Trump’s Venezuela escalation raises questions about next steps
President Donald Trump’s unusual decision to reveal a covert U.S. strike against what he said was a drug-trafficking facility in Venezuela marked a new escalation in his pressure campaign against the regime of Nicolas Maduro, raising new questions about how far Trump is willing to go.
Trump, who’s repeatedly threatened to expand his campaign of airstrikes on drug vessels at sea to Venezuelan territory, gave few details of the operation, which wasn’t announced by the Pentagon. CNN and the New York Times said the attack was conducted by a CIA drone and didn’t cause any casualties. The CIA declined to comment.
The attack is likely to energize already-heated discussions in Congress about U.S. strategy toward Venezuela and the debate about how far Trump can go without seeking legislative authorization. While it would represent the first known U.S. strike on Venezuelan soil, the use of the intelligence agency and the targeting of an alleged Tren de Aragua cartel facility rather than an official government installation, complicate the picture.
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