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Trump captures Maduro but allows his regime to remain in power for the time being

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Trump captures Maduro but allows his regime to remain in power for the time being

Hours after President Donald Trump stunned the world by saying the US plans to “run” Venezuela, uncertainty over what that means and who is in charge loomed over the South American nation.  

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was an indicted prisoner on a flight bound for New York by the time his Vice President Delcy Rodríguez — who Trump said would partner with Washington to “make Venezuela great again” — denounced the intervention as “barbaric” and a “kidnapping.” 

Adding to the confusion was that the White House offered few details about what running an oil-producing nation of about 30 million people would entail. A US official said Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who has spent his career criticizing Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez — would take the leading administration role. 

For now, there’s no plan spelled out to have American troops or administrators in Venezuela. But Trump signaled he’s keenly focused on the country’s petroleum, saying the US would have a “presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil.” That could mean a greater role for Chevron Corp., which still operates in Venezuela under waivers from sanctions, as well as for other major American oil companies. 

Trump’s resistance to keeping American boots on the ground and his dismissal of Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado as a “nice woman” not ready to take power suggest he decided on giving Rodríguez and other Maduro loyalists a second chance over full-blown regime change. Maduro was in US custody in Manhattan by Saturday evening, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity.

Trump is “essentially trying to control the vice president and people around her through carrots and sticks to get the outcomes the United States wants,” said Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. “We’ll see if it works.” 

Trump appeared to confirm that approach with his remarks later in the day to the New York Post, when he said that US troops on the ground would not be necessary as long as Rodríguez “does what we want.” 

That strategy is a huge gamble — particularly for a president who campaigned in 2016 on ending America’s “forever wars” but has since used the US military to strike targets in Iran, Yemen, Nigeria and the Caribbean Sea. 

Venezuela has suffered through decades of mismanagement that eroded the country’s oil infrastructure, sparked prolonged bouts of hyperinflation and saw millions of economic and political migrants flee for neighboring countries and the US. A total collapse of the government sparked by the early morning US strike risks causing even more turmoil.  

Rodríguez, considered by many to be the most powerful person in the country after Maduro, gave mixed messages in her public comments on Saturday. She called for the ousted president’s return, but she also said Venezuela could still have “respectful relationships,” perhaps offering a path to a detente with the US if she can consolidate power and the two sides cooperate. 

Trump warned of a potential second wave of American attacks if that cooperation isn’t forthcoming. 

“All political and military figures in Venezuela should understand what happened to Maduro can happen to them, and it will happen to them” if they weren’t “fair” to the Venezuelan people, he said.

‘Run Properly’

In the short term — and barring a breakdown of governance — the administration’s move could offer it the opportunity to help revive Venezuela’s decaying oil industry, something that Trump seemed particularly focused on when he announced Maduro’s capture. 

“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said. In the same news conference, he said, “We’re going to make sure that that country is run properly.”

A multiyear recovery of Venezuelan oil production could entail a 4% decline in global oil prices over time, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Economics. That would help the US president address the affordability concerns voters have, but energy analysts added that it could take years for Venezuela’s oil industry — plagued by mismanagement, corruption and sanctions — to recover.  

“Both upside and downside scenarios have significant implications for Venezuela’s outlook, debt markets, global oil supply, and the US standing in the region and the world,” Bloomberg Economics analyst Jimena Zuniga wrote. 

Following the Trump news conference, a US official laid out some priorities for the coming days, saying that administration officials will engage diplomatically with those remaining in the Venezuelan government, as well as with oil executives on expanding output. The official said the US military will remain ready and the oil embargo will remain in effect. US strikes on suspected drug vessels will continue. 

Yet the uncertainty over what really happens next hung over Caracas as it settled into its first night without Maduro in more than a decade, with many of his regime’s loyal backers still in the country. 

That reality, and Delcy Rodríguez’s long history with Maduro, are “why I’m a bit skeptical this can work out long term,” said Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program and head of the Future of Venezuela Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

All day long, Venezuelans lined up outside grocery stores and gas stations amid worries about the nation’s future. 

“A bigger concern really would be that this all falls apart here, that there isn’t an effort to make sure there’s a successful handoff,” said Matt Terrill, managing partner at Firehouse Strategies. 

Iraq, Afghanistan

While Trump sought to project optimism, the military maneuver recalled past US efforts at regime change that yielded mixed results. 

Under President George W. Bush the US invaded two countries, Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and Iraq, to depose Saddam Hussein, in 2003. Both conflicts and the insurgencies they spawned mired the US in bloody and costly occupations for years. Frustration over those deployments and the messy Afghanistan withdrawal helped propel Trump to the presidency twice.

It’s now a legacy he — and perhaps Rubio, a potential 2028 presidential candidate — risks taking on. 

“This is, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning,” CSIS’s Berg wrote on Saturday. “Venezuela will enter a long transition with even greater U.S. involvement in shaping the government to come.” 

