The US president made the announcement at an extraordinary press conference with enormous implications for US foreign policy worldwide from his Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago.

Trump stated that the United States will be in charge in Venezuela “until we can make a safe, proper, and judicious transition.”

He said that his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had spoken with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who reportedly told him: “We will do whatever you need… She, I think, was quite nice, but she really doesn't have a choice.”

Trump gave few details. He stated that “we are not afraid to deploy troops on the ground if necessary.”

But does he really think he can govern Venezuela remotely?

Will this demonstration that he will back up his words with military action, lavishly praised at Mar-a-Lago by both Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, be enough to transform Venezuela and intimidate Latin American leaders into submission?

All indications are that he believes something similar.

The evidence suggests it will not be easy or smooth.

The respected think tank International Crisis Group warned in October that Maduro's fall could lead to violence and instability in Venezuela.

Even so, China could see a precedent set by the US action. Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade province and has declared that returning it to Beijing's control is a national priority.

In Washington, that is certainly the fear of the Democratic vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Mark Warner. He issued a statement saying that the leaders of China and others would be watching closely.

“If the United States claims the right to use military force to invade and capture foreign leaders it accuses of criminal conduct. prevents China from claiming the same authority over Taiwan's leadership? What stops [Russian President] Vladimir Putin from alleging a similar justification for kidnapping the president of Ukraine? Once this line is crossed, the rules containing global chaos begin to collapse, and authoritarian regimes will be the first to exploit it.”