{"id":23276,"date":"2025-11-17T18:47:43","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T18:47:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=23276"},"modified":"2025-11-17T18:47:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T18:47:43","slug":"trump-gives-update-on-plans-to-deal-with-venezuela","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=23276","title":{"rendered":"Trump Gives Update On Plans To Deal With Venezuela"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This article may contain commentary
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President Trump said that he has \u201csort of made up\u201d his mind on how to proceed with the United States\u2019 policy toward Venezuela after holding a series of meetings this week with senior military officials to discuss potential options against Caracas.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI sort of made up my mind,\u201d Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One when asked about the situation,\u00a0The Hill reported<\/a>.\u00a0\u201cI can\u2019t tell you what it is, but we made a lot of progress with Venezuela in terms of stopping drugs from pouring in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump and senior administration officials have sharply escalated their rhetoric toward Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, labeling him an \u201cillegitimate leader\u201d and accusing him of overseeing a drug-smuggling network \u2014 allegations Maduro has repeatedly denied.<\/p>\n

Throughout the week, Trump received a series of briefings at the White House from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top military leaders outlining potential U.S. options toward Venezuela, including possible land-based strikes, according to administration officials.<\/p>\n

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Separately, since early September the administration has intensified operations targeting what it describes as narcotics-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. U.S. forces have struck 20 boats and killed at least 80 people, whom the administration has characterized as \u201cnarco-terrorists.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The United States has significantly increased its military presence in the U.S. Southern Command region, deploying warships, Marines, fighter aircraft, surveillance planes, and other assets as part of what officials describe as an effort to curb narcotics trafficking and protect U.S. national security.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Hegseth announced the launch of a new military and intelligence initiative in the Western Hemisphere, named \u201cOperation Southern Spear,\u201d which he said is aimed at targeting and dismantling \u201cnarco-terrorist\u201d networks operating within the Southcom area, The Hill added.<\/p>\n

Trump signaled during his interview on CBS\u2019s \u201c60 Minutes\u201d that Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro may soon face consequences, suggesting Maduro\u2019s \u201cdays are numbered.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Trump has previously floated the possibility of launching military strikes against Venezuela but has not acted on those discussions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt a minimum, Secretary Hegseth\u2019s announcement continues to emphasize the Trump administration\u2019s narrative that these maritime strikes are somehow related to counterterrorism,\u201d Brian Finucane, a senior adviser at International Crisis Group, said in an interview with The Hill on Friday.<\/p>\n

Last month, Trump revealed that Maduro has \u201coffered everything\u201d in a desperate attempt to persuade the United States to halt military operations targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels.<\/p>\n

The President made the blunt remark using the \u201cf-bomb\u201d during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, responding to a question about reports that Maduro had tried to open back-channel negotiations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been reported, Mr. President\u2014it has been reported that Maduro offered everything in his country, all the natural resources,\u201d\u00a0one reporter asked<\/a>. \u201cHe even recorded a message to you in English recently, offering mediation. What could he do in order to stop that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has offered everything. He\u2019s offered everything. You\u2019re right. You know why?\u201d the President replied. \u201cBecause he doesn\u2019t want to f*** around with the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n

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