Overview
- Two U.S. officials say the president has not decided on attacks inside Venezuela after three consecutive days of options briefings.
- Roughly 15,000 personnel and the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group are deployed near Venezuela with capacity for rapid strikes, according to open-source estimates.
- U.S. operations have targeted suspected drug-smuggling vessels since September, with at least 83 people reported killed and no U.S. casualties so far.
- Trump has hinted at possible discussions with Maduro after previously halting outreach, as he questions risks to troops and prospects for success.
- Analysts caution that limited strikes are unlikely to curb trafficking or secure regime change, and a large-scale invasion is unrealistic with current forces, while Congress presses for more transparency after a 49–51 vote failed to restrict action.