The US president has sent mixed signals on his plans for Venezuela as his military build-up continues in the Caribbean.
Published on November 3, 2025
President Donald Trump has sent mixed signals on the potential for United States military intervention in Venezuela, as he rejected talk of “war” but threatened the South American country’s leader.
During a CBS interview released Sunday, the president warned that President Nicolas Maduro’s days are numbered. The comments come amid a build-up of US military units in the Caribbean, where UN officials and scholars have criticized several US attacks on alleged drug-trafficking vessels. say are in clear violation of US and international law.
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Asked if the US was going to war against Venezuela, Trump replied: “I doubt it. I don’t think so.”
However, when asked if Maduro’s days as president were numbered, the president replied: “I would say yes. I think so.”
US media outlets have reported that Washington is planning attacks on military installations in Venezuela as part of its war on “narco-terrorism”.
Trump appeared to deny that he was planning an attack in Venezuela, although he did not completely rule out the idea.
“I’m not willing to say I will,” he said. “I’m not going to tell you what I’m going to do with Venezuela.”
Maduro, who has been indicted in the US on drug-trafficking charges Accused Washington to use drug offensive as pretext to “impose regime change” in Caracas to seize Venezuelan oil.
In recent weeks, the U.S. military has carried out more than a dozen attacks on ships in the Caribbean and Pacific. murder At least 65 people. The campaign has drawn criticism from governments across the region.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk and the rights group say The attacks, which began in early September, are “extrajudicial killings” even though they target known traffickers.
Washington has yet to make public any evidence that their targets were drug traffickers or posed a threat to the United States.