The Mission to Capture and Arrest Maduro, Somali Fraud Fallout, Mayor Mamdani Begins： AM Update 1⧸5
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Summary
In a stunning display of American military might and capability, former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores were captured by an elite team of U.S. Delta Force Commandos in the early morning hours on Saturday from within Venezuela s most heavily fortified base.
Transcript
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It's Monday, January 5th, 2026, and this is your AM Update.
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And it was an assault like people have not seen since World War II.
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The U.S. military conducts a complex operation resulting in the successful extraction and arrest
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of Venezuela leader Nicolas Maduro from inside a heavily fortified base.
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We're not going to allow the Western Hemisphere to be a base of operation.
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As criticism pours in, the Trump administration defends the bold move.
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Fallout continues after a mega-viral video from an independent journalist
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appears to show massive fraud from the Somali-Minnesota community hiding in plain sight.
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And far-left socialist Zoran Mamdani officially becomes New York City Mayor Mamdani
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All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update.
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In a stunning display of American military might and capability, former leader of Venezuela
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Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores, captured by an elite team of Army Delta Force
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Commandos in the early morning hours on Saturday from within Venezuela's most heavily fortified
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base, without the loss of any American life or equipment.
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The complex mission, the result of months of highly coordinated efforts between multiple
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U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies, along with the U.S. military.
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The Maduros transported to a jail in Brooklyn, where they face federal charges filed in the
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Southern District of New York, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation
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The action coming after months of rising tensions with Maduro, an authoritarian leader, the U.S.,
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along with more than 50 other nations, does not recognize as Venezuela's legitimate president,
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since in July 2024, he lost an election in a landslide to opposition candidate Edmundo González,
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but nonetheless declared victory and refused to leave power.
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President Donald Trump at a Saturday press conference lauding the success of the operation.
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Overwhelming American military power, air, land, and sea, was used to launch a spectacular
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assault, and it was an assault like people have not seen since World War II.
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It was a force against a heavily fortified military fortress in the heart of Caracas to bring
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This was one of the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might
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I want to thank the men and women of our military who achieved such an extraordinary success overnight
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with breathtaking speed, power, precision, and competence.
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If you would have seen what I saw last night, you would have been very impressed.
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I'm not sure that you'll ever get to see it, but it was an incredible thing to see.
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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Dan Raisin Cain, providing more insight into how the military
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This was an audacious operation that only the United States could do.
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It required the utmost of precision and integration within our joint force.
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And the word integration does not explain the sheer complexity of such a mission.
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It involved more than 150 aircraft launching across the Western Hemisphere in close coordination,
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all coming together in time and place to layer effects for a single purpose,
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to get an interdiction force into downtown Caracas while maintaining the element of tactical surprise.
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General Cain describing months of work by intel agents to learn everything about Maduro,
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Even then, conditions had to be just right for the mission to succeed.
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General Cain saying Saturday's weather provided what was needed for America's most skilled aviators
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Over the course of the night, aircraft began launching from 20 different bases
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In total, more than 150 aircraft, bombers, fighters, intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance,
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As the force began to approach Caracas, the joint air component began dismantling
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and disabling the air defense systems in Venezuela.
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As the helicopter force ingressed towards the objective at low level,
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we arrived at Maduro's compound at 1.01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time,
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and the apprehension force descended into Maduro's compound
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and moved with speed, precision, and discipline towards their objective
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and isolated the area to ensure the safety and security of the ground force
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Less than three hours after U.S. forces breached the compound,
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the Maduro's were aboard the USS Iwo Jima in the custody of the Department of Justice.
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President Trump releasing an image of Maduro with headphones and blindfolded,
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wearing a gray tracksuit and donning handcuffs aboard the battleship.
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CNN military analyst and retired Admiral James Stavridis describing what U.S. adversaries,
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including China, Russia, and Iran, are likely thinking about such a mission.
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All three predictably will deplore this kind of activity publicly.
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Privately, they will be impressed with the military capability here.
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I would argue none of those three militaries could have executed an operation like this.
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But the idea of finding, fixing, kidnapping, taking him out alive with his wife,
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no casualties on the side of the U.S., that's an extraordinary military operation.
