New Photo - Big Tech's AI Buildout Could Be Worth $4 Trillion, and These 2 Semiconductor Stocks Stand to Gain Most

Big Tech's AI Buildout Could Be Worth $4 Trillion, and These 2 Semiconductor Stocks Stand to Gain Most Adria Cimino, The Motley FoolSeptember 4, 2025 at 3:15 AM 0 Key Points These two companies often work together and are key players in the AI market.

- - Big Tech's AI Buildout Could Be Worth $4 Trillion, and These 2 Semiconductor Stocks Stand to Gain Most

Adria Cimino, The Motley FoolSeptember 4, 2025 at 3:15 AM

0

Key Points -

These two companies often work together and are key players in the AI market.

Both of these tech giants are seeing sales climb in the double digits quarter after quarter.

10 stocks we like better than Nvidia ›

The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has been going strong for the past few years as companies aim to apply the game-changing technology to their businesses. Excitement is high because AI could transform processes in offices, factories, and across delivery networks just to mention a few examples. AI also is leading to innovations in industries from pharmaceuticals to automotive, with companies aiming to create life-saving drugs and the safest and most efficient self-driving vehicles.

All of this could generate enormous revenue gains and cost savings for companies across industries. So, it's not surprising that the world's biggest tech players are pouring investment into this high-potential area. Meta Platforms and Alphabet both lifted capital spending forecasts in their recent earnings calls, citing ongoing investment in AI infrastructure. And Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) chief Jensen Huang predicted the AI buildout could be worth $3 trillion to $4 trillion by the end of the decade.

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Two semiconductor stocks in particular stand to gain the most from this spending boom. Let's check them out.

An investor smiles at something on a laptop screen.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Nvidia

Nvidia is the world's No. 1 designer of graphics processing units (GPUs), the chip needed to drive key AI tasks -- but the tech giant hasn't stopped there. It's also developed an entire array of AI products and services to suit the needs of any customer, from the big tech player to the small start-up. So Nvidia is positioning itself to be the "go to" destination for companies as they set off on the AI path.

Though Nvidia serves a wide variety of AI players in the market, it's important to note that a great deal of its sales comes from technology giants such as Meta, Alphabet, and Microsoft. Though Nvidia doesn't name its biggest customers, these players each have publicly spoken of their relationship with Nvidia -- and each of these companies is spending big on AI. For example, Meta predicts $66 billion to $72 billion in capital spending this year, and much of this investment will support AI buildout.

These technology powerhouses aim to build the best AI platforms and do so in the most efficient manner, and today, the company offering chips and related products and services to do so is Nvidia. In the latest quarter, Nvidia reported double-digit revenue growth and called demand for its latest chip Blackwell Ultra "extraordinary," so it's clear tech giants continue to flock to this AI leader. And Nvidia's plan to update its chips annually should keep this trend going.

All of this means, as the AI buildout continues toward potentially $4 trillion, Nvidia is likely to be one of the biggest winners.

2. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

Nvidia may design chips, but to bring those chips to market, it relies on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM). And so do many other companies, from Advanced Micro Devices to Broadcom. In fact, TSMC produces about 90% of today's advanced chips, according to an article in Wired. Therefore, the chip manufacturer benefits not only from Nvidia's strength, but from every chip designer's growth during this AI boom.

On top of this, TSMC is taking steps to invest more in U.S.-based production, a move that should shield the company and its customers from import tariffs down the road. TSMC this year announced $165 billion in investment in chip manufacturing in the U.S. -- this includes the development of six advanced wafer production fabs in Arizona, two packaging fabs, and a research and development center. The first fab already is producing at volume, construction of the second fab is complete, and construction of the third has started. These moves should streamline the process of working with U.S. chip designers and help TSMC keep up with demand as infrastructure spending increases.

The chipmaker has a solid earnings track record, generating double-digit growth quarter after quarter, and in its recent earnings report said it expects ongoing strength in AI demand -- this is as both companies and countries increase their spending on chips and related products and services. All of this bodes well for TSMC, making it a fantastic stock to buy and hold throughout the AI revolution.

Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?

Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Nvidia wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $654,759!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,046,799!*

Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,042% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025

Adria Cimino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Big Tech's AI Buildout Could Be Worth $4 Trillion, and These 2 Semiconductor Stocks Stand to Gain Most

Big Tech's AI Buildout Could Be Worth $4 Trillion, and These 2 Semiconductor Stocks Stand to Gain Most Adria C...
New Photo - Billionaires Are Buying a BlackRock ETF -- It Could Soar Up to 8,990%, According to Wall Street Experts

Billionaires Are Buying a BlackRock ETF It Could Soar Up to 8,990%, According to Wall Street Experts Trevor Jennewine, The Motley FoolSeptember 4, 2025 at 3:04 AM 0 Key Points In the second quarter, three successful hedge fund managers added to their positions in the iShares Bitcoin Trust, a BlackRo...

- - Billionaires Are Buying a BlackRock ETF -- It Could Soar Up to 8,990%, According to Wall Street Experts

Trevor Jennewine, The Motley FoolSeptember 4, 2025 at 3:04 AM

0

Key Points -

In the second quarter, three successful hedge fund managers added to their positions in the iShares Bitcoin Trust, a BlackRock fund that tracks Bitcoin.

Certain Wall Street experts expect big gains in Bitcoin, but none more so than Strategy Chairman Michael Saylor, who thinks Bitcoin will be a $200 trillion asset in 2045.

Institutional investors are allocating a large percentage of their portfolios to Bitcoin, and more companies are adopting Bitcoin as a treasury asset.

10 stocks we like better than iShares Bitcoin Trust ›

In the second quarter, the hedge fund billionaires listed below added to their positions in the iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT), an exchange-traded fund (ETF) issued by BlackRock designed to track the spot price of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).

Israel Englander of Millennium Management added 3.8 million shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust, increasing his stake 22%. The BlackRock ETF ranks among his top-15 holdings.

Steven Schonfeld of Schonfeld Strategic Advisors added 247,500 shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust, increasing his stake 5%. The BlackRock ETF is now his third-largest holding.

Tom Steyer at Farallon Capital Management added 1.2 million shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust, increasing his stake 21%. The BlackRock ETF ranks among his top-20 holdings.

The hedge fund managers above are good role models due to their impressive track records. Englander and Schonfeld beat the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) in the last three years. Also, Englander and Steyer rank among the top-10 hedge fund managers in history as measured by net gains since inception.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

Here's what investors should know about the iShares Bitcoin Trust.

An upward-trending green arrow overlaid on a $100 bill.

Image source: Getty Images.

Some Wall Street experts anticipate monster gains for Bitcoin holders

Bitcoin has advanced 88% in the past year to $111,000, crushing the 16% return in the S&P 500. Nevertheless, the Wall Street experts below expect Bitcoin to keep driving higher in the years ahead.

Geoffrey Kendrick at Standard Chartered expects Bitcoin to reach $500,000 by 2029. That implies 350% upside from its current price.

David Puell at Ark Invest says Bitcoin will hit $710,000 by 2030. That implies 540% upside from its current price.

Gautam Chhugani at AllianceBernstein expects Bitcoin to reach $1 million by 2033. That implies 800% upside from its current price.

Tom Lee of Fundstrat Global Advisors says Bitcoin can reach at least $3 million in the long run. That implies 2,600% upside from its current price.

Michael Saylor, executive chairman at Strategy, says Bitcoin will be a $200 trillion asset by 2045. That implies 8,990% upside from its current market value of $2.2 trillion.

Investors should never anchor to price targets, especially when those price targets promise extraordinary gains. Nevertheless, I think patient investors comfortable with volatility should have exposure to Bitcoin, ideally through a spot Bitcoin ETF like the iShares Bitcoin Trust. Here's why.

Institutional and corporate adoption of Bitcoin is driving demand

Asset prices are driven by supply and demand, but Bitcoin is somewhat atypical in that its supply is limited to 21 million coins, which means demand is the most consequential variable. And there are two big reasons to believe demand for Bitcoin will increase in the future.

1. Institutional adoption of Bitcoin is on the rise

Institutional investors, a group that controls about $130 trillion in assets, have long avoided cryptocurrency due to regulatory uncertainty. But that is changing due to the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs last year and the pro-cryptocurrency stance of the Trump administration.

