Trump administration bares fangs of imperialist lust through Venezuelan conquest

Throughout all modern United States military conflicts, there have been two foundational ideas: preventing communism, and the pursuit of oil. The recent escalation within Venezuela features a bit of both. Venezuela is one of the few foreign producers of oil that sells very little to the United States, due to the large sanctions placed on the country in 2017, a decision carried out during President Trump’s first term that laid the groundwork for what would be his current militancy. The playbook is not new as it has been rolled out against any country with socialist tendencies in the past 50 years.

During the heyday of the Soviet Union, the fear of nuclear war weighed heavily on the populace of both the USSR and the US. The Red Scare of Communism was enough consent from the governed to take military action abroad. Similarly, one of the common reasons cited by the current administration for its involvement in Venezuela is the claim that the country is under a communist dictatorship. While claims about the efficacy of elections have risen in recent years, Nicolás Maduro was still an elected president. The pursuit of regime change in another nation parallels foreign policy goals of the United States during the war for global hegemony with the Soviet Union. Accusations against Maduro, and his eventual abduction, is easily comparable to the countless attempts made against Cuban leaders throughout the 1960s. Even if one could view these two as disparate historical moments, the recent military actions taken in the region have been connected to Cuban civilian deaths. These nearby powers that have strong ties to eastern adversaries such as Russia and China are being posed as the most corrupt places because of the difference in ideology. However, there is one other major factor that will always be at play: the natural resources of the region.

Oil production has been Venezuela’s main economic output for the past several decades, but due to the high tariffs and unsavory relations with the United States, very little of that oil ends up in America. Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the entire world, making it the golden goose of United States foreign policy goals, a fact revealed immediately after the abduction of Maduro, whenTrump announced that the US would be seizing control of the national oil supply. This was then followed by a sale of 250 million dollars worth of said oil to one of Trump’s megadonor corporations, Vitol. Economically, the motivation behind the attack works ably subsadizes the oil industry once again, while at the same time delivering a shot of imperialistic testosterone directly to Trump’s base. Touting the success of control of the largest oil reserves in the world is no small accomplishment and will project the ‘peace through strength’ that has been integral to the president’s messaging. Not to mention, the promise of an influx of oil to lower prices is an extremely popular one among Americans. With 77% of people driving to work, the decrease will be greatly welcomed. As midterms approach, this operation increased Trump’s approval rating up to 42%, much higher than it has been through most of his presidency. The question is whether this spike can hold, and if American foreign policy will hold broader implications in the global geopolitical landscape.

Venezuela’s ties to eastern powers such as Russia and China put them at odds with the United States politically. As the US struggles to remain relevant as an exporter internationally, their access to crude oil to refine is becoming critical. By taking control of the oil reserves of Venezuela, the country will be able to not only refine more oil, but cut off that oil trade from adversaries such as China. Trump appears to be following the playbook of many presidents before him— acquire control over resources quickly and efficiently, so strength is projected. Venezuela is also a perfect target, as its location makes it one of the closest outposts of adversarial forces to the United States. However, this feels like the tip of the avarice iceberg following Trump’s return to comments made at the start of his second term about purchasing Greenland from Denmark. 

Though the official message from this administration is that the acquisition of Greenland has to do for national security in critical arctic trade routes, the geopolitical climate suggests it has more to do with projecting strength. As civil unrest continues to grow domestically, Trump wishes to both quell the masses with the success of gaining new territory, as well as show the world that even with civil unrest the nation is strong. The recent comments about Iran also connect to this showing of power, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio even commenting on possible military action in Venezuela in case of an “Iranian drone factory.” Though a seemingly unlikely situation, it lays the groundwork for reasoning to take more military action in Venezuela, even after the current regime change that was implemented with the abduction of Maduro. This seems likely be another effort to extort as much new value out of American imperialism in the Global South before the midterm elections. This serves as not only an alternative focus from many unpopular policies of the current president such as ICE officer activity throughout major cities and alleged ties to the Epstein files, but also as a power play against the economic dominance of China, who will lose a major supplier of oil if Venezuela does not regain its independence of governance from the United States. Overall, by posturing foreign policy endeavors with Venezuela, Iran, and Greenland as acts of liberation for citizens and necessary for national security, the Trump administration’s goals seemed far more aligned with imperialistic desire for land, money, and strength. This serves as a reminder for a vital part of following global politics. Never take the reason provided for action at face value, because more often than not, there are ulterior motives that lie beneath the surface.

by Will Amel

Published February 9, 2026

Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue IV