In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Caribbean, the United States has deployed a formidable array of special-operations aircraft, troops, and equipment near Venezuela, signaling a potential turning point in the ongoing standoff with President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The buildup, which began in earnest on December 22, 2025, has been accompanied by fiery rhetoric from President Trump and a flurry of diplomatic protests at the United Nations, raising alarms across the Americas and beyond.
According to The Wall Street Journal and corroborated by flight tracking data, at least ten CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft—favored by U.S. special-operations forces for their unique infiltration and extraction capabilities—arrived in the region from Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico on Monday night. On the same day, C-17 cargo planes from Fort Stewart and Fort Campbell landed in Puerto Rico, transporting personnel and equipment whose precise makeup remains undisclosed. These movements, U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal, hint at the involvement of elite units such as the 27th Special Operations Wing, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the 101st Airborne Division, and the 75th Ranger Regiment—all renowned for their rapid deployment and high-risk mission profiles.
Images and videos released by U.S. Southern Command showcased troops engaged in live-fire drills, reconnaissance, and drone operations in Puerto Rico, as well as flight maneuvers aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima in the Caribbean Sea. Rows of F-35B and F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, parked at the former Roosevelt Roads naval base in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, underscored the scale and seriousness of the deployment. A flurry of logistical activity was observed at José Aponte de la Torre Airport, with trucks and forklifts moving military hardware under tight security.
President Trump, flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, appeared before reporters on December 22 to tout what he described as “a massive armada formed” in the Caribbean. He hinted at further escalation, declaring, “Soon we will be starting the same program on land.” While the White House and Pentagon have refused to comment on the specifics of the operation, Trump’s remarks left little doubt about his administration’s intentions. “If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’ll ever be able to play tough,” Trump warned, referencing Maduro directly.
The military buildup comes against a backdrop of months-long U.S. air strikes targeting vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The White House has justified these actions as necessary to disrupt drug trafficking, though, as Venezuela’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, pointed out in a heated Security Council session on December 23, the U.S. has provided no concrete evidence for its claims. “It’s not just about Venezuela. The ambition is continental,” Moncada told the 15-member council, warning that the U.S. seeks to “divide and conquer” Latin America. “We want to alert the world that Venezuela is only the first target of a larger plan.”
Moncada accused the Trump administration of violating both international and U.S. domestic law by launching military actions without Congressional approval, a point that has resonated with critics at home and abroad. He also denounced the recent imposition of a naval blockade on all Venezuelan oil tankers sanctioned by the U.S., calling it “a military act aimed at laying siege to the Venezuelan nation.” According to Moncada, U.S. forces have seized at least two Venezuelan oil tankers and confiscated at least four million barrels of oil—a move he described as “a robbery carried out by military force.”
Washington, for its part, maintains that the blockade is a lawful enforcement action by the U.S. Coast Guard. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz argued before the Security Council that sanctioned oil tankers are “the primary economic lifeline for Maduro and his illegitimate regime,” and that Venezuelan oil revenues are fueling not only the government but also powerful drug cartels such as Tren de Aragua and the Cartel de los Soles—both designated as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration in 2025. Waltz insisted that the U.S. would continue to use “the full power” of its military to eradicate these threats.
The international response has been swift and pointed. Russia’s ambassador to the UN warned that U.S. intervention in Venezuela could “become a template for future acts of force against Latin American states,” while China’s representative charged that the U.S. actions “seriously infringe” on Venezuela’s sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights. These warnings underscore the risk that the standoff could spiral into a broader regional or even global confrontation.
Inside Venezuela, President Maduro has rejected U.S. accusations, insisting that the Trump administration is using drug trafficking claims as a pretext for regime change and the seizure of Venezuela’s natural resources. “Today, the masks have come off,” Moncada declared at the UN. “It is not drugs, it is not security, it is not freedom. It is oil, it is mines and it is land.”
Back in Washington, the administration’s moves have sparked a contentious debate. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed senators last week on the unfolding military actions, repeatedly assuring lawmakers that the administration is not seeking regime change through force. Yet, in an interview with journalist Chris Whipple, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles offered a candid assessment: “He wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle. And people way smarter than me on that say that he will.”
Public opinion in the United States, however, is far from united behind the administration’s strategy. A poll conducted by Economist/YouGov between December 20 and 22 found that only about one in five Americans supports using military force to overthrow Maduro or invade Venezuela, with majorities opposed to both options. Even among Republicans, support is tepid: 44% back forcibly ousting Maduro, and 43% favor an invasion, while significant minorities oppose such actions. The idea of a blockade is somewhat more popular—35% of Americans approve, and two-thirds of Republicans back it—but 40% disapprove.
Perhaps most tellingly, 74% of Americans say President Trump should seek Congressional authorization before taking military action in Venezuela, including overwhelming majorities of Democrats and independents and a solid majority of Republicans. Only 18% of Americans consider the situation in Venezuela a national emergency, and most view the country as either unfriendly or an outright enemy, but not a terrorist threat.
As the U.S. military flexes its might in the Caribbean and the world watches anxiously, the question remains: Will this show of force bring about the change in Venezuela that the Trump administration desires, or will it deepen divisions at home and abroad? The stakes, it seems, have rarely been higher.
