🔗 Share this article The Venezuelan Crisis Is Poised to Determine Trump's Legacy - as well as the United States' Position in the World In the wake of executing a night of overwhelming force in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be getting into the nation-building arena. In a remarkable news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort 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 group comprising Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, working with Venezuelans, would be assuming control of the troubled nation. "We are going to manage the country until such time as we can do a safe, orderly and careful transition," he said. What precisely "governing the state" involves is uncertain, but the commitment represents an sudden shift in direction for the president, full of inconsistencies and daunting obstacles. A president who campaigned against "forever wars", who vehemently denounced past US efforts at overthrowing governments and who promised to implement an "America First" international policy is now staking his administration on successfully revitalizing a South American nation whose economy is collapsed and whose political stability has been undermined by years of authoritarian rule. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly optimistic. He said his administration has a "unblemished record of winning" – and that this would be no exception. He promised to recruit American oil firms to repair Venezuela's crumbling industrial infrastructure, providing capital for the American rebuilding project and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He left open the possibility of sending American soldiers to Venezuela to further these efforts. "We're not afraid of 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 altered Venezuela's destiny – for better or worse. Trump came to power nearly a year ago pledging to be a diplomat, but over the past year he has proven that he is quite prepared to use armed force worldwide. In the past week, he authorized air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he targeted nuclear facilities in Iran, alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, militias in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. Unlike past actions, which have largely involved rockets and aircraft that reduce the exposure of American forces to harm, Trump's Venezuela strike – and his commitments to the future of that nation – are strikingly distinct. His aim, he said during his press conference, is to "make Venezuela great again." Response at Home and Abroad That variation of Trump's "MAGA" – or Maga - mantra could be hard for some of Trump's backers to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump loyalist who broke with the president after charging him of deserting his political base, was swift to criticize the president's actions on social media. "Americans' disgust with our own government's endless military aggression and support of overseas conflicts is understandable because we are compelled to fund it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. How mistaken we were." Another notable Trump detractor, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the official rationale for Maduro's arrest – on weapons and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's reasoning that the operation was to retake confiscated US oil and halt fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers stood by the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the armed intervention against a "illegitimate government" as "firm and warranted". Policy Rationales and Worldwide Consequences During his appearance, the president argued the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" agenda because it ensured US regional security and provided a steady source of oil. He dusted off the Monroe Doctrine – an early 19th Century American foreign policy that declared the Western Hemisphere should be without influence by European powers – and renamed it the "Trump Doctrine." The action in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will not be questioned again." The purpose of the new US national security strategy, he said, was to "safeguard trade, land and resources that are fundamental to our national security." He labeled the Western Hemisphere as America's "home region." Trump's choice to capture Maduro will provoke larger concerns in international relations, however, and impact American ties with the world's other major military powers. The Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement voicing shock and denouncing what it said was a irresponsible assault on a independent country. During the previous administration, the US offered similar censures of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is trying to broker a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has often seemed 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 invasion of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic critics were blunter. "America 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 endless wars and regime change missions that carry catastrophic consequences 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 choice not to consult with legislative leaders prior to launching 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 placing America First requires." Trump, in his remarks, said that he chose not to inform Congress because he was worried they would "leak" details of the operation prior to the attack. An Uncertain Future That mission was a success – with zero American deaths and limited harm to US assets. Trump, with his typical confidence, described the operation as a "daring raid" and "one of the most stunning, successful and powerful displays of American military might and competency in US history." Now he is staking 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 strengthen a nation that has been in turmoil for decades while stabilising a region that is sure to be wary of what Trump's international strategy has in store for them.
In the wake of executing a night of overwhelming force in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be getting into the nation-building arena. In a remarkable news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort 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 group comprising Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, working with Venezuelans, would be assuming control of the troubled nation. "We are going to manage the country until such time as we can do a safe, orderly and careful transition," he said. What precisely "governing the state" involves is uncertain, but the commitment represents an sudden shift in direction for the president, full of inconsistencies and daunting obstacles. A president who campaigned against "forever wars", who vehemently denounced past US efforts at overthrowing governments and who promised to implement an "America First" international policy is now staking his administration on successfully revitalizing a South American nation whose economy is collapsed and whose political stability has been undermined by years of authoritarian rule. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly optimistic. He said his administration has a "unblemished record of winning" – and that this would be no exception. He promised to recruit American oil firms to repair Venezuela's crumbling industrial infrastructure, providing capital for the American rebuilding project and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He left open the possibility of sending American soldiers to Venezuela to further these efforts. "We're not afraid of 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 altered Venezuela's destiny – for better or worse. Trump came to power nearly a year ago pledging to be a diplomat, but over the past year he has proven that he is quite prepared to use armed force worldwide. In the past week, he authorized air strikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he targeted nuclear facilities in Iran, alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, militias in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. Unlike past actions, which have largely involved rockets and aircraft that reduce the exposure of American forces to harm, Trump's Venezuela strike – and his commitments to the future of that nation – are strikingly distinct. His aim, he said during his press conference, is to "make Venezuela great again." Response at Home and Abroad That variation of Trump's "MAGA" – or Maga - mantra could be hard for some of Trump's backers to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump loyalist who broke with the president after charging him of deserting his political base, was swift to criticize the president's actions on social media. "Americans' disgust with our own government's endless military aggression and support of overseas conflicts is understandable because we are compelled to fund it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. How mistaken we were." Another notable Trump detractor, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the official rationale for Maduro's arrest – on weapons and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's reasoning that the operation was to retake confiscated US oil and halt fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers stood by the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the armed intervention against a "illegitimate government" as "firm and warranted". Policy Rationales and Worldwide Consequences During his appearance, the president argued the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" agenda because it ensured US regional security and provided a steady source of oil. He dusted off the Monroe Doctrine – an early 19th Century American foreign policy that declared the Western Hemisphere should be without influence by European powers – and renamed it the "Trump Doctrine." The action in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will not be questioned again." The purpose of the new US national security strategy, he said, was to "safeguard trade, land and resources that are fundamental to our national security." He labeled the Western Hemisphere as America's "home region." Trump's choice to capture Maduro will provoke larger concerns in international relations, however, and impact American ties with the world's other major military powers. The Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement voicing shock and denouncing what it said was a irresponsible assault on a independent country. During the previous administration, the US offered similar censures of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is trying to broker a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has often seemed 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 invasion of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic critics were blunter. "America 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 endless wars and regime change missions that carry catastrophic consequences 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 choice not to consult with legislative leaders prior to launching 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 placing America First requires." Trump, in his remarks, said that he chose not to inform Congress because he was worried they would "leak" details of the operation prior to the attack. An Uncertain Future That mission was a success – with zero American deaths and limited harm to US assets. Trump, with his typical confidence, described the operation as a "daring raid" and "one of the most stunning, successful and powerful displays of American military might and competency in US history." Now he is staking 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 strengthen a nation that has been in turmoil for decades while stabilising a region that is sure to be wary of what Trump's international strategy has in store for them.