By BEN FINLEY, KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and REGINA GARCIA CANO, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has built up a fleet of warships near Venezuela, including the largest U.S. aircraft carrier, as American forces keep blowing up small boats accused of smuggling narcotics for drug cartels.

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The expanded U.S. military presence, the largest in Latin America in decades, is fueling speculation about how the forces could be employed. President Donald Trump has said that land attacks are coming soon, without offering any details on location.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from office.

The Trump administration says the military has killed at least 87 people in 22 known strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since early September. Trump has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.

As the number of strikes has grown without a declaration of war from Congress, lawmakers have questioned the legal reasoning for them.

Following reports that the very first attack involved a follow-on strike to kill two survivors, Congress has begun to investigate the campaign. Lawmakers recently called in the Navy commander who oversaw the strikes for classified briefings.

Here is a timeline of the U.S. military actions, concerns among some lawmakers and the response in Venezuela:

Jan. 20

Trump signs an executive order that paves the way for criminal organizations and drug cartels to be named “foreign terrorist organizations.” They include Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan street gang.

 

The U.S. intelligence community has disputed Trump’s central claim that Maduro’s administration is working with Tren de Aragua and orchestrating drug trafficking and illegal immigration into the U.S.

Feb. 20

The Trump administration formally designates eight Latin American crime organizations as foreign terrorist organizations.

The label is normally reserved for groups like al-Qaida or the Islamic State that use violence for political ends — not for profit-focused crime rings.

Aug. 19

The U.S. military deploys three guided-missile destroyers to the waters off Venezuela.

FILE The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier leaves Naval Station Norfolk, June 23, 2025, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/John Clark, File)

The naval force in the Caribbean grows within weeks to include three amphibious assault ships and other vessels, carrying about 6,000 sailors and Marines and a variety of aircraft.

The U.S. deploys F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico in September, while a Navy submarine carrying cruise missiles operates off South America.

Sept. 2

The U.S. carries out its first strike against what Trump says was a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela and was operated by Tren de Aragua.

Trump says all 11 people on the boat were killed and posts a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.

Sept. 10

In a letter to the White House, Democratic senators say the Trump administration has provided “no legitimate legal justification” for the strike.

Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, says in a floor speech that week that the U.S. military is not “empowered to hunt down suspected criminals and kill them without trial.”

Sept. 15

The U.S. military carries out its second strike against an alleged drug boat, killing three people.

Asked what proof the U.S. has that the vessel was carrying drugs, Trump told reporters that big bags of cocaine and fentanyl were spattered all over the ocean. However, images of what Trump described were not released by the military or the White House.

Sept. 19

Trump says the U.S. military carried out its third fatal strike against an alleged drug-smuggling vessel. The president says the attack killed three people and intelligence “confirmed the vessel was trafficking illicit narcotics.”

Several senators and human rights groups continue to question the legality of the strikes, describing them as a potential overreach of executive authority.

Oct. 2

Trump declares drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and says the U.S. is now in an “armed conflict” with them, according to a Trump administration memo obtained by The Associated Press.

The memo appears to represent an extraordinary assertion of presidential war powers and draws criticism from some lawmakers, including Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Oct. 3

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he ordered a fourth strike on a small boat he accuses of carrying drugs. He says four men were killed but offers no details on who they were or what group they belonged to.

President Donald Trump is greeted by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth before speaking to a gathering of top U.S. military commanders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Quantico, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Oct. 8

Senate Republicans vote down legislation that would have required the president to seek authorization from Congress before further military strikes. The vote fell mostly along party lines, 48-51.

Oct. 14

Trump announces the fifth strike against a small boat accused of carrying drugs, saying it killed six people. The president says intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics on a known drug-trafficking route.

Oct. 15

Trump confirms he has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and says he is weighing carrying out land operations in the country.

He declines to say whether the CIA has authority to take action against Maduro.

Oct. 16

The Navy admiral who oversees military operations in the region says he will retire in December.

Adm. Alvin Holsey became leader of U.S. Southern Command only the previous November, overseeing an area that encompasses the Caribbean and waters off South America. Such postings typically last three to four years.

Oct. 16

Trump says the U.S. struck a sixth suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean, killing two people and leaving two survivors who were on the semi-submersible craft.

The president later says the survivors would be sent to Ecuador and Colombia, their home countries, “for detention and prosecution.” Repatriation avoided questions about what their legal status would have been in the U.S. justice system.

