Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has defended the United States’ recent action in Venezuela as consistent with international law, while cautioning that the removal of President Nicolas Maduro has not yet resulted in a genuine regime change, Bolton said that although Maduro was extracted from power, the authoritarian system he presided over remains largely intact.

Bolton argued that Washington’s actions were legally justified because Maduro had illegitimately clung to power after allegedly stealing Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election. He said the US acted with the backing of Venezuela’s legitimate opposition, drawing parallels to earlier American support for opposition efforts against Maduro following disputed elections in 2018.

“The problem is not legality,” Bolton said, adding that the real challenge lies in the fact that the regime itself has not been dismantled. He noted that President Donald Trump’s comments suggesting a willingness to engage with Venezuela’s authorities—as long as Maduro himself is absent—have added confusion about Washington’s long-term objectives.

Bolton rejected comparisons between US action in Venezuela and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or a potential Chinese move against Taiwan, saying the situations are fundamentally different. He stressed that cooperation with a legitimate opposition to remove an illegitimate ruler cannot be equated with acts of unprovoked aggression.

On Trump’s claim that American oil companies would soon operate profitably in Venezuela, Bolton was sceptical. He described the idea as unrealistic, citing decades of neglect and mismanagement of the country’s oil infrastructure under the Chavez-Maduro era. According to Bolton, restoring Venezuela’s production capacity would require massive investment over many years, making foreign energy firms wary amid ongoing political uncertainty.

Bolton also cautioned against interpreting Trump’s actions as part of a coherent foreign policy doctrine. He said Trump’s approach to global affairs remains largely transactional, driven by immediate interests rather than a consistent national security strategy. This, Bolton warned, makes it risky to draw broader conclusions about how the US might act in future crises.

Addressing concerns that the Venezuela episode could embolden other powers, Bolton dismissed the notion that China might use it to justify aggression against Taiwan. He said Taiwan’s democratically elected government and the clear will of its people stand in stark contrast to Maduro’s disputed rule, making any such comparison invalid.

Bolton was sharply critical of Trump’s rhetoric about annexing Greenland, calling it political “trolling.” He warned that any attempt to use military force against Greenland would be a catastrophic mistake, potentially triggering the collapse of the NATO alliance and severely damaging US credibility.

On Ukraine, Bolton said Russia has successfully managed Trump’s expectations and that a peace settlement acceptable to Ukrainians is unlikely in the near term. He predicted Trump may eventually disengage from mediation efforts, noting that the former president’s desire for a Nobel Peace Prize does not align with the realities of the conflict.

Bolton also expressed concern about strained US-India relations, particularly over tariffs, saying both countries share a strategic interest in countering China’s growing influence. Reflecting on Trump’s first year back in office, Bolton acknowledged strong economic performance but warned that US global standing has suffered significant damage that may take years to repair.