Trump Authorizes CIA Operations in Venezuela

President Trump on Wednesday appeared to confirm he authorized the CIA to carry out operations in Venezuela, an escalation into his administration’s targeting of authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro.

Trump was asked by a reporter in the Oval Office why he authorized the CIA to be able to strike inside Venezuela, to which Trump appeared to confirm the authorization and added that he was looking to expand to “land” strikes.

“I authorized for two reasons really, number one they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, they came in through the border,” Trump said, repeating a criticism of illegal immigration.

“A lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of drugs come in through the sea, but we’re going to stop them by land also.”

Trump’s comments follow reporting from The New York Times and CNN that the president authorized the CIA to expand covert operations inside Venezuela, raising the prospect of action against Maduro.

Trump refused to answer a question about whether the CIA has authority to take out Maduro, but he indicated the action is meant to increase pressure on Caracas.

“I think Venezuela is feeling heat. … We’re not going to let our country be ruined because other people want to drop, as you say, their worst … we’re not going to take them,” Trump said.

“It’s one of those things, I can tell you, we’ve taken care of the sea. There’s nobody — and we’re watching and if we see it, we’ll save it.”