A Venezuelan soldier who fought against US troops during the raid to capture dictator Nicolás Maduro has shared a frightening story. He says American forces used a strange weapon that made hundreds of his fellow soldiers bleed and throw up blood. The White House press secretary posted his interview on X, showing how US troops defeated hundreds of fighters without losing even one soldier.

The soldier was loyal to Maduro and described what happened during the raid. He talked about a weapon that felt like a powerful sound wave. According to the New York Post, he said, “At one point, they launched something. I don’t know how to describe it. It was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside.”

His description sounds terrible. He said his fellow soldiers started bleeding from their noses right away. Some were throwing up blood. They all fell to the ground and couldn’t move. He said they couldn’t even stand up after being hit by this weapon.

The US military’s technology gave them total control

What makes this story even scarier is how easily US forces won using their advanced technology. The soldier said everything started when their systems stopped working. “We were on guard, but suddenly all our radar systems shut down without any explanation,” he said. Then many drones appeared and flew over their positions.

US: 20 Man Delta Force Kills Hundreds of Venezuelan security guards with HK416 carbines and secret sonic weapon in Jan 3 raid in Caracas Venezuela. NYP writes Jan 10, 2026, US used powerful mystery weapon that brought Venezuelan soldiers to their knees during Maduro raid: witness… pic.twitter.com/s1ZU7Q2pla

— Bill Warner Private Detective Sarasota Fl (@billdetective) January 10, 2026

Just a few minutes later, only about eight helicopters showed up. They brought around 20 US troops to the area. That’s a very small number of soldiers for such an important mission. The guard admitted the Americans were far ahead in technology. He said the fight felt like a massacre, not a real battle.

He claimed the US soldiers were shooting with amazing accuracy and speed. “It felt like each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute,” he said. A former US intelligence officer confirmed that the military has had directed energy weapons for many years. These weapons attack targets using focused energy like microwaves or laser beams.

The source said these weapons can cause symptoms like bleeding, being unable to move, pain, and burning. While they couldn’t confirm every symptom the guard mentioned, they said “we’ve had versions for decades.” This might be the first time such a weapon has been used in actual combat by the US. The operation comes as Trump has been pitching Venezuela’s oil wealth to executives, though the actual resources available remain uncertain.

This advanced technology helped the small team win completely. The guard said those twenty soldiers killed hundreds of Venezuelan fighters without losing anyone. Venezuela’s Interior Ministry says about 100 security forces died during the January 3 attack. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the soldier’s account on X with the caption, “Stop what you are doing and read this.”

Venezuela’s interior minister Diosdado Cabello said at least 100 people were killed and dozens more wounded in the US attack that saw President Nicolas Maduro abuducted on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/qOu1OCPakp

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 8, 2026

The captured guard, who used to support Maduro, now has a clear message. He says, “Don’t tread on Uncle Sam.” He is warning others: “I’m sending a warning to anyone who thinks they can fight the United States. They have no idea what they’re capable of.” After seeing what he saw, he never wants to face that kind of power again. This event has shocked many countries in Latin America, especially after President Trump recently warned that Mexico is now “on the list.” Despite Trump’s claims about Venezuela’s vast untapped oil reserves, experts have questioned whether those riches actually exist.

U.S. forces seized a fifth sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. This underscores the Trump administration’s effort to tighten control over Venezuelan oil shipments.

As per the reports from AP News, the tanker, the Olina, was intercepted as part of a broader strategy aimed at restricting Venezuela’s oil production, refining, and global distribution. The administration has treated enforcement as a central pillar of its policy, and the operation reflected that priority.

The pre-dawn seizure involved Marines and Navy sailors operating from a U.S. aircraft carrier deployed in the region. After the vessel was secured, the Coast Guard assumed control as officials reiterated that sanctioned oil shipments would not be allowed to move freely.

The operation left little doubt about the administration’s intentions

U.S. Southern Command oversaw the operation and said there is “no safe haven for criminals” when announcing the seizure. Unclassified footage released Friday showed a U.S. helicopter landing on the tanker, with personnel searching the deck and breaching an interior door.

