Donald Trump deploys warships, activates CIA lethal ops to target ‘Venezuelan drug cartels’: Is it just about drugs or another regime change war for vast oil reserves?

The “man of peace,” the mediator who claimed to have facilitated 8 or 9 ceasefire agreements between conflicting nations, including India and Pakistan, and the “self-declared foremost contender for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize,” United States President Donald Trump has veered away from the peaceful course he claimed to espouse globally, in relation to Venezuela.

Trump had vowed that military obligations that had previously dragged the country into exhausting and protracted wars distant from its own borders would cease under a “Make America great again” (Maga) foreign policy. Likewise, it was also central to his popular “America First” agenda.

However, now the White House has adopted a belligerent stance contrary to Trump’s purported “president of peace” persona and violated his promises as a massive militarisation directed against the autocratic regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela is taking shape. The military buildup in the Caribbean Sea marked the largest deployment there in decades and served as a testament to how Trump has once more reneged on his crucial commitment to his voters.

The US Navy has been assembling a force of warships, fighter jets, bombers, military personnel, drones and spy planes in the Caribbean Sea for the past two months. Long-range bomber planes B-52s conducted “bomber attack demonstrations” near the Venezuelan coast. Moreover, Trump has declared, boastfully, that he has permitted the CIA’s (Central Intelligence Agency) operations in Venezuela.

Trump claims “operation against narcotics”

The United States claimed to commence a war on drugs in Venezuela and Trump has given the CIA authorisation to carry out clandestine operations within the nation. “I authorised for two reasons really. Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America. They came in through the border. They came in because we had an open border and the other thing are drugs,” he asserted.

The US has conveyed that it killed dozens of people in attacks on small Venezuelan vessels with “narcotics” and “narco-terrorists,” but did not offer any proof or information about the individuals on board.

At least 10 vessels have been struck by US forces since 2nd September and 8 of which have taken place in the Caribbean, taking the lives of at least 43 people.

Donald Trump's targeting of drug cartels in South America is being stepped up as American warships head closer to Venezuela.

A destroyer, the USS Gravely, is now docked in the Caribbean at Trinidad and Tobago and the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is also cruising towards… pic.twitter.com/OTliXBrTF3

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 27, 2025

The Republican leader announced, “no war, yes peace” while addressing the nation. He then expressed belief that the military had effectively managed the drug operations at sea, however, he is now contemplating land operations, during his White House speech. Active negotiations with Maduro were halted by his administration in recent weeks.

Venezuela does not produce cocaine, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and was not included in the four pages of a March annual report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that focused on cocaine trafficking.

However, the Trump administration continued to insist that some drug trafficking does pass through Venezuela, citing Maduro’s 2020 indictment on federal charges of conspiracy to import cocaine and narco-terrorism. An official disclosed that “the president hasn’t ruled out diplomacy” and “there are plans on the table that the president is considering” with regard to operations against targets inside the South American nation, reported CNN.

Trump claimed that he could keep attacking suspected drug traffickers overseas without a formal declaration of war being passed by Congress. “I’m not going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we’re just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. Okay? We’re going to kill them, you know, they’re going to be like, dead,” he conveyed in his quintessential style.

JUST IN: President Trump fires back after reporter asks him why he doesn't get approval from Congress for taking out narco-terrorists.

Reporter: Why not just ask for a declaration of war?

Trump: I think we're just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country.… pic.twitter.com/N1owgnvt6V

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 23, 2025

Pentagon press secretary Sean Parnell also reiterated that the Gerald R Ford strike group and its affiliated air wing’s action was intended to “dismantle Transnational Criminal Organisations and counter narco-terrorism.” The USS Gerald R. Ford has space for up to 90 aircraft and attack helicopters. The biggest aircraft carrier in the world is moving closer to Venezuela.

