Michelle Stoddart, Hannah Demissie, Fritz Farrow and Ivan Pereira – ABC News Jan 4, 2025
At a Mar-a-Lago news conference Saturday morning, hours after he ordered a military strike in Venezuela and the capture of the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, President Donald Trump started off calling it an anti-drug law enforcement operation.
His Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said “at its core, this was an arrest of two indicted fugitives of American justice.”
But Trump’s framing of the issue appeared to quickly expand when he stunned observers by saying the U.S. was going to “run the country” temporarily, even if that involved troops on the ground, that American companies would soon start selling the country’s vast oil reserves, and that it was part of an overall strategy of U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
While Trump said that the U.S. would “make Venezuela great again,” when asked repeatedly about the specifics of America’s role, including a possible timetable, Trump gave few specifics.
“We’re going to be running it with a group, and we’re going to make sure it’s run properly. We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars. It will be paid for by the oil companies directly. They will be reimbursed for what they’re doing, but that’s going to be paid,” Trump said.
Later, a U.S. official told ABC News what it would look like for the U.S. to “run” Venezuela.
The official said top Trump officials will continue to diplomatically engage with those remaining in the Venezuelan government, that the administration will engage with oil executives to begin oil expansion in the country and that the U.S. military will remain postured and ready, and that the oil embargo would remain in effect.
American boots on the ground possible
The president brushed off questions about concerns about the length and logistics of the U.S. operation.
Trump was asked about whether U.S. troops would be on the ground in order to “run” Venezuela and indicated he could use the military to make sure it’s run “properly.”
“Well, you know, they always say, ‘boots on the ground, oh.’ So, we’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” he said. “We had boots on the ground last night at a very high level. Actually, we’re not afraid of it. We don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly.”
When pressed again later, Trump suggested that the only U.S. presence will pertain “to oil,” suggesting the presence will be American oil companies.
“We’re going to be taking out a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground, and that wealth is going to the people of Venezuela and people from outside of Venezuela that used to be in Venezuela, and it goes also to the United States of America in the form of reimbursement for the damages caused by that country,” he said.
The president also suggested that U.S. forces remain “ready” to carry out a “much bigger” second-wave attack on Venezuela.
Trump faced pushback from Democrats over his announcement.
“The idea that Trump plans to now run Venezuela should strike fear in the hearts of all Americans,” Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement. “The American people have seen this before and paid the devastating price.”
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who is leaving Congress Monday following a fallout with Trump, slammed the president over his actions.
“Americans disgust [sic] with our own government’s never ending military aggression and support of foreign wars is justified because we are forced to pay for it and both parties, Republicans and Democrats, always keep the Washington military machine funded and going,” she said in a statement. “This is what many in MAGA thought they voted to end. ”
When pressed about how taking the action in Venezuela is “America First,” Trump said that it was for the U.S. to surround itself with “good neighbors,” and “energy.”
Trump’s comments during the news conference were a far cry from his previous rhetoric in the weeks leading up to the strike in the Venezuelan capital, in which he condemned Maduro and his regime for allegedly contributing to drug trafficking, a charge Maduro has repeatedly denied..
Trump makes case using Monroe Doctrine
The president has reaffirmed and expanded his policy of a modern version of the Monroe Doctrine declared in 1823, the notion that views America as the dominant leader in the Western Hemisphere.
“All of these actions were in gross violation of the core principles of American foreign policy, dating back more than two centuries, and not anymore, all the way back. It dated to the Monroe Doctrine,” he said.
“And the Monroe Doctrine is a big deal, but we’ve superseded it by a lot, by a real lot. They now call it the ‘Donroe Doctrine,'” the president added, playing off his name.
Trump’s comments Saturday came after he released a message in December that he called the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine, saying that “the American people — not foreign nations nor globalist institutions — will always control their own destiny in our hemisphere.”
Foreign leaders in Russia, Cuba and Russia denounced Saturday’s strike.
