Venezuela

[hntnhole]

Given that Venezuela possess enormous reserves of (in ground) oil, and given that K.S. has been blowing fishing boats out of the water lately, and given that his Nibs has recalled an aircraft carrier group from the Mediterranean, now sailing towards South America, one could be excused for wondering why.  He's been blowing fishing boats out of the water for weeks now, claiming they were laden with illegal drugs.  Perhaps an ancillary motive would be to remove any auxiliary, fast, easily maneuvered Venezuelan boats that could contest (in theory, at least) an effort to displace Maduro from power, and simply install a puppet government in that nation.   

Said puppet government would likely allow the (perhaps behind-the-scenes)  usurping of these oil reserves, to the benefit of the US and it's endless thirst for oil.  This isn't attempting "three dimensional chess",  it's nothing but "I can, so I will".  I'm not actually predicting anything, of course - I don't have a magic hat - but nothing surprises me in DC anymore.  

[PozBearWI]

I don't think Donnie possesses the foresight for that, but I wouldn't put it past some other admin officials.  

[viking8x6]

This is without question an arrogation of powers that belong to Congress.

The Constitution is crystal clear on the subject. 

[NWUSHorny]

Donnie doesn't play 3D chess, he cheats at Chutes and Ladders knocking the board over if he doesn't get his way. That said there is a good chance that some of his Den of Thieves advisors have told him he might be able to capture some of all of the Venezuela oil reserves, and he is trying to provide a way to keep the spoils.

[tobetrained]

@hntnhole here's a pretty all-around article from BBC. Opinion of their quoted experts is he's making it clear to internal / domestic groups -- e.g., elements of their army -- that we are their to support and not lead their effort to oust a dictator.

[think before following links] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gp2lxz75eo

After that, it's unclear next steps. We -- both Biden and Trump admins -- have stated support for the opposition groups who -- by all known measures easily won the last election before Maduro stole it.

[think before following links] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Venezuelan_presidential_election

This is driven closing down the tentacles of the Russia-China-Iran axis (and, Hamas' move in 2023 was ultimate with that support too). In run up to Ukraine invasion, their allies and friends in our region -- Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela -- pushed out many dissidents and others who then became part of the 2022 immigrant surge as a means of distraction from Ukraine -- as always, that partially worked. See CBS News article from that time:

[think before following links] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cuba-venezuela-nicaragua-migrants-processed-record-us-border-2022/

I'm sure oil is also part of it. But let's say their massive stores are quickly brought online (very unlikely). That depresses the price. Trump's push for domestic exploration and development slows as companies will limit said development due to much lower profits from lower prices -- so it actually would hurt his domestic agenda. Same lower prices though impact everyone, from Russia to our (frenemies) OPEC, as it all goes onto the open market. I think the latter is the bigger long-term goal.