Trump Confirms Covert U.S. Strike in Venezuela

WASHINGTON – The day after Christmas is typically quiet in the nation’s capital. But President Trump’s decision to acknowledge a covert U.S.strike on Venezuelan territory, in an interview with an obscure local news outlet on Friday, set off a scramble in a drowsy Washington that has become a hallmark of the president.

Officials working on Latin America policy for the management had been closely tracking reports of refinery fires and other curious events throughout Venezuela. Thay couldn’t immediately determine which target the president was referencing,three sources familiar with the matter told The Times.

Trump later detailed that the strike targeted a “dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.” This initial confusion within his own government signaled how few individuals within the West Wing are deciding whether to escalate tensions toward war with Caracas.

Trump initially confirmed he had authorized CIA actions in Venezuela in an exchange with reporters in October.While the administration is obligated to report covert CIA operations to congress, more robust congressional authorization is required for the use of military force.

“I authorized for two reasons, really. No.1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America,” Trump said at the time. “And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea.”

The strike comes as venezuelan authorities have increased the number of U.S. citizens detained in their custody, the New York Times first reported on Friday. Caracas had freed 17 Americans and permanent residents held in notorious Venezuelan prisons at the start of the Trump administration.

Evan Ellis, who served in Trump’s first term planning State Department policy on latin America,

Key Takeaways:

• President Trump acknowledged a covert U.S. strike in Venezuela.
• the strike targeted a dock area allegedly used for drug loading.
• The administration is operating with a small circle making decisions about potential escalation.
• The action follows an increase in the detention of U.S. citizens in Venezuela.