Pentagon Briefs Trump on Updated Venezuela Strike Options as Carrier Group Arrives in Theater

The review follows expanded drug‑interdiction operations that moved a U.S. carrier group into Southern Command, with recent maritime strikes causing dozens of deaths.

Overview

CBS News reports that U.S. military planners presented President Trump with new options for operations against Venezuela, including potential land strikes, with no final decision taken.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Kain led the briefing and outlined actions that could be executed in the coming days, according to the reporting.
The Pentagon says the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group has entered the Southern Command area to enforce directives targeting narcotics trafficking and transnational criminal organizations.
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt says the United States will continue using force to interdict drug trafficking in the Caribbean, reaffirming the current operational posture.
Recent U.S. strikes have destroyed about 20–21 boats off Latin America with nearly 80 fatalities, CNN’s count shows, as Colombia protested one death as a fisherman and Venezuela warned of an invasion threat.