President Donald Trump wants to speak directly with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro as the United States continues to strike drug boats off the Latin American country&#8217;s coast.
Trump, who has designated Maduro as a leader of the Cartel de Los Soles, told advisors that he hopes to speak with the Socialist leader, signaling that he could be taking a more diplomatic route rather than escalating military action, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/24/trump-maduro-talks-meeting-venezuela-boat-strikes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The president&#8217;s desire to speak with Maduro comes as the State Department designated the cartel a foreign terrorist organization, <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/24/2025-20750/foreign-terrorist-organization-designation-of-cartel-de-los-soles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a notice published in the Federal Register on Monday.
&#8220;Nobody is planning to go in and shoot him or snatch him — at this point. I wouldn&#8217;t say never, but that&#8217;s not the plan right now,&#8221; one official familiar with the discussions told Axios.
&#8220;In the meantime, we&#8217;re going to blow up boats shipping drugs. We&#8217;re going to stop the drug trafficking,&#8221; the official said.
The 21 U.S. strikes on drug boats in the Caribbean have killed at least 83 people, according to Axios.
The U.S. military action in the region, dubbed &#8220;Operation Southern Spear,&#8221; is aimed at destroying drug trafficking routes, but is quietly aimed at pressuring regime change in Venezuela, the outlet reported.
&#8220;We have covert operations, but it&#8217;s not designed to kill Maduro. It&#8217;s designed to stop narcotrafficking,&#8221; a White House official told Axios, saying, &#8220;if Maduro leaves, we would not shed a tear.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out yet another lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO). Yet again, the now-deceased terrorists were engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific.
The… <a href="https://t.co/PEaKmakivD">pic.twitter.com/PEaKmakivD</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1981167670989926902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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For now, Trump&#8217;s call with Maduro is still &#8220;in the planning stages,&#8221; and potential topics of discussion have yet to be revealed, a U.S. official told Axios.
&#8220;Maduro is a narcoterrorist. Always lead with that word if you want to represent the president&#8217;s thinking,&#8221; the official said.
&#8220;The diplomats tell us that Maduro is going to say, &#8216;Trust me. I&#8217;ll have new elections in three years. You can come and have all the oil. I&#8217;ll stop sending it to Russia.&#8217; He has said many things like that over many years and he never keeps his promise. So the diplomats tell us we should be suspicious,&#8221; they added.
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Trump Plans To Speak Directly With Venezuelan Dictator As Drug Boat Strikes Continue

