In one of the scariest moments in modern history, we're doing our best at ScheerPost to pierce the fog of lies that conceal it but we need some help to pay our writers and staff. Please consider a tax-deductible donation.
By Joshua Scheer
Welcome to another day in the empire we might as well call 1984. Marco Rubio, who only yesterday said the U.S. didn’t need congressional approval because the situation in Venezuela is not a war but the capture of a fugitive, adding, to the BBC saying “That’s not a war. I mean, we are at war against drug trafficking organizations. That’s not a war against Venezuela,”
But has the narrative really shifted, or is this just good cop/bad cop—or whatever you want to call the times we are living in? Meanwhile, with President Trump threatening both the incoming president of Venezuela and other left-leaning nations, the United States seems to be lurching toward a space where it resembles a new Rome—a power with seemingly no regard for history.
That was made clear in an interview with The Atlantic yesterday, when asked about Iraq and the current intensifying situation, Trump said: “I didn’t do Iraq. That was Bush. You’ll have to ask Bush that question, because we should have never gone into Iraq. That started the Middle East disaster.”
He threatened Venezuela’s new president Delcy Rodríguez, saying that “if she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price—probably bigger than Maduro,” adding that “she’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.” He went on to declare, “The country’s gone to hell. It’s a failed country. It’s a totally failed country. It’s a disaster in every way.”
I wonder why a country that has been subjected to coercive actions by the United States and repeated coup attempts can’t get ahead—especially when, even now, its oil is being seized and treated as if it belongs to the U.S. This is a madman being guided by what I would describe as delusional people. The truly frightening part, however, is that they know exactly what they are doing, and that is what makes it so dangerous.
This was a man when campaigning in 2016 spoke saying “stop racing to topple foreign regimes that we know nothing about.” He had campaigned that year in opposition to “nation building,”
Great—who’s paying attention? Which Trump are we seeing this morning—the 2016 isolationist of the highest order? Reports are emerging of a split within the MAGA camp (Make America Great Again, for those unfamiliar), with the New York Times highlighting tensions among the more isolationist figures from Trump’s first administration. “The lack of framing of the message on a potential occupation has the base bewildered, if not angry,” said Stephen K. Bannon, the pro-Trump podcaster. “While President Trump makes the case for hemispheric defense, Rubio confuses with talk of removing Hamas and Hezbollah.”
At the same time MAGA darling Candice Owens tweeting “Venezuela has been “liberated” like Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq were “liberated”. The CIA has staged another hostile takeover of a country at the behest of a globalist psychopaths. That’s it. That’s what is happening, always, everywhere. Zionists cheer every regime change. There has never been a single regime change that Zionists have not applauded because it means they get to steal land, oil and other resources.”
In the video below, in a strange twist, right‑wing superstar Tucker Carlson—of all people—defends Venezuela, apparently because it’s the most Christian nation in Latin America. So there you go.
Of course, this MAGA split—and the difference between Trump in 2016 and now—really shows that the true worm in the drink is Marco “the Neocon” today believes that countries shouldn’t have friends—because the threat is global. Why? Because Venezuela is friends with Iran, Russia, and China… oh my. Of course they are—they certainly aren’t ours.
Here’s “little” Marco discussing why he feels the need to protect the oil because “Why does China need their oil? Russia? Iran? This is the West. This is where we live”Adding, for good measure, that after we take our “fair share,” maybe the people of Venezuela would finally get theirs. That’s entirely on brand for the United States—its free‑market ideology and trickle‑down economic system.
🚨 HOLY HELL: Marco Rubio just said the quiet part out loud.
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) January 4, 2026
Asked by Kristen Welker why the U.S. needs Venezuelan oil, Rubio didn’t cite law, trade, or consent.
He said:
“Why does China need their oil? Russia? Iran? This is the West. This is where we live.”
Russia, China,… pic.twitter.com/blWYMFW1L5
Speaking about China’s reaction, they strongly condemned the U.S. seizure of President Maduro, calling it a violation of international law and an overreach of U.S. power, even as some analysts note Beijing may see the situation as a chance to challenge American global dominance and assert its own influence on the world stage.
Many commentators have draw parallels between Washington’s actions in Venezuela and China’s ambitions toward Taiwan, analysts suggest that China is less concerned with the sovereignty of the self-ruled island. Instead, Beijing sees the U.S. move as an opening to question America’s leadership on the world stage. With NBC reporting
“This is a country which just behaved like a hegemon, right?” said Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. “How can you trust a country that would deal with its weak neighbors this way?”
Chinese leader Xi Jinping appeared to signal his concern on Monday, referencing the Venezuelan situation without naming the U.S. directly. “The world is experiencing turbulence, and unilateral bullying seriously impacts the international order,” Xi said during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in Beijing. “All countries should respect the development path independently chosen by other peoples, abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and major countries should take the lead.”
For Beijing, the Venezuelan operation may be less about the specific fate of Maduro and more about projecting a narrative: the U.S., in acting unilaterally, reveals its weaknesses and overreach—creating a window for China to assert itself as a counterweight on the global stage.
About time. For all its faults, China doesn’t bomb people and operates with a level of capitalist efficiency that the United States could learn from. Yet it ended up on Trump’s hit list in 2016, and then Biden’s nd now Trump is back at it again. But times have changed. As we’ve seen in Iraq and Afghanistan, trying to control other countries doesn’t work out so well. Meanwhile, China is outflanking us on the economic stage.
I will end as I began, though I understand this is stream-of-consciousness writing. However, putting us back in a world reminiscent of 1984 seems all too real under the Trump administration. His rhetoric about other countries in the region has been aggressive. We saw him threaten Venezuela’s incoming president, talk about “our” oil, and make no secret of being willing to put boots on the ground.
Trump has also targeted Colombia’s President Petro, saying the government in Bogotá is run by “a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.” He warned that Petro “is not going to be doing it very long. Let me tell you.” When asked if he meant a U.S. operation against Colombia, Trump replied, “Sounds good to me.”
Regarding Cuba, Trump claimed it “looks ready to fall,” adding, “Cuba now has no income. They got all of their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil. They’re not getting any of it. Cuba literally is ready to fall.” He also warned Mexico “to get their act together.”
The combination of these threats, public statements, and military posturing paints a picture of an empire in decline. I don’t expect much from our leaders on the other side—they have condemned the situation in Venezuela in words, held hearings, and made statements—but at this point, only investment and support from a larger global power might accomplish any real change. Here’s looking at you, China.
This is not going to end pretty. We need change. We need a mindset that prevents death and destruction—though unfortunately, that colonial mindset is one we are still living under to this day.
Editor’s Note: At a moment when the once vaunted model of responsible journalism is overwhelmingly the play thing of self-serving billionaires and their corporate scribes, alternatives of integrity are desperately needed, and ScheerPost is one of them. Please support our independent journalism by contributing to our online donation platform, Network for Good, or send a check to our new PO Box. We can’t thank you enough, and promise to keep bringing you this kind of vital news.
You can also make a donation to our PayPal or subscribe to our Patreon.