The Trump administration is reportedly developing a new legal justification for potential operations against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This justification is being drafted by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), an influential Justice Department advisory body. Past administrations, both Democratic and Republican, have utilized OLC opinions to support significant presidential actions, including the use of force for national security. A notable precedent is the 1989 OLC memo, authored by William Barr, which provided legal backing for the extraterritorial arrest and removal of Panamanian President Manuel Noriega.