Oct. 17

The U.S. military attacks a seventh vessel that Hegseth says was carrying “substantial amounts of narcotics” and associated with a Colombian rebel group, the National Liberation Army, or ELN. Three people are killed.

Oct. 20

Rep. Adam Smith, top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, calls for a hearing on the boat strikes.

“Never before in my over 20 years on the committee can I recall seeing a combatant commander leave their post this early and amid such turmoil,” Smith said in a statement of Holsey’s impending departure. “I have also never seen such a staggering lack of transparency on behalf of an Administration and the Department to meaningfully inform Congress on the use of lethal military force.”

Oct. 21

Hegseth says the U.S. military launched its eighth strike against an alleged drug-carrying vessel, killing two people in the eastern Pacific.

The attack marks an expansion of the military’s targeting area to the waters off South America where much of the cocaine from the world’s largest producers is smuggled.

Oct. 22

Hegseth announces the ninth strike, another in the eastern Pacific, saying three men are killed.

Oct. 24

Hegseth orders the U.S. military’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the region in a significant escalation of military firepower.

Oct. 24

Hegseth says the military conducted the 10th strike on a suspected drug-running boat, leaving six people dead. He says the vessel was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang.

Oct. 27

Hegseth says three more strikes were carried out in the eastern Pacific, killing 14 people and leaving one survivor.

Hegseth says Mexican authorities “assumed responsibility for coordinating the rescue” of the sole survivor, who is presumed dead after Mexico suspended its search after four days.

Oct. 29

Hegseth says the U.S. military carried out another strike on a boat he said was carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific, killing all four people aboard in the 14th attack.

Oct. 29

Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, says the Trump administration briefed Republicans — but not Democrats — on the boat strikes.

The Senate at the time was facing a potential vote on a war powers resolution that would prohibit strikes in or near Venezuela without congressional approval.

Oct. 31

U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk calls for an investigation into the strikes, in what appeared to be the first such condemnation of its kind from a United Nations organization.

Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for Türk’s office, relayed his message at a briefing: “The U.S. must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats.”

Nov. 1

Hegseth posts another video as he announces the 15th known strike, saying the vessel in the Caribbean was operated by a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. He does not name the group and says three people were killed.

Nov. 4

In the 16th known strike, Hegseth posts on social media that two people were killed aboard a vessel in the eastern Pacific.

The same day, the Ford aircraft carrier leaves the Mediterranean Sea on its way to the Caribbean.

Nov. 6

Hegseth announces the 17th known strike, which killed three people.

Nov. 6

Senate Republicans vote to reject legislation that would have limited Trump’s ability to order an attack on Venezuelan soil without congressional authorization.

Lawmakers from both parties had demanded more information on the strikes, but Republicans appeared more willing to give Trump leeway to continue his buildup of naval forces.

Nov. 9

The U.S. military strikes two vessels in the eastern Pacific, killing six people, according to an announcement from Hegseth the following day.

Nov. 10

The 20th known strike on a boat accused of transporting drugs kills four people in the Caribbean, according to a social media post from the U.S. military’s Southern Command.

Nov. 11

Venezuela’s government launches what it says is a “massive” mobilization of troops and volunteers for two days of exercises prompted by the U.S. military buildup.

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López asserts that Venezuela’s military is “stronger than ever in its unity, morale and equipment.”

Nov. 15

Three people are killed after the U.S. military conducts its 21st strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific, according to a post from Southern Command a day later.

Nov. 16

The Ford arrives in the Caribbean, a major moment in the Trump administration’s show of force.

The aircraft carrier’s arrival brings the total number of troops in the region to around 12,000 on nearly a dozen Navy ships in what Hegseth has dubbed “Operation Southern Spear.”

Nov. 16

Trump says the U.S. “ may be having some discussions ” with Maduro and that “Venezuela would like to talk,” without offering details.

“I’ll talk to anybody,” Trump said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Dec. 4

Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley appears for closed-door classified briefings at the Capitol as lawmakers begin investigating the strikes. The investigation began following reports that Bradley ordered a follow-on attack that killed the survivors of the first strike on Sept. 2 to comply with Hegesth’s demands.

U.S. Navy Adm. Frank M. Bradley walks along a hallway after a meeting with senators on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Republican Sen. Tom Cotton later tells reporters that “Bradley was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all.”

Meanwhile, Democrats say they found the video of the entire attack disturbing.

Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, says the survivors were “basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water — until the missiles come and kill them.”

