Trump reportedly briefed on options for military operations in Venezuela
U.S. President Donald Trump received a briefing this week on potential military options for operations in Venezuela, CNN reports, citing four sources familiar with the matter.
The update comes as the United States increases its military presence in the Caribbean and the Defense Secretary formally announces a new operation in the region.
According to the sources, the briefing provided the President with an updated range of options, though it does not necessarily signal that Trump is closer to authorizing a major military campaign targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has previously been cautious about endorsing military action to remove Maduro. The potential target options are tied to a U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) plan known as “SOUTHERN SPEAR.”
The options were presented by top national security officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
Defense Secretary Hegseth formally announced Operation Southern Spear on X, stating that the mission would be led by a Joint Task Force and SOUTHCOM to “defend our Homeland, remove narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secure our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people.”
This announcement formalizes the ongoing US campaign of military strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, which has reportedly resulted in numerous fatalities since September 2025.
The military options presented to Trump are wide-ranging, including air strikes on military or government facilities and drug trafficking routes, or a more direct attempt to remove Maduro. However, the President remains wary of actions that could end in failure or put US troops at risk, and administration officials have previously noted a lack of clear legal justification for land attacks.
The briefing comes as a large US naval presence continues to build in the region, including the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford strike group, one of the largest and most modern in the world. Its deployment, containing an estimated 170 Tomahawk missiles, has been viewed by experts as a significant escalation.
In response to the US buildup, the Maduro regime has ordered a “massive deployment” of its own forces and has put the entire country’s military arsenal on full operational readiness, announcing a state of maximum alert.
International law experts and some US allies, including the French Foreign Minister, have questioned the legality of the US strikes against vessels in international waters, with critics suggesting the anti-drug campaign is a cover for a regime change effort.
The military operations and rhetoric appear to be aimed at pressuring Maduro, possibly to seek exile, or to encourage a military overthrow. The trajectory of the escalating tensions will likely depend on the unfolding of Operation Southern Spear and Maduro’s response in the coming weeks.
