US President Donald Trump speaks during an event on foster care in the East Room of the at the White House. (Photo: AP)
Top US military officials have presented updated plans for a potential strike on Venezuela, CBS News reported. According to the report, Trump was briefed on Wednesday, and the options presented to the US President include land-based strikes.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, were among the senior officials who briefed Trump on military options for the coming days. Citing two unnamed sources, CBS News reported that no final decision has been made on the operation yet.
A tribute statue of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stands in a 23 de Enero neighborhood square, in Caracas, Venezuela. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
US military deployment in Caribbean
In August 2025, the US began deploying warships and personnel to the Caribbean, citing the need to combat drug cartels. As of the end of October, the US had deployed nearly 10,000 troops in the Southern Caribbean and Puerto Rico, with about half in Puerto Rico and half on vessels.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered USS Gerald R Ford to sail to the Caribbean last week. (Photo: X/ Daniel Ferro)
Earlier this week, the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group also entered the South American waters. It brings a powerful naval force comprising roughly 7,500 personnel and around 75 aircraft to the Caribbean waters. The USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group will join the flotilla of destroyers, war planes, and special operations assets that are already in the region.
Trump vs Maduro
The massive military buildup is part of Trump’s pressure campaign on the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, whom the US has accused of facilitating the flow of drugs into the country.
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In July, the US designated Cartel de Los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), a gang allegedly made up of high-ranking Venezuelan officials, including Maduro, for supporting the Tren de Aragua gang and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, which were named as foreign terrorist organisations.
A mural features the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Maduro prepares for war
Maduro, who has rejected the allegations, has put up a brave face publicly on the US military buildup. On Tuesday, Venezuela announced a massive military exercise involving some 200,000 forces as the country prepares for a ‘war’ with the US.
According to a Reuters report, Venezuela has also drawn up plans for a guerrilla-style “prolonged resistance” if the US launches military attacks.
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US President Donald Trump speaks during an event on foster care in the East Room of the at the White House. (Photo: AP) 
