White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that US President Donald Trump met with his national security team on 1/12 to discuss the situation in Venezuela, among other issues. Sources familiar with the matter previously disclosed that the meeting in the Oval Office included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other senior officials.
Leavitt declined to state whether President Trump had made a "final decision" regarding Venezuela, affirming that she "certainly will not disclose specific details of the meeting."
 |
US President Donald Trump at the White House on 17/11. Photo: AFP |
US President Donald Trump at the White House on 17/11. Photo: AFP
However, the White House press secretary did not rule out the possibility of US troop deployment to Venezuela. "The president has many options to consider, and I will let him speak about those options personally," Leavitt stated.
The US military initiated an anti-drug operation in the Caribbean in early September, deploying a significant number of forces to the region. This move has fueled concerns that Washington intends to overthrow the administration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Currently, US forces deployed near Venezuela include the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, at least 8 surface ships, one special operations vessel, one attack submarine, 8 F-35B stealth fighter jets, AC-130 gunships, transport aircraft, MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicles, and over 15,000 troops.
Although President Trump has not openly threatened to use force against his Venezuelan counterpart Maduro, he stated on 27/11 that "ground efforts" to stop drug trafficking from Venezuela would soon begin. It remains unclear whether this statement refers to a potential US ground offensive in Venezuela or the use of long-range weapons.
 |
US military deployment around Venezuela. Click image for full view |
Tensions escalated further after President Trump warned on 29/11 that the airspace above and around the South American nation "will be blockaded."
President Maduro asserted that the substantial US military presence indicates an intention for regime change in Venezuela. The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs also criticized Trump's "airspace blockade" declaration, calling it an irrational and illegal act of aggression.
Ngoc Anh (According to AFP)
