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President Trump is boasting that he has concluded a great “deal” with Venezuela that would refill our depleted strategic petroleum reserves, reduce gas prices, and produce a long-lasting boon to America. As with all such Trump announcements, upon closer scrutiny, his boasts are empty and misleading. They also mask or neglect to note a much darker side to what has happened, the president’s judgment, his intentions, and the likely consequences of the whole endeavor.
Dig still deeper, however, and understanding the true nature of what has happened and where it may lead offers a direct path to better grasping the true risks of the Trump presidency, the origin of those risks, and how they tie directly into the core existential questions facing our society.
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