November 22, 2025
The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuela, with the USS Gerald R. Ford deployed to the region, CIA covert operations approved by the White House, and strikes on suspected narco‑trafficking vessels attributed to Caracas. Many analysts now see regime change as the ultimate goal. On the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer and former US Ambassador James Story game out what a US intervention in Venezuela might look like—and more importantly, how the US would manage the aftermath.
Story points out that while removing Nicolás Maduro may sound feasible, rebuilding Venezuela’s institutions, economy and social fabric would be far harder. “The country is a failed state,” he says. “You’re going to need the military to help you secure peace while you rebuild.” As Washington talks of sanction relief and diplomatic pressure, Story asks: does the US have the capability, resources or will to stay for the long haul?
Subscribe to the GZERO World Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published
More For You
Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it.
Most Popular
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shows his identity document to the media during registering his candidacy for Iran's upcoming presidential election in Tehran, on June 2, 2024.
Rouzbeh Fouladi/ZUMA Press Wire
The US and Israel planned to make former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — a Holocaust denier — Iran's new leader before the war began. The plan fell apart on day one when an Israeli strike meant to free Ahmadinejad from house arrest hurt him.
- YouTube
Global humanitarian needs are rising sharply – right as the systems designed to respond to them are facing the deepest funding cuts in years. At a recent UN event focused on the wellness of aid workers, GZERO’s Tony Maciulis spoke to experts, including Rajabi and Michel Saad, a deputy director at the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who leads efforts in the Middle East and North Africa.
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.