I've already mentioned three hedge fund managers who recently added to their stakes in the iShares Bitcoin Trust, but the number of large asset managers (i.e., those with $100+ million in securities) that own positions in the fund rose 150% during the last year, and the number of shares owned by those asset managers increased 200%.

2. Corporate adoption of Bitcoin is on the rise

Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) has become a Bitcoin investment vehicle. The company owns 636,505 Bitcoin, 3% of the total supply, and it has added to its position at least once per quarter for five straight years. During that period, Strategy has seen its market capitalization increase 6,500%.

Inspired by that success, several other companies now use Bitcoin as a corporate treasury asset, including Block, Mara, Semler Scientific, Tesla, and Trump Media & Technology Group. In total, the number of Bitcoin owned by public and private companies rose 95% over the past year, according to BitcoinTreasuries.net.

Why choose a spot Bitcoin ETF over the cryptocurrency

Owning Bitcoin is often more complicated and expensive than owning a spot Bitcoin ETF. For instance, investors that want to own Bitcoin must first create and fund an account with a cryptocurrency exchange. Admittedly, some brokerages offer crypto trading -- Robinhood is one example -- but most brokerages do not, which means managing multiple portfolios.

Also, Coinbase, the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, charges between 0.4% and 0.6% per transaction under $10,000. That means investors pay relatively high fees two times, once when they buy and again when they sell. But the iShares Bitcoin Trust has an annual expense ratio of 0.25%, meaning shareholders will pay just $25 per year on every $10,000 invested in the fund.

As a caveat, investors should bear in mind cryptocurrencies tend to be volatile, and Bitcoin is no exception. Its price has declined more than 50% from a record high twice in the last five years, and it lost more than 75% of its value during one of those drawdowns. Similar volatility is possible (if not probable) in the future.

Should you invest $1,000 in iShares Bitcoin Trust right now?

Before you buy stock in iShares Bitcoin Trust, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and iShares Bitcoin Trust wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $654,759!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,046,799!*

Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,042% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025

Trevor Jennewine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Block, and Semler Scientific. The Motley Fool recommends Coinbase Global and Standard Chartered Plc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Billionaires Are Buying a BlackRock ETF -- It Could Soar Up to 8,990%, According to Wall Street Experts

Billionaires Are Buying a BlackRock ETF It Could Soar Up to 8,990%, According to Wall Street Experts Trevor Jennew...
New Photo - Better Energy Stock: Cameco vs. Oklo

Better Energy Stock: Cameco vs. Oklo Courtney Carlsen, The Motley FoolSeptember 4, 2025 at 3:05 AM 0 Key Points Nuclear power is experiencing a resurgence due to increasing global energy demands, particularly from data centers.

- - Better Energy Stock: Cameco vs. Oklo

Courtney Carlsen, The Motley FoolSeptember 4, 2025 at 3:05 AM

0

Key Points -

Nuclear power is experiencing a resurgence due to increasing global energy demands, particularly from data centers.

Cameco is a leading uranium producer with significant stakes in major mines and partnerships, positioning it for strong earnings growth as global uranium demand rises.

Oklo is an emerging company focused on developing future nuclear infrastructure, specifically its Aurora powerhouses, which utilize advanced reactor technology.

10 stocks we like better than Cameco ›

Nuclear power is making a strong comeback, driven by an insatiable demand for energy from companies across the globe. Data centers are at the forefront of this energy revolution, with tech giants like Microsoft and Meta Platforms turning to nuclear energy providers to secure their future power needs.

With the U.S. resuming nuclear energy initiatives under the Trump administration and a growing global consensus in favor of nuclear power, the sector is poised for growth.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

Two nuclear stocks that have grabbed investor attention are Cameco (NYSE: CCJ) and Oklo (NYSE: OKLO). Although both companies operate within the same industry, they feature distinct business models and risk profiles. If you're considering investing in nuclear power, here's what you about these two companies.

Cooling towers are pictured outside an energy facility.

Image source: Getty Images.

Cameco operates a major uranium mining company

Cameco is a key player and one of the world's largest uranium producers. It has a majority stake in two of the world's largest high-grade uranium mines at McArthur River and Cigar Lake in Saskatchewan.

It also holds a 40% interest in joint venture Inkai in Kazakhstan, where its estimated share of reserves is 100.4 million pounds with an estimated mine life until 2045.

