🔗 Share this article Venezuela May Now Define President Trump's Political Legacy - and the United States' Position in the Global Order Following launching a evening of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be entering the nation-building business. In a notable media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday morning, the president declared that US forces had effectively captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an overnight raid in Caracas. Trump then indicated that a team comprising Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, collaborating with Venezuelans, would be taking control of the beleaguered nation. "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, orderly and careful transition," he said. What precisely "running the country" involves is uncertain, but the vow represents an dramatic change of course for the president, laden with inconsistencies and daunting challenges. A president who ran on opposing "endless conflicts", who sharply criticised past US attempts at overthrowing governments and who promised to implement an "America First" international policy is now gambling his presidency on successfully rebuilding a South American nation whose economic system is in shambles and whose political stability has been eroded by years of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly optimistic. He stated his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this would be no exception. He promised to recruit American oil firms to repair Venezuela's deteriorating production infrastructure, supplying financing for the American reconstruction efforts and aiding the Venezuelan people. He declined to rule out deploying American soldiers to Venezuela to advance these efforts. "We're not afraid of boots on the ground…we had boots on the ground last night," he told reporters. Trump, a vocal opponent of the US invasion of Iraq, will now have to heed the words of one of the American architects of the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell: "If you break it, you own it." A Changed Global Approach The US has reshaped Venezuela's prospects – for better or worse. Trump came to power nearly a year ago promising to be a peacemaker, but over the past year he has demonstrated that he is quite prepared to use armed force worldwide. In the past week, he ordered air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, militias in Somalia and jihadist fighters in Iraq. In contrast to previous actions, which have mostly involved missiles and aircraft that reduce the risk of American forces to harm, Trump's Venezuela strike – and his commitments to the future of that nation – are notably different. His aim, he said during his press conference, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Reactions from Allies and Critics That twist on Trump's "MAGA" – or Maga - mantra could be hard for some of Trump's supporters to swallow. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a one-time Trump ally who broke with the president after accusing him of deserting his core supporters, was quick to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's perpetual military aggression and support of foreign wars is justified because we are forced to fund it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. How mistaken we were." Another prominent Trump detractor, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the official rationale for Maduro's arrest – on weapons and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to reclaim seized US oil and stop fentanyl production. Most Republican lawmakers stood by the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson characterizing the armed intervention against a "criminal regime" as "firm and warranted". Policy Rationales and Worldwide Consequences During his appearance, the president said the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" agenda because it guaranteed US hemispheric security and provided a steady source of oil. He dusted off the Monroe Doctrine – an nineteenth-century American diplomatic policy that asserted the Western Hemisphere should be free from influence by European powers – and renamed it the "Trump Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will not be challenged again." The purpose of the new US national security strategy, he said, was to "protect commerce, land and assets that are central to our national security." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "backyard." Trump's decision to apprehend Maduro will provoke broader questions in global politics, however, and affect American ties with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese foreign ministry released a statement voicing surprise and condemning what it said was a irresponsible assault on a sovereign nation. During the Biden administration, the US offered comparable condemnations of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has often seemed to be more favourable to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican congressman, voiced concern about the precedent Trump's actions might send. "My main concern is now Russia will use this to excuse their unlawful and brutal military actions against Ukraine, or China to justify an attack of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic critics were more direct. "The United States should not be running other countries for any purpose," said a senator who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee. "We should have understood by now not to get entangled in endless wars and overthrow attempts that carry devastating consequences for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker stated Maduro is a criminal and a autocrat with a record of rights violations. But he condemned Trump's decision not to inform congressional leaders before initiating the attack. "The President has the constitutional responsibility to abide by the law and protect democratic norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First requires." Trump, in his remarks, said that he opted not to inform Congress because he was worried they would "disclose" particulars of the operation prior to the attack. A Path Forward Shrouded in Doubt That mission was a success – with zero American casualties and minimal damage to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic confidence, described the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most astonishing, effective and impressive demonstrations of American military might and proficiency in US history." Now he is betting his presidency on that victory enduring, as the US says it will assume responsibility for administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that truly entails remains unknown. He and his administration must rebuild a nation that has been in turmoil for years while stabilising a hemisphere that is sure to be cautious of what Trump's foreign policy has in store for them.
