(CNN) — President Donald Trump was briefed this week on options for military operations inside Venezuela as he continues to consider a path forward in the country, four sources told CNN.
Trump has yet to decide how to proceed and continues to weigh the risks and benefits of launching a scaled-up campaign. The president has previously expressed reservations about taking military action aimed at ousting Nicolás Maduro, concerned about whether such efforts would be effective.
Wednesday’s briefing included an updated set of options for the president to consider, but did not indicate that he is closer to making a decision, one source said. Another source familiar with the briefing noted that the options were similar to those discussed within the Pentagon and reported publicly in recent weeks.
The target options, which United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has assigned planning cells to develop, are part of an operation dubbed “SOUTHERN SPEAR,” according to a senior U.S. official aware of the planning. These options were presented by top officials on Trump’s national security team, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
Hegseth announced the operation on X (formerly Twitter) Thursday night, though he did not reveal further details. He wrote, “Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and @SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people. The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood and we will protect it.”
Southern Command had previously announced an operation called Operation Southern Spear in January. At that time, officials said it would utilize “long-dwell robotic surface vessels, small robotic interceptor boats, and vertical take-off and landing robotic air vessels” to support counternarcotics efforts.
The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on Southern Spear, and the White House also declined to comment on the briefing.
Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, described by the U.S. Navy as “the most capable, adaptable, and lethal combat platform in the world,” arrived in the Caribbean this week amid a significant scale-up of U.S. military resources in the region.
President Trump has been presented with a wide range of options regarding Venezuela, including air strikes targeting military or government facilities and drug trafficking routes, or a more direct attempt to remove Maduro.
CNN previously reported that the president was considering plans to target cocaine production facilities and drug trafficking routes inside Venezuela. However, it remains possible that he may forgo any military action altogether.
Administration officials told lawmakers last week that the U.S. currently lacks a legal justification to support attacks against land targets in Venezuela, though it is possible such a justification could be developed in the future.
Trump recently told CBS’ “60 Minutes” that he was not considering strikes inside Venezuela, despite earlier indicating openness to the idea. In meetings, the president has appeared wary of ordering actions that could end in failure or put U.S. troops at risk, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/14/trump-briefed-this-week-on-options-for-military-operations-in-venezuela/