Trump "Does Not Rule Out Military Action in Venezuela... Open to Talks With Maduro"

Hints at Possible Attacks on Mexican and Colombian Drug Cartels

President Donald Trump of the United States has left open the possibility of dialogue with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, while not ruling out the option of military operations against Venezuela.

On the 17th (local time), during a 2026 FIFA World Cup task force event held at the White House, President Trump was asked by reporters about the possibility of talks with President Maduro. He responded, "I would probably talk to him. I talk to everyone," and added, "At some point, I will talk to him."

Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by Getty Images Yonhap News

However, when asked whether he would rule out the possibility of deploying U.S. ground forces to Venezuela, he said, "No. I do not rule that out."

President Trump stated, "We simply have to resolve the Venezuela issue. They have sent hundreds of thousands of people from their prisons to our country," and continued, "Maduro has caused significant harm to our country. While the drug problem is a major reason, the influx of Venezuelan prisoners into our country has been a disaster, more so than from any other nation."

The Trump administration, the previous day, deployed a carrier strike group led by the world's most powerful aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Caribbean Sea off the northern coast of Venezuela. Additionally, it announced plans to designate the Venezuela-based international criminal organization 'Cartel de los Soles' as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), naming President Maduro and his close associates as its leaders. This move has been interpreted as a step toward preparing for a military attack to oust President Maduro.

The Associated Press evaluated these remarks as "further deepening the uncertainty over the Trump administration's next steps toward the Maduro regime."

President Trump has so far pursued a policy of "America First," aiming to minimize foreign military interventions, and has drawn a line against deploying U.S. ground forces in the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

At the same time, in the Americas and surrounding regions, the term "Donroe Doctrine" has emerged to describe the increasing influence of the United States. The Donroe Doctrine, a combination of President Trump's name and former President James Monroe's "Monroe Doctrine"-which emphasized the autonomy of American nations and excluded European interference-means that while rejecting the role of "world police," the United States is willing to actively use military power in the Americas and the Western Hemisphere to protect its own interests.

Meanwhile, President Trump also hinted at the possibility of attacking drug cartels in mainland Mexico and Colombia to block the inflow of drugs. He said, "Will I conduct attacks in Mexico to stop drugs? I will do whatever it takes to stop drugs," adding, "I am in discussions with Mexico. They know my position." He also stated, "There are cocaine manufacturing plants in Colombia," and when asked if he would destroy those plants, he said, "Personally, I would be proud to do so."

He clarified, "I am not saying that I will actually do it," but added, "However, I would be proud to do it because it would save millions of lives."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.