After Venezuela, Trump threatens action in 5 more countries over 3 days

US President Donald Trump seems to have kicked off 2026 with fireworks of a very different kind. Over the weekend, US forces launched a strike on Venezuela, during which they captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and whisked them away to the States to face drug-trafficking charges.

In a press conference held hours later, Trump stated that the US will "run" Venezuela and use its oil reserves until a political transition could take place. While the unforeseen turn of events set off celebrations among Venezuelans, the attack on a sovereign state took the world by surprise, alarming many countries that do not see eye to eye with the US.

In the days since, Trump has not slowed down, instead turning his attention to several other nations and issuing them warnings as well. Take a look:

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1. Mexico needs to 'get its act together'

On Saturday morning, Trump took jabs at another Latin American president, Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump accused Sheinbaum of allowing drug cartels to operate in her country, saying, "Something is going to have to be done with Mexico."

Later, on Air Force One, Trump went on to warn Mexico, saying the country “has to get their act together because they’re [drugs] pouring through Mexico and we’re going to have to do something”.

Mexico strongly condemned the US military action in Venezuela, saying it “seriously jeopardises regional stability.”

2. Military operation against Colombia

Trump on Sunday threatened military action against Colombia's government, telling reporters that such an operation "sounds good to me" and prompting an angry response from Bogota.

"Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man, who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and he's not going to be doing it very long," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, in an apparent reference to Colombia's President Gustavo Petro.

Colombia rejected Trump's comments as an unacceptable threat against an elected leader. "It represents an undue interference in the internal affairs of the country, against the norms of international law," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Sunday.

3. 'We need Greenland'

The US military operation to capture Maduro and Trump's intention to oversee governance of the oil-rich Latin American country have rekindled concerns in Denmark that Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, might face a similar scenario.

Trump doubled down Sunday on his claim that Greenland should become part of the United States, despite calls by Denmark's prime minister to stop "threatening" the territory. While aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, Trump reiterated the goal. 

"We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it," he said in response to a reporter's question.

4. 'Ready to go' in Iran

New deadly clashes between protesters and security forces have erupted in Iran, as demonstrations over soaring inflation entered a second week. Deaths and arrests have been reported through the week both by state media and rights groups, though the figures differ.

On Sunday, Trump said the regime would get "hit very hard" by the US if more protesters die. "We're watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they're going to get hit very hard by the United States," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, without elaborating.

This comes after Trump already threatened on Friday to come to the protesters' aid if they face violence. "We are locked and loaded and ready to go", without specifying what actions he was considering.

That warning prompted threats of retaliation against US forces in the region from senior Iranian officials. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran "will not yield to the enemy".

5. Cuba 'ready to fall'

Compared to other nations, Trump's comments about Cuba have been less direct. Likening Cuba's situation to that of Venezuela, he told reporters aboard Air Force One, “I think Cuba is going to be something we'll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation right now, a very badly failing nation, and we want to help the people."

He said American military intervention is unlikely to be needed because the country appears to be ready to fall on its own.

Talking to NBC News, Rubio echoed those sentiments when he issued a stern warning of his own to Cuban officials: “If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned... I don’t think it’s any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime, who, by the way, are the ones that were propping up Maduro,” he added.