"There was a time not long ago when people would claim with a straight face that Donald Trump was a populist who prioritized the interests of working-class Americans and avoided stupid foreign wars. "Trump's Best Foreign Policy? Not Starting Any Wars," then-Senator J.D. Vance crowed in 2023. As Trump assembled his second-term national security team in 2024, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) claimed to be "amazed by the Trump cabinet" and the president's rejection of "warmongers.""
"Trump's brazenly illegal military assault on Caracas last week would embarrass these people, were they capable of embarrassment. Trump did not govern as a populist during his first term; his second term has been an unabashed celebration of crass imperialism and the super-rich. And the super-rich are thrilled. Hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman croons that Trump's war in Venezuela "will lower oil prices, which is good for America.""
Many previously portrayed Donald Trump as a populist who avoided unnecessary foreign wars and prioritized working-class interests. Prominent figures praised his restraint and the composition of his national security team, portraying rejection of 'warmongers' and an end to regime-change campaigns. The recent brazen and illegal military assault on Caracas reveals a shift toward overt imperialism in his second term. Wealthy investors and corporate figures celebrate the intervention for strategic and financial gains, anticipating lower oil prices and investment opportunities in Venezuela’s oil, construction, and tourism sectors. Elite funders are organizing trips to scout post-invasion commercial prospects.
Read at Slate Magazine
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