Pod Save the World Where Will Trump Invade Next?
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Jan 7, 2026 
Joaquín Castro, a U.S. Representative from Texas, offers keen insights into Trump’s controversial strike on Venezuela. He highlights the lack of congressional transparency regarding military actions and criticizes the significant costs to American taxpayers. The conversation delves into a proposed war powers resolution to better regulate future interventions. Castro also discusses concerns from military families and the Latinx community, addressing the potential ramifications of U.S. operations across the region.
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Why U.S. Rejected Opposition Leadership
- CIA assessed Maduro insiders were better positioned than opposition to govern post-removal because the military won't accept Maria Machado.
- Rhodes says a negotiated transition or roadmap to elections was the standard alternative the U.S. ignored.
Pursue Negotiated Transitions, Not Forced Installations
- Use diplomatic leverage to push for a negotiated power-sharing and a roadmap to elections instead of unilateral removal.
- Prioritize symbolic releases and negotiated steps to reduce violence and political collapse.
Legal Claims Didn't Match Political Rhetoric
- DOJ dropped the claim of a formal "Cartel de los Soles" because it wasn't a real organized cartel.
- Rhodes says legal reality differed from political claims used to justify strikes.