Trump Says US Action in Venezuela Does Not Set Precedent for China to Move on Taiwan

Trump said the Venezuela operation reflected a unique security threat and should not be read as a green light for Chinese action on Taiwan.
Trump Says US Action in Venezuela Does Not Set Precedent for China to Move on Taiwan
A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet takes off at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on Dec. 29, 2025. Cheng Yu-chen/AFP via Getty Images
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
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President Donald Trump said Washington’s recent military operation in Venezuela should not be seen as a precedent for China to take action against Taiwan, arguing that the circumstances were fundamentally different and insisting that Beijing would not move against the island while he remains in office.

In an interview with The New York Times published on Jan. 8, Trump rejected suggestions that the U.S. capture and exfiltration of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro could embolden Chinese leader Xi Jinping to alter the status quo in Taiwan, or provide justification for other territorial conflicts.
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
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