Evening Brief: Trump Reshapes Federal Workforce, Hamas Reasserts Control in Gaza, NATO Ministers to Meet on Ukraine Aid

Evening rundown for Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

US Strike Kills Six Suspected Drug Traffickers Off Venezuela as Trump Expands Military Operations

A US military strike off Venezuela’s coast on Tuesday killed six suspected drug traffickers, President Donald Trump announced, calling the target a “narcoterrorist” vessel linked to drug networks.

The strike, shown in a video Trump posted online, is part of a growing US military buildup in the southern Caribbean, where eight warships, thousands of personnel, and an F-35 squadron are deployed.

https://t.co/AYyPZuUsm9 pic.twitter.com/1gY3vBnvqa

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) October 14, 2025

The Trump administration says the operations fall under a “non-international armed conflict” against drug cartels, though legal experts question the justification for using lethal force instead of arrests.

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, already accused by Washington of drug trafficking ties, denounced US actions as attempts to destabilize his government.

Trump Administration Uses Shutdown Powers to Restructure Federal Workforce, Prioritize Defense Funding

In the third week of the government shutdown, President Donald Trump’s administration is using expanded budget authority to determine which federal programs remain funded and which face cuts.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), led by Russ Vought, has initiated layoffs in key departments, including health, education, and science, while ensuring that pay for military and law enforcement personnel remains unchanged.

The move marks a significant departure from previous shutdown practices, with Vought directing reductions in force and reallocating funds under authority granted by recent legislation.

More than 4,000 workers have received layoff notices, and up to 750,000 are furloughed.

.@PressSec on possibly layoffs: “The president likes to have a little fun every now and then…The Democrats have given the administration this opportunity, and we don’t like laying people off. Nobody takes joy in that around here.” pic.twitter.com/hNK3iHhLah

— CSPAN (@cspan) October 3, 2025

Supporters say the actions ensure continuity for national security and immigration enforcement, while critics argue they overstep legal boundaries and undermine worker protections.

Democrats have signaled plans to challenge the measures in court as agencies continue operating under limited funding.

Major News Outlets Reject Pentagon’s New Media Rules Imposed by Defense Secretary Hegseth

Fox News joined nearly all major US media organizations in rejecting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new press rules for Pentagon journalists, calling them an unprecedented threat to press freedom.

The policy requires reporters to limit coverage to news preapproved by Hegseth’s team or risk eviction from the Pentagon.

ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, the Associated Press, The New York Times, and other major outlets refused to sign the agreement, citing First Amendment concerns. Only One America News Network has agreed to comply.

The Pentagon says the rules are “common sense procedures,” but journalists argue they would restrict public access to government information.

Pentagon access is a privilege, not a right. So, here is @DeptofWar press credentialing FOR DUMMIES:

✅ Press no longer roams free

✅ Press must wear visible badge

✅ Credentialed press no longer permitted to solicit criminal acts

DONE. Pentagon now has same rules as every…

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) October 13, 2025

The Pentagon Press Association criticized the move as an attempt to control coverage, while several outlets signaled they would continue reporting on the military from outside the building.

The standoff is expected to lead to a legal battle over press rights and government transparency.

ICE Accused of Using Full-Body Restraint Suits on Deportees, Sparking Lawsuits and Human Rights Concerns

An Associated Press investigation found that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has used full-body restraint suits known as the WRAP on deportees, often during international flights, prompting accusations of abuse and multiple federal lawsuits.

Detainees from Nigeria, El Salvador, and Cameroon described being shackled, strapped into the suits for hours, and denied legal access or basic needs.

The device, purchased by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) since 2015, has been linked to at least a dozen deaths in US law enforcement custody over the past decade.

(Screenshot)

Advocates and legal experts say ICE officers are misusing the WRAP as punishment and without proper training, violating civil rights protections.

ICE and DHS defend the practice as necessary for safety but have declined to release policy details or usage records.

The manufacturer, Safe Restraints Inc., says the WRAP is meant for violent or self-harming individuals and called its use on compliant detainees improper.

Madagascar Military Ousts President Rajoelina After Weeks of Youth-Led Protests

Madagascar’s military seized power Tuesday after weeks of nationwide protests over poverty, corruption, and power outages, ending President Andry Rajoelina’s rule.

The coup followed a parliamentary vote to impeach Rajoelina, who fled the country citing threats to his safety.

Colonel Michael Randrianirina, head of the elite CAPSAT unit, announced that the armed forces and gendarmerie would form a governing council and appoint a prime minister to establish a civilian administration.

The military suspended the constitution and said a referendum would be held within two years.

A faction of Madagascar’s army has seized control after President Rajoelina fled the country following weeks of demonstrations

Gen Z protesters played a key role in his downfall, as Jennifer Zabasajja explains https://t.co/D9Jl66VGob pic.twitter.com/1tl1cLgaSl

— Bloomberg (@business) October 14, 2025

Rajoelina, who first rose to power in a 2009 military-backed coup, denounced the takeover as illegal.

