White House plan for Venezuela revealed: From airstrikes to special forces ops
Donald Trump, President of the US (photo: Getty Images)
The White House is considering three options for operations in Venezuela, according to The New York Times.
According to several US officials cited by the publication, the administration of President Donald Trump has developed the following military options in Venezuela:
- Airstrikes on military targets to weaken support for President Nicolás Maduro;
- Capture or assassination of Maduro by elite Marine units;
- Deployment of counterterrorism forces to seize airports, oil fields, and critical infrastructure in Venezuela.
Trump has not yet decided on moving forward with operations in Venezuela. However, according to journalists, officials said he is reluctant to approve actions that could endanger US troops or result in a humiliating failure.
But many of his senior advisers are pushing for one of the most aggressive options: removing Maduro from power.
US presidential aides have approached the Department of Justice for additional guidance on how to establish a legal basis for any military action.
The Justice Department is expected to classify Maduro as a lawful target, arguing that he leads a drug cartel.
Trump vs. Maduro
As RBC-Ukraine reported, two days ago, Donald Trump told CBS News in an interview that Nicolás Maduro’s days as Venezuela’s president are numbered, though he expressed doubts that the US would carry out strikes in Venezuela.
In 2020, during Trump’s first term, the US Department of Justice charged Maduro with drug trafficking. The Trump administration accused him of collaborating with cartels that ship cocaine, fentanyl, and gang members to the US.
In August, President Trump signed a classified directive allowing direct military operations against Latin American drug cartels, which had been designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