Dec. 4

Four people are killed in the 22nd strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific, according to a post from Southern Command.

Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.

Wisconsin-River Falls football coach Matt Walker was asked this week how he’s “advising” his players about maintaining focus amid the hoopla that comes with playing for a national championship.

“Maybe I should advise them more,” Walker said with a smile. “We’re kind of all enjoying the ride a little bit.”

That’s been the modus operandi for the Falcons throughout a historic season that will culminate with Sunday night’s Stagg Bowl against North Central for the Division-III title. River Falls operates in two spaces, the clouds and the mud. The former represents the accolades, experiences and joy that comes with high-level success. The latter is the work required to achieve it.

Walker pointed to senior linebacker Gage Timm and senior quarterback Kaleb Blaha as the Falcons’ steady leaders who set the tone with their quiet focus. That’s especially beneficial in a week like this one, which is stuffed with interviews, ESPN promotional activities and banquet dinners.

It’s not normal for Division III football programs to fly out three days ahead of a game.

Walker isn’t worried.

“As crazy as it sounds and unknown, different, special and it’s going to be — different for all of us — I don’t worry about this group. … I don’t have to babysit and worry about our mindset. This group right here, they’re hungry,” the coach said. “We’ll do the hoopla and get to do all the cool things … and it’ll be great.”

But when the time comes to work, Walker knows his players will deliver.

“It’s just block out everything as much as possible. In today’s world, there’s so much social media that you could go online and scroll forever to try to find anything you wanted to,” Blaha said. “But at the end of the day, we’re focused on winning that game on Sunday. We really haven’t achieved all of our goals yet. So, we’re just focused on that game, and after that, you can do whatever you wanted.”

It’s why, perhaps, Wisconsin-River Falls is as well positioned to play in the Stagg Bowl as any title game debutant can be. The difference in experience in this spot is stark. North Central, the defending national champion, is making its sixth-straight title game trip.

Brad Spencer is in his fourth year guiding the North Central program. The Cardinals have lost one game in that span, the 2023 national title game. This year, they’ve scored the most points per game in the country (49.4) and allowed the fewest (10.07).

The Cardinals remind Walker of past Division III dynasties such as Wisconsin-Whitewater and Mt. Union in that they’re “boringly a little better at every position” than their opponent.

“Nothing super flashy,” he said. “Just so solid and so fundamental and weapons everywhere. No holes on their football team. Super balanced. Can score it running and throwing. Such an ability to control the clock.”

Yet Walker doesn’t see this as some David vs. Goliath bout, and believes it’d be foolish for anyone to take such a view.

“It doesn’t feel that way to our kids. … I bet you North Central is not even saying that. I think they’ve seen our season,” he said. “There’s no way they’re overlooking us.”

The Falcons are 13-1 while playing in the nation’s best conference. They’ve blown out top programs from Wisconsin-Whitewater, Wisconsin-La Crosse and St. John’s, among others.

“I think the tournament got it right. This is the two best teams in the country playing. I think that’s become kind of fun and obvious,” Walker said. “In terms of matchups on paper, I bet you neither team is talking much about David and Goliath. This is the two best teams in America, and they’re going to duke it out in a clash of two styles. It’s going to be as fun to watch as any game that I can think of if you’re a fan.”

Walker conceded there’s an experience advantage for the Cardinals. They’ve played the night game under the bright lights on national television. But the advantage is somewhat muted this week. This is only the second time the title game has been played this late in the year with the two full weeks off between the semifinals and championship round.

North Central, a school based in Naperville, Ill., played in that edition, as well — and Walker, funnily enough, has been in contact with Spencer about that — but he noted you create your own road map for these trips.

“Because there isn’t a blueprint for this,” he said.

“I have no clue if I’m handling it right,” he added with a laugh. “We’re going to find out.”

Walker noted that in the past, coaches could create their own narratives, because they were the distributors of information. Now, everyone knows everything. There’s no hiding from the truth.

North Central, Walker noted, is “frickin’ good.” The stage is huge. The implications are massive. There will be nerves. It will feel different. There’s only so much you can do to prepare.

This is why teams build foundations throughout the course of the season: to have something to lean on in the most pivotal times.

“I’ll definitely have some nerves. I have nerves going into every game,” Blaha said. “I think the biggest thing for me and our team is staying in the moment and focusing on doing our job. You can’t really think too much about the game or how cool the stadium is. You’ve got to be locked into the moment. I think we’ve done that all year long.

