White House Official Skirts Questions on Military Action in Venezuela
On Friday, Stephen Miller, the Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House, evaded reporters’ inquiries regarding the potential deployment of ground troops in Venezuela. This comes amid increasing tensions tied to the Trump administration’s drug-related efforts in the Caribbean.
Miller stated that he would “not now or will not go into a detailed discussion” on military possibilities but emphasized that Venezuela serves as a significant hub for drug, arms, and human trafficking.
One White House aide referred to the drug cartels associated with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro—calls them terrorist organizations—as the “ISIS of the Western Hemisphere.”
When pressed about the possibility of U.S. troops on Venezuelan soil, Miller redirected the conversation to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s statements from Thursday regarding tactics to challenge the Maduro regime, which included increased assaults on ships in the Caribbean.
“I know you all want more detailed answers than I do,” Miller was quoted as saying, “But they are terrorists and will be killed.”
The Trump administration has approved military operations against ships allegedly engaged in drug trafficking off the coast of Venezuela and in the Pacific. Since the operation started on September 2, around 43 individuals have reportedly lost their lives. Hegseth mentioned earlier this week that five “narco-terrorists” were eliminated in operations targeting two suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific.
However, the government has not provided substantiated proof that these boats were involved in drug trafficking.
President Trump indicated on Wednesday that he might seek Congressional authorization for actions against land-based cartel figures, but by Thursday, he seemed to rule that out, suggesting he would “inevitably seek a declaration of war.”
“I think we’re just going to kill the people who are bringing drugs into our country, okay?” Trump remarked to reporters. “We’re going to kill them.”
According to Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress holds the exclusive power to declare war. However, previous administrations, including those of Biden, Obama, and George W. Bush, have sidestepped Congress at times to launch military actions, including drone strikes against perceived adversaries. Both Obama and Trump executed multiple drone strikes during their initial terms.
Earlier this month, Democratic Senators Adam Schiff (California) and Tim Kaine (Virginia) put forth a resolution aimed at stopping the strikes, which was ultimately defeated with a 48-51 vote. The only Republican supporters were Senators Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), while the sole Democrat opposing it was Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania.
In response to escalating tensions, the Pentagon announced on Friday the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Caribbean. This aircraft carrier, recognized as the largest in the world, will be tasked with “defending the homeland, dismantling transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and countering narco-terrorism,” according to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
Venezuelan President Maduro has described the escalating situation as a “mad war,” urgently calling for peace. “Yes, peace, yes, peace forever, peace forever. Please stop this crazy war,” he asserted on Thursday.
