🔗 Share this article Venezuela Is Poised to Define Trump's Legacy - and America's Position in the Global Order Following launching a evening of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump seems to be entering the nation-building business. In a striking media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday morning, the commander-in-chief stated that US military forces had effectively captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation 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, proper and careful transition," he said. What exactly "running the country" involves is uncertain, but the commitment represents an sudden policy reversal for the president, full of contradictions and significant challenges. A leader who campaigned against "forever wars", who vehemently denounced past US efforts at regime change and who vowed to implement an "America first" foreign policy is now betting his administration on effectively revitalizing a South American nation whose economy is in shambles and whose political stability has been undermined by years of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly optimistic. He claimed his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this will be no exception. He promised to enlist American energy companies to overhaul Venezuela's deteriorating production infrastructure, supplying capital for the American reconstruction efforts and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He did not exclude deploying American soldiers to Venezuela to further these efforts. "We do not fear boots on the ground…we had boots on the ground last night," he told reporters. Trump, a sharp critic of the US intervention of Iraq, will now have to remember the words of one of the American planners of the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell: "You break it, you bought it." A Changed Global Approach The US has reshaped Venezuela's future – for better or worse. Trump took office nearly a year ago promising to be a peacemaker, but over the past year he has proven that he is quite prepared to use armed force internationally. In the past week, he ordered air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, rebel forces in Yemen, militias in Somalia and jihadist fighters in Iraq. In contrast to past operations, which have largely involved missiles and warplanes that reduce the risk of American forces to harm, Trump's Venezuela strike – and his commitments to the fate of that nation – are strikingly distinct. His goal, he said during his briefing, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Reactions from Allies and Critics That twist on Trump's "MAGA" – or Maga - slogan could be difficult for some of Trump's backers to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a one-time Trump loyalist who split from the president after charging him of abandoning his core supporters, was swift to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Americans' disgust with our own government's never ending military aggression and backing for foreign wars is understandable because we are forced to pay for it," she stated. "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 cocaine trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to reclaim seized US oil and halt fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers rallied behind the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson characterizing the armed intervention against a "criminal regime" as "decisive and justified". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his appearance, the president argued the Venezuelan operation furthered his "America First" agenda because it guaranteed US regional security and provided a reliable source of oil. He revived the Monroe Doctrine – an early 19th Century American foreign policy that asserted the Western Hemisphere should be free from influence by European powers – and rebranded it the "Trump Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "US preeminence in the Western Hemisphere will not be questioned again." The purpose of the new US security policy, he said, was to "protect commerce, territory and assets that are fundamental to our national security." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "home region." Trump's decision to capture Maduro will provoke larger questions in international relations, however, and affect American relations with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese government issued a statement expressing shock and condemning what it said was a irresponsible attack on a independent country. During the Biden administration, the US offered comparable censures of Russia following its incursion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a peace deal between those two nations – one that has frequently appeared to be leaning to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a centrist Republican congressman, voiced concern about the signal Trump's actions might send. "My primary worry is now Russia will use this to justify their illegal and brutal operations against Ukraine, or China to rationalize an attack of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic opponents were sharper. "The United States should not be administering other countries for any reason," said a senator who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations committee. "We should have understood by now not to get entangled in perpetual conflicts and regime change missions that carry devastating results for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker said Maduro is a lawbreaker and a autocrat with a record of rights violations. But he censured Trump's decision not to consult with legislative leaders before launching the attack. "Donald Trump has the legal duty to follow the law and uphold democratic norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First requires." Trump, in his remarks, explained that he chose not to inform Congress because he was concerned they would "disclose" details of the operation prior to the attack. A Path Forward Shrouded in Doubt That military operation was a triumph – with no American casualties and limited harm to US assets. Trump, with his typical confidence, portrayed the operation as a "daring raid" and "among the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American power and competency in US history." Now he is gambling his legacy on that success continuing, as the US says it will take over administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that truly entails is unclear. He and his team must fortify a nation that has been in chaos for years while calming a hemisphere that is sure to be wary of what Trump's international strategy has in store for them.
