Two of President Donald Trump’s top Democratic critics are using appearances at a high-profile European gathering to blast the Republican president’s agenda and beef up their foreign policy chops on the world state ahead of possible 2028 White House runs.

«Donald Trump is temporary,» California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday during a climate change discussion at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. «He’ll be gone in three years.»

And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, during a town hall at the prestigious conference, pointed to Trump and charged, «We are seeing our presidential administration tear apart the transatlantic partnership, rip up every democratic norm.»

Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez are the most well known of a small group of potential Democratic presidential contenders using appearances in Munich to criticize Trump’s international agenda and offer a contrast to Vice President JD Vance, the perceived 2028 Republican front-runner, who delivered a scathing attack on Europe during his speech at the security forum last year.

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The other Democrats with likely national ambitions making the rounds at the confab and meeting with international leaders are Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly of Arizona and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and former Commerce Secretary. Gina Raimondo.

Ocasio-Cortez pointed to her fellow Democrats in Munich and said, «I think many of us are here to say we are here, and we are ready for the next chapter, not to have the world turn to isolation, but to deepen our partnership … and increase our commitment to integrity to our values.»

At a second discussion later on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez argued that «the United States is very much in a compromised position compared to where we were five years ago. Our relationships with our allies are strained. Our commitment and demonstrated consistency on democratic values and human rights are also incredibly strained.»

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Newsom, who is speaking at his third major international conference in recent months, following appearances last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and late last year at a world climate conference in Brazil, hammered Trump over climate policy, arguing the president is «doubling down on stupid.»

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a session at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (Michael Probst/AP Photo)

«Never in the history of the United States of America has there been a more destructive president than the current occupant of the White House in Washington, D.C.,» Newsom charged. «Donald Trump is trying to turn back the clock.»

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The White House, responding to the criticism from Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez, argued in a statement to Fox News Digital that «Gavin Newscum and AOC should be fixing California and New York’s many problems, but instead, they are frolicking in Europe, where no one knows or cares who they are.»

Ocasio-Cortez, during the first of her two appearances at the conference, was asked by the town hall moderator, «When you run for president, are you going to impose a wealth tax or a billionaire’s tax?»

 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., takes part in the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (Sven Hoppe /dpa via AP)

Responding with a laugh, the four-term federal lawmaker who has long advocated for significant tax increases on the ultra-wealthy to fund progressive initiatives then said, «We don’t have to wait for any one president to impose a wealth tax… That needs to be done expeditiously.»

Matthew Bartlett, who served at the State Department during the first Trump administration, told Fox News Digital that «the regular foreign policy crowd is turning into something of a cattle call for 2028 as numerous Democrats take Munich to articulate their vision and try to develop some sort of foreign policy credential as the next presidential race is on the horizon.»

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And Terry Shumaker, who served as U.S. ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago during the Clinton administration, noted that the appearances in Munich by the potential candidates «gives them experience, confidence, and something to refer back to on the campaign trail when they’re asked about their foreign policy experience.»

And Shumaker, a longtime New Hampshire-based attorney and Democratic Party activist, said it also signals to the world «that Trump is not a monolith. That there’s another side of the story in the United States.»

FIRST ON FOX: Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of incarcerated former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, is a man on an unofficial diplomatic mission in the United States. His objective is to free his father, who is serving a 27-year sentence at the Federal Police headquarters in the nation’s capital.

Convicted on charges of plotting a coup d’état, leading an armed criminal organization and attempting to violently abolish the democratic rule of law, Jair Bolsonaro remains a popular yet controversial figure in Brazil who still commands a devoted following nationwide, especially in the southern strongholds of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Eduardo Bolsonaro has pursued a «maximum pressure campaign» against the current Brazilian regime on behalf of his father, lobbying the Trump administration for sanctions against the country and for Magnitsky sanctions against the head of the Brazilian Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes.

