Trump briefed on updated military options in Venezuela

2 days ago 14

ARTICLE AD BOX

Sources said the briefing itself wasn't an denotation an onslaught was imminent.

November 13, 2025, 4:54 PM

President Donald Trump has been briefed connected updated options for imaginable subject operations successful Venezuela, including a onslaught connected land, ABC News has confirmed.

The briefing connected Wednesday followed the arrival of the USS Gerald Ford -- the world’s largest craft bearer -- successful the U.S. Southern Command country of operations northbound of the Caribbean Sea. The bearer is accompanied by immoderate 60 aircraft, including F-18 combatant jets, that dramatically increases the military’s firepower successful the portion and boost the fig of troops successful Latin American to 15,000.

Sources cautioned that the briefing itself was not an denotation that an onslaught was imminent.

Trump has been weighing his options for weeks, which experts accidental could scope from nary enactment to aerial strikes connected seaports, airports and subject facilities. Another option, considered little likely, could beryllium sending successful a squad of peculiar operations forces to apprehend oregon termination Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his elder advisers.

The latest briefing astatine the White House was conducted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was successful Canada astatine a G7 acme of overseas ministers, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe were not present.

The White House and Pentagon declined to remark connected the briefing, which was archetypal reported by CBS News.

Any onslaught against Venezuela is seen arsenic peculiarly risky. Trump has called for Maduro to measurement down, accusing him of encouraging cause trafficking and amerciable migration to the United States. But the abrupt departure of Maduro could besides make a powerfulness vacuum that risks further instability.

It’s besides not wide whether the medication would beryllium legally justified to unit retired Maduro. Late past month, senators were briefed connected a concealed database of targets wrong Venezuela developed by the Pentagon. But lawmakers said they were told the administration’s existent ineligible investigation lone applied to the ongoing vessel strikes and did not marque the lawsuit for a nonstop onslaught against Venezuela.