Control over resources makes $$$. Except with renewables, electric cars and the US producing more shale oil their will be a glut when Venezuela produces at a much greater capacity. Don't forget that OPEC works by cutting production to increase the price of oil. Venezuelan production went down in the early 2000s. That allowed shale oil room to grow into markets without tanking the price of oil. Trump is not only the rare person to bankrupt casinos, he may be the rare person to not make billions for the oil industry. If Venezuelan oil keeps money out of Russia's hands with inevitable lower prices, I'm good with it.

And I understand what you're saying and agree with you, but I still think that the felon-in-chief is obviously in office for the money, he's certainly done nothing to help the people, instead his "policies" have harmed everyone except for the very rich - and he'll do anything to be one of them.

They knew he would destroy the deep structure of democracy in the US and build only superficial things like trying to move more money to billionaires which doesn't do a thing for a billionaire in terms of happiness or welfare or utility or freedom. I wonder how Putin feels about Trump's 'takeover' of the Venezuelan oil industry?

And from what we've seen, it appears that his only agenda is making money - is he desperate enough to abandon Putin over this? I wouldn't want to bet on it... He appears to have abandoned all U.S. traditional and centuries old allies in favor of Russia. Whoever eventually takes his place will have overwhelming world fences to mend. Biden managed it, but this time he's done much, much more damage...

The next day Trump is doing him favors.