White House threw cold water on reports Trump will strike targets in Venezuela

The White Home pushed again on media stories indicating that President Donald Trump’s administration had recognized army targets in Venezuela and was about to assault them.

Though Trump has indicated for weeks that he’s ready to launch land operations in opposition to Venezuela, the White Home is sowing doubt in regards to the new media stories.

“Unnamed sources have no idea what they’re speaking about,” White Home spokeswoman Anna Kelly mentioned in a press release to Fox Information Digital on Friday. “Any announcement about Venezuela’s insurance policies would come immediately from the president.”

The Wall Avenue Journal reported Thursday that the Trump administration had recognized army targets in Venezuela used to move medicine, though the information outlet mentioned Trump had not but formalized a choice on whether or not he would launch land assaults in opposition to these targets.

TRUMP praises US assault as Maduro fends off army ‘menace’ in opposition to Venezuela

The Trump administration ordered the united statesGerald R. Ford to the US Southern Command, prompting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to accuse Trump of “inventing a brand new ceaselessly struggle.” (Juan Barreto/AFP through Getty Pictures; Getty Pictures)

Trump advised reporters on Air Drive One on Friday that no choice had been made on whether or not he would assault army targets in Venezuela, Bloomberg Information reported.

As well as, the Miami Herald reported on Friday that the federal government had determined to launch assaults on these army installations in Venezuela, which might happen “inside days and even hours.”

Each the Journal and the Miami Herald cited nameless sources aware of the plans.

The Herald reported that the upcoming strikes have been half of a bigger effort the Trump administration is making to crack down on the Cartel de los Soles, which Legal professional Common Pam Bondi says Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro heads.

The Trump administration doesn’t acknowledge Maduro as a reputable head of state, and the administration has elevated the reward for data resulting in Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, claiming he’s “one of many largest drug traffickers on this planet.”

TRUMP UNLEASHES US MILITARY POWER ON CARTELS. IS A BROADER WAR looming?

A Venezuelan ship is destroyed throughout a US army assault on the Latin American nation, September 2, 2025. (@realDonaldTrump through Reality Social)

In the meantime, the US army has stepped up its assaults on suspected drug boats in Latin America – with at the least 14 assaults in whole since early September. Moreover, Trump has ordered the U.S. Navy’s latest plane provider, the united statesGerald R. Ford, to sail to the area.

Brent Sadler, a senior fellow for naval warfare and superior expertise at The Heritage Basis, a conservative assume tank in Washington, mentioned the airline’s presence means Trump has extra sources to launch extra assaults in opposition to cartels. In the meantime, Trump has routinely mentioned for weeks that he might transfer ahead with land operations in opposition to Venezuela along with his naval assaults.

“Ford’s arrival within the SOUTHCOM space is just not unprecedented, however important given the continued assaults on cartel boats. I see this transfer as meant to discourage Venezuela from escalating the disaster and supply the President with extra choices if he needs to increase assaults on the cartels,” Sadler mentioned in an e-mail to Fox Information Digital on Monday. “That mentioned, I count on Ford’s air wing to be very energetic within the areas of aerial surveillance and protection.”

TRUMP SAYS ‘WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS’ WHEN ASKED ABOUT POSSIBILITY TO TACKLE VENEZUELA AGAINST RISING TENSIONS

Nicolás Maduro, the President of Venezuela, throughout a press convention on the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, July 31, 2024. (Gaby Oraa/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures)

After information broke that Ford can be heading to the area, Maduro accused Trump of “inventing a brand new ceaselessly struggle.”

“They promised they’d by no means become involved in a struggle once more, and they’re making up a struggle,” Maduro mentioned in a nationwide broadcast on Friday.

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But not all lawmakers agree with Trump’s strikes in Latin America. Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., launched a struggle powers decision in October to stop U.S. forces from partaking in “hostilities” in opposition to Venezuela.

“The Trump administration has made clear that it could take army motion inside Venezuela’s borders and won’t cease boat assaults within the Caribbean,” Schiff mentioned in an Oct. 17 assertion.

Fox Information Digital has contacted the Conflict Division and has not but obtained a response.

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