STATEMENT:

In support of the President’s directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland, the Secretary of War has directed the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and embarked carrier air wing to the U.S.…

— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) October 24, 2025

The entire Trump administration has followed the same narrative, holding Venezuela responsible for the crime and drug problems in the United States.

Maduro retorts “war fabricated by the US”

On the other hand, amid appeals for a diplomatic solution, Maduro has accused the US of manufacturing “a new eternal war” which his country will avoid. He outlined, “They promised they would never again get involved in a war,” and emphasised, “They are fabricating an extravagant narrative, a vulgar, criminal and totally fake one. Venezuela is a country that does not produce cocaine leaves.”

“No to regime change, which reminds us so much of the endless, failed wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and so on,” he even poked fun at the US later and added, “No to CIA-orchestrated coups.” Maduro has declared that he will be mobilising the police, military, and citizen militia to protect the oil-rich nation.

“We are conducting an exercise that began 72 hours ago, a coastal defence exercise to protect ourselves not only from large-scale military threats but also to protect ourselves from drug trafficking, terrorist threats and covert operations that aim to destabilise the country internally,” highlighted Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez.

“CIA is present not only in Venezuela but everywhere in the world. They may deploy countless CIA-affiliated units in covert operations from any part of the nation, but any attempt will fail,” he warned.

Foreign Minister Yvan Gil noted that Venezuela “rejects the warmongering and extravagant statements of the president of the United States.” He stressed, “We view with extreme alarm the use of the CIA, as well as the military deployments announced in the Caribbean, which amount to a policy of aggression, threat, and harassment against Venezuela.”

The US assaults on Venezuelan vessels were also slammed as unlawful, violent, and amount to murder. Maduro even initiated legal action to cancel opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez’s passport and revoke his citizenship, accusing him of promoting an invasion.

Lopez who has been living in exile in Spain since 2020, has openly stated that he endorse US actions in the Caribbean. “According to the Constitution, no Venezuelan born in Venezuela can have their nationality revoked,” he responded, dismissing the move and reaffirmed his support for US military operations and their presence in the nation.

Maduro quiere quitarme la nacionalidad por decir lo que pensamos y queremos todos los venezolanos: libertad.

El narco dictador Nicolás Maduro ha solicitado al Tribunal Supremo la revocación de mi nacionalidad venezolana, convirtiéndome en el primer ciudadano nacido en Venezuela…

— Leopoldo López (@leopoldolopez) October 25, 2025

A gas deal with Trinidad and Tobago was also suspended by Maduro, who alleged that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was converting her nation into a “aircraft carrier of the American empire against Venezuela.”

Tensions escalate between US and Venezuela

Washington had been using a fleet of eight US Navy ships, ten F-35 fighter jets, and a nuclear-powered submarine for its anti-drug operations since August but Caracas repeatedly charged that these actions are part of a larger plot to topple the Venezuelan government.

According to US officials, Maduro is leader of the drug-trafficker “Cartel of the Suns.” Maduro refutes the allegations. The United States even increased its reward for information that leads to his arrest to $50 million to encourage members of his inner circle to turn him in, without any positive outcome.

Nonetheless, Trump’s “bellicose” rhetoric was rejected by Venezuela which also charged that he was attempting “to legitimise regime change with the ultimate goal of appropriating Venezuela’s petroleum resources.” The actions were described as “a grave violation of the UN charter” and the country even took the matter to the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

The Venezuelan leader’s refusal to comply with demands to relinquish power freely and persistent counters of the officials that they were not involved in drug trafficking previously led to frustration on the American side, resulting in the snapping of diplomatic relations between the two parties.

Marco Rubio’s role amid the United States, Venezuela hostilities

Maduro and other top officials made a number of concessions to try to defuse the impasse with Washington, including ceding a significant stake in Venezuela’s oil sector. Even some sanctions on Venezuelan oil had been lifted by the Trump administration, allowing Chevron, a major American multinational energy company, to restart production and boost Venezuelan shipments.

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