Trump overseeing 'rogue state' that 'demands compliance' from the world: columnist
RAW STORY
Donald Trump is overseeing a "rogue state" administration which "demands compliance" from countries all over the world, a political analyst has suggested
The president's desire to take over Greenland and run the oil refineries in Venezuela has prompted columnist Aditya Chakrabortty to suggest Trump is making theatrics the aim of his second term in office. Writing in The Guardian, Chakrabortty called on political parties the world over to condemn the administration as "a rogue state".
He wrote, "Any other country that did this wouldn’t receive indulgent op-eds about its 'gunboat diplomacy' – it would rightly be condemned as a rogue state, and its oligarchs’ foreign assets impounded. The absence of such action is the true 'Trump derangement syndrome'."
Both Greenland and Venezuela were profiled by Chakrabortty, with both countries showing what Trump wants from the world and how he will go about getting "compliance" from nations in the way of his administration's goal.
Chakrabortty added, "Next, we are confidently assured, the US president will annex Greenland. Yet this is not an administration that wants to colonise; instead it demands compliance. The new bosses in Venezuela are the same old bosses, the same henchmen and yes-men, only now with the No 2 running the show."
"This isn’t 'imperialism', not a new US protectorate nor some southern principality for son-in-law Jared, but something much cheaper and less onerous to the Oval Office: rule by remote control."
The columnist went on to say Trump's focus should be on domestic affairs, not world order. He wrote, "Will Trump rule Venezuela, or Greenland? It would make a change if he ruled the US. The president is a fair way through his second term in office, yet we are still to see Trumpism in one country, let alone around the world."
"For all the rhetoric and locker-room bullying, Trump’s time in office has been about dismembering the government – even that vital task outsourced, to Elon Musk and his chainsaw – and setting troops on Democratic cities he doesn’t like, then blustering his way through a federal shutdown."
Ewan Gleadow
January 8, 2026
RAW STORY
U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Donald Trump has been accused of "enriching his clique" by a Nobel Prize winner who says recent administration actions are attempts at "glorifying" the president.
Paul Krugman suggested Trump is using Venezuela and Greenland as a chance to bolster not the country, but himself and his inner circle. Writing in his Substack, the award-winning economist claimed, "Add in the cost of munitions expended during the Maduro abduction, and the whole adventure has surely cost more than a billion dollars."
"Moreover, the meter keeps ticking: since Chavistas are still in power, Trump has to keep forces nearby in order to intimidate them to honor agreements. But Trump doesn’t care: The military expenses are the little people’s problem."
"The bottom line is that to understand what Trump is doing around the world you must disabuse yourself of the notion that any of it is about serving America. It’s all about glorifying himself and enriching his clique."
Krugman also noted Trump had been "remarkably transparent" about his "looting" of Venezuela and their oil. He added, "Trump has been remarkably transparent about his goals in Venezuela: It’s all about looting. That is, he wants to seize the country’s oil wealth on behalf of himself and his clique."
"Some people, notably María Corina Machado, leader of Venezuela’s opposition, have been surprised that Trump shows no interest in restoring democracy. But why would he? He’s unable to enrich himself personally in democracies like Canada and Denmark. But a repressive regime like Venezuela is willing to pay him protection money."
The economist has since questioned the value of the "millions of barrels" of oil Trump is proposing to bring into the United States, suggesting the value would hardly make a dent for the economy.
He wrote, "But suppose that this one-time gift of oil is real. Trump would have you believe that it’s a big deal — MILLIONS of barrels."
"But that amount of oil has a market value in the range of $2 billion, which is not a big number for the United States. In fact, it’s less than 0.01 percent of GDP. And in terms of US oil consumption, that’s about 2 days worth of oil."
U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Donald Trump has been accused of "enriching his clique" by a Nobel Prize winner who says recent administration actions are attempts at "glorifying" the president.
Paul Krugman suggested Trump is using Venezuela and Greenland as a chance to bolster not the country, but himself and his inner circle. Writing in his Substack, the award-winning economist claimed, "Add in the cost of munitions expended during the Maduro abduction, and the whole adventure has surely cost more than a billion dollars."
"Moreover, the meter keeps ticking: since Chavistas are still in power, Trump has to keep forces nearby in order to intimidate them to honor agreements. But Trump doesn’t care: The military expenses are the little people’s problem."
"The bottom line is that to understand what Trump is doing around the world you must disabuse yourself of the notion that any of it is about serving America. It’s all about glorifying himself and enriching his clique."
Krugman also noted Trump had been "remarkably transparent" about his "looting" of Venezuela and their oil. He added, "Trump has been remarkably transparent about his goals in Venezuela: It’s all about looting. That is, he wants to seize the country’s oil wealth on behalf of himself and his clique."
"Some people, notably María Corina Machado, leader of Venezuela’s opposition, have been surprised that Trump shows no interest in restoring democracy. But why would he? He’s unable to enrich himself personally in democracies like Canada and Denmark. But a repressive regime like Venezuela is willing to pay him protection money."
The economist has since questioned the value of the "millions of barrels" of oil Trump is proposing to bring into the United States, suggesting the value would hardly make a dent for the economy.
He wrote, "But suppose that this one-time gift of oil is real. Trump would have you believe that it’s a big deal — MILLIONS of barrels."
"But that amount of oil has a market value in the range of $2 billion, which is not a big number for the United States. In fact, it’s less than 0.01 percent of GDP. And in terms of US oil consumption, that’s about 2 days worth of oil."
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