🔗 Share this article The Venezuelan Crisis Could Now Shape Trump's Political Legacy - and America's Position in the Global Order Following launching a night of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be entering the state-building arena. In a striking press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday morning, the president announced that US military forces had successfully seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation in Caracas. Trump then indicated that a team featuring Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, working with Venezuelans, would be seizing the reins of the beleaguered nation. "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," he said. What exactly "governing the state" entails is unclear, but the pledge signifies an abrupt policy reversal for the president, rife with inconsistencies and formidable obstacles. A leader who ran on opposing "endless conflicts", who sharply criticised past US efforts at overthrowing governments and who vowed to implement an "America first" international policy is now gambling his administration on successfully reconstructing a South American nation whose economy is in shambles and whose political stability has been undermined by decades of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was relentlessly confident. He said his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this would be no exception. He pledged to enlist American oil firms to overhaul Venezuela's crumbling industrial infrastructure, supplying capital for the American rebuilding project and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He left open the possibility of 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 told reporters. Trump, a sharp critic of the US invasion of Iraq, will now have to remember the words of one of the American planners of the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell: "If you break it, you own it." A Shift in Foreign Policy The US has reshaped Venezuela's destiny – for better or worse. Trump entered office nearly a year ago pledging to be a peacemaker, but over the past year he has shown that he is ready to use military force internationally. In the past week, he authorized air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he targeted nuclear facilities in Iran, alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, armed groups in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. Unlike previous actions, which have mostly involved missiles and warplanes that minimize the exposure of American forces to harm, Trump's Venezuela strike – and his commitments to the fate of that nation – are markedly distinct. His goal, he said during his briefing, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Response at Home and Abroad That twist on Trump's "Make America Great Again" – or Maga - slogan might prove hard for some of Trump's supporters to digest. 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 condemn the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's perpetual military aggression and support of foreign wars is understandable because we are compelled to finance it," she stated. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. How mistaken we were." Another notable Trump detractor, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, contrasted the official rationale for Maduro's arrest – on arms and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to retake seized US oil and stop fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers stood by the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "firm and legitimate". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his appearance, the president said the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" priorities because it guaranteed US regional security and provided a reliable source of oil. He revived the Monroe Doctrine – an nineteenth-century American diplomatic 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 "American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again." The purpose of the new US security policy, he said, was to "protect commerce, land and resources that are fundamental to our national security." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "sphere of influence." Trump's choice to capture Maduro will raise larger concerns in international relations, however, and impact American ties with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese government released a statement expressing shock and denouncing what it said was a reckless attack on a sovereign nation. During the previous administration, the US offered comparable condemnations of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to broker a peace deal between those two nations – one that has often seemed to be more favourable to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a centrist Republican congressman, expressed concern about the precedent Trump's actions might send. "My main worry is now Russia will use this to excuse their illegal and barbaric military actions against Ukraine, or China to rationalize an attack of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic opponents were more direct. "America should not be administering other countries for any purpose," said a senator who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee. "We should have learned by now not to get involved in endless wars and regime change missions that carry devastating results for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker stated Maduro is a criminal and a dictator with a record of rights violations. But he censured Trump's decision not to inform congressional leaders prior to launching the attack. "The President has the legal duty to follow the law and protect institutional norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First demands." Trump, in his remarks, said that he opted not to inform Congress because he was worried they would "disclose" details of the operation before the attack. A Path Forward Shrouded in Doubt That mission was a success – with no American casualties and minimal damage to US equipment. Trump, with his typical confidence, portrayed the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most astonishing, effective and impressive displays of American power and competency in American history." Now he is gambling his legacy on that success enduring, as the US says it will take over administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that truly entails remains unclear. He and his team must rebuild a nation that has been in chaos for decades while calming a hemisphere that is bound to be wary of what Trump's international strategy has planned for them.
Following launching a night of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be entering the state-building arena. In a striking press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday morning, the president announced that US military forces had successfully seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation in Caracas. Trump then indicated that a team featuring Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, working with Venezuelans, would be seizing the reins of the beleaguered nation. "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," he said. What exactly "governing the state" entails is unclear, but the pledge signifies an abrupt policy reversal for the president, rife with inconsistencies and formidable obstacles. A leader who ran on opposing "endless conflicts", who sharply criticised past US efforts at overthrowing governments and who vowed to implement an "America first" international policy is now gambling his administration on successfully reconstructing a South American nation whose economy is in shambles and whose political stability has been undermined by decades of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was relentlessly confident. He said his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this would be no exception. He pledged to enlist American oil firms to overhaul Venezuela's crumbling industrial infrastructure, supplying capital for the American rebuilding project and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He left open the possibility of 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 told reporters. Trump, a sharp critic of the US invasion of Iraq, will now have to remember the words of one of the American planners of the Iraq War, Secretary of State Colin Powell: "If you break it, you own it." A Shift in Foreign Policy The US has reshaped Venezuela's destiny – for better or worse. Trump entered office nearly a year ago pledging to be a peacemaker, but over the past year he has shown that he is ready to use military force internationally. In the past week, he authorized air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he targeted nuclear facilities in Iran, alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, armed groups in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. Unlike previous actions, which have mostly involved missiles and warplanes that minimize the exposure of American forces to harm, Trump's Venezuela strike – and his commitments to the fate of that nation – are markedly distinct. His goal, he said during his briefing, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Response at Home and Abroad That twist on Trump's "Make America Great Again" – or Maga - slogan might prove hard for some of Trump's supporters to digest. 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 condemn the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's perpetual military aggression and support of foreign wars is understandable because we are compelled to finance it," she stated. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. How mistaken we were." Another notable Trump detractor, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, contrasted the official rationale for Maduro's arrest – on arms and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to retake seized US oil and stop fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers stood by the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "firm and legitimate". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his appearance, the president said the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" priorities because it guaranteed US regional security and provided a reliable source of oil. He revived the Monroe Doctrine – an nineteenth-century American diplomatic 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 "American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again." The purpose of the new US security policy, he said, was to "protect commerce, land and resources that are fundamental to our national security." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "sphere of influence." Trump's choice to capture Maduro will raise larger concerns in international relations, however, and impact American ties with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese government released a statement expressing shock and denouncing what it said was a reckless attack on a sovereign nation. During the previous administration, the US offered comparable condemnations of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to broker a peace deal between those two nations – one that has often seemed to be more favourable to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a centrist Republican congressman, expressed concern about the precedent Trump's actions might send. "My main worry is now Russia will use this to excuse their illegal and barbaric military actions against Ukraine, or China to rationalize an attack of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic opponents were more direct. "America should not be administering other countries for any purpose," said a senator who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee. "We should have learned by now not to get involved in endless wars and regime change missions that carry devastating results for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker stated Maduro is a criminal and a dictator with a record of rights violations. But he censured Trump's decision not to inform congressional leaders prior to launching the attack. "The President has the legal duty to follow the law and protect institutional norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First demands." Trump, in his remarks, said that he opted not to inform Congress because he was worried they would "disclose" details of the operation before the attack. A Path Forward Shrouded in Doubt That mission was a success – with no American casualties and minimal damage to US equipment. Trump, with his typical confidence, portrayed the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most astonishing, effective and impressive displays of American power and competency in American history." Now he is gambling his legacy on that success enduring, as the US says it will take over administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that truly entails remains unclear. He and his team must rebuild a nation that has been in chaos for decades while calming a hemisphere that is bound to be wary of what Trump's international strategy has planned for them.