Trump considers military action in Venezuela to target drug trade: Report

The world's largest warship, U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. (REUTERS)

United States President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a range of military and covert operations to target drug trafficking routes and cocaine facilities in Venezuela, CNN reported, citing multiple US officials.

Although no final decision has been made, the discussions mark a potential escalation in US policy toward Venezuela amid ongoing efforts to link President Nicolas Maduro’s government to the regional narcotics trade.

“There are plans on the table that the president is considering,” a US official told CNN, noting that Trump has not ruled out a diplomatic approach despite the recent breakdown in talks with Maduro.

In what CNN described as a major potential military move, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has ordered the deployment of the US Navy’s Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group to the Caribbean, along with over 4,500 Marines and sailors. Trump has also reportedly authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela.

A second official told CNN that multiple proposals have been submitted to the president, while another confirmed that interagency discussions are focused on “going after the drugs inside Venezuela.”

While Venezuela is not a cocaine-producing nation—most coca crops are concentrated in Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia—the Trump administration has accused Maduro of facilitating narcotics trafficking. The US Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 2025 report did not list Venezuela as a major cocaine hub, but Trump officials continue to cite its role as a transit point for drugs moving north.

Trump, according to CNN, has publicly stated he would not wait for Congress to approve an official declaration of war before striking alleged drug traffickers abroad. “I’m not going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war,” Trump said. “We’re just going to kill people who are bringing drugs into our country. They’re going to be, like, dead.”

The Pentagon, in a statement shared on X, said the deployment of the Gerald R. Ford strike group aims to “dismantle Transnational Criminal Organisations and counter narco-terrorism.”

Officials added that the president is “not in a rush” to finalise his decision, as he remains focused on his Asia trip and ongoing Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations.

Some officials believe that a broader campaign against Venezuela’s drug trade could ultimately lead to Maduro’s ouster, though the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) maintains that the country is not a major cocaine producer.