Trump threatens a second military strike on Venezuela, tying US intervention to control, oil access and demands on interim leadership.
Donald Trump speaks as tensions rise over potential renewed US military action in Venezuela (Photo: X)
The current warning issued by Donald Trump is a significant escalation in tone and purpose. The fact that Donald Trump has threatened a second military strike has made clear that the US is ready to move beyond warnings and sanctions in getting Venezuela to follow its desired outcomes in Caracas.
Trump’s statements have made a second invasion almost inevitable. Trump said that the United States is ready for another attack, adding that they will not think twice before taking any action if Venezuela’s new leadership did not comply with the demands of the United States. Trump stated that although a second invasion may not be necessary and the threat is already a form of leverage.
TONIGHT — President Trump says a second strike on Venezuela is not off the table: "If they don’t behave, we’ll do a second strike."
— Toria Brooke (@realtoriabrooke) January 5, 2026
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However Trump’s claim that Washington had control following the capture of Nicolas Maduro. Not only is there a questionable nature regarding the legality of capturing a head of state, but there are serious implications of sovereignty at play when it comes to intervention versus occupation. Acknowledging the potential controversy associated with determining control, Trump stood firm in his assertion of control.
Energy remains central to Washington’s focus and trump repeatedly pointed to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, arguing that years of mismanagement had left the country broken and underproducing. His call for full access to oil and resources, along with renewed involvement by US energy firms, suggests that economic interests are tightly woven into the military and political narrative.
The response in Latin America and Europe has been immediate but nervous. Several nations have declared that U.S. policy is a dangerous precedent, while others called for calm in order to avoid instigating instability elsewhere in the region. Already on the ground, fear has spread rapidly, and citizens in Caracas scramble for necessities while neighbouring Colombia fortifies its border and the spill-over risk is no longer hypothetical.
Venezuela currently faces a point of choice that has been fueled by international pressure, internal turmoil and economic collapse. With oil production at historically low levels, despite the existence of vast amounts of resource, stability to accomplish a restore and rebuild process seems jeopardized by possible additional military attacks. Trump maintains that his interest, by no means his intention, leans strictly within the realm of fixing and never politics.