Finally, the company owns a 49% interest in Westinghouse in a strategic partnership with Brookfield Renewable Partners. Westinghouse is a nuclear reactor technology original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and a global provider of products and services to commercial utilities and government agencies.

Cameco is more established across the nuclear and uranium supply chain. The company is expected to experience a solid upswing in earnings over the next few years, as demand for uranium increases amid growing nuclear power initiatives globally.

Oklo is building nuclear infrastructure for the future

Oklo is a different beast. The company is still in its early stages, hasn't generated any revenue yet, and doesn't have any commercially available products to sell at this time. Instead, it is focused on building the future of nuclear energy infrastructure.

Its Aurora powerhouse product line is based on liquid-metal-cooled sodium fast reactor technology. As metal-fueled fast reactors, Aurora powerhouses are designed to operate by harnessing the power of high-energy, or "fast," neutrons. This enables them to tap into the vast energy reserves remaining in existing used nuclear fuel from conventional nuclear power plants.

Its Aurora powerhouse product line is designed to produce 15 to 75 megawatts electric (MWe) and has the potential to expand to 100 MWe and higher.

With all this said, Oklo is still in its early stages of development and still doesn't have a commercially available product. The company will continue to incur costs as it obtains its licenses and builds out its first reactors. It expects to spend $65 million to $80 million on operations with no revenue this year.

Analysts covering Oklo think it won't generate revenue in 2027 and between $5.2 million and $18 million in 2028. Meanwhile, they project the company will continue to rack up losses and may not be profitable until 2030 at the earliest.

Which stock is right for you?

Cameco and Oklo have both benefited from strong tailwinds and favorable news surrounding nuclear power generation. As a result, both stocks have gone up significantly, Cameco up 42% and Oklo 221% since the start of the year, and both trade at lofty valuations.

For more conservative investors, Cameco may be a better buy today because it can more immediately address the growing demand for uranium. However, it's a bit pricey at these levels at 50 times next year's earnings. If you buy the stock at today's valuation, you believe its strong forecasted growth over the next several years will come to fruition.

If you're more aggressive and comfortable taking risks, Oklo may be the stock for you. Oklo is a high-risk, high-reward stock in the nuclear energy sector, having attracted significant attention due to its compelling long-term use case.

Buying the stock today is a bet that its future commercialization plans will be realized and eventually become a profitable business. If you do buy it, a prudent approach can be to purchase a small position today and add to it over time as it reaches key milestones over the next several years.

Should you invest $1,000 in Cameco right now?

Before you buy stock in Cameco, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Cameco wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $654,759!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,046,799!*

Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,042% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025

Courtney Carlsen has positions in Cameco and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Renewable, Brookfield Renewable Partners, and Cameco and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Better Energy Stock: Cameco vs. Oklo

Better Energy Stock: Cameco vs. Oklo Courtney Carlsen, The Motley FoolSeptember 4, 2025 at 3:05 AM 0 Key Points Nu...
New Photo - Polymarket CEO Says Crypto-Based Prediction Platform Ready To Enter US After CFTC Approval: 'Stay Tuned'

Polymarket CEO Says CryptoBased Prediction Platform Ready To Enter US After CFTC Approval: 'Stay Tuned' Aniket VermaSeptember 4, 2025 at 8:26 AM 0 Polymarket CEO Says CryptoBased Prediction Platform Ready To Enter US After CFTC Approval: 'Stay Tuned' Shayne Coplan, founder and CEO of decentralized p...

- - Polymarket CEO Says Crypto-Based Prediction Platform Ready To Enter US After CFTC Approval: 'Stay Tuned'

Aniket VermaSeptember 4, 2025 at 8:26 AM

0

Polymarket CEO Says Crypto-Based Prediction Platform Ready To Enter US After CFTC Approval: 'Stay Tuned'

Shayne Coplan, founder and CEO of decentralized prediction platform Polymarket, said Wednesday that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has approved the platform's operation in the U.S.

Polymarket Cleared For US Comeback

Coplan confirmed the development in an X post, praising the agency for their "impressive" work and mentioning that the process was completed in "record" time.

The CFTC said it took a "no-action position" on swap data reporting and recordkeeping regulations for event contracts in response to a request from QCEX, a licensed derivatives exchange that Polymarket acquired in July.

