US President Trump Defends Military Interventions and Oil Claims at UN General Assembly
Photo: Collected
United States President Donald Trump openly linked a military operation in Venezuela to securing control over the Latin American nation's vast oil reserves during an address at the United Nations General Assembly.
Speaking on Tuesday at the international body in New York, the US leader defended the intervention that took place in January, which involved detaining Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and bringing them to the United States. Following the operation, an unprecedented agreement was initiated to establish majority US control over Venezuela's 65 billion barrels of oil wealth.
Without hesitation, President Trump told the assembly of world leaders that to the victor belongs the spoils, asserting that combined US and Venezuelan reserves now place more than 60 percent of the world's oil under their control. He further declared that the United States would utilize military might to safeguard its national interests whenever necessary.
To illustrate the potency of American power, President Trump pointed to Iran, questioning whether he should pursue an agreement with Tehran or completely obliterate the Islamic Republic. He used rhetoric threatening to send Iran to a state of ruin with no hope for future generations, echoing past fiery addresses at the United Nations, such as his 2017 threat to totally destroy North Korea.
Legal experts note that these declarations directly challenge the foundational principles of the United Nations, which was established 80 years ago to prevent war, uphold international law, and foster collective security. The United Nations Charter explicitly prohibits the use or threat of force against other states, permitting exceptions only through Security Council authorization or immediate self-defense against armed attack. Neither US intervention in Venezuela nor the threats against Iran met these criteria, as President Trump grounded his justification instead on broad national interests, potential enemy actions, and post-victory economic gains.
Observers highlight that utilizing the United Nations platform to claim the right to attack other nations and seize their resources solely based on national interest starkly contradicts the peaceful dispute-resolution ideals upon which the global organization was founded.