Trump Plans To Speak Directly With Maduro Amid Drug Boat Strikes: Report

Department of War

Donald Trump

Marco Rubio

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

The House is expected to approve a bill that would compel the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, new details come to light about the person who tried to kill Donald Trump, and the United States and Venezuela signal a willingness to talk as a massive warship floats into the Caribbean.
It’s Tuesday, November 18, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251118-member-exclusive">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/house-considers-epstein-files-thomas-crooks-questions/id1576594336?i=1000737219826" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">House To Vote On Epstein Files</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1002097" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Epstein-Files-Fate-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Epstein-Files-Fate-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Epstein-Files-Fate-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Epstein-Files-Fate-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Epstein-Files-Fate-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Epstein-Files-Fate.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: After weeks of intense debate and political drama, the House of Representatives is expected to hold a vote on Tuesday to release the Epstein files. 
For years, voters and lawmakers from both parties have taken turns demanding the release of the Epstein files, expressing confidence that they’ll be incriminating for the other side.
Despite implying on the campaign trail that he supported full transparency regarding the Epstein case, upon taking office, Trump shifted his tone and called the entire case a “Democrat Hoax,” arguing that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was “somebody that nobody cares about.” That response angered many on the Right, and gave more ammunition to Democrats, who’ve made the files one of their core issues lately.
Republican leadership, at the behest of Trump, had been blocking that vote, saying it was unnecessary because the House Oversight Committee was already releasing Epstein emails and other evidence as part of their own investigation into the topic. But last week, a petition to force a vote reached the necessary 218 signatures, when four Republicans joined all 214 Democrats. 
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had no real choice but to allow the vote to proceed later Tuesday afternoon. 
Trump changes tune: Trump changed course and has voiced support for releasing the Epstein files in recent days. 
Trump’s handling of the files has provided extensive fodder for Democrats, who’ve used it to their advantage in elections nationwide.
But it’s not just Democrats pushing the president on this topic. Trump’s MAGA base is deeply loyal to him on most issues, but on this one, they’ve been very frustrated. Polling shows that 75% of Republicans want the files released in their entirety, while just 40% of Republicans approve of his handling of the Epstein case — on most other issues, he’s around 90%. 
GOP lawmakers are very aware of that discontent. While only four Republicans signed the petition to force this vote, there was a good chance a few dozen would have voted in support of the measure today, regardless of what Trump wanted.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">New Evidence in Crooks Case Leads to Coverup Allegations</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1002099" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Crooks-Case-Questions-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Crooks-Case-Questions-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Crooks-Case-Questions-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Crooks-Case-Questions-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Crooks-Case-Questions-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Crooks-Case-Questions.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Demands for answers about the July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump are increasing. Though 20-year-old suspect Thomas Crooks has long been painted as a lone gunman with no clear motive, new claims are prompting calls for more transparency.
A number of media and political figures on the Right argue that the public is not getting the full story on Crooks, who was killed by an FBI sniper during the assassination attempt.
Joe Rogan and Elon Musk ignited the news cycle a couple of weeks ago when they discussed elements of the case that they did not feel made sense.
“There was never a formal report. There was never press conferences where they detailed all the information that we know currently and where the investigation stands at the moment,” Rogan <a href="https://x.com/triffic_stuff_/status/1989103407135899896?s=20">said</a> on his podcast. “There&#8217;s a lot of weird s***, the fact that they wouldn&#8217;t let people be on that roof because the Secret Service lady said it was sloped and it was dangerous. … Meanwhile, the snipers that were on the other roof was a steeper pitch.”
Tucker Carlson <a href="https://x.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1989317393768951907?s=20">released a video</a> examining alleged evidence that the FBI and DOJ are suppressing key details about Crooks&#8217; life. Then Miranda Devine, host of the Pod Force One podcast, released her own report for the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/17/opinion/fbi-secret-service-butchered-the-thomas-crooks-case-and-invited-conspiracies-we-deserve-the-truth/">New York Post</a> detailing more claims.
What’s new: The new evidence is based on a confidential source who was able to gain access to Crooks’ accounts on platforms like Gmail, YouTube, and Snapchat. Seventeen accounts altogether were uncovered.
What they revealed is a shocking ideological flip: Back in 2019, when Crooks was 15, he was posting effusive praise for Trump, calling him &#8220;the literal definition of Patriotism.” But by August 2020, amid the COVID lockdowns, Crooks had turned hard against Trump, labeling him &#8220;racist&#8221; and fantasizing about &#8220;terrorism-style&#8221; attacks, including assassination.
The accounts also showed him active on pornographic sites catering to “furries,” and he was using they/them pronouns.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Floats Peace Talks With Venezuela</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1002101" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Trump-Presses-Maduro-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Trump-Presses-Maduro-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Trump-Presses-Maduro-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Trump-Presses-Maduro-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Trump-Presses-Maduro-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Trump-Presses-Maduro.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: President Trump suggests talks could happen with Venezuela – even as the U.S. continues to pressure dictator Nicolás Maduro. Meanwhile, Maduro is calling for peace.
Trump signaled on Sunday evening that talks could be in the works.
“We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we&#8217;ll see how that turns out. They would like to talk,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990207803374395800">said</a> Trump.
Trump also referenced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has plans to <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1990187781151445245">designate</a> the cartel run by Maduro, the Cartel de los Soles, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). That designation allows Trump to direct military strikes against any cartel asset inside Venezuela.
As U.S. authorities say Maduro is both the head of the cartel and the head of state, the line between drug cartel targets and government assets is blurry.
The designation will also open up financial levers the administration can pull, likely targeting top Maduro allies. The designation will be officially made on November 24.
Maduro begs for peace: Last week, Maduro held a massive rally in Caracas and called for peace. He punctuated those calls with a <a href="https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/1990117665327677700">rendition</a> of John Lennon’s song, &#8220;Imagine.&#8221;
Strikes possible: Potential U.S. strikes against Venezuela remain very real. The U.S. has about 15,000 troops in the region, along with an armada of warships that includes the world&#8217;s largest aircraft carrier. Trump said Friday that he has “sort of made up [his] mind” about how to proceed against Venezuela, but then he appeared to backtrack again on Sunday, saying talks could happen. The plan seems to be in flux.
The U.S. has put a lot of pressure on Maduro and keeps ratcheting it up every day. In the summer, the State Department increased the bounty on Maduro to $50 million – twice the bounty the U.S. put on al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Trump has given the green light for CIA operations against Maduro and has put in place more sanctions against Maduro and his allies.
Last week, The Washington Post reported that high-level discussions were underway on whether to carry out strikes against Venezuela and what those strikes would look like. According to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/16/trump-maduro-venezuela-military-talks/">report</a>, those discussions have involved officials such as Vice President JD Vance, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Secretary Rubio.

MorningWire-0428

Morning Brief: Epstein Files Vote, Thomas Crooks Questions, & Maduro Begs For Peace

Morning Brief: Epstein Files Vote, Crooks Cover-Up, And Trump Floats Talks With Maduro

Department of Justice

Jeffrey Epstein

Media

Morning Wire

Politics

U.S. House of Representatives

The U.S. military announced another strike against suspected drug traffickers in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday as President Donald Trump suggested diplomatic talks could soon take place with Venezuela.
The strike, delivered on Saturday, marks at least 21 times the U.S. military has blown up a boat or submarine in international waters around South America in the administration’s effort to curb the flow of illicit drugs into the United States.
“On Nov. 15, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization. Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics,” U.S. Southern Command announced in a post on X that was shared by Hegseth.
“Three male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed. The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific and was struck in international waters,” it added.
The latest strike comes as tensions between the United States and Venezuela have soared over U.S. military buildup in the region and tough talk from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who the U.S. views as illegitimate and a significant factor in drug smuggling to the United States. Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990207803374395800">said</a> Sunday evening that the United States and Maduro’s regime may be opening discussions soon.
In the middle of a rally in Caracas on Thursday, Maduro told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/13/americas/venezuela-maduro-us-peace-message-intl-latam">CNN</a> that he would like the American people to reject war with Venezuela. His message to Americans was “to unite for the peace of (the Americas). No more endless wars. No more unjust wars. No more Libya. No more Afghanistan.”
Asked what his message is to Trump, Maduro said, “Yes peace, yes peace.”
Maduro has warned against potential U.S. military action, mobilizing Venezuela’s military and volunteer forces. He has also appeared to deploy additional air-defense systems, including Russian-made units.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Cartel de los Soles, a cartel headed by Maduro, would be designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
“Headed by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has corrupted the institutions of government in Venezuela and is responsible for terrorist violence conducted by and with other designated FTOs as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe,” Rubio said in a <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1990187781151445245">post</a> on X.

