
DeSantis says he regrets not speaking out 'much louder' against Trump's recommendation to stay home
CNN
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said one of his biggest regrets in office was not speaking out "much louder" in March 2020, when former President Donald Trump advised the nation to stay home to slow the fast-spreading coronavirus.
DeSantis, a close ally of Trump, said he was involved in the early days of the White House's pandemic response and had been offering advice to the President. But he was surprised when Trump made the decision that led to much of the US economy shutting down.
"I never thought in February, early March, that (coronavirus) would lead to locking down the country," the Republican governor told the hosts of the conservative podcast "Ruthless" during an episode recorded Thursday. "I just didn't. I didn't think that was on the radar."

The Trump administration is preparing to use private military contractors to protect oil and energy assets in Venezuela rather than deploying US troops, according to two sources familiar with the plans, setting up a potential boon for security firms with experience in the region and ties to the administration.

Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, arrives in Washington this week for high-stakes talks with US President Donald Trump on the future of Venezuela following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro. The meeting comes after Trump surprised many by allowing Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, to assume control, dashing opposition hopes for a new democratic era.

Most Americans see an immigration officer’s fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good as an inappropriate use of force, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds. Roughly half view it as a sign of broader issues with the way US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is operating, with less than one-third saying that ICE operations have made cities safer.










