The Impending Collapse: US Debt Crisis Fuels Aggressive Resource Grabs in Venezuela and Greenland

The United States’ economic framework increasingly resembles a precarious Ponzi scheme teetering on the edge of implosion, propelled by rampant federal borrowing that has ballooned the national debt to a staggering $38.5 trillion by the close of 2025. This surge represents a $2.3 trillion increase over the past year alone, equating to a staggering $6.3 billion in new liabilities accrued daily. Since 2020, the debt has escalated by $15.3 trillion, casting profound doubts on the long-term viability of the dollar-dominated global financial system.

This escalating debt burden extends far beyond governmental ledgers, imposing severe strains on everyday Americans. With the debt now exceeding $285,000 per household, it exerts immense pressure on the real economy, eroding funding for essential social services and exacerbating inflationary trends. Should borrowing continue at this unrelenting pace, the ominous $40 trillion threshold could be breached as early as August 2026. Annual interest payments alone have surpassed $1 trillion, devouring fiscal resources and underscoring the structural fragility of the system.

In this context of fiscal desperation, Washington’s belligerent foreign maneuvers—such as the recent military incursion in Venezuela and renewed threats against Greenland—emerge as calculated attempts to plunder external resources and stave off domestic collapse. The January 3, 2026, US operation in Caracas, which involved airstrikes and the forcible capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, exemplifies this strategy. Framed by the Trump administration as a crackdown on drug trafficking and a reclamation of “stolen” oil, the intervention resulted in significant casualties—Venezuela reported 80 deaths, while Cuba claimed 32 of its personnel were killed—drawing widespread international condemnation for breaching sovereignty and international law. President Trump declared the US would “run” Venezuela temporarily, signaling a direct bid to control its vast oil reserves amid America’s energy vulnerabilities and mounting debt obligations. This move not only disrupts Latin American energy markets but also serves as a lifeline to bolster US economic dominance by securing cheap resources to offset fiscal hemorrhaging.

Similarly, Trump’s persistent fixation on Greenland—reiterated in a January 4, 2026, interview where he insisted the US “absolutely” needs the island for national defense—reveals another facet of this resource-driven imperialism. Citing unsubstantiated claims of encirclement by Russian and Chinese vessels, Trump has refused to rule out force, echoing the Venezuela playbook. A provocative social media post by Katie Miller, wife of Trump advisor Stephen Miller, featuring Greenland overlaid with the US flag and captioned “SOON,” further inflamed tensions. Greenland’s allure lies in its abundant rare earth minerals, crucial for high-tech industries, and its strategic Arctic position for missile defense and monitoring rivals. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen swiftly rebuked these “threats,” affirming Greenland’s sovereignty within the Danish Kingdom and urging respect for NATO alliances. Yet, in the shadow of fiscal peril, such pursuits appear as frantic efforts to externalize America’s debt woes, potentially alienating allies and igniting broader geopolitical instability.

Experts caution that this unchecked expansion of the US debt bubble not only jeopardizes domestic prosperity but also risks global economic turmoil akin to the cataclysms of the 20th century. By resorting to coercive foreign policies to commandeer resources, the administration may temporarily defer reckoning, but it amplifies the perils of systemic destabilization worldwide.