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

International Leaders Respond to US Seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

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International Leaders Respond to US Seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

Trump on Venezuela: “We are going to run the country”

Leaders around the world have responded with a mix of condemnation and support to the US capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro.

Following a large-scale strike on Venezuela on Saturday, Maduro and his wife were captured by US forces and removed from the country. The pair have been indicted on drug charges in New York.

In an initial response, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would “shed no tears” for the end of Maduro’s regime.

Neighbouring Latin American countries condemned the actions, as did Venezuela’s long-term allies, Russia and China. China said it was “deeply shocked and strongly condemns” the use of force against a sovereign country and its president.

Russia accused the US of committing “an act of armed aggression”.

Iran, which is locked in its own dispute with Trump over his promise of intervention in its country, called the strikes a “flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty”.

Trump said the US will “run” Venezuela “until we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition”.

Many Latin American leaders condemned the US actions.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva wrote on X that the actions “cross an unacceptable line”, adding that “attacking countries in flagrant violation of international law is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability”.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the strikes an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America, while Chile’s President Gabriel Boric expressed “concern and condemnation” and called for “a peaceful solution to the serious crisis affecting the country”.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Cane accused the US of a “criminal attack”, while Uruguay said in an official statement that it was monitoring developments “with attention and serious concern” and “rejects, as it always has, military intervention”.

Trump has indicated that Cuba could become part of a broader US policy in the region, calling it a failing nation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuba was a disaster run by incompetent leaders who supported Maduro’s administration and that the government in Havana should be concerned.

The Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged citizens to remain calm and to trust the country’s leadership and military, saying “the world needs to speak out about this attack” according to news agency Reuters.

But Argentinian President Javier Milei – who Trump has described as his “favourite president” – wrote “freedom moves forward” and “long live freedom” on social media.

Getty Images Two men hold posters of the late Hugo Chávez (left) and Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro (right) above their heads in front of large green trees and a small gathering of peopleGetty Images

Government supporters hold posters of the late Hugo Chávez (left) and Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer refused to be drawn into whether or not the military action may have broken international law.

He did not condemn the US strikes in an interview with the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme on Saturday morning

He said he was waiting to establish all the facts but would not “shy away from this”, adding he was a “lifelong advocate of international law”.

The UK was not involved in the strikes and Sir Keir said he had not spoken to Trump about the operation.

Later on Saturday, he posted on X that the UK “regarded Maduro as an illegitimate president and we shed no tears about the end of his regime”.

“The UK government will discuss the evolving situation with US counterparts in the days ahead as we seek a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people,” he added.

The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas reiterated the bloc’s position that Maduro lacks legitimacy, that there should be a peaceful transition of power, and that the principles of international law must be respected.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the transition of power “must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people” in a post on X.

He added he hoped González – the opposition’s 2024 presidential candidate – could ensure the transition.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the legality of the US operation was “complex” and international law in general must apply.

He warned that “political instability must not be allowed to arise in Venezuela”.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected”, his spokesperson said. He was “deeply alarmed” by the strikes, which set a “dangerous precedent”.

In the US, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said: “Let me be clear, Maduro is an illegitimate dictator, but launching military action without congressional authorisation, without a federal plan for what comes next, is reckless.”

Elsewhere, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, a staunch US ally, congratulated Trump on his “bold and historic leadership on behalf of freedom and justice”.

Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand said “Canada calls on all parties to respect international law and we stand by the people of Venezuela and their desire to live in a peaceful and democratic society”. Canada was engaging with international partners, she said.

Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said “international law is universal and binding for all states.

“The American intervention in Venezuela is not in accordance with international law.”

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Republicans in the US support Trump on Venezuela despite some faint dissent from MAGA supporters | News on US-Venezuela tensions

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Republicans in the US support Trump on Venezuela despite some faint dissent from MAGA supporters | News on US-Venezuela tensions

Since coming down the escalator in 2015 to announce his first presidential run, Donald Trump has presented himself as a break from the traditional hawkish foreign policy in the United States.

The US president has even criticised some of his political rivals as “warmongers” and “war hawks”.

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But Trump’s move to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and announce that the US will “run” the Latin American country has drawn comparisons with the regime change wars that he built a political career rejecting.

Some critics from Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, who backed his message of focusing on the country’s own issues instead of conflicts abroad, are criticising Washington’s march to war with Venezuela.

Still, Trump’s grip on Republican politics appears to remain firm, with most legislators from the party praising Trump’s actions.

“To President Trump and his team, you should take great pride in setting in motion the liberation of Venezuela,” Senator Lindsey Graham wrote in a social media post.

“As I have often said, it is in America’s national security interest to deal with the drug caliphate in our backyard, the centrepiece of which is Venezuela.”

Graham’s reference to a “drug caliphate” seems to play on Islamophobic tropes and promote the push to liken the US attacks on alleged drug traffickers in Latin America to the so-called “war on terror”.

The US senator heaped praise on the winner of the FIFA Peace Prize – handed to Trump by the association’s chief, Gianni Infantino, in December – and called him “the GOAT of the American presidency”, which stands for “the greatest of all time”.

