Up next in 10
Donald Trump 'adhering to China and Russia's way of problem-solving' with airstrikes on Venezuela, security expert says
Jan 3, 2026
Donald Trump is acting like China and Russia with US airstrikes on Venezuela, Professor Anthony Glees told GB News. Speaking on the People's Channel, the professor, who specialises in matters of security, said: "[The operation] is saying that Trump regards himself as being in the same kind of league as Putin and Xi, that if there is a state nearby that they think they need to control, then they will try and control it. "That's what Trump is doing in Venezuela. "So I don't think it's a move against that sort of power politics. I think it's a move that demonstrates Trump's adherence to this new way of trying to solve problems."WATCH THE INTERVIEW IN FULL ABOVE
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
The Venezuelan ally Iran has commented this morning, saying that the attack is a blatant violation of its national sovereignty and territorial integrity
0:12
Well, the reformer UK leader Nigel Farage has said the American actions in Venezuela overnight are unorthodox and contrary to international law
0:21
But if they make China and Russia think twice, it may be a good thing. He goes on to say, I hope the Venezuelan people can now turn a new leaf without Maduro
0:31
Very interesting, isn't it? Because it seems quite a measured response from Mr Farage there
0:36
But I think, as you rightly say, it's a bit contradictive, the two things that he said, because he's mentioned international law
0:43
But then he said, but perhaps it's a good thing. It seems quite a contradictory statement
0:47
International law means that we should lose the Chagos Islands to Mauritius
0:51
Why is Nigel Farage defending international law? It's a curious position. I will say, though, at least Nigel Farage has made a comment
0:57
We're yet to hear from either the Labour Party or the Conservative Party this morning
1:02
And as we were just speaking back with our panel, I think it's shocking that we haven't heard anything yet
1:06
Let's bring in now the Security and Intelligence Professor Anthony Glees. Mr Glees, thank you very much. Professor Glees, rather. Thank you very much for joining us this morning
1:15
What is your take on the actions undertaken by the US government this morning
1:20
The Venezuelan government and its ministers putting out messages of defiance today, but it appears they've lost this round
1:31
Well, it's certainly a very surprising start to 2026. And I think it could be hazardous for President Trump
1:44
On the face of it, it looks good. Let's be honest. He's got rid of
1:50
President Maduro, you know alleged to be head of a narco state Trump been turning up the pressure on him for months now and a lot of armed force in the area
2:08
this massive aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, in the area, over 2,000 Marines, 16,000 troops
2:20
and what he's done has been a dramatic strike, removing the president and his wife from Venezuela
2:29
taking them, you know, who knows where. Maybe they'll end up in Cuba at the end of the day
2:35
or possibly even in Moscow, guests with President Assad of Syria and others
2:41
Who knows? However, Venezuela does have troops. It does have 1,000 proper regular soldiers and over 200,000, so we're told, 100,000 troops and 200,000 paramilitaries
2:58
Are they going to accept this strike? Certainly, at the end of the day, America is stronger, but they may put up a fight
3:05
Now, when we look at this in the round, I know my old friend Nigel Farage says, yes, this is a warning shock to China and a warning shock to Putin
3:19
Excuse me, I don't think so. I think it is saying that Trump regards himself as being in the same kind of league as Putin and Xi, that if there is a state nearby that they think they need to control, then they will try and control it
3:39
And that's what Trump is doing in Venezuela. So I don't think it's a move against that sort of power politics
3:48
I think it a move that demonstrates Trump adherence to this new way of trying to solve problems And there are two things I think that President Trump has done to stop immigration almost completely into unlawful immigration
4:05
into the United States of America and to take on the equals of narco-terrorists
4:12
we might call them the Breaking Bad drug cartels. They were rotting America's mind with narcotics
4:20
and Trump is doing something about it. And I think a lot of people will say that's no bad thing
4:28
On the other hand, he is disrupting the international order. And even domestically, it could cause problems for Trump because America has not declared war on Venezuela
4:40
And although Trump says they're at war with the narco terrorists, there is no declaration of war against Venezuela
4:48
And the US Congress will either have to say, look, we can't put up with this
4:55
This is unlawful. Or they say we're fine with it. They're kind of writing their own death warrant and we're moving into King Trump of America
5:04
Anthony, something I'd love to get your take on this morning is one of the key words that have been mentioned since these strikes is oil
5:11
Lots of people speculating that perhaps that was a key motive for the Trump administration
5:15
However, we've been hearing in the last hour or so that the Venezuelan state's oil company, PDVSA, has said that their oil production and refining operations are going on as normal and that their facilities have been left unscathed by the strikes that took place overnight
5:31
Mike, do you think perhaps that this is something that will come in the coming days and weeks
5:37
Do you think that this is perhaps ultimately the Trump administration's plan
5:41
Or was today, last night, all about getting to President Maduro and getting him out of Venezuela and into the US
5:50
Well I think what we know about President Donald J Trump is that he is he a charming man He fundamentally believes in peace I know this looks odd but he acts on a whim and he can lose his temper very severely
6:09
And Maduro has got the wrong side of him. And Trump has been saying for months, look
6:16
Maduro, I'm not messing about. Either you leave office. At one stage, the Americans
6:22
were prepared to offer Modoro millions of dollars to leave office. Trump is saying, look, get out of there
6:30
If you don't get out of there, I'm going to come in and get you. And now he has come in and got him in a very dramatic way
6:39
The world is shaken. I'm not surprised that Keir Starmer or Kemi Baton haven't issued a statement yet
6:46
because it's very hard for them to know what to say. They condemn Trump. They're in trouble
6:50
They don't condemn Trump. They're also in trouble. But I don't think primarily this has to do with Venezuelan oil
6:59
I think it has to do with the fact that Maduro was foolish enough in Trump's eyes not to chicken out of the game of chicken that the two men have been playing
7:12
This is I don't think this is a sign of American strength in one sense
7:16
I think it's a sign of the weakness that America has when it has given its president this unbridled power
7:25
Will the world be sorry if Maduro goes? No, absolutely not. Will the world be sorry if the narco trade is stopped? Absolutely no
7:34
But this is not necessarily the end of the story. And we don't want 2026 to begin with a general boiling over of fighting in Venezuela, the Caribbean
7:48
We have a lot of interest in that area. Thank you so much for your time this morning
7:53
It's 43 minutes past 11
#news
#Politics
#War & Conflict