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During a telephone interview with Fox News, Donald Trump reportedly suggested he is now «seriously considering» making Venezuela the 51st state of the United States, a remark that immediately triggered backlash online and a firm rejection from Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez. Fox News host John Roberts revealed the conversation in a post published on X shortly after speaking with Trump directly. «Just got off the phone with @realDonaldTrump,» Roberts wrote, before adding: «… he told me he is seriously considering a move to make Venezuela the 51st state…» The comments rapidly spread across social media and marked the latest example of Trump publicly floating territorial expansion ideas during his second presidency, following previous remarks involving Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal.

Reaction online was immediate and deeply polarized as critics mocked the idea and questioned Trump’s seriousness. Under Roberts’ X post, many users condemned the remarks as reckless and bizarre. One user wrote that Trump should stop making statements like that because «It makes him appear insane and unserious.» Another commenter responded bluntly: «Trump says a lot of stupid sh*t.» A different user described the proposal as «A mad man fantasy goal.» Others pointed to what they viewed as contradictions between Trump’s annexation rhetoric and his aggressive immigration messaging during the 2024 campaign. «All the rapists, murderers, and insane asylum people can be welcomed back,» one user sarcastically wrote. Another commenter dismissed the remarks entirely as political theater, posting: «Anything to distract from this Iran Sh*tshow.» The discussion rapidly became one of the most debated political topics on X following Roberts’ statement.

Trump’s comments came more than five months after the United States captured now-former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro during a controversial military operation that dramatically transformed relations between Washington and Caracas. Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were transferred to the United States earlier this year to face federal charges tied to narco-terrorism and weapons offenses. Following the operation, Delcy Rodríguez assumed power as Venezuela’s acting president while the United States gradually restored diplomatic and economic ties with Caracas. Since taking office, Rodríguez has reopened parts of Venezuela’s oil sector to foreign investment while the Trump administration eased several sanctions tied to petroleum exports. Trump has repeatedly pointed to Venezuela’s enormous oil reserves while discussing the country publicly, and according to reports he recently told Fox News that «Venezuela loves Trump.»

The remarks also fit into a broader pattern of expansionist rhetoric that has defined several moments of Trump’s second term. Before returning to office in January 2025, Trump repeatedly joked that Canada should become the 51st state and later reignited tensions with statements involving Greenland and renewed American control over the Panama Canal. Earlier this year, Trump again floated the idea of Venezuelan statehood after Venezuela defeated the United States during the World Baseball Classic. On Truth Social, Trump wrote: «STATEHOOD, #51, ANYONE?» before later posting simply «STATEHOOD!!!» after Venezuela won the championship game. The repeated comments have fueled growing international concern surrounding Trump’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric regarding territorial expansion and American geopolitical influence throughout the Western Hemisphere.

It is now Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez who has become the latest foreign leader forced to publicly reject Trump’s statehood remarks. Speaking to journalists at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Rodríguez firmly defended Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence after being asked about Trump’s comments. «We will continue to defend our integrity, our sovereignty, our independence, our history,» Rodríguez declared. She then added that Venezuela is «not a colony, but a free country.» Rodríguez also emphasized Venezuelans’ attachment to the country’s independence movement and national identity, saying the country’s history was built by «men and women who gave their lives» so Venezuela would remain sovereign. Her comments came while Venezuela continued defending its territorial claims over the oil-rich Essequibo region currently administered by neighboring Guyana.

While Trump’s latest remarks generated headlines worldwide, legal experts and political analysts quickly noted that any actual attempt to transform Venezuela into a U.S. state would face enormous constitutional, political and international barriers. Such a move would require approval from Congress as well as the consent of Venezuela itself, something Rodríguez has made clear will never happen under her government. Despite the practical impossibility of the proposal, Trump’s repeated references to foreign territories becoming part of the United States continue attracting intense scrutiny as his administration expands its influence across Latin America following Maduro’s removal from power. The remarks also arrive at a delicate moment for U.S.-Venezuela relations, as both countries cautiously rebuild diplomatic communication after years of hostility, sanctions and military confrontation.

