President Donald Trump has authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct intelligence operations in Venezuela, citing two primary reasons: the influx of criminal and mentally ill individuals from the country entering the United States and the significant flow of drugs into the nation. This move aligns with broader U.S. efforts to combat drug trafficking in Latin America, following the U.S. military’s recent strikes against drug shipments in the Caribbean. Trump emphasized that Venezuela’s actions have been particularly damaging, with the country allegedly ’emptying their prisons’ and mental institutions into the U.S., a situation he attributed to the country’s ‘open border policy.’ The president, however, did not confirm whether the CIA would take action against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, dismissing the question as ‘ridiculous.’
Speaking at a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, Trump stated that the decision was part of a larger strategy to address drug trafficking in Latin America, following the U.S. military’s recent strikes against drug boats in the Caribbean. He highlighted that Venezuela has been particularly culpable, with the country allegedly ’emptying their prisons’ and mental institutions into the U.S., a situation he blamed on the country’s ‘open border policy.’ Trump also reiterated that the CIA’s operations are part of a broader effort to disrupt drug flows and protect national security. The president did not confirm whether the CIA would take action against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, dismissing the question as ‘ridiculous.’
Trump’s comments about authorizing unspecified actions by the CIA in Venezuela came after the New York Times reported earlier in the day that the president had authorized the spy agency to carry out lethal, covert actions in Venezuela. The president stated that Venezuela is feeling heat, but also noted that ‘a lot of other countries are feeling heat too.’ He warned that the U.S. would not allow its country to be ‘ruined because other people want to drop, as you say, their worst — they have given us their worst. They’ve loaded up our country with prisoners, with mentally ill people that are seriously ill, criminally ill, and we’re not going to take it.’ The remark underscores the administration’s position on immigration and national security, framing Venezuela’s actions as a direct threat to U.S. interests.