Muted criticism

While it was expected that Graham and other foreign policy hawks in Trump’s orbit would back the moves against Venezuela, even some of the Republican sceptics of foreign interventions cheered the abduction of Maduro.

Former Congressman Matt Gaetz, one of the most vocal critics of hawkish foreign policy on the right, poked fun at the “capture” of the Venezuelan president.

“Maduro is gonna hate CECOT,” he wrote on X, referring to the notorious prison in El Salvador where the Trump administration sent hundreds of suspected gang members without due process.

Libertarian Senator Rand Paul, who has been a leading voice in decrying Congress’s war-making power, only expressed muted disapproval of Trump’s failure to seek lawmakers’ authorisation for military action in Venezuela.

“Time will tell if regime change in Venezuela is successful without significant monetary or human cost,” he wrote in a lengthy statement that mostly argued against bringing “socialism” to the US.

“Best though, not to forget, that our founders limited the executive’s power to go to war without Congressional authorisation for a reason – to limit the horror of war and limit war to acts of defence. Let’s hope those precepts of peace are not forgotten in our justified relief that Maduro is gone and the Venezuelan people will have a second chance.”

Early on Saturday morning, Republican Senator Mike Lee questioned the legality of the attack. “I look forward to learning what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorisation for the use of military force,” he wrote on X.

Lee later said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told him that US troops were executing a legal arrest warrant against Maduro.

“This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect US personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” the senator said.

Dissent

Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene was one of the few dissenting voices.

“Americans’ disgust with our own government’s never-ending military aggression and support of foreign wars is justified because we are forced to pay for it and both parties, Republicans and Democrats, always keep the Washington military machine funded and going,”  Greene wrote on X.

Greene, a former Trump ally who fell out with the US president and is leaving Congress next week, rejected the argument that Trump ordered Maduro’s “capture” because of the Venezuelan president’s alleged involvement in the drug trade.

She noted that Venezuela is not a major exporter of fentanyl, the leading cause of overdose deaths in the US.

She also underscored that, last month, Trump pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, a convicted drug trafficker who was serving a 45-year sentence in a US jail.

“Regime change, funding foreign wars, and American’s [sic] tax dollars being consistently funneled to foreign causes, foreigners both home and abroad, and foreign governments while Americans are consistently facing increasing cost of living, housing, healthcare, and learn about scams and fraud of their tax dollars is what has most Americans enraged,” Greene said.

Congressman Tomas Massie, another Republican, shared a speech he delivered in the House of Representatives earlier this month, warning that attacking Venezuela is about “oil and regime change”.

“Are we prepared to receive swarms of the 25 million Venezuelans, who will likely become refugees, and billions in American treasure that will be used to destroy and inevitably rebuild that nation? Do we want a miniature Afghanistan in the Western Hemisphere?” Massie said in the remarks.

“If that cost is acceptable to this Congress, then we should vote on it as a voice of the people and in accordance with our Constitution.”

While Massie and Greene are outliers in their party, Trump’s risky moves in Venezuela were a success in the short term: Maduro is in US custody at a minimal cost to Washington.

Similarly, few Republicans opposed the US war in Iraq when then-President George W Bush stood under the “mission accomplished” sign on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln after toppling Iraq’s leader, Saddam Hussein, in 2003.

But there is now a near consensus across the political spectrum that the Iraq invasion was a geopolitical disaster.

The fog of war continues to hang over Venezuela, and it is unclear who is in charge of the country, or how Trump will “run” it.

The US president has not ruled out deploying “boots on the ground” to Venezuela, raising the prospect of a US occupation and the possibility of another Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan.

“Do we truly believe that Nicolas Maduro will be replaced by a modern-day George Washington? How did that work out in… Libya, Iraq or Syria?” Massie warned in his Congress speech.

“Previous presidents told us to go to war over WMDs, weapons of mass destruction, that did not exist. Now, it’s the same playbook, except we’re told that drugs are the WMDs.”

Venezuela’s Supreme Court mandates Delcy Rodriguez to assume interim presidency

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Venezuela’s Supreme Court mandates Delcy Rodriguez to assume interim presidency

Venezuela’s Supreme Court orders Delcy Rodriguez become interim president

Venezuelans respond to the arrest of Maduro by the US with a mix of hope and uncertainty

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Venezuelans respond to the arrest of Maduro by the US with a mix of hope and uncertainty

Getty Images A man wipes his tears while holding flags of Venezuela and the United States next to the statue of Simon Bolivar in Bogota, Colombia during a rally after Nicolás Maduro's capture.Getty Images

Protestors held a rally in Bogota, Colombia after Nicolás Maduro’s capture.

As the dust settles in Caracas, Venezuelans are reacting to the news of President Nicolás Maduro’s capture by the US with hope, fear, and uncertainty.

People began to emerge in the streets Saturday after a night rocked by explosions in the Caracas Valley, with moods that ranged from celebration to condemnation.

