>> Continued From the Previous Page <<
Maduro reportedly refused, insisting he intended to remain in charge of the Venezuelan armed forces, even as U.S. pressure intensifies. His defiance has only heightened speculation that Washington may be preparing a dramatic next step.
Trump Confirms the Call — but Stays Muted on Tone
Speaking with reporters on Sunday, Trump confirmed he personally spoke with the embattled socialist leader. When pressed on how the discussion went, the president delivered a characteristically sharp response: “No, I wouldn’t say it went well or badly. It was a phone call.” The remark offered no hint of what might come next, though critics and allies alike recognize that Trump rarely opens a conversation without a strategic purpose.
High-Stakes Meeting Could Finalize U.S. Plans
CNN reported that Trump will gather his national security brass at 5 p.m. Monday to lock in the next phase of the evolving Venezuela operation. The network noted that the initiative is designed to dismantle what Trump has repeatedly branded a narco-terrorist stronghold operating just beyond America’s shores.
Expected to attend the meeting are Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The administration has not confirmed the attendee list, but multiple outlets say preparations are already underway.
Land Operations May Soon Follow Naval Interdictions
Last week, Trump hinted that U.S. interdiction efforts — which until now have focused primarily on catching drug-smuggling vessels — may soon expand inland. He suggested action on the ground could begin “very soon,” a comment that immediately raised alarms inside the Maduro regime.
But on Sunday, when asked if his “closed airspace” warning was meant to signal incoming airstrikes, the president downplayed the speculation, telling reporters, “Don’t read anything into it.”
Trump: Venezuela Is Not a Trusted Neighbor
Pressed further about why the administration had taken such a dramatic step, Trump was direct: “Because we consider Venezuela to be not a very friendly country.”
He then expanded on his criticism, arguing the Maduro regime has used the migrant crisis as a weapon against the United States. “They sent millions of people really and probably a number in excess of that and a lot of those people shouldn’t be in our country from jails, from gangs, drug dealers, from all of the people that came into our country, shouldn’t have been in our country causing a lot of problems and drugs,” Trump said.
Maduro Regime Pushes Back — Hard
Venezuelan authorities fired back, rejecting Trump’s statement outright. According to CBS, the regime insisted that “No authority outside the Venezuelan institutionality has the power to interfere, block or condition the use of national airspace.” In the same breath, Caracas bragged that it had “unilaterally suspended” U.S. flights deporting illegal immigrants back to Venezuela.
American Forces Positioned for Rapid Action
Meanwhile, the New York Post reported that the U.S. military presence surrounding Venezuela has grown formidable. Eleven American warships — including the USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group with more than 70 aircraft — are positioned within striking distance. Roughly 15,000 U.S. troops are now in the region, a deployment that signals the White House is preparing for rapid response should the situation escalate.
