🔗 Share this article The Venezuelan Crisis Could Now Shape President Trump's Legacy - and America's Position in the Global Order Following executing a night of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be getting into the state-building arena. In a remarkable media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday morning, the president announced that US forces had successfully apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation in Caracas. Trump then said that a group featuring Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, working with Venezuelans, would be taking control of the embattled nation. "We are going to administer the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," he said. What precisely "running the country" actually means is ambiguous, but the commitment marks an dramatic shift in direction for the president, full of contradictions and daunting obstacles. A president who campaigned against "forever wars", who sharply criticised past US efforts at overthrowing governments and who vowed to implement an "America first" foreign policy is now staking his administration on successfully revitalizing a South American nation whose economic system is collapsed and whose political stability has been undermined by decades of authoritarian rule. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly confident. He stated his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this will be no exception. He pledged to recruit American oil firms to rebuild Venezuela's deteriorating production infrastructure, supplying capital for the American rebuilding project and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He left open the possibility of 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 vocal opponent 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 break it, you own it." An Altered International Stance The US has altered Venezuela's prospects – whether for good or ill. Trump entered office nearly a year ago promising to be a peacemaker, but over the past year he has shown that he is ready to use military force worldwide. In the past week, he authorized airstrikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he targeted atomic sites in Iran, alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, rebel forces in Yemen, militias in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. Unlike previous operations, which have mostly involved rockets and warplanes that reduce the risk of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his pledges to the fate of that nation – are markedly distinct. His aim, he said during his briefing, 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 followers to digest. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump loyalist who broke with the president after accusing him of deserting his core supporters, was quick to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Americans' disgust with our own government's never ending use of force 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 legal justification for Maduro's arrest – on weapons and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to retake confiscated US oil and halt fentanyl production. Most Republican lawmakers stood by the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson characterizing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "decisive and legitimate". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his press conference, the president said the Venezuelan operation furthered his "America First" agenda because it ensured US regional security and provided a steady source of oil. He resurrected the Monroe Doctrine – an early 19th Century American foreign policy that asserted the Western Hemisphere should be without influence by European powers – and rebranded it the "Trump Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "US supremacy in the Western Hemisphere will not be questioned again." The goal of the new US national security strategy, he said, was to "protect commerce, land and resources that are fundamental to our security interests." He labeled the Western Hemisphere as America's "backyard." Trump's decision to apprehend Maduro will provoke broader questions 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 irresponsible assault on a sovereign nation. During the Biden administration, the US offered similar condemnations of Russia following its incursion 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 moderate Republican congressman, expressed worry about the message Trump's actions might send. "My main concern is now Russia will use this to excuse their unlawful and barbaric military actions against Ukraine, or China to justify an invasion of Taiwan." Opposition and Legal Scrutiny Trump's Democratic opponents were more direct. "The United States should not be administering other countries for any reason," said a senator who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee. "We should have understood 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 rights violations. But he condemned Trump's choice not to consult with congressional leaders before launching the attack. "Donald Trump has the legal duty to abide by the law and protect institutional norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First requires." Trump, in his remarks, explained that he opted not to inform Congress because he was concerned they would "disclose" details of the operation prior to the attack. A Path Forward Shrouded in Doubt That military operation was a triumph – with no American deaths and minimal damage to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic bravado, portrayed the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most stunning, successful and powerful displays of American military might and competency in US history." Now he is staking his presidency on that victory continuing, as the US says it will assume responsibility for running and rebuilding Venezuela - though what that actually means remains unclear. He and his administration must rebuild a nation that has been in turmoil for years while stabilising a region that is sure to be cautious of what Trump's international strategy has planned for them.
Following executing a night of shock and awe in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be getting into the state-building arena. In a remarkable media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday morning, the president announced that US forces had successfully apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation in Caracas. Trump then said that a group featuring Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, working with Venezuelans, would be taking control of the embattled nation. "We are going to administer the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," he said. What precisely "running the country" actually means is ambiguous, but the commitment marks an dramatic shift in direction for the president, full of contradictions and daunting obstacles. A president who campaigned against "forever wars", who sharply criticised past US efforts at overthrowing governments and who vowed to implement an "America first" foreign policy is now staking his administration on successfully revitalizing a South American nation whose economic system is collapsed and whose political stability has been undermined by decades of authoritarian rule. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly confident. He stated his administration has a "perfect track record of winning" – and that this will be no exception. He pledged to recruit American oil firms to rebuild Venezuela's deteriorating production infrastructure, supplying capital for the American rebuilding project and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He left open the possibility of 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 vocal opponent 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 break it, you own it." An Altered International Stance The US has altered Venezuela's prospects – whether for good or ill. Trump entered office nearly a year ago promising to be a peacemaker, but over the past year he has shown that he is ready to use military force worldwide. In the past week, he authorized airstrikes on Syria and Nigeria. In 2025, he targeted atomic sites in Iran, alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, rebel forces in Yemen, militias in Somalia and Islamic militants in Iraq. Unlike previous operations, which have mostly involved rockets and warplanes that reduce the risk of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his pledges to the fate of that nation – are markedly distinct. His aim, he said during his briefing, 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 followers to digest. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump loyalist who broke with the president after accusing him of deserting his core supporters, was quick to denounce the president's actions on social media. "Americans' disgust with our own government's never ending use of force 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 legal justification for Maduro's arrest – on weapons and drug trafficking charges – with Trump's explanation that the operation was to retake confiscated US oil and halt fentanyl production. Most Republican lawmakers stood by the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson characterizing the military action against a "illegitimate government" as "decisive and legitimate". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications During his press conference, the president said the Venezuelan operation furthered his "America First" agenda because it ensured US regional security and provided a steady source of oil. He resurrected the Monroe Doctrine – an early 19th Century American foreign policy that asserted the Western Hemisphere should be without influence by European powers – and rebranded it the "Trump Doctrine." The move in Venezuela, Trump said, shows that "US supremacy in the Western Hemisphere will not be questioned again." The goal of the new US national security strategy, he said, was to "protect commerce, land and resources that are fundamental to our security interests." He labeled the Western Hemisphere as America's "backyard." Trump's decision to apprehend Maduro will provoke broader questions 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 irresponsible assault on a sovereign nation. During the Biden administration, the US offered similar condemnations of Russia following its incursion 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 moderate Republican congressman, expressed worry about the message Trump's actions might send. "My main concern is now Russia will use this to excuse their unlawful and barbaric military actions against Ukraine, or China to justify an invasion of Taiwan." Opposition and Legal Scrutiny Trump's Democratic opponents were more direct. "The United States should not be administering other countries for any reason," said a senator who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee. "We should have understood 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 rights violations. But he condemned Trump's choice not to consult with congressional leaders before launching the attack. "Donald Trump has the legal duty to abide by the law and protect institutional norms in the United States," he said. "That is what putting America First requires." Trump, in his remarks, explained that he opted not to inform Congress because he was concerned they would "disclose" details of the operation prior to the attack. A Path Forward Shrouded in Doubt That military operation was a triumph – with no American deaths and minimal damage to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic bravado, portrayed the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "among the most stunning, successful and powerful displays of American military might and competency in US history." Now he is staking his presidency on that victory continuing, as the US says it will assume responsibility for running and rebuilding Venezuela - though what that actually means remains unclear. He and his administration must rebuild a nation that has been in turmoil for years while stabilising a region that is sure to be cautious of what Trump's international strategy has planned for them.