Dina, a local resident, told the BBC that for now, she is grateful to the US for “taking Maduro out of here” because now, she “at least can see some light at the end of the tunnel again”.

But the political climate remains tense, part of why she did not give the BBC her real name.

Jorge, another Venezuelan who lives near Caracas, told the BBC that while he’s grateful to be “well-supported by Trump and the entire United States”, he fears the coming days will not be easy.

“Now that they are taking this man away, what’s going to happen?” Jorge told the BBC. “It doesn’t guarantee us anything. So there is a bit of uncertainty. We don’t know what the coming days will bring.”

Supporters of Maduro’s government have also been rallying in the streets of Caracas, demanding the US release their leader. Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez, a firm government loyalist, joined in the rally to protest against what she called Maduro’s “kidnapping”.

Early Saturday, US forces under President Donald Trump carried out a series of targeted attacks in Venezuela’s capital, ultimately taking the country’s leader into US custody.

The US accuses Maduro of running a “narco-terrorist” regime. He is widely seen by opponents within his country as well as by foreign governments as having illegitimately won Venezuela’s 2024 election.

Maduro – who leads the United Socialist Party and has been in power since 2013 – has frequently been accused of repressing opposition groups and silencing dissent in Venezuela, at times with the use of violence.

As Maduro and his wife are extradited to New York City to face drug trafficking and weapons charges, the future of Venezuela remains unclear. Trump has said the US will run the country – and manage its oil reserves – until a permanent replacement for Maduro can be established.

Maduro has previously rejected US claims he has direct involvement in drug trafficking.

But even for those who are grateful to see Maduro gone, there’s still a lot of fear and uncertainty, several Venezuelans told the BBC.

Dina isn’t putting much faith in Trump.

“He says something now and tomorrow he changes his mind,” Dina said of Trump. “I mean, I’m not used to taking his words seriously.”

The “only thing that was good” about what Trump has said since Maduro’s capture, Dina said, is that the US will be investing in Venezuela, which she hopes will lead to “a better economic situation” for the struggling country.

Venezuela VP: Maduro is ‘the only president’

The danger of speaking out against Maduro is still very real within Venezuela, as the National Assembly – which is dominated by Maduro loyalists – passed a law a few weeks ago declaring anyone who expresses support for US naval blockades a “traitor”.

Jorge said he saw motorcyclists from colectivos, which are pro-government paramilitary groups in Venezuela, roaming the streets with weapons yesterday.

“It makes you a bit afraid to even go out to buy bread right now,” he said. “We’ll have to wait for the best and have patience.”

Jorge added that he’s worried about the influence of Maduro’s ally, Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace.

“He is a very bad person, very spiteful,” Jorge said of Cabello. “I don’t know how many people he has on his side. Hopefully, the army stands with the people and he loses some control.”

Sandra, who lives in the Venezuelan city of Punto Fijo, echoed Jorge and Dina’s relief at Maduro’s ousting. But, she too is skeptical about the future and what it means for Venezuelans in exile.

Close to eight million Venezuelans have left Venezuela since Maduro came to power – and many of them have been openly celebrating Maduro’s capture in the streets of the cities where they have settled.

In addition to the millions in exile, others are “missing, imprisoned, dead, or merely surviving”, — which is “a true tragedy that had not been addressed by any country”, Sandra said.

“This is only the beginning; we know there is still a long road ahead,” Sandra added. “No country had previously heard the cry of Venezuelans in the face of this tragedy”.

Tom Bateman, Cristobal Vasquez and Kristina Volk contributed to this report.

Retired Colonel Warns that Deploying U.S. Troops in Venezuela Could Lead to a ‘Force Protection Nightmare’ Due to Potential Insurgency Threats

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Retired Colonel Warns that Deploying U.S. Troops in Venezuela Could Lead to a ‘Force Protection Nightmare’ Due to Potential Insurgency Threats

President Donald Trump left open the possibility of deploying U.S. ground troops in Venezuela as he vowed to rebuild the country’s oil infrastructure.

While the military pulled off a stunning feat by extracting dictator Nicolas Maduro without any loss of American lives and only taking minimal damage to aircraft, maintaining order in Venezuela is a different story.

When pressed on the potential role of U.S. forces going forward and whether there will be boots on the ground in Venezuela, Trump didn’t shy away from it.

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” he told reporters at a briefing on Saturday. “We’re not afraid of it. We don’t mind saying it, and we’re gonna make sure that that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain.”

It remains to be seen whether the U.S. will seek full regime change as key figures in Maduro’s government remain in power, and Trump claimed Vice President Delcy Rodriguez is willing to so what Washington wants.

But the U.S. record after toppling oppressive leaders is mixed, retired Air Force Col. Cedric Leighton pointed out. Success in Germany and Japan after World War II contrasts with prolonged counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan in the last two decades.

“The risk with Venezuela is that it could be a hostile environment as well, and that could put U.S. forces in great danger,” he told CNN.

