Advertisement
Donald Trump
WorldUnited States & Canada

Self-proclaimed ‘peace President’ Trump bombs Venezuela, strikes Nigeria, warns Iran

Despite Nobel Peace Prize ambitions, Trump opens 2026 with strikes in Venezuela after a Christmas Day hit on Nigeria

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
12
US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in September. Photo: EPA
Agence France-Presse

Donald Trump returned to office vowing to be the peace president. Nearly a year later, he is embracing war on multiple fronts.

Trump on Saturday ordered large-scale military strikes in Venezuela and announced that leftist leader Nicolas Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country.

The raid to kick off the new year comes after the US military on Christmas Day hit Nigeria, in what Trump said was an operation targeting jihadists who had attacked Christians.

Advertisement

And hours before the attack in Venezuela, Trump warned of another US intervention in a third region, saying US forces were “locked and loaded” if Iran’s clerical state kills protesters who have taken to the streets.

The enthusiasm for war would seem at odds for a president who has loudly declared that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for supposedly ending eight wars, a claim that is highly disputable.

Advertisement

In his second inaugural address on January 20 last year, Trump said: “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.”

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x