My snide commentary aside, for Sasha, this mission was justified in several ways. Firstly, it is not a declaration of war against the Venezuelan people. Rather, it is an effort to quickly free the people from oppression of a ruthless leader who aligned himself against his people, stole their national wealth for himself and threatened America by aligning with and harboring our enemies (China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah all have operations there; China was going to build a Navy base there). Second, Trump wants to protect the American people against the ravages of opiates which have killed hundreds of thousands of Americans the past ten years. China was supplying the raw ingredients and supporting Maduro in exporting fentanyl and cocaine to America (who built those fast-boats?). China is waging war on America via drug abuse, killing off our young people who otherwise would be available to the military to fight back in a war with China. Thirdly, Venezuela was undermining the oil market by selling its oil to our enemies and prices well under world prices, which robbed his own people of wealth and made our enemies stronger, including Cuba, which relied on the payola to pay its own national bills. Fourth, this was not a military, but a police action, with Maduro and wife already charged with felonies against America in NYC district court, by the Biden admin. There were warrants for their arrest and the military can be used to enforce judicial actions against criminals (extradite important indicted people). No one will be able to attack Trump on this legal police action. Maduro will not be able to claim diplomatic immunity since he is not an elected official (conducted a non-democratic coup to claim his office). He has covered all the bases.
Right on, Brian. There has never been a more effective weapon of mass destruction deployed against the U.S. than illegal fentanyl. This China's version of the "Opium War" waged on the U.S. people.
"While Mexico and China are the primary source countries for fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked directly into the United States, India is emerging as a source for finished fentanyl."
Trump has cited the drug trade, including fentanyl, as a major reason for ordering strikes on alleged drug boats off the coast of Venezuela, and for considering strikes on its land, too. He alleged that the targeted boats were “stacked up with bags of white powder, that’s mostly fentanyl.” Yet fentanyl itself is not produced or widely consumed in the Latin American country.
How do you figure?! America is now a net exporter of oil. How would we even use Venez. Oil? We WOULD like to see it sold on the open market at world prices and not at a deep discount to our global enemies like China and Cuba to make them stronger. If sold at market there is plenty of profit to rebuild Venezuelan infrastructure and otherwise enrich the people of Venezuela so they have less incentive to turn to exporting dangerous drugs. Trump said all of this. It is the simplest answer. Why complicate things unless you are a jerk?
It’s also about drilling more oil, for US and its allies. Why wouldn’t it be?
Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world (larger than Saudi Arabia). And US/Western oil companies are rubbing their hands together in anticipation to return to Venezuela, apply new technology, increase output and US then ‘helps’ to better control future energy prices, globally.
No, we have plenty of oil. Globalists' interests back the drug cartel international stream involving countries in our hemisphere, and Trump is taking them down.
Obviously, we want to control Venezuelan oil so China and Russia don't have access to it. "Venezuela is home to the largest proven oil reserve on Earth, but its potential far outweighs its actual output." Larger than Saudi Arabia. Blowing up drug boats & killing people was just theater that trump could brag about. He doesn't even know what drugs come out of Venezuela (cocaine, not fentanyl since it come overland from Mexico). It's not complicated. I see you follow in Trump's footsteps of insulting everybody.
Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves on earth. More than Saudi Arabia. Trump spent considerable time today talking about oil. He purposely didn’t prior to the snatch. Oil is front and center in this Jacksonian, Monroe Doctrine move. Both preventing its flow to US competitors and drill baby drilling more out of Venezuela and having it flow to US and her allies.
Watch how quickly the boat blow up’s, cease.
Also, the US will continue to ‘allow’ drugs to flow north from Venezuela to the States. Why? Because whatever leader takes hold in Venezuela better be friendly and cooperate w/ US on energy and immigration. If not, the Southern District of New York court will drum up a drug related warrant for your arrest (like has been done for Maduro, and back in 1989, for Noriega). And now leader of Venezuela you are also eligible to be snatched, tried and imprisoned. Without drug flow, this ‘leverage’ doesn’t exist.
That is a form of RealPolitik that runs our earth.
So, in front of thousands, like a common fool you announce standing with the head of one of the largest drug cartels responsible for killing millions of people worldwide.
It's amazing isn't it? NWC is so blinded by TrUmP! that common sense and our collective success as Americans is irrelevant. More drugs! More crime! Spare the innocent fisherman!
After ten years, it's boring and ignorant. The TDS is for people that are too dense or stupid to read and comprehend and/or realize that they've been played for fools despite all evidence that undermines their flaccid yapping.
C’mon. This is about oil, with drugs also being part of the equation. I state this as a 3x Trump voter. Also, Greenland, Canada and Nigeria are also about reserving oil & other natural resources for the West (and not for our competitors).
Just because NWCitizen states this doesn’t make it untrue.
There are serious foreign policy publications that have covered this that many haven’t read.
Did you know Venezuela passed a measure to annex the west edge of Guyana. And that land has rights to offshore (untapped) oil field discovered by Chevron in 2015?
You are also aware (I hope) that Venezuela / Chavez nationalized oil in 2006 and kicked out Western energy companies.
Its pretty simple: listen to the 25% of Venezuelan citizens who have fled their own country, family and homes to escape the tyranny of a megalomaniac drug lord. Maybe 8 million people aren't wrong, but NWC is. Is that a possibility? The celebrations in Florida towns where Venezuelans live and in Caracas itself, tell the honest story. Not drivel from this ill-informed bozo
No, I'm saying Trump is lying about Venezuela being a major source of cocaine to the US.
"While Mexico and China are the primary source countries for fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked directly into the United States, India is emerging as a source for finished fentanyl."
Trump has cited the drug trade, including fentanyl, as a major reason for ordering strikes on alleged drug boats off the coast of Venezuela, and for considering strikes on its land, too. He alleged that the targeted boats were “stacked up with bags of white powder, that’s mostly fentanyl.” Yet fentanyl itself is not produced or widely consumed in the Latin American country.