In that a scenario, the Venezuelan military has had plans for years that indicate it would engage in guerrilla warfare, Leighton added.

An insurgency could involve Venezuelan forces melting back into the hills or hiding in city slums while attacking U.S. troops. 

“So these are the kinds of things that we definitely would have to be prepared for and could very well become a force protection nightmare if it’s not handled carefully and if the governance isn’t put in place to really in essence make for that to happen,” he warned.

Military personnel are seen as many residents are seen leaving their homes located within the Military Complex of Fuerte Tiuna in Caracas, Venezuela on January 3, 2026.
Boris Vergara—Anadolu via Getty Images

The remaining leaders of the Maduro regime were defiant. Rodriguez demanded his return, calling the U.S. raid “an atrocity that violates international law.”

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged Venezuelans to “trust in the political leadership and military” and “get out on the streets” to defend the country.

“These rats attacked and they will regret what they did,” he said, referring to the U.S.

And Defense Minister Gen. Vladimir Padrino López said Venezuela will resist the ‍presence of foreign troops, adding “They have attacked us but will not break us.”

Trump said Saturday that U.S. oil companies will rebuild Venezuela’s energy infrastructure and spend billions of dollars that will eventually be recouped with export revenue.

If there’s an insurgency, U.S. troops or security contractors would presumably be called on to protect company employees and assets.

That would likely require a much larger military presence than there is right now. Ahead of Maduro’s capture, the Pentagon said there were about 15,000 troops in the Caribbean last month. By comparison, hundreds of thousands of troops were in Iraq and Afghanistan during those wars.

For now, U.S. forces remain in the region at a high state of readiness, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine told reporters.

“The American armada remains poised in position, and the United States retains all military options until the United States’ demands have been fully met and fully satisfied,” Trump said. “All political and military figures in Venezuela should understand what happened to Maduro can happen to them.” 

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

2025 Swammy Awards: Highlighting the Best Races in 2025 (Meters Edition)

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2025 Swammy Awards: Highlighting the Best Races in 2025 (Meters Edition)

By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

See all of our 2025 Swammy Awards here

Earlier this week, we published the Swammy Award for the top-10 yards races of 2025. This is the meters edition, and it was even harder to determine.

The 2025 calendar year saw a number of major meters meets, including the Long Course World Championships in Singapore, the SC World Cup series, and the SC European Championships. Between these meets, the World University Games, World Junior Championships, and all the international qualifying meets, there was a lot of fast swimming.

It is important to note that this list is not a world record ranking list, and that there are a variety of factors influencing placements. This list is entirely subjective, which means your top-10 might not align with ours. Feel free to share your top-10 races in the comments below.

We will, like usual, start with the Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

  • Luca Urlando (USA), 200 Butterfly Final –2025 World Championships: The United States men struggled at the 2025 World Championships after dealing with illness during the meet. Luca Urlando, who had battled injury for years, was the bright spot on the roster, winning the men’s 200 fly final to pick up the only American men’s gold medal of the meet. He swam a new personal best 1:51.87 to become the 4th person in history under 1:50 in the event.
  • Kate Douglass (USA), 100 Freestyle Final — 2025 World Cup Toronto: The 2025 World Cup was full of exceptional swims and the final stop in Toronto saw numerous World Records. Kate Douglass and Gretchen Walsh were locked in a fierce battle for the overall win, and the title came down to the 2nd-to-last event, the women’s 100 free final. Walsh had a very strong 100 fly which put Douglass in a position where she needed a World Record to win, and she delivered. After breaking the World Record in 50.19 the week prior, Douglass became the first woman in history to break the 50 second barrier, touching in 49.93.
  • Pieter Coetze (RSA), 100 Backstroke Final — 2025 World University Games: Going into the year, there were a number of men who seemed to be contenders for the 100 backstroke world title, but South Africa’s Pieter Coetze was not on most people’s radars as one of them. That all changed at the 2025 World University Games in Berlin. In the semifinal, Coetze shattered his African Record of 52.58 to touch in 52.18, which was the 4th fastest time in the world. The following night, he swam an even more impressive 51.99 to become the 8th fastest man in history, break his own African and WUGs record, and officially cement himself as one of the top backstrokers in the world. This swim is what earned him an honorable mention spot on the list because it was so unexpected. At the World Championships, he ultimately won gold in 51.85 to tie for 3rd fastest all-time, but the WUGs was his official “coming out” ceremony.
  • Rylee Erisman (USA), 100 Freestyle Final — 2025 World Junior Championships: Speaking of “coming out” ceremonies one of the top breakout swimmers of the year was American teenager Rylee Erisman. While she had broken NAG records and had strong sprint freestyle swims in yards, she had not seen huge success in long course. That changed at the 2025 World Junior Championships, particularly with her 100 freestyle performance. In the prelims, she dropped six tenths from her lifetime best 53.75 to swim 53.17, locking up the top spot in the semifinals and shattering the Championship Record. In the semifinal, she lowered the time even more to swim 53.09 to earn the middle lane for the final. On the 3rd day of the meet, she swam in the event final, throwing down a massive 52.79 which would have won the bronze medal at Worlds. She was just 0.9 seconds off Penny Oleksiak‘s WJR of 52.70 that she swam to win Olympic gold in 2016.
  • Marrit Steenbergen (NED), 200 IM Final — 2025 European SC Championships: The 2025 European SC Championships was the best meet of Marrit Steenbergen‘s career so far. She swam four individual events and set five European Records, taking down legends Sarah Sjostrom and Katinka Hosszu. On the fifth day of competition, Steenbergen, who came into the meet with a lifetime best 2:04.94, blasted a 2:01.83 to drop three seconds and take three hundredths off Hosszu’s 2:01.86 record from 2014. She moved up to the 2nd fastest performer in history in the event, now only two tenths off Kate Douglass‘s World Record time of 2:01.63.
  • Hubert Kos (HUN), 200 Backstroke Final — 2025 World Cup Toronto: Another World Cup World Record came from Hubert Kos in the men’s 200 backstroke. In the first two stops of the World Cup, Kos was more than a second over his best time with his Carmel swim coming in as the faster of the two in 1:46.84. In Toronto, he blasted a 1:45.12 in the event to take more than half-a-second off Mitch Larkins 10-year-old record of 1:45.63 from 2015. After missing the record by just two-hundredths last year, Kos finally picked up his first individual World Record. He went on to also break the 100 backstroke record at the meet and win the overall World Cup standings.
  • American Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay — 2025 World Championships: Another year, another World Record for the American women’s medley relay. Despite battling illness all week that saw crucial legs Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske scratch individual events, the quartet of Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, Walsh, and Huske came together to break the World Record set by Smith, Lilly King, Walsh, and Huske at the 2024 Olympics. On top of breaking the World Record, this team of four appears to be one of the most versatile medley relays in history with all four being world class swimmers in at least one other stroke. The scariest part about this relay is that they can still go faster with Smith, Huske, and Walsh all owning faster lifetime/relay split best times.

