President Donald Trump has indicated that he doesn’t foresee a war between the United States and Venezuela, although he defended recent military actions in the Caribbean. He accused Nicolás Maduro’s regime of sending criminals to the U.S. and suggested that Maduro’s time in power is running out.
The U.S. military has carried out numerous airstrikes against ships believed to be transporting drugs in international waters close to Venezuela, resulting in the deaths of suspected narco-terrorists. Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying strike group are operating in the region, prompting discussions about the U.S. potentially aiding in the ousting of Venezuela’s president.
During a CBS News interview on “60 Minutes,” host Norah O’Donnell asked Trump about the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford and whether this indicated an intention for military action against Venezuela. Trump responded, “I doubt it, and I don’t think so, but they’ve treated us very badly, not just with drug use…” He went on to claim that Venezuela has dumped many prisoners into the U.S., which he described as a significant issue. He attributed some blame to Joe Biden, calling him the worst president in history.
O’Donnell pressed Trump on whether the military operations were aimed more at drug interdiction or at removing Maduro from power. Trump stated there are multiple factors at play, noting that Venezuela has allowed prisoners to be airlifted into the U.S. He mentioned the negative impact of other nations, like Mexico, on drug issues but claimed, “Right now, the border is closed… so think about it. Zero people are coming into our country from the southern border.”
When asked if Maduro’s presidency was nearing its end, Trump expressed agreement, saying, “I think so. I think so.” However, he refrained from confirming or denying reports of a possible ground attack in Venezuela, preferring not to discuss operational plans regarding other countries.
Despite earlier suggestions, President Trump clarified that he is not contemplating an attack within Venezuela, with both Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the White House refuting anonymous reports suggesting such plans. A reporter inquired about these intentions during an ASEAN defense ministers’ meeting, to which Army Secretary Pete Hegseth responded, “I appreciate the questions, but of course I’m not going to share any amount of operational details about what will or won’t happen.”