“The past six weeks, each week has been the biggest game up to that point, and every single time we kind of just focused on one play at a time and that game and it’s gone pretty well for us.”

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The Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt is coming up — and, to coincide with the 140th anniversary of the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the top prize for this year’s medallion finder is the largest ever offered.

The 2026 Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt patch. (Pioneer Press staff)

A total package of $15,000 is up for grabs: The finder wins $5,000 for uncovering the hidden treasure and an additional $5,000 if they have a registered Treasure Hunt patch. In partnership with the Winter Carnival, the finder will receive the final $5,000 if they also have a Winter Carnival button in addition to the hunt patch.

(Note a rule change: For this year, finders will not be required to provide print-outs or clippings of each clue to receive the initial $5,000 finders’ prize.)

The first daily clue is released Sunday, Jan. 18, and the hunt lasts 12 days or until the medallion is found. Clues will be published daily on TwinCities.com and in the Pioneer Press; clues also will be released early in person at Shamrocks (995 W. Seventh St.) at approximately 11:30 p.m. or slightly beforehand each night of the hunt.

Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt patches are on sale now for $10 at treasure-hunt-shop.square.site.

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Here are the 2026 Winter Carnival buttons, designed by pointillist illustrator Randall Peterson

History and fantasy blend in ‘Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical’

This year’s Winter Carnival buttons are designed by Forest Lake artist Randall Peterson. Done in the style of pointillism, each button design consists of thousands of dots applied individually over dozens of hours. Buttons — $5 for one or $19 for a pack of all four designs — are available online at wintercarnival.com/p/marketplace/buttons or at a variety of retail locations.

The newspaper’s annual treasure hunt began in 1952, and Arthur Jensen unearthed what was then a small wooden toy chest, hidden in Highland Park.

His prize that year was $1,100, (worth about $13,500 today) some of which went toward buying his wife a new straw pillbox hat. That shopping outing was attended by a Pioneer Press reporter, who noted that the saleswoman told Mrs. Jensen that she looked good in a variety of nice hats and therefore had what was known in the industry as a “hat face.”

“Thank you, that’s the first time anyone ever said that to me,” Mrs. Jensen replied.

After a few years of hiding toy chests, Treasure Hunt organizers commissioned a bronze medallion and several backups that were used for hunts from 1958 to 1987. After several decades missing, most of these bronze medallions have resurfaced in recent years. Since the 1980s and still today, the medallion is a plastic object whose design changes each year and remains a closely guarded secret.

The full 2026 Treasure Hunt rules are also available now.

Today is Saturday, Jan. 3, the third day of 2026. There are 362 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Jan. 3, 1977, Apple Computer, months after its founding, was incorporated in Cupertino, California, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Mike Markkula (MAHR’-kuh-luh) Jr.

Also on this date:

In 1777, Gen. George Washington’s army routed British troops in the Battle of Princeton, New Jersey, a key turning point in the Revolutionary War.

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Diane Crump, the first female jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby, dies at 77

In 1861, more than two weeks before Georgia seceded from the Union, the state militia seized Fort Pulaski, in the coastal area east of Savannah, at the order of Gov. Joseph E. Brown.

In 1920, Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold the contract of Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees, beginning a championship era for the Yankees and decades of heartache for Red Sox fans. (The Red Sox would ultimately break the “curse” in 2004, winning their first World Series in 86 years.)

In 1959, Alaska was officially admitted as the 49th U.S. state.

In 1990, ousted Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega surrendered to U.S. forces, 10 days after taking refuge in the Vatican’s diplomatic mission.

In 2022, a jury in San Jose, California, convicted Elizabeth Holmes of duping investors into believing that her startup company Theranos had developed a revolutionary medical device that could detect diseases and conditions from a few drops of blood.

In 2025, two bombs exploded in the Iranian city of Kerman, killing at least 84 people and wounding hundreds during a commemoration for Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force who was killed in a U.S. drone strike four years earlier; the Islamic State would claim responsibility for the bombings.

Today’s Birthdays:

Musician Stephen Stills is 81.
Musician John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) is 80.
Actor and entrepreneur Victoria Principal is 76.
Actor-director Mel Gibson is 70.
Basketball Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller is 62.
Singer and television personality Kimberley Locke is 48.
Former NFL quarterback Eli Manning is 45.
R&B singer Lloyd Polite Jr. is 40.
Actor Florence Pugh is 30.
Environmental activist Greta Thunberg is 23.