The Division of Market Oversight and the Division of Clearing and Risk recommended that the agency not initiate an enforcement action against the entity.

Polymarket has been given the green light to go live in the USA by the @CFTC.Credit to the Commission and Staff for their impressive work. This process has been accomplished in record timing.Stay tuned https://t.co/NVziTixpqO

— Shayne Coplan 🦅 (@shayne_coplan) September 3, 2025

See Also: Alibaba's Jack Ma-Backed Firm Invests $44 Million In Ethereum For Strategic Reserve

A pop-up on Polymarket's website indicated that the platform is preparing for a U.S. launch and will be available to traders soon.

Source: Polymarket

Polymarket's Topsy-Turvy Journey

This approval marked a significant milestone for Polymarket, which has been working towards re-entering the U.S. market. In July, Coplan announced that Polymarket had acquired the holding company of QCEX, a licensed derivatives exchange and clearinghouse, for $112 million.

The clearance marked a major turnaround from November of last year, when the FBI raided Coplan's home as part of a Justice Department investigation into allegations that the Polygon (CRYPTO: POL-based prediction platform allowed U.S.-based users to place bets in violation of regulatory agreements.

Polymarket rose to prominence during last year's election season, with over $3 billion wagered on the outcome of the presidential race between Trump and Kamala Harris. The platform accurately predicted Trump's victory, but concerns about foreign influence and market manipulation dominated headlines.

Notably, Donald Trump Jr.'s venture capital fund, 1789 Capital, made a multi-million-dollar investment in Polymarket. Trump Jr. will also join the company as a strategic advisor.

Read Next:

Polymarket's New Rival? Coinbase-Backed Startup Bags $15 Million In Seed Funding For Blockchain-Based Prediction Platform

Photo Courtesy: PJ McDonnell on Shutterstock.com

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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Polymarket CEO Says Crypto-Based Prediction Platform Ready To Enter US After CFTC Approval: 'Stay Tuned'

Polymarket CEO Says CryptoBased Prediction Platform Ready To Enter US After CFTC Approval: 'Stay Tuned' An...
New Photo - 'Venezuela has been a very bad actor,' Trump says, threatening escalation

'Venezuela has been a very bad actor,' Trump says, threatening escalation Gabe GutierrezSeptember 4, 2025 at 7:09 AM 1 The Trump administration is warning wouldbe drug traffickers that they will meet the same fate as those killed in a boat the U.

- - 'Venezuela has been a very bad actor,' Trump says, threatening escalation

Gabe GutierrezSeptember 4, 2025 at 7:09 AM

1

The Trump administration is warning would-be drug traffickers that they will meet the same fate as those killed in a boat the U.S blew up Tuesday in the southern Caribbean, a dramatic escalation in the drug war and the White House's bitter feud with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

"Venezuela has been a very bad actor," President Donald Trump said Wednesday in the Oval Office.

The U.S.'s offensive posture in the region is raising questions about its ultimate goal — and how U.S. intelligence agencies were so certain that the boat contained drugs and members of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

"We have tapes of them speaking," Trump said. "It was massive amounts of drugs coming into our country to kill a lot of people."

Though the president's specific intentions regarding Maduro are unclear, the U.S. seems to have two objectives: stemming the flow of illegal drugs from Venezuela and placing debilitating pressure on the Venezuelan leader.

The goal is to force Maduro to make rash decisions that could ultimately lead to his ouster — without American boots on the ground — according to a source familiar with the Trump administration's thinking.

A second source familiar said that last week the administration privately signaled plans to intensify pressure on Venezuela, saying the situation was about to quickly escalate and that Maduro "had a lot to worry about."

"There's definitely going to be more to come" with regard to hitting drug cartel operations, the source said.

In 2019, during Trump's first term, his administration recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president while Maduro faced mass protests after years of hyperinflation and a string of blackouts. Despite the U.S. backing of Guaidó, Maduro held onto power.

Last month, some members of the Venezuelan opposition movement visited the State Department for meetings with top officials, according to two people familiar with the talks.

Rubio's role

Marco Rubio has long been a hardliner on Venezuela, as a senator, as a presidential candidate, and now as secretary of state as well as national security advisor.

