Trump’s Realpolitik Strategy
Using Venezuela as Leverage Against Putin The Big Chess Board Donald Trump’s foreign policy maneuvers in Venezuela exemplify a distinctive application of realpolitik, the pragmatic pursuit of national interest over ideological ideals. This approach, historically shaped by figures like Otto von Bismarck with his shifting alliances and Henry Kissinger with his Cold War détente, finds a contemporary expression in Trump’s “America First” doctrine. This philosophy emphasizes power, economic leverage, and strategic deals over moral or democratic crusades, contrasting with predecessors like George W. Bush’s nation-building in Iraq or Barack Obama’s reliance on multilateral institutions. It’s worth noting that Venezuela is a…
