Judging Freedom LtCOL. Karen Kwiatkowski : Trump Runs OPEC
Feb 3, 2026
LtCol. Karen Kwiatkowski, retired USAF officer and national security critic. She traces how the U.S. became a dominant oil power and now wields sanctions and control like OPEC. She connects oil policy to presidential power, seized foreign funds, and dollar dominance. The conversation also tackles the Fed, Middle East strategy, and transparency around nuclear issues.
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U.S. Became An Oil-Controlling Power
- Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski argues the U.S. has become what it once opposed by controlling oil and influencing prices.
- She links decades of intervention to America effectively acting like OPEC, shaping global oil supply and prices.
Why Higher Oil Prices Serve Trump
- Kwiatkowski says Donald Trump benefits politically and via oligarchic allies from higher oil prices.
- She reasons Trump (and his circle) prefer expensive oil because it funds extraction and their interests.
Venezuela Needs High Prices To Recover
- Venezuelan oil requires high prices to justify costly extraction and refining investments.
- Kwiatkowski explains low prices prevented rebuilding Venezuela's oil capacity despite claims about mismanagement.