So, it is all about weakening the financial basis of countries like China and other bad actors? Do such actions ever have only have one objective? Only to those who can't process more than one concept at a time.
Agreed, NWCitizen. A little independent research reveals this is about oil. Maduro made moves in last several years to annex west edge of Guyana, which would give Venezuela rights to untapped offshore oil field discovered by Chevron in 2015. But, it can also be sold as about drugs.
It looks (so far) like a brilliant and legal operation. And done so with no pre leaks. What appears to have occurred is that the military (DOD) escorted the US DOJ into Caracas to serve a long-time warrant.
I was surprised that the US went in and arrested Maduro & his wife. But Trump has been hinting for awhile:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/12/20/venezuela-oil-nationalization-expropriation/ "Trump says Venezuela stole U.S. oil, land and assets. Here’s the history: The government of the oil-rich nation took control of its petroleum industry in 1976, nationalizing hundreds of private businesses and foreign-owned assets." And the US has seized 2 oil tankers off Venezuela's coast.
Also, the US apparently attacked a drug base in Dec.
I wasn’t surprised. Didn’t know it would be a snatch like this but it’s been clear for some time there was going to be something to push Maduro out. You don’t park the US Navy offshore that includes Special ops Seal base ship, unless you’re prepared to use them. Trump is using Jacksonian foreign policy and starting with Monroe Doctrine. Don’t forget the US went down to Panama to lean on them to kick out China from canal operations earlier this year. Then the 51st state talk on Canada (#3 oil reserves in world) + move to annex Greenland. Which I hope USA does, but only if the Dutch won’t sell it. US needs Greenland to better compete for the 21st century fight to come over mining of resources from the Arctic.
Most people also don’t realize that the Christian population of Nigeria is congregated in the south of that country. Which is also where the oil is (Nigeria #10 proven oil reserves in world).
I’m fine, personally, with Trump using pretexts that people will gobble up (drugs, Christian protection). Those pretexts do have some truth to them, just not the core truth, which is oil/energy denying to America’s global competitors.
"Venezuelan oil exports have significantly declined due to various factors, including U.S. sanctions and internal production challenges. As of December 2025, exports fell to 17.6 million barrels, down from 27.2 million barrels in November, with China being the top destination for its crude"
And that's AI's "lite" verson of Venezuela's decline in oil production. Venezuela screwed itself and has been doing so for a very long time.
Elaine, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves on the planet. I’m MAGA and embarrassed that there’s so many still drinking the propaganda and can’t bother to do a little research before speaking.
Here’s the ranking. Venezuela is #1, Saudi’s are #2.
It’s not about oil. That’s a narrative that’s easily digestible for the American public to consume. This action was about:
1. China mining rare earth minerals in a “belt and road” type scheme with the help of Maduro;
2. Iran building drone factories in Venezuela with the capability of the drones reaching Florida and beyond;
3. Russia training its troops and the Venezuelan army with the approval of Meduro.
The Pentagon has been watching our adversaries take up residence 1200 miles from the US and finally had enough. Using the arrest warrant for Maduro, they completed another amazing action and rid Venezuela of its tin-pot dictator.
Well, it's NOT about fentanyl which does not come from Venezuela. I'm sure some of Venzuela's other resources are important but oil is the BIG one. Don't forget Trump wants to train US troops on AMERICAN CITIES! How long are we going to "run" Venzuela? Until Trump finds a puppet to take over?
LOL!! That is a good one. His problem is the 2nd District Court judge in NYC already blessed this mission. I don't think Boasberg is superior to the NYC district court under U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein
Don’t laugh. Some idiot is going to try this. And knowing how stupid the judicial insurrection is they just might find some moronic judge who will do just that.
I suspect there is no delusional leftist judge ---- no matter HOW they may have ruled in the past ---- who has the balls to go up against this tidal wave of the joyful and righteous response of the Venezuelan people to the righteous military action in endlessly-suffering-and-oppressed, once-prosperous Venezuela. Guess we'll see
Let us remember that Boasberg’s original idiotic order was to stop deportations going on in Texas. He’s in DC. That stupid case is still pending even though Supremes slapped him down. Should have done it harder. Man is a megalomaniac. And yes, he has no jurisdiction to overrule NYC 2nd district judge. But he’s an insane power hungry crazy man afflicted with terminal TDS.
The worst level of analysis is one that says “My team did this so it’s the best thing ever”. That is why democrats can’t reform their party from its crazy policies and woke delusions. It’s also why republicans celebrated the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. And it’s why the republicans are now celebrating the foreign interventions that have bit us in the ass exactly 100% of the times before. The insane level of partisan politics in which people will support foolish actions because “it’s my team” as if these things are just like rooting for a sports team can have dire consequences.
And the cover story that this is “law enforcement” is one we’ve heard many times before. The “police action” in Korea and the “police action” in Vietnam that killed over 50,000 Americans. Those weren’t cops that were killed in Vietnam. And funny how many people can believe that law enforcement involves aircraft carriers and fighter jets.
What "foreign interventions" are Republicans celebrating? This judicial action? It is not a declaration of war. It is an enforcement of an criminal indictment as we do all the time in Mexico (El Chapo) and other countries. You mean all the wars Trump is mediating without any military involvement? Get specific.
1,400,000 casualties in Vietnam War; 415,000 Vietnamese deaths, mostly civilian, 56,000 U.S. military deaths.
4 of my brothers and 1 served active duty US military. We oppose US funding and engagement in foreign wars and foreign nations (eg Israel and Ukraine). And particularly despise the NYC and DC neocons who never served in combat.
