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The President's Daily Brief
January 27th, 2026: Venezuela’s Acting Leader Rebels Against Washington & Israel Backs Militias In Gaza
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It's Tuesday, the 27th of January. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And yes, look at that, I'm still on the road. All right, let's get briefed. First up, defiant words out of Caracas where Venezuela's acting leader Delsey Rodriguez is openly defying the Trump administration and rejecting claims that she's governing at Washington's direction. I'll have the details later in the show. We return to a story that we've been tracking for some time. Israel's quiet support for armed Palestinian militias inside Gaza with a new report shining a spotlight on its efforts to weaken Hamas from within. Plus, an important milestone in the Gaza conflict as Israel announces it's recovered the body of the last remaining hostage from Hamas's brutal 7 October 2023 attacks. It's a development that clears a major hurdle in the ongoing peace plan. Now they just have to clear all the other major hurdles. And in today's back of the brief, TikTok survives Washington's ban threat. Oh, good. Agreeing to new U. S Based operations aimed at easing national security concerns while continuing to give you access to those amazing cat videos. But first, today's PDB spotlight. I want to start things off today by returning to Venezuela where the nation's interim leader, Delsey Rodriguez, the former VP under Nicolas Maduro, is striking a defiant tone toward Washington. In comments that quickly rippled through Caracas and beyond, Rodriguez said Venezuela has, quote, had enough of taking orders from the US So there. That didn't take long. A shot aimed squarely at the Trump administration just weeks after US Forces removed Nicolas Maduro from power. The message was unmistakable. Whatever role Washington played in Maduro's fall, Rodriguez wants it understood that she is not governing at America's direction. Now, it's worth pausing here because of course, some of this, and by that I mean quite a bit of it, may be political theater. Rodriguez is speaking to a domestic audience that has spent years marinating in anti American rhetoric alongside her old boss Maduro. Publicly pushing back against Washington helps her shore up nationalist credentials and blunt criticism that she's simply become a US Backed placeholder. In that sense, the comments could be as much about optics as policy. But rhetoric aside, the more interesting question is what has actually changed in Venezuela since Maduro's removal and what hasn't? Well, according to new reporting from the New York Times, on the economic front, the shift has been dramatic. In just three weeks, Rodriguez has moved aggressively to liberalize Venezuela's economy with President Trump's blessing, her government has redirected oil exports away from China and toward the far more lucrative U.S. market. The first tranche of oil revenue, roughly $300 million, has already been injected into Venezuela's banking system, stabilizing the currency and easing fears of another hyperinflationary spiral. She is also busy rewriting laws to attract foreign investment, boost wages, and introduce a degree of transparency that implicitly acknowledges what everyone already knows, that for years the Venezuelan state was looted under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez. Markets have responded to the developments with some enthusiasm. Caracas Small Stock Exchange is rallying. Real estate prices are surging. Venezuelan bonds, long considered toxic, are climbing on expectations of a debt restructuring. Foreign investors are flying in, eyeing mines and factories and properties that were devastated during years of economic collapse. And Rodriguez herself has been encouraging optimism, just not too much of it. In a recent televised address to governors and mayors, she promised that 2026 would be a better year, projecting confidence and momentum. But that economic opening is unfolding in the shadow of a political system that looks in many ways eerily familiar. As we've been noting here on the pdb, the fall of Maduro didn't necessarily change much in terms of the centers of power in Caracas. It basically just rearranged the deck chairs. Venezuela's repressive security apparatus remains largely intact. Armed checkpoints still dot the capital. Security forces continue stopping drivers checking phones and maintaining a climate of quiet intimidation. Freedom of expression remains tightly constrained, with journalists reportedly threatened for touching on taboo topics, including the circumstances of Maduro's removal and calls for new elections. And then there's the issue of political prisoners. The interim government has continued releasing detainees, including many high profile names. Over the weekend alone, the Caracas based human rights group Foro Pinal said at least 104 political prisoners were released, with the number potentially rising further. That follows earlier releases that in total number in the hundreds. But for many families, the process feels