Ecommerce giant eBay announced that it has rejected a massive $55.5 billion unsolicited takeover offer from GameStop, dismissing the proposal as «neither credible nor attractive» despite the substantial premium offered to shareholders. The proposal, revealed through a letter sent by GameStop chairman and chief executive officer Ryan Cohen to eBay chairman Paul Pressler, offered to acquire all outstanding shares of eBay for $125 per share. The proposed transaction would have been financed through a combination of cash and GameStop stock. «GameStop Corp. (“GameStop”) is proposing to acquire all common stock of eBay Inc. (“eBay”) at $125.00 per share,» Cohen wrote in the letter. The proposal immediately triggered intense reactions across Wall Street because of the scale of the offer and the unlikely pairing between the two companies.

In the letter, Cohen argued the offer represented a substantial premium for eBay shareholders compared to the company’s recent trading performance. «Our offer is $125.00 per share, comprising 50% cash and 50% GameStop common stock, with full shareholder election rights as to consideration type and pro-rata allocation,» he explained. Cohen further detailed the valuation behind the proposal, writing: «That represents a 46% premium to eBay’s unaffected closing price on February 4, 2026, the day GameStop started accumulating its position in eBay, a 27% premium to the 30-day VWAP, and a 36% premium to the 90-day VWAP. Aggregate undiluted equity value is approximately $55.5 billion.» The proposal would have marked one of the largest acquisitions ever attempted by a company that only a few years ago was primarily associated with physical video game retail operations.

GameStop also attempted to reassure eBay’s board regarding its ability to finance such a large transaction. Cohen explained that GameStop’s growing balance sheet and outside financing commitments could support the acquisition despite concerns surrounding the company’s historical volatility. «GameStop had ~$9.4 billion in cash and liquid investments as of January 31, 2026,» Cohen wrote. «The cash consideration will be funded from cash and liquid investments on GameStop’s balance sheet and third-party equity and debt financing, which will be fully committed at execution of definitive documentation. A highly-confident letter from TD Securities for up to $20 billion is attached.» Cohen also emphasized that GameStop’s leadership fully supported the transaction, stating plainly: «Our Board unanimously supports this proposal.» The letter framed the acquisition as part of a broader long-term transformation strategy for GameStop.

During an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Cohen described the proposed acquisition as an attempt to fundamentally reshape GameStop into a dominant ecommerce platform capable of competing directly with Amazon. «It could be a legit competitor to Amazon,» Cohen said about eBay during the interview. The strategy reflects Cohen’s long-running focus on ecommerce, which previously helped transform online pet retailer Chewy into a multibillion-dollar company before he joined GameStop. Analysts noted that combining GameStop’s massive retail investor following and cash reserves with eBay’s marketplace infrastructure could theoretically create a major online commerce player spanning collectibles, electronics, gaming products and second-hand consumer goods. However, many investors also questioned whether GameStop possessed the operational expertise necessary to successfully manage a global ecommerce platform as large and complex as eBay.

eBay’s board ultimately rejected the offer after reviewing the proposal with financial and legal advisers. In its official response, the company cited multiple concerns regarding the feasibility and credibility of the transaction. Among the reasons outlined by eBay were «uncertainty around GameStop’s financing, potential leverage and operational risks, leadership structure concerns, valuation implications, and GameStop’s governance and executive incentives.» The board concluded the proposal was «neither credible nor attractive» for shareholders despite the large premium attached to the offer price. Analysts noted that eBay’s management may also have been concerned about exposing the company to GameStop’s notoriously volatile stock price, which has experienced dramatic swings in recent years driven largely by meme-stock trading activity and speculative retail investor momentum.

The failed takeover attempt nevertheless highlights how dramatically GameStop has evolved since the meme-stock frenzy that placed the company at the center of financial markets in 2021. Under Cohen’s leadership, the company has aggressively reduced debt, accumulated billions in cash and shifted away from relying solely on physical retail sales. At the same time, eBay has continued navigating increasing competition from Amazon, Walmart Marketplace, Temu and other ecommerce platforms fighting for online consumer traffic. While the proposed merger now appears unlikely to move forward following eBay’s rejection, the episode has already intensified debate across the technology and financial sectors regarding consolidation, ecommerce competition and the future ambitions of GameStop under Cohen’s leadership. Investors are now watching closely to see whether Cohen pursues another acquisition target or attempts to pressure eBay into reconsidering the proposal publicly.

