according to CNN President Donald Trump is set to convene a high-stakes Oval Office meeting Monday evening to review his administration’s next steps on Venezuela, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke with CNN. The meeting comes amid intensifying U.S. military activity in the Caribbean and growing legal scrutiny over recent American strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels.
Top National Security Officials Expected in the Oval Office
Senior members of Trump’s national security team — including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — are expected to participate. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller will also attend the 5 p.m. ET meeting.
The administration has been escalating pressure on Venezuela through “Operation Southern Spear,” a U.S. military mission that has positioned more than 15,000 troops and over a dozen warships throughout the Caribbean. The White House maintains that the increased military presence is aimed at dismantling narcotics networks and protecting U.S. interests in the region.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the meeting as part of Trump’s regular consultations with his national security team, saying he is “ensuring that peace is maintained across the world.”
Legal Concerns Mount Over U.S. Strikes in the Region
The Oval Office meeting follows intense scrutiny of U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats operating in the Caribbean, which have reportedly killed over 80 people. Lawmakers from both parties have questioned whether the military acted outside its authority — particularly in connection with a reported second strike on survivors after an initial attack failed to eliminate everyone aboard.
Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the allegations deeply troubling:
“If there was a second strike intentionally targeting survivors in the water, that is a blatant war crime. It’s also murder,” he told CNN.
On Monday, Leavitt stated that Adm. Frank M. “Mitch” Bradley, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, authorized the follow-up strike and did so “well within his authority.” She added that the action was carried out “in self-defense to protect Americans” and was conducted in accordance with international law.
Trump Casts Doubt on the Order for a Second Strike
Responding to reporters Sunday, Trump said he personally would not have supported a second strike and questioned whether the reported follow-up attack even occurred.
“I don’t know that it happened,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “Pete said he didn’t want it — he didn’t even know what people were talking about. We’ll look into it. I would not have wanted a second strike.”
Sen. King said Congress will launch a full inquiry into the chain of command and the decision-making that led to the strike.
White House Defends Its Transparency With Congress
Leavitt insisted that Congress has been kept informed, noting that lawmakers have received 13 bipartisan briefings related to the Venezuela strikes and have been provided access to classified legal documents, including a DOJ Office of Legal Counsel opinion.
She confirmed that Defense Secretary Hegseth has spoken directly with lawmakers raising concerns, although she did not specify which members were contacted.
U.S. Expands Pressure Campaign Against Venezuela
The administration has signaled that its operations in the region will continue. Trump recently announced that the U.S. intends to prevent Venezuelan drug trafficking “by land as well as by sea.” Over the weekend, he also issued a public alert directing pilots, airlines, and criminal organizