Volume 44         Issue Eleven         November 2025

Last Trumpet Ministries · PO Box 806 · Beaver Dam, WI 53916

Phone: 920-887-2626   Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” I Cor. 14:8

A Deeply Troubled World

 

“But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.”

 

Psalm 37:39-40

 

These days, precious little is done without controversy. In a deeply troubled world, everything can feel like a fight, a battle, or a conflict. Consider these examples: The United States has taken the “war on drugs” to another level as the military, under the guidance of President Donald Trump, has blown up numerous Venezuelan boats said to be carrying illicit drugs. These attacks have intensified as American forces move closer to the region and threaten a conflict that could become a war with Venezuela on land and sea.

 

Across the Atlantic Ocean, much of Europe is on edge as Russia continues its war with Ukraine and encroaches upon the sovereign territory of other European nations. Elsewhere, revolutions have toppled governments in Nepal and Madagascar as young people rise up and send their former leaders into exile.

 

Discontentment is prevalent across the United States as throngs of angry demonstrators gather for No Kings Protests in response to what they consider the rise of an autocratic President. Meanwhile, a prolonged government shutdown threatens disastrous consequences for the American people. The uncertainty has left us to wonder: When will it end? How much damage will it cause?

 

In other news, President Trump brokered a historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending a brutal war that broke out between the two sides in 2023. If the fragile truce holds, it could bring a measure of stability to the Middle East. However, given the animosity on both sides of the conflict, a lasting peace is not a foregone conclusion.  There is much for us to consider as we watch and pray in these perilous times.

 

The New War On Drugs

 

Could there soon be war in Venezuela? Since his return to the White House, President Trump has renewed the war on drugs. Clearly, Trump favors a more direct approach than his predecessors. In recent weeks, the United States military has conducted strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific said to be carrying narcotics originating from Venezuela and Colombia. On September 2, 2025, President Trump announced that American forces had struck a boat in the Caribbean Sea loaded with drugs and headed for the United States. According to Trump, “The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action.” Those aboard the vessel were identified as members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which, according to the President, “is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization operating under the control of [Venezuelan President] Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere.” (1) Following the attack, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that more strikes would follow in the days to come. “Suffice it to say that the President is going to be on offense against drug cartels, drug trafficking in the United States. It destabilizes not just the country, but the entire Caribbean Basin. So the President’s been very clear that he’s going to use the full power of America, the full might of the United States, to take on and eradicate these drug cartels, no matter where they’re operating from.” (2)

 

Since September, the attacks have continued at a steady pace. The second strike occurred on September 15 when U.S. forces struck a boat in international waters, resulting in the death of three individuals. After the strike, President Trump insisted there was proof that the vessel was carrying drugs because there were “big bags of cocaine and fentanyl all over the place.” (3) Further strikes occurred on September 19, October 3, October 14, October 16, October 17, October 21, October 22, October 24, and October 27, 2025. The attack on the 27th in the Eastern Pacific was the largest strike to date. According to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the strike targeted four drug boats and killed fourteen people. (4) “Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific,” Hegseth wrote on the social network known as X. (5) The strikes have resulted in at least fifty-seven deaths as of this writing. (6)

 

Rand Paul, the Republican Senator from Kentucky who often clashes with President Trump, has condemned the attacks on the suspected drug boats, calling them acts of war not authorized by Congress. “The drug war … or the crime war has typically been something we do through law enforcement. And so far, they have alleged that these people are drug dealers. No one said their name. No one said what evidence. No one said whether they’re armed. And we’ve had no evidence presented,” Paul said. He then continued, “So, at this point, I would call them extrajudicial killings. And this is akin to what China does, to what Iran does with drug dealers. They summarily execute people without presenting evidence to the public. So, it’s wrong.” (7)

 

Recent maneuvers suggest that the American military may be preparing for expanded operations in the region. On October 26, the USS Gravely guided missile destroyer arrived at Port-of-Spain in Trinidad and Tobago, just twenty-five miles from Venezuela. The USS Gerald R. Ford, which is the largest warship in the world, has also moved closer to Venezuela. (8) “A build-up this size can only suggest there’s a strategic military goal,” opined Dr. Carlos Solar of the Royal United Services Institute. Dr. Solar later went on to say, “One scenario is Trump authorizes a round of long-range precision attacks in Venezuela's territory linked to drug trafficking operations, eventually forcing Maduro to reciprocate later.” (9) Trump has hinted that land operations could be forthcoming. “We are looking at land now, because we've got the sea very well under control,” Trump stated. (10)

 

Adding further intrigue, President Trump confirmed that he has authorized the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. When asked if the CIA has authorization to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump declined to answer, simply stating, “I think Venezuela is feeling heat.” (11)

 

Why has Trump taken these actions against Venezuela? “I authorized for two reasons, really,” Trump explained. “Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America… they came in through the border. They came in because we had an open border. And the other thing are drugs.” (12)

 

There could be another reason Trump is going after Venezuela now. The President could be interested in reducing the influence of China and Russia in South America. Venezuela, which has a socialist government, has struggled with hyperinflation for over a decade. At the peak of its crisis, inflation reached an almost unfathomable 300,000 percent. (13) The official currency of Venezuela, known as the Bolivar, is almost worthless, and as such, many Venezuelans prefer to conduct business with US dollars. However, Venezuela has avoided complete collapse because of strategic deals with China. According to a report published by the Chinese government in May 2025, China and Venezuela enjoy an “ironclad friendship,” and the two countries entered an “all-weather strategic partnership” in 2023. The report further states that Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to firmly “support Venezuela in safeguarding sovereignty” and “social stability.” (14)

 

Much like China, Russia has been a key ally of Venezuela for years. Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with Venezuelan President Maduro more than ten times since 2013. In April 2025, Putin said of Venezuela, “Today, our relationship has reached a strategic association level.” The two countries have approximately 350 bilateral agreements covering areas of concern, including military and defense cooperation, espionage, aerospace, nuclear energy, mining, and financial systems. “There is perfect harmony between Russia and Venezuela,” Maduro proclaimed in May 2025 as the two countries signed a 10-year alliance. Thus, the existence of the Maduro regime allows both China and Russia to have a foothold in the Americas. These close ties prompted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to say, “Venezuela stands as the epicenter for progressive leftist forces on the continent. We acknowledge with appreciation its support for Russia’s efforts to expand collaboration with the region.” (15) President Trump might be happy to ruin the “perfect harmony,” but if regime change is on the agenda, China and Russia might have something to say about it.  

 

Europe Prepares For War

 

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, there has long been speculation that the war could spill over Ukraine’s borders and impact neighboring countries such as Poland. As such, there has been a renewed interest in preparing Europe for war. Interestingly enough, a story published by the European branch of Politico has proclaimed that the European Union will be prepared for war with Russia by the year 2030. “By 2030, Europe needs a sufficiently strong European defence posture to credibly deter its adversaries, as well as respond to any aggressions,” declares a draft plan published by the European Commission. Officially known as The Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030, the plan has an especially heavy focus on Russia, declaring, “A militarised Russia poses a persistent threat to European security for the foreseeable future.” One of the main objectives of the plan is to address the European Union’s “capability gaps,” particularly in areas such as air and missile defense, military capabilities, cyber warfare, and the military applications of artificial intelligence. (16) It’s an ambitious plan, but if the war in Ukraine does spread to other countries in Europe, it might happen much sooner than 2030.

