The Peter McCormack Show – PMQs #007: Why Trump Wants Venezuela

Date: January 6, 2026
Host: Peter McCormack
Guest/Co-host: Conor McCormack

Brief Overview

In this special "PMQs" edition, Peter and his son Conor dive into the dramatic U.S. operation removing Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, discussing why Trump undertook this intervention, global and cultural reactions, and what may come next for Venezuela and the world order. The episode explores geopolitics, oil, the failures of socialism, regime change, the limits of international law, and why memes shape the younger generation’s perceptions. Peter’s personal connection to Venezuela brings first-hand insight and a nuanced view on intervention and self-determination.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Intro: Cultural Reactions, Memes, and First Impressions (00:00-03:17)

• Memes as Politics:
  • Younger people engage with major events like the U.S. intervention in Venezuela mostly through memes, not traditional news.
    • "It's the culture war now. It's all memes. That's how you get your opinion out there. Who gets the most likes on their meme." – Conor (01:51)
    • Peter expresses astonishment at how significant historical events are processed via internet jokes.
  • Generational Divide:
    • Peter notes that while some (notably in the Bitcoin and conservative communities) cheered Maduro’s removal, wider left-leaning and anti-Trump public opinion were outraged, citing regime change history, international law, and general distrust of U.S. intervention.

2. Reflections on Venezuela—First-Hand Experience (05:24-13:05)

• Peter’s Trip to Venezuela:
  • Describes his documentary travels in Venezuela and Colombia, witnessing severe poverty, collapsed infrastructure, and people desperately fleeing for survival.
    • "I think the average salary in Venezuela is something like five, ten dollars a month. People are living on close to nothing." – Peter (07:29)
    • Sharing a story of gifting $60 to a desperate family, highlighting Venezuela’s dire poverty (08:39-09:11).
  • Noted the regime’s dominance: Murals of Chávez and Maduro everywhere, massive state-organized rallies, and the use of food aid ("CLAP") to buy loyalty.
• Support Among Venezuelans:
  • Nearly all Venezuelans Peter knows (inside and out) were overjoyed at Maduro’s ouster, unlike many Western protestors.
    • "This is the happiest day of my life!" – Peter, quoting Venezuelan friend Mao (05:57)

3. Why Do People Support or Oppose the Intervention? (03:17-04:39; 13:13-18:39)

• Leftist Inconsistency:
  • Peter and Conor note irony: Western progressives use the term ‘fascist’ for their opponents yet defend an actual dictator when Trump acts.
• Self-Interest & Projection:
  • Protests in the US/UK are often less about Venezuela, more about being anti-Trump or reflexively anti-U.S. action, with little real understanding of Venezuelan reality.
• Collapse of Socialism:
  • Venezuela once benefited from oil but lost its middle class, saw an 80% contraction in its economy, and now features rampant poverty and malnutrition.
    • "There is nobody who's lived under socialism in Venezuela who wants it." – Peter (15:13)
    • "Look at any single one [socialist experiment] in the entirety of history. It's never worked." – Conor (16:24)
  • Contrasts with Poland (which went capitalist and thrived) versus Venezuela going socialist and collapsing (16:02-16:13).

4. Was the U.S. Invasion Justified? The Libertarian Dilemma and International Law (18:41-31:44)

• Libertarian Dilemma:
  • Peter conflicted: Non-interventionist leanings vs. celebrating the "badass" surgical removal of a dictator.
• International Law is Broken:
  • Conor pushes: "If there's no legal case, then you're basically saying the U.S. can go into any country and take anyone..."
  • Peter insists that international law is now routinely ignored by all great powers: Iraq, Ukraine, Hong Kong.
    • "International law collapsed on the second Iraq war..." – Peter (24:15)
  • The reality is power, not legality:
    • "If someone disagrees, they've got to litigate this. Who's going to litigate against the United States?" – Peter (30:47)

On U.S. Legal Justification: (25:58-28:30)

• Citing Article 51 self-defense, U.S. rationalizes removal of Maduro based on his regime being a "narco-state" threatening U.S. security.
• Both acknowledge this legal cover is "flimsy" but “they’ve built their case.”

