Overview
- U.S. forces in the region have studied Venezuela’s air defenses and are prepared for a possible order to attack, with The Washington Post reporting multiple strike options were presented to President Trump and no final decision announced.
- Trump said he has formed his view on how to proceed on Venezuela without disclosing it, claimed drug inflows have slowed, and maintains a carrier-led naval group is operating in the Caribbean for counter-narcotics.
- The Wall Street Journal reported a secret DOJ memo describing fentanyl as a potential chemical weapon in outlining the legal basis for maritime strikes, while a DOJ spokesperson said the justification does not rely on chemical-weapons arguments.
- The Times, after earlier CNN reporting, said UK services paused sharing maritime vessel intelligence with Washington over legal-liability concerns tied to U.S. actions in international waters.
- Media counts indicate about 20 U.S. strikes since September with roughly 80 deaths, drawing regional criticism, as Trinidad and Tobago announced joint exercises with the U.S. 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit from November 16–21 focused on counter-narcotics.