US President Donald Trump revealed on Friday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had offered “everything” to Washington in order to avert growing military pressure from the United States. Speaking to reporters during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump said, “He has offered everything. You’re right. You know why? Because he doesn’t want to fuck around with the United States.”
The remarks come amid heightened US military activity in the region. In recent weeks, the United States has carried out a series of strikes against vessels allegedly transporting drugs across the Caribbean Sea. Trump confirmed that the US had recently targeted a submarine designed to transport large quantities of narcotics, stressing that “this was not an innocent group of people.”
Trump’s comments underscore the administration’s view of Maduro as both an illegitimate leader and a figure heading a drug cartel. The US has reportedly authorised covert operations in Venezuela, with the CIA playing a role in recent measures aimed at increasing pressure on the Maduro government.
Meanwhile, Maduro has framed the US build-up as a threat of “regime change” and sought to consolidate domestic support through military drills and campaigns to recruit civilian militias. The Venezuelan president’s government, including Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, has reportedly floated offers to the US in which Maduro could step down and grant access to the country’s oil and mineral resources. The Trump administration has denied taking these overtures, and Rodríguez has dismissed the reports as part of a “psychological war” against the Venezuelan people.
The timing of Trump’s statements coincided with the sudden announcement that Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of US Southern Command, will retire at the end of the year after less than a year in the role. While The New York Times reported that Holsey’s decision may have been linked to concerns about operations against Venezuelan targets, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell dismissed the suggestion, stating on X that “there was no hesitation or concerns about this mission.”
Trump’s disclosures on Friday highlight a complex interplay of diplomacy, military pressure, and covert operations in the US approach to Venezuela, demonstrating the administration’s willingness to publicize its strategy while emphasizing its readiness to act decisively in the region.
