US President, Donald Trump was briefed this week on military options for operations inside Venezuela, as confirmed by four sources familiar with the matter according to a new report by CNN.
This update occurred amid an escalating US military presence in the Caribbean and the formal announcement of a new operation by the Defense Secretary.
The briefing included an updated set of options for the President to consider, although sources noted that the presentation did not necessarily indicate he is closer to making a decision regarding a large-scale campaign to address Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has previously expressed caution about military intervention to remove Maduro. The potential target options are part of an operation planned by the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and code-named “SOUTHERN SPEAR.”
The options were presented by top national security officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
Defense Secretary Hegseth formally announced Operation Southern Spear on X, stating that the mission would be led by a Joint Task Force and SOUTHCOM to “defend our Homeland, remove narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secure our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people.”
This announcement formalizes the ongoing US campaign of military strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, which has reportedly resulted in numerous fatalities since September 2025.
The military options presented to Trump are wide-ranging, including air strikes on military or government facilities and drug trafficking routes, or a more direct attempt to remove Maduro. However, the President remains wary of actions that could end in failure or put US troops at risk, and administration officials have previously noted a lack of clear legal justification for land attacks.
The briefing comes as a large US naval presence continues to build in the region, including the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford strike group, one of the largest and most modern in the world. Its deployment, containing an estimated 170 Tomahawk missiles, has been viewed by experts as a significant escalation.
In response to the US buildup, the Maduro regime has ordered a “massive deployment” of its own forces and has put the entire country’s military arsenal on full operational readiness, announcing a state of maximum alert.
International law experts and some US allies, including the French Foreign Minister, have questioned the legality of the US strikes against vessels in international waters, with critics suggesting the anti-drug campaign is a cover for a regime change effort.
The military operations and rhetoric appear to be aimed at pressuring Maduro, possibly to seek exile, or to encourage a military overthrow. The trajectory of the escalating tensions will likely depend on the unfolding of Operation Southern Spear and Maduro’s response in the coming weeks.