U.S. Strikes Another Drug Vessel Targeting ‘Narco-Terrorists’ As Trump Floats Talks With Venezuela

U.S. Explodes Another Boat Of ‘Narco-Terrorists’ As Trump Signals Possible Talks With Venezuela

drug trafficking

Global Politics

United States

The government shutdown is over, the Justice Department investigates riots surrounding a Turning Point USA event, and a standoff brews in the Caribbean between Venezuela and the United States.
It’s Thursday, November 13, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251113">the video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trump-ends-shutdown-venezuela-mobilizes-troops-11-13-25/id1576594336?i=1000736567005" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Shutdown Comes To A Close</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1000149" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Marathon-Shutdown-Ends-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Marathon-Shutdown-Ends-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Marathon-Shutdown-Ends-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Marathon-Shutdown-Ends-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Marathon-Shutdown-Ends-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Marathon-Shutdown-Ends.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The government shutdown finally came to a close on Wednesday, with President Donald Trump signing legislation to reopen the government.
The House voted on legislation to fund the government through the end of January. The vote came after eight Senate Democrats sided with Republicans earlier this week to break the filibuster and push through a continuing resolution to fund the federal government.
After more than 40 days, the shutdown’s impacts hit all across the country. From air travel to food stamps, Americans felt it.
What comes next:  The debate will quickly shift to healthcare and Obamacare subsidies, which the Democrats used as a rhetorical tool to prevent funding the government for the past 40 days. When they voted to reopen the government over the weekend, part of the deal was to bring that debate back to the Senate in December.
On the House side, Democrats such as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have proposed extending those subsidies for three years. But with Republicans in the majority, the calculus is different, and there is a lot unknown about the continuation of those subsidies.
The argument from many Republicans and opponents of the renewed subsidies for the Affordable Care Act is that the program was never sustainable to begin with.
Shutdown drama continued:  Republicans are very pleased with the outcome, but many Democrats, aside from those few who voted to reopen the government, are not. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Berkeley Riot</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1000153" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/DOJ-Probes-TPUSA-Riot-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/DOJ-Probes-TPUSA-Riot-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/DOJ-Probes-TPUSA-Riot-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/DOJ-Probes-TPUSA-Riot-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/DOJ-Probes-TPUSA-Riot-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/DOJ-Probes-TPUSA-Riot.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The DOJ is investigating a protest outside of a Turning Point USA event at UC Berkeley this week.
TPUSA has gotten more attention than ever over the last two months since Charlie Kirk, the group’s founder, was assassinated. In the wake of that tragedy, rather than pull back, the conservative activist group has gone all in.
While a number of its events have faced significant protest, thanks to increased security, most have been peaceful. But during the final stop of the Turning Point tour this week at Cal Berkeley, a protest turned violent. In the hours leading up to the event, hundreds of black-clad protesters <a href="https://x.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1988056273716474048?s=20">descended</a> on the venue, hurling insults and threats at conservative students attending the event, and mocking Kirk’s murder.
Other chants included, “When fascists come and cause a wreck, they get a bullet in the neck.” At one point, a group of protesters attempted to rob a man of his necklace and proceeded to beat him when he attempted to stop them. As the victim, who was briefly detained by police himself, stands up, dripping blood from his face, some in the crowd begin to taunt him, <a href="https://x.com/FrontlinesTPUSA/status/1988051012050186316?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying,</a> “white boy, you’re bleeding.”
Turning Point staffers say rioters set off smoke bombs and tear gas outside the venue, and hurled fireworks and glass bottles at those trying to get in, including parents carrying small children. And then, as the event ended, large groups of rioters blocked exits and hurled threats at those leaving. 
DOJ steps in: Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday that the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will &#8220;spare no expense unmasking all who commit and orchestrate acts of political violence” and seeking out the identities of specific agitators. Bondi <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1988339354754769099">added</a>, &#8220;Antifa is an existential threat to our nation.&#8221; The Justice Department also sent a letter to the University of California Board of Regents, notifying them that an investigation had been opened into their handling of the riot, ordering them to preserve all internal records regarding security preparations. 
“ There was a sold out crowd of over 2,000 tickets for this event with Rob Schneider, the comedian, and in fact, only a thousand people were allowed to enter,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/AAGDhillon/status/1988582068776026127?s=20">said</a> the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, Harmeet Dhillon. &#8220;There were shenanigans with the ticketing, but a lot of people didn&#8217;t come because of what we call the ‘heckler&#8217;s veto,’ the violent mob allowed to fester outside.” 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Fracas In Caracas</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1000145" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Will-Venezuela-Blink-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Will-Venezuela-Blink-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Will-Venezuela-Blink-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Will-Venezuela-Blink-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Will-Venezuela-Blink-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Will-Venezuela-Blink.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Venezuela says it’s launched a “massive mobilization” of its armed forces – as the United States’ largest aircraft carrier arrives in the region.
Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s defense minister, Vladimir Padrino López, on Tuesday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maduro-orders-massive-military-mobilization-as-u-s-carrier-group-nears-venezuela">announced</a> a military buildup to counter what he called the “imperialist threat” from the United States. That buildup included military exercises on Wednesday that reportedly <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/venezuela-military-mobilization-us-navy-flotilla-nears-caribbean-uss-ford/">involved</a> around 200,000 troops. Reports say that the military has prepped anti-aircraft systems across Venezuela in case Trump decides to order land strikes, as he has hinted at a few times.
State of play: The United States’ largest and most advanced warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has finally arrived in the region, military officials said on Tuesday.
But diplomatic relations between Caracas and Washington have broken down, and it is unclear whether they have since rebounded.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/world/americas/maduro-venezuela-us-oil.html">reported</a> last month that diplomacy between the two sides is basically broken. It broke over Maduro’s refusal to vacate leadership.
Caracas had offered the United States a majority stake in its oil and other mineral wealth. Part of the agreement would have been that Caracas would distance itself from powers hostile to the United States – namely, China, Iran, and Russia. But the United States walked away.
Invasion?: Many have made comparisons between the military buildup in the Caribbean Sea and the lead-up to the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989. There remain some stark differences, however. Venezuela is much larger than Panama, has a larger military, and Maduro is protected by special forces from Cuba, and Moscow has promised to help Venezuela in the event of an invasion.
Also, in 1989, the United States went into Panama to oust dictator Gen. Manuel Noriega with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/us/politics/panama-noriega-maduro.html">roughly</a> 27,000 troops. With the addition of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the United States still has only <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/11/americas/venezuela-military-mobilization-us-buildup-intl-latam#:~:text=Maduro%20has%20also%20claimed%20that,CNN's%20Haley%20Britzky%20contributed.">around</a> 15,000 troops in the Caribbean Sea.