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So I think while there will be a lot of public condemnation of the United States,
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predictably from those three nations, privately they'll be saying to themselves,
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That's not a bad thought to pop up in Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran these days.
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The three adversaries did indeed express condemnation of the feat,
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Russia calling it, quote, an act of armed aggression,
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Iran calling it a, quote, flagrant violation of Venezuela's sovereignty,
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and China saying it poses a threat to peace and security in Latin America.
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By Saturday evening, the Trump administration reposting video of Maduro now donning an ill-fitting
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beanie and black sweatsuit getting perp-walked at the DEA office in New York City
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before being moved to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi on Saturday posting the 25-page superseding indictment
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modified from an original 2020 indictment against Maduro.
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The latest filing accusing Maduro, his wife, their son, and three others of
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narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy,
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possession of machine guns and destructive devices,
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and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
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Maduro and his co-conspirators have, for decades,
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partnered with some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists
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in the world, and relied on corrupt officials throughout the region
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to distribute tons of cocaine to the United States.
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The charges carrying the possibility of life in prison,
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Many now wondering, what's next for Venezuela, and was any of this legal?
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Venezuela's vice president, Delce Rodriguez, now the acting president of Venezuela,
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following a Venezuelan Supreme Court ruling appointing her to the role for 90 days.
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Venezuela's defense minister endorsing the court's decision,
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which means Rodriguez has the backing of her military, which is key.
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President Trump also seemingly in support of the move, at least for now.
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I understand she was just sworn in, but she was, as you know, picked by Maduro.
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He just had a conversation with her, and she's essentially willing to do what we think is
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She had a long conversation with Marco, and she said, we'll do whatever you need.
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I think she was quite gracious, but she really doesn't have a choice.
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We're not going to just do this with Maduro, then leave like everybody else.
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If we just left, it has zero chance of ever coming back.
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President Trump initially declaring that the U.S. will, quote,
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run Venezuela, saying America is, quote, in charge of the nation for now.
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Later, Secretary of State Rubio clarifying that the U.S. won't actually govern Venezuela,
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but will press changes through the oil blockade we have in place there.
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President Trump late last night telling reporters the U.S.
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will oversee this transition to ensure Venezuela's leadership is acting in line with U.S. wishes,
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but reiterating that the U.S. is, quote, in charge of Venezuela.
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U.S. military assets are not deployed inside Venezuela, though President Trump warning they
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remain parked off the coast and are ready for a second wave if needed.
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Secretary of State Rubio expanding on the need for this extraordinary step Sunday on Meet the Press.
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Why does the United States need to take over the Venezuelan oil industry?
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Well, we don't need to. First, let me go back up. We don't need Venezuela's oil. We have plenty
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of oil in the United States. What we're not going to allow is for the oil industry in Venezuela to be
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controlled by adversaries of the United States. You have to understand, why does China need their
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oil? Why does Russia need their oil? Why does Iran need their oil? They're not even in this
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continent. This is the Western Hemisphere. This is where we live. And we're not going to allow the
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Western Hemisphere to be a base of operation for adversaries, competitors and rivals of the
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United States. We also want to see that oil and the proceeds from it. Hold on. We want to see the
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oil proceeds of that country benefit the people of Venezuela. Why have 8 million people left
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Venezuela? 8 million, the single largest mass migration probably in modern history,
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left Venezuela since 2014 because all the wealth of that country was stolen to the benefit of Maduro
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and his cronies in the regime, but not to the benefit of people of Venezuela.
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President Trump Sunday night from Air Force One expanding on that idea and issuing a warning for
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Colombia's president. This isn't a country that's on the other side of the world. This isn't a country
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like we have to travel 24 hours in an airplane. This is Venezuela. It's in our area. We're in the
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business of having countries around us that are viable and successful and where the oil is allowed
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to freely come out because that's good. It gets the prices down. That's good for our country.
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We have a very sick neighbor. It's not a neighbor, but it's close to a neighbor.
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And that's Venezuela. It's very sick. Colombia is very sick too, run by a sick man who likes making
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cocaine and selling it to the United States. And he's not going to be doing it very long,
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let me tell you. So there will be an operation by the U.S. in Colombia?