Capturing Maduro is NOT a foreign war. No one from America died. Maybe some of the Cubans and Chinese protecting cartel boss Maduro did. Too bad. Now America will help the Venezuelan people rebuild their country and regain the wealth they had before they let Chavez take over with a military coup and then turn over the reins to Maduro without an election. America is wise to defend itself from corruption and killing by drugs
This isn’t a forever war. It’s an action like we took in 1989 to snatch Noriega and try him under DOJ. The DOD is just the helper to bring Maduro into custody to serve the warrant.
Then we arrested Maduro for nothing and nothing changes in Venezuela. Nothing.
We get a show trial, whatever, and Venezuela goes on unchanged.
So this is what we get:
- Trump is committing us not just to conquer Venezuela, but to actually rule the place. Like be responsible for dealing with the trash and the streetlights and to run Venezuela, one way or another.
HE SAID THAT. He's serious.
And this makes me laugh. *For the oil*, which we desperately don't need.
Every ally we have wanted Maduro gone, but now we have to sit and wait while... nothing happens, or get more involved.
NO MORE WARS. This is one *WE* started, out of thin air.
Drugs? Come on.
Trump is the kind of the Epstein files. That's why our sons are going to be forced to go and die in jungles.
Because Trump is desperate to make sure we don't see that he's the one leading the country's biggest cover up.
No more wars. And Trump did this.
Yeah. The party is about to lose 30 millions votes. Watch.
The removal of Maduro and the collapse of his regime makes it more likely for the Iranian regime to collapse, which will crash the funding and support for Hamas and other terrorist organizations. That's why the Keffiyeh Klan is outraged.
Don't forget Colombian President, Gustavo Petro. He is on the watch list, along with Nicaragua and Panama, for that matter, if they do not kick out China. Consider that southern South America is now secure for western capitalist democracy with Argentina and Chile both in good hands. Peru is friendly. If we get the northern tier aligned then all that is left to get aligned with the west are the central states of Brazil and Uruguay.
Yeah, Maduro was so desperate he threw Petro under the bus in his last interview. He knew what was coming and was trying to save his own ass. Too little too late.
Trump isn’t touching Iran (like he did Venezuela) unless there’s a clear plan for regime change. Trump isn’t going to make the mistake of Iraq that also totally destabilized Syria. With net result of poor Sharia-law loving immigrants moving to Europe from both of those countries.
You think Trump wants to repeat that with Iran? If so, you are nuts.
‘Make it a hat trick’ is what you stated in light of US snatch of Maduro and this implies doing the same in Iran. If this isn’t what you meant, then I retract my statement.
Totally agree!! I had thought of that. I doubt that was the impetus for this timing, but it doesn't hurt. I also speculated that maybe the American military caused the 6.5 Earthquake near Mexican President Sheinbaum yesterday so she would get the message that she might be next. LOL!
Their water crisis is a result of having Mullahs running their national, municipal, and local government agencies for 45 years.
Mullahs know everything about the Quran and nothing about maintaining and reinvesting in civil infrastructure.
Tehran lacks water because their municipal water system hasn't had proper maintenance and modernization since 1979.
I live in Phoenix. This city and Maricopa County sit in the middle of the Sonoran Desert.
Due to the development of the Salt River Project during the middle of the last century, this city has more water than it can use. Decades ago SRP built dams along four streams that flowed seasonally north and east of Phoenix. Behind those dams there are now four enormous lakes that are our reservoirs. We also have ample water from the Colorado River flowing 169 miles through the SRP Arizona Canal and into Phoenix.
Much of that water is stored underground in North Phoenix in colossal underground man-made aquifers where it rests to be used in the future if it is ever needed. Millions upon millions of gallons.
Iran could EASILY have been doing things in this vein to prepare for the future. But the regime has no interest in anything except “DEATH TO ISRAEL” and DEATH TO THE US”.
Their current water issues are of their own making.
America could solve their water problem. It just takes technical knowhow. Iran has seaports and can desalinate and pump water into the interior. It also has the Caspian Sea on the northwest border. This is about misallocation of capital (to the nuke program and terrorism), not about technical limitations
Wrong: Iran's water crisis had nothing to do with rainfall and everything to do with mismanagement by the Islamic Republic and especially its corrupt IRGC, according to leading Iranian environmentalist Nik Kowsar:
I'm a mathematician: there are 192 countries in the world and Iran is the only one whose capital is at risk of evacuation because it's run out of water (according to Iranian President Pezeshkian in a recent national address).
What are the odds that rainfall patterns would be so convoluted that only 1 country out of 192 would end up so short of water it might have to evacuate its capital?
Democrats/leftists/alphabets/ islamocommies are so insane that they stand with brutal dictators, thugs, illegal criminals, scam artists, fraudsters etc. They’re crazy people.
Promises made; promise kept. An international criminal enterprise has been neutralized and a brutal tyrant is being brought to justice. Well done, Mr. President!
No worries about criticism from the Left, it was simply a DOJ enforcement action of a long standing warrant on Mr & Mrs Maduro. The DOJ was accompanied by representatives of the military to ensure their safety while executing the warrant. Just like when Bush went after Noriega in Panama…an action many of the D’s supported. Easy-peasy…
That is exactly how they constructed the apprehension so it matched the precedent of Bush and Noriega, which already has passed legal muster. This action is unassailable. If anything, Maduro is a much bigger criminal, worse dude, than Noriega, because of the resources and power he controlled
We did this with Noriega and 1000 people died in the process. He was prosecuted by a Dem. Maduro has had warrants out since 2020 from a NY Federal grand jury - like Noriega. It took 2 hours not weeks. I’m totally fine with it.
Trump and his Admin can walk and chew gum at the same time. YES, we have big internal problems at home (the communist Dem party), but keeping Venezuela out of the hands of China, Iran, and Russia...the axis of evil....that is VERY important to our longterm security.
Major oil companies that developed Venezualan oil and had their assets stolen will now be reimbursed and can modernize their aging infrastructure to bring MORE oil to the world while enriching the Venezuelan people. This is a good thing. Praise God America can still do good things.
