President Donald Trump's "America First" campaign promise of "no new wars" has taken a dramatic turn with the U.S. military attacking Venezuela, abducting its leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who face narco-terrorism charges in a New York federal court. Eighty Venezuelan and Cuban citizens were killed by U.S. gunfire and airstrikes.
Trump described the attack as "successful" and "perfectly executed." A growing number of legal experts and lawmakers have called Saturday's bombing of Venezuela and the abduction of Maduro illegal under both international law and the U.S. Constitution.
Despite this, the Trump administration is already threatening further military action against Venezuela and other sovereign nations in pursuit of his so-called "Donroe Doctrine," a refashioning of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine that has been used to justify U.S. occupations across Latin America throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
The administration claims that its actions are aimed at strengthening American power in the Western Hemisphere, but critics say this is a thinly veiled attempt to reassert U.S. dominance over countries that were once under American control.
Trump has long campaigned on the promise of ending foreign wars, even before he announced his candidacy for president. However, his second term has been defined by a ruthless and interventionist approach. He has already ordered military strikes in Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, as well as bombarding a Venezuelan port and killing over 100 civilians in bombings in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
The administration is also threatening Mexico, with Trump saying that "the cartels are running Mexico" and that the country needs to take action to stop them. This has raised concerns among many experts, who argue that such statements are not only unhelpful but also inflammatory.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government has issued a statement condemning Trump's support for protests in Iran, with the foreign minister saying that "President Trump of all people should know that criminal attacks on public property cannot be tolerated."
The Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez criticized the attack as "barbaric" and "illegal," calling for the release of Maduro, who she said is the country's rightful leader. She vowed to defend Venezuela's natural resources and warned that the country would never return to being a colony of another empire.
Despite the backlash, Trump remains committed to his "Donroe Doctrine," which he says will reassert American power in the Western Hemisphere. However, many experts argue that this approach is doomed to fail, both domestically and internationally.
As tensions escalate between the U.S. and various countries, one thing is clear: the United States is facing a crisis of democracy and accountability. The actions of President Trump and his administration are testing the limits of American power and values, raising questions about what it means to be a global leader in the 21st century.
The Trump administration's aggressive stance on Venezuela has sparked concerns among many experts, who argue that this approach is not only unhelpful but also inflammatory. The U.S. military attack on Venezuela has highlighted the risks of unchecked executive power and the dangers of prioritizing American interests over international law and human rights.
Despite these challenges, there are still opportunities for constructive engagement and dialogue between nations. As the world navigates these complex issues, it is essential to prioritize empathy, understanding, and cooperation – rather than resorting to force and coercion.
In the midst of this crisis, one thing is clear: The Intercept will continue to provide critical coverage of international news and events, using a fact-based approach that prioritizes accuracy and fairness.
Trump described the attack as "successful" and "perfectly executed." A growing number of legal experts and lawmakers have called Saturday's bombing of Venezuela and the abduction of Maduro illegal under both international law and the U.S. Constitution.
Despite this, the Trump administration is already threatening further military action against Venezuela and other sovereign nations in pursuit of his so-called "Donroe Doctrine," a refashioning of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine that has been used to justify U.S. occupations across Latin America throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
The administration claims that its actions are aimed at strengthening American power in the Western Hemisphere, but critics say this is a thinly veiled attempt to reassert U.S. dominance over countries that were once under American control.
Trump has long campaigned on the promise of ending foreign wars, even before he announced his candidacy for president. However, his second term has been defined by a ruthless and interventionist approach. He has already ordered military strikes in Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, as well as bombarding a Venezuelan port and killing over 100 civilians in bombings in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
The administration is also threatening Mexico, with Trump saying that "the cartels are running Mexico" and that the country needs to take action to stop them. This has raised concerns among many experts, who argue that such statements are not only unhelpful but also inflammatory.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government has issued a statement condemning Trump's support for protests in Iran, with the foreign minister saying that "President Trump of all people should know that criminal attacks on public property cannot be tolerated."
The Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez criticized the attack as "barbaric" and "illegal," calling for the release of Maduro, who she said is the country's rightful leader. She vowed to defend Venezuela's natural resources and warned that the country would never return to being a colony of another empire.
Despite the backlash, Trump remains committed to his "Donroe Doctrine," which he says will reassert American power in the Western Hemisphere. However, many experts argue that this approach is doomed to fail, both domestically and internationally.
As tensions escalate between the U.S. and various countries, one thing is clear: the United States is facing a crisis of democracy and accountability. The actions of President Trump and his administration are testing the limits of American power and values, raising questions about what it means to be a global leader in the 21st century.
The Trump administration's aggressive stance on Venezuela has sparked concerns among many experts, who argue that this approach is not only unhelpful but also inflammatory. The U.S. military attack on Venezuela has highlighted the risks of unchecked executive power and the dangers of prioritizing American interests over international law and human rights.
Despite these challenges, there are still opportunities for constructive engagement and dialogue between nations. As the world navigates these complex issues, it is essential to prioritize empathy, understanding, and cooperation – rather than resorting to force and coercion.
In the midst of this crisis, one thing is clear: The Intercept will continue to provide critical coverage of international news and events, using a fact-based approach that prioritizes accuracy and fairness.
the monroe doctrine is just a fancy way of sayin imperialism, like dude we cant just invade other countries cuz u feel like it. and what about all them wars in iran, nigeria, somalia? trump said no new wars but then he orders strikes & kills civilians left & right. its like hes trying 2 prove hes the bad guy 
Trump's "America First" turned into a total joke 
Attack on Venezuela was completely unnecessary & has already killed 80 people 
Can't believe the hypocrisy when it comes to foreign wars 
He claims to be anti-war, but his actions speak louder than words 
The Donroe Doctrine is just a fancy name for old-school imperialism 
and now we're dealing with a full blown crisis in venezuela... like what even happened here? did he just declare war or something? 
and another thing, why does this keep happening? he said no new wars but then goes and drops bombs everywhere it's like he's trying to prove a point or something 
anyway, gotta watch how this all plays out because the world is watching 
what's next? is Mexico gonna be like "oh no, Trump's trying to take over again"? 
.
.
.
it's like he thinks he can just make up his own rules 
i mean come on trump, you can't just support protests in iran but then be all hardline against venezuela 
it's like you're speaking out of both sides of your mouth 
What happened to all the 'America First' nonsense? This is just more proof that Trump is a total flip-flop on his campaign promises 
. And what's up with him and his cartels comment? Is he for real? Mexico is already like, totally stressed out right now 
. This whole situation just reeks of desperation and a complete lack of understanding of how the world actually works 
. Can we please just have some actual diplomacy instead of this all-or-nothing approach? 
the fact that he's threatening mexico and iran too is just insane 
has the US never learned from its past mistakes in latin america? it's like they're trying to recreate some kind of imperial mess 
not to mention the total disregard for international law and human rights...it's a scary time for democracy and accountability worldwide 