Rubio SHOCKS with Venezuela Stance! Trump Era Officially OVER?!

In what appears to be a significant course correction from statements made just days earlier, Senator Marco Rubio has clarified that the U.S. will *not* be "running" Venezuela, despite President Trump's earlier pronouncements. This comes as Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez continues to insist on Nicolas Maduro's legitimacy, even as the country's own high court has named her as interim president.

Rubio SHOCKS with Venezuela Stance! Trump Era Offi...

Rubio, speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation," instead emphasized the continued use of existing economic leverage. Specifically, he pointed to the oil tanker quarantine already in place, a measure enacted *before* Maduro's removal. "We continue with that quarantine, and we expect to see that there will be changes," Rubio stated, linking the blockade to both Venezuelan domestic policy and the fight against drug trafficking. It's a pretty clear signal that the U.S. intends to maintain pressure, but without direct control. Which, frankly, sounds a lot more reasonable.

The senator went on to say the U.S. would judge the actions of Maduro's subordinates, who are now effectively in positions of power. "We’re going to judge everything by what they do, and we’re going to see what they do," he said, stopping short of ruling out any potential U.S. actions, including military ones. However, he also asserted the current U.S. "force posture" was adequate for intercepting drug boats and sanctioned tankers. So, for now, it seems to be a wait-and-see approach, backed by some serious economic muscle.

This all comes after a rather jarring press conference on Saturday, where Trump declared, "We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." He even gestured towards Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, implying they would oversee this transition. The statement understandably raised eyebrows, not just among Democrats but also within Trump's own Republican base, particularly those with an "America First" bent who are wary of foreign entanglements. Let's not forget the lessons (or lack thereof) learned from previous interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rubio, however, dismissed concerns that Trump’s words should be taken literally, attributing them to a "foreign policy establishment" overly focused on repeating past mistakes. "The whole foreign policy apparatus thinks everything is Libya, everything is Iraq, everything is Afghanistan," Rubio said, arguing that the situation in Venezuela is fundamentally different, being in the Western Hemisphere. It's a valid point, though the concerns about overreach are still pretty legitimate.

It's worth noting that even before Maduro's apprehension, legal scholars had questioned the legality of the administration's pressure campaign on Venezuela, including the controversial bombing of boats accused of drug trafficking. These actions, some argued, stretched the boundaries of international law. So, while the shift in rhetoric from Trump to Rubio may offer some reassurance, the potential for future legal and ethical challenges remains very real. And, as always, we'll be watching closely.