Topline
President Donald Trump is reviewing plans to potentially target Venezuela, including potential military strikes, seizing Venezuelan oil fields or even removing President Nicolas Maduro from power, according to a report published in The New York Times on Tuesday—although Trump has reportedly not made a decision on the matter.
The Trump administration has reportedly considered targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
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Key Facts
The president was reportedly hesitant to approve plans that would put American troops at risk, the Times reported.
Some senior advisers, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, have been pushing for more aggressive actions, and other officials told the Times this included ousting Maduro from power.
The U.S. has long contested Maduro’s claim that he won Venezuela’s presidential elections in 2024, and Rubio insisted in a July statement the government would “hold accountable the corrupt, criminal and illegitimate Maduro regime.”
Maduro is also wanted on narco-trafficking charges for allegedly leading the “Cartel de los Soles,” and the State Department has offered a $50 million reward for the Venezuelan president’s arrest.
The Trump administration has asked the Justice Department for further legal guidance on how to expand the current campaign targeting alleged drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean to targets on the Venezuelan mainland, according to the Times report.
When asked by “60 Minutes” in an interview that aired Sunday if the U.S. was going to war with Venezuela, Trump said “I doubt it,” but later refused to rule out any further strikes on the South American nation.
In the same interview, Trump agreed with interviewer Norah O’Donnell when asked if he thought Maduro’s days were numbered.
Key Background
In September, the Trump administration began a campaign of striking boats in the Caribbean it claims are involved in drug trafficking. At least 65 people have been killed in these strikes, which have since expanded to targets in the Pacific Ocean, as well. The U.S. military has also steadily increased its troop presence in the Caribbean, and now has stationed about 10,000 troops in Puerto Rico or on ships off the coast of Venezuela. The Trump administration in October also authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in the country. The Miami Herald first reported the Trump administration was considering land strikes on Venezuela last week, but the president quickly denied the strikes would happen.
Who Is Interested In Venezuela’s Oil?
Venezuelan opposition leader and recent Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado met with business interests for “informal conversations” about the future of the country, Semafor reported citing people familiar with the meetings. The increased attention on Venezuela, whose economy has long been relatively closed during Maduro’s 12 years in power, comes due to the Trump administration’s “hawkish approach” to the nation, according to a research document cited by the outlet. At least some investors were interested in Venezuela’s oil reserves, according to the report. Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, according to the Energy Information Administration, which estimates its size at 303 billion barrels.
Further Reading
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2025/11/04/trump-administration-could-directly-target-maduro-and-seize-venezuelas-oil-fields-report-says/
