In a bold move that has sent shockwaves across global capitals, U.S. President Donald Trump kicked off 2026 with a dramatic military operation in Venezuela. Special forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, whisking them to American soil. This aggressive action stands in stark contrast to Trump’s ambitious claims of swiftly ending wars worldwide, particularly the grinding conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all while eyeing a Nobel Peace Prize.
The timing couldn’t be more provocative. Just as Trump boasts of brokering peace in a single day between Moscow and Kyiv, his administration launches what critics call an invasion. Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton, speaking exclusively, painted a grim picture for any quick resolution. ‘Russia has played its cards well in Ukraine,’ Bolton remarked. ‘Any deal that emerges won’t be acceptable to the Ukrainian people. Trump will likely backpedal, as he’s done before. The Nobel dream remains distant because the two sides are miles apart.’
Bolton defended the Venezuela strike as a necessary message to adversaries. ‘We’ve targeted threats from Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba, who turned Venezuela into an operating base under Maduro’s tyrannical rule,’ he explained. For years, the Venezuelan people suffered under oppression, propped up by foreign powers exploiting the nation’s vast oil reserves—the world’s largest, surpassing even Saudi Arabia.
Russia views Venezuela as a safer hub than Cuba, which sits just 90 miles from Florida. Moscow benefits immensely, while Cuba relies on cheap Venezuelan oil to sustain its regime. China snaps up 80% of Venezuela’s oil exports and eyes deeper infrastructure investments. Iran maintains its largest embassy in Caracas, monitoring Hezbollah activities, laundering money through illegal oil sales, and coveting Venezuela’s massive uranium deposits.
This web of influence destabilizes the Western Hemisphere and poses direct risks to U.S. security. Trump’s Venezuela gambit signals zero tolerance, but it complicates his peacemaker image. As negotiations loom over Ukraine, the world watches whether this hawkish stance will torpedo his diplomatic aspirations or strengthen his hand against aggressors.