Trump is following pretty closely the “Ryan Doctrine” in this op, which was conceptualized by Tom Clancy in Executive Orders and subsequent books (when Jack Ryan is President). The Ryan Doctrine is: If you threaten the USA, we will first neutralize the active threat, ie bomb the drug boats, the missile sites, the bio lab, whatever Then we will capture or assassinate the leader responsible for the attack. That’s it. Repeat until understood.

Reading that Maduro met with China the same day he was curb stomped. We will see where things go. Again, assuming no bogged down engagements, I support a policy that prevents China from doing to South America what they did to Africa, it has been US foreign policy since James Monroe

Never give an order that you know won't be obeyed