5 Countries Trump May Target Next After Venezuela

The world is still reacting to the United States’ dramatic operation in Venezuela that ended with President Nicolás Maduro captured and taken to the U.S. to face charges. At the same time, President Donald Trump said Washington would “run” Venezuela during a transition.

In the days since, Trump’s comments and his team’s public messaging have triggered renewed anxiety about where his “America-first” security agenda could go next. Analysts and diplomats stress that talk is not the same as an approved war plan. 

But the signals matter, because they can move markets, shake alliances, and raise the risk of miscalculation.

Here are five countries that have come up repeatedly in this “what next?” 

1) Greenland

Greenland is a self-governing Danish territory, and it is part of the Danish Kingdom, meaning any U.S. attempt to seize it would instantly become a major NATO-level crisis.

Trump has again pushed the idea that the U.S. “needs” Greenland for defence, and Denmark’s prime minister has publicly urged him to stop making takeover threats. 

Supporters of a tougher U.S. posture point to Greenland’s location between North America and Europe and its role in missile defence, plus its mineral potential. Critics say it is reckless talk that could fracture alliances and destabilise the Arctic.

2) Mexico

Mexico is a U.S. neighbour and major trade partner, which is why even loose talk of military action is explosive.

After the Venezuela operation, Trump raised the idea of taking action linked to drug cartels, insisting “something” would have to be done. 

Mexico’s government has tried to condemn the Venezuela operation while also protecting its relationship with Washington to avoid becoming a direct target of the same kind of pressure.

In reality, Mexico is not Venezuela: the political, economic, and diplomatic costs of any U.S. strike would be enormous. Still, the threat language alone can raise tension and push both countries into harder positions.

3) Colombia

Colombia entered the spotlight after Trump made comments that were interpreted as a threat of U.S. action. When asked about possible action, he responded in approving terms and framed his anger around drugs and trafficking.

Colombia’s leadership has pushed back strongly, and the controversy has added strain to a relationship that normally depends on cooperation in security and anti-narcotics efforts. 

Even if no strike happens, this kind of rhetoric can weaken trust, disrupt joint operations, and inflame domestic politics on both sides.

4) Cuba

Cuba has also reappeared in Trump’s messaging after Venezuela. He suggested Cuba was “ready to fall” and implied the U.S. might not even need direct intervention.

Cuba is politically sensitive in U.S. domestic debates and has a long history of tension with Washington. 

That is why analysts watch it closely when the White House uses language that sounds like regime pressure, even if no formal plan has been announced.

5) Iran

Iran is the one country on this list outside the Western Hemisphere, and that is exactly why it alarms many observers. 

The concern is that a high-impact operation in Venezuela could make it politically easier for Trump to threaten or use force elsewhere.

Any major escalation involving Iran would likely affect global energy markets, regional security, and U.S. alliances, raising the risk of a wider conflict far beyond Latin America.