Now to move on to our top-10 meters swims of 2025

10. Lukas Martens (GER) 400 Freestyle Final — 2025 Swim Open Stockholm

In April of this year, Germany’s Lukas Martens broke the super-suited World Record in the men’s 400 freestyle, swimming 3:39.96 to take just over a tenth off Paul Biedermann‘s 2009 record of 3:40.07.

He came into the meet with a lifetime best 3:40.33, which was the 2nd fastest textile suit time in history, only behind Sun Yang‘s 2012 swim of 3:40.14. Martens got out fast, splitting 1:47.55 to get out more than three seconds ahead of Biedermann’s WR pace of 1:51.02 at the halfway mark. The world record slowly began creeping up on him, and Biedermann’s monster final 50 split of 25.77 almost caught him, but Martens came home in 27.57 to take another supersuit World Record of the books. Only four men’s long course records remain now.


Courtesy: Stockholm Open

9. Lani Pallister (AUS) 800 Free Final — 2025 World Cup Toronto

The World Cup stop in Toronto was one of the fastest World Cup stops in history, with only the World Cup in 2009 (the last year super suits were allowed) seeing eight world records. The final day of the stop was even more historic with five world records falling in one session, the 2nd most ever among world cup stops.

Lani Pallister started the world record palooza on the final night when she swam 7:54.00 to shatter Katie Ledecky‘s former world record time of 7:57.42 from 2022. This swim marked Pallister’s first individual world record and tied the bow on an exceptional year that saw her win the world silver medal in the long course 800 free and comeback from years of injury and illness.

Any time a Ledecky record goes down it’s notable, and Pallister did it in dramatic fashion.

via NBC Sports

8. Ahmed Jaouadi (TUN) 800 Freestyle Final — 2025 World Championships

Ahmed Jaouadi won the men’s 800 free final in Singapore, touching in 7:36.88 to drop more than five seconds from his previous best time of 7:42.07 that he swam at the 2024 Olympic Games to qualify for the final.

Jaouadi was not on most people’s radars as a contender for the gold medal with the “big five” as the favorites and Jaouadi as an outside shot. In fact, in SwimSwam’s 2025 pick-ems contest only two entrants out of 504 chose Jaouadi as the winner.

He didn’t just win the race though. He set the 3rd fastest time in history and set the textile suit record, taking down countrymate Ahmed Hafnaoui‘s 2023 time of 7:37.00. The only people who have been faster are world record holder Zhang Lin (7:32.12) and fellow Tunisian Ous Mellouli (7:35.27) who both swam in the infamous polyurethane supersuits.

via NBC Sports

7. Men’s 100 Free Final — 2025 World Championships

The men’s 100 freestyle final at the 2025 World Championships was one of the most anticipated races of the meet. The excitement started in the semifinals when the 2nd heat saw seven of the eight fastest times meaning world record holder and reigning Olympic and world champion Pan Zhanle was knocked out despite finishing 3rd in his heat.

