Less than a month after the presentation of the National Security Strategy 2025 — which introduced the so-called “Trump Annex” to the Monroe Doctrine, aiming for absolute dominance in the Western Hemisphere — the true nature of the policy was revealed in deafening fashion. On January 3, the US invaded Venezuela and kidnapped Nicolas Maduro and his wife, turning the theoretical doctrine into a brute act of violence and power.
Behind the attack were three calculated goals:
- Control,
- Deterrence,
- Domestic consumption
1. Washington attempted to impose a new version of the “friends with far, pressure with neighbors” policy in practice. The Trump Annex, which dominates the “five vital national priorities,” signals a sharp reduction in international engagements outside the Western Hemisphere, a shift toward internal fronts, a strengthening of borders, and a monopolization of regional influence.
2. the “decapitation strike” in Venezuela served as a message to major powers outside the region. The new Security Strategy significantly lowers the tone toward China, shifting the focus to economic competition. Washington now recognizes that Chinese industrial production exceeds the entire G7. By reducing direct confrontation, it seeks a “breathing window” to promote reindustrialization and strengthen its position in global competition.
The attack on Venezuela had a clear dual purpose: to restore American power after the Afghanistan fiasco and to send a message to anyone who might think of obstructing the path of US re-industrialization.
3. Domestic political pressure made the move even more urgent. With the midterm elections approaching, the Trump administration needed a quick, spectacular victory. The redistricting of electoral districts in California in favor of the opposition and the economic suffocation of households reinforced the need for “successes” abroad.
The bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities had paved the way for the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” In the White House, it was seen as a model to be repeated.
It is not an original recipe. Reagan used reforms to pull the country out of post-Vietnam decline. Thatcher gained political omnipotence with the Falklands. The logic is old: military power as political fuel.
Washington is implementing “strategic contraction”
Since Trump’s return, Washington has been implementing “strategic downsizing”: fewer international commitments, an obsession with rebuilding the real economy, a hard line on illegal immigration. At the same time, it seeks to lock in its dominance in the Western Hemisphere — and Venezuela is at the center of this plan. Since the Chavez era, the country has been a permanent rival of Washington.
Control of the military is a crucial front. Since 2016, public discussion of a coup in the United States has ceased to be taboo. To strengthen its influence over the armed forces, the government needs larger budgets and deep restructuring. External successes serve as an alibi.
Immigration remains a political weapon. Republicans accuse Democrats of “voter smuggling.” The Trump administration has hardened its stance, presenting a crackdown on illegal immigration as the key to its next election victory. To succeed, it needs cooperation from Latin America. The blow to Venezuela serves as a warning.
References to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves are mainly aimed at influencing inflation expectations. The country’s production is low, investment takes time, but controlling reserves is likely to boost market confidence.
Just as the 2025 tariff war dismantled the principles of the World Trade Organization and accelerated the collapse of the post-war trading system, the blow to Venezuela is accelerating the dismantling of the international security order.
The world that once spoke of “decency” is retreating, if not already completely retreating. The West of values is becoming a West of abasement. An era of brutal power rivalry is emerging.
