The US military operation in Venezuela to capture President Nicolás Maduro has triggered a fresh round of speculation about Washington’s next moves, particularly in the Americas. But US President Donald Trump’s language, recent military actions and official strategy documents point to a sharper posture built around a revived Monroe Doctrine. “The Monroe Doctrine is a big deal, but we’ve superseded it by a lot, by a real lot,” Trump said after the Venezuela raid, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve. While no military action is expected, scenarios discussed include tariff escalation, expanded joint patrols, and greater US leverage through NORAD and Arctic basing. Trump authorised strikes in seven countries in 2025: Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, and Venezuela.

Source: The Telegraph January 05, 2026 10:30 UTC