Why is Trump threatening Venezuela's Maduro?

December 2, 2025

President Trump has significantly escalated pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by doubling the capture reward, deploying massive naval forces near Venezuela, and allegedly issuing an ultimatum for Maduro to leave the country. The Trump administration justifies these actions as part of efforts to combat drug trafficking and reduce Venezuelan migration to the United States, even though experts note Venezuela plays a relatively minor role in the drug trade and most cocaine and fentanyl reach the US through other routes. US military forces have conducted over twenty strikes on suspected drug-carrying boats in international waters since September, killing more than eighty people in operations that legal experts consider unlawful.

Who is affected

President Nicolás Maduro and his family
Edmundo González (opposition candidate in exile)
More than 80 people killed in US strikes on boats
Eight million Venezuelans who have fled the country since 2013
Venezuelan migrants who have arrived in the United States
Members of designated terrorist organizations Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles
15,000 US troops deployed to the Caribbean
Alleged drug traffickers operating in Caribbean waters
Venezuelan civilians and officials under Maduro's government

What action is being taken

The Trump administration has doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro's capture
US warships are positioned within striking distance of Venezuela
The US has deployed 15,000 troops along with aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, and amphibious assault ships to the Caribbean
US forces have carried out more than 20 strikes on boats alleged to be carrying drugs in international waters since early September
Trump has declared the airspace around Venezuela closed

Why it matters

This situation represents a significant escalation in US-Venezuela relations with potentially serious international legal and humanitarian implications. The military deployment is the largest in the Caribbean region since the 1989 Panama invasion, and legal experts, including a former International Criminal Court chief prosecutor, have characterized the strikes as unlawful attacks against civilians during peacetime. The conflict highlights tensions between Trump's immigration and drug policy priorities and the actual sources of these problems, as experts note Venezuela is a minor player in drug trafficking and fentanyl primarily comes through Mexico via land routes. The situation could destabilize the region further, potentially triggering more migration and raising questions about international law and sovereignty.

What's next

Trump has threatened to take action against Venezuelan drug traffickers "by land" without specifying operational details
Trump's press secretary has indicated that deploying US troops on the ground in Venezuela remains "on the table" as an option at the president's disposal
The Trump administration may pursue additional military options, as analysts note the Caribbean deployment exceeds what would be necessary for counternarcotics operations alone

Read full article from source: BBC