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Is Trump undermining his own immigration policy? | NonZero World feat. Francisco Rodriguez
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Is Trump undermining his own immigration policy? | NonZero World feat. Francisco Rodriguez

The intra-MAGA battle over Venezuela

This episode includes an Overtime segment that’s available to paid subscribers. If you’re not a paid subscriber, we of course encourage you to become one. If you are a paid subscriber, you can access the complete conversation either via the audio and video on this post or by setting up the paid-subscriber podcast feed, which includes all exclusive audio content. To set that up, simply grab the RSS feed from this page (by first clicking the “...” icon on the audio player) and paste it into your favorite podcast app.

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0:00 Headlines
4:31 Trump's sanctions dilemma: Migration crackdown vs. regime change
5:57 How sanctions helped trigger Venezuela’s economic collapse
9:32 The power of 'secondary sanctions'
12:51 How sanctions drove inflation, hunger, and state failure
18:45 From Venezuela to the US: Understanding the migrant wave
20:37 Inside the Trump split: Rubio’s hardline vs. Grenell’s dealmaking
32:50 Francisco: The US needs to be more realistic about Maduro
40:20 The path to restoring democracy in Venezuela

Recorded May 30, 2025.

Read this week's edition of the Earthling:

The Earthling

Trump’s National Security Carousel

Trump’s National Security Carousel

Note: In June, the newsletter will be doing what it did last June: take a month off for retooling. Like last time, NonZero members (more crassly known as paid subscribers) will get a bonus month—and, also like last time, our podcasts will continue, complete with their members-only Overtime segments.

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Discussed in Overtime:

Why sanctions worked in South Africa.
How the US empowers Venezuela's hardline opposition.
Breaking down Maduro's bid to take the Essequibo region from Guyana.
The problems with an opposition in exile.

Overtime video:

This post is for paid subscribers