U.S. Considers Removing Forces from Syria as Trump Pursues Venezuelan Oil
WASHINGTON – The United States is weighing the withdrawal of its remaining forces from Syria, even as the Trump administration seeks to increase its access to Venezuelan oil. The potential military move comes as the U.S. also considers possible military action against Iran, according to NPR Politics on February 4, 2026.
The Trump administration's approach to Venezuelan oil has drawn comparisons to the U.S. involvement in Iraq two decades ago, according to NPR News. Oil analysts noted that the recent ousting of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. military brought back memories of the 2003 removal of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The U.S. occupied Iraq from 2003 to 2011. "A fairly rapid change of a head of state prompted by U.S. military forces is always going to bring back memories of Iraq in one way or another," NPR reported.
Meanwhile, President Trump's long-standing opposition to wind farms has faced setbacks in the U.S. court system. Five rulings from federal courts have undermined his administration's efforts to halt new wind farm construction, according to Fortune. Trump has repeatedly voiced his disdain for wind farms, calling them "ugly eyesores" and falsely claiming that the noise from windmills can cause cancer. He has also asserted that wind energy is detrimental to whales and birds. Trump's animosity toward offshore wind, in particular, stems from a failed legal challenge against a proposed wind farm near his Scottish golf course a decade ago. In December, the Department of the Interior announced a pause on leases.
In other news, Elon Musk's Boring Company faced scrutiny from Nevada legislators regarding its safety and environmental record. During a three-hour legislative hearing, state legislators presented a list of violations the company has allegedly committed since 2019, including chemical burns, digging too close to the Las Vegas monorail, hundreds of environmental violations, and wastewater dumping, according to Fortune. Legislators questioned state regulators about their oversight of the Boring Company and explored ways to improve monitoring.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has been working to revitalize the city's economy following the pandemic. Lurie, an heir to the Levi Strauss family fortune, has leveraged his connections to boost the city's reputation and attract new business, according to Fortune. San Francisco's downtown area continues to struggle with high vacancy rates and issues related to homelessness and open-air drug markets. Lurie previously served as chairman of the city's host committee and played a key role in bringing the Super Bowl to San Francisco when Levi's Stadium was under construction.
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