“Venezuela should be guaranteed the right to determine its own fate without any destructive, especially military intervention from outside. We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and support for the course of their Bolivarian leadership aimed at protecting the national interests and sovereignty of the country,” the Russian foreign ministry said in statement.
Trump does not back opposition leader
When asked about whether he’d support opposition head María Corina Machado to become the country’s new leader, Trump dismissed the possibility.
“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” Trump said.
Machado put out a statement Saturday praising Maduro’s removal.
“Today we are ready to take over power. We remain vigilant, active, and organized until a democratic transition is concrete. A transition that needs ALL of us,” she said. “To Venezuelans inside our country, be ready to mobilize what we will soon communicate to you through our official channels.”
Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, told reporters last month that she would return to the country “when we believe the security conditions are right, and it won’t depend on whether or not the regime leaves.”
After winning the prize, she posted a statement on X where she dedicated the prize to “to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!”
When asked how soon he wanted to see Venezuela hold elections, Trump indicated that he wants to see if it happens quickly, but noted that it “takes a period of time.”
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez demanded Maduro’s return in a speech on state TV. Trump had said “she’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”
“We had already warned that an aggression was underway under false excuses, under false pretexts, and that the masks had fallen and it had only one objective: regime change in Venezuela — and the capture of our energy, mineral, and natural resources,” Rodriguez said in Spanish.
Last I looked, they already control the west. If they didn’t, the people in all the other countries would be living like those in america and israhell. Only the rich scum can’t see it, because the kikes have left them alone so far.
Irony. The most lawless leader talking about bringing to justice another leader in a country which has no jurisdiction. The lawyers and judges will surely challenge this, so to continue Trump will no doubt be forced to create either a new kind of kangaroo court or a issue an edict to enable it. No US court could legally proceed with it so Bone Spurs might try the military route to force it through.
But before that the Epstein files.
The deep state is taken out before your eyes .. and all the libs and dems are screaming hahaaa .. https://t.me/CaptKylePatriots/279869
Don’t worry too much about the Maduros. They are at the country club near Miami, and they dont give a rats ass about Venezuela. With their bags filled with cash they will enjoy life in sweaty south florida. While our prez is looking like a fascist of some sort, mousilini would be proud of his cousin now, with american companies set up for looting the Phoenician colony of Venez’.
Americans are liars and robbers. That is all there is to it. You cannot trust them, or anything which comes out of the nation. YouTube is just one example. You cannot tell the truth from fiction, and it you tell too much of the truth you are de-platformed. Next, will be Google.
The Jews make no bones about running the place. Americans have learned to look the other way and seem not really to care about bribery, intimidation, pay for play, assassinations and every form of dishonesty and corruption are acceptable Kosher methods to gain and increase wealth and power. The people are the most brainwashed, psyoped, and lied to on the face of the earth. It is thoroughly a criminal nation and the ground zero with its Jewish ownership and control of:
– continuing WWI after the 2016 (NOT THE 2017 LETTER) Balfour Agreement after the Germans proposed a just Peace with all nations returning to their borders to end the insanity;
– the WWI reparations against Germany to pay principle and interest back mainly to the Jewish “lenders” who funded both sides in that war, which further crippled Germany and set the stage for WWII;
– Jewish-controlled Wall Street which funded and supported both the communist movement for the Russian Revolution and also funded the Nazi movement in Germany;
The blame for all of that sordid history of the 20th century should go t0 ZOG USA, and for every major war and debt-rigging operation since.
There are 600 million Latin Americans, and the US has used every despicable method to take over and control their nations, on the pretext that if they were not there to save them they would go communist. Yet, as for Africans China offers them a better deal not just for their resources but for their own development, but instead of competing on the basis of fair trade, the US simply uses its military. Meanwhile, when we scratch the surface of what got communism going in China, sustained it, and used it to milk Western markets and virtually bankrupt the West, we come up with the Rothschilds, the Rockefellers, and Wall Street again, and the shifting of the Jewish money power to better prospects.
As I noted in another post,
……Trumps moves were necessary when the given nations’ TURD pile reaches a certain political apex.