US forces boarded the fifth tanker in their operation to enforce the blockade of Venezuela. It is the „Olina“. She got captured in the Caribbean Sea. pic.twitter.com/xEdheH7pxv

— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) January 9, 2026

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the Olina as part of a “ghost fleet” suspected of transporting embargoed oil while attempting to evade U.S. forces. The interception follows earlier efforts to stop similar shipments, including a recent attempt to intercept a vessel with Venezuelan links as it fled across the Atlantic.

Tracking data indicates that Olina last transmitted its location in November while north of the Venezuelan coast and had since been operating with its beacon turned off. Shipping records show the vessel was previously sanctioned under the name Minerva M for transporting Russian oil and was listed as falsely flagged, despite claims it was registered in Timor-Leste.

Experts estimate the tanker was carrying roughly 707,000 barrels of oil, worth more than $42 million at current prices. Administration officials have framed seizures like this as both enforcement actions and financial leverage, a position that has already contributed to rising U.S.-Russia tensions following earlier tanker seizures.

President Donald Trump said the seizure was conducted in coordination with Venezuela’s interim authorities and is part of a larger reconstruction plan. The administration expects to sell tens of millions of barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil, with proceeds intended to benefit both the U.S. and the Venezuelan people.

The president also met with executives from 17 oil companies to discuss investing $100 billion to restore Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, a plan officials say is intended to be long-term. Vice President JD Vance said the strategy allows the U.S. to control where Venezuelan oil can be sold, reinforcing the warning that sanctioned shipments will not make it out of the Caribbean.

President Donald Trump has called off a second round of US military attacks planned for Venezuela, citing what he described as genuine cooperation from the South American country. As reported by Al Jazeera, the decision marks a sharp shift from last week’s military operation toward a strategy centered on economic engagement.

The president confirmed the cancellation on Friday, saying Venezuela had made a “smart gesture” by releasing a large number of political prisoners. He framed the move as a step toward peace following the US operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the United States and Venezuela were “working well together,” particularly on plans to rebuild the country’s oil and gas infrastructure. He wrote that, because of this cooperation, he had cancelled the “previously expected second Wave of Attacks,” though he added that US ships would remain in place for security reasons.

The focus now appears to be shifting from force to oil

Attention on Friday turned to the White House, where Trump was meeting with senior US oil executives to discuss potential investments in Venezuela. The president said he expected at least $100bn in commitments, with executives from companies including Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron expected to attend the meeting. The push follows earlier claims by Trump that the US had effectively secured access to Venezuela’s vast oil wealth, assertions that have already drawn scrutiny from economists questioning whether that wealth is as accessible or lucrative as portrayed.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt described the gathering as a discussion about the “immense opportunity” facing oil companies. Venezuela holds roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil reserves, but years of sanctions and underinvestment have reduced its output to about one percent of global crude production in 2024.

Trump says in an early morning social media post he has “cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks” on Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/bahAPwUvV9

— Annmarie Hordern (@annmarie) January 9, 2026

Trump has argued that restoring Venezuelan production could benefit the US by increasing supply and lowering domestic fuel prices. His comments come as US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said earlier this week that Washington would control the country’s oil industry “indefinitely,” a claim disputed by Venezuela’s acting interim president Delcy Rodriguez, who has insisted her government remains in charge.

The political approach has also appeared to shift. Trump had recently dismissed opposition leader Maria Corina Machado as lacking support inside the country, but later indicated in a television interview that she would travel to Washington next week. At the same time, he told a newspaper that the US was “getting along very well” with Rodriguez’s interim government.

Despite the scale of the proposed investment, significant obstacles remain for US oil companies. Chevron is currently the only US firm licensed to operate in Venezuela, while Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips exited the country in 2007 after refusing to cede majority control of their operations.

The evolving situation in Venezuela comes amid broader geopolitical tensions involving US energy and maritime interests, including a recent incident in which the seizure of an oil tanker intensified US-Russia relations and raised concerns about escalation.

President Donald Trump personally called five Republican senators to criticize them for supporting a war‑powers resolution. The resolution was a symbolic pushback against his administration’s actions in Venezuela, where Trump ordered a surprise military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Congressional and White House officials confirmed the calls happened.

