U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, that he had authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s efforts to pressure President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
The New York Times first reported the classified directive, citing U.S. officials familiar with the decision. Speaking to reporters, President Trump said he approved the operations due to the large volume of drugs entering the United States from Venezuela, much of it trafficked by sea.
“We are looking at land now, because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” Trump said, emphasizing the administration’s focus on curbing narcotics flow via alternative routes. When asked why the U.S. Coast Guard was not intercepting suspected drug trafficking vessels—a standard practice for decades—Trump described such efforts as “politically correct” and said they had not been effective.
“I think Venezuela is feeling heat,” Trump said, though he declined to comment when asked whether the CIA has the authority to target Maduro directly.
In addition to drug trafficking concerns, Trump accused Venezuela of releasing large numbers of prisoners into the United States, including individuals from mental health facilities, without specifying which border crossings were involved.
Requests for comment from Maduro’s Information Ministry and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado’s press team were not immediately returned.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, with the Trump administration signaling a more aggressive approach to countering narcotics and political threats from Caracas.