🔗 Share this article The Venezuelan Crisis Could Now Define President Trump's Legacy - and America's Role in the Global Order Following launching a evening of overwhelming force in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be entering the state-building business. In a remarkable media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday morning, the commander-in-chief stated that US forces had successfully seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation in Caracas. Trump then announced that a delegation including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, collaborating with Venezuelans, would be taking control of the beleaguered nation. "We are going to administer the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," he said. What exactly "governing the state" actually means is uncertain, but the vow represents an dramatic change of course for the president, laden with inconsistencies and significant challenges. A president who ran on opposing "forever wars", who sharply criticised past US efforts at overthrowing governments and who promised to implement an "America first" foreign policy is now betting his administration on successfully reconstructing a South American nation whose economy is collapsed and whose governmental stability has been eroded by decades of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly upbeat. He claimed his administration has a "unblemished record of winning" – and that this would be no exception. He promised to recruit American energy companies to repair Venezuela's crumbling production infrastructure, providing capital for the American rebuilding project and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He did not exclude 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 heed 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 Changed Global Approach The US has redefined Venezuela's future – whether for good or ill. Trump took office nearly a year ago promising to be a diplomat, but over the past year he has demonstrated that he is ready 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, armed groups in Somalia and jihadist fighters in Iraq. Unlike previous operations, which have mostly involved rockets and aircraft that minimize the exposure of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his pledges to the fate of that nation – are markedly distinct. His objective, he said during his press conference, is to "make Venezuela great again." Reactions from Allies and Critics That twist on Trump's "MAGA" – or Maga - mantra could be tough for some of Trump's followers to swallow. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a one-time Trump loyalist who broke with the president after accusing him of abandoning his political base, was quick to condemn the president's actions on social media. "Americans' disgust with our own government's endless military aggression and support of overseas conflicts is justified because we are forced to pay for it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. Boy were we wrong." 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 seized US oil and stop fentanyl production. Most Republican lawmakers supported the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson characterizing the armed intervention against a "criminal regime" as "decisive and warranted". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications 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 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 "US preeminence in the Western Hemisphere will not be challenged again." The purpose of the new US security policy, he said, was to "protect commerce, land and resources that are central to our national security." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "home region." Trump's decision to capture Maduro will raise broader concerns in international relations, however, and affect American relations with the world's other major global powers. The Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement expressing shock and condemning what it said was a reckless attack on a sovereign nation. During the previous administration, the US offered comparable condemnations of Russia following its incursion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has frequently seemed to be leaning to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a centrist Republican congressman, expressed concern about the precedent Trump's actions might send. "My primary worry is now Russia will use this to excuse their illegal and brutal military actions against Ukraine, or China to rationalize an invasion of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic opponents were sharper. "The United States should not be administering other countries for any reason," said a senator who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations committee. "We should have understood by now not to get entangled in endless wars and overthrow attempts that carry catastrophic results for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker said Maduro is a criminal and a autocrat with a record of rights violations. But he condemned Trump's choice not to consult with congressional leaders prior to launching the attack. "Donald Trump 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 press conference, 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 success – with zero American deaths and limited harm to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic bravado, portrayed the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "one of the most stunning, effective and impressive demonstrations of American military might and proficiency in American history." Now he is betting his presidency on that victory enduring, as the US says it will assume responsibility for administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that actually means remains unknown. He and his administration must strengthen a nation that has been in chaos for decades while calming a region that is bound to be wary of what Trump's foreign policy has in store for them.
Following launching a evening of overwhelming force in Venezuela, Donald Trump now appears to be entering the state-building business. In a remarkable media briefing at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday morning, the commander-in-chief stated that US forces had successfully seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in an late-night operation in Caracas. Trump then announced that a delegation including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, collaborating with Venezuelans, would be taking control of the beleaguered nation. "We are going to administer the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," he said. What exactly "governing the state" actually means is uncertain, but the vow represents an dramatic change of course for the president, laden with inconsistencies and significant challenges. A president who ran on opposing "forever wars", who sharply criticised past US efforts at overthrowing governments and who promised to implement an "America first" foreign policy is now betting his administration on successfully reconstructing a South American nation whose economy is collapsed and whose governmental stability has been eroded by decades of dictatorship. Yet, Trump was unwaveringly upbeat. He claimed his administration has a "unblemished record of winning" – and that this would be no exception. He promised to recruit American energy companies to repair Venezuela's crumbling production infrastructure, providing capital for the American rebuilding project and benefitting the Venezuelan people. He did not exclude 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 heed 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 Changed Global Approach The US has redefined Venezuela's future – whether for good or ill. Trump took office nearly a year ago promising to be a diplomat, but over the past year he has demonstrated that he is ready 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, armed groups in Somalia and jihadist fighters in Iraq. Unlike previous operations, which have mostly involved rockets and aircraft that minimize the exposure of American forces to danger, Trump's Venezuela operation – and his pledges to the fate of that nation – are markedly distinct. His objective, he said during his press conference, is to "make Venezuela great again." Reactions from Allies and Critics That twist on Trump's "MAGA" – or Maga - mantra could be tough for some of Trump's followers to swallow. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a one-time Trump loyalist who broke with the president after accusing him of abandoning his political base, was quick to condemn the president's actions on social media. "Americans' disgust with our own government's endless military aggression and support of overseas conflicts is justified because we are forced to pay for it," she wrote. "This is what many in Maga thought they voted to end. Boy were we wrong." 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 seized US oil and stop fentanyl production. Most Republican lawmakers supported the president, with House Speaker Mike Johnson characterizing the armed intervention against a "criminal regime" as "decisive and warranted". Strategic Justifications and Global Implications 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 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 "US preeminence in the Western Hemisphere will not be challenged again." The purpose of the new US security policy, he said, was to "protect commerce, land and resources that are central to our national security." He branded the Western Hemisphere as America's "home region." Trump's decision to capture Maduro will raise broader concerns in international relations, however, and affect American relations with the world's other major global powers. The Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement expressing shock and condemning what it said was a reckless attack on a sovereign nation. During the previous administration, the US offered comparable condemnations of Russia following its incursion of Ukraine. Now the Trump administration is attempting to mediate a ceasefire between those two nations – one that has frequently seemed to be leaning to the Russian side. Don Bacon, a centrist Republican congressman, expressed concern about the precedent Trump's actions might send. "My primary worry is now Russia will use this to excuse their illegal and brutal military actions against Ukraine, or China to rationalize an invasion of Taiwan." Political Criticism and Constitutional Questions Trump's Democratic opponents were sharper. "The United States should not be administering other countries for any reason," said a senator who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations committee. "We should have understood by now not to get entangled in endless wars and overthrow attempts that carry catastrophic results for Americans." Another senior Democratic lawmaker said Maduro is a criminal and a autocrat with a record of rights violations. But he condemned Trump's choice not to consult with congressional leaders prior to launching the attack. "Donald Trump 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 press conference, 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 success – with zero American deaths and limited harm to US equipment. Trump, with his characteristic bravado, portrayed the operation as a "spectacular assault" and "one of the most stunning, effective and impressive demonstrations of American military might and proficiency in American history." Now he is betting his presidency on that victory enduring, as the US says it will assume responsibility for administering and reconstructing Venezuela - though what that actually means remains unknown. He and his administration must strengthen a nation that has been in chaos for decades while calming a region that is bound to be wary of what Trump's foreign policy has in store for them.