Trump called Senators Rand Paul from Kentucky, Susan Collins from Maine, Josh Hawley from Missouri, Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, and Todd Young from Indiana. In some of these calls, he told the senators they were voting against the military, according to two officials, framing their support for the resolution as a threat to national security.

The Wall Street Journal states that he was also initially angry with Senator Steve Daines from Montana, who missed the vote. Trump cooled off after Daines explained he was celebrating his anniversary and would vote with Trump next week. A White House official said Daines and the president are close allies, and that Trump’s frustration was partly about loyalty as much as policy.

The vote was symbolic but Trump took it personally

The Senate vote to advance the war‑powers resolution, 52‑47, marked a rare moment of bipartisan concern over executive military actions without congressional approval. Some Republicans who backed the measure argued Congress should have a say before the U.S. engages further in Venezuela, highlighting a growing rift within the party over foreign policy and presidential authority.

The president knew the vote wouldn’t actually change any policy or reduce his power. But he called the senators anyway because he saw their votes as a personal attack against him. He also believed they were voting against the military operation, which he considers a major success, and against the service members who carried it out. The operation involved seizing millions of oil barrels from Venezuela as part of his broader foreign policy strategy.

Whoa. Trump goes nuclear on the five Republicans who backed the Venezuela war powers resolution, saying they “should never be elected to office again.”

He names them: Collins, Murkowski, Paul, Hawley, Young pic.twitter.com/YvCKdhNzWx

— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) January 8, 2026

During one of the calls, Trump later posted on Truth Social about the senators who backed the resolution, writing, “Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again.”

Susan Collins received a particularly angry call from Trump. He expressed frustration with her vote and complained she never did anything for him, according to someone familiar with the conversation. Trump said supporting his Venezuela efforts was important for the country.

At one point during the call, he was so angry he threatened to support Collins’s opponent in her re-election race. This confrontational approach reflects Trump’s recent pattern of withdrawing from international organizations and taking aggressive stances on foreign policy matters.

But Collins doesn’t have a Republican opponent. Only Democratic Governor Janet Mills and Democrat Graham Platner, an oyster farmer, have announced plans to run against her. The filing deadline is March 15.

When reporters told Collins about Trump’s social media post, she responded dryly that Trump “obviously is unhappy with the vote.” She added, “I guess this means that he would prefer to have Gov. Mills or somebody else.” Collins is the only one of the five senators facing re-election next year and is considered the most vulnerable GOP senator. She’s running in Maine, a state Kamala Harris won by about 7 percentage points in 2024.

President Donald Trump met with major U.S. oil companies at the White House to push them to invest $100 billion in Venezuela. But ExxonMobil’s CEO had a blunt response that showed just how hard this will be.

Darren Woods told Trump that Venezuela is “uninvestable” and needs major changes to its legal system and investment protections before his company would consider going back. Woods only agreed to send a team to look at the situation.

According to The Washington Post, the meeting included executives from ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Shell. Trump promised the companies would make huge profits if they invest in Venezuela’s oil industry. But the firms are hesitant because of the country’s weak economy, security problems, and history of taking over foreign companies’ assets. Chevron is currently the only U.S. company working in Venezuela.

The past losses won’t matter in new deals

Trump said American companies would have a chance to rebuild Venezuela’s damaged energy systems and boost oil production to record levels. He claimed the companies would spend at least $100 billion of their own money. Trump also said he would decide which companies get permission to operate there.

Woods pointed out that Venezuela’s government has taken ExxonMobil’s property twice before. The company is still owed about $1 billion. ConocoPhillips is owed almost $9 billion after losing its assets there. But Trump told companies that past losses won’t give them special treatment in future deals. 

Trump said, “American companies will have the opportunity to rebuild Venezuela’s rotting energy infrastructure and eventually increase oil production to levels never seen before.” He added that this effort could bring “massive wealth” to the companies that invest there and benefit U.S. energy markets. He also said they’re starting fresh and that what happened before was “their fault” under a different president.

