President Donald Trump is considering several military options to target drug cartels operating out of Venezuela, including potential strikes within the country itself. These actions are reportedly part of a broader strategy to undermine Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, according to multiple sources familiar with the administration’s planning.
Sources indicate that Tuesday’s lethal strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel departing Venezuela was a direct outcome of those strategic considerations. The operation represented a notable intensification of the Trump administration’s stance against drug trafficking organizations many of which have been officially designated as terrorist entities.
According to several sources who spoke to CNN, Tuesday’s strike signals the start of a much more extensive initiative aimed not only at curbing drug trafficking in the region but also at potentially destabilizing Maduro’s grip on power.
When asked by a journalist on Friday whether he supported regime change in Venezuela, Trump responded, “We’re not talking about that.”