As the Ford carrier strike group arrives in the Caribbean to counter drug trafficking from Venezuela, President Trump has reportedly approved CIA covert operations in the country, according to the New York Times.
🚨Update: President Trump has authorized the CIA to conduct more covert operations in Venezuela to remove Dictator Maduro!! These are likely to include acts of sabotage and assassination, as well as psychological or information warfare!! They are also gathering targeting… pic.twitter.com/70TjBjZB1i
— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) November 19, 2025
According to people briefed on the matter, the CIA operations could lay the groundwork for further military action against Venezuela. As of November, there have been at least 20 military strikes on narco-terrorist vessels out of Venezuela, headed to the United States, resulting in the death of at least 79 people.
The president has also authorized a new round of negotiations with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Earlier talks saw Maduro offer to step down after a delay of a few years, a proposal the White House rejected.
The report came just a day after President Trump called Maduro a terrorist, and didn't shut down the possibility of deploying troops to Venezuela.
"No, I don't rule out that, I don't rule out anything," Trump said Monday. "We just have to take care of Venezuela. They dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country from prisons. Nobody knows better than this young lady [Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem] right here. She's done an incredible job with Tom Homan and all of your people."