5. The Real World: Power Politics & Tiers of Sovereignty (33:23-39:09)

• World Defined by Power:
  • Quoting Andrew Tate (33:23), only tier-1 countries (U.S., Russia, China) can act with impunity. Everyone else must align.
    • "Those are real countries... America can't kidnap Putin or Xi, and Xi can't kidnap Trump or Putin." – Andrew Tate (E) (33:23)
  • UN is "impotent" as every great power vetoes resolutions against their interests.
• Proxy Wars are the Norm:
  • Peter: "For as long as I've been alive, America and Russia have fought proxy wars rather than fighting each other." (36:01)

6. What's Next? How Will the U.S. Stabilize Venezuela? (41:11-53:23)

• What is the Plan?
  • Skepticism over the lack of a clear post-coup U.S. plan; concern over a repeat of Iraq/Syria/Libya blunders.
  • Two scenarios:
    • 1. Immediate imposition of the opposition leader risks civil war and social breakdown;
    • 2. Gradual, managed reform with regime elements retained but under U.S. oversight, aiming for future elections and phased democratization.
      • "If the end state is a popular, democratically elected leader... you have to have a bridge [period]...immediate removal...you're going to have chaos." – Peter (49:46-51:45)
  • Emphasize the need to avoid “boots on the ground” and a drawn-out occupation.
• Oil as American Interest but Possible Win-Win:
  • Peter acknowledges oil is a motive but believes long-term U.S. interest is a stable, prosperous trading partner.

7. Impotence of Protests and Western Politicians; The Memeification of Serious Events (53:32-56:09)

• Western Politicians Are Out of Touch:
  • Dismisses Zara Sultana and other socialists as "retarded," unable to grasp real suffering or power realities (53:45-54:10).
• Memes Revisited:
  • Internet culture is the main lens for major global events:
    • "[Memes are] brilliant. Train my day. Joe Rogan podcast by night..." – Peter (54:23)
    • Absurdity of events: P. Diddy braiding Maduro’s hair memes, “Venezuela Grande Again” parodies.

8. Marco Rubio Admiration & Leadership Archetypes (55:51-57:08)

• Conor's admiration for Marco Rubio:
  • "He just speaks straight to the facts. Doesn't [mess] around."
  • Peter: "He's based."
  • They pine for more serious, 'badass' leaders versus the perceived weakness of UK politicians.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the irrelevance of international law:
  • "International law collapsed on the second Iraq war...UN is just impotent. The world is run by those three countries [U.S., Russia, China]." – Peter (24:15–25:18; 33:23)
• On the reality of Venezuelan socialism:
  • "There is nobody who's lived under socialism in Venezuela who wants it." – Peter (15:13)
• On the meme-driven news cycle:
  • "It's the culture war now. It's all memes. That's how you get your opinion out there." – Conor (01:51)
• On oil and intervention:
  • "[Venezuelans say:] If Trump needs that oil to give us freedom, then that's a price we're willing to pay, just so that we have our freedom and make a change." – Interview Clip (14:43)
• On U.S. power and hypocrisy:
  • "It's easy to see through. ... It doesn't matter. This is the way the world works." – Conor (30:52–32:41)
• On the fate of lesser nations:
  • "[Tate:] Tier two, you get to choose who you align with. Tier three, you don't have a choice." (35:06)
• On the future of Venezuela:
  • "You have to have a path to democracy. That's what I'd tell Don to do." – Peter (51:43)
• On the memeification of tragedy:
  • "If you're listening and not watching this, this is an image and it's P. Diddy, I think. Is he braiding the hair of Maduro? Did you say they took my order? But this one..." (54:59)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Memes, youth, and the first reaction: 00:38–01:58
• Venezuelan feedback to Maduro's ouster: 05:42–06:36
• Peter’s Venezuela trip – stories from the border: 07:29–09:11
• The socialist collapse, Poland vs. Venezuela comparison: 16:02–16:30
• International law debate: 24:15–26:34
• Power tiers & Andrew Tate clip: 33:23–35:16
• On the future and risks of U.S. action: 41:11–53:23
• Meme showcase & cultural satire: 54:17–56:01
• Admiration for Marco Rubio, style of leadership: 55:51–57:08

Tone and Style

The episode blends conversational candor, dark humor, generational banter, and hard-nosed pragmatism on global affairs. Peter is openly biased, emotionally invested (through friendships and personal trips), skeptical of Western "virtue-signalers," and eager to discuss realpolitik. Conor provides a detached, younger perspective, offering cynicism, meme-culture references, and pointed logical challenges.

Conclusion

This episode unpacks a seismic intervention in Venezuela through layered perspectives: personal, political, generational, and global. It’s as much about the failures of socialist regimes and the hypocrisy of Western protest culture as it is about oil, U.S. power projection, and the limits of international law. For Peter and Conor, the world is what it is—not what we wish it to be—and Venezuela’s future depends on pragmatic reform, not idealistic revolution. The only certainty: the memes will keep coming.

For more detail, see Peter’s accompanying Substack article: "Venezuela and the Violence of Doing Nothing."