MRN_251113_V1

Morning Brief: The Swamp Reopens, Berkeley Riot On FBI’s Terror Radar, & The Fracas In Caracas

Morning Brief: Govt Shutdown Ends, DOJ Probes Berkeley, And Venezuela Calls Up Troops

Government Shutdown

Hakeem Jeffries

Harmeet Dhillon

Mike Johnson

Pam Bondi

University of California Berkeley

Venezuela has announced a “massive mobilization” of its military in response to the increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean Sea.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said Tuesday that Venezuelan military and reserve forces would carry out training exercises through Wednesday in response to the “imperialist threat” from the United States, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/11/americas/venezuela-military-mobilization-us-buildup-intl-latam">CNN</a>. Padrino López said that the order to put Venezuela on a war footing came from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The military buildup in Venezuela comes as the United States’ largest warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and the rest of its carrier group entered the US Southern Command region. War Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the aircraft carrier to the Caribbean Sea last month to join U.S. forces policing international waters off Venezuela’s shores.
“The enhanced U.S. force presence in the SOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said, according to the <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article312873636.html">Miami Herald</a>. “These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs.”
Last week, Russian-made anti-aircraft systems were seen inside the La Carlota military airport in Caracas. The Buk-M2E missile systems were tagged after Maduro sent out requests to Russia and China for aid against a possible attack from the United States.
In addition to the systems seen at La Carlota, a slew of anti-air missile defense systems have been spotted being placed across Venezuela.
Tensions between Caracas and Washington have soared since President Donald Trump took office over Venezuela’s ties to the international drug trade and the trafficking of drugs into the United States. In response, Trump has moved warships into the southern Caribbean Sea to target suspected drug boats and subs.
The White House has also targeted Maduro personally. Trump said last month that he has approved CIA operations against Maduro in Venezuela, suggesting that the White House wants regime change in Caracas. Trump has also weighed whether to expand U.S. strikes against the drug trade to Venezuelan soil.

Nicolás Maduro

Maduro Orders ‘Massive’ Military Mobilization As U.S. Carrier Group Nears Venezuela

