Latest

List of Latest articles

A plume of black smoke and orange fire billows from a sprawling midrise building complex. Dark shadows of mountains loom in the distance beneath a dim sky. A large building in the foothills of the mountains is lit up in the colors of the Venezuelan flag—yellow, blue, and red.
A plume of black smoke and orange fire billows from a sprawling midrise building complex. Dark shadows of mountains loom in the distance beneath a dim sky. A large building in the foothills of the mountains is lit up in the colors of the Venezuelan flag—yellow, blue, and red.

U.S. Airpower Can’t Run Venezuela

Any attempt to govern the nation’s future will need collaborators on the ground.

A modified red MAGA hat with "Venezuela" in masking tape over "America."
A modified red MAGA hat with "Venezuela" in masking tape over "America."

Trump’s Bad Neighbor Policy

Treating regional countries as vassal states will push them into China’s arms.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz is seen surrounded by other diplomats and people at a U.N. Security Council meeting.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz is seen surrounded by other diplomats and people at a U.N. Security Council meeting.

Trump’s Attack on Venezuela Prompts an Identity Crisis at the U.N.

The international community appears powerless to address the attack.

A person wearing a large Trump mask holds a gun in one hand and an oil container in the other.
A person wearing a large Trump mask holds a gun in one hand and an oil container in the other.

The Political Incoherence of Trump’s Venezuela Gambit

The greatest beneficiaries of his actions may be America’s biggest rivals.

U.S. cabinet members, military leaders, and presidential advisors listen to U.S. President Donald Trump address the media at a podium.
U.S. cabinet members, military leaders, and presidential advisors listen to U.S. President Donald Trump address the media at a podium.

After Venezuela, Who’s Next?

U.S. President Donald Trump’s “no new wars” mantra is officially over.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez exits the stage after addressing the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City on Sept. 27, 2019.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez exits the stage after addressing the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City on Sept. 27, 2019.

What to Know About Venezuela’s Interim Leader 

Delcy Rodríguez is an ambitious and skilled political operator. 

A close-up view shows a woman wearing sunglasses and a ballcap. A TV screen is reflected in one lens of the sunglasses, showing Donald Trump speaking into a microphone.
A close-up view shows a woman wearing sunglasses and a ballcap. A TV screen is reflected in one lens of the sunglasses, showing Donald Trump speaking into a microphone.

The Venezuela Raid Is Great TV—but Won’t Win America’s Next War

Trump’s obsession with quick strikes and flashy successes is bad news for military readiness.

The dark silhouettes of oil refinery buildings are seen against a dusky sky.
The dark silhouettes of oil refinery buildings are seen against a dusky sky.

Intervening in Venezuela for the Oil Makes Little Sense

Trump is keen to seize the oil, but U.S. firms so far are circumspect. This article has an audio recording

From right: U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth monitor U.S. military operations in Venezuela from Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3.
From right: U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth monitor U.S. military operations in Venezuela from Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3.

Venezuela Might Be Where Trump’s Luck Runs Out

The president keeps threading the needle between the extremely hawkish and dovish factions of his base. This article has an audio recording

A crowd of protesters with a framed portrait of Maduro seen at center.
A crowd of protesters with a framed portrait of Maduro seen at center.

5 Unanswered Questions About Trump’s Venezuela Plan

Maduro’s exit doesn’t mean the end of his regime. This article has an audio recording

A mural at the PDVSA headquarters shows men working at Venezuela's oil refineries, in Caracas, on September 13, 2023.
A mural at the PDVSA headquarters shows men working at Venezuela's oil refineries, in Caracas, on September 13, 2023.

Why ‘Taking’ Venezuela’s Oil Hurts U.S. Energy Security

Washington’s long-term interests require a smooth political transition in Caracas, not short-sighted mercantilism. This article has an audio recording

An illustration shows one empty flagpole alongside the flags of multiple countries. The U.S. flag is seen at far right, untethered, flying out of frame.
An illustration shows one empty flagpole alongside the flags of multiple countries. The U.S. flag is seen at far right, untethered, flying out of frame.

The World-Minus-One Moment

Managing the global order with an antagonistic Washington. This article has an audio recording

An illustration shows the brown burned outline of the United States amid a forest of bright green trees.
An illustration shows the brown burned outline of the United States amid a forest of bright green trees.

Can China Replace an Absent America in the Climate Fight?

Beijing never bought the argument that reducing emissions would cause economic harm. This article has an audio recording

An illustration shows a row of nuclear missiles with the first one starting to fall like dominoes.
An illustration shows a row of nuclear missiles with the first one starting to fall like dominoes.

The Pillars of the Global Nuclear Order Are Cracking

U.S. allies and partners are taking steps toward a post-American nuclear order. This article has an audio recording

An illustration shows a techy cyber rending of the white house dissolving into a puddle.
An illustration shows a techy cyber rending of the white house dissolving into a puddle.

Cyberdefense Enters a Dangerous New Phase

Allies fear that Washington is retreating from leadership at the worst possible time. This article has an audio recording

Loading graphics