Trump Attacks Venezuela for Oil.

America First is now Billionaire First.

“We are in the oil business.” - Donald Trump

Early Saturday morning, the Trump administration launched a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that included strikes on military sites in and around Caracas, widespread power outages, and reported deaths, including civilians. The operation culminated in U.S. forces abducting arresting Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flying them to the United States, where Maduro has now appeared in federal court.

Call it what you want—raid, operation, intervention—but when a foreign military bombs infrastructure, enters a sovereign capital, and removes a sitting head of state by force, the line between “law enforcement” and invasion collapses.

What Happened?

Based on reporting so far:

• U.S. Special Operations forces captured Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores and transported them to the United States, where Maduro has appeared in federal court.

• The operation was paired with strikes on Venezuelan military infrastructure, cyber and electronic operations, and power disruptions in Caracas.

• Casualty figures are still emerging, but early reporting indicates dozens of people were killed, including military personnel and civilians.

• The legality of the operation is already being challenged at the United Nations, with the U.N. Secretary-General warning about the precedent it sets and multiple legal experts arguing the action lacks a valid justification under international law—no U.N. authorization, no Venezuelan consent, and no credible claim of self-defense.

The Trump administration claims the operation was necessary to capture a “narco-terrorist,” stop drug trafficking, keep Americans safe, and reset Venezuela as a U.S. ally.

Those claims do not withstand scrutiny.

Debunking the Trump Administration’s claims.

Claim A: This was necessary to stop the flow of drugs into the United States

This argument collapses under basic facts.

• In recent years, synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, have been involved in roughly 70% of U.S. overdose deaths. The exact percentage varies by year, but the dominance of fentanyl is not in dispute.

• The fentanyl supply chain overwhelmingly runs through Mexican trafficking networks, with precursor chemicals linked to China in U.S. government assessments.

• According to UN-linked analysis, only a small share of Colombian cocaine transits Venezuela, often cited at around 5%, and much of that supply is destined for markets outside the United States.

• Multiple experts note that Venezuela is not a primary trafficking corridor for drugs entering the U.S.

If the administration’s concern were genuinely drug trafficking, it would also need to explain why Trump pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who had been convicted in U.S. court on major drug-trafficking charges.

This was never a serious drug policy.

Claim B: This is no different than what Obama did with Bin Laden and in Libya. Democratic opposition is hypocritical.

This comparison is absurd.

The Bin Laden raid:

• Three helicopters.

• A small team of 23 Navy SEALs.

• A targeted operation against a single compound.

• No bombing of infrastructure or military sites.

• No plan to “run” Pakistan or seize natural resources.

Osama bin Laden was responsible for the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history, killing more than 3,000 Americans. The raid followed a decade-long international manhunt.

Libya (2011):

• A multinational intervention authorized by a U.N. Security Council resolution.

• NATO-led enforcement.

• No U.S. plan to seize Libya’s oil or administer the country.

Venezuela (2026):

• More than 150 U.S. aircraft reportedly involved.

• Military bases struck, along with cyber and electronic operations.

• U.S. Delta Force units and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment deployed.

• At least 80 people reportedly killed, with the civilian-military breakdown still emerging.

These are not comparable events.

It’s all about the Oil

“It’s always about oil” is often dismissed as a cliché.

This time, the president made it explicit.

“We’re in the oil business. We’re going to sell it to them … we’ll be selling large amounts of oil to other countries.” — Donald Trump

Trump did not describe Venezuela primarily as a humanitarian emergency or even a security threat. Instead, he framed the operation around control, reconstruction, and profit.

According to multiple transcripts and reports, Trump said:

• The U.S. would rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.

• American oil companies would do the work.

• The operation would “make a lot of money.”

• It “won’t cost us anything,” because private companies would pay for reconstruction.

That framing matters. It treats Venezuela, home to nearly 30 million people, not as a nation, but as a failed asset waiting to be flipped.

Wall Street understood the message immediately. Financial outlets began openly discussing “investment opportunities” in Venezuela following Maduro’s capture, before any political transition or legal process had even begun. The familiar pattern appeared overnight: regime change first, markets second, accountability never.

What Now?

It’s tempting to focus solely on process: this was illegal, unconstitutional, and a violation of international law. All of that is true. And yes, Trump should be held accountable for it.

But that cannot be the core of our message.

The core message is this: Trump lied—again.

He sold himself as the president who would end “forever wars.”
He promised to put America first.
He claimed he’d lower costs and focus on your life.

Instead, he launched another war—this time explicitly to reward oil companies and billionaire donors. At the same time, ordinary Americans continue to struggle with rising costs, unaffordable housing, and a healthcare system in crisis.

This isn’t strength.
It isn’t security.
And it certainly isn’t America First.

Sources:

• Reuters – U.S. operation in Venezuela, explosions and power outages reported
  https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/loud-noises-heard-venezuela-capital-southern-area-without-electricity-2026-01-03/

• Reuters – Trump says U.S. oil companies will spend billions in Venezuela
  https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trump-says-us-oil-companies-will-spend-billions-venezuela-2026-01-03/

• AP News – What we know about the U.S. operation in Venezuela
  https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-maduro-what-to-know-a57528ff315a7f70ed51a1721f5e0bc2

• U.N. Charter, Article 51 (self-defense)
  https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/chapter-7

• Reuters – U.N. warns about precedent after U.S. action in Venezuela
  https://www.reuters.com/world/un-warns-precedent-after-us-action-venezuela-2026-01-04/

• U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973
  https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/resolutions-adopted-security-council-2011

• NATO overview of Libya operation
  https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_71652.htm

• CDC – Provisional overdose death data
  https://www.cdc.gov/overdose/data/index.html

• CDC – Fentanyl and synthetic opioids overview
  https://www.cdc.gov/overdose/prevention/fentanyl.html

• DEA – National Drug Threat Assessment
  https://www.dea.gov/documents/2024/2024-national-drug-threat-assessment

• U.S. Government Accountability Office – China-linked fentanyl precursors
  https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105176

• UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) – World Drug Report
  https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/world-drug-report.html

• InSight Crime – Cocaine trafficking corridors
  https://insightcrime.org/investigations/cocaine-trafficking-routes/

• DOJ – Former Honduran President Convicted on Drug Charges
  https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-president-honduras-convicted-drug-trafficking-conspiracy

• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/us/politics/hernandez-honduras-trump.html

• Reuters – Ex-Honduran President sentenced to 45 years
  https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ex-honduras-president-hernandez-sentenced-45-years-us-prison-2024-06-26/

• CNN Transcript – Trump press conference on Venezuela (Jan. 3, 2026)
  https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/cnr/date/2026-01-03/segment/01

• WSJ – Investors eye Venezuela after U.S. intervention
  https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/venezuela-investment-opportunities-after-maduro-capture

• Reuters – Oil stocks react after Trump comments on Venezuela
  https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chevron-us-refiners-shares-surge-after-trumps-move-toward-venezuela-oil-2026-01-05/