Always at War Why did Trump REALLY attack Venezuela? | GOING DEEP with Lee Schlenker
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Jan 14, 2026 Lee Schlenker, a research associate at the Quincy Institute, shares his insights on the Trump administration's controversial raid on Venezuela. He discusses the complex motives behind the escalation, including misrepresented drug narratives and oil interests. Schlenker critiques the administration's focus on extraction over democratic stability and explains how U.S. sanctions contributed to Venezuela's economic collapse. He also explores the implications for U.S.-Latin America relations and the possibility of reconciliation in the region.
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Raid Fueled By Multiple Competing Goals
- The Trump raid reflected a mix of competing goals: drugs, migration, ideology, and access to resources.
- Lee Schlenker argues the operation combined short-term political theater with long-term resource and hegemony aims.
Diplomacy Was Working Before The Raid
- The raid was unnecessary because complex diplomacy was already producing results.
- Schlenker says extraction and coercion succeeded without wholesale regime change, undermining the raid's justification.
Winning Votes Doesn't Mean Governing Effectively
- Installing an opposition leader doesn't guarantee control of state institutions or PDVSA.
- Schlenker explains governing capacity, not popularity, determines who can secure oil and stability quickly.