Trump Dismisses War with Venezuela, Hints at Changes in Leadership

Mon Nov 03 2025 13:38:15 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a recent interview, President Trump downplayed the likelihood of a U.S. war with Venezuela, while suggesting that President Maduro's regime may be on borrowed time.

During an interview with CBS's '60 Minutes', President Trump stated he does not foresee a military conflict with Venezuela, although he hinted at the possible end of Nicolás Maduro's presidency. Amid ongoing U.S. military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels, Trump emphasized the seriousness of drug-related crimes plaguing the U.S. He refrained from fully ruling out land strikes against Venezuela, stating the situation involves 'many things' beyond drug trafficking.

Donald Trump has played down the possibility of a US war with Venezuela, but suggested Nicolás Maduro's days as the country's president are numbered.

Asked if the US was going to war against Venezuela, the US president told CBS' 60 Minutes: I doubt it. I don't think so. But they've been treating us very badly.

His comments come as the US continues to launch strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. The Trump administration says the strikes are necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the US.

Trump rejected suggestions that the US action was not about stopping narcotics, but aimed at ousting Maduro, a long-time Trump opponent, saying it was about many things.

At least 64 people have been killed by US strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September, CBS News - the BBC's US News partner - reported.

Speaking from Mar-a-Lago, Florida, Trump stated: Every single boat that you see that's shot down kills 25,000 on drugs and destroys families all over our country.

Pushed on whether the US was planning any strikes on land, Trump refused to rule it out, saying: I wouldn't be inclined to say that I would do that... I'm not gonna tell you what I'm gonna do with Venezuela, if I was gonna do it or if I wasn't going to do it.

Maduro has previously accused Washington of fabricating a new war, while Colombian President Gustavo Petro has said the strikes on boats are being used by the US to dominate Latin America.

Trump singled out the Tren de Aragua gang from Venezuela, calling it the most vicious gang anywhere in the world as he expressed concerns about illegal immigration from various regions.

This was Trump's first interview with CBS since he sued its parent company, Paramount, over a 2024 interview with then Vice-President Kamala Harris.

He claimed the interview had been edited to tip the scales in favor of the Democratic party.

He last appeared on CBS's 60 Minutes in 2020, when he walked out of an interview with Lesley Stahl due to perceived bias.