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Within the widespread uncertainty regarding the American military actions on Venezuela, the apprehension of President Nicolás Maduro, and statements from Trump that the US will “manage” the country and “take back the oil”, there is no doubt – this establishes a deeply alarming precedent.

Past Interference and a New Threshold Crossed

The United States has a grim history of interference, invasion and occupation in that part of the world, but this past Saturday morning marked its initial significant armed assault on South American land. “US supremacy in this hemisphere shall not be challenged from now on,” the President stated.

The move to assault another independent nation and seize its president – mere days after he stated a desire for negotiations – possesses far-reaching consequences. This ought to concern everyone.

A Nation Left in Limbo

Venezuelans have lived through a dictatorship marked by theft and failure under Mr Maduro, commonly thought to have fraudulently won the most recent election. They now face profound uncertainty at best. Mr Trump has suggested that Mr Maduro’s deputy, Delcy Rodríguez would comply with American demands, and rejected conservative dissident leader and Nobel prize-winner María Corina Machado as a viable alternative.

However, Ms Rodríguez, now the acting leader, has so far struck a defiant tone – and other factions of the leadership-stricken government are far more intransigent.

A Shift in Global Role

A man who won power pledging to stop foreign wars now says he is “willing to put soldiers into combat”. Redesignating the Department of Defense as the Department of War was more than posturing. He does not see the world’s superpower as a international peacekeeper; he is converting it into a rogue state.

He is convinced that the America's power allows it to do as it wishes with scant penalty: witness the strikes on Nigeria, on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He claims that the oil resources of Venezuela means this most recent venture “won’t cost us a penny”.

A Move Devoid of International Legitimacy

George W. Bush initiated war in Iraq on a lie. But this action without legal basis came without UN resolutions of any kind or authorization from lawmakers; key legislators received no advance notice and say they were deliberately deceived in briefings. Mr Trump is not trying to twist international norms, but to destroy them.

Disregard the message this sends to leaders in Moscow, Beijing, and beyond, and question the future path of the United States. While the raid reportedly killed 40 Venezuelans, including civilians, not a single US soldier was lost. Mr Trump’s growing sense of invincibility will likely encourage additional military gambits.

The Stated Reason Versus the Real Aims

No one buys the pretext that this is concerning narcotics. Venezuela is only a secondary pathway for cocaine; Mr Trump recently exonerated the former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández for drugs and weapons crimes. Mr Trump himself made it clear that he is driven by the promise of energy wealth as well as a desire to project strength, the worldview of key officials, and the quest for a legacy as his standing with the American public falters.

World Leaders' Silence and a Weakened UN

The global reaction, especially in Europe, has – with notable outliers – been surprisingly subdued. That’s not due to Mr Maduro’s sins, but trepidation regarding Mr Trump’s wrath. The firm response from UN Secretary General António Guterres was commendable, but this episode highlights the UN's diminishing clout.

Mr Trump’s voters who oppose foreign entanglements could still pressure him to turn attention back home – but soaring healthcare premiums, public anxiety over the economy and ongoing controversies increase his appetite for distraction.

We are not yet 12 months into his time in office. Other governments may come to rue the day if they fail to speak up today, with the question of which nation is next looming.