Overview

• The New York Times reports that President Donald Trump ordered envoy Richard Grenell to cease all outreach to Caracas, effectively ending months of discreet talks.
• Nicolás Maduro publicly downplayed the report of a cutoff, saying Venezuela had only limited lines to Washington and asserting that such channels come and go.
• Venezuelan officials say they alerted U.S. counterparts through multiple pathways to an alleged extremist scheme to bomb the U.S. embassy, describing it as a possible false-flag operation under investigation.
• A U.S. State Department response noted the United States has had no diplomatic presence in Caracas since 2019 and emphasized security as a top priority without confirming the alleged plot.
• The standoff continues at sea, with the U.S. keeping at least eight warships, a fast-attack submarine and thousands of troops in the southern Caribbean after lethal strikes on suspected trafficking boats, while Venezuelan forces conduct live-fire coastal defense exercises.