President Trump weighs Iran strikes after Venezuela military action

President Donald Trump is weighing whether or not to tug the set off and launch strikes towards Iran — a transfer that specialists say may doubtlessly expose the weaknesses of each Russia and China.

Whereas Russia and China have tried to make inroads in areas in Africa and Latin America – presenting themselves as companions for infrastructure and army gear – ​​neither Russia nor China intervened to defend their ally Venezuela when the US took motion on January 3 to overthrow the regime of dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Potential strikes in Iran, coupled with the strikes in Venezuela to topple Maduro, would spotlight how formidable the US is and even shut opponents like Beijing can’t compete, specialists say.

President Donald Trump is contemplating whether or not to tug the set off and launch strikes towards Iran. (Maxine Wallace/The Washington Publish by way of Getty Photographs)

“Beijing would seemingly reply with acquainted condemnations and requires restraint, however the deeper conclusion could be uncomfortable: China’s partnerships provide little safety if the US decides to behave,” Craig Singleton, a senior China fellow on the Basis for Protection of Democracies, stated in a press release on Wednesday. “Venezuela has made that clear regionally; Iran would underscore it globally. Chinese language officers will label Washington as reckless or rogue, however privately this episode would affirm long-standing Chinese language views on how energy is definitely exercised and that the US is the one nation keen and capable of venture violence throughout a number of domains at brief discover.”

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“Two complicated army operations in two areas simply two weeks aside would reinforce a core judgment throughout the Chinese language system: U.S. army energy stays unparalleled, and Washington is keen to make use of it if it deems the dangers manageable,” Singleton stated. “That mixture instructions skilled respect, even when it will increase Chinese language discomfort.”

Mark Cancian, a senior adviser within the protection and safety division of the Heart for Strategic and Worldwide Research, expressed related sentiments, saying nations like Iran and Venezuela, which have labored with Russia and Beijing, seemingly understand the pitfalls of these ties.

Iranians collect whereas blocking a road throughout a protest in Tehran, January 9, 2026. (MAHSA/Center East Photographs/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)

Venezuela, for instance, has lengthy had ties to Russia and has bought Russian army gear – ​​however Russia was not there to guard Caracas from US assaults or stop the US from capturing Maduro, Cancian stated. A brand new army strike in Iran would solely additional expose the constraints of Russia and China, Cancian stated.

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“I feel a whole lot of nations are realizing that Russia and China can’t defend them, that these alliances have severe limitations,” Cancian advised Fox Information Digital on Friday.

“I feel an assault on Iran would make the identical level,” Cancian stated.

In keeping with Cancian, the rationale Moscow and Beijing can’t defend their allies and companions is that neither has a world army just like the US.

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“The USA has American bases everywhere in the world,” Cancian stated. “It has a navy that’s deployed all over the world. The Chinese language haven’t got that. The Russians haven’t got that. So whereas they’ve highly effective militaries, they do not have the worldwide functionality to guard allies and companions.”

President Donald Trump and Secretary of Warfare Pete Hegseth pay attention as Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks throughout a Cupboard assembly on the White Home, October 9, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

In the meantime, Trump continues to be contemplating whether or not to launch additional assaults on Iran. The president advised reporters on Air Drive One on Jan. 11 that the administration was “taking a look at some very robust choices,” and on Tuesday he stated all conferences with the Iranian regime have been being canceled till “the mindless killing of protesters STOP.” He stated those that killed anti-regime protesters will face penalties.

On Wednesday, Trump advised reporters that whereas “the killing in Iran will cease,” he wouldn’t rule out army motion and that the US would “watch and see” what occurs. In the meantime, Trump stated Friday he had postponed the strikes for now as a result of Iran had canceled the executions of greater than 800 folks.

Russia’s Overseas Ministry stated in a press release on Tuesday that warnings of potential army strikes towards Iran have been “categorically unacceptable” and stated it amounted to “subversive exterior interference”.

Chinese language Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning equally advised reporters it opposes any interference within the affairs of different nations when requested about potential strikes.

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In December 2025, protests broke out throughout Iran in response to the financial hardships the nation was going through, in addition to a referendum towards Iran’s theocratic regime.

Greater than 2,000 folks – together with not less than 9 kids – have been killed within the latest protests, the US-based Human Rights Activists Information Company reported on Tuesday. In keeping with The Sunday Occasions, that quantity is way greater. The outlet reported on Sunday {that a} report compiled by docs within the area estimated round 16,000 protesters had been killed.

Trump approved a number of main army operations in latest months, along with the assaults in Venezuela. In December, he additionally signed off on assaults in Nigeria and Syria, geared toward these linked to Islamic State.

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This additionally would not be the primary time Trump has carried out assaults towards Iran – ought to he select to undergo with them. In June, he signed off on assaults on the Iranian nuclear websites of Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

The Related Press contributed to this report.