As of January 5, 2026, the aftermath of Operation Absolute Resolve has left Venezuela in a state of strategic confusion. While President Trump celebrated the “capture” of Nicolás Maduro as a historic law enforcement success, the administration’s stated plan to “run” the country has met with significant domestic and international skepticism.
Trump’s 2025 peace push centers on a transactional deal trading Ukrainian NATO aspirations for long-term U.S. security guarantees. The framework involves potential territorial concessions in Donbas and a national referendum, shifting away from previous demands for full Russian withdrawal to prioritize a rapid, comprehensive end to the war.
Trump’s “Operation Southern Spear” leverages a fentanyl WMD designation to bypass Congress, launching military strikes and an oil blockade against Venezuela.
The intersection of commercial interests and diplomatic decision-making is a defining feature of current American foreign policy, as evidenced by dropped prosecutions, controversial pardons, and Gulf investments. These cases highlight the influence of personal business relationships on international relations, raising questions about conflict of interest, transparency, and strategic coherence.
The Trump administration’s 2025 National Security Strategy signifies a significant break from the post-World War II international order by rejecting the aim of “permanent American domination” and shifting towards a focus on reindustrialization and “America First” policies, moving the U.S. from upholding norms to aggressive commercial competition in the Indo-Pacific.
The indefinite postponement of the 10th Summit of the Americas by the Dominican Republic in late 2025 signifies a critical juncture in the decline of Pan-American diplomacy. Once intended as a platform for economic integration and democratic solidarity since the 1990s, the summit process has now stalled due to “profound divergences” as described by Santo Domingo.
Washington’s foreign policy paradoxically reflects substantial military spending increases and the erosion of traditional alliances through economic coercion, showcasing a significant gap between campaign promises of restraint and current governance, highlighting tensions in American strategic thinking.