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In 2022, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva narrowly defeated incumbent Bolsonaro in the closest election since Brazil’s 1985 return to democracy. This followed Lula’s dramatic release from prison by the Brazilian Supreme Court in 2019, where he was serving a sentence for corruption.

While many expected São Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas to run in 2026, he declined, clearing the way for the former president’s other son, Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, who declared his candidacy in December.

Speaking to Fox News Digital at the Hispanic Prosperity Gala at Mar-a-Lago, Eduardo Bolsonaro discussed the situation.

«A lot of polls are showing that my brother, Senator Flavio (Bolsonaro), is tied and some of them he’s a little bit ahead. … Flavio just launched, just announced that he is going to run. It was a big decision that Jair Bolsonaro took, recognizing that it would be impossible for him to run in the October election, for sure, because he’s in jail now. Unfairly, but he is. This is a fact.»

Eduardo Bolsonaro believes the nation’s economic and security issues will propel his brother to victory.

«The strategy of Flavio is to show how bad the Lula administration is, mainly in economy and also in security. These are areas where Flavio is doing very well,» Eduardo said.

«Everybody’s fed up with Lula supporting Hamas, increasing criminality and not doing a great job in the economic area. So, Flavio, for sure his focus is going to be on the economy and security to defeat Lula.»

While Flavio Bolsonaro and Lula are clearly the top two contenders, several other right-wing and center-right candidates have entered the race, including Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema, Paraná Governor Ratinho Junior and Goiás Governor Ronaldo Caiado. 

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters on Sept. 23, 2025, in New York City.  (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Eduardo Bolsonaro dismisses concerns that the current electoral scenario could split the vote and lead to a first-round electoral victory for Lula.

«It doesn’t matter who is going to the second round; against Lula, everybody will be together. Because we all know that the worst that can happen to the country is the re-election of Lula da Silva,» Eduardo said. 

«So, these polls that are trying to say that Lula … can win in the first round if the right-wing movement splits the votes between these candidates. This is a lie. For sure, this is not going to happen.

«And, for sure, it’s very good that we have more candidates on the right wing. … Why? Because they will all criticize Lula da Silva. So, even Flavio is publicly saying that it would be a good thing to do to support more and more candidates for the right … against Lula.»

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While former President Bolsonaro is incarcerated, his movement enjoys strong support in the Brazilian Congress, which recently passed legislation that would dramatically cut his prison sentence. 

However, Lula vetoed the legislation in January, which means that Congress may now seek to override that veto. Additionally, the Supreme Court, which is unfavorably disposed to Bolsonaro, may also review the legislation on grounds of constitutionality.

President Donald Trump and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.  (Getty Images)

«Everything that the Supreme Court does not like, they say that this is against our constitution. It’s the way that they try to get all of the power over the legislative [branch], and even sometimes the executive power. So, this is one more chapter of this long invasion by the judiciary. … Lula da Silva doing the veto against this bill that was approved by the Congress only shows that he is always speaking with the left-wing bubble. He’s talking to the radical left people.»

Eduardo Bolsonaro believes the Brazilian people support his father over the Supreme Court and points out his father was not even present in Brazil for the Jan. 8 riots.

«In Brazil they do not approve [of the veto]. They are fed up with all of this. … On the very same day [Jan. 8, 2023] … the ‘protest dictator,’ Jair Bolsonaro, was in Orlando, in Disney World,» Eduardo said. 

«So, everybody knows this is a fake thing, and no one can support any more debates around this.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and President Donald Trump feud over tariffs and Brazil’s treatment of Bolsonaro. (Adriano Machado/Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

«That’s why Jair Bolsonaro is in jail because if he wasn’t convicted to 27 years in jail. He would be free to run, and for sure he would be the next president of Brazil. That’s the only reason that he is in jail, because of political reasons. That is why when Flavio Bolsonaro gets elected in October and changes the political scenario, this will also change the scenario inside the judiciary of Brazil.»