The Trump administration has escalated a military campaign in the Caribbean against alleged drug traffickers and could soon target Venezuelan military facilities in the counternarcotics attacks.
The first <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-precision-strikes-on-venezuela-military-could-begin-within-hours?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=U.S.+Precision+Strikes+On+Venezuela+Military+Could+Begin+Within+Hours" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strike</a> took out 11 alleged drug traffickers reportedly bound for the United States, setting off an escalation of aggressive military hits on drug boats in the Caribbean. Since then, more than a dozen such strikes have taken place.
Trump administration officials have <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DepartmentofWar/videos/4345830319036573/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defended</a> the strikes, saying the drug traffickers are &#8220;operating under the control&#8221; of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Some legal experts, however, have questioned Trump&#8217;s authority to carry out strikes without congressional approval. Trump has also faced questions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, leading him to authorize new briefings for Congress, Axios recently <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/03/trump-venezuela-briefings-congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Brian Finucane, a former State Department legal adviser, told The Daily Wire that &#8220;the strikes are not legal&#8221; and lack justification.
&#8220;The precedent that this administration seems to be invoking are strikes the U.S. has taken over the course of the last 20-plus years in the context of the U.S. war on terror against groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But those precedents are really irrelevant and a red herring with respect to the strikes we&#8217;re seeing in the Caribbean and now the Pacific.&#8221;
&#8220;For the first time, the U.S. government designated criminal entities, drug trafficking organizations as foreign terrorist organizations,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;But those assertions seem to be undermined by the U.S. Intelligence community.&#8221;
The situation reached a boiling point earlier this month, with reports that the Trump administration could soon target Venezuelan military facilities believed to have a role in the drug trade. The White House and Trump, however, pushed back on claims of an imminent attack.
The Treasury Department <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sanctioned</a> Maduro in July, accusing him of leading Venezuela&#8217;s Cartel de los Soles and supporting the Tren de Aragua prison gang and Sinaloa cartel.
Trump <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designated</a> Cartel de los Soles and <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tren de Aragua</a> as terrorist organizations after they &#8220;conducted kidnappings, extorted businesses, bribed public officials, authorized its members to attack and kill U.S. law enforcement, and assassinated a Venezuelan opposition figure.&#8221; In August, Trump <a href="https://www.state.gov/nicolas-maduro-moros" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doubled</a> the bounty for Maduro’s capture to $50 million — the largest such reward in U.S. history — and offered $25 million apiece for his cartel lieutenants, including Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López.
But the designation doesn&#8217;t afford Trump the authority to hit the alleged drug runners, Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;So the distinction between war and crime is what I think is at the heart of this,&#8221; Shapiro said. &#8220;Twenty-five years ago, for the first time, the president invoked the war powers against Al Qaeda, which is a non-state actor and here we also have apparently a non-state actor drug cartels. And so the issue isn&#8217;t the harm caused by the drug cartels &#8230; there&#8217;s a talking point that drug overdose deaths in a single year surpass totaled American deaths in most major wars. But that doesn&#8217;t change crime into war.&#8221;
&#8220;Armed force, I think, is justified when enemy attack political reasons, whether it&#8217;s Al Qaeda or Hamas or someone else like that, but usually the military isn&#8217;t appropriate against criminals, and criminal gangs could be treated as military targets, if and when they act as arms of a hostile war government,&#8221; he said.
Shapiro recognized that military force could be &#8220;appropriate&#8221; if there were evidence proving that the drug trafficking in the Caribbean &#8220;is the Venezuelan government&#8217;s attempt to destabilize or otherwise attack the United States.&#8221;
&#8220;But if they&#8217;re just criminal gangs, looking to make a profit, then I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s appropriate to use military force,&#8221; he added.
Recognizing he holds a &#8220;minority&#8221; opinion on the issue for believing that Trump has the authority to act alone, Dr. Nicholas Creel, law professor at Georgia College and State University, told The Daily Wire that the president has the authority to act alone when &#8220;emergencies&#8221; occur.
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s pretty clear that he does have the authority to do this,&#8221; said Creel.
While Congress has the authority to declare war, the president has the power to respond to attacks without awaiting a vote or any possible delay. He said there&#8217;s roughly five out of 30 examples of &#8220;instances where we moved first and somebody died&#8221; where the president actually received congressional approval.
&#8220;What a lot of people lose in this is if we do agree that the president has the authority to respond to attacks, who is it that gets to define an attack is? It has to be the president,&#8221; Creel said. &#8220;It necessarily cannot be Congress.&#8221;
&#8220;That&#8217;s why we chose this word to give the president the authority to respond to these attacks so it has to be that decides what this attack is. And if you or I think this is not an attack, fine, but we&#8217;re not the president.&#8221;
He continued: &#8220;Pretty much every president since FDR would have to have been said to have acted unconstitutionally in terms of the war powers, which seems a bit odd. If it&#8217;s that common a practice, is it really, I mean, just because people are doing it doesn&#8217;t mean it&#8217;s legal, but at the same time, if everybody is basically doing it? Is it really illegal?&#8221;
Trump sent the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, along with her full strike group, to the region this week, marking the largest concentration of naval assets in the region in decades.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also deployed F-35B fighters and MQ-9 Reapers to Puerto Rico, which are capable of destroying clandestine drug labs and airstrips in Venezuelan territory.
Trump recently confirmed that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert actions inside Venezuela. United States military aircraft have also recently buzzed the Venezuelan coast in recent weeks.

Untitled design (84)

Does The President Have The Authority To Strike Venezuelan Drug Boats?

President Donald Trump in an interview that aired Sunday agreed that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s “days as president are numbered.”
Trump sat for an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” his first interview with the program in five years. CBS correspondent Norah O&#8217;Donnell asked the president about the future of Maduro, who Trump first demanded step down in 2018, leading Venezuela.
“On Venezuela in particular, are Maduro&#8217;s days as president numbered?” O’Donnell asked.
Trump replied: “I would say yeah. I think so, yeah.”
Reports late last week <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article312722642.html">suggested</a> <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/u-s-eyes-striking-venezuelan-military-targets-used-for-drug-trafficking-cafcfe47?st=tchg4R%3E">that</a> the Trump administration has looked at land targets in Venezuela to strike as part of its escalating efforts to crack down on drug trafficking to the United States. The targets reportedly consist of military assets that have been used in the drug trade.
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Trump said last month that he has approved CIA operations in Venezuela to counter the drug trade and Maduro, whom his administration has identified as a top cartel leader and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-hikes-bounty-on-venezuelas-maduro-to-50m">imposed</a> a $50 million bounty on.
Trump dismissed O’Donnell’s questions regarding any plans to launch military strikes on Venezuelan territory.
“I&#8217;m not saying it&#8217;s true or untrue,” said Trump of reports of potential strikes.
“I wouldn&#8217;t be inclined to say that I would do that. But – because I don&#8217;t talk to a reporter about whether or not I&#8217;m gonna strike,” said Trump. “You&#8217;re a wonderful reporter, you&#8217;re very talented, but I&#8217;m not going to tell you what I&#8217;m going to do with Venezuela, if I was gonna do it, or if I wasn&#8217;t going to do it.”
Trump also played coy when asked about his decision last week to deploy the USS Gerald R Ford carrier and its strike group to the Caribbean. The Ford is the newest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the U.S. fleet.
“It&#8217;s gotta be somewhere. It&#8217;s a big one,” Trump said when asked what purpose the Ford serves in the Caribbean.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Norah O&#8217;Donnell: “Is it about stopping narcotics or is it about getting rid of [Venezuelan dictator Nicolás] Maduro?”
President Trump: “This is about many things.”
Norah O&#8217;Donnell: “Are Maduro’s days as president numbered?”
President Trump: “I would say yeah, I think so,… <a href="https://t.co/RBdCwn5xW2">pic.twitter.com/RBdCwn5xW2</a>
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) <a href="https://twitter.com/RedWave_Press/status/1985158157153243508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2025</a></blockquote>