The reaction from the Left is mind boggling ... No, there is no word yet to describe it ... No, you need a very long paragraph to try to get some coarse descriptive resolution of the reaction of the Left ...
Wait for the Marxist Jacobin crowd, the Owens and Carlson Qatar loving loons on the far right, the Iran loving, keffiyeh wearing tools of terrorists to start screaming.
Someone said Trump could cure a patient of cancer and if the patient got dandruff they’d focus on the dandruff being Trump’s fault.
God bless Venezuela and its people and may God help the Iranian people to freedom too.
Once again, Trump demonstrates his flawless sense of right and wrong and doing a deal. Policy-wise (not necessarily personality-wise), he is the most complete President in memory. If we just give Trump a grade on Foreign and Domestic policy, he gets an A+ / A- from me. No one has ever been better on foreign affairs. Not even JFK (who had the Bay of Pigs and ramped up Vietnam). Grade them: Biden F / F; Obama C / B; Bush, ,Jr C / D; Clinton C / B; Bush, Sr B / D; Reagan A / B; Carter F / D; Nixon B / D; Johnson F / D; JFK C / B; You can keep going and you will not find another President who honestly (without bias) deserves an A for both Foreign and Domestic policy AND execution.
I am trying to be a little bit generous. The economy worked under him. Certain groups of people benefited under his policies. But for sure, he caused major issues by favoring some groups over others with his "identity politics" policies. Unlike Biden, Obama kept the borders closed and deported illegals by the truck load. I should probably give him a C. I just care a lot about the markets and he did not screw them up.
Obama growth around 1-1.5%. His "deportations" were largely turning people back at the border...not finding entrenched illegals and removing them from the USA. the cages were kids debuted under Obama btw.
And Obamacare was and remains a disaster, terrible rollout, no ability to "keep your dr", huge increases in insurance costs for all...not just those on Obamacare. Foreign adventures such as Benghazi/Libya, reckless response to Putins actions in 2014 (remember his whispered promise to Putin that he (Obama) could be more flexible after the election? He singlehandedly set back race relations by decades with the vituperative DEI push. His AG wingman mishandled Ferguson, guns in Mexico, etc. In fact said AG Holder was convicted of contempt of congress...naturally never served a day in jail unlike similarly charged Trump officials. I could add much more...
Madero is owned by the cartels, so arresting him is basically taking out the head of the mafia, but of course, Democrats love criminals, and hate victims, so they will support the criminal.
It is NOT "technically illegal". It is, in fact, technically legal according to American law. It is the Noriega precedent. So-called "international law" does not apply because America does not recognize the international court system in the Hague, because it is highly corrupted, much like the UN
Judge Boasberg immediately issued an order to return Maduro and his wife to Caracas.
My snide commentary aside, for Sasha, this mission was justified in several ways. Firstly, it is not a declaration of war against the Venezuelan people. Rather, it is an effort to quickly free the people from oppression of a ruthless leader who aligned himself against his people, stole their national wealth for himself and threatened America by aligning with and harboring our enemies (China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah all have operations there; China was going to build a Navy base there). Second, Trump wants to protect the American people against the ravages of opiates which have killed hundreds of thousands of Americans the past ten years. China was supplying the raw ingredients and supporting Maduro in exporting fentanyl and cocaine to America (who built those fast-boats?). China is waging war on America via drug abuse, killing off our young people who otherwise would be available to the military to fight back in a war with China. Thirdly, Venezuela was undermining the oil market by selling its oil to our enemies and prices well under world prices, which robbed his own people of wealth and made our enemies stronger, including Cuba, which relied on the payola to pay its own national bills. Fourth, this was not a military, but a police action, with Maduro and wife already charged with felonies against America in NYC district court, by the Biden admin. There were warrants for their arrest and the military can be used to enforce judicial actions against criminals (extradite important indicted people). No one will be able to attack Trump on this legal police action. Maduro will not be able to claim diplomatic immunity since he is not an elected official (conducted a non-democratic coup to claim his office). He has covered all the bases.
Right on, Brian. There has never been a more effective weapon of mass destruction deployed against the U.S. than illegal fentanyl. This China's version of the "Opium War" waged on the U.S. people.
Thanks for the summary, Brian. That said, this is more justifiable than what Obama did in Libya, where Gaddafi posed no such threat.
Nice summary, Thanks.
You are dreaming if you think it was about opiates. The war is all about OIL!
Let me help you
It’s about oil, drugs, China/russia/iran.
All of the above
And we celebrate with the Venezuelan people
And we laugh at you
And trump doesn't even know what drugs come out of Venzuela (cocaine, not fentanyl).
Fentanyl and it’s precursors shipping from China to Venezuela to USA
So he is right and you are wrong
There will always be cocaine
This 2025 article doesn't even mention Venzuela as a source of Fentanyl.
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10400
"While Mexico and China are the primary source countries for fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked directly into the United States, India is emerging as a source for finished fentanyl."
https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/DEA_GOV_DIR-008-20%20Fentanyl%20Flow%20in%20the%20United%20States_0.pdf
Trump has cited the drug trade, including fentanyl, as a major reason for ordering strikes on alleged drug boats off the coast of Venezuela, and for considering strikes on its land, too. He alleged that the targeted boats were “stacked up with bags of white powder, that’s mostly fentanyl.” Yet fentanyl itself is not produced or widely consumed in the Latin American country.
https://www.cfr.org/article/how-does-fentanyl-reach-united-states
Who cares? Get to a hospital fast and get your TDS treated.
How do you figure?! America is now a net exporter of oil. How would we even use Venez. Oil? We WOULD like to see it sold on the open market at world prices and not at a deep discount to our global enemies like China and Cuba to make them stronger. If sold at market there is plenty of profit to rebuild Venezuelan infrastructure and otherwise enrich the people of Venezuela so they have less incentive to turn to exporting dangerous drugs. Trump said all of this. It is the simplest answer. Why complicate things unless you are a jerk?
