President Donald Trump has secretly escalated his already hawkish policy toward Venezuela, reveals a new report from The New York Times.
On Wednesday, the Times reported—and the president seemed to confirm—that Trump has signed what’s called a “presidential finding,” or a classified directive authorizing covert action, against the regime of Venezuelan ruler Nicolás Maduro.
This would allow the CIA to conduct “lethal operations in Venezuela” as well as “a range of operations in the Caribbean,” according to the Times. Covert action could be taken “either unilaterally or in conjunction with a larger military operation.” It’s unclear whether the CIA has specific operations planned in the country, or if the finding is simply to serve as a “contingency.”
After being asked at a press conference why he authorized the CIA to go into Venezuela, Trump told reporters that the country has sent drugs as well as “thousands of prisoners” and “people from mental institutions” into the United States. Referring to his administration’s recent lethal strikes on Venezuelan boats, which he has claimed were all trafficking narcotics, Trump vowed “to stop them by land also.”
Asked whether the CIA has the authority to “take out” Maduro, Trump refused to answer, saying it would be a “ridiculous question for me to answer”—though, he ominously added, “not really a ridiculous question” per se.
The Trump administration has taken an aggressive posture toward the Maduro regime, primarily under the guise of a war on drugs. This includes the legally dubious strikes on Venezuelan vessels, a military buildup in the Caribbean, the posting of a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, and a recent halt on diplomatic talks.
The U.S. has an extensive history of interventions and destabilization campaigns in Latin America, often via covert CIA operations. Despite having campaigned in 2024 on minimizing foreign entanglements, the new report shows that Trump is open to continuing this sordid tradition.
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