This move by Washington has raised fears of war with Venezuela.

 This move by Washington has raised fears of war with Venezuela.

In October, Trump authorized the CIA to conduct a covert operation in Venezuela to remove Maduro from power.

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Is US President Donald Trump planning to invade Venezuela and remove longtime leftist leader Nicolas Maduro from power? The US is certainly signaling action. Whether this is merely a pressure tactic to pressure Maduro or whether Washington is preparing for swift military action to assert its dominance in Venezuela's neighboring country is uncertain.

In October, Trump authorized the CIA to conduct a covert operation in Venezuela to remove Maduro from power. In a break from tradition, Trump made the announcement publicly.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth wrote on X, "The Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood—and we will defend it." Concerns are growing in South American capitals about the possibility of a US invasion and its consequences.

Ominous Military Preparations

According to ABC News, President Trump was briefed earlier this week on options for potential military action, including ground operations inside Venezuela.

Furthermore, The Washington Post quoted an official as saying that the US military is "preparing for possible strike orders" and awaiting new operational guidelines.

Military preparations are complete. The world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, has moved from West Asia and is now deployed in the Caribbean Sea, ready for action at any time.

US Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey said in a press release, "The deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is a significant step in strengthening our resolve to protect the Western Hemisphere and the American homeland."

According to US press reports, the carrier is accompanied by approximately 60 aircraft, including F-18 fighter jets. Pentagon officials previously deployed eight warships, F-35 fighter jets, and at least one nuclear-powered submarine to the region.

In September, the US targeted ships allegedly carrying drugs at sea. Since then, the US has carried out 20 attacks on vessels allegedly smuggling drugs into the US, killing approximately 80 people.

There is no concrete evidence that the drug-carrying victims were actually members of Venezuelan drug cartels. Many in the US, including many Democrats, have questioned the legitimacy of the military strikes on these vessels.

In a rare move, Britain, one of Washington's closest allies, has stopped sharing certain intelligence with the US regarding attacks on boats in the Caribbean. Britain, which has major interests in the Caribbean, does not want to be involved in US military strikes in international waters, which are against international law. Canada has also suspended intelligence sharing following the illegal US strikes.

This aggressive US stance comes on the heels of Trump's declining popularity. Epstein's emails, released by a congressional committee, have rekindled speculation about Trump's ties to Epstein, a convicted child sex abuser who committed suicide while in prison.

The recent election cycle has seen a surge in the Democratic Party and increased confidence that the party could perform well in next year's midterm elections. Any issue such as military action in Venezuela could potentially push Epstein's files out of the news. Trump is now targeting Epstein's connections with Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton.

Trump and Maduro

Donald Trump's dislike of leftist President Maduro is well known. Although there is little evidence to support this, he insists that the Venezuelan leader has close ties to criminal gangs that smuggle deadly drugs into the United States. Administration officials present Trump's actions against Venezuela as an effort to combat narcoterrorism to dismantle international criminal groups and protect the homeland.

The Trump administration is eager to consolidate its power at home. Left-wing leaders like Maduro and Brazil's Lula da Silva are frequent targets of the president. In Brazil, Trump openly supported former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. What began as a campaign to curb drug trafficking in Venezuela has escalated into a dangerous confrontation. Trump portrays himself as a peacenik. His MAGA base opposes foreign wars involving American troops.