Trump can be stopped, but people need to understand one important thing and use it against him, says a historian. Yale Professor Timothy Snyder, who studies history and politics, shared his thoughts on Trump’s recent actions in Venezuela.
According to Raw Story, Snyder says four past events can help us understand Trump’s real plan. These are America’s past involvement in Latin America, the second Iraq war, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the defeat of fascist governments in 1945. He believes these examples show a pattern that Americans need to recognize.
The professor says Trump’s goal in removing Maduro from Venezuela is likely about U.S. politics, not Venezuela itself. The charges against Maduro focus on drugs, not the more serious crimes like killings and torture that would be easier to prove.
The drug issue connects foreign and domestic enemies for political gain
“The drug angle serves the political purpose of uniting the external and the internal enemy. Because the drug trade involves foreign as well as domestic actors, it allows the Trump people to claim that its political opponents are in the service of an international plot,” Snyder explains. “Like the issue of migration, a Trumpian ‘war on drugs’ might be used to create a larger paramilitary, along the lines of ICE.”
Snyder believes Trump and his advisors want the political benefits of war without actually fighting one. They want to claim a big victory quickly while attacking enemies at home on social media. But fascism needs real combat that involves and endangers regular citizens, not just quick operations.
Even if Trump’s supporters back this Venezuela action, which Snyder doubts, people will forget about it in days unless it gets bigger. The recent capture of Maduro by U.S. forces created headlines, but the impact may fade quickly. Putin was willing to go into full-scale war combined with fascism at home. Trump probably wants that result, but he’s unlikely willing or able to go that far.
Trump is weak at home and can be stopped if people recognize that this foreign action is really about changing things in America. This military act is more about regime change in the United States than about Venezuela.
“It only succeeds as fascism if Americans allow it to do so,” Snyder argues. “If journalists and judges recognize the connection between foreign adventures and domestic authoritarianism, an act of violence abroad will discredit rather than accelerate our own transition towards authoritarianism. And with some work and some luck, we will get to our own next elections.”
Political leaders are already responding, with NYC’s mayor making a bold call to the president about these actions. If journalists and judges see the connection between foreign adventures and domestic authoritarianism, this act of violence abroad will hurt rather than help the move toward authoritarianism. With some work and luck, the country will make it to the next elections.
Published: Jan 5, 2026 04:15 pm