agonizingly slow. Hundreds of detainees remain behind bars, and new arrests have reportedly taken the place of some of those freed, a pattern that critics have long described as Venezuela's revolving door of repression. The releases are real, but they appear carefully managed, incremental, and far from a clean break with the past. Behind the scenes, Rodriguez has also been quietly consolidating power. She's demoted or fired several Maduro loyalists and reshuffled the military's second tier, moves that suggest she's not merely caretaking the system, but actively reshaping it. At the same time, she continues to publicly insist that she's just a temporary steward awaiting Maduro's return. Well, keep waiting for that. All of this has led critics to an unflattering but memorable comparison. They argue Rodriguez is attempting a version of the China model. Market liberalization without political opening. Open the economy, attract capital, raise living standards, but keep a tight grip on power. The nickname making the rounds in Caracas is Del Cping, a nod to Deng Xiaoping and China's path of economic reform under one party rule. Whether that strategy can work in Venezuela is an open question. Unlike China in the 1980s, Venezuela today is a more open society, deeply polarized and heavily dependent on outside powers, particularly now, of course, the US for economic survival. Economic growth may raise expectations for political participation that the system is not yet prepared to meet. So while Rodriguez throws shade at Washington and insists Venezuela is done taking orders, the reality is more complicated. The economy is opening fast, political change is happening at a much slower pace. And the balance that she's trying to strike may prove far harder to sustain than the rhetoric suggests. Alright, coming up after the break, we revisit Israel's behind the scenes effort to weaken Hamas through rival militias in Gaza. And Israel confirms the recovery of the last remaining hostage, clearing a key hurdle in the peace plan. Now they've just got a whole slew of other major hurdles to clear. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me ask you a question. When's the last time you woke up feeling rested? I mean, really rested? Look, if you're dragging through your days with no energy, zero motivation, stubborn belly fat, maybe, who wants that? Or a flattened, lined sex drive? Oh, that's not good. Well, you're not alone. Look, a lot of dudes are dealing with some or all of those issues, but they're dudes, so nobody likes to talk about them. 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Plus, welcome back to the pdb. I want to return to a story that we've been tracking here since well before the end of major hostilities in Gaza, and that's Israel's quiet support for armed Palestinian militias operating inside parts of Gaza now controlled by the Israel Defense Forces, the idf. A new report from the Wall Street Journal is giving us important new insight into how this strategy is actually playing out on the ground. And in many ways, it's confirming what we've been saying for some time, that this is part of a broader, deliberate Israeli effort to weaken Hamas from the inside, even while Israeli forces themselves are constrained by ceasefire terms. According to the Journal's reporting, Israel is backing several pop up Palestinian militias that share a common enemy in Hamas. These groups are conducting direct attack against Hamas personnel, including targeted killings in areas that are officially off limits to Israeli troops under the ceasefire. In other words, where the IDF can't go, these militias can and do. One case highlighted in the report involves a militia leader who publicly claimed responsibility for killing a Hamas police official inside Hamas controlled territory and openly threatened further attacks. Hamas, for its part, has responded by labeling these fighters collaborators and issuing warnings that the price of betrayal will be severe. What's striking is the level of Israeli involvement described. Israeli officials and military reservists told the Journal that Israel provides these militias with intelligence, drone surveillance, food and weapons. Some militia members have even reportedly been evacuated to Israeli hospitals after being wounded. Israeli forces closely monitor their operations and when necessary, intervene if Hamas attempts to target them. This arrangement gives Israel a significant tactical advantage. With its own forces limited by ceasefire lines, these militias can operate inside Hamas held zones, areas that Israeli troops are supposed to avoid. In one example, members of another Israeli backed group were used to help draw Hamas fighters out of tunnels in Rafah while Israeli forces pumped explosives into the tunnel network. But the journal also makes clear that this strategy comes with serious limitations and risks. Despite occasional tactical successes, the militias have not meaningfully reduced Hamas overall control in Gaza. Hamas still dominates most of the territory and is actively working to rebuild its military structure. Some of the militias themselves have