Trump Says Maduro’s Days Leading Venezuela Are Numbered

Trump Says Maduro's Days Leading Venezuela Are Numbered

President Donald Trump has set the stage for precision strikes inside Venezuela on military facilities the United States says protect and empower one of the globe’s most dangerous criminal syndicates, Cartel de los Soles.
The strikes reportedly could begin within hours.
The White House has intimated that Nicolás Maduro isn’t just Venezuela’s dictatorial ruler — he’s the head of the Soles cartel. &#8220;Cartel de los Soles is a Venezuela-based criminal group headed by Nicolas Maduro Moros and other high-ranking Venezuelan individuals in the Maduro regime that provides material support to foreign terrorist organizations threatening the peace and security of the United States, namely Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel,&#8221; the Treasury Department <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0207">reported</a> in July.
According to a source who spoke to <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article312722642.html">the Miami Herald</a>, “Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to. What’s worse for him, there is now more than one general willing to capture and hand him over, fully aware that one thing is to talk about death, and another to see it coming.”
The strategic focus of the attacks is decapitating the cartel hierarchy that, Washington says, moves half a thousand tons of cocaine to American and European markets each year. Though officials haven’t confirmed if Maduro himself is a target, one source put it bluntly — “his time is running out,” the Miami Herald reported.
This escalation follows months of buildup ordered directly by President Trump upon returning to the Oval Office in January 2025. He executed a multipronged campaign to dismantle the crime-terror pipelines running from Caracas to Central America. Trump’s first move was to designate the Cartel de los Soles and its enforcer gang, Tren de Aragua, as terrorist organizations.
That classification signaled that the U.S. now treats Venezuela’s military-backed cartel as a global threat on par with al-Qaeda. Backing that declaration is a Joint Task Force of U.S. destroyers, Marines, and advanced aircraft patrols the Caribbean with pinpoint reconnaissance and reconnaissance drones tracking smuggling routes.
The arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, along with her full strike group, marked the largest U.S. naval concentration in the region in decades. Former Venezuelan officers call it the “final phase” — a buildup designed for precision strikes, not occupation.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greenlit the deployment of F-35B fighters and MQ-9 Reapers to Puerto Rico, capable of destroying clandestine drug labs and airstrips in Venezuelan territory. Meanwhile, President Trump doubled the bounty for Maduro’s capture to $50 million — the largest such reward in U.S. history — and offered $25 million apiece for his cartel lieutenants, including Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, both indicted in U.S. courts on narcotics charges.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi, announcing the reward increase, accused Maduro of running the Cartel de los Soles “as a military drug empire” allied with Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel and transnational gangs.  Administration officials make no effort to hide their intent: destroy the cartel’s infrastructure and cripple Maduro’s power base. Trump, who has long pledged to stop the flow of deadly narcotics into the United States, views the Venezuelan campaign as the next front in his war on drugs — a continuation of his promise to use every element of American power to defend the nation from foreign narco-terror.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/u-s-eyes-striking-venezuelan-military-targets-used-for-drug-trafficking-cafcfe47">put it bluntly</a>: “The President is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our homeland.”  Behind the naval armada, U.S. intelligence operations have intensified. Trump recently confirmed that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert actions inside Venezuela — a rare presidential admission that signals just how personal this mission has become.
Pentagon sources reveal that B-1 and B-52 bombers have made repeated flights along Venezuela’s coast, probing its Russian-built S-300 missile systems and mapping air-defense weak points.  Maduro bragged last week that his forces possessed 5,000 Russian-made surface-to-air missiles. But analysts note that the overwhelming American presence — from electronic-warfare Growlers to missile-equipped destroyers — gives Trump unmatched tactical options. Former Commander of U.S. Southern Command Admiral James Stavridis called the buildup “a hammer poised over Caracas.”
Trump insiders echo the same strategic philosophy that guided earlier operations against Iranian General Qasem Soleimani: swift, targeted, devastating action. Elliott Abrams, Trump’s former Venezuela envoy, noted, “What he favors are high-impact strikes, not long occupations.” The force assembled in the Caribbean — roughly 10,000 personnel and over 100 combat aircraft — is optimized for surgical strikes, not invasion.
The administration’s goal, officials say, is not to occupy Venezuela but to break the nexus between Maduro’s regime and the international drug trade — through relentless, decisive pressure. Should Maduro’s own generals turn against him, the end could come swiftly. As one source told the Herald, “There’s more than one general willing to hand him over. Talking about death is one thing. Seeing it coming is another.”

