US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he is not planning military strikes inside Venezuela, despite a significant American naval and air force presence in the Caribbean.
His comments appear to contrast with previous statements suggesting possible action against the South American nation.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump dismissed media reports suggesting that Washington was preparing strikes against Venezuela. “No,” he said when asked directly about the claims.
The denial follows weeks of speculation after Trump previously hinted that he would not “necessarily ask for a declaration of war” before targeting individuals he accused of drug smuggling. “I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country,” he said earlier this month.
The US has since deployed thousands of troops, fighter jets, and several warships — including the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford — toward Venezuela’s coast, prompting fears of escalation.
Rubio dismisses reports as ‘fake story’
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Trump’s stance, rejecting a Miami Herald report that claimed Washington’s forces were “poised to hit Venezuela.”
“Your ‘sources’ claiming to have ‘knowledge of the situation’ tricked you into writing a fake story,” Rubio wrote on X.
Ongoing strikes in Caribbean raise concerns
Since early September, US forces have launched multiple strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing at least 62 people and destroying 14 boats and a semi-submersible. Washington claims the operations are aimed at drug traffickers, though it has provided no public evidence.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the attacks, calling them “unacceptable.” He urged the US to “halt such attacks and prevent extrajudicial killings of people aboard these boats.”
A new YouGov poll released Friday shows declining public approval for the US Navy’s deployment near Venezuela. Only 30% of respondents said they approve of the naval presence, compared to 36% in September.
The survey also found that 37% disapprove of the buildup, suggesting growing public discomfort with the administration’s regional strategy.
Maduro accuses US of ‘fabricating a war’
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused Washington of “fabricating a new eternal war” against his government. He rejected the drug trafficking allegations, saying Venezuela “does not produce cocaine leaves,” and pointing out that most narcotics enter the US through its land border with Mexico.
Despite Trump’s remarks, neighboring Trinidad and Tobago — which has hosted a US warship — placed its military on “STATE ONE ALERT LEVEL” and recalled all personnel to base on Friday. The move follows Venezuela’s decision to suspend a major gas deal with Trinidad earlier this week.
Local media reported that all military leave has been canceled amid fears of regional instability.
Both Republican and Democratic leaders of the US Senate Armed Services Committee have demanded answers from the Pentagon over the legality of recent US strikes in the Caribbean.
Senators Roger Wicker and Jack Reed released two letters addressed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, dated September 23 and October 6, requesting details on the “anti-drug” operations. So far, they said, no response has been received.
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