Following launching a evening of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump seems to be entering the nation-building business. In a striking media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday morning, the commander-in-chief stated that US military forces had effectively captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation 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, proper and careful transition," he said. What exactly "running the country" involves is uncertain, but the commitment represents an sudden policy reversal for the president, full of contradictions and significant challenges. A leader who campaigned against "forever wars", who vehemently denounced past US efforts at regime change and who vowed to implement an "America first" foreign policy is now betting his administration on effectively revitalizing a South American nation whose economy is in shambles and whose political stability has been undermined by years of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly optimistic. He claimed his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this will be no exception. He promised to enlist American energy companies to overhaul Venezuela's deteriorating production infrastructure, supplying capital for the American reconstruction efforts and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He did not exclude deploying American soldiers to Venezuela to further these efforts. "We do not fear boots on the ground…we had boots on the ground last night," he told reporters. Trump, a sharp critic of the US intervention of Iraq, will now have to remember the words of one of the American planners of the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell: "You break it, you bought it." A Changed Global Approach The US has reshaped Venezuela's future – for better or worse. Trump took office nearly a year ago promising to be a peacemaker, but over the past year he has proven that he is quite prepared to use armed force internationally. In the past week, he ordered air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, rebel forces in Yemen, militias in Somalia and jihadist fighters in Iraq. In contrast to past operations, which have largely involved missiles and warplanes that reduce the risk of American forces to harm, Trump's Venezuela strike – and his commitments to the fate of that nation – are strikingly distinct. His goal, he said during his briefing, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Reactions from Allies and Critics That twist on Trump's "MAGA" – or Maga - slogan could be difficult for some of Trump's backers to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a one-time Trump loyalist who split from the president after charging him of abandoning his core supporters, was swift to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Americans' disgust with our own government's never ending military aggression and backing for foreign wars is understandable because we are forced to pay for it," she stated. "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 cocaine trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to reclaim seized US oil and halt fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers rallied behind the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson characterizing the armed intervention against a "criminal regime" as "decisive and justified". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his appearance, the president argued the Venezuelan operation furthered his "America First" agenda because it guaranteed US regional security and provided a reliable source of oil. He revived the Monroe Doctrine – an early 19th Century American foreign policy that asserted the Western Hemisphere should be free from influence by European powers – and rebranded it the "Trump Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "US preeminence in the Western Hemisphere will not be questioned again." The purpose of the new US security policy, he said, was to "protect commerce, territory and assets that are fundamental to our national security." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "home region." Trump's decision to capture Maduro will provoke larger questions in international relations, however, and affect American relations with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese government issued a statement expressing shock and condemning what it said was a irresponsible attack on a independent country. During the Biden administration, the US offered comparable censures of Russia following its incursion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a peace deal between those two nations – one that has frequently appeared to be leaning to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a centrist Republican congressman, voiced concern about the signal Trump's actions might send. "My primary worry is now Russia will use this to justify their illegal and brutal operations against Ukraine, or China to rationalize an attack of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic opponents were sharper. "The United States should not be administering other countries for any reason," said a senator who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations committee. "We should have understood by now not to get entangled in perpetual conflicts and regime change missions that carry devastating results for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker said Maduro is a lawbreaker and a autocrat with a record of rights violations. But he censured Trump's decision not to consult with legislative leaders before launching the attack. "Donald Trump has the legal duty to follow the law and uphold democratic norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First requires." Trump, in his remarks, explained that he chose not to inform Congress because he was concerned they would "disclose" details of the operation prior to the attack. A Path Forward Shrouded in Doubt That military operation was a triumph – with no American casualties and limited harm to US assets. Trump, with his typical confidence, portrayed the operation as a "daring raid" and "among the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American power and competency in US history." Now he is gambling his legacy on that success continuing, as the US says it will take over administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that truly entails is unclear. He and his team must fortify a nation that has been in chaos for years while calming a hemisphere that is sure to be wary of what Trump's international strategy has in store for them.