The Two Matts The new world order is revealing itself
Jan 8, 2026
This week unleashes chaos as Trump’s unilateral strategies hint at a wild new world order. The Matts dissect the abduction of Venezuela's president and its illegal implications, while linking it to troubling geopolitical tensions. Greenland’s future hangs in the balance, as NATO risks loom large. They explore Trump’s curious interest in the territory and the troubling potential for territorial disputes in Siberia. Plus, a Minnesota murder raises fears of domestic militarization—all while the UN’s weakness threatens global stability.
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Resource-Driven Unilateralism
- The Maduro abduction reveals a new US posture of unilateral resource-driven intervention.
- Matt Kelly argues this was kleptocratic and aimed at securing oil revenues, not democracy.
Backyard Doctrine Made Explicit
- Trump treats the Western Hemisphere as a personal "backyard" and acts without regard for allies or international law.
- Matt d’Ancona and Matt Kelly say this marks an explicit hemispheric unilateralism.
Pliable Elites Over Political Reform
- The Venezuela action is less about reshaping Latin America ideologically and more about installing pliable, corrupt local elites.
- Trump seeks compliant partners rather than disruptive neoliberal reformers like Maria Corina Machado.