America has plenty of military might. But sometimes you need something a little more discrete.
Now Trump confessed to sending the CIA undercover in this foreign nation.
Trump’s Confirmation of CIA Involvement
On October 15, President Donald Trump openly verified that he has green-lit the CIA for secret missions within Venezuela, intensifying his government’s pushback against leader Nicolás Maduro.
During an Oval Office exchange with a journalist inquiring about the decision to “authorize the CIA to go into Venezuela,” Trump outlined his rationale in straightforward terms.
“I authorized for two reasons, really,” Trump said. “Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America. They came in through the border.”
He pinpointed narcotics flows as the follow-up concern: “And the other thing are drugs. We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea, so you get to see that, but we’re going to stop them by land also.”
Probed further on if the CIA could “take out” Maduro, Trump sidestepped a clear response.
“Oh, I don’t want to answer a question like that. That’s a ridiculous question for me to be given,” he said. “Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldn’t it be a ridiculous question for me to answer?”
He wrapped up by noting, “I think Venezuela is feeling heat, but I think a lot of other countries are feeling heat too.”
Details from the New York Times Report
This revelation came mere hours after a New York Times exposé revealed Trump’s clandestine approval for the CIA to pursue hidden and possibly deadly activities in Venezuela. The piece detailed how the agency might operate solo or integrate into wider U.S. armed efforts.
The Times highlighted roughly 10,000 American service members positioned close to Venezuela, primarily in Puerto Rico, backed by naval vessels and a submersible unit.
Such disclosures are rare, as CIA endeavors overseas typically remain veiled, making Trump’s public nod a striking departure that amplifies scrutiny on Maduro’s rule.
Recent U.S. Military Actions and Broader Measures
Trump’s endorsement aligns with a flurry of fatal American assaults lately aimed at presumed drug-hauling craft near Venezuela’s shores. The most recent, executed on October 14, eliminated six individuals labeled as “narcoterrorists” by officials.
Back in August, the White House unveiled a $50 million bounty for tips aiding Maduro’s capture, charging him with breaching American anti-drug statutes.
In February, the administration further branded the Venezuelan outfit Tren de Aragua a foreign terror group.
