🔗 Share this article The Venezuelan Crisis May Now Determine Trump's Legacy - and America's Role in the Global Order In the wake of launching a evening of overwhelming force in Venezuela, Donald Trump seems to be getting into the state-building arena. In a striking media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday morning, the president announced that US military forces had effectively seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an overnight raid in Caracas. Trump then indicated that a delegation including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, collaborating with Venezuelans, would be taking control of the troubled nation. "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a secure, orderly and careful transition," he said. What exactly "governing the state" actually means is ambiguous, but the vow marks an dramatic policy reversal for the president, laden with inconsistencies and daunting obstacles. A president who campaigned against "endless conflicts", who sharply criticised past US attempts at regime change and who promised to implement an "America First" international policy is now gambling his administration on successfully revitalizing a South American nation whose economy is in shambles and whose governmental stability has been undermined by decades of authoritarian rule. Yet, Trump was persistently confident. He claimed his administration has a "unblemished record of winning" – and that this will be no different. He vowed to enlist American oil firms to rebuild Venezuela's deteriorating production infrastructure, supplying capital for the American rebuilding project and aiding the Venezuelan people. He did not exclude deploying American soldiers to Venezuela to progress these efforts. "We do not fear boots on the ground…we had boots on the ground last night," he informed reporters. Trump, a sharp critic of the US invasion of Iraq, will now have to consider the words of one of the American planners of the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell: "If you shatter it, you are responsible for it." A Shift in Foreign Policy The US has reshaped Venezuela's prospects – whether for good or ill. Trump came to power nearly a year ago pledging to be a diplomat, but over the past year he has shown that he is quite prepared to use military force internationally. In the past week, he authorized air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, rebel forces in Yemen, militias in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. In contrast to past operations, which have mostly involved missiles and aircraft that reduce the exposure of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his commitments to the future of that nation – are markedly different. His aim, he said during his press conference, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Domestic and International Reaction That variation of Trump's "Make America Great Again" – or Maga - slogan could be tough for some of Trump's backers to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump ally who split from the president after charging him of abandoning his political base, was swift to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's endless use of force and backing for overseas conflicts is understandable because we are compelled to pay for it," she stated. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. Boy were we wrong." Another prominent Trump critic, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the legal justification for Maduro's arrest – on weapons and cocaine trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to retake seized US oil and halt fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers supported the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "decisive and justified". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his press conference, the president argued the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" priorities because it guaranteed US hemispheric security and provided a steady source of oil. He resurrected the Monroe Doctrine – an nineteenth-century American foreign policy that declared the Western Hemisphere should be free from influence by European powers – and renamed it the "Donroe Doctrine." The action in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "US supremacy in the Western Hemisphere will not be challenged again." The purpose of the new US security policy, he said, was to "protect trade, land and resources that are fundamental to our security interests." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "home region." Trump's decision to capture Maduro will raise broader questions in global politics, however, and impact American ties with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese government issued a statement voicing shock and denouncing what it said was a reckless attack on a independent country. During the previous administration, the US offered comparable condemnations of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has frequently seemed to be leaning to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican congressman, expressed worry about the message Trump's actions might send. "My main concern is now Russia will use this to justify their unlawful and brutal military actions against Ukraine, or China to justify an attack of Taiwan." Opposition and Legal Scrutiny Trump's Democratic critics were sharper. "The United States should not be managing 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 perpetual conflicts and regime change missions that carry devastating results for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker said Maduro is a criminal and a autocrat with a record of rights violations. But he condemned Trump's decision not to inform legislative leaders prior to initiating the attack. "Donald Trump has the legal duty to follow the law and protect institutional norms in the United States," he said. "That is what placing America First demands." Trump, in his press conference, explained that he opted not to inform Congress because he was concerned they would "disclose" particulars of the operation prior to the attack. An Uncertain Future That military operation was a triumph – with no American casualties and minimal harm to US assets. Trump, with his typical bravado, described the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competency in US history." Now he is staking his presidency on that victory enduring, as the US claims it will assume responsibility for administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that truly entails remains unknown. He and his administration must fortify a nation that has been in chaos for years while calming a hemisphere that is sure to be cautious of what Trump's foreign policy has in store for them.
