Top U.S. officials met at the White House on Monday to discuss Venezuela as President Donald Trump’s administration defended a disputed double strike on alleged Caribbean drug smugglers. The Monday meeting, reported by Reuters, came amid a buildup of U.S. military assets in the Caribbean.
This escalation raised fears of a potential land invasion aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump had recently suggested that ground operations against criminal groups in Venezuela could begin “very soon.” Days earlier, the U.S. labeled the so-called Cartel de los Soles—described by officials as led by Maduro—as a foreign terrorist organisation, a designation experts questioned.
Trump also declared Venezuelan airspace completely closed, prompting speculation about impending military action. He later told reporters not to overinterpret the announcement. Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher noted that even Washington insiders were unsure why Trump ordered the closure without Pentagon coordination. Some observers believe the military buildup is meant to pressure Maduro to flee before any direct intervention.
Others fear Trump’s stance may be influenced by Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, despite his promise to avoid “stupid foreign wars.”
Karoline Leavitt, White House spokesman