US Warship Docked In Panama After Trump Said Military Hit Third Drug Boat From Venezuela

U.S. Precision Strikes On Venezuela Military Could Begin Within Hours

U.S. Military

President Donald Trump may order land strikes on Venezuela and other parts of South America in pursuit of drug cartels without congressional authority, according to South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Graham appeared on CBS’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday and defended Trump’s suggestion last week that land strikes may be the next step after the U.S. military blew up 10 drug boats and submarines in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
“I think that&#8217;s a real possibility,” said Graham on the potential for U.S. strikes on land in South America. “I think President Trump has made a decision that Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, is an indicted drug trafficker, that it&#8217;s time for him to go, that Venezuela and Colombia have been safe havens for narco-terrorists for too long.”
“I support that idea, but I think he has all the authority he needs,” Graham added after noting that Trump is expected to brief Congress on possible military operations in and around South America when he returns from a trip to Asia later this week.
The South Carolina senator cited operations ordered by former presidents George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. The missions, which took place in Panama and Grenada, are precedents that should set the legal foundation for any land strikes against drug cartels ordered unilaterally by Trump.
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“When President Bush 41 took Ortega out in Panama, Reagan went into Grenada to deal with the Cuban influence from Grenada in our backyard – [Trump] has all the authority in the world,” said Graham. “This is not murder. This is protecting America from being poisoned by narco-terrorists coming from Venezuela and Colombia.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
U.S. land strikes on Venezuela are “a real possibility,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says, telling <a href="https://twitter.com/margbrennan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@margbrennan</a> President Trump plans to brief Congress about potentially expanding the U.S. military operations “from the sea to the land.”
“I support that idea. But I think he has… <a href="https://t.co/q7iBG7D0H7">pic.twitter.com/q7iBG7D0H7</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1982479665525613037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
Graham’s comments come days after the administration announced the U.S.S. Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group would move to the Caribbean. The Ford is the newest and most technologically advanced carrier in the U.S. fleet, signaling the seriousness with which the White House is approaching its fight against drug cartels and terror networks that are flooding the United States with dangerous and illicit drugs.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced the Ford’s latest assignment in a <a href="https://x.com/SeanParnellASW/status/1981759934539985132">post</a> on X.
The aircraft carrier group “will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” said Parnell in a statement.

USS Gerald R. Ford

Lindsey Graham Says Trump ‘Has All The Authority He Needs’ To Strike Venezuela

Colombia

Lindsey Graham

World

B-1 bombers flew within about 50 miles from Venezuela on Thursday as the United States continues to strike drug boats departing from the South American country.
Asked about the flights during a panel discussion at the White House on Thursday, Trump denied that two B-1 Lancers had flown close to Venezuela.
“Not accurate,” said Trump when asked about a report of the flights published in <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-sends-b-1-bombers-near-venezuela-ramping-up-military-pressure-f9514126?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqct8eI22sfNUn8PGvMT7DHl2W8B7iN_X8snWbnKrunmfqdpycQEz-Md4hUOGko%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68fa9ec4&amp;gaa_sig=IV4Xvw66NaSXyHKSBQjdViniRSys-tsUYH-1XlguDWBRDhGAxnZ31FHaVYEEJbFRHkAQpSgCqiEJ3InLUBUiVA%3D%3D">The Wall Street Journal</a>. “No, it’s false, but we&#8217;re not happy with Venezuela for a lot of reasons. Drugs being one of them.”
The flights have been <a href="https://x.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1981454534548341183">tracked</a> on flight radars. The two bombers took off from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas on Thursday and flew near Venezuela, but remained over international waters, according to WSJ.
The flights followed a show of force last week when B-52 bombers and F-35B jet fighters operated by the U.S. Air Force and Marines flew near an island off the coast of Venezuela.
The U.S. military has blown up at least seven boats in international waters in the Caribbean said to be carrying deadly drugs to the United States, and another two boats in the Pacific. President Donald Trump has accused the leadership of Venezuela and Colombia of facilitating the transport of drugs in the United States.
Trump said on Thursday that drugs coming to the United States by water have plummeted because of military action, and he suggested that strikes could soon be conducted against drug cartels and narco-terrorists on land, as well.
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“Now, they’re coming in by land, and even the land is concerned because I told them that’s going to be next,” the president <a href="https://x.com/JewishWarrior13/status/1981470436345938164">said</a>. “We may go to the Congress and tell them about it, but I can’t imagine they would have any problem with it. I think, in fact, while we’re here, I think it’s a good idea, Pete, you go to Congress, you tell them about it. What are they going to do? Say, ‘gee, we don’t want to stop drugs pouring in?’ They’re killing 300,000 people per year.”
Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, on whom the Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-hikes-bounty-on-venezuelas-maduro-to-50m">placed</a> a $50 million bounty, claimed on Wednesday that thousands of Russian-made anti-air missiles are placed strategically around the country to handle any threats from the air.
“Any military force in the world knows the power of the Igla-S and Venezuela has no less than 5,000” of the missiles, Maduro said, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/23/americas/maduro-trump-venezuela-military-intl-hnk">CNN</a>.
Last week, Trump said that Maduro has offered “everything” to the United States.
“He’s offered everything,” <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/1979251067029246356">said</a> Trump. “You know why? Because he doesn&#8217;t want to f*** around with the United States.”

