WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a highly controversial and uncharacteristic public admission, U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed the authorization of secret Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operations within Venezuela, fueling intense domestic debate and drawing immediate international condemnation. The revelation, made during a public event in the Oval Office on October 15, 2025, provides explicit confirmation of covert intelligence activities aimed at a sovereign nation, simultaneously confirming earlier reports by major media outlets.
The President’s acknowledgment arrived amidst heightened tensions in the Caribbean, following a surge in U.S. military airstrikes targeting vessels allegedly engaged in drug trafficking. U.S. forces have bombed at least five ships since early September, resulting in 27 fatalities, with four of those vessels originating from Venezuela. Critics argue these military actions, combined with the new CIA revelation, push the U.S. precariously close to an undeclared military conflict.
When directly questioned about the rationale behind authorizing the CIA’s activities in Venezuela, President Trump offered two primary justifications, both centering on national security and border integrity. "I allowed it for two reasons," Trump stated. "The first reason is they have been dumping all of their prisoners into the U.S. The second reason is drugs—there are a lot of drugs coming from Venezuela, and a lot of Venezuelan drugs are being brought through the sea."
Significantly, the U.S. leader did not stop at confirming existing covert operations. He further escalated the situation by confirming that his administration is "looking at ground operations" as part of the plan for future attacks. However, he conspicuously refused to clarify whether the CIA’s mandate extended to explicit regime change efforts aimed at Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Maduro Administration Responds with Fierce Condemnation
The reaction from Caracas was immediate and strongly worded. Although Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro did not directly reference Trump’s admission during a televised event of the National Council on Sovereignty and Peace on October 15, his speech was a thinly veiled indictment of U.S. interventionism.
Maduro launched a scathing critique of the CIA's historical track record in global conflicts and regime change efforts. "Say no to regime change, that reminds us too much of the endless failed wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya…," he stated. He explicitly invoked past atrocities, adding, "Say no to CIA-led coups, which recall the 30,000 disappeared," referencing the estimated number of victims during the Argentine military dictatorship. Maduro concluded with a forceful rejection of military action: "How long will the CIA continue to stage coups? Latin America does not want, does not need, and rejects them… Say no to war in the Caribbean, say no to war in South America, say yes to peace."
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry followed up with a formal communiqué rejecting President Trump’s "belligerent and extravagant statements, in which he publicly admitted to authorizing operations against Venezuela’s peace and stability." Foreign Minister Yván Gil stated via social media that the "unprecedented statement constitutes a very serious violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, compelling the community of nations to condemn these clearly excessive and unimaginable statements."
Congressional Concerns Over Undeclared War
The escalation in military and covert operations has not only triggered international backlash but has also generated serious anxiety among U.S. lawmakers, particularly regarding the administration's authority to wage war without congressional approval. The administration had recently described drug gangs as "illegal combatants," declaring the U.S. was in an "armed conflict" with them to justify the military actions blocking the flow of narcotics.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed deep concern on the same day as Trump’s admission. While supporting efforts to suppress trafficking, Shaheen warned that the administration was crossing dangerous lines.
"The Trump administration’s authorization for the CIA to secretly conduct deadly attacks on vessels and the suggestion of ground operations in Venezuela are pushing the United States closer to a direct conflict without transparency, oversight, or any clear boundaries," Senator Shaheen stated. She emphasized the public's right to know: "The American people have the right to know whether the administration is leading the U.S. into another conflict, endangering service members, or pursuing a campaign for regime change."
Further casting doubt on the administration’s narrative, two anonymous U.S. officials cited by the Associated Press revealed that the Trump administration has yet to provide Congress with basic evidence confirming that the ships bombed by the U.S. military were actually carrying drugs. The officials noted that lawmakers were only shown video clips of the attacks, some of which were already publicly shared by President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on social media. The combination of confirmed covert operations and questionable military rationale deepens the crisis, suggesting a far more aggressive and unilateral approach to foreign policy than previously disclosed.
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