🔗 Share this article The Venezuelan Crisis May Now Define Trump's Legacy - as well as America's Position in the Global Order In the wake of executing a evening of overwhelming force in Venezuela, Donald Trump seems to be getting into the nation-building business. In a striking press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday morning, the president declared that US forces had effectively seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation in Caracas. Trump then said that a delegation featuring Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, collaborating with Venezuelans, would be seizing the reins of the embattled nation. "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a secure, orderly and judicious transition," he said. What exactly "managing the nation" actually means is unclear, but the pledge represents an dramatic change of course for the president, full of inconsistencies and significant challenges. A president who campaigned against "forever wars", who sharply criticised past US attempts at regime change and who vowed to implement an "America First" international policy is now betting his administration on effectively rebuilding a South American nation whose economic system is in shambles and whose governmental stability has been eroded by decades of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly confident. He claimed his administration has a "unblemished record of winning" – and that this would be no different. He pledged to enlist American energy companies to overhaul Venezuela's crumbling production infrastructure, providing funds for the American reconstruction efforts and aiding the Venezuelan people. He did not exclude deploying American soldiers to Venezuela to advance 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 intervention of Iraq, will now have to consider 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 altered Venezuela's future – 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 demonstrated that he is quite prepared to use armed force around the globe. In the past week, he authorized airstrikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, militias in Somalia and jihadist fighters in Iraq. In contrast to past operations, which have mostly involved rockets and warplanes that minimize the exposure of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his commitments to the fate of that nation – are notably different. His objective, he said during his briefing, is to "make Venezuela great again." Reactions from Allies and Critics That twist on Trump's "Make America Great Again" – or Maga - slogan may be hard for some of Trump's followers to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump ally who split from the president after accusing him of deserting his core supporters, was swift to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's endless use of force and support of overseas conflicts is understandable because we are forced to finance it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. Boy were we wrong." Another notable Trump critic, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the official rationale for Maduro's arrest – on arms and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's reasoning that the operation was to reclaim confiscated US oil and stop fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers supported the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "firm and warranted". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his appearance, the president argued the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" priorities because it ensured US regional security and provided a reliable source of oil. He revived the Monroe Doctrine – an nineteenth-century American diplomatic policy that declared the Western Hemisphere should be without influence by European powers – and renamed it the "Donroe Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "US supremacy in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again." The purpose of the new US national security strategy, he said, was to "safeguard trade, territory and resources that are fundamental to our national security." He labeled the Western Hemisphere as America's "sphere of influence." Trump's decision to capture Maduro will provoke larger questions in international relations, however, and impact American ties with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese foreign ministry released a statement voicing surprise and denouncing what it said was a reckless attack on a sovereign nation. During the Biden administration, the US offered comparable censures of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has frequently appeared to be leaning to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican congressman, expressed concern about the precedent Trump's actions might send. "My main concern 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 sharper. "The United States should not be managing other countries for any purpose," said a senator who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations committee. "We should have understood by now not to get involved in perpetual conflicts and overthrow attempts that carry catastrophic consequences for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker stated Maduro is a lawbreaker and a dictator with a record of rights violations. But he condemned Trump's decision not to inform legislative leaders before initiating the attack. "The President 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 press conference, said that he opted not to inform Congress because he was worried they would "disclose" details of the operation prior to the attack. An Uncertain Future That military operation was a success – with zero American casualties and limited harm to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic confidence, described the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most astonishing, successful and impressive displays of American power and proficiency in American history." Now he is gambling his legacy on that victory continuing, as the US says it will take over running and rebuilding Venezuela - though what that truly entails is unknown. He and his administration must rebuild a nation that has been in chaos for decades while calming a hemisphere that is sure to be apprehensive of what Trump's international strategy has in store for them.
In the wake of executing a evening of overwhelming force in Venezuela, Donald Trump seems to be getting into the nation-building business. In a striking press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday morning, the president declared that US forces had effectively seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation in Caracas. Trump then said that a delegation featuring Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, collaborating with Venezuelans, would be seizing the reins of the embattled nation. "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a secure, orderly and judicious transition," he said. What exactly "managing the nation" actually means is unclear, but the pledge represents an dramatic change of course for the president, full of inconsistencies and significant challenges. A president who campaigned against "forever wars", who sharply criticised past US attempts at regime change and who vowed to implement an "America First" international policy is now betting his administration on effectively rebuilding a South American nation whose economic system is in shambles and whose governmental stability has been eroded by decades of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly confident. He claimed his administration has a "unblemished record of winning" – and that this would be no different. He pledged to enlist American energy companies to overhaul Venezuela's crumbling production infrastructure, providing funds for the American reconstruction efforts and aiding the Venezuelan people. He did not exclude deploying American soldiers to Venezuela to advance 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 intervention of Iraq, will now have to consider 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 altered Venezuela's future – 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 demonstrated that he is quite prepared to use armed force around the globe. In the past week, he authorized airstrikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, militias in Somalia and jihadist fighters in Iraq. In contrast to past operations, which have mostly involved rockets and warplanes that minimize the exposure of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his commitments to the fate of that nation – are notably different. His objective, he said during his briefing, is to "make Venezuela great again." Reactions from Allies and Critics That twist on Trump's "Make America Great Again" – or Maga - slogan may be hard for some of Trump's followers to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump ally who split from the president after accusing him of deserting his core supporters, was swift to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's endless use of force and support of overseas conflicts is understandable because we are forced to finance it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. Boy were we wrong." Another notable Trump critic, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the official rationale for Maduro's arrest – on arms and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's reasoning that the operation was to reclaim confiscated US oil and stop fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers supported the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "firm and warranted". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his appearance, the president argued the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" priorities because it ensured US regional security and provided a reliable source of oil. He revived the Monroe Doctrine – an nineteenth-century American diplomatic policy that declared the Western Hemisphere should be without influence by European powers – and renamed it the "Donroe Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "US supremacy in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again." The purpose of the new US national security strategy, he said, was to "safeguard trade, territory and resources that are fundamental to our national security." He labeled the Western Hemisphere as America's "sphere of influence." Trump's decision to capture Maduro will provoke larger questions in international relations, however, and impact American ties with the world's other significant military powers. The Chinese foreign ministry released a statement voicing surprise and denouncing what it said was a reckless attack on a sovereign nation. During the Biden administration, the US offered comparable censures of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has frequently appeared to be leaning to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican congressman, expressed concern about the precedent Trump's actions might send. "My main concern 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 sharper. "The United States should not be managing other countries for any purpose," said a senator who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations committee. "We should have understood by now not to get involved in perpetual conflicts and overthrow attempts that carry catastrophic consequences for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker stated Maduro is a lawbreaker and a dictator with a record of rights violations. But he condemned Trump's decision not to inform legislative leaders before initiating the attack. "The President 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 press conference, said that he opted not to inform Congress because he was worried they would "disclose" details of the operation prior to the attack. An Uncertain Future That military operation was a success – with zero American casualties and limited harm to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic confidence, described the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most astonishing, successful and impressive displays of American power and proficiency in American history." Now he is gambling his legacy on that victory continuing, as the US says it will take over running and rebuilding Venezuela - though what that truly entails is unknown. He and his administration must rebuild a nation that has been in chaos for decades while calming a hemisphere that is sure to be apprehensive of what Trump's international strategy has in store for them.