Trump signals long road ahead in Venezuela in his boldest interventionist move yet

President Donald Trump takes questions from members of the press aboard Air Force One on Jan.11, 2026, while traveling from Palm Beach, Florida.(Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Additionally, Trump announced recently thatVenezuela’s interim governmentwould hand overup to 50 million barrelsof oil to the U.S.and that the oil would be sold “immediately.”

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“We will rebuild it in a very profitable way,” Trump told the Times.“We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil.We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need.”

Likewise, Trump shareda doctored imagethat looked like a Wikipedia page that identified him as “Acting President of Venezuela” since January 2026. 

Previous interventionist actions the U.S.has taken include launching aninvasion of Afghanistanin response to the 9/11 attacks Afghanistan-based al Qaeda conducted against the U.S., and an invasion of Iraq in 2003 that led to the toppling of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime.In both cases, the U.S.remained in prolonged occupations there. 

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US RAID IN VENEZUELA SIGNALS DETERRENCE TO ADVERSARIES ON THREE FRONTS, EXPERTS SAY

“But the pathway to achieve those things, I don’t see, like, a broad differentiation from the things that we did before,� 

Thompson said that she doesn’t see how the Trump administration’s goals could be completed withoutsmall rotational deployments from U.S.forcesto provide security, particularly in the event that the U.S.reopens its Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela. 

“I don’t see how we’re going to have a team there without at least some small deployment of rotational forces to achieve security of our own personnel,” Thompson said.

So far, no U.S.troops are on the ground in Venezuela, and the Senate advanced a War Powers resolution Thursday that, if passed, would bar using U.S.forces within or against Venezuela without Congress’ approval. 

TRUMP ADMIN SAYS MADURO CAPTURE REINFORCES ALIEN ENEMIES ACT REMOVALS

Nicolás Maduro is seen in handcuffs after landing at a Manhattan helipad, escorted by heavily armed federal agents as they make their way into an armored car en route to a Federal courthouse in Manhattan, New York, Jan.5, 2026.(XNY/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images)

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�s “Acting President of Venezuela” post was shared jokingly and what it indicates about how long the U.S.�President Trump will be the greatest President for the American and Venezuelan people in history.Congratulations, world!”

Although Trump has blasted previous administrations for actions in the Middle East and vowed he would bring an end to “endless wars” while ushering in an “America First” agenda prioritizing U.S.interests, Democrats warned that the U.S.may be involving itself in another complicated conflict. 

Senate Minority LeaderChuck Schumer, D-N.Y., claimed that the U.S.is on the path to another “endless war.”

“The very thing thatDonald Trumpcampaigned against over and over and over again was no more endless wars,” Schumer said in an interview with ABC News Jan.4.“And, right now, we’re headed right into one with no barriers, with no discussion.” 

SEN JEAN SHAHEEN: MADURO IS GONE, BUT THE SAME POWER STRUCTURES REMAIN IN VENEZUELA

Trump announced on Jan.3 that U.S.special forces conducted a “large-scale strike” against Caracas, andseized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.Both were taken to New York and appeared in a Manhattan federal court Jan.5 on drug charges, where they each pleaded not guilty.

The raid came after months of pressure on Venezuela and more than two dozen strikes in Latin American waters against alleged drug traffickers as part of Trump’s effort to crack down on the influx of drugs into the U.S.

The Trump administration routinely stated that it did not recognize Maduro as a legitimate head of state and said he was the leader of a drug cartel.Likewise, Trump said in December 2025 he believed it would be “smart” for Maduro to step down. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said congressional approval wasn’t necessary since the operation didn’t amount to an “invasion.”(Mark Schiefelbein/The Associated Press )

The Trump administration has justified seizing Maduro as a “law enforcement” operation, and Secretary of StateMarco Rubiosaid congressional approval wasn’t necessary since the operation didn’t amount to an “invasion.”

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However, lawmakers primarily on the left have questioned thelegality of the operationin Venezuela, which was conducted without Congress’ approval.

“This has been a profoundconstitutional failure,” the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen.Jack Reed, D-R.I., said in a statement Jan.3.“Congress — not the President — has the sole power to authorize war.Pursuing regime change without the consent of the American people is a reckless overreach and an abuse of power.”

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