Eduardo Bolsonaro is entirely focused on his brother Flavio’s 2026 presidential campaign as a means to freeing his father from prison.

«Now, I only have one role … electing Flávio Bolsonaro, and he will give the pardon to Jair. Not only to Jair, but also to me. I am accused of committing crimes in the United States because I was talking with authorities, American authorities, and they consider this an attack against the sovereignty of Brazil.

«The judge of the Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, who got sanctioned by the Trump administration with the support of Scott Bessent and Marco Rubio, he blames me for that. But as he does not have the courage to sue Trump, Bessent and Rubio, he’s suing me for that. So, we hope that Flavio is going to get elected and then, as president, he has the power to pardon me, my father and more than 400 conservative people that are in jail.»

While the Bolsonaros have historically performed well in the vote-rich and wealthy southern states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Minas Gerais, they have underperformed in Brazil’s poorer Northeast region, which is where Lula is originally from.

Yet, Bolsonaro promises a strong showing nationwide and says that voters in the Northeast are ready for a change:

«It’s bringing the truth. People nowadays know that ‘assistencialismo’ (populist social assistance for purposes of vote-buying), is the way that Lula gets this high amount of votes in the Northeast of Brazil.

A political protest in Rio de Janeiro (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

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«We are also going strong in the Northeast. The Northeast, you’re going to see, it’s not anymore a region of Brazil that is under the [control of] Lula.»

Eduardo Bolsonaro weighed in on recent U.S. military action in Venezuela and pledged a renewed U.S.-Brazilian geopolitical relationship and full support for American action against Communist regimes.

«Maduro is not the president anymore, and, in Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega arrested seven opponents … that were running for president,» Eduardo said. «How can you consider this a democracy? So, for sure, it’s not a democracy. 

«There is no difference between these guys and Chapo or Pablo Escobar. The difference is only that Nicolás Maduro and Daniel Ortega took over the country, they took over the institutions.

«So, everybody, not only Venezuela, but also Brazil, is really happy that the great military of the United States arrested Maduro. … It’s bringing hope to the people. And, for sure, we do support them, not only in public … but also in international forums.»

This interview was lightly edited for style and clarity.

Las reservas de petróleo de Venezuela pueden ser enormes, pero algunas de las mejores oportunidades para desarrollar los recursos del país con rapidez están mar adentro, en los depósitos de gas natural en las profundidades del lecho marino.

Muchos de estos yacimientos de gas se descubrieron hace décadas frente a la costa oriental del país, a lo largo de la frontera con Trinidad y Tobago, un país formado por dos islas principales. Pero permanecieron prácticamente intactos mientras Venezuela se centraba en extraer y vender petróleo.

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Empresas como Shell, con sede en Londres, han querido producir este gas durante muchos años, mucho antes de que las fuerzas estadounidenses capturaran al presidente de Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, en enero. Esto contrasta con el interés por explotar los yacimientos petrolíferos venezolanos, algo que muchas de las mayores petroleras del mundo se muestran reacias a hacer. En parte, esto se debe a que Venezuela, que guarda celosamente sus activos petrolíferos, se ha mostrado más dispuesta a permitir a las empresas extranjeras el acceso a su gas natural.

“Esto es como un viejo juguete nuevo”, dijo Antero Alvarado, consultor energético con sede en Caracas, la capital de Venezuela. “Nunca han abierto la caja”.

Las sanciones que el gobierno de Estados Unidos ha impuesto al gobierno de Venezuela y a su empresa petrolera estatal, Petróleos de Venezuela, aún son uno de los mayores obstáculos para aumentar la producción de gas. Producir y vender mucho más gas natural venezolano requeriría también la cooperación con Trinidad y Tobago.