checkered pasts, including involvement in criminal activity and aid theft during the war. There is also the legitimacy problem. Many residents view these groups as collaborators with Israel, not as credible alternatives to Hamas. That perception alone makes it difficult for them to evolve into any kind of governing force, and history does loom large here. Israeli analysts quoted in the report warn that working with militias has backfired before, most notably in southern Lebanon, where Israel's support for a local militia collapsed after Israel withdrew in 2000, leaving many fighters killed or forced to flee. There's also the long term concern that militias by their nature serve their own interests first. Loyalty is transactional, and as one former Israeli officer put it, a militia that works with you today can turn on you tomorrow. So all of this raises a critical question. What happens next? President Trump's peace plan envisions Israel eventually withdrawing to a buffer zone around Gaza after Hamas is disarmed, if Hamas is ever disarmed. If that happens, these militias could be left exposed, facing arrest and even execution. But for now, Israel's militia strategy appears to be a tactical workaround, a way to keep pressure on Hamas without violating ceasefire terms. It may deliver short term gains, but as the Wall Street Journal reporting makes clear, it's a strategy with no clean exit and one that carries real strategic risk the longer it continues. Okay, staying in Gaza Israel says it's recovered the remains of the last Israeli hostage still held in the enclave, a development that fulfills a key condition of the INIT phase of the U S led ceasefire reached in October and one that could now pave the way for reopening the Rafah crossing with Egypt. On Monday, Israel's military announced it had identified the remains of Master sergeant Ron Gavili, a police officer killed during The Hamas led the 7 October attacks and whose remains were held in Gaza for more than 840 days. Prime Minister Netanyahu called the recovery a unbelievable achievement, adding, ronnie is a hero of Israel who went in first and he emerged last. Israeli coverage framed the return as a moment of national closure and healing after a long and emotionally charged hostage chapter, and it's a remarkable milestone for the Jewish state. According to a report from Reuters, this is the first time since 2014 that no Israeli hostages are being held in Gaza. Now the recovery has two immediate implications of note for both Israel and the war torn enclave. First, it clears a key Israeli precondition for reopening Rafah, Gaza's main gateway to the outside world. Netanyahu's office has said the crossing would reopen after the search for the last captives remains was completed, and with that mission now declared complete, Rafah could reopen in a limited capacity within days for travelers on foot, albeit under heavy Israeli and Egyptian scrutiny. Second, it advances the mechanics of a ceasefire structure that has been moving forward in pieces, often slowly and conditionally. As we've covered extensively on the pdb, the handover of all remaining living and deceased hostages was a core commitment of the first phase of the deal negotiated by the Trump administration, even as disputes persist over what comes next. With that in mind, what does this mean in the near term for Gaza residents? Well, for Palestinians, reopening Rafah would, at least in theory, create a path for people who left Gaza during the war to return and for medical evacuations to resume at a greater scale. The need for such assistance is great, as aid officials say the number of people in Gaza requiring medical care abroad is believed to exceed 18,000. But there's also a second layer to Rafah's reopening that's easy to miss, and that's information control. According to reporting from the New York Times, Israel is still refusing to allow foreign journalists into Gaza in a consistent manner, even more than three months into the ceasefire, arguing in court as recently as Monday that such access would endanger Israeli soldiers. The Israeli Supreme Court has taken up the issue. But the reopening of Rafah could become a practical workaround for journalists, allowing them to attempt entry via Egypt even as Israel maintains restrictions from its side of the border. So you ask yourself, what's next for Gaza? Well, the recovery of Gvili's remains fundamentally changes the political terrain. With the hostage chapter now effectively closed, Israel's immediate domestic pressure eases, but the focus shifts to a far harder set of questions. U.S. officials say discussions are already turning toward phase two of the cease fire, which will cover demilitarization and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, how Gaza would be governed, how Israeli forces would draw down, and whether an international or technocratic administration could realistically take hold in the territory. Critically, phase two is expected to center on Hamas full disarmament. As far as the Rafah crossing goes, if it reopens in a narrow, tightly screened fashion, as Israel has indicated it prefers. It becomes a