 

Given the uncertainty of the times, Poland, which borders Ukraine, has taken steps to bolster its defensive capabilities. In 2025, Poland increased its military spending to 4.7 percent of its gross domestic product, which is the highest level for any European member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. The country has invested billions of dollars in American-made weapons to counter the Russian threat. “This is our war,” said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. “We decided to arm Poland and modernize the Polish army on a massive scale.”  (17)

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted that he has no interest in attacking NATO. However, recent incursions by Russian equipment into NATO territory have set the alliance on high alert. In September, about twenty Russian drones violated Poland’s airspace. (18) Days later, drones were spotted over Denmark. Some of the incursions forced the airport in Copenhagen to temporarily close. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen suspects Russia is responsible. “Over recent days, Denmark has been the victim of hybrid attacks,” the Prime Minister said. She then added, “There is one main country that poses a threat to Europe’s security, and it is Russia.” (19) Philip Ingram, a former NATO planner and Army intelligence officer, was quoted as saying, “It’s almost certain the Russians are probing to see what a political reaction and a security reaction would be to these drone incursions. Putin wants to find any cracks that he can then exploit in the future, and then look at the military reaction, see whether NATO is actually in a position to defend itself.” (20) Perhaps the most egregious incursion into NATO territory occurred on September 19, 2025, when three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets flew over Estonia without permission for twelve minutes. (21)

 

In response to Russia’s recent tactics, Kaja Kallas, the Vice President of the European Commission, told her audience during a speech, “Europe faces an extraordinary surge of hybrid attacks. Every time a Russian drone or plane violates our airspace, there is a risk of escalation, unintended or not. Russia is gambling with war, and we are moving beyond the realms of hypothetical conflict.” (22) Kallas also revealed in her speech a proposal to use frozen Russian assets to fund a loan for Ukraine. “EU leaders are discussing a reparations loan underpinned by Russian frozen assets. We need to press on with this proposal. Turning frozen Russian funds into frontline support for Ukraine is the right thing to do. Moscow should bear the cost of this war, not European taxpayers.” If this proposal is implemented, it will surely enrage the Russians. (23)

 

When President Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, he had high hopes of ending the war in Ukraine. Yet, every indicator suggests that peace remains elusive, and much of Europe is actively preparing for war.

 

A Painful Shutdown

 

On October 1, 2025, after the Senate failed to pass a spending bill, the American government entered its first shutdown since 2018. As of this writing, the shutdown has persisted for longer than a month and could soon become the longest government shutdown in our country’s history if it exceeds thirty-five days. If the stalemate continues much longer, the consequences could be catastrophic on many fronts. So why did this shutdown happen in the first place?

 

When the Republicans passed President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year, it was highly unpopular with Democrats. They were especially critical of the new restrictions to Medicaid, claiming that millions of Americans could lose their healthcare benefits. Democrats were also angry that the Big Beautiful Bill did not extend enhanced subsidies for health plans sold on the Healthcare.gov marketplace. First enacted in 2021, the new subsidies were a holdover from the pandemic era, aimed at making health coverage more affordable for people who would not normally qualify for any government assistance with health insurance premiums. Lawmakers are concerned that millions of Americans will be unable to afford insurance next year. Thus, Democrats in the Senate are withholding support for the current funding bill until their healthcare demands are met. 

 

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, issued a statement on September 29, 2025, likening the demands from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to a ransom note. “Senator Schumer has sent us a ransom note. It’s not about a negotiation. It’s a shakedown,” Barrasso raged. He later went on to say, “The biggest scam in this ransom note is the COVID-era Biden Bonus Payments. Democrats are demanding $400 billion to continue these subsidies forever.” (24)

 

As the shutdown drags on, Democrats have shown an unwillingness to move off of their demands. This stance was highlighted by House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, a Democrat from Massachusetts, who said, “Shutdowns are terrible. Of course, there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have — it is an inflection point in this budget process where we have tried to get the Republicans to meet with us and prioritize the American people.” Clark’s statement was met with swift criticism. “That statement yesterday by that House member that they know the American people are going to suffer but this is their leverage? This isn’t about leverage. This isn’t a political game. It’s about people’s lives,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune. (25)

 

While the right blames the left and the left blames the right, the government shutdown is indicative of a government that is either unable or unwilling to do its job. This dysfunction is taking its toll on the American people who are just trying to survive in a hostile climate. As it stands, 670,000 federal employees deemed to be non-essential are furloughed, and 730,000 essential workers are forced to work without pay. (26) Meanwhile, the government has had to take special measures to pay members of the military. On October 15, President Trump ordered the Defense Department to pay the troops with any funds “that remain available for expenditure.” On October 31st, the government cobbled together $5.3 billion from three separate accounts to pay service members. (27) It remains to be seen where they will find money on the next pay date should the shutdown continue in the weeks to come.