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It sounds good to me. While most of the domestic outcry comes from Democrats,
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some Republicans also critical of the operation. Congressman Thomas Massey of Kentucky criticizing
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the administration for acting without the approval of Congress, which alone has the power to declare
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war and to authorize military force. And saying the move is really about taking over Venezuela's oil,
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The very thing that Donald Trump campaigned against over and over and over again was no
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more endless wars. And right now we're headed right into one.
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It's quite apparent that it was Venezuela's oil wealth that really attracted the Trump
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The nature of this is it's all illegal. Let us be clear. This is a war of choice.
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Secretary Rubio Sunday on ABC arguing congressional approval was not needed.
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Why wasn't congressional authorization necessary?
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It wasn't necessary because this is not an invasion. We didn't occupy a country. This was
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an arrest operation. This is a law enforcement operation. He was arrested on the ground in
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Venezuela by FBI agents, read his rights and removed from the country. Obviously, this is
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not a friendly territory. So in order to arrest him, we had to ask the Department of War to become
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involved in this operation. The Department of War went in. They hit anything that was a threat to
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the agents that were going in to arrest him. And they hit anything that was a threat on the way out.
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And they hit anything that was a threat to them while they were on the ground.
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And that was a very limited and targeted operation.
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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth saying on Saturday that the administration will continue working with
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congressional partners. The secretary joining a group, including Secretary Rubio and A.G.
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Bondi, briefing congressional leaders tonight on the Hill.
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday saying he expects the Senate to vote on a war powers
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resolution later this week that would bar further action without congressional approval.
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Such a measure would likely be subject to constitutional challenges.
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Coming up, an independent journalist visits Minneapolis to investigate Somali fraud accusations
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firsthand with his viral video putting the glaring issue into the spotlight. And it's official,
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Mayor Mamdani takes office in New York City. Lord help us.
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The big story dominating the news since AM update went on Christmas hiatus. Independent journalist
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Nick Shirley's expose on potentially massive Somali fraud in Minnesota. Allegations of staggering fraud
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perpetrated by the Somali community, garnering national attention following reporting by City
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Journal, claiming the largest funder of the Al-Shabaab terror group in Somalia is the Minnesota
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taxpayer. City Journal, Walter Kearns County Highway, and the New York Times among the outlets
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reporting on widespread fraud. Then on December 26th, Nick Shirley posting a 42-minute video to his
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social media accounts, racking up more than 137 million views on X alone, in which he and an
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independent investigator going only by the name David visit Somali-run daycares and health companies
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they say have collected millions in taxpayer dollars per year, discovering what they say
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is up to 110 million in potential fraud in just one day. In the video, which Shirley says was recorded
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on Tuesday, December 16th, the pair visits daycare after daycare, finding largely empty warehouse-style
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buildings and few, if any, children. Well, this is actually two daycares are registered here.
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One of them is Mako, which you see on this sign. The other one is Mini Child Care Center, and between the two of these
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child care centers, they're pulling in about three million dollars a year, and there are no children.
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Every facility you go to, the windows will be blocked out, so you can't see in. There's nobody here. You won't see a single
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There are indeed no windows. All the windows are blacked out right here. All right, let's go in. And the
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child care center is locked. Should we ring the doorbell? Try to get in, rang the doorbell. Nobody
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showed up. They're open seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., it says here on their sign, yet there's
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absolutely nobody here. And this building here, right here, has generated millions of dollars, and
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it seems like business isn't even open right now, and it's a weekday.
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President Trump weighing in on the stunning story late last night.
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The Somalians are ripping off our country to the tune of, looks like 19 billion dollars, but that's
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only what they can find. So usually when you're looking at 19, that would mean it could be 50.
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But the numbers are astronomical. And every one of them should be forced to leave this country,
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including Ilhan Omar, who's a total crook. And she's one of the leaders of it. Not the only,
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because she's not that smart. But think of it, 19 billion dollars at least they've stolen
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HHS last week announcing a freeze on all child care payments to Minnesota in the wake of the
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viral video demanding an audit of the programs from Governor Walz, whose initial reaction to
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the story was to blame, quote, white supremacy. Governor Walz later sort of acknowledging the
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staggering fraud while taking a shot at President Trump. In a post on X, quote,
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our state's generosity has been taken advantage of by an organized group of fraudsters who have put
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their greed and self-dealing above the needs of children, seniors, and people with disabilities.
