Trump hints at talks with Venezuela’s Maduro
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US President Donald Trump hinted at possible discussions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as tensions rise and US military deployments intensify in the Caribbean.
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US President Trump returns to the White House following a weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that potential discussions may take place with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as tensions escalate in the Caribbean Sea alongside a notable US military presence. "We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we'll see how that turns out…They would like to talk," Trump told reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington, DC.
His remarks came shortly after the decision to designate the Venezuela-based Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Trump stated the move would enable Washington to target infrastructure and assets allegedly linked to the government of President Maduro, whom he accused of leading the criminal network. “It allows us to do that, but we haven’t said we’re going to do that,” Trump clarified.
He added that he had instructed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials to brief Congress on efforts to counter narcotics trafficking. "Go to Congress and let them know we’re not letting drugs come through Mexico, we’re not letting them come through Venezuela,” he said, adding, “the only thing I don’t want them to do is leak information."
US expands military operations in Caribbean
The State Department had previously labeled several Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations in February, broadening the scope for intelligence agencies to conduct operations under expanded legal authority.
US military operations have intensified in the Caribbean and the Pacific, targeting vessels Washington claims are used to traffic drugs into the US. Trump has repeatedly threatened action against Maduro and has continued to escalate US deployments in the region.
As part of this buildup, the USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, has reportedly arrived in the Caribbean Sea. It joins a broader deployment that includes Marines, fighter and bomber aircraft, warships, submarines, and drones.
The operations, according to US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), are being carried out under a directive from US War Secretary Pete Hegseth to dismantle criminal networks perceived as threats to US national security.
US announces 'Op Southern Spear'
As part of the US' campaign against Venezuela, it launched a new military campaign in Latin America, dubbed Operation Southern Spear, under the pretext of the Trump administration's "war on drugs", which has been criticized for being a front for regime change, and has so far yielded fatal operations and skyrocketing tensions amid the growing militarization of the region.
Hegseth revealed that the Pentagon launched the operation under Trump's directive, claiming it would "secure our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people."
Southern Command had initially introduced Operation Southern Spear in January, outlining the use of advanced technologies, including long-dwell robotic surface vessels, small robotic interceptor boats, and vertical take-off and landing robotic air units.
Washington’s military campaign began in September with a strike on a Venezuelan speedboat. It has since expanded to the Eastern Pacific by late October. At least 21 attacks have been launched since the campaign began, reportedly resulting in 82 deaths.