New information is surfacing over the months-long mystery surrounding the sinking of a Russian cargo ship off the coast of Spain, with investigators now suspecting the vessel may have been secretly transporting submarine nuclear reactor technology to North Korea. The Ursa Major, a Russian cargo ship linked to the state-owned company Oboronlogistics, sank under unexplained circumstances roughly 60 miles off Spain’s southeastern coast on December 23, 2024, after a series of suspicious explosions ripped through the vessel. According to a CNN investigation, the ship was allegedly carrying two nuclear reactors believed destined for North Korea’s submarine program. CNN further reported that investigators increasingly suspect the vessel may have been deliberately targeted before the sensitive technology could reach Pyongyang.

The mysterious sinking remained largely quiet for months before new details from Spanish investigators and intelligence sources began emerging publicly. The Ursa Major had officially departed from St. Petersburg and was supposedly sailing toward Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East. However, investigators quickly questioned why a ship carrying what was described as ordinary industrial cargo would take such a long maritime route between two Russian ports despite the country’s extensive rail infrastructure. Spanish authorities later discovered undeclared heavy cargo containers aboard the vessel. According to CNN and Spanish newspaper La Verdad, the captain eventually admitted under questioning that the cargo included «nuclear reactor components similar to those used by submarines,» although he reportedly insisted no nuclear fuel was being transported at the time of the sinking.

The timing of the suspected shipment also raised major geopolitical concerns because it came shortly after North Korea deepened its military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. North Korean troops had reportedly been deployed to assist Russian operations, while Western intelligence agencies increasingly warned that Moscow could be repaying Pyongyang with advanced military and nuclear technology. Investigators believe the final destination of the shipment may not actually have been Vladivostok but rather the North Korean port city of Rason. According to CNN, a source familiar with the Spanish investigation said the Russian captain believed the vessel would eventually be diverted there to unload the reactor components. The cranes listed on the ship’s manifest were also suspected to have been intended to help offload the unusually heavy cargo upon arrival in North Korea.

From the outside

Questions surrounding the sinking intensified further after investigators documented the unusual sequence of events during the ship’s final hours. Spanish maritime rescue teams responded after the Ursa Major issued a distress call reporting explosions onboard. Crew members later told rescuers that three explosions had struck the vessel before it began listing heavily. Oboronlogistics later described the incident as «a targeted terrorist attack» and claimed the blasts caused «a 50 by 50 centimeter hole» in the hull. According to the company, «The deck of the ship was covered with shrapnel.» Spanish investigators also reportedly observed that the damaged metal around the breach appeared bent inward, fueling speculation that the ship may have been struck from the outside rather than damaged by an internal accident or fire.

CNN’s investigation further reported that Russian military activity around the wreck continued long after the ship disappeared beneath the Mediterranean Sea. According to information cited by the network, Russian military vessels returned to the site for nearly five days after the sinking. During that period, four additional explosions were reportedly detected around the wreckage area, leading investigators to suspect Russian forces may have been attempting to destroy sensitive remains resting on the seabed. The Ursa Major now lies approximately 2,500 meters below the surface. Reports also revealed that the Russian intelligence vessel Yantar later arrived at the wreck site equipped with advanced underwater surveillance and recovery systems. Spanish investigators reportedly suspected the operation aimed to inspect or eliminate evidence connected to the alleged nuclear cargo.

No public information

The incident has continued drawing international military attention throughout 2025 and 2026. According to reports, the United States deployed specialized “nuke sniffer” aircraft over the wreck zone on August 28, 2025 and again on February 6, 2026. The aircraft are equipped with technology capable of detecting radioactive material and nuclear traces from the atmosphere, although no public information has been released regarding whether anything unusual was detected over the Ursa Major wreckage. CNN reported investigators are also examining whether the ship may have been struck by a supercavitating torpedo, an advanced high-speed underwater weapon believed to be possessed only by a limited number of countries including the United States, Russia and several NATO allies. While the exact cause of the sinking officially remains unresolved, the growing body of evidence has transformed the Ursa Major disaster into one of the most sensitive and mysterious maritime incidents linked to Russia, North Korea and nuclear proliferation in recent years.