The Caribbean is bracing for heightened tensions as the United States ramps up its military presence near Venezuela, with President Donald Trump suggesting he is close to a decision on possible military action. Over the past week, a series of high-level briefings, large-scale naval deployments, and joint exercises with regional allies have signaled a dramatic escalation in U.S. posture, raising questions about the future of the region and the fate of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The latest developments began on Sunday, November 16, 2025, when U.S. Marine Corps forces launched joint training exercises with the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force. According to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago, the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, operating under U.S. Southern Command, is focusing on regional stability, countering transnational threats, and improving disaster response. Dr. Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz, the U.S. Embassy’s chargé d’affaires, emphasized that the exercises are being conducted in close coordination with local authorities and emergency services “to ensure community safety and uphold cultural respect.”
Trinidad and Tobago, just seven miles from Venezuela’s coast, finds itself at the center of this strategic partnership. The embassy highlighted the importance of partnership, professionalism, and shared experiences, noting that the engagement includes informal interactions designed to foster camaraderie and mutual respect.
This military cooperation comes as President Trump faces mounting pressure to address ongoing instability and drug trafficking in the region. On Friday, November 15, 2025, Trump told reporters, “I sort of have made up my mind — yeah. I mean, I can’t tell you what it would be, but I sort of have,” when asked about possible military action in Venezuela, as reported by CBS News. The president’s comments coincided with the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, in the Caribbean. The Ford’s presence, along with more than a dozen warships, 15,000 U.S. troops, and 10 F-35 fighter jets deployed to Puerto Rico, marks one of the largest U.S. military buildups in the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama, according to CNN.
The operation, dubbed “Southern Spear,” is being led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and U.S. Southern Command. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the operation on social media, declaring, “Led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and @SOUTHCOM, this mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people. The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood – and we will protect it.”
Since early September 2025, the Trump administration has authorized strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, hitting 20 vessels and resulting in at least 80 deaths. The administration has labeled those on board as “narco-terrorists,” though officials have not publicly provided evidence to support these claims. The Pentagon has also deployed warships, surveillance planes, and fighter aircraft to the region, further escalating tensions with Venezuela’s leadership.
Inside the White House, Trump has been weighing a range of military options. According to CNN, he was briefed last week by a small group of top officials, including Defense Secretary Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio joining a larger national security meeting in the Situation Room. The options presented to Trump reportedly include air strikes on Venezuelan military or government facilities, targeting drug-trafficking routes and cocaine production centers, or even a direct attempt to remove Maduro from power. However, administration officials told lawmakers that the U.S. currently lacks a legal justification for attacks against land targets in Venezuela—though they have not ruled out the possibility of generating one.
Despite the show of force, Trump has repeatedly expressed caution about military intervention. In meetings, he has voiced concerns about the effectiveness of such actions and the risks they might pose to U.S. troops, people familiar with the matter told CNN. Trump’s wariness reflects broader skepticism within his administration. Both Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Hegseth, veterans of the Iraq War, have been reluctant to entangle the U.S. in prolonged foreign conflicts. “The American people did not vote for Trump to draw the US into a sustained conflict in Latin America. On that basis securing Trump’s commitment to long-lasting support for the opposition is likely to be a challenge,” a GOP congressional staffer told CNN. “And without that support, this won’t work.”
For now, the White House and Pentagon have declined to comment on the specifics of Operation Southern Spear or the president’s decision-making process. CBS News was first to report on the high-level briefings, but officials have remained tight-lipped, underscoring the sensitivity and potential consequences of any action.
The Venezuelan government, for its part, has responded with its own show of force. President Nicolás Maduro ordered the mobilization of nearly 200,000 soldiers after the USS Gerald R. Ford entered Latin American waters on November 11, 2025. In remarks from Caracas on Friday, Maduro warned that U.S. military intervention could lead to dire consequences, comparing the potential conflict to “another Gaza,” “a new Afghanistan,” or “Vietnam again.” He implored, “Stop the insane hand of those who order bombing, killing and bringing war to South America, to the Caribbean. Stop the war. No to war.”
Experts have described the scale and speed of the U.S. military buildup as unprecedented in recent decades. Eric Farnsworth, senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CNN, “It’s the most significant build up this century. In fact, you have to go back to 1989, the US invasion of Panama, for anything remotely similar.”
While some in Washington see the potential for a decisive blow against Maduro’s regime—an outcome that has eluded multiple U.S. administrations—others warn of the risks. Regime change would require a serious commitment and could trigger a fractured opposition, a military insurgency, or even broader regional instability. Trump’s previous recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader failed to produce a transition of power, and a 2019 coup attempt fizzled. If the U.S. were to oust Maduro, it could open the door to enhanced cooperation on drug and migration flows and new oil deals, but it might also ignite a protracted conflict and political backlash at home.
As the week progresses, U.S. Marines continue their joint exercises with Trinidad and Tobago, and military assets remain on high alert in the Caribbean. The world watches closely, uncertain whether the buildup will culminate in action or restraint. For now, President Trump’s statement—“I sort of have made up my mind”—hangs over the region, leaving allies and adversaries alike guessing what comes next.
In a region where history is often shaped by moments of brinkmanship, the coming days could prove decisive for Venezuela, the United States, and the broader Western Hemisphere.