American Jack Alexy was the top seed coming into the final with his 46.81 coming in just three hundredths ahead of Romania’s David Popovici.

The event final saw David Popovici put up the 2nd fastest time in history and a new European Record swim of 46.51 to take home the gold by four tenths over Alexy’s 46.92 for 2nd. Bronze went to Australia’s Kyle Chalmers in 47.17.

With that swim, Popovici now holds five of the top 10 swims in history with #2, #3, #6, #7, and #8.

via NBC Sports

6. Summer McIntosh (CAN) 200 Fly Final — 2025 World Championships

There is one supersuit world record remaining on the women’s books and Canada’s Summer McIntosh is not shy about the fact that she wants it.. and she wants it bad.

At the 2025 Canadian Trials, she swam 2:02.26 in the 200 fly to become just the 2nd woman in history under 2:03 in the event and put herself less than half-a-second away from Liu Zige‘s 2:01.81 from 2009. Before McIntosh nobody had been within a second-and-a-half of the record with the next fastest performer in history sitting at 2:03.41.

Going into the World Championships, one of the main questions on everyone’s mind was whether she would break it or not, and she went for it. She was out a smidge slower than Zige’s World Record pace, turning in 58.41 to Zige’s 58.08, but she came home strong with a split of 1:03.58 to Zige’s 1:03.73.

Ultimately, she touched in 2:01.99 to remain the 2nd fastest performer in history, missing the 2:01.81 mark by just under two tenths. World record or not, this was one of the most impressive swims of the year, and deserved a spot on this list.

via NBC Sports

5. Summer McIntosh (CAN) Three World Records in Five Days– 2025 Canadian Trials

While she didn’t break the 200 fly World Record, Summer McIntosh still broke records in 2025. At the 2025 Canadian Swimming Trials, she lit the world of swimming on fire when she broke three world records in five days. She started the meet by shattering the women’s 400 freestyle World Record. She touched in 3:54.18 to take more than a second off Ariarne Titmus‘ time of 3:55.38 and drop nearly two seconds from the 3:56.08 she swam in 2023, which was the World Record when she set it.

Two days later, she swam the 200 IM finals on day three of the meet, touching in 2:05.70 to take more than half-a-second off Katinka Hosszu‘s former world record time of 2:06.12 from back in 2015. The biggest difference in their splits came on the backstroke leg, where McIntosh was almost a second faster.

Finally, she wrapped up her meet by breaking her own world record in the 400 IM on day five. She touched in 4:23.65 to take more than half-a-second off her former record time of 4:24.38 from the 2024 Canadian Trials. This single meet performance of three world records is a feat that has only been accomplished by Michael Phelps before with the four individual world records he set in Beijing.

All videos courtesy of CBC Sports

4. Gretchen Walsh (USA) 100 Fly Final — 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale

As we continue to work our way up this ranking, determining placement becomes a matter of splitting hairs. One of the most dominant performances we saw in 2025 was Gretchen Walsh‘s 100 butterfly.

Her record-breaking year started in the short course NCAA season, but her first long course meet of the year came at the 2025 Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale. In the prelims of the 100 fly on day three of the meet, she broke her own World Record time, with a 55.09 to come in almost a tenth ahead of the 55.18 she swam in June of 2024.

In finals, she set an even more mind-boggling time of 54.60, becoming the first woman in history under 55 seconds in the event. Sarah Sjostrom is the 2nd fastest performer nearly a second back at 55.48.

At the World Championships in Singapore, Walsh was one of the victims of the illness that plagued Team USA, but she still set the 2nd fastest time in history in the 100 fly final, swimming 54.73 to win by more than a second.

via USA Swimming

3. Katie Ledecky (USA) 800 Freestyle Final — 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale

Gretchen Walsh was not the only record breaker in Fort Lauderdale. In the same session, American distance swimmer Katie Ledecky broke her own world record in the women’s 800 freestyle to set her first personal best time in the event in nine years.

Ledecky touched in 8:04.12 to take more than six tenths off the 8:04.79 she swam at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio when she was just 19 years old.

It was also her first world record since 2018 and it came after she set her 2nd fastest performances ever in the 400 free (3:56.81) and 1500 free (15:24.51). This swim marked a return to top form for the GOAT that we just watched continue through the remainder of the calendar year.

via USA Swimming

2. Leon Marchand (FRA) 200 IM Final — 2025 World Championships

Leon Marchand swam a pared back schedule at the 2025 World Championships, taking the 200 breast and 200 fly off his schedule to focus on the IM events only. This gave swimming fans pause, especially in the wake of his rib fracture and subluxated shoulder injury.

Fans did not need to worry, however, because in the men’s 200 IM semifinal, Leon Marchand shattered the world record, touching in 1:52.69 to bypass the 1:53 mark entirely and take down Ryan Lochte‘s 2011 world record time of 1:54.00.