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Muchos de los yacimientos de gas de Venezuela se encuentran a lo largo de la frontera marítima con el país insular, que, a diferencia de su vecino, dispone de la infraestructura necesaria para llevar el combustible a tierra y exportarlo. Pero la relación entre ambos países, separados por el idioma y por tan solo 11 kilómetros de mar, se deterioró el año pasado. (Trinidad, antigua colonia británica, habla inglés).

A los dirigentes venezolanos les ha molestado la decisión de Trinidad de alinearse con Estados Unidos frente al gobierno de Maduro. Bajo el gobierno de Maduro, Venezuela mantenía relaciones aún más hostiles con otro vecino con vastas reservas energéticas, Guyana. No está claro si Delcy Rodríguez, vicepresidenta y sucesora de Maduro, planea reparar esas relaciones.

Dragón, un gigantesco yacimiento de gas que debe su nombre a las agitadas aguas que dividen Venezuela de Trinidad, se encuentra entre los más próximos a ser explotados. Hace muchos años, Venezuela intentó recuperar el gas enterrado allí antes de quedarse sin dinero, un esfuerzo desafortunado que se vio interrumpido por el hundimiento de una plataforma de exploración en 2010.

Finalmente, Venezuela accedió en 2023 a permitir que Shell explotara Dragón. La idea era que sería mucho más barato construir un gasoducto corto que conectara Dragón con la infraestructura existente en Trinidad en lugar de empezar de cero en Venezuela, que no tiene una terminal para exportar gas.

El hecho de que Venezuela necesite a su vecino para llevar su gas al mercado es una razón importante para que el proyecto tenga buenas posibilidades de avanzar, dijo Francisco Monaldi, quien dirige el programa de energía para América Latina en la Universidad Rice, en Houston.

“Venezuela no puede incumplir el acuerdo y monetizarlo en otro lugar como ha hecho con el petróleo, por lo que Shell puede estar relativamente segura al creer que Venezuela no cambiará las reglas”, dijo Monaldi. Dragón y otro proyecto de gas a lo largo de la frontera marítima con Trinidad se encuentran entre los pocos yacimientos venezolanos nuevos que tienen buenas posibilidades de desarrollarse en los próximos cinco años, dijo.

BP, otra empresa energética londinense, declaró esta semana a Reuters que estaba solicitando permiso a Estados Unidos para llevar a cabo ese segundo proyecto, denominado Cocuina.

Los nuevos permisos que el Departamento del Tesoro de Estados Unidos emitió el viernes parecen dar a las empresas petroleras y gasísticas más margen para negociar con Venezuela y operar en el país.

“Están creando un entorno que permite a los actores existentes operar”, dijo Rachel Ziemba, investigadora adjunta sénior del Center for a New American Security.

Shell declaró que estaba analizando lo que esas nuevas autorizaciones significaban para su proyecto de gas. BP no respondió a una solicitud de comentarios.

Si Dragón se pone en marcha, podría generar unos 500 millones de dólares al año en ingresos, estimó Luisa Palacios, expresidenta de la empresa refinadora estadounidense Citgo Petroleum, basándose en los recientes precios del gas natural. Los documentos del gobierno indican que al menos el 45 por ciento de esa cantidad iría a Venezuela en forma de impuestos y regalías, añadió.

Pero el proyecto ha avanzado de forma intermitente, atrapado entre ambos países y las políticas estadounidenses, que aún limitan las actividades de Shell.

“Se trata de oportunidades que podrían activarse en cuestión de meses, con unos cuantos miles de millones de dólares de inversión y producción en los próximos dos años”, declaró Wael Sawan, director ejecutivo de Shell, a la CNBC la semana pasada.

Sus comentarios, pronunciados después de que Shell informara de sus beneficios, fueron un recordatorio de que los plazos del petróleo y el gas son largos, e incluso es posible que los proyectos avanzados no empiecen a producir antes de que el presidente Donald Trump haya dejado el cargo.

