2:25President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House, October 15, 2025 in Washington.Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump verified that he had greenlit CIA activities in Venezuela, also suggesting that his government is considering ground assaults within the South American nation.
Trump stated that he couldn’t share added details regarding the secret CIA endeavors, initially detailed by the New York Times, however he mentioned he sanctioned them due to the movement of immigrants and narcotics originating from the country.
"I gave the nod for two main reasons. First off, they have emptied out their prisons into the United States. They entered through, well, the border," Trump expressed during a Q&A with reporters in the Oval Office.
"And the second factor are drugs, we have a high volume of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and many of the Venezuelan drugs arrive by sea. So, you’ll notice that, but we intend to put a stop to them on land too," Trump included.
President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House, October 15, 2025 in Washington.Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
When queried whether the CIA was empowered to "eliminate" Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, Trump considered it a "preposterous" question to address.
"However, I believe Venezuela is under pressure. And I think numerous other nations are also feeling the heat. We will not allow this country, our country, to be devastated because others wish to send, as you say, their worst," Trump commented.
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry voiced condemnation of Trump’s declarations Wednesday evening, asserting that the operations represent a policy encompassing aggression, threats, and intimidation against Venezuela.
"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela disavows the outrageous statements from the President of the United States, in which he overtly acknowledges having approved operations aimed at acting against the peace and stability of Venezuela," the statement conveyed.
The foreign ministry declared it would "submit this grievance" to the security council and the secretary general of the United Nations.
"Furthermore, the statement by the President of the United States endeavors to cast a negative light on Venezuelan and Latin American migration, promoting xenophobic and perilous narratives," the Foreign Ministry’s statement carried on.
Upon being questioned about the forthcoming steps in his administration’s "war" against drug cartels and whether they were contemplating strikes on land, Trump mentioned they were examining it.
"Well, I’d prefer not to disclose the specifics, but we’re definitely focusing on land now since we have a firm grip on the sea," the president affirmed.
On Tuesday, Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared a video displaying another deadly strike on an alleged drug vessel from Venezuela.
Since Sept. 2, Trump has given the order for military attacks on a minimum of five vessels in the Caribbean Sea, which the administration insists, without offering proof, were transporting drugs to the U.S. The utilization of lethal military force against drug boats is unparalleled and gives rise to legal concerns. Prior administrations have depended on law enforcement to intercept drug deliveries.
An image from a video released by President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account, claims to show a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel just off the Coast of Venezuela, Oct. 14, 2025.@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
During the event in the Oval Office, Trump faced inquiries regarding how the administration confirms that the boats contain drugs and drug dealers, and Trump asserted that the administration was confident despite not presenting any substantiation.
When questioned about why the administration isn’t tasking the Coast Guard with halting the boats, Trump responded, "Because we’ve been trying that for 30 years and it’s been a complete failure."
"They possess faster vessels. Certain boats are seriously — I mean, they’re top-tier speedboats — but they don’t outpace missiles," Trump stated.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
