Trump denies considering US military strikes on Venezuela
Trump denied considering military strikes against Venezuela, despite significant US naval and air deployments to the Caribbean. The administration maintains the buildup targets drug trafficking, while Caracas accuses Washington of fabricating a pretext for war.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — US President Donald Trump said Friday he is not considering military strikes on Venezuela, dismissing reports that Washington’s recent buildup of forces in the Caribbean was part of a plan to topple President Nicolás Maduro.
When asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One about speculation of possible strikes, Trump replied simply: “No.”
The denial came amid growing regional concern over the deployment of eight US Navy ships to the Caribbean, F-35 stealth warplanes to Puerto Rico, and an aircraft carrier strike group heading toward the region — a massive buildup that Washington says is intended to combat drug trafficking.
Reports from the Miami Herald and Wall Street Journal had suggested that the US was considering airstrikes on Venezuelan military installations allegedly used for drug smuggling. According to those reports, US officials said such strikes would aim to send a “clear message” to Maduro that “it is time to step down.”
However, both Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied the reports. Responding to the Miami Herald story, Rubio wrote on X:
“Your ‘sources’ claiming to have ‘knowledge of the situation’ tricked you into writing a fake story.”
Your “sources” claiming to have “knowledge of the situation” tricked you into writing a fake story https://t.co/YCIVkZaTiz
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) October 31, 2025
Since early September, the United States has carried out a series of strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing at least 62 people and destroying 14 boats and one semi-submersible vessel, according to official statements.
The Trump administration describes the targets as part of a national security threat, while some experts have criticized the operations as extrajudicial killings, even if the individuals involved were suspected traffickers.
Washington has also conducted multiple shows of force in recent weeks, including B-52 and B-1B bomber flights near Venezuela’s coast, the most recent of which took place on Monday.
The Venezuelan government has accused the United States of plotting regime change, with President Maduro saying Washington is “fabricating a war.” The presence of US naval and air power near Venezuelan waters has further escalated tensions between the two countries.
While the US insists that its operations target drug networks and are not aimed at Venezuelan sovereignty, the scale of the military presence has fueled fears of confrontation in the region.
Trump’s comments Friday appeared intended to ease those concerns, reaffirming that no strike order has been given despite heightened military activity and widespread speculation.
