President Donald Trump revealed on January 4 that oil companies had discussed potential involvement in Venezuelan operations, even as Congress remained unaware of the military raid that captured President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. The disclosure has intensified scrutiny over Trump’s approach to executive power and his administration’s priorities in the Western Hemisphere.

U.S. Special Forces captured Maduro and his wife during a military operation lasting about two hours on Venezuelan soil, removing him from power and transporting him to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. The operation represented one of the most audacious uses of American military force in Latin America in decades, drawing immediate comparisons to the 1989 removal of Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega by President George H.W. Bush.

Maduro now faces indictment on four counts related to narco-terrorism conspiracy spanning 25 years, with prosecutors alleging he orchestrated drug trafficking operations while presiding over Venezuela. The Biden administration had previously offered a $25 million reward for his capture, though that policy went unenforced until Trump took action.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the operation’s legality, stating it did not require congressional approval because it was neither an invasion nor an extended military deployment. “This was not an action that required congressional approval,” Rubio said, distinguishing the mission from prolonged conflicts that demand legislative authorization. He emphasized that Congress would receive notification rather than advance consultation for such targeted operations.

The Senate advanced a bipartisan war powers resolution Thursday by a vote of 52-47, designed to prevent further military action in Venezuela without congressional consent. The measure seeks to require Trump to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela without further approval from Congress.

Trump made clear his administration intends to run Venezuela and control its oil resources, which represent the world’s largest proven reserves. “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies — the biggest anywhere in the world — go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure,” Trump declared. The administration is working with Maduro’s former vice president Delcy Rodríguez, who now heads the Venezuelan government, rather than empowering opposition groups seeking democratic reforms.

The commercial motivations behind the operation became explicit when Trump told the New York Times in an interview published Thursday that only one constraint limits his global authority. “My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me,” he said, adding definitively: “I do not need international law.”

Richard Haass, a former diplomat and foreign policy analyst, characterized the operation as questionable from a legal standpoint. While acknowledging few would mourn Maduro’s removal given his authoritarian rule and economic mismanagement, Haass noted the United States had other diplomatic options available. The intervention, he argued, was a matter of choice rather than necessity, driven primarily by access to oil rather than imminent threats to American security.

Venezuela announced plans to release political detainees following the leadership change, with Trump claiming the new government is giving the United States everything necessary for continued cooperation. Approximately eight million Venezuelan citizens have fled the country during years of political repression and economic collapse, creating one of the hemisphere’s largest refugee crises.

International reaction has been sharply critical. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned what he characterized as the United States breaking free from international rules, while German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier joined in criticizing American foreign policy under Trump. The bipartisan concern extends beyond traditional diplomatic circles, with observers noting the operation may establish precedents that other major powers could exploit.

Trump’s senior adviser Stephen Miller articulated the administration’s governing philosophy in stark terms, declaring that the world is governed by strength, force and power. This worldview appears to inform decisions ranging from military operations abroad to domestic enforcement priorities, with traditional diplomatic norms increasingly set aside in favor of unilateral action.

The president has simultaneously pursued control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, emphasizing that ownership rather than treaties or leases is psychologically necessary for success. Greenland and Denmark diplomats met with White House officials to discuss the situation, though Danish authorities have firmly rejected any possibility of ceding sovereignty over the strategically valuable territory rich in rare earth minerals.

On Tuesday, Trump signed a memorandum withdrawing the United States from multiple international organizations, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The directive covers 24 UN-affiliated organizations and 35 non-UN international bodies, representing a comprehensive retreat from multilateral institutions that previous administrations viewed as amplifying American influence.

The administration prefers working with existing regime elements in Venezuela rather than supporting democratic opposition groups, aligning with its emphasis on commercial benefits over human rights promotion. This approach prioritizes securing oil concessions and reducing drug trafficking while maintaining stability through familiar power structures, even those associated with the previous authoritarian government.

Critics warn the Venezuela operation could embolden other nations to intervene militarily in their spheres of influence, citing concerns that Russia and China may view the action as validating their own regional ambitions. The precedent could complicate diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts in Ukraine and deter Chinese aggression toward Taiwan.

Trump’s foreign policy, now on full display in his second term following his January inauguration, emphasizes unilateral action in the Western Hemisphere while showing reduced engagement with European and Asian alliances. The approach reflects a transactional view of international relations focused on extracting commercial advantages and addressing perceived homeland security threats through direct intervention rather than diplomatic coordination.

Venezuela’s cooperation remains contingent on meeting American demands regarding drug interdiction, expelling Iranian and Hezbollah operatives, and restructuring oil production arrangements to benefit U.S. interests. The administration has signaled it retains all military and economic pressure options available before the raid, suggesting continued leverage over the Venezuelan government five days after Maduro’s seizure.

Sources:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2026/01/rubio-this-is-our-hemisphere-and-president-trump-will-not-allow-our-security-to-be-threatened/
https://richardhaass.substack.com/p/special-edition-the-trump-doctrina
https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/09/politics/trump-ice-shooting-venezuela-greenland-analysis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/08/trump-administration-news-latest-updates-today
https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/08/donald-trump-approval-rating-today-january-2026-latest-polls-polling-american-president-maduro/88047949007/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/withdrawing-the-united-states-from-international-organizations-conventions-and-treaties-that-are-contrary-to-the-interests-of-the-united-states/