That simple. It's not about taking any oil. It's about keeping oil out of the hands of known and significant enemies. Big difference.
It’s also about drilling more oil, for US and its allies. Why wouldn’t it be?
Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world (larger than Saudi Arabia). And US/Western oil companies are rubbing their hands together in anticipation to return to Venezuela, apply new technology, increase output and US then ‘helps’ to better control future energy prices, globally.
No, we have plenty of oil. Globalists' interests back the drug cartel international stream involving countries in our hemisphere, and Trump is taking them down.
Venezuelan oil is the heavy/sour oil that is difficult to refine.
And Americans have the correct technology to do that. They were built for the Orinoco flow.
Yes, we do.
Obviously, we want to control Venezuelan oil so China and Russia don't have access to it. "Venezuela is home to the largest proven oil reserve on Earth, but its potential far outweighs its actual output." Larger than Saudi Arabia. Blowing up drug boats & killing people was just theater that trump could brag about. He doesn't even know what drugs come out of Venezuela (cocaine, not fentanyl since it come overland from Mexico). It's not complicated. I see you follow in Trump's footsteps of insulting everybody.
Are you seriously this retarded?
Call me retarded too then, Jen.
Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves on earth. More than Saudi Arabia. Trump spent considerable time today talking about oil. He purposely didn’t prior to the snatch. Oil is front and center in this Jacksonian, Monroe Doctrine move. Both preventing its flow to US competitors and drill baby drilling more out of Venezuela and having it flow to US and her allies.
Watch how quickly the boat blow up’s, cease.
Also, the US will continue to ‘allow’ drugs to flow north from Venezuela to the States. Why? Because whatever leader takes hold in Venezuela better be friendly and cooperate w/ US on energy and immigration. If not, the Southern District of New York court will drum up a drug related warrant for your arrest (like has been done for Maduro, and back in 1989, for Noriega). And now leader of Venezuela you are also eligible to be snatched, tried and imprisoned. Without drug flow, this ‘leverage’ doesn’t exist.
That is a form of RealPolitik that runs our earth.
So, in front of thousands, like a common fool you announce standing with the head of one of the largest drug cartels responsible for killing millions of people worldwide.
What will you do for an encore, sport?
It's amazing isn't it? NWC is so blinded by TrUmP! that common sense and our collective success as Americans is irrelevant. More drugs! More crime! Spare the innocent fisherman!
It’s Drump Terangement Syndrome
After ten years, it's boring and ignorant. The TDS is for people that are too dense or stupid to read and comprehend and/or realize that they've been played for fools despite all evidence that undermines their flaccid yapping.
C’mon. This is about oil, with drugs also being part of the equation. I state this as a 3x Trump voter. Also, Greenland, Canada and Nigeria are also about reserving oil & other natural resources for the West (and not for our competitors).
Just because NWCitizen states this doesn’t make it untrue.
There are serious foreign policy publications that have covered this that many haven’t read.
Did you know Venezuela passed a measure to annex the west edge of Guyana. And that land has rights to offshore (untapped) oil field discovered by Chevron in 2015?
You are also aware (I hope) that Venezuela / Chavez nationalized oil in 2006 and kicked out Western energy companies.
Its pretty simple: listen to the 25% of Venezuelan citizens who have fled their own country, family and homes to escape the tyranny of a megalomaniac drug lord. Maybe 8 million people aren't wrong, but NWC is. Is that a possibility? The celebrations in Florida towns where Venezuelans live and in Caracas itself, tell the honest story. Not drivel from this ill-informed bozo
Escaping the "warmth of collectivism" in pursuit of the "frigidity of individualism".
Defend democracy! Except when actual democracy is being defended.
No, I'm saying Trump is lying about Venezuela being a major source of cocaine to the US.
"While Mexico and China are the primary source countries for fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked directly into the United States, India is emerging as a source for finished fentanyl."
https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/DEA_GOV_DIR-008-20%20Fentanyl%20Flow%20in%20the%20United%20States_0.pdf
Trump has cited the drug trade, including fentanyl, as a major reason for ordering strikes on alleged drug boats off the coast of Venezuela, and for considering strikes on its land, too. He alleged that the targeted boats were “stacked up with bags of white powder, that’s mostly fentanyl.” Yet fentanyl itself is not produced or widely consumed in the Latin American country.
https://www.cfr.org/article/how-does-fentanyl-reach-united-states
Innocent fisherman. You are boring.
It is about protecting OUR hemisphere per the Monroe Doctrine which in includes all resources.
So, it is all about weakening the financial basis of countries like China and other bad actors? Do such actions ever have only have one objective? Only to those who can't process more than one concept at a time.
Agreed, NWCitizen. A little independent research reveals this is about oil. Maduro made moves in last several years to annex west edge of Guyana, which would give Venezuela rights to untapped offshore oil field discovered by Chevron in 2015. But, it can also be sold as about drugs.
It looks (so far) like a brilliant and legal operation. And done so with no pre leaks. What appears to have occurred is that the military (DOD) escorted the US DOJ into Caracas to serve a long-time warrant.
I was surprised that the US went in and arrested Maduro & his wife. But Trump has been hinting for awhile:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/12/20/venezuela-oil-nationalization-expropriation/ "Trump says Venezuela stole U.S. oil, land and assets. Here’s the history: The government of the oil-rich nation took control of its petroleum industry in 1976, nationalizing hundreds of private businesses and foreign-owned assets." And the US has seized 2 oil tankers off Venezuela's coast.
Also, the US apparently attacked a drug base in Dec.
https://www.wlrn.org/americas/2026-01-02/venezuela-strike-jets-maduro-trump
I wasn’t surprised. Didn’t know it would be a snatch like this but it’s been clear for some time there was going to be something to push Maduro out. You don’t park the US Navy offshore that includes Special ops Seal base ship, unless you’re prepared to use them. Trump is using Jacksonian foreign policy and starting with Monroe Doctrine. Don’t forget the US went down to Panama to lean on them to kick out China from canal operations earlier this year. Then the 51st state talk on Canada (#3 oil reserves in world) + move to annex Greenland. Which I hope USA does, but only if the Dutch won’t sell it. US needs Greenland to better compete for the 21st century fight to come over mining of resources from the Arctic.
