Bulwark Takes Sen. Mark Warner: Trump Owns Venezuela's Broken Government Now
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Jan 5, 2026 
Senator Mark Warner, a U.S. Senator and vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, dives into the implications of the Trump administration's actions in Venezuela. He shares his concerns about the dangers of extracting foreign leaders and the imperial mindset it reflects. Warner questions the intelligence linking Maduro to drug trafficking and emphasizes oil interests as primary motivations. He cautions against the chaos of regime change without a clear governance plan, highlighting the responsibility the U.S. would bear in the aftermath.
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Precedent Of Extrajudicial Extractions
- Extracting a foreign leader without Congressional approval sets a dangerous international precedent.
- Sen. Mark Warner warns it could justify similar actions by Russia, China, or regional powers.
Questionable Intelligence On Drug Links
- Intelligence linking Maduro directly to fentanyl was weak and contested.
- Warner notes indictments focused on drugs but fentanyl wasn't even mentioned, undermining the ironclad-case claim.
Oil As A Repeated Justification
- Using oil as justification echoes past failed interventions tied to resource control.
- Warner compares this rationale to Iraq and 1953 Iran regime-change efforts over oil.