The source familiar with the administration's thinking believes regime change in Venezuela has been Rubio's goal. The administration is preparing for this by not recognizing Maduro as a legitimate president, accusing him of rigging elections and alleging he's a narco-terrorist, the head of the Cartel de Los Soles. Several weeks ago, the U.S. doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million.

The source familiar with the administration's thinking said the U.S. hopes that ramping up pressure on Maduro may prompt finger-pointing inside Venezuela and lead cartel bosses inside and outside the country to blame Maduro and force him out. The source speculated that Russia — not wanting to get involved in a domestic power struggle — would pull its financial, diplomatic and military support from Venezuela, long considered its ally.

Tuesday's military strike on the alleged drug smuggling boat, which Trump said killed 11 people and did not hurt U.S. forces, came as a surprise to many members of Congress.

Democrats, even those in leadership positions on relevant oversight committees, have not been provided with any information about the strike, according to multiple congressional officials with direct knowledge of the situation. It's not clear what information, if any, Republicans were given before or after the strike.

Rubio defended the strike on Wednesday while visiting Mexico, arguing that the typical interdiction procedures that the U.S. Coast Guard conducts to arrest drug smugglers didn't work in these cases.

"These drug cartels, what they do is they know they're going to lose 2% of their cargo," Rubio said. "They bake it into their economics. What will stop them is when you blow them up."

Additional U.S. military forces

Last month, the U.S. began sending more military resources, including three guided-missile destroyers, to the southern Caribbean. Stephen Donehoo, a former military intelligence officer specializing in Latin America, told NBC News the deployment was enormous.

"I haven't seen this much U.S. naval military force in the Caribbean under the command of the Southern Command in decades," Donehoo said. "All these ships have intelligence systems, and they are also armed to carry out this type of attack if necessary."

In the last few weeks, Maduro has claimed the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean is aimed at overthrowing his government. He has deployed troops along the border while calling on thousands of civilians to join armed militias to defend the nation.

A senior White House official downplayed any possibility of the U.S. invading Venezuela, but said, "You can expect to see the president use any means necessary to tackle drug cartels."

On Fox News Wednesday morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked about whether the administration's goal was regime change in Venezuela. Notably, he did not rule it out.

"That's a presidential decision," Hegseth said.

The second source familiar with the administration's thinking dismissed any threat posed by Venezuela's troops and expressed skepticism that the country's armed forces would remain loyal to Maduro.

"It's a house of cards," the source added, speculating that Maduro would see the writing on the wall and flee the country, perhaps to Cuba.

Maduro pushback

For its part, the Maduro government has escalated its criticism of the White House, even claiming the video of Tuesday's attack on the alleged drug trafficking boat was created using AI.

"I can tell you that was definitely not artificial intelligence," Hegseth said in the Fox interview. "I watched it live."

In comments broadcast on Venezuelan state television Tuesday night, Maduro alluded to what he considered Rubio's significant power within the Trump administration regarding Venezuela policy.

"The youth of the United States do not believe the lies of the big shot in the White House, Marco Rubio," Maduro said. "Because who runs the White House is Marco Rubio — the mafia of Miami — who wants to fill Donald Trump's hands with blood."

More actions expected

The Trump administration's strike against the cartel boat may only be the beginning of its actions in the region.

In February, the State Department designated eight drug cartels and criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists. That gave the White House new legal authorities to take military action against such groups throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Asked about the cartels in an interview last month, Rubio said it was time they were treated "as armed terrorist organizations, not simply drug -dealing organizations."

The Secretary of State said the new designations would allow the Trump administration to target the cartel's operations using other elements of American power, including U.S. intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense.

"It is a criminal enterprise — all the way to the various cartels that operate in Mexico, and in between," Rubio said. "So, what it changes is it gives us legal authorities to target them in ways you can't do if they're just a bunch of criminals. It's no longer a law enforcement issue. It becomes a national security issue."

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'Venezuela has been a very bad actor,' Trump says, threatening escalation

'Venezuela has been a very bad actor,' Trump says, threatening escalation Gabe GutierrezSeptember 4, 2025...
New Photo - European leaders face tough choices as the UK and France host another meeting on Ukraine

European leaders face tough choices as the UK and France host another meeting on Ukraine EMMA BURROWS September 4, 2025 at 7:20 AM 0 President Donald Trump, left, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrive for a joint press conference at Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug.