With this swim he became the first person under 1:54 and the first person under 1:53. In the final, he became the first person to swim 1:53, touching in 1:53.68 to take home the gold medal.

1. Women’s 800 Freestyle Final — 2025 World Championships

Could it be anything else in the top spot? The most anticipated race of the 2025 World Championships in Singapore was also the best race of the meet and the best race of the year.

Coming into the meet, the conversation surrounding the race was the female GOAT Katie Ledecky, who was fresh off a world record in the event, versus the best female swimmer in the world Summer McIntosh, who had a very strong performance of 8:05.07 at Canadian Trials in the event.

Over the first six days of the meet, McIntosh picked up gold medals in the 400 free, 200 fly, and 200 IM meanwhile Ledecky won the 1500 free and finished 3rd in the 400 free.

The race started and Ledecky jumped out to an early lead, turning in 4:01.15 at the 400 mark. McIntosh was predictably right behind her, but Australia’s Lani Pallister was right there as well and the two turned in a perfect tie of 4:01.33 at halfway.

Pallister was the 3rd fastest performer in history coming into the meet behind McIntosh and Ledecky, but her best was 8:10.84 from the Australian Trials a month prior. This was a four second drop from her previous best 8:15.11 that she swam in 2023 which left many to assume that she didn’t have another huge drop in the tank, but she was staying in the mix with the other two.

At the 700 mark, McIntosh briefly took over the lead, splitting 7:05.71 to turn just over a tenth ahead of Ledecky’s 7:05.85 and four tenths ahead of Pallister’s 7:06.14.

The final 100 saw Ledecky jump back into the lead, splitting 59.77 with her final 50 of 29.53. McIntosh fell off the pace a bit, splitting 1:01.58 after splitting 30.95 on her final 50. Pallister had a monster final 100 of 59.84 after splitting 29.11 on her final 50 to jump into 2nd over McIntosh.

Ultimately, Ledecky earned the gold medal in 8:05.62, a new Championship Record. Pallister won the silver in 8:05.98, and McIntosh was bronze in 8:07.29.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2025 Swammy Awards: Top Races of 2025 (Meters Edition)

Ample Storage and Guest Bedroom Featured in Extra-Wide Camden Tiny House

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Ample Storage and Guest Bedroom Featured in Extra-Wide Camden Tiny House

Though it’s not overly long, the Camden tiny house is extra-wide, and this makes all the difference inside. The home’s interior layout takes advantage of the increased space with a storage-heavy design that includes both a master bedroom downstairs and a secondary one up top.

The Camden is based on a triple-axle trailer and is finished in engineered wood siding, with generous glazing and a steel roof. Power comes from a standard RV-style hookup.

The tiny house measures 30 ft (9.1 m) in length, which is on the smaller side of average for a North American tiny house, while its 10 ft (3 m) width is an increase over the standard 8.5 ft (2.6 m). This means that it will need a permit to tow on a public road, but as long as you’re not planning on constantly moving around, that’s not a problem.

The extra girth is most noticeable in the main living area, which centers around a combined kitchen and lounge. The kitchen features L-shaped custom cabinetry, a propane-powered oven and three-burner stove, a full-height pantry, and space for a compact apartment-ready fridge, microwave, and other appliances. There’s also a small breakfast bar for two. The living room area is empty in the promo shots but has space for a sofa and TV to be installed at a later date.

The Camden’s kitchen includes a propane-powered oven and cooktop

Indigo River Tiny Homes

One of the major challenges of tiny house living is limited storage. To address this, the Camden is packed with lots of little nooks throughout, including in the main living space. The storage focus continues in the bathroom, which has a walk-in shower, a sink, a flushing toilet, and quite a lot of cabinetry.

Over on the opposite side of the living space to the bathroom is the main bedroom. This has a ton of storage too, including built-in cabinetry, a storage-integrated bed, and a catwalk-style loft above that provides additional room for storing belongings. Additionally, thanks to its ground-floor position, it has ample headroom to stand upright, which is always a nice benefit in a tiny house.

Elsewhere, situated over the bathroom, is the secondary bedroom. This is a typical loft space with a low ceiling and is reached by a removable ladder. It could also potentially serve as a hobby area or another storage space.

The Camden's master bedroom is downstairs and includes a storage-integrated double bed
The Camden’s master bedroom is downstairs and includes a storage-integrated double bed

Indigo River Tiny Homes

The Camden is being sold by Indigo River Tiny Homes, but it was built by the firm’s partners, MRP Tiny Homes. It’s currently up for sale for US$129,000.

Source: Indigo River Tiny Homes

Breaking News: Venezuelan President Maduro Arrives in New York Amid Controversy | Latest Updates on Donald Trump’s Response

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Breaking News: Venezuelan President Maduro Arrives in New York Amid Controversy | Latest Updates on Donald Trump’s Response

Live updates,

The United States has bombed Venezuela and toppled Nicolas Maduro, who was seized and taken to New York.

Published On 3 Jan 2026

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