Exxon CEO: If you look at the commercial constructs, frameworks in place in Venezuela today, it's uninvestable. Significant changes have to be made to these frameworks, the legal system. There has to be durable investment protections and change to the hydrocarbon laws. pic.twitter.com/vpdH6ftfzm

— Acyn (@Acyn) January 9, 2026

Trump promised that security wouldn’t be a problem for companies, even though Venezuela remains extremely dangerous for businesses. He didn’t explain how the U.S. would keep workers safe. Some critics have questioned Trump’s understanding of Venezuela’s complex situation following his recent policy announcements.

While major oil companies were cautious, some smaller executives showed enthusiasm. Jeff Hildebrand from Hilcorp said his company was “fully committed and ready to go.” Shell’s CEO said the company currently produces 45,000 barrels a day in Venezuela and could increase that if the right legal setup is created.

Getting U.S. companies to drill more in Venezuela is a key part of Trump’s plan to fix the country’s economy. Venezuela once produced nearly four times more oil than it does today. But its infrastructure has fallen apart, and companies lost billions when the government seized their assets. It would cost tens of billions of dollars and take up to a decade to return to past production levels.

The plan faces a major problem with oil prices. Oil is currently trading below $60 per barrel, and Trump wants to push prices even lower. But experts say companies need oil at around $80 per barrel just to break even in Venezuela. Ed Hirs, an energy economist, said “the math doesn’t work” and no company will invest in a losing project.

This has led Trump to suggest the U.S. might subsidize companies that invest in Venezuela. But Democratic senators have warned oil executives that Congress could cancel any subsidies the administration offers. Meanwhile, smaller U.S. oil producers are angry about the Venezuela plan.

They say it hurts the domestic industry by supporting a foreign competitor while U.S. companies are already struggling with low prices and laying off workers. The president’s approach has even drawn criticism from some Republican lawmakers regarding his recent decision-making process.

The Senate took a significant step by voting to advance a bipartisan resolution under the War Powers Act, aiming to block President Trump from using military force against Venezuela. This move comes amid escalating tensions and the president’s clear intentions regarding the South American nation, actions that progressive Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has absolutely slammed as “old-fashioned imperialism,” as per The Hill.

The president has been very open about his intentions in the aftermath of the capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. President Trump stated the U.S. will essentially run the country until a stable, orderly transition can occur. Even more controversially, the president has indicated that U.S. oil companies will take control of Venezuela’s vital petroleum infrastructure.

Sanders drew comparisons to evil, powerful regimes in history. “You’re talking about old-fashioned imperialism,” Sanders explained. “And all that that is, throughout the history of the world — England, Spain, Portugal, way back when — powerful nations went into poor, undeveloped areas, and just exploited their resources.”

Sanders stated the obvious, but does the current administration and its jingoism have any limits?

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently confirmed just how close the administration is to executing their plan. He told reporters on Capitol Hill that a deal is nearly finalized to sell between 30 million and 50 barrels of Venezuelan oil on the open market. The proceeds from this sale would then be used to assist in the nation’s transition to a new government.

This is where the administration says it’s helping the Venezuelan people, but it’s certainly a unique form of aid. Rubio clarified how the finances would work: “We’re going to sell in the marketplace — at market rates, not at the discounts that Venezuela was getting. That money will then be handled in such a way that we will control how it’s dispersed in a way that benefits the Venezuelan people.”

Senator Bernie Sanders: Trump admin running Venezuela "old-fashioned imperialism" https://t.co/BY9p6Ub93p

— The Hill (@thehill) January 8, 2026

The rhetoric isn’t just focused on Venezuela, either. The president has also threatened action in other countries across the Western Hemisphere, specifically calling out U.S. allies Colombia and Mexico, claiming they aren’t adequately addressing drug trafficking issues. The president also claimed that the communist government in Cuba is “ready to fall.”

For Sanders, this entire approach flies in the face of a century-long movement throughout Latin America to push back on U.S. intervention. He argues that the region has worked hard to say, “These are our countries. You can’t overthrow our governments, you can’t run our governments, you can’t steal our natural resources. We have to control our own future.” The Vermont progressive concluded that President Trump is basically saying, “To hell with all of that. We have the power, we’re going to do anything we want.”

