Trump Briefed on Military Options for Venezuela Amid Tensions

URGENT UPDATE: Senior military officials have just presented President Donald Trump with updated military options regarding potential operations in Venezuela. This critical briefing occurred at the White House on Wednesday, revealing plans that could include land strikes in the coming days, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.

Among those in attendance were Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine. Despite the urgency of the discussions, no final decision has been made yet, as confirmed by two sources speaking to CBS News. The White House has not commented on these developments, and a Pentagon spokesperson has declined to provide further details.

The U.S. intelligence community played a crucial role in these discussions, contributing information for potential military operations. Notably, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was absent from the meeting due to her return from an overseas trip, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio was attending a G7 summit in Canada.

In a significant show of force, the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group has recently entered the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility, which primarily oversees operations in the Caribbean and South America. This deployment includes a flotilla of destroyers, warplanes, and special operations assets already stationed in the region.

Over the past two months, the U.S. military has carried out strikes against at least 21 vessels suspected of ferrying drugs from South America to the U.S. In these operations, at least 80 alleged smugglers have been killed, while two survived and were repatriated to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia. The individual released in Ecuador was freed after authorities found no evidence of criminal activity.

The situation in Venezuela remains tense, and these developments could signal a shift in U.S. policy towards direct military involvement. As the U.S. government weighs its options, eyes are now on the next steps and how they will unfold in this volatile region.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.