Most people also don’t realize that the Christian population of Nigeria is congregated in the south of that country. Which is also where the oil is (Nigeria #10 proven oil reserves in world).
I’m fine, personally, with Trump using pretexts that people will gobble up (drugs, Christian protection). Those pretexts do have some truth to them, just not the core truth, which is oil/energy denying to America’s global competitors.
The US is going to look like Russia, invading and taking over countries at will.
Okay. But Maduro was an illegitimate asshole anyway
It's about oil, too, since that is what was propping up the Maduro/Chavez regime.
He was not producing enough oil to help much. It really was about the massive drug pipeline involving other countries.
Close to 1M bbls/day.
"Venezuelan oil exports have significantly declined due to various factors, including U.S. sanctions and internal production challenges. As of December 2025, exports fell to 17.6 million barrels, down from 27.2 million barrels in November, with China being the top destination for its crude"
And that's AI's "lite" verson of Venezuela's decline in oil production. Venezuela screwed itself and has been doing so for a very long time.
Elaine, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves on the planet. I’m MAGA and embarrassed that there’s so many still drinking the propaganda and can’t bother to do a little research before speaking.
Here’s the ranking. Venezuela is #1, Saudi’s are #2.
https://www.worldometers.info/oil/oil-reserves-by-country/
Oh, and Canada is #3, and Nigeria # 10.
Silly.
It’s not about oil. That’s a narrative that’s easily digestible for the American public to consume. This action was about:
1. China mining rare earth minerals in a “belt and road” type scheme with the help of Maduro;
2. Iran building drone factories in Venezuela with the capability of the drones reaching Florida and beyond;
3. Russia training its troops and the Venezuelan army with the approval of Meduro.
The Pentagon has been watching our adversaries take up residence 1200 miles from the US and finally had enough. Using the arrest warrant for Maduro, they completed another amazing action and rid Venezuela of its tin-pot dictator.
Well, it's NOT about fentanyl which does not come from Venezuela. I'm sure some of Venzuela's other resources are important but oil is the BIG one. Don't forget Trump wants to train US troops on AMERICAN CITIES! How long are we going to "run" Venzuela? Until Trump finds a puppet to take over?
LOL!! That is a good one. His problem is the 2nd District Court judge in NYC already blessed this mission. I don't think Boasberg is superior to the NYC district court under U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein
The Supreme Court just recently unanimously banned the action of a lower court judge overruling an Executive order
When you say blessed are you referring to the indictment? Thx. Trying to understand the process.
Don’t laugh. Some idiot is going to try this. And knowing how stupid the judicial insurrection is they just might find some moronic judge who will do just that.
I suspect there is no delusional leftist judge ---- no matter HOW they may have ruled in the past ---- who has the balls to go up against this tidal wave of the joyful and righteous response of the Venezuelan people to the righteous military action in endlessly-suffering-and-oppressed, once-prosperous Venezuela. Guess we'll see
Boasberg will.
Not possible. Boasberg or any other district court judge cannot override the NYC 2nd District judge
Let us remember that Boasberg’s original idiotic order was to stop deportations going on in Texas. He’s in DC. That stupid case is still pending even though Supremes slapped him down. Should have done it harder. Man is a megalomaniac. And yes, he has no jurisdiction to overrule NYC 2nd district judge. But he’s an insane power hungry crazy man afflicted with terminal TDS.
Just a matter of a few hours or days, right?
I heard Maduro and his wife just opened 5 Learing Centers in Minneapolis.
There’s an empty bedroom in Caracas for Boasberg and his wife tonight 😉
It was assigned to Judge Hellerstein. Clinton appointee. He is on senior status; he is in his 90s.
I wonder if the criminal case will be assigned to Judge Boasberg?
Assigned to Judge Alvin Hellerstein.
IMMEDIATELY! IF NOT SOONER! ROTFLMAO!
Does he have jurisdiction?
Nah, but that may not stop him, because No Kings!
Why doesn’t go to England and depose that King?
The Brits still love their royals.
Because they are stupid. My family came from there in 1635 to escape those nasty parasites.
What has King Charles III done at all about the tens of thousands of rapes against teen English girls by Pakistani taxi gangs? Absolutely NOTHING !!!!
You are 100% right. I can't explain it. My ancestors on both sides were colonial revolutionaries. My mother is a Daughter of the American Revolution.
You absolutely NAILED the “thinking” of Democrats when you stated: “Democrats would oppose military action against Hitler if Trump ordered it.”
It’s not possible to have a rational discussion with that level of delusion…
Exactly. My automatic inward response now to any Democrat is they should just shut up and let the adults in the room do the talking.
The worst level of analysis is one that says “My team did this so it’s the best thing ever”. That is why democrats can’t reform their party from its crazy policies and woke delusions. It’s also why republicans celebrated the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. And it’s why the republicans are now celebrating the foreign interventions that have bit us in the ass exactly 100% of the times before. The insane level of partisan politics in which people will support foolish actions because “it’s my team” as if these things are just like rooting for a sports team can have dire consequences.
And the cover story that this is “law enforcement” is one we’ve heard many times before. The “police action” in Korea and the “police action” in Vietnam that killed over 50,000 Americans. Those weren’t cops that were killed in Vietnam. And funny how many people can believe that law enforcement involves aircraft carriers and fighter jets.
What "foreign interventions" are Republicans celebrating? This judicial action? It is not a declaration of war. It is an enforcement of an criminal indictment as we do all the time in Mexico (El Chapo) and other countries. You mean all the wars Trump is mediating without any military involvement? Get specific.
