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Reports: U.S. Military Preparing Plans To Strike Inside Venezuela, Targeting Drug Traffickers

Options are being drawn up by the United States military to target drug traffickers inside Venezuela. Although U.S. President Donald Trump has not approved any firm action yet, these strikes could potentially begin within Venezuela’s borders as early as in a matter of weeks, according to four (4) sources — two (2) U.S. Officials familiar with the planning and two (2) other sources familiar with the discussions — in communications with NBC News. These sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the plans publicly. The plans being discussed are primarily focused on drone strikes against drug trafficking groups’ members and leadership, as well as targeting drug labs, according to the four (4) sources.

The U.S. and Venezuela are said to be communicating through Middle Eastern intermediaries in the interim. A Senior Official within the Trump administration said Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has spoken to those intermediaries about concessions he would be willing to make in order to remain in power. Trump is “prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice,” the Senior Official said.

Any strikes within Venezuela’s borders, ordered by Trump, would be another escalation in the U.S. military campaign against alleged drug targets and the Trump administration’s unwavering stance toward Venezuela’s Government, led by Maduro.

In recent weeks, the U.S. military struck at least three (3) boats originating from Venezuela, allegedly carrying narco-traffickers and drugs that could threaten Americans. An Official in the Dominican Republic, alongside one from the U.S. Embassy stationed there, confirmed at a Press Conference on Sunday (21st September, 2025) that drugs were found in the waters following one of the strikes.

The recent U.S. military escalation near Venezuela is in part a result of Maduro not doing enough, in the Trump administration’s view, to stop the flow of illegal drugs out of his country.

According to the U.S. military, at least eight (8) ships with more than 4,000 personnel have been deployed to the waters in the region recently, and F-35 fighter jets were sent to Puerto Rico. “You don’t move that many resources down there without looking at all options,” the source familiar with the administration’s thinking said.

When asked for comment by NBC News, the White House referred to a previous statement from President Trump, which said: “We’ll see what happens. Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs. It’s not acceptable.” Meanwhile, the Pentagon declined to comment.

Maduro is said to have sent a letter earlier this month to Trump about opening a dialogue, according to a social media post by the Venezuelan Government — which was later confirmed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who condemned the letter. Speaking at a White House Press Briefing on Monday (22nd September, 2025), Leavitt said, “Frankly, I think there were a lot of lies that were repeated by Maduro in that letter, and the administration’s position on Venezuela has not changed.” Leavitt added, “We view the Maduro regime as illegitimate, and the President has clearly shown that he’s willing to use any and all means necessary to stop the illegal trafficking of deadly drugs from the Venezuelan regime into the United States of America.”

The Venezuelan Government did not immediately respond to a request for comment by NBC News. 

Maduro has previously denied any role in drug trafficking and has repeatedly alleged that the U.S. is trying to force him out of power as the President of Venezuela.

More on this as it becomes available. 

[Source: NBC News] 

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