 

The shutdown is also wreaking havoc on air travel. While air traffic controllers are considered essential employees, many are opting to call in sick rather than work without pay. Consequently, a ground delay was issued at Orlando International Airport in Florida on October 30, 2025, resulting in an average delay of 2.7 hours for flights. For a time, the airport was unable to land any arriving flights because there were no air traffic controllers available. Other airports, such as the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, and Los Angeles International Airport in California, are also experiencing significant delays. (28)

 

The shutdown could have a disastrous impact on those who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps, if the government does not find a way to pay these benefits. The program, which loads money onto a debit card each month that can be used by families in need to purchase food at the grocery store, is set to run out of funds on November 1, 2025. About 42 million Americans rely on SNAP to feed their families. (29) Thus, we see that the consequences of a government shutdown are not minor inconveniences, but real-world pain inflicted on the American people. Pain that some lawmakers call “leverage.”

 

When we consider all that is happening in the world, we are left with the distinct impression that life is a battlefield. There is trouble all around us and dangers are on every side, but we understand that God our Saviour is with us in the battle. The Apostle Paul admonishes us in II Corinthians 4:8-10, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” Psalm 46:1 also assures us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Finally, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ reminds us that we can find peace in Him, even in times of tribulation and trouble. In John 16:33, Jesus tells us, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to so now.

 

Thank you all for your continued support of this ministry. If you have any prayer needs great or small, we invite you to send us your requests. We always give each request individual attention, and we know that God hears the prayers of His people. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

 

Samuel David Meyer

 

This newsletter is made possible by the kind donations of our supporters. If you would like to help us, you may send your contribution to our postal address or donate online at http://lasttrumpetnewsletter.org/donate.

 

References

 

01. ABC News, September 2, 2025, By Hannah Demissie, Anne Flaherty, and Shannon K. Kingston, abcnews.go.com.

02. Ibid.

03. ABC News, October 28, 2025, By Anne Flaherty and Ivan Pereira, abcnews.go.com.

04. Ibid.

05. ABC News, October 28, 2025, By Alexandra Hutzler and Luis Martinez, abcnews.go.com.

06. Ibid.

07. The Hill, October 26, 2025, By Sarah Fortinsky, thehill.com.

08. Sky News, October 28, 2025, By Michael Drummond, news.sky.com.

09. Ibid.

10. Ibid.

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid.

13. The New York Times, July 21, 2025, By Genevieve Glatsky, nytimes.com.

14. Xinhua, May 10, 2025, By Xinhua, english.www.gov.cn.

15. America’s Quarterly, August 14, 2025, By Omar Lugo, americasquarterly.org.

16. Politico, October 15, 2025, By Jacopo Barigazzi and Laura Kayali, politico.eu.

17. The Wall Street Journal, October 12, 2025, By Thomas Grove and Karolina Jeznach, wsj.com.

18. Ibid.

19. The US Sun, October 13, 2025, By Juliana Cruz Lima, the-sun.com.

20. Ibid.

21. BBC News, September 19, 2025, By Jaroslav Lukiv, bbc.com.

22. The Diplomatic Service of the European Union, October 13, 2025, By EEAS Press Team, eeas.europa.eu.

23. Ibid.

24. Senate.gov, September 29, 2025, By John Barrasso, barrasso.senate.gov.

25. NBC News, October 24, 2025, By Sahil Kapur, Ryan Nobles, Brennan Leach, and Frank Thorp V, nbcnews.com.

26. Bipartisan Policy Center, October 14, 2025, By Aaron Till and Fredrick Hernandez, bipartisanpolicy.org.

27. USA Today, October 31, 2025, By Melina Khan, usatoday.com.

28. NBC News, October 30, 2025, By Marlene Lenthang, nbcnews.com.

29. USA Today, October 28, 2025, By Melina Khan, usatoday.com.