1,400,000 casualties in Vietnam War; 415,000 Vietnamese deaths, mostly civilian, 56,000 U.S. military deaths.
4 of my brothers and 1 served active duty US military. We oppose US funding and engagement in foreign wars and foreign nations (eg Israel and Ukraine). And particularly despise the NYC and DC neocons who never served in combat.
Capturing Maduro is NOT a foreign war. No one from America died. Maybe some of the Cubans and Chinese protecting cartel boss Maduro did. Too bad. Now America will help the Venezuelan people rebuild their country and regain the wealth they had before they let Chavez take over with a military coup and then turn over the reins to Maduro without an election. America is wise to defend itself from corruption and killing by drugs
Trump knows we need a secure western hemisphere.
Bingo. There is no possible greater betrayal of all of us who voted for him than this.
It makes us look like sad jokes. We weren't even cheated. We were stolen from - by the people we elected.
We're now locked into another 30 years forever war. Worse than any.
“All of us”? Speak for yourself. I did not vote for another isolationist. We got that with Biden. How did that work out for the world?
What we got from Biden was doormat.
Great. Your gift for us: Your vote for another Iraq or Vietnam.
Thanks so much.
Craig, go read Coffee & Covid today?
https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/lessons-leared-saturday-january-3?triedRedirect=true
This isn’t a forever war. It’s an action like we took in 1989 to snatch Noriega and try him under DOJ. The DOD is just the helper to bring Maduro into custody to serve the warrant.
Then we arrested Maduro for nothing and nothing changes in Venezuela. Nothing.
We get a show trial, whatever, and Venezuela goes on unchanged.
So this is what we get:
- Trump is committing us not just to conquer Venezuela, but to actually rule the place. Like be responsible for dealing with the trash and the streetlights and to run Venezuela, one way or another.
HE SAID THAT. He's serious.
And this makes me laugh. *For the oil*, which we desperately don't need.
Every ally we have wanted Maduro gone, but now we have to sit and wait while... nothing happens, or get more involved.
NO MORE WARS. This is one *WE* started, out of thin air.
Drugs? Come on.
Trump is the kind of the Epstein files. That's why our sons are going to be forced to go and die in jungles.
Because Trump is desperate to make sure we don't see that he's the one leading the country's biggest cover up.
No more wars. And Trump did this.
Yeah. The party is about to lose 30 millions votes. Watch.
And that’s the point. We need to stop treating them like adults. There are preconditions, and they don’t meet them.
And we should be asking why this is?
For what it’s worth, it’s my SERIOUS opinion that Leftism is a mental illness…
The removal of Maduro and the collapse of his regime makes it more likely for the Iranian regime to collapse, which will crash the funding and support for Hamas and other terrorist organizations. That's why the Keffiyeh Klan is outraged.
Venezuela - gone
Iran - going
Make it a hat trick
Democrats
Don't forget Colombian President, Gustavo Petro. He is on the watch list, along with Nicaragua and Panama, for that matter, if they do not kick out China. Consider that southern South America is now secure for western capitalist democracy with Argentina and Chile both in good hands. Peru is friendly. If we get the northern tier aligned then all that is left to get aligned with the west are the central states of Brazil and Uruguay.
Yeah, Maduro was so desperate he threw Petro under the bus in his last interview. He knew what was coming and was trying to save his own ass. Too little too late.
From the news conference it sounds like Columbia & Cuba are taking notice.
Trump isn’t touching Iran (like he did Venezuela) unless there’s a clear plan for regime change. Trump isn’t going to make the mistake of Iraq that also totally destabilized Syria. With net result of poor Sharia-law loving immigrants moving to Europe from both of those countries.
You think Trump wants to repeat that with Iran? If so, you are nuts.
Where did anyone say trump was touching Iran? It will collapse from within on its own.
‘Make it a hat trick’ is what you stated in light of US snatch of Maduro and this implies doing the same in Iran. If this isn’t what you meant, then I retract my statement.
Reading is hard. Comprehension is even harder. Iran is going - internally.
If you meant internally then you would have stated so initially. Whatever.
....plus huge pressure on Cuba to finally fail and fall, weakened as they already are.
Totally agree!! I had thought of that. I doubt that was the impetus for this timing, but it doesn't hurt. I also speculated that maybe the American military caused the 6.5 Earthquake near Mexican President Sheinbaum yesterday so she would get the message that she might be next. LOL!
Their water crisis is a result of having Mullahs running their national, municipal, and local government agencies for 45 years.
Mullahs know everything about the Quran and nothing about maintaining and reinvesting in civil infrastructure.
Tehran lacks water because their municipal water system hasn't had proper maintenance and modernization since 1979.
I live in Phoenix. This city and Maricopa County sit in the middle of the Sonoran Desert.
Due to the development of the Salt River Project during the middle of the last century, this city has more water than it can use. Decades ago SRP built dams along four streams that flowed seasonally north and east of Phoenix. Behind those dams there are now four enormous lakes that are our reservoirs. We also have ample water from the Colorado River flowing 169 miles through the SRP Arizona Canal and into Phoenix.
Much of that water is stored underground in North Phoenix in colossal underground man-made aquifers where it rests to be used in the future if it is ever needed. Millions upon millions of gallons.
Iran could EASILY have been doing things in this vein to prepare for the future. But the regime has no interest in anything except “DEATH TO ISRAEL” and DEATH TO THE US”.
Their current water issues are of their own making.
.... concise, interesting, and intelligent response James. Thanks.
America could solve their water problem. It just takes technical knowhow. Iran has seaports and can desalinate and pump water into the interior. It also has the Caspian Sea on the northwest border. This is about misallocation of capital (to the nuke program and terrorism), not about technical limitations
Fair point. Lifting of economic sanctions may help to focus significant foreign investment in infrastructure.