Taylor Rogers, vocera de la Casa Blanca, dijo que el gobierno de Trump estaba “trabajando con las autoridades interinas para que Venezuela vuelva a ser próspera” y “garantizar que las empresas petroleras y de gas puedan realizar inversiones sin precedentes” en el país.

El secretario de Energía, Chris Wright, expresó posteriormente su apoyo al desarrollo del gas de Venezuela.

“Se trata de un verdadero beneficio potencial para Trinidad y Tobago, un beneficio para el mercado mundial de gas natural licuado y un beneficio para Venezuela”, declaró Wright a la prensa en Caracas, en referencia al mercado del gas que es enfriado para la exportación.

Más allá de las sanciones estadounidenses, aún habría que concretar detalles con Venezuela, como la forma exacta en que Shell procedería a extraer el gas.

Eso pondría a prueba la relación entre Venezuela y Trinidad, que alcanzó su punto más bajo el año pasado. En octubre, la Asamblea Nacional de Venezuela declaró “persona non grata” a la primera ministra de Trinidad y Tobago, después de que elogiara la actividad militar estadounidense en la región. Rodríguez declaró posteriormente que el gobierno de Venezuela interrumpía las negociaciones con Trinidad y Tobago y cancelaba los contratos de gas.

“Todas nuestras esperanzas y aspiraciones de obtener gas venezolano, gas de Dragón, parecían esfumarse”, dijo Anthony Paul, quien anteriormente trabajaba en el ministerio de Energía de Trinidad.

La oficina de la primera ministra de Trinidad y Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, no respondió a las preguntas escritas. El ministro de Energía, Roodal Moonilal, declaró a la prensa el mes pasado que el gobierno de Trinidad no había recibido ninguna notificación de cancelación por parte de Venezuela. “Somos optimistas”, dijo Moonilal.

El país insular ha estado muy interesado en obtener acceso a los yacimientos de gas de Venezuela porque su propia producción de gas ha ido disminuyendo, un duro golpe para una economía que depende en gran medida de la exportación de combustible y productos relacionados.

Por otra parte, Venezuela desperdicia gran parte del gas que produce y contribuye al cambio climático al dejarlo escapar o arder en un proceso conocido como quema en antorcha. En 2024, Venezuela quemó casi tanto gas como Estados Unidos, el mayor productor mundial de petróleo y gas, a pesar de producir mucha menos energía, según el Banco Mundial.

“Es de interés de todos que cooperemos para desarrollar conjuntamente esos recursos de gas natural”, dijo Kevin Ramnarine, exministro de Energía de Trinidad y Tobago.

Más al oeste, cerca de Colombia, Eni y Repsol, de Italia y España, ya producen gas natural que Venezuela utiliza para generar electricidad. Venezuela solía pagar este gas con petróleo, que luego las empresas podían vender. Pero Estados Unidos endureció las sanciones tras la llegada de Trump al poder, y bloqueó tales pagos.

No quedó claro de inmediato si las exenciones concedidas el viernes permitirían a las empresas volver a aceptar pagos de Venezuela. Eni dijo que las estaba revisando; Repsol se negó a hacer comentarios.

Eni, que también tiene intereses en yacimientos petrolíferos venezolanos, estaría abierta a producir más siempre que pudiera volver a cobrar, dijo el portavoz, Roberto Carlo Albini.

Dicho esto, cualquier aumento en la producción de gas en el occidente del país estaría limitado por el consumo interno de Venezuela. Un gasoducto caduco conecta Venezuela con Colombia, pero habría que repararlo.

“La cuestión”, dijo Monaldi, de la Universidad Rice, “es quién va a hacer esa inversión”.

*Anatoly Kurmanaev y Simon Romero colaboraron con reportería.

Rebecca F. Elliott cubre temas de energía para el Times.

Daniel Wood es un editor de gráficos del Times enfocado en cartografía y visualización de datos.

Anatoly Kurmanaev y Simon Romero colaboraron con reportería.