Daily Update - January 5, 2026

Capturing enezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has a global impact

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About Reuel Sample

This is the Wilmington Standard Daily Update for Monday January 5th, 2026.

In one fell blow, by extracting Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro, President Trump ended the terror of a maniac communist, cut off a major source of oil to one of our economic enemies, undermined another enemy’s plans to establish forward bases, and severally limited the expansion of state-controlled terrorist networks in our hemisphere. All without one single American life lost. Not a bad day’s work.

Reuters reports 80% of all the oil Venezuela exports goes to China – roughly 746,000 barrels a day. Russia has been one of the top arms suppliers to Maduro, which Moscow had hoped would undermine US influence in the area. Perhaps most troubling is the presence of Iran, whose relationship with Venezuela includes drone manufacturing, arms deals, export arrangements to allow for the bypass of sanctions, as well as providing a base of operations for Hezbollah and other Iranian-funded terrorist groups.

The Democrats and the Libertarians are outraged of course. While they all agree that Maduro was a “thug”, they say that President Trump lacked the authority to carry out the operation without getting the consent of Congress. As always, these idealogues are quick to whine about Trump’s actions, but give no real solutions to address the very real threat that Maduro and his regime posed to the United States. Congress leaks more than a screen door on a submarine – and involving them in this operation would have cost American lives and probably would made the mission impossible.

President Trump was entirely within his rights to order this mission. Maduro had already been indicted in a US court, so the President as the Chief Executive was carrying out that indictment. But beyond that, if left unchecked, Maduro was a clear and present threat to the security of our country – a national emergency that under the War Powers Act gives the President broad authority. The President correctly informed both the nation and Congress after the mission had been completed.

This is what we voted for.

For the Wilmington Standard, I’m Reuel Sample. Thanks for listening.

Reuel Sample is the Editor-in-Chief of The Wilmington Standard. A graduate of Grove City College and Princeton Theological Seminary, he has served as both a Presbyterian Pastor and a Navy Chaplain. He is the product of a classical liberal arts education combined with real world experience in politics and business and conservative Christian worldview firmly rooted in the Reformed tradition. He is the host of several podcasts including the NHC GOP Podcast, the Pastor's Voice, and co-hosts the Nikki and Reuel Podcast Experience. An avid sailor, he has sailed around the world as a youth and to the Azores as a teen as well as extensive trips up and down the east coast of the United States. He is honored to be married to his wife Pam and makes his home in Wilmington, NC.