The bipartisan resolution to block military force was advanced with the support of the entire Senate Democratic Caucus, which is expected, but also five Republicans. Unsurprisingly, President Trump quickly condemned the senators who voted for the resolution, arguing they should not be reelected.

Economist Paul Krugman just dropped some serious analysis, claiming that the vast oil wealth President Trump believes the U.S. is seizing in Venezuela simply doesn’t exist, as reported by The Hill. President Trump has made oil the absolute centerpiece of his plan to manage Venezuela following the recent capture of the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, and the military strikes conducted on Caracas.

In fact, following the abduction, Krugman noted that the president mentioned the word “oil” a staggering 27 times during a press conference. The president declared, “We’re going to take back the oil that, frankly, we should have taken back a long time ago.” However, Krugman argues that this entire venture isn’t really a war for oil; it’s a war for oil fantasies. The economist wrote that the immense fortune President Trump seems to imagine waiting there to be taken just isn’t real.

The president announced that Venezuela will turn over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. He said the oil would be brought directly to unloading docks via storage ships, with help from Energy Secretary Chris Wright. As for how the money will be handled, he wrote that this oil “will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!”

It seems like the U.S. might be stuck with a high-cost asset that won’t deliver the riches President Trump is expecting

President Trump believes that acquiring this asset will allow the U.S. to “fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country.” This aggressive plan comes after the president designated Maduro as the head of a “terrorist cartel” and accused the Venezuelan government of sending drugs to the U.S.

Here’s where Krugman’s economic reality check comes in, and frankly, it makes perfect sense from a business standpoint. While Venezuela is often cited as having the world’s largest known oil reserves, Krugman explains that this claim is based on a reclassification of heavy oil as “proved” oil.

‘Vast wealth Trump imagines’ from Venezuelan oil doesn’t exist: Krugman https://t.co/4IFK0IiuPJ The oil is heavy and expensive to extract and refine

— Paul R, Watching US Decline and China's Rise (@datroot19) January 8, 2026

Krugman cited economist Torsten Slok, who previously highlighted that most of the oil is “extra-heavy, which has low recovery and a high cost to produce.” If you’re trying to turn a profit, low recovery and high cost are the two things you absolutely want to avoid. This suggests that the immense, usable reserves are just politically motivated bluster.

Furthermore, even if the oil were easy to extract, the market conditions aren’t playing ball. Thanks to the increased supply from fracking, oil prices are cheap. Krugman calculates that the break-even price for Venezuela’s oil is around $62 a barrel. That figure simply wouldn’t allow oil companies to make a profit, making it a very unattractive investment.

Krugman concluded that President Trump’s conviction that he has captured a lucrative prize in Venezuela’s oil fields is an “unrealistic fantasy.”

Tensions between the US and Russia have sharply escalated after the US seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker accused of violating Washington’s blockade against Venezuela, following earlier efforts by the US to intercept vessels linked to Caracas as they crossed the Atlantic. The vessel, identified as The Marinera, was reportedly transporting sanctioned oil, prompting an immediate and hostile response from Moscow.

As also reported by UNILAD, Russian officials condemned the seizure as a violation of international law, with lawmaker Andrei Klishas calling it “outright piracy on the high seas” in a Telegram post. He linked the incident to the broader US operation in Venezuela, which included the bombing of Caracas and the detention of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Russian Transport Ministry issued a formal statement citing the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, arguing that freedom of navigation applies on the high seas and that no state has the right to use force against vessels registered under another jurisdiction. The ministry said it had lost contact with the ship and demanded the safety and immediate return of the crew, who the US has said it intends to prosecute.

The tanker seizure reflects a widening confrontation

The White House rejected Russia’s claims during the briefing. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the tanker was part of a Venezuelan “shadow fleet” moving sanctioned oil and had been deemed stateless after flying a false flag. She confirmed the crew would face prosecution, citing a judicial seizure order authorizing the action.

US officials also announced the seizure of a second vessel, the M/T Sophia, describing it as a “stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker” engaged in illicit activity in the Caribbean Sea. The move signaled that enforcement actions tied to the Venezuela campaign are continuing.

