Trump’s Leverage Doctrine |
Venezuela, the dollar, Greenland, and tariffs all fit into a long-term strategy to protect America.
President Trump’s move on Venezuelan oil has been widely misunderstood—often mocked as a crude “oil grab” or a short-term tactic. It is neither.
What we are witnessing is leverage used deliberately as national strategy.
Trump has always thought in leverage. Long before politics, while building a real-estate empire, he learned a simple truth: power comes from eliminating your own weaknesses while exposing your opponent’s dependencies. Control the pressure points, and negotiations change.
That instinct now defines his foreign policy.
Start with Venezuela. On the surface, reopening Venezuelan oil under American firms looks like an energy decision. In reality, it is monetary policy in disguise.
Oil priced and settled in U.S. dollars is the backbone of American financial power. Global demand for dollars keeps interest rates lower, supports massive borrowing, and gives Washington leverage over world markets. The petrodollar system is not a slogan—it is infrastructure.
For years, China and Russia sought to escape it. Venezuela was central to that effort. China bought most of its crude at steep discounts, often........