In the wake of launching a evening of overwhelming force in Venezuela, Donald Trump seems to be getting into the state-building arena. In a striking media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday morning, the president announced that US military forces had effectively seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an overnight raid in Caracas. Trump then indicated that a delegation including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, collaborating with Venezuelans, would be taking control of the troubled nation. "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a secure, orderly and careful transition," he said. What exactly "governing the state" actually means is ambiguous, but the vow marks an dramatic policy reversal for the president, laden with inconsistencies and daunting obstacles. A president who campaigned against "endless conflicts", who sharply criticised past US attempts at regime change and who promised to implement an "America First" international policy is now gambling his administration on successfully revitalizing a South American nation whose economy is in shambles and whose governmental stability has been undermined by decades of authoritarian rule. Yet, Trump was persistently confident. He claimed his administration has a "unblemished record of winning" – and that this will be no different. He vowed to enlist American oil firms to rebuild Venezuela's deteriorating production infrastructure, supplying capital for the American rebuilding project and aiding the Venezuelan people. He did not exclude deploying American soldiers to Venezuela to progress these efforts. "We do not fear boots on the ground…we had boots on the ground last night," he informed reporters. Trump, a sharp critic of the US invasion of Iraq, will now have to consider the words of one of the American planners of the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell: "If you shatter it, you are responsible for it." A Shift in Foreign Policy The US has reshaped Venezuela's prospects – whether for good or ill. Trump came to power nearly a year ago pledging to be a diplomat, but over the past year he has shown that he is quite prepared to use military force internationally. In the past week, he authorized air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, rebel forces in Yemen, militias in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. In contrast to past operations, which have mostly involved missiles and aircraft that reduce the exposure of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his commitments to the future of that nation – are markedly different. His aim, he said during his press conference, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Domestic and International Reaction That variation of Trump's "Make America Great Again" – or Maga - slogan could be tough for some of Trump's backers to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump ally who split from the president after charging him of abandoning his political base, was swift to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's endless use of force and backing for overseas conflicts is understandable because we are compelled to pay for it," she stated. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. Boy were we wrong." Another prominent Trump critic, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the legal justification for Maduro's arrest – on weapons and cocaine trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to retake seized US oil and halt fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers supported the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "decisive and justified". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his press conference, the president argued the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" priorities because it guaranteed US hemispheric security and provided a steady source of oil. He resurrected the Monroe Doctrine – an nineteenth-century American foreign policy that declared the Western Hemisphere should be free from influence by European powers – and renamed it the "Donroe Doctrine." The action in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "US supremacy in the Western Hemisphere will not be challenged again." The purpose of the new US security policy, he said, was to "protect trade, land and resources that are fundamental to our security interests." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "home region." Trump's decision to capture Maduro will raise broader questions in global politics, however, and impact American ties with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese government issued a statement voicing shock and denouncing what it said was a reckless attack on a independent country. During the previous administration, the US offered comparable condemnations of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has frequently seemed to be leaning to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican congressman, expressed worry about the message Trump's actions might send. "My main concern is now Russia will use this to justify their unlawful and brutal military actions against Ukraine, or China to justify an attack of Taiwan." Opposition and Legal Scrutiny Trump's Democratic critics were sharper. "The United States should not be managing 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 perpetual conflicts and regime change missions that carry devastating results for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker said Maduro is a criminal and a autocrat with a record of rights violations. But he condemned Trump's decision not to inform legislative leaders prior to initiating the attack. "Donald Trump has the legal duty to follow the law and protect institutional norms in the United States," he said. "That is what placing America First demands." Trump, in his press conference, explained that he opted not to inform Congress because he was concerned they would "disclose" particulars of the operation prior to the attack. An Uncertain Future That military operation was a triumph – with no American casualties and minimal harm to US assets. Trump, with his typical bravado, described the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competency in US history." Now he is staking his presidency on that victory enduring, as the US claims it will assume responsibility for administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that truly entails remains unknown. He and his administration must fortify a nation that has been in chaos for years while calming a hemisphere that is sure to be cautious of what Trump's foreign policy has in store for them.