U.S. President Donald Trump has authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, according to a report by The New York Times. The directive, which officials say grants the CIA broad latitude to carry out lethal actions and other clandestine activities across Venezuela and parts of the Caribbean, marks a sharp escalation in Washington’s campaign to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump confirmed the authorization, describing it as a response to what he called Venezuela’s “destabilizing actions.” He accused the Maduro government of being complicit in large-scale narcotics trafficking and alleged that Caracas had “released criminals and psychiatric patients” into the United States through migration channels. “We’re not going to sit back and let a narco-regime export chaos into our country,” Trump said.
Earlier the same day, two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers flew unusually close to Venezuelan airspace before turning back, in what regional analysts interpreted as either a deterrent signal or a rehearsal for potential strikes. The Pentagon has since confirmed a buildup of U.S. forces in the Caribbean, including more than 10,000 troops—among them Marine contingents—along with eight warships, stealth bombers, and attack submarines positioned in the region.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has increasingly appeared determined to remove Maduro from power, with officials privately dismissing reports that Caracas had offered sweeping concessions. According to Western intelligence leaks, Maduro’s envoys allegedly proposed handing over significant control of Venezuela’s oil and mining sectors to U.S. and European companies in exchange for sanctions relief—an offer Washington reportedly rejected.
Analysts warn, however, that any effort to forcibly depose Maduro could face formidable challenges. In 2020, during Trump’s first term, a CIA-linked paramilitary attempt known as Operation Gideon collapsed after Venezuelan security forces intercepted the mission and arrested its participants. That failure, combined with the Maduro government’s enduring control over the military and intelligence apparatus, suggests any renewed U.S. push could face steep resistance.