TL;DR
A WIRED analysis by Garrett M. Graff characterizes a recent invasion in Venezuela as both a throwback to 20th-century U.S. interventions in Latin America and a distinctly Trumpian escalation. The piece argues this kind of interventionist impulse may persist under the current administration.
What happened
According to Garrett M. Graff's longread in WIRED, an invasion in Venezuela over the weekend has been framed as a hybrid of old-style U.S. interventionism and a new, specifically Trump-era approach. Graff places the episode in historical context, noting that over the past century multiple U.S. presidencies treated Latin American politics as amenable to coups and regime change. He describes the recent action as both a throwback to those interventions and a novel, alarming iteration tied to the current president's methods and objectives. The author warns that the phenomenon set in motion by this raid does not look likely to subside soon. The article appears in WIRED’s The Big Story and is published for subscribers; Graff is credited as a contributing editor and longtime national-affairs writer.
Why it matters
- Reintroduces a history of U.S.-backed coups as a lens for understanding current policy toward Latin America.
- Signals a potential durable shift in how the administration approaches regime change beyond conventional diplomacy.
- Could affect regional stability and the norms around sovereignty and external intervention in the hemisphere.
- Raises questions about the domestic and international precedent of employing unconventional operations abroad.
Key facts
- The analysis was written by Garrett M. Graff and published in WIRED’s The Big Story on Jan. 6, 2026.
- Graff frames a recent weekend invasion in Venezuela as both a historical throwback and a new, Trump-era development.
- The piece connects the episode to a broader pattern: over the past century, Graff says about a dozen U.S. presidents treated Latin America as susceptible to coups.
- Graff describes the particular strain of interventionism in this incident as 'uniquely Trumpian' and suggests it may persist.
- The article is presented as subscriber-only content on WIRED’s site.
- Graff is identified as a contributing editor at WIRED and a director at The Aspen Institute.
- The reporting emphasizes interpretation and analysis rather than providing operational details of the raid in the excerpt.
What to watch next
- Whether this event marks the start of a sustained pattern of similar interventions by the administration (discussed in the article).
- Regional diplomatic and security responses from Latin American governments — not confirmed in the source.
- Any subsequent claims about natural-resource access or economic motives tied to the operation — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Coup d'état: A sudden, often violent, and illegal seizure of power from an established government.
- Interventionism: A policy of a country intervening in the affairs of another country, including political, military, or economic actions.
- Imperial ambition: The pursuit of influence, control, or domination over other countries or regions, often for strategic or economic advantage.
- Subscription/paywall: A publishing model that restricts access to full content unless a reader pays for a subscription.
Reader FAQ
What happened in Venezuela?
The article refers to a weekend invasion in Venezuela and analyzes its implications, but the excerpt does not provide operational details.
Did President Trump order the raid?
Not confirmed in the source.
Is this kind of intervention new for the U.S.?
Graff argues it echoes a century-long pattern of U.S. interventions in Latin America while also describing it as a distinct, 'uniquely Trumpian' form.
Where can I read the full analysis?
The full piece appears in WIRED’s The Big Story by Garrett M. Graff, published Jan. 6, 2026; it is subscriber-only on WIRED's site.
GARRETT M. GRAFF THE BIG STORY JAN 6, 2026 5:00 AM The 3 Keys to Understanding Trump’s Retro Coup in Venezuela This weekend’s invasion was both a throwback to the…
Sources
- The 3 Keys to Understanding Trump’s Retro Coup in Venezuela
- Trump's new world order is taking shape in Venezuela. …
- Fact-checking Trump's claims after U.S. strike on …
- Fact-checking Trump following US 'capture' of Venezuela's …
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