JAKARTA - Indonesia's leading foreign policy experts have labeled the Trump administration's military actions as imperialistic, warning Jakarta to reduce dependence on Washington following the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

On January 3, U.S. forces conducted a military operation in Caracas that extracted Maduro and his wife from Venezuela's capital, with Trump declaring the U.S. would "run the country" until oil infrastructure is rebuilt.

Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, former Indonesian Vice Foreign Minister and FPCI founder, stated at a public discussion that this represents “imperialism” through territorial conquest, resource seizure, and disregard for international law.

“For a superpower like the United States, we still have three years left. And three years of US foreign policy can mean decades. Its power is enormous. So, once again, I think we need to seriously consider reducing our dependence on the United States,” the former Indonesian ambassador for the United States said. 

Djalal noted Trump's personal ego now supersedes both national interests and values, creating a dangerous new factor in international relations.

“I've never seen how ego could outweigh national interests and values, but this is what's happening,” he added. 

The Indonesian authorities have been closely monitoring the aftermath of Trump’s attack on Venezuela, including both Indonesian nationals and assets in the country. The Indonesian Embassy in Caracas confirmed that all 37 Indonesian citizens in the country are safe and in regular contact with the embassy. 

The embassy has also been checking the security of Indonesian assets such as Pertamina International Exploration & Production (PIEP) holdings, reporting no reported damage so far.

Prof. Dewi Fortuna Anwar, BRIN Research Professor and FPCI co-founder, was also present during the discussion. Both experts urged Indonesia to diversify away from overexposure to any major power. 

For the first three quarters of 2025, total US-Indonesia trade reached $35.58 billion. Meanwhile, in the first half of 2025, Indonesia's exports to China totaled $29.3 billion while imports reached $40 billion, resulting in a $10.7 billion trade deficit with China—indicating bilateral trade of $69.3 billion in just six months, nearly double the US-Indonesia trade volume in nine months.