By WILL WEISSERT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump headed to North Carolina on Friday where he planned to honor members of the special forces who stormed into Venezuela last month and whisked away Nicolás Maduro, the leader of the South American country, to face drug smuggling charges in the United States. Related Articles A US shipment of medicine to Venezuela signals a new era of cooperation Virginia redistricting election will go forward while court considers appeal State Department orders nonprofit libraries to stop processing passport applications As electricity costs rise, everyone wants data centers to pick up their tab. But how? Justice Department sues Harvard for data as it investigates how race factors into admissions First lady Melania Trump was joining the Republican president on the trip to Fort Bragg, one of the largest military bases in the world by population, to spend time with military families. Leaving the White House, Trump cheered government data showing that inflation fell to nearly a five-year low last month as the increase in apartment rental prices slowed and gas prices declined. “The numbers were surprising except to me they weren’t surprising,” Trump told reporters. “We have very modest inflation, which is what you want to have.” Trump has traveled more frequently to states that could play key roles in November’s midterm congressional elections, including a stop before Christmas in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The White House has been trying to promote Trump’s economic policies, including attempts to bring down the cost of living at a time when many people are growing frustrated with his efforts to improve affordability. The president spoke at Fort Bragg in June at an event meant to recognize the 250th anniversary of the Army. But that celebration was overshadowed by his partisan remarks describing protesters in Los Angeles as “animals” and his defense of deploying the military there. Trump has since deployed the National Guard to places such as the nation’s capital and Memphis, Tennessee, as well as other federal law enforcement officials involved in his crackdown on immigration. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, announced Thursday that the administration is ending the operations in Minnesota that led to the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens. “The blue cities are the cities that are unsafe,” Trump said Friday, referring to areas run by Democrats. Trump’s visit Friday was intended to celebrate the service members involved in the dramatic ouster of Maduro, an operation he has described as requiring bravery and advanced weapons. Rather than push for elections in Venezuela, Trump says his administration is inviting top oil companies there to rebuild its energy industry. U.S. officials also have seized tankers as part of their broad oversight of the country’s oil industry. “The relationship is strong, the oil is coming out,” Trump said Friday. He added: “We have our big oil companies going in, they’re going to be pumping out the oil and selling the oil for a lot of money.” Trump plans a Florida gathering next month of leaders from a number of Latin American countries as the administration spotlights what it sees as concerning Chinese influence in the region. ...read more read less