B-1B Bombers

B-1 Bombers Buzz Venezuela As Trump Floats ‘Land’ Strikes Against Drug Cartels

Drug Cartels

President Donald Trump closed out a Friday afternoon roundtable and gaggle with reporters by dropping the F-Bomb in response to a question about his administration&#8217;s position on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
While hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, Trump was asked about Maduro recently offering the Trump administration a massive stake in Venezuela&#8217;s oil and mineral wealth.
&#8220;He has offered everything, you&#8217;re right,&#8221; Trump said to the reporter. &#8220;You know why? Because he doesn&#8217;t want to f*** around with the United States.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Maduro: &#8220;He has offered everything, you&#8217;re right. You know why? Because he doesn&#8217;t want to fuck around with the United States.&#8221; 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/EhG7Eeaq7P">pic.twitter.com/EhG7Eeaq7P</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1979249952845934716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump then dismissed the media after answering the question.
After Trump&#8217;s recent actions targeting drug trafficking from Venezuela, the Maduro regime offered to give American companies preferential treatment in existing and future oil and gold projects, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/world/americas/maduro-venezuela-us-oil.html">reported</a>. The Trump administration rejected the offer and ended efforts to reach a diplomatic solution with the Maduro regime.
The president has focused on Venezuela in his effort to crack down on illegal drug trafficking. In August, the United States <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-deploys-warships-near-venezuela-to-combat-drug-threats-sources-say?author=Reuters&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=U.S.+Deploys+Warships+Near+Venezuela+To+Combat+Drug+Threats%2C+Sources+Say">sent</a> three guided-missile destroyers to patrol off the coast of Venezuela as the administration addressed threats from drug cartels. Just weeks later, Trump began ordering military strikes on suspected drug runners in the Caribbean Sea. The U.S. military has taken out at least five boats that were suspected of transporting drugs to the United States. In those strikes, at least 27 suspected drug traffickers have been killed, U.S. officials said.
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After the most recent strike, a U.S. official told Fox News that two or three suspected drug runners <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-strike-targeting-suspected-drug-traffickers-leaves-survivors-report?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=U.S.+Strike+Targeting+Suspected+Drug+Traffickers+Leaves+Survivors%3A+Report">survived</a>, and a search and rescue helicopter was sent out.
Trump has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-administration-authorizes-covert-cia-action-in-venezuela">authorized</a> lethal covert CIA operations in Venezuela. The administration has accused Venezuela of helping migrants cross into the United States illegally.
“Many, many countries have done it, but not like Venezuela, they were down and dirty,” Trump said.
The United States currently has a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Maduro. The State Department has accused the dictator of participating &#8220;in a corrupt and violent narco-terrorism conspiracy&#8221; and coordinating &#8220;with narcotics traffickers in Honduras and other countries to facilitate large-scale drug trafficking.&#8221;
Maduro was declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election, despite evidence showing that Edmundo González defeated the dictator at the polls. Maduro has moved to crack down on any opposition, forcing González into exile in Spain.

Trump Drops The Mic — And The F-Bomb — Answering Question About Venezuelan Dictator

Trump Drops The Mic — And The F-Bomb — Answering Question On Venezuelan Dictator

Drugs

Illegal Immigation

The Trump administration quietly greenlit a covert CIA operation in Venezuela against socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro, the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/us/politics/trump-covert-cia-action-venezuela.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> Wednesday.
The CIA will now be authorized to carry out lethal operations in Venezuela, according to the news outlet. It is not clear, however, if there are any looming plans against Maduro or his regime.
President Donald Trump <a href="https://x.com/OrlvndoA/status/1978557056878514557" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> the plan during a press conference Wednesday, stating that he authorized enhanced action over Venezuela’s role in criminal migrants crossing the southern border and the trafficking of lethal drugs killing Americans.
“They’ve allowed thousands and thousands of prisoners, people from mental institutions, insane asylums emptied out into the United States, we’re bring[ing] them back. But that’s a really bad thing,” Trump said, adding, “Many, many countries have done it, but not like Venezuela, they were down and dirty.”
Trump also said that the United States will not only interdict drugs at sea, but also “by land.”
“We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come through the sea, so you get to see that, but we&#8217;re gonna stop them by land also.”
“I think Venezuela’s feeling heat, but I think a lot of other countries are feeling heat too. We’re not going to let this country, our country, be ruined because other people want to drop their worst. They have given us their worst, they&#8217;ve loaded up our country with prisoners, with mentally ill people that are seriously ill, criminally ill, and we&#8217;re not gonna take it,” Trump said.
The Trump administration is already beefing up the presence of troops in the region, according to the Times.
Most of the 10,000 U.S. troops stationed in the Caribbean are currently in Puerto Rico, while some Marines are on amphibious assault ships and a submarine in the region.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-takes-out-another-boat-in-caribbean-killing-four-suspected-narco-terrorists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump</a> administration has taken out several drug cartel vessels in recent months, killing 27 suspected narco-terrorists in five kinetic strikes.
Maduro has called the strikes “a military attack on civilians who were not at war and were not militarily threatening any country,” while accusing the Trump administration of “seeking a regime change” in Venezuela.
Wes Tabor, who was in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s office in Caracas in 2012, recently told The Daily Wire that the Trump administration is “squeezing” the drug cartels.
“The permissive environment they long enjoyed is evaporating,” he said.
The United States has also offered a $50,000 <a href="https://www.state.gov/nicolas-maduro-moros" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reward</a> for information leading to Maduro’s arrest and conviction on drug trafficking charges, citing his alleged ties to transnational gangs and cartels.
Earlier this month, President Trump called for an end to diplomatic talks with the Maduro regime over the dictator’s refusal to step down from power, according to the Times.
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VENEZUELA-MADURO-SECOND-TERM-INAUGURATION

Trump Administration Authorizes Covert CIA Action In Venezuela

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