Trump Claims Venezuela’s Maduro Offered ‘Everything’ to Ease US Tensions

US President Donald Trump declared on Friday that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro had proposed sweeping concessions in an attempt to de-escalate tensions with Washington. Trump also confirmed a new US strike on a drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean, which reportedly left survivors — adding another layer to the already fraught relations between the two nations.

US-Venezuela Tensions at a Glance

Speaking at the White House, Trump was blunt when asked about reports that Caracas had initiated backchannel efforts to ease hostilities: “He has offered everything, you’re right. You know why? Because he doesn’t want to mess around with the United States,” Trump said, using strong language to emphasise his point.

Maduro, accused by Washington of stealing elections and running a narco-state, has long claimed that the US seeks regime change in Venezuela.

In contrast, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez dismissed a Miami Herald report alleging she had engaged in talks with the US on Maduro’s potential ousting.

Venezuela has been identified as the origin point of several vessels targeted by US operations — at least six so far — primarily high-speed boats and semi-submersible vessels designed for narcotics transport.

The latest strike, part of an unprecedented campaign since September, resulted in survivors, according to CBS and NBC News, citing unnamed US officials. Later reports confirmed that two survivors were being held by the US Navy, though their conditions and nationalities remain undisclosed.

Trump described the target as a “drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs.”

Such semi-submersible submarines, constructed in hidden jungle shipyards across Colombia and Venezuela, have long been used to move cocaine northward to Central America and Mexico.

While Washington insists that its Caribbean crackdown is striking a decisive blow against the drug trade, it has not provided evidence that the 27 people reportedly killed so far were indeed smugglers.

Experts and human rights observers argue that summary killings, even of confirmed traffickers, violate international law.

The regional impact of the US operation is widening:

• Trinidad and Tobago police are probing reports that two citizens were killed in a strike earlier in the week.
• Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated that Colombian nationals may also have been among the casualties.

Meanwhile, Venezuela has mobilised 17,000 troops to Táchira State, bordering Colombia, amid fears of escalation. Additional forces have been stationed in Amazonas (bordering Colombia and Brazil) and coastal defence zones.

Trump has hinted at expanding US action against Venezuela, even suggesting CIA covert operations and potential land-based strikes.

Earlier this week, data from Flightradar24 revealed that B-52 bombers conducted several hours of patrols over the Caribbean Sea, just off Venezuela’s coast — an unmistakable show of force.

However, in a surprising move, the head of US Southern Command — the admiral overseeing the naval operations — announced his resignation after only one year in the role, offering no explanation. His departure follows a series of top military reshuffles within the Trump administration.

Washington’s increasingly aggressive posture towards Caracas coincides with a period of deepening instability across Latin America. Venezuela’s domestic crisis — marked by economic collapse, political repression, and international isolation — has pushed millions of citizens into exile.

Trump’s comments signal that Washington’s pressure campaign may soon extend beyond maritime operations, with the potential to ignite a new geopolitical confrontation in the Americas.