However the USA has never won any WAR its been in as the sole nation involved .
Eventually their occupation is driven out by guerilla faction/s.
EXAMPLES ie from Haiti…to Vietnam to Afghanistan. etc. etc.
The other issue is Venezuelan population..relatively homogenous.
Installing a new Gov’t in these situations can be like herding cats…the populations political moods will sway and often be co -opted into a repitition to… or default of… dictatorial governance.
This seemed to work in LIBYA under Qaddafi.
So the USA has done the right thing in the short term ,but the long term is anyones guess.
If anyone thinks the Venezuelan people will benefit from their own oil wealth, I have a beachfront property on mars with very low AirBnB rates for hire!
Travellers buy field for 100k then tarmac it and move in caravans illegally – but won’t be evicted
Story by Olivia Christie Families in a Kent commuter belt village say there is ‘one law for some and another for others’ after travellers paved over a field and moved in caravans without planning permission – only for the site to be approved four years later.
Locals in picturesque West Malling near Tonbridge claim their quiet rural idyll has been under siege since 2020 when a nearby field was sold to new owners for £105,000.The following year, a planning application was submitted to build two stables on the land, which was designated as open countryside and part of the ‘Green Belt’.
Despite these plans being rejected, locals say an ‘illegal’ traveller site was built over the course of 2021, complete with caravans, two mobile washrooms, a septic tank and dog kennels. The following year, a planning application was submitted to build two stables on the land, which was designated as open countryside and part of the ‘Green Belt’.
Despite these plans being rejected, locals say an ‘illegal’ traveller site was built over the course of 2021, complete with caravans, two mobile washrooms, a septic tank and dog kennels.
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council issued an enforcement notice in July 2021 but this was successfully appealed by the landowner the following year.
Temporary permission was granted for the site, and on December 3, 2025, it was made permanent, with a lack of traveller pitches in the area given as a reason for its approval.
Due to the development, the land is now classified as ‘Grey Belt’ and according to property website Zoopla part of the field could now be worth as much as £1.4million.
The Venezuela move/ one of the many ways diablo paedo drumpf is trying to dim the darkness of the epstein files hoovering above his head / the whole world knows he as puppit of the RotSchild syndicat that founded 1948 israhell after WW I +II selected him has pouppee has free play.
Greg Palast for Raw Story 24 October 2025 https://www.gregpalast.com/venezuela-when-i-met-with-chavez-and-maduro/ ” I met Chávez and Maduro. I know drugs are not the reason Trump wants war with Venezuela “/ Every one should watch Palast’s excellent doc Vigilantes inc. – how drumpf rigged the 2024 election by supression of mainly black voters/ JC is back / meaning Jim Crow is back
18 October 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_XdtAQXnGE&t=14s Vigilantes Inc.
The US rogue state numero uno will loot the oil….this dementing & deranged u.f.o. unfit for office WH resident made a wrong move imv/ openly said on Air Force One with Commerce Sec. Lutnick -Epsteins direct neighbour in Manhattan & sleazy Lindsey Graham: the oil companies are already in Venezuela / Congress bypassed/ business as usual
14 April 2025 https://interestingengineering.com/military/chinas-could-sink-all-us-carriers Hegseth/ China could sink entire US carrier fleet in 20 minutes, Pentagon chief warns
Unlike the US/ China buys (much of its) oil from Caracas/ heavy fireworks in January to be expected?
CIA O
Yes, it will give the US a political and economic stranglehold over Europe, and generate vast wealth (which will of course never trickle down), but that’s only a spinoff.
The real issue is Israel – the US dare not attack Iran whilst Middle Eastern oil supplies can be cut off. The US needs an alternative supply. Once it has that, it will attack Iran.
What is depressing is the stupidity of the other Latin American governments. They should have sent troops and materiel to Venezuela and made it plain that aggression would result in war with the entire South. They don’t see that the US wants to return to the 1970’s – CIA run juntas. That would also give the US bases covering the Pacific, Antarctica and the south Atlantic.