The unrest, driven largely by young protesters frustrated by economic hardship and poor governance, escalated when CAPSAT troops joined the demonstrations over the weekend, tipping the balance against the president.

Turkey Blocked Netanyahu from Egypt Ceasefire Summit, Erdogan Refused to Attend if Israeli Leader Present

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan prevented Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from attending Monday’s Gaza ceasefire summit in Egypt, according to senior Turkish officials.

Erdogan’s spokesman Omer Celik confirmed Tuesday that Ankara coordinated diplomatic efforts to ensure Netanyahu’s exclusion, saying Erdogan “would never accept being in the same room or photo” as the Israeli leader.

Netanyahu’s office later cited a Jewish holiday for his absence.

The summit in Sharm el-Sheikh brought together Erdogan, US President Donald Trump, and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, who signed a joint declaration supporting the ceasefire.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani had also threatened to withdraw if Netanyahu attended.

Erdogan, a strong critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, praised the agreement as a step toward ending what he called “genocide” and warned that Gaza’s reconstruction could take years.

Ceasefire Holds as Israel-Hamas War Pauses, Focus Turns to Rebuilding Gaza and Recovering Hostage Remains

The ceasefire ending the two-year Israel-Hamas war held on Tuesday, a day after the final 20 living Israeli hostages were released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Israel is now pressing for the return of 24 hostages confirmed dead in Gaza, only four of whom have been recovered.

The Israeli military identified two of the deceased, Guy Illouz of Israel and Bipin Joshi of Nepal, both abducted during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.

While freed hostages and prisoners received medical care, Israeli troops reported opening fire in northern Gaza to “remove a threat” near the ceasefire’s agreed boundary.

BREAKING: Israel’s military says it carried out a shooting after “several suspects” crossed the line of withdrawal and approached forces operating in northern Gaza.https://t.co/BLoAjyGUEx

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/wGDZFbcDIJ

— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 14, 2025

Longer-term challenges remain unresolved, including Hamas’s disarmament, Gaza’s governance, and the question of Palestinian statehood.

At a summit in Egypt, US President Donald Trump, who brokered the truce, called the agreement “the start of rebuilding Gaza.”

The United Nations estimates reconstruction will cost $70 billion, with $20 billion needed in the next three years.

Hamas Reasserts Control in Gaza, Clashes With Armed Gangs as Ceasefire Holds

Hamas security forces have returned to Gaza’s streets amid a fragile ceasefire, clashing with armed groups and killing alleged gang members in an effort to restore order in areas vacated by Israeli forces.

The crackdown, which Hamas says targets looters and criminals, has drawn criticism from human rights groups for reported extrajudicial killings.

The move comes as Israel and the US press Hamas to disarm under the ceasefire deal brokered by President Donald Trump. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned military operations could resume if Hamas does not comply.

President Trump demanded that Hamas return the bodies of deceased hostages and threatened the militant group with retaliation if it does not lay down its arms.

“If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them,” he said Tuesday. “They know I’m not playing games” https://t.co/sr4W0LSD7S pic.twitter.com/YykMbIt8oo

— Bloomberg (@business) October 14, 2025

The renewed security campaign follows months of chaos, looting, and gang violence after Israeli advances dismantled Hamas’s policing network.

While some residents welcome the return of order, rival militias, including factions allegedly backed by Israel, have vowed to resist Hamas’s efforts.

The situation threatens to complicate ongoing negotiations over Gaza’s governance and Hamas’s disarmament.

NATO Ministers to Meet on Ukraine Aid and Lifting Limits on Defenses Amid Rising Russian Threats

NATO defense ministers will meet Wednesday to discuss increasing military aid to Ukraine as weapons and ammunition deliveries have dropped sharply in recent months.

The meeting comes amid concerns over Russian drone incursions and airspace violations near NATO’s eastern borders.

New data from Germany’s Kiel Institute shows Western military assistance to Ukraine fell 43 percent in July and August compared to earlier in the year.

NEW: According to a new report from the Kiel Institute, military aid to Ukraine dropped sharply in July–August 2025 despite NATO’s new Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative.

The study shows a 43% decline in total military assistance compared to the first half… pic.twitter.com/HMxolx0U5a

— GeoInsider (@InsiderGeo) October 14, 2025

Several European countries, including Denmark and the Netherlands, are purchasing US weapons for Ukraine, while others such as Italy and Spain have provided limited support.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Supreme Allied Commander Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich are urging members to lift national restrictions on using alliance aircraft and equipment for air defense along the eastern flank.

The discussion will also address improving coordination under NATO’s new Eastern Sentry operation and developing a unified air defense strategy against potential Russian threats.

Sources: News Agencies