that 2026 will be fantastic for the economy

Vice President J.D. Vance has asked Americans for patience as they look forward to a fantastic year for the economy in 2026, following a period of affordability crisis."It's been a great year, but the best is yet to come," Vance said, adding that the best way to overcome the affordability crisis is to give more money to citizens.

Trump claims he is rebuilding Dulles Airport (Virginia)

US President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have announced the reconstruction of Dulles International Airport, located in Virginia near Washington, D.C., to transform it into a truly spectacular airport."It should be a great airport, but it's not at all. It's a terrible airport," Trump asserted during a cabinet meeting at the White House. (REUTERS)

Trump will announce his nominee to chair the Fed early next year

President Trump has stated that he will likely announce Jerome Powell's successor as head of the Federal Reserve (Fed) early next year."We will probably announce early next year who could become the new Fed chairman," the president said, reiterating his offer to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who declined.

In any case, the appointment of Trump's candidate must be validated by the Senate.

18:30

Hegseth claims he has Trump's backing in decisions during difficult situations.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asserted that the Trump administration is stopping drugs, targeting ships, and putting narco-terrorists at the bottom of the ocean. He claimed they are defeating the drug trafficking that is poisoning the American people. Drug traffic by sea has fallen by 91%, and he added,"I don't know where the remaining 9% is. It's difficult to find ships to target right now."

Thus, he assured that the president always supports them in their actions, just as the Pentagon always supports its commanders in the decisions they make in difficult situations.

18:16

Trump claims he is not giving anything away in the war in Ukraine and that the U.S. is once again respected worldwide.

Trump has asserted that the United States is once again respected worldwide."I went to NATO and they called me the president of Europe," he said. Regarding the war in Ukraine, he accused former President Biden of giving away $350 million."I don't give anything away," he declared, adding that he doesn't care about the Nobel Peace Prize, but rather about the deaths in the war.

18:11

The president assures that the border with Mexico is at its lowest levels.

President Trump has stated that in terms of immigration, his administration has prevented any illegal immigrants from entering the country in the last six months and that the border with Mexico is at its lowest level.

Trump reaffirms his support for gasoline-powered vehicles

President Donald Trump has stated that his country has gasoline and that, therefore, he will put an end to Biden's foolish plan to phase out combustion engines by 2030. He indicated that he likes all cars, including electric ones, but that he will not prioritize that technology.

Trump begins the meeting by talking about the economy.

The US president began his Cabinet meeting by discussing the economy, the country's business progress, the drop in the price of weight-loss drugs, and taxes."We will receive so much money in the future that we won't have to pay any taxes," he stated.

Trump gave Maduro until Friday to relinquish power in Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is running out of options to resign and leave his country under the protection of the United States, following a brief phone call last month with his US counterpart, Donald Trump.