🔗 Share this article The Venezuelan Crisis May Now Define President Trump's Legacy - as well as America's Place in the Global Order In the wake of executing a evening of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump seems to be getting into the nation-building business. In a striking media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday morning, the president stated that US military forces had effectively apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an overnight raid in Caracas. Trump then announced that a delegation including 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 secure, orderly and careful transition," he said. What exactly "managing the nation" involves is uncertain, but the commitment marks an sudden policy reversal for the president, full of contradictions and formidable challenges. A leader who campaigned against "endless conflicts", who sharply criticised past US attempts at overthrowing governments and who vowed to implement an "America first" international policy is now betting his presidency on successfully revitalizing a South American nation whose economy is in ruins and whose governmental stability has been undermined by years of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was persistently upbeat. He said his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this will be no different. He pledged to recruit American energy companies to rebuild Venezuela's crumbling production infrastructure, supplying capital for the American rebuilding project and aiding the Venezuelan people. He declined to rule out sending 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 shatter it, you are responsible for it." A Shift in Foreign Policy The US has altered 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 more than willing to use armed force worldwide. In the past week, he ordered airstrikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, suspected narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, armed groups in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. In contrast to past actions, which have mostly involved rockets and aircraft that reduce the risk of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his commitments to the fate of that nation – are notably different. His goal, he said during his briefing, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Domestic and International Reaction That play on Trump's "Make America Great Again" – or Maga - mantra may be difficult for some of Trump's supporters to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a one-time Trump loyalist who broke with the president after accusing him of deserting his core supporters, was swift to condemn the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's never ending military aggression and support of overseas conflicts is justified because we are compelled to pay for it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. Boy were we wrong." Another prominent Trump detractor, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the legal justification for Maduro's arrest – on arms and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to reclaim seized US oil and stop fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers rallied behind the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "decisive and justified". Policy Rationales and Worldwide Consequences During his press conference, the president argued the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" agenda because it guaranteed US hemispheric security and provided a steady source of oil. He resurrected 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 "Donroe Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will not be challenged again." The goal of the new US security policy, he said, was to "safeguard trade, land and assets 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 broader concerns in global politics, however, and impact American relations with the world's other major military powers. The Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement voicing surprise and denouncing what it said was a reckless attack on a independent country. During the previous administration, the US offered comparable censures of Russia following its incursion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is trying to mediate a ceasefire 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 message Trump's actions might send. "My primary worry is now Russia will use this to excuse their unlawful and brutal military actions against Ukraine, or China to justify 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 learned by now not to get involved in perpetual conflicts and overthrow attempts that carry devastating consequences for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker said Maduro is a lawbreaker and a dictator with a record of human rights abuses. But he condemned Trump's choice not to consult with legislative leaders prior to initiating the attack. "Donald Trump has the constitutional responsibility to abide by the law and protect institutional norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First demands." Trump, in his press conference, explained that he chose not to inform Congress because he was concerned they would "leak" details of the operation before the attack. An Uncertain Future That military operation was a success – with no American deaths and minimal damage to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic confidence, portrayed the operation as a "daring raid" and "among the most stunning, successful and impressive demonstrations of American power and competency in US history." Now he is betting his presidency on that success enduring, as the US claims it will take over running and rebuilding 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 region that is bound to be cautious of what Trump's foreign policy has in store for them.
In the wake of executing a evening of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump seems to be getting into the nation-building business. In a striking media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday morning, the president stated that US military forces had effectively apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an overnight raid in Caracas. Trump then announced that a delegation including 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 secure, orderly and careful transition," he said. What exactly "managing the nation" involves is uncertain, but the commitment marks an sudden policy reversal for the president, full of contradictions and formidable challenges. A leader who campaigned against "endless conflicts", who sharply criticised past US attempts at overthrowing governments and who vowed to implement an "America first" international policy is now betting his presidency on successfully revitalizing a South American nation whose economy is in ruins and whose governmental stability has been undermined by years of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was persistently upbeat. He said his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this will be no different. He pledged to recruit American energy companies to rebuild Venezuela's crumbling production infrastructure, supplying capital for the American rebuilding project and aiding the Venezuelan people. He declined to rule out sending 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 shatter it, you are responsible for it." A Shift in Foreign Policy The US has altered 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 more than willing to use armed force worldwide. In the past week, he ordered airstrikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he struck atomic sites in Iran, suspected narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, insurgent groups in Yemen, armed groups in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. In contrast to past actions, which have mostly involved rockets and aircraft that reduce the risk of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his commitments to the fate of that nation – are notably different. His goal, he said during his briefing, is to "restore Venezuela's greatness." Domestic and International Reaction That play on Trump's "Make America Great Again" – or Maga - mantra may be difficult for some of Trump's supporters to accept. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a one-time Trump loyalist who broke with the president after accusing him of deserting his core supporters, was swift to condemn the president's actions on social media. "Public outrage with our own government's never ending military aggression and support of overseas conflicts is justified because we are compelled to pay for it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. Boy were we wrong." Another prominent Trump detractor, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, compared the legal justification for Maduro's arrest – on arms and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to reclaim seized US oil and stop fentanyl production. The majority of Republican lawmakers rallied behind the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson describing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "decisive and justified". Policy Rationales and Worldwide Consequences During his press conference, the president argued the Venezuelan operation advanced his "America First" agenda because it guaranteed US hemispheric security and provided a steady source of oil. He resurrected 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 "Donroe Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will not be challenged again." The goal of the new US security policy, he said, was to "safeguard trade, land and assets 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 broader concerns in global politics, however, and impact American relations with the world's other major military powers. The Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement voicing surprise and denouncing what it said was a reckless attack on a independent country. During the previous administration, the US offered comparable censures of Russia following its incursion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is trying to mediate a ceasefire 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 message Trump's actions might send. "My primary worry is now Russia will use this to excuse their unlawful and brutal military actions against Ukraine, or China to justify 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 learned by now not to get involved in perpetual conflicts and overthrow attempts that carry devastating consequences for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker said Maduro is a lawbreaker and a dictator with a record of human rights abuses. But he condemned Trump's choice not to consult with legislative leaders prior to initiating the attack. "Donald Trump has the constitutional responsibility to abide by the law and protect institutional norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First demands." Trump, in his press conference, explained that he chose not to inform Congress because he was concerned they would "leak" details of the operation before the attack. An Uncertain Future That military operation was a success – with no American deaths and minimal damage to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic confidence, portrayed the operation as a "daring raid" and "among the most stunning, successful and impressive demonstrations of American power and competency in US history." Now he is betting his presidency on that success enduring, as the US claims it will take over running and rebuilding 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 region that is bound to be cautious of what Trump's foreign policy has in store for them.