Following launching a evening of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be entering the nation-building business. In a notable media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday morning, the president declared that US forces had effectively captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an overnight raid in Caracas. Trump then indicated that a team comprising Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, collaborating with Venezuelans, would be taking control of the beleaguered nation. "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, orderly and careful transition," he said. What precisely "running the country" involves is uncertain, but the vow represents an dramatic change of course for the president, laden with inconsistencies and daunting challenges. A president who ran on opposing "endless conflicts", who sharply criticised past US attempts at overthrowing governments and who promised to implement an "America First" international policy is now gambling his presidency on successfully rebuilding a South American nation whose economic system is in shambles and whose political stability has been eroded by years of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly optimistic. He stated his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this would be no exception. He promised to recruit American oil firms to repair Venezuela's deteriorating production infrastructure, supplying financing for the American reconstruction efforts and aiding the Venezuelan people. He declined to rule out deploying American soldiers to Venezuela to advance these efforts. "We're not afraid of boots on the ground…we had boots on the ground last night," he told reporters. Trump, a vocal opponent of the US invasion of Iraq, will now have to heed the words of one of the American architects of the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell: "If you break it, you own it." A Changed Global Approach The US has reshaped Venezuela's prospects – for better or worse. Trump came to power nearly a year ago promising to be a peacemaker, but over the past year he has demonstrated that he is quite prepared to use armed force worldwide. In the past week, he ordered air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, militias in Somalia and jihadist fighters in Iraq. In contrast to previous actions, which have mostly involved missiles and aircraft that reduce the risk of American forces to harm, Trump's Venezuela strike – and his commitments to the future of that nation – are notably different. His aim, he said during his press conference, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Reactions from Allies and Critics That twist on Trump's "MAGA" – or Maga - mantra could be hard for some of Trump's supporters to swallow. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a one-time Trump ally who broke with the president after accusing him of deserting his core supporters, was quick to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's perpetual military aggression and support of foreign wars is justified because we are forced to fund it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. How mistaken we were." Another prominent Trump detractor, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the official rationale for Maduro's arrest – on weapons and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to reclaim seized US oil and stop fentanyl production. Most Republican lawmakers stood by the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson characterizing the armed intervention against a "criminal regime" as "firm and warranted". Policy Rationales and Worldwide Consequences During his appearance, the president said the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" agenda because it guaranteed US hemispheric security and provided a steady source of oil. He dusted off the Monroe Doctrine – an nineteenth-century American diplomatic policy that asserted the Western Hemisphere should be free from influence by European powers – and renamed it the "Trump Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will not be challenged again." The purpose of the new US national security strategy, he said, was to "protect commerce, land and assets that are central to our national security." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "backyard." Trump's decision to apprehend Maduro will provoke broader questions in global politics, however, and affect American ties with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese foreign ministry released a statement voicing surprise and condemning what it said was a irresponsible assault on a sovereign nation. During the Biden administration, the US offered comparable condemnations of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has often seemed to be more favourable to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican congressman, voiced concern about the precedent Trump's actions might send. "My main concern is now Russia will use this to excuse their unlawful and brutal military actions against Ukraine, or China to justify an attack of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic critics were more direct. "The United States should not be running other countries for any purpose," said a senator who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee. "We should have understood by now not to get entangled in endless wars and overthrow attempts that carry devastating consequences for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker stated Maduro is a criminal and a autocrat with a record of rights violations. But he condemned Trump's decision not to inform congressional leaders before initiating the attack. "The President has the constitutional responsibility to abide by the law and protect democratic norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First requires." Trump, in his remarks, said that he opted not to inform Congress because he was worried they would "disclose" particulars of the operation prior to the attack. A Path Forward Shrouded in Doubt That mission was a success – with zero American casualties and minimal damage to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic confidence, described the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most astonishing, effective and impressive demonstrations of American military might and proficiency in US history." Now he is betting his presidency on that victory enduring, as the US says it will assume responsibility for administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that truly entails remains unknown. He and his administration must rebuild a nation that has been in turmoil for years while stabilising a hemisphere that is sure to be cautious of what Trump's foreign policy has in store for them.