University of Kentucky, Rosenberg College of Law professor emeritus Alvin Goldman discusses the legality and implications of U.S. actions toward Venezuelan oil assets, especially in light of President Trump’s claims that justify military intervention based on Venezuela’s past nationalization of U.S.-linked oil properties. Professor Goldman argues that Venezuela’s expropriation was legal under international law and did not constitute theft, whereas the U.S.’s threatened military control over Venezuelan oil could itself be considered illegal and potentially an act of theft.

University of Kentucky, Rosenberg College of Law professor emeritus Alvin Goldman examines the constitutional authority over the tenure and independence of federal administrative agency officials, arguing that it lies with Congress rather than the President, despite modern claims rooted in the unitary executive theory. Professor Goldman argues that the Constitution’s text, structure, and underlying principles support congressional control to prevent presidential overreach, and warns that a Supreme Court shift in favor of increased executive power could endanger the legitimacy and stability of the administrative state.