What Trump Wants in Venezuela

The podcast examines the motivations behind the Trump administration's actions in Venezuela, particularly the deposition of Nicolas Maduro. It questions whether these actions stem from political interests in South Florida, a desire to control Venezuelan oil, or a broader strategy of demonstrating American power in Latin America. Jonathan Blitzer, a New Yorker writer, notes the surprising shift in Trump's stance from his first term, where he resisted direct intervention. The conversation explores the influence of figures like Stephen Miller and Marco Rubio, and the puzzling focus on cocaine smuggling rather than the more pressing fentanyl crisis. Ultimately, the discussion suggests that the intervention may be driven by a desire for spectacle and a throwback to 1980s-era foreign policy.