The president suggests he’s made up his mind on military operations as 15,000 troops and warships gather in the Caribbean
Donald Trump is dropping hints about his next move on Venezuela. The president suggested Friday he’s reached a conclusion about potential military operations in the region, though he’s keeping the specifics close to the vest for now.
The comments came after multiple high-level briefings last week where officials laid out various options for action inside Venezuela. Four sources told CNN that Trump received detailed presentations on potential military operations as he weighs whether to launch a scaled-up campaign that could potentially oust President Nicolás Maduro.
When reporters asked Trump directly aboard Air Force One about those meetings and whether he’d made a decision, his response was telling. He indicated he’d sort of made up his mind but couldn’t reveal what that decision would be. The hedging language suggests the president is still working through the final details or perhaps testing public reaction before committing fully to a course of action.
The military presence grows larger
While Trump deliberates, the Pentagon has been busy assembling an impressive show of force. Operation Southern Spear has brought more than a dozen warships and approximately 15,000 troops into the Caribbean region. The deployment represents the most significant military buildup in the area this century.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, arrived in the region last week and entered the Caribbean Sea on Sunday. The Navy describes this vessel as its most lethal combat platform, and its presence sends an unmistakable message about American military capabilities in the area.
Beyond the massive carrier, the US has positioned a cruiser, destroyers, an air and missile defense command ship, amphibious assault vessels and an attack submarine throughout the region. Ten F-35 fighter jets have been deployed to Puerto Rico, which has transformed into a central hub for military operations as the Caribbean focus intensifies.
Experts describe the buildup as unprecedented in recent decades. Eric Farnsworth, senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, expressed surprise at both the scale and speed of the deployment. He noted that nothing remotely similar has occurred since the 1989 US invasion of Panama.
What the president has been told
Trump received two major briefings last week outlining his options. A small group including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine met with the president Wednesday. The following day, a larger national security team gathered in the Situation Room, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top officials.
Both meetings included reviews of potential targets. The range of options presented spans from air strikes on military or government facilities and drug-trafficking routes to more direct attempts at removing Maduro from power. CNN previously reported that plans to target cocaine production facilities and trafficking routes inside Venezuela were under consideration.
The president could also choose to take no military action at all. Trump mentioned last month that he’d authorized CIA operations in the country, but administration officials told lawmakers this month that no legal justification currently exists to support attacks against land targets, though generating such justification remains possible.
People familiar with the discussions say Trump has seemed cautious in meetings about ordering actions that could fail or endanger US troops. That hesitation reflects lessons learned from previous military commitments that proved costlier and more complicated than initially anticipated.
The risks and potential rewards
Successfully achieving regime change in Venezuela would give Trump credit for accomplishing something that eluded multiple administrations, including his own first term. During that period, Trump officially recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, but a failed 2019 coup attempt meant Guaidó never took power.
Ousting Maduro could deliver major victories for Trump: removing a strongman, installing an elected leader, improving collaboration on drug and migration flows, and potentially securing favorable oil deals. Those wins would bolster Trump’s credentials on both foreign policy and domestic issues like border security.
However, experts warn that military strikes aimed at removing Maduro could create serious challenges. Fractured opposition elements and a military prepared for insurgency could trap the US in an extended commitment. Such involvement risks alienating the political coalition that elected Trump partly on promises to avoid overseas wars.
Venezuela has responded by announcing a massive mobilization of military personnel, weapons and equipment. Maduro warned Friday that US military intervention could create another Gaza, Afghanistan or Vietnam, directly telling America to stop the insane hand of those ordering war in South America and the Caribbean.
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll stated Sunday that the military would be ready if asked to take action in Venezuela, noting extensive training experience in that part of the world. As Trump weighs his options, the region watches and waits.
Source: CNN