Wrong: Iran's water crisis had nothing to do with rainfall and everything to do with mismanagement by the Islamic Republic and especially its corrupt IRGC, according to leading Iranian environmentalist Nik Kowsar:
https://nikkowsar.substack.com/p/irans-water-bankruptcy-and-the-shock
"It starts with rainfall. I'm a scientist"
I'm a mathematician: there are 192 countries in the world and Iran is the only one whose capital is at risk of evacuation because it's run out of water (according to Iranian President Pezeshkian in a recent national address).
What are the odds that rainfall patterns would be so convoluted that only 1 country out of 192 would end up so short of water it might have to evacuate its capital?
Your stupidity is as boundless as the Iranian governments. California is blowing up dams. Both tyrannies need to BUILD dams. Neither one is.
Democrats/leftists/alphabets/ islamocommies are so insane that they stand with brutal dictators, thugs, illegal criminals, scam artists, fraudsters etc. They’re crazy people.
It is called "prose", a poetic use of the language. LOL!
Promises made; promise kept. An international criminal enterprise has been neutralized and a brutal tyrant is being brought to justice. Well done, Mr. President!
No worries about criticism from the Left, it was simply a DOJ enforcement action of a long standing warrant on Mr & Mrs Maduro. The DOJ was accompanied by representatives of the military to ensure their safety while executing the warrant. Just like when Bush went after Noriega in Panama…an action many of the D’s supported. Easy-peasy…
That is exactly how they constructed the apprehension so it matched the precedent of Bush and Noriega, which already has passed legal muster. This action is unassailable. If anything, Maduro is a much bigger criminal, worse dude, than Noriega, because of the resources and power he controlled
We did this with Noriega and 1000 people died in the process. He was prosecuted by a Dem. Maduro has had warrants out since 2020 from a NY Federal grand jury - like Noriega. It took 2 hours not weeks. I’m totally fine with it.
I can’t STAND Trump, BUT these are the truest works spoken to characterize the Left’s reactionary attitude toward anything he does:
“I know for sure the Democrats would oppose military action against Hitler if Trump ordered it.”
Thanks for your coverage, Sasha!
Sasha, your commentary and analysis is brilliant. Enjoy your podcast.
Trump and his Admin can walk and chew gum at the same time. YES, we have big internal problems at home (the communist Dem party), but keeping Venezuela out of the hands of China, Iran, and Russia...the axis of evil....that is VERY important to our longterm security.
Major oil companies that developed Venezualan oil and had their assets stolen will now be reimbursed and can modernize their aging infrastructure to bring MORE oil to the world while enriching the Venezuelan people. This is a good thing. Praise God America can still do good things.
The reaction from the Left is mind boggling ... No, there is no word yet to describe it ... No, you need a very long paragraph to try to get some coarse descriptive resolution of the reaction of the Left ...
Wait for the Marxist Jacobin crowd, the Owens and Carlson Qatar loving loons on the far right, the Iran loving, keffiyeh wearing tools of terrorists to start screaming.
Someone said Trump could cure a patient of cancer and if the patient got dandruff they’d focus on the dandruff being Trump’s fault.
God bless Venezuela and its people and may God help the Iranian people to freedom too.
Once again, Trump demonstrates his flawless sense of right and wrong and doing a deal. Policy-wise (not necessarily personality-wise), he is the most complete President in memory. If we just give Trump a grade on Foreign and Domestic policy, he gets an A+ / A- from me. No one has ever been better on foreign affairs. Not even JFK (who had the Bay of Pigs and ramped up Vietnam). Grade them: Biden F / F; Obama C / B; Bush, ,Jr C / D; Clinton C / B; Bush, Sr B / D; Reagan A / B; Carter F / D; Nixon B / D; Johnson F / D; JFK C / B; You can keep going and you will not find another President who honestly (without bias) deserves an A for both Foreign and Domestic policy AND execution.
You give the Obama a B on domestic policy? Wow. He ruined so many things in the country, I’d give him an F or even lower of that would be possible.
I am trying to be a little bit generous. The economy worked under him. Certain groups of people benefited under his policies. But for sure, he caused major issues by favoring some groups over others with his "identity politics" policies. Unlike Biden, Obama kept the borders closed and deported illegals by the truck load. I should probably give him a C. I just care a lot about the markets and he did not screw them up.
Obama growth around 1-1.5%. His "deportations" were largely turning people back at the border...not finding entrenched illegals and removing them from the USA. the cages were kids debuted under Obama btw.
And Obamacare was and remains a disaster, terrible rollout, no ability to "keep your dr", huge increases in insurance costs for all...not just those on Obamacare. Foreign adventures such as Benghazi/Libya, reckless response to Putins actions in 2014 (remember his whispered promise to Putin that he (Obama) could be more flexible after the election? He singlehandedly set back race relations by decades with the vituperative DEI push. His AG wingman mishandled Ferguson, guns in Mexico, etc. In fact said AG Holder was convicted of contempt of congress...naturally never served a day in jail unlike similarly charged Trump officials. I could add much more...
An F for the economy growing at 4+%? Stock market at record high?
What would an A look like, champ?
Inflation growth less than gdp growth. Merit based hiring for starters
Madero is owned by the cartels, so arresting him is basically taking out the head of the mafia, but of course, Democrats love criminals, and hate victims, so they will support the criminal.
Technically it is illegal, but with a U.S. veto to any U.N. Security Council Resolution it’s a moot point.
The Democrats only understand that it is bad for them.
Very bad.
In fact, I would almost say that Trump has changed the axis upon which the world turns.
And that is so fucking wonderful.
It is NOT "technically illegal". It is, in fact, technically legal according to American law. It is the Noriega precedent. So-called "international law" does not apply because America does not recognize the international court system in the Hague, because it is highly corrupted, much like the UN
It was not illegal. A precedent had been set and the warrant had been issued. Finally an administration able to enforce the warrant and arrest.
Leftist responses are very sad. Heartbreaking that so many are blinded by hate and ignorance.