Editorial: The fate of the Venezuelan people is now Trump’s, and America’s, responsibility
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
The editorial’s framing leans hard on a familiar moral setup: once Washington speaks, it “owns” another nation’s fate. That’s a powerful line, but it smuggles in a premise conservatives reject, that America is responsible for managing other countries as a matter of prestige and guilt. Venezuela’s tragedy is real, but it wasn’t created by a U.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
“You are going to be the proud owner of 25 million people,” the late Gen. Colin Powell told Pres. George W. Bush before the president authorized the Iraq War, according to journalist Bob Woodward.
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The editorial’s framing leans hard on a familiar moral setup: once Washington speaks, it “owns” another nation’s fate. That’s a powerful line, but it smuggles in a premise conservatives reject, that America is responsible for managing other countries as a matter of prestige and guilt.
Venezuela’s tragedy is real, but it wasn’t created by a U.S. president. It was built by a corrupt socialist regime that hollowed out institutions and drove millions to flee. The question isn’t whether Trump, or America, “owns” Venezuela. It’s whether our actions serve national security, protect public trust, and avoid open-ended commitments with no achievable endpoint.
A serious policy starts with rule of law at home, targeted pressure on regime figures, and relief that is verifiable and limited. Institutional stability matters more than grand vows. Our obligation is to defend American interests while treating Venezuelans with dignity, not to pretend we can govern their future.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.