Venezuela: Trump Is Plotting Regime Change

A top Venezuelan official is accusing President Trump of actively trying to topple the government of Nicolás Maduro. Tarek William Saab, Venezuela's attorney general and a close Maduro ally, told the BBC that there is "no doubt" Trump is seeking regime change and wants to turn Venezuela into a "colony" of the US. Saab's comments come as the US ramps up its military presence in the Caribbean, including the recent arrival of the guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely in Trinidad and Tobago—the largest deployment of US forces to the area in decades.

Officially, US officials say the build-up is part of a crackdown on drug trafficking. The US claims to have killed at least 43 people in strikes on alleged drug boats, though it has not presented evidence of drug cargo on at least 10 of the boats, per CNN . (Venezuela and Columbia have accused the US of murdering innocent people.) Trump has labeled Maduro the head of a drug-trafficking organization—a charge Maduro denies. Saab suggested that the US is after Venezuela's vast natural resources, including gold, oil, and copper. He also said his country is prepared for a possible land invasion but remains open to dialogue.

The US, along with many other countries, does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader, citing widespread allegations of fraud in the 2024 election. But Congress must formally declare war under the constitution, rather than a president doing so. Despite that, Trump told reporters earlier this month, "We are certainly looking at land now, because we've got the sea very well under control," per the New York Times. Speaking Sunday, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Trump has decided it's time for Maduro to go and warned land strikes are a "real possibility," per CNN.