Stephen Miller: US ‘running Venezuela by definition’

The Hill ^ | 01/05/26 | Max Rego

[CondoleezzaProtege]

“What the president said is true. The United States of America is running Venezuela. By definition, that’s true,” Miller told host Jake Tapper on CNN’s “The Lead” on Monday.

“We live in a world in which, you can talk about international niceties and everything else, but we live in a world, in the real world … that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time,” he continued.

After Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken into custody Saturday, Trump told reporters that the U.S. will “run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” adding that American oil companies will take control of Venezuela’s petroleum infrastructure.

The South American country has the largest oil reserves in the world, more than Iraq, Kuwait and the U.S. as of 2024, according to OPEC. But last year, it accounted for only 3.5 percent of the oil produced by OPEC nations.

The Washington Post also reported Monday that the White House is considering giving Miller an increased role in overseeing Venezuela.

[quantim]

Tapper was in quicksand and there was no way out, it was a beautiful thing to watch Miller take that MSM retard apart.

[nathanbedford]

Let us not be naïve, Stephen Miller is not freelancing here, he is taking a line that is intended by President Trump. As to his intemperate language concerning Greenland, that might or might not actually have been an off-the-cuff unscripted remark coming in the wake of his wife's image of Greenland covered with an American flag. Even so, Trump has not made him walk any of it back, instead he has doubled down.

Nevertheless, the language is intemperate and consciously trolls all of Europe and much of the rest of the world, so we must ask, why is the Trump administration willfully setting itself up to be accused by friend and foe of aggression? Where is the upside?

Granted, there is some value in intimidating enemies into caution and allies into cooperation, but we see very little cooperation indeed from anyone in Europe concerning threats against Denmark/Greenland or in favor of the Venezuela incursion. It is not clear what the only enemy that counts will infer from these developments, China. That land remains implacable and not likely to be easily duped.

We would be remiss if we did not note that there is certain political profit to be had from stirring up the base domestically, but the cost of bad reaction by Independents at the ballot box in an upcoming close by-election must be reckoned.

One other question should be considered, is it the deliberate policy of the Trump administration to antagonize most of the world, abandon our allies, and confine the United States to fortress America?

[Max_850]

Europe depends on us for protection and it’s a one way street. If they can’t protect their own interests how can we depend on them to protect ours? They are useless and have largely given their sovereignty over to the Muslim invaders. Why treat them like equal partners?

[nathanbedford]

So in the absence of perfection in our allies, we adopt a bunker defense mentality.

[Max_850]

Perfection? Adequate would be a high bar for Europe. Plus they have been undermining Trumps effort on ending the Ukraine war for months.

Bunker defense mentality…. If our sovereignty is dependent on allies such as those then we are done. When push comes to shove we are all alone in this world.

[Mariner]

“The United States of America is running Venezuela. By definition, that’s true”

Nonsense.

[nathanbedford]

The notion that Europe has been "undermining" trumps attempts to end the war in Ukraine is a grotesque distortion of reality. Trump intermeddled as he pretended to be acting to secure an honorable peace on behalf of Ukraine while he was deliberately selling Ukraine out.

Europe sought to protect its neighbor from Trump's cynicism. They sought to uphold a world that the NATO coalition has successfully maintained for its members for three quarters of a century, a world of rules that supports national sovereignty, and opposes aggression and does not make cynical deals with the devil for profit --a world that had once included the United States.

When push comes to shove we are all alone in this world.

Alone defending a line of bunkers from the Panama Canal to the tip of Greenland. How many miles does that line exceed the length of the Maginot line?

[Georgia Girl 2]

In the real world the big dog eats. The US is the big dog.

[Brilliant]

By definition? Sounds like we’re not really calling the shots.

[Dixie Yooper]

As long as there’s enough string and cans to communicate, the cartels will operate. Unless they fall for the ole’ pager/walkie-talkie routine.

[Lakeshark]

Alone defending a line of bunkers from the Panama Canal to the tip of Greenland. How many miles does that line exceed the length of the Maginot line?

There could not be more negative, and totally wrong, assessment of what's happening with the US position in the world today.

Just a suggestion to ponder: You might want to take off those black out shades on your glasses and take a more nuanced understanding of how good our position really is.

We have effectively started to reset the Monroe doctrine by changing the China/Russia negative influence in Latin America with the wonderful Venezuelan intervention. Better gas prices ahead. Less influence of our major geo-political rival (China) in pushing drugs in our country and sending criminals to infest us. Plus giving hope to Venezuelans.

