The American Compass Podcast Is Venezuela the Return of Regime Change? with Michael Brendan Dougherty
Dec 23, 2025
Michael Brendan Dougherty, a senior writer at National Review and foreign policy commentator, dives into the U.S. government's renewed focus on Venezuela and the implications of potential regime change under the Trump administration. He critiques the aggressive tactics and their unintended consequences, highlighting how sanctions could push Venezuela closer to countries like Russia and China. The discussion also touches on the complexities of backing opposition figures, the historical costs of interventions, and the administration's struggle to communicate its foreign policy to the public.
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Pressure Can Push Venezuela Toward Rivals
- The U.S. pressure campaign on Venezuela risks pushing Caracas into Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran's orbit.
- Michael Brendan Dougherty says sanctions and isolation can produce the opposite of Monroe Doctrine goals.
Escalation Lacks A Plausible Exit
- Declaring Maduro intolerable creates a self-escalating logic with few realistic exit strategies.
- Dougherty warns there is no clear mechanism likely to topple Maduro and stabilize Venezuela afterwards.
U.S. Role Could Harden Venezuela's Alignments
- If U.S. fingerprints appear on any post-Maduro chaos, Venezuela may align with rival powers and resist U.S. energy integration.
- Dougherty notes stabilizing a post-regime Venezuela without heavy U.S. involvement looks unlikely.