Starmer delivers masterclass in hedging his bets after Venezuela raid

<p>Prime minister assures colleagues he may one day stand up to Donald Trump – but not yet</p><p>Keir Starmer has got used to walking a diplomatic tightrope with Donald Trump. But the US president’s Venezuelan adventure, whisking its leader out of the country after a late-night raid, has pushed that cautious approach to its limits.</p><p>The clues were all there. Ever since Trump confirmed that he had authorised the CIA to conduct <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/15/trump-venezuela-cia-maduro">covert operations in Venezuela</a> against drug traffickers – and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/16/trump-orders-blockade-oil-tankers-venezuela">blockaded oil tankers</a> – the military campaign had been mounting.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/05/keir-starmer-masterclass-hedging-bets-venezuela-raid">Continue reading...</a>