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And it's my responsibility to fix it. What is not helpful is the president of the United States
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demonizing an entire community. Within days of Nick Shirley's reporting, FBI Director Cash Patel
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posting a lengthy update on the FBI's fraud investigations, writing, quote, the FBI believes
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this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. We will continue to follow the money and protect
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children. And this investigation very much remains ongoing. Democratic Socialist Zoram Mamdani
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officially sworn in as mayor of New York City in a private ceremony inside an abandoned subway station
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shortly after midnight on New Year's Day. New York Attorney General Letitia James administering the
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oath, Mamdani, the first Muslim elected to the office, taking the oath over to Korans. Later in the
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afternoon, Vermont senator and political mentor to Mamdani, Bernie Sanders, administering the oath in a
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public ceremony at City Hall. This moment from Mamdani's inaugural address, sending a chill down the spine
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of pretty much anyone who knows anything about the United States of America and the principles on which
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it was founded. To those who insist that the era of big government is over, hear me when I say this.
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No longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers' lives. We will draw this city
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closer together. We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.
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If our campaign demonstrated that the people of New York yearn for solidarity, then let this
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government foster it. Mayor Mamdani quickly getting to work, signing a sweeping executive order revoking
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all executive orders signed by his predecessor, Eric Adams, from September 26, 2024, through the end
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of his term. Mamdani later telling reporters that the date marks the former mayor's indictment on
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bribery charges, which the Trump DOJ later dismissed, a move many of Adams' critics in New York described
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as corrupt. Drawing national attention in Mayor Mamdani's blanket executive order, two issued by Mayor Adams
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relating to Israel and anti-Semitism. One order codifying a definition of anti-Semitism as drafted by the
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International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which critics say conflates criticism of Israel with
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hatred of Jewish people. The other barring city agencies from participating in boycotts against
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Israel. That's now just fine. New York City is home to the world's largest population of Jewish people
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outside of Israel. Mayor Mamdani is an outspoken critic of the Israeli government and knew scrapping these
00:22:20.120
two previous executive orders would upset some Jewish groups. The New York Times reporting that Mamdani
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chose a broader reversal tied to the indictment, quote, allowing him to frame the choice as a matter
00:22:31.160
of good governance. Mayor Mamdani saying he will keep the Adams-created office within City Hall
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to combat anti-Semitism. Mayor Mamdani also signing a slate of new orders addressing New York City's
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housing affordability crisis, one renewing the office to protect tenants, and two orders establishing
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housing-focused task forces. In one of his first photo ops as mayor, Mamdani touring a Brooklyn apartment
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complex owned by Pinnacle Realty, a landlord company with thousands of reported violations.
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Mamdani inspecting a tenant's ramshackle bathroom.
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It was a number, but nobody wanted to do anything about it.
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Many noting that the apartment is rent-stabilized, meaning it's rented out for
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less-than-market-value, a policy many say discourages investment into properties because
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landlords are unable to recoup their investments. Following the tour, the mayor giving remarks
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outside of the building, announcing his administration will intervene in the housing group's
00:23:32.240
ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, though he did not offer specifics on what that involvement
00:23:36.920
will look like. On Saturday, Mayor Mamdani weighing in on former Venezuelan leader
00:23:42.140
Nicolas Maduro's arrest by U.S. forces because everyone was thinking,
00:23:46.280
Gee, I wonder what the socialist from Uganda is thinking about Maduro. Maduro now held on
00:23:54.980
I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act and to
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make clear that it was an opposition based on being opposed to a pursuit of regime change,
00:24:08.980
to the violation of federal international law and a desire to see that be consistent each and every
00:24:16.820
day. And what was his response to you in that conversation? I registered my opposition. I made it
00:24:22.700
clear and we left it at that. Despite some calls from Mamdani's comrades in the DSA or Democratic
00:24:28.320
Socialists of America to return Maduro to Venezuela, the mayor has no real recourse as it is entirely a
00:24:36.080
federal matter. And he had zero right in his role as mayor of New York to demand answers from anyone
00:24:45.560
And that'll do it for your AM update. I'm Megan Kelly. Join me back here for the MK Show live on
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Sirius XM's The Megan Kelly Channel, 111 at noon east, on youtube.com slash Megan Kelly and on all podcast
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