Why Trump trained his sights on Venezuela

Published January 9, 2026 4:05am ET



A year ago, when President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term, the chattering class was rife with predictions of his foreign policy priorities. The usual suspects, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, were high on the list. Few, however, predicted the outsize role that Venezuela would play. And fewer still expected that the White House would seize the Venezuelan dictator, Nicolás Maduro, in a daring raid.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.