The United States launched a unilateral military intervention in Venezuela, bombing infrastructure and capturing the sitting head of state, without Congressional authorization, UN Security Council mandate, or self-defense justification. International legal experts, the UN Secretary-General, and governments worldwide condemned the operation as a violation of the UN Charter.
The US launched Operation Absolute Resolve on January 3, 2026, bombing Venezuelan infrastructure and capturing President Nicolas Maduro without UN Security Council authorization, Congressional authorization, or self-defense justification.
The operation included bombing to suppress air defenses across northern Venezuela followed by a special operations raid on Maduro's compound in Caracas.
The US threatened Colombia with 25-50% tariffs, visa bans, and customs inspections to coerce acceptance of military deportation flights. Colombia capitulated within hours, establishing a precedent for weaponizing economic power to override sovereign decisions on migration.
Trump announced 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods (escalating to 50% within one week), a travel ban, visa revocations for government officials, and enhanced customs inspections — all within hours of Colombia refusing deportation flights.
Colombian President Petro's objection was specifically to the use of military aircraft for deportation flights, arguing it treated migrants as criminals rather than civilians.
The administration threatened military and economic coercion to annex Greenland and reclaim the Panama Canal, with the Pentagon developing actual invasion plans, before partially walking back the Greenland threats under international pressure.
Trump refused to rule out military or economic force to annex Greenland and threatened a 25% tariff on EU goods unless Denmark ceded the territory.
The Pentagon developed military options for the Panama Canal ranging from closer cooperation to outright invasion, per NBC News reporting.
A naval blockade of Venezuelan oil exports drew condemnation from UN experts as a violation of fundamental international law, with legal analysts characterizing it as an act of war imposed without Congressional authorization.
Trump announced a 'TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE' of sanctioned oil tankers going to and from Venezuela in December 2025.
UN experts declared the blockade violated 'fundamental rules of international law,' characterizing it as an unlawful use of force.
Over 10,000 troops were deployed to the US-Mexico border for immigration enforcement. A federal judge found the administration 'willfully' violated the Posse Comitatus Act -- a foundational law separating military and civilian law enforcement dating to Reconstruction.
Over 10,000 active-duty troops were deployed to the US-Mexico border, expanding military authority to include detaining and searching civilians.
The Air Force annexed a 250-mile stretch of the Texas border as a 'national defense area.'