White House Holds 3 Meetings on Venezuela Military Strikes

The White House held three meetings this week where senior military officials presented President Trump with updated options for potential military operations inside Venezuela, including land strikes against government facilities, targeting President Maduro’s security detail, and seizing oil infrastructure. The briefings, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, occurred as the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group entered the Caribbean, escalating pressure on Caracas.
The most significant briefing happened Wednesday, November 13, when top officials laid out scenarios for “the coming days,” according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions. Options ranged from air strikes on military and drug trafficking sites to more direct action against Maduro himself. However, sources cautioned that no final decision has been made, and Trump remains concerned about risks to American troops and potential failure.
The meetings form part of Operation Southern Spear, the newly named campaign that has already killed over 80 alleged smugglers in 21 vessel strikes since September. Hegseth announced the operation Thursday, declaring: “If you’re trafficking drugs to poison the American people… we will find you and we will kill you.” The operation now includes roughly 15,000 U.S. troops, a nuclear submarine, eight warships, F-35 fighters, and the Ford carrier with 60+ aircraft.
Venezuela responded by mobilizing 200,000 troops for nationwide exercises, with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino calling U.S. strikes “murder of defenseless people without due process.” Maduro warned that “millions of men and women with rifles would march” if the U.S. attacks, while planning guerrilla resistance tactics across 280 locations.
International pushback complicates any strike decision. The UK halted intelligence sharing in September, citing “extrajudicial killings” that violate international law. Colombia partially suspended cooperation, and UN human rights chief Volker Türk demanded an independent investigation. Legal experts question whether the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force covers cartels, and senators were told last month that current legal analysis only supports boat strikes—not land operations.
Trump told reporters Friday he has “made up my mind” on Venezuela but won’t disclose details, saying only “we’ve made a lot of progress.” The president previously told CBS he wasn’t considering strikes inside Venezuela, though officials say options remain active. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found just 21% of Americans support military intervention.
The Ford’s deployment creates a strategic “shot clock,” as analysts note the carrier cannot linger indefinitely without being used or withdrawn, each carrying profound consequences. With three White House meetings in one week, the administration appears to be seriously considering its most direct military action in Latin America in decades.