Perhaps the most egregious of all recent actions is that of Trump. declaration that the US will “take control” of Venezuela “for a while” in order to take over and exploit the country's oil resources. He will undoubtedly install a right-wing dictator under his command, opening the door to yet another channel for foreign money flowing to him. Likewise, oil companies will compete with each other for access to confiscated assets, meaning more money will be laundered for Trump, his family and other supporters in this spoils of war system.
It also forces the US to occupy a country that, while it has no love for Maduro, probably won't be happy to trade a left-wing dictator who bankrupted and impoverished their country for a right-wing one who does the same. The US has a long history of supporting unpopular despots with embedded troops, which has not evolved particularly well since Korea (where at least the US and UN supported South Korean sovereignty). Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria failed futilely, creating corrupt, unstable dictatorships at best (Iraq) or leaving our enemies in power at worst (Iran, Afghanistan and Vietnam until the 1990s).
As with many of Trump's militaristic foreign policy misadventures, there appears to be no long-term plan or strategy beyond launching lightning strikes in the hope that they will produce the desired results. Although Iran is currently in turmoil, it does not make the world seem safer, more peaceful, or more orderly.
