US President Donald Trump declares he is “almost” decided on how to proceed with the Venezuela issue, as senior officials consider potential military operations in the Latin American country. “I’ve almost made a decision” regarding the government’s next steps in Venezuela, he characteristically told CBS News while flying on Air Force One, but “I can’t tell you what it will be,” he added.
US military on standby for potential military operations in Venezuela
According to CBS sources with knowledge of the situation, senior Trump administration officials, military personnel and top executives gathered at the White House for the third consecutive day on Friday to discuss potential military operations in Venezuela. Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Cain and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were among those who spoke with Trump at the White House on Friday, according to agency sources.
Venezuela was discussed as part of the president’s daily intelligence briefing on Wednesday. CBS News had previously reported that Hegseth, Cain and other military officials presented Trump with options for potential operations in Venezuela in the coming days on Wednesday, including possible ground strikes.
Cain and others also briefed Trump on Thursday. Friday’s meeting included a larger group, according to CBS sources. At this point, the US has not informed allied countries about their exact intentions regarding Venezuela, two Western allies told CBS.
The US has claimed that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is complicit with armed criminal gangs trafficking drugs into the US, claims that Maduro has rejected. Over the past two months, the US military has conducted attacks against at least 21 vessels it claims were transporting drugs from South America to the US, killing at least 80 people.
However, some Western European countries with interests in Latin America have stated they do not have specific information directly linking Maduro to any cartel, despite US claims and a 2020 federal indictment alleging Maduro is among the top drug traffickers.
Earlier this week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the US attacks violate international law and maritime law. “We are watching with concern the military operations in the Caribbean region, because they violate international law and because France has a presence in this area, where more than one million of our compatriots reside,” Barrot said from Ontario, during the G7 foreign ministers’ summit.
Meanwhile, also earlier this week, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford entered the area of responsibility of the US Southern Command. Southern Command is the primary combat unit for operations in the Caribbean and South America. The Ford joined a group of destroyers and warplanes already in the region.