It also deters (frightens) China from taking Taiwan, because they know we are stronger.

The vision for Greenland is an important one that will play out, likely to our benefit. You might want to read The Art of The Deal to understand what's happening there.

As to Europe, it's become clear that unless they change back to being countries that value the Judeo/Christian Western vision, they are going to cease being effective allies. Which is not our fault. Those few European countries that are trying to restore a good culture should be fine. The rest. It's hard to say. They've got cultural problems that are simply overwhelming. If they don't change, they will be of no use to anyone, not even themselves.

[nathanbedford]

We have effectively started to reset the Monroe doctrine by changing the China/Russia negative influence in Latin America with the wonderful Venezuelan intervention.

I have written my support of this intervention but the public relations could not have been worse mishandled. It is indeed vital that we stifle any China/Russia influence in Latin America. It is not clear that this intervention, as it has been characterized and will apparently proceed, will prove able to achieve that. We wait in hope.

It also deters (frightens) China from taking Taiwan, because they know we are stronger.

That seems to be true to some extent because the raid was so ably done. But whatever deterrent value was created by the incursion's success was to some extent vitiated by the incomprehensible explanation attached to it by the president.

Our power to deter Chinese aggression against Taiwan has been, perhaps fatally, affected by our betrayal of Ukraine, which, no matter how inconvenient to acknowledge, was in fact an ally. China looks at that and concludes that we will sell out Taiwan much the same as we actually damaged Ukraine.

Better gas prices ahead.

Yes, but mostly to be realized years ahead and only if the expropriation of that oil patch can be accomplished, as the president suggests, by jawboning. If not, we will be embarrassed, as we were in Afghanistan, or we will have to wage war there and exercise Donald Trump stated willingness to put boots on the ground.

The vision for Greenland is an important one that will play out, likely to our benefit. You might want to read The Art of The Deal to understand what's happening there.

I've been exposed to parts of The Art of the Deal but I don't know what chapter his advice on conducting negotiations advocates starting the process by agreeing to virtually everything your adversary demands, as Trump did with Russia against what was then an ally, Ukraine. How did that work out?

Less influence of our major geo-political rival (China) in pushing drugs in our country and sending criminals to infest us.

We all hope so, but it is a stretch to see the connection between invading Venezuela and intimidating China where invasion is inconceivable.

They've got cultural problems that are simply overwhelming. If they don't change, they will be of no use to anyone, not even themselves.

Take the log out of your own eye have a close look at Minnesota, New York City, Seattle, San Francisco etc. you might also take a look at every one of the nationstates in Europe such as Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, and Austria among others that are experiencing right wing movements against the kinds of malaise that is currently also afflicting America.

[DownInFlames]

If we control their waters, we control the country.

[Kazan]

We have no right whatsoever to run Venezuela for any length of time.

Venezuelans have a right to free and fair elections and to elect leaders that act independently.

And, if that isn't the case, then China can and likely will do something similar in Taiwan that we just did in Venezuela. Other countries with military might will do something similar.

[ClearCase_guy]

The world has been “talking pretty” for a few centuries, but it has always been true that Might Makes Right. We don’t have to like that, but that doesn’t change the reality.

After WWII, the Nazi leaders were put on trial for violating international law. But there wasn’t really any international law on the books for what they did. So, after the war was over, laws were written, trials were scheduled, and the folks who lost the war were executed by the people who won the war. And (of course) people cheered because it seemed like Justice.

But it’s basically Might Makes Right. The winners get to punish the losers.

We went into Venezuela and we were remarkably successful. We won.

China is welcome to try and conquer Taiwan. But they will lose. Badly. Just because “we did it” in Venezuela does not automatically mean China gets to take Taiwan. They have to earn it. And they don’t have the power to do that.

Trump is playing the game of realpolitik. The world has no choice but to accept that.

[dfwgator]

but it has always been true that Might Makes Right

And it always will be.

[Theophilus]

We’re not running it like God is, but God has placed the hands of the Administration firmly around the neck. No oil or drugs go out. No money in.

[Theophilus]

"We have no right whatsoever to run Venezuela Japan/Germany for any length of time"

Governments don't have "rights".

[vpintheak]

Why did they put Maduro’s #2 in charge?
Why am I reading about threats to people for speaking out?
Why is the new boss the same as the old boss?
What was the damn point then?