Trump mulling military strikes against Venezuela to oust Maduro, seize oil fields: Report
Iran Press TV
Wednesday, 05 November 2025 9:17 AM
The administration of US President Donald Trump is currently considering a series of potential military actions against Venezuela, ranging from limited strikes on security forces loyal to President Nicolas Maduro to the possible seizure of the country's oil fields, says a report.
The New York Times, citing multiple US officials familiar with the matter, reported on Tuesday that while Trump has not yet decided whether to proceed, senior advisers are pressing for aggressive options that could lead to the ousting of Maduro.
Officials said, however, that the president remains reluctant to approve any operation that might endanger American troops or result in an embarrassing failure.
Administration officials have sought legal guidance from the Justice Department to justify broader military action, beyond the current campaign of targeting boats involved in drug trafficking, which has killed at least 67 people on the boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
Legal experts say US vessel attacks amount to extrajudicial killings even if those targeted are suspected of drug trafficking.
The new guidance, still being drafted, is expected to claim that Maduro and his top security officials are central figures in the Cartel de los Soles, a group labeled a narcoterrorist organization by Washington, which would potentially make the Venezuelan leader a legitimate target for the US.
The Justice Department has declined to comment, but the move would mark a further expansion of presidential war powers.
Marco Rubio, the secretary of state and acting national security adviser, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, have been identified as strong advocates for military pressure to force Maduro from power, while Trump continues to question what the US could gain in return, particularly in relation to Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement that "the president has been clear in his message to Maduro: Stop sending drugs and criminals to our country," adding that reports of broader plans were "speculation."
A substantial US military buildup is already underway in the region, with the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford and about 5,000 sailors and over 75 aircraft expected to arrive in the Caribbean this month, joined by roughly 10,000 American personnel already stationed nearby, and B-52 and B-1 bombers conducting missions off Venezuela's coast as a "show of force," according to the Pentagon.
While aides describe the buildup as a psychological pressure campaign, Trump has openly discussed authorizing covert CIA operations in Venezuela, a move rarely acknowledged in advance by presidents.
Analysts have cautioned that any direct military action would carry significant military, legal, and political risks, with no guarantee of success or the establishment of a stable post-Maduro government.
Washington has stepped up military deployments in the Caribbean under the guise of counter-narcotics mission, sending warships, aircraft, and special-operation forces close to the Venezuelan territory.
While US officials frame the moves as security operations, governments across Latin America warn the buildup resembles preparations for coercive regime-change efforts, citing recent US strikes on boats accused of drug activity.
Trump, however, has played down the prospect of a direct war with Venezuela while threatening that Maduro's "days are numbered."
The US president has accused the Venezuelan leader of drug trafficking without presenting evidence. Maduro, in turn, says Washington is using narcotics allegations as a pretext to pursue Washington's plan for a "regime change" and seize control of Venezuela's oil wealth.
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