JUST IN: In response to the tanker seizure, Russia is threatening the United States with a missile strike on American ships

“The US is in a state of ‘euphoria of impunity’.

We need to provide a military response: attack with torpedoes or sink a couple of American boats” pic.twitter.com/mYtkiVq8dV

— ADAM (@AdameMedia) January 8, 2026

The tanker seizures stem from the broader US intervention in Venezuela, which escalated after American forces bombed Caracas and detained President Maduro. The operation followed President Trump’s declaration that the US would oversee Venezuela’s transition, a move that drew sharp warnings from Beijing and other international actors.

Maduro is currently being held in New York City and faces charges including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons-related offenses involving machine guns and destructive devices. The case is central to the justification Washington has offered for its actions in Venezuela.

Economic stakes are a major factor in the standoff, as Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves. Critics argue the intervention is driven by US interest in controlling those resources rather than humanitarian or legal concerns.

Senator Marco Rubio outlined the US plan to sell Venezuelan oil on the open market at standard rates, with proceeds controlled by the US government. He said the funds would be managed to benefit the Venezuelan people rather than the former regime or corruption.

The future of Venezuela’s government remains uncertain, with President Trump reportedly distancing himself from opposition leader María Corina Machado. Rubio emphasized that interim authorities remain under US control, stating they cannot move oil without US approval, underscoring Washington’s leverage over the country’s political and economic transition.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is clearly feeling the heat, recently asking President Trump for “face-to-face” talks in English and even singing John Lennon’s classic song “Imagine” at a rally. However, as per The Hill, the U.S. government has flat-out rejected a back-channel offer from Maduro to step down from his post over the next few years in exchange for relieving U.S. pressure on his regime.

This rejection comes as the U.S. military is seriously beefing up its assets in the region, including the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Caribbean. The current pressure campaign, dubbed “Operation Southern Spear,” is absolutely massive. We’re talking about around 15,000 U.S. troops, plus warships, F-35s, spy planes, and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, all deployed within the U.S. Southern Command area.

This immense show of force has understandably “spooked” Maduro, according to Benjamin Gedan, a senior fellow and the director of the Stimson Center’s Latin America program. Beyond the hardware, the administration is turning up the heat by designating the country’s Cartel de los Soles a foreign terrorist organization.

U.S. officials are even accusing Maduro of being the leader of the drug cartel

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently explained that this classification, which goes into effect next Monday, “brings a whole bunch of new options” for the U.S. to go after the alleged drug cartel. Hegseth stressed that the military’s ability to reach “narco-terrorists in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan for 20 years is about as well honed as any machine.” He added, “If we need to apply that inside our own hemisphere against narco-terrorists who are terrorizing and poisoning the American people, nobody would do it better.”

President Trump has been intentionally keeping the Venezuelan strongman off balance by refusing to rule out military force, but simultaneously floating the idea of holding talks. This strategy serves a key purpose. Brian Finucane, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group, noted that while he wouldn’t bet money on whether military force will be authorized, “that serves as leverage in any potential negotiations.”

BREAKING: Trump to declare Maduro the head of a 'terrorist organization' amidst military buildup in the Caribbean and Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/kqdVi9TMrB

— Jackson Hinkle (@jacksonhinklle) November 20, 2025

The goal of this standoff isn’t entirely clear, though. While curbing narcotics is the stated objective, some within the administration are reportedly pushing for full regime change. A Democratic congressional aide voiced real concerns about this mixed messaging, saying, “And given the massive deployment, it’s very scary to think that there’s a possibility that the Trump administration hasn’t planned this out three or four steps in advance.”

The administration isn’t just threatening; they’re acting. President Trump has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela. Furthermore, the administration has already taken out at least 21 alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific since early September, killing at least 83 people whom U.S. officials call “narco-terrorists.” These vessel strikes have drawn blowback from Democrats and sparked concerns from human rights groups over their legality.

Despite the military buildup and the rejected offer, the door for diplomacy isn’t completely shut. President Trump told reporters on Sunday that “We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out.”