Senior Trump administration officials have held three high-level meetings at the White House this week to consider potential military operations in Venezuela, U.S. officials said on Friday, as the United States increases its military footprint across the Caribbean.
The discussions come amid a significant buildup ordered by President Donald Trump, who in recent weeks has deployed F-35 fighter jets, multiple warships and a nuclear-powered submarine to the region. Earlier this week, the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group — carrying more than 75 aircraft and over 5,000 personnel — moved into the Latin America theater as part of the expanded U.S. presence.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he had “sort of made up” his mind on whether to authorize military action against Venezuela, a country he has repeatedly accused of deep involvement in international drug trafficking. “I can’t tell you what it would be,” he added, hinting at an imminent decision.
According to four U.S. officials and a source familiar with the deliberations, the Homeland Security Council convened three times this week to discuss evolving options. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, and three confirmed that one of the meetings occurred on Friday.
The council, which typically advises the president on homeland security issues, is ordinarily chaired by Stephen Miller, Trump’s homeland security adviser.
One official said a smaller, preliminary session was held on Wednesday. A broader, more senior-level meeting followed on Thursday, bringing together Vice President JD Vance, Miller, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, among others.
The expanded U.S. deployments follow two months of deadly attacks on vessels off the Venezuelan coast, incidents U.S. officials have described as increasingly destabilizing.
A final decision on Washington’s next steps remains pending, but Trump signaled that the administration is nearing a turning point.
