Trump open to Venezuela talks but stresses no military strikes planned

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro wants to hold talks with the United States as tensions rise between the two countries, President Donald Trump said on Sunday, but stressed that he did not plan or authorize any ground military strikes against the South American country.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in West Palm Beach, Trump said the recent US designation of a Venezuela-linked gang gives the government the authority to target Maduro’s assets or infrastructure. He added that while such measures are possible, no decision has been made.

“He allows us to do that,” Trump said. “But we didn’t say we would do that… Maybe we will have some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out. They want to talk.”

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The president said his administration is keeping congress informed of ongoing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking through Venezuela and Mexico, but emphasized that he does not need approval from lawmakers to act. He said the outreach to Congress was to keep them informed, not to get permission.

Trump added that he asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials to meet with lawmakers and inform them that the United States will not allow drugs to flow through either country.

“We would like to keep Congress involved,” he said. “I mean we prevent drug dealers and drug dealers from entering our country.”

Trump agrees that Maduro’s days as president of Venezuela are numbered in a 60 Minutes interview

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Celia Flores parade in a military vehicle during Independence Day celebrations in Caracas on July 5, 2025. (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump warned members of Congress against leaking sensitive details about American operations that could put military or intelligence personnel at risk. Trump said he supports transparency but acknowledged that sharing classified information could put American lives at risk.

“The only thing I don’t want them to do is leak important and highly confidential information,” he said. “They’re endangering our military or whoever is doing this, you know, the CIA, the Army, etc.”

Trump said that several countries support American efforts to pressure Venezuela, describing the campaign as part of a broader war against drugs and illegal immigration. He accused the Maduro regime of releasing violent prisoners to the United States, and said his administration was evacuating them.

Trump says Venezuelan Maduro does not want to mess with the United States

US Southern Command released footage showing a precision strike carried out by US forces on a drug ship operated by a designated terrorist organization in the eastern Pacific Ocean on November 15. (US Southern Command)

“Yes, we have a lot of support because it’s all about drugs,” he said. “Well, in the case of Venezuela, it’s about drugs, and it’s also about the thousands and hundreds of thousands of people who have been released into our country.”

He said that the Biden administration bears responsibility for what he described as a historic border crisis, pointing to the influx of immigrants and criminals who entered during the era of the previous administration.

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“Our country is in very good shape,” Trump said. “But what the Biden administration has done to our country should never be forgotten.”

He continued: “The worst thing they did was allow 20 or 25 million people to flood into our country.” “People from prisons, drug dealers, mental hospitals, hoodlums, gang members — we should never forget allowing this to happen to the United States, absolutely unchecked and unchecked.”