point of leverage over movement, medical evacuations, aid flow, and who is allowed back into Gaza. If it opens more broadly, well, it could accelerate humanitarian relief and external engagement, but risk complicating efforts to tightly control Gaza's post war trajectory. All of this underscores how fragile, of course, the ceasefire remains. Hamas appears to be signaling cooperation with the terror group, claiming information it provided did help locate Gvili's remains. While Israel appears ready to implement the reopening of the Rafah border. But those were, frankly, the easier obligations, the harder disputes, including demilitarization, governance and security guarantees, are now squarely on the table. And they are exactly where previous ceasefires have broken down. Okay, coming up in today's Back of the brief, TikTok avoids the axe, finalizing a deal that keeps the app alive for more than 200 million Americans. Oh, well, thank God. What would we have done without TikTok dances and those incredible cat videos? We'll have those details. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, PDB listeners know that I'm constantly traveling, right? In fact, I'm traveling right now. So I think I've become a bit of an expert on airports and luggage. And I want to tell you about a great company out there that's designing and selling incredible luggage. 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In today's Back of the Brief after years of threats and court fights, TikTok says it has finalized a restructuring deal designed to keep the app operating in the US Closing the door on a potential ban while appearing to address long running national security concerns over Chinese ownership and algorithmic influence. And I didn't think I would ever say the phrase algorithmic influence. The deal was finalized late last week and creates a new US based entity that will oversee TikTok's American operations. Under the agreement, American and global investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi based MGX will hold a roughly 80% controlling stake in the joint venture, a level designed to meet statutory thresholds intended to limit foreign adversarial control. Meanwhile, The Chinese company ByteDance, which previously controlled the app, will retain a minority share, just under 20%. Critically, American users are not expected to migrate to a different product. Instead, TikTok has framed this as the same app experience under new governance and controls. Additionally, the new joint venture said it will retrain, test and update TikTok's recommendation algorithm using US use user data, and that both the data and the algorithm will be secured in Oracle's US Cloud environment with a cybersecurity program that will be subject to audits and third party certifications. And well done you if you understood that paragraph. On paper, that structure is designed to satisfy the divest or ban law that Congress passed back in 2024. That law aimed to sever Chinese control over platforms deemed national security risks. The Trump administration is framing the deal as meeting the law's core requirements, lowering the immediate risk of TikTok being removed from US app stores. President Trump himself praised the deal on his favorite platform, Truth Social, specifically thanking Chinese leader Xi Jinping for helping get it over the finish line. But major questions remain over whether Washington truly has control over the platform's most sensitive machinery. And that brings us back to the algorithm rather than being sold outright, ByteDance plans to license the recommendation algorithm to the US entity, where, as I mentioned, it would be retrained using American data under US based oversight. TikTok and its partners argue that this creates an effective firewall against foreign manipulation. But critics counter that licensing still leaves ByteDance close to the platform's most powerful lever, one capable of shaping content visibility and influence at scale. That tension is already driving pushback on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers from both parties have signaled plans to closely examine whether the new structure meaningfully limits foreign leverage or whether it simply reshapes ownership while leaving algorithmic influence largely intact. Still, zooming out the deal achieves something important in the near term. It avoids an abrupt tick tock shutdown and gives the White House a defensible compliance framework. But it doesn't end the debate that's been building for years over how democratic governments regulate platforms whose strategic value lies not in their data alone, but in how their algorithms decide what millions of people will see. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Tuesday, 27 January. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the first tv.com and I hope you'll take a couple minutes out of your busy day to check out our YouTube channel and just head on over to YouTube and search up President's Daily Brief. Now, if you like what you see and how could you not, I hope you'll hit that subscribe button. I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. It.