Mutiny in the White House: Officials Secretly Block Trump’s Venezuela Invasion

Trump’s plan to expand U.S. military action into Venezuela has hit a major roadblock—this time from inside his own administration. In a classified briefing on Capitol Hill this week, senior officials told lawmakers that the United States does not currently have legal justification to launch land strikes inside Venezuela according to CNN, despite the president’s repeated hints that such an operation was on the table.

According to lawmakers familiar with the briefing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and a representative from the White House Office of Legal Counsel confirmed that while the administration has legal authority to strike suspected drug-trafficking boats in international waters, that legal opinion does not extend to targeting sites inside Venezuela.

This stands in direct contrast to Trump’s recent comments. Just days ago, he told reporters that moving operations onto land was “going to be next.” Behind closed doors, however, officials told lawmakers there are no current plans to authorize a direct land assault.

The administration is reportedly searching for a separate legal opinion that could allow Trump to bypass Congress and escalate military action, but no authorization exists at this time. One U.S. official familiar with the situation noted that under Trump, “what is true one day may very well not be the next.”

The Pentagon has already expanded its presence in the Caribbean, with the Ford Carrier Strike Group placed under U.S. Southern Command. Officials say the buildup is intended to support counternarcotics missions and surveillance. Since early September, the U.S. military has carried out 16 strikes on 17 vessels in the region, killing at least 67 people. Survivors have reportedly been repatriated rather than prosecuted. The administration insists the vessels were tied to drug smuggling, but has not provided public evidence to support that claim.

Trump’s comments about planning a future escalation now appear uncertain in light of reports that he privately expressed doubts about committing U.S. forces to a land operation intended to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the president raised concerns about the political and strategic risks of a direct intervention.

Meanwhile, the Senate is preparing to vote on bipartisan legislation aimed at preventing Trump from launching a land attack on Venezuela without congressional approval. The resolution, led by Sen. Tim Kaine, serves as a rare rebuke from within Trump’s own party. While the measure is unlikely to pass the House or survive a presidential veto, it highlights growing discomfort among Republicans about Trump’s expanding military actions and the secrecy surrounding them.

For now, the land invasion plans appear stalled. But multiple officials cautioned that the situation remains fluid, and that Trump could still push ahead if he receives a legal pathway to do so.

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Philip O'Connor

A legal professional by education, and a stickler for rules, Philip brings rules and regulations within check for our website. He portrays the legal pitfalls, court injustices, as well as the status for high power criminal proceedings that are making waves across the globe. He also delves into human rights violations and all regulatory policies that affect the daily life of citizens of the nation.