{"id":303506,"date":"2025-09-22T12:00:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T11:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=303506"},"modified":"2025-09-21T07:29:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T06:29:52","slug":"targeting-venezuela","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2025\/09\/targeting-venezuela\/","title":{"rendered":"Targeting Venezuela"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch speaks during Homeland Security Investigation announcement of the arrest of alleged Tren De Aragua gang members and seizure of 33 guns at New York office on 22 Apr 2025.\u00a0 \u00a0Lev Radin | AP<\/p><\/div>\n

From WMDs to \u201cNarco-States\u201d: How the US Sells Wars the Intelligence Doesn\u2019t Support<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

18 Sep 2025\u00a0<\/em>–\u00a0The United States is building up its military assets, sparking fears of another regime change attempt against Venezuela\u2014and this one could be far more deadly than the others. Citing an influx of Venezuelan drugs into the U.S., the Trump administration is rapidly building up its military forces, encircling the South American nation, one which has been in Washington\u2019s crosshairs for over a quarter of a century.<\/p>\n

Exploring Trump\u2019s extraordinary claims and assessing the history of U.S. efforts to overthrow the Venezuelan government.<\/p>\n

Military Buildup<\/h2>\n

The Trump administration is once again<\/a> setting its sights on Venezuela. In recent weeks, President Trump deployed additional naval and air assets to the Caribbean, including seven warships, a submarine, and an amphibious assault ship, designed for maritime invasions. A squadron of advanced F-35 fighter jets has also been relocated\u00a0<\/a>to Puerto Rico, bringing them within striking distance of Caracas. In total, around 4,500 personnel (including 2,500 combat-ready Marines) have been repositioned to the area.<\/p>\n

In what could be the opening salvo of a major war, the military has already begun to flex its muscles. Earlier this month, it destroyed a small Venezuelan vessel, carrying out multiple attacks<\/a> on the boat to ensure there were no survivors. Trump celebrated<\/a> the action in a post on Truth Social, claiming that the boat was carrying illicit drugs to the United States, and that its crew were member of the Tren de Aragua cartel (TDA), a group, he said, is \u201coperating under the control of [Venezuelan president] Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u201d himself; one that is \u201cresponsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n