- - European leaders face tough choices as the UK and France host another meeting on Ukraine

EMMA BURROWS September 4, 2025 at 7:20 AM

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President Donald Trump, left, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrive for a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

LONDON (AP) — European countries are stuck between a rock and a hard place as a coalition of countries meets in Paris on Thursday to discuss security guarantees for a postwar Ukraine.

The war is raging unabated, with no ceasefire in sight — and the crucial question of American involvement in ensuring Ukraine's future security remains unresolved.

For months, the so-called "coalition of the willing" has been meeting to discuss aid for Ukraine, including sketching out plans for military support in the event of a ceasefire to deter future Russian aggression.

The coalition leaders — French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K Prime Minister Keir Starmer — have insisted that any European "reassurance" force in Ukraine needs the backing of the United States. But while U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted his country will be involved, he has moved away from calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and refrained from implementing tough additional economic measures to punish Moscow.

Although Trump said he is "disappointed" in Russian President Vladimir Putin and issued several threats to try to cajole him into negotiating an end to hostilities, none has worked. At a meeting with Putin in Alaska in August, Trump failed to persuade the Russian leader to stop fighting and has not yet managed to broker talks between Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

While Trump and European leaders met in Washington after the Alaska summit — and U.S., European and NATO military chiefs held discussions on support for Ukraine — little concrete detail has emerged on the security guarantees to deter Moscow from a future conflict.

Former military generals and experts suggest Europe is in a bind — not knowing the level of support the U.S. is prepared to provide the coalition, the nature of any ceasefire or if the U.S. will abide by commitments made. It's also far from certain that Putin would agree to a cessation of hostilities, something Russian officials have invariably dismissed.

"Talking about detailed operational planning when you don't actually have your mission is, quite frankly, impossible," said Ed Arnold, an expert in European Security at the Royal United Services Institute in London and a former military planner.

Why Europeans believe a ceasefire is necessary

The "coalition of the willing" is a broad term for about 30 nations supporting Ukraine, but the so-called "reassurance force" that would provide security guarantees to Kyiv is a subset of that group.

The U.K., France and Estonia have all suggested they are ready to deploy troops to Ukraine to deter Putin from attacking again, while officials in Poland said Warsaw will not take part and will instead focus on bolstering NATO security in the east of Europe.

There is "no suggestion" that any troops will be deployed without a ceasefire because it's too risky, said François Heisbourg, special adviser at the Foundation for Strategic Research in Paris.

Despite Zelenskyy signaling his willingness to talk, a ceasefire agreement is not currently in the cards — not least because of the positions of the U.S. and Russian presidents.

At his Aug. 18 meeting with European leaders at the White House — a day after meeting Putin — Trump walked back his previous demands for a ceasefire in Ukraine and said he thought a peace agreement was preferable.

The comments marked a shift toward the Russian position from Trump and would allow Moscow to fight on in Ukraine while peace negotiations are underway.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later suggested an end to hostilities was even further away, stating that Moscow will not accept Zelenskyy's signature on any peace agreement as Russia considers him to be an illegitimate president.

"If Putin doesn't want a ceasefire — and if Trump doesn't call for a ceasefire — what are the chances of a ceasefire happening?" asked Heisbourg.

What a European security guarantee for Ukraine could look like

Even if a ceasefire or peace agreement for Ukraine were implemented, it's not clear it would be a sufficient deterrent to Putin and would be "very, very risky" for European nations, said Arnold at RUSI.

Such an operation hinges on the U.S. providing intelligence support and the deterrent effect of U.S. airpower in countries outside Ukraine.

The Western appetite to potentially shoot down Russian missiles violating a ceasefire or target launchers firing them from within Russia is "close to zero," said Heisbourg.

Any response to a ceasefire violation, he said, would likely depend on "how many Western soldiers the Russians would have actually killed...and nobody wants to think about that too much in advance."

In March, Starmer told allies that a force for Ukraine would need at least 10,000 troops, but that would potentially require around 30,000 troops when taking into account those on rotation and rest.

As a coalition leader, the U.K. should look at contributing a brigade of 5,000 soldiers which would become 15,000 when taking into account rest and rotation, said Arnold.

That figure would account for about 30% of the deployable capacity of the British Army, he said, and potentially create a "tricky" problem whereby the U.K. deploys more forces on behalf of non-NATO ally Ukraine than it does for NATO allies such as Estonia.

European officials have indicated that the troops could be involved in training Ukrainian soldiers and likely based away from the frontlines although the risk of Russian missile and drone strikes would remain high.

But there would be "zero credibility" if Western troops were put in various Ukrainian towns without a clear mission or purpose, said Ben Hodges, former commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe.

"That will not impress the Russians at all," he added.

US as a reliable partner

European leaders are also grappling with the question of whether to take Trump and his officials at their word while also eyeing the rise of populist parties — particularly in the U.K., France and Germany — which may not share the same commitment to Ukraine as current political leadership.

That means the future of any security guarantees for Kyiv could be extremely fragile.

There is "absolutely no guarantee" that Trump will abide by commitments made to European nations over Ukraine, said Arnold, pointing to Trump's withdrawal from previous agreements, including the Paris climate agreement and Iran's nuclear deal.

That means European nations cannot rely on him ordering U.S. jets into action in the event of a ceasefire violation because "at one time he may say yes, at another time he may say no," Arnold said.

With NATO membership for Kyiv ruled out by Trump and a host of hurdles to overcome to implement security guarantees for Ukraine, European leaders may decide to navigate the situation by spending "a lot more money on weapons" for Kyiv, said Heisbourg.

Arnold agreed, adding that the best option could be to give Kyiv "loads of guns and loads of ammo."

"There's no easy way out," he said. "None of the options, especially for the Europeans, are good."

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European leaders face tough choices as the UK and France host another meeting on Ukraine

European leaders face tough choices as the UK and France host another meeting on Ukraine EMMA BURROWS September 4,...
New Photo - We've all been pronouncing Denzel Washington's name wrong this whole time

We've all been pronouncing Denzel Washington's name wrong this whole time Raechal ShewfeltSeptember 4, 2025 at 4:37 AM 0 Bruce Glikas/WireImage Denzel Washington photographed in March Denzel Washington wasn't always known by the name that we've heard dropped in movies trailers and called out from Os...

- - We've all been pronouncing Denzel Washington's name wrong this whole time

Raechal ShewfeltSeptember 4, 2025 at 4:37 AM

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Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Denzel Washington photographed in March

Denzel Washington wasn't always known by the name that we've heard dropped in movies trailers and called out from Oscar podiums for decades.

He broached the subject during an appearance Tuesday on Jimmy Kimmel Live, after the host remarked that there are currently four NFL players named Denzel.

David Lee/A24

Denzel Washington stars in 'Highest 2 Lowest'

"And this is how you know they were named after me. My name is not pronounced Děn-ZĚL," Washington said of the name the way moviegoers know it. He added, "My name is pronounced DĚN-zǝl," emphasizing the first syllable and pronouncing the second syllable so that it rhymed with "lull."

Wait, what?!

"I'm Denzel Jr.," the actor continued, pronouncing it the way it had been intended. "My father's Denzel Hayes Washington Sr. I'm Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. My mother would say, 'Denzel,' and we'd both show up."

It was Washington's mother, the late Lennis Washington, who gave him the moniker as it is said today: "So she said, 'From now on, you're Denzel.' That's how it got pronounced Denzel."

However you say his name, Washington, 70, has been one of Hollywood's top leading men for decades.

The Highest 2 Lowest actor revealed last month in a conversation with costar A$AP Rocky and director Spike Lee, that he's "tired of movies."

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Washington quipped that he'd appeared in "too many" over his career. His first TV and movie credits date back to TV movies in the late '70s.

Lee said his latest film, a reinterpretation of legendary Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's 1963 crime procedural High and Low, would probably be his final one with Washington. The two have previously collaborated on four other films, including 1990's Mo' Better Blues, 1992's Malcolm X, 1998's He Got Game, and, in 2006, Inside Man.

Washington has said he plans to retire after a few more titles, although he later clarified the statement to specify that he would still appear in movies that have "a level of interest for me."

See the actor's full conversation with Kimmel above. The part about his name begins at about 7:37.

on Entertainment Weekly

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We've all been pronouncing Denzel Washington's name wrong this whole time

We've all been pronouncing Denzel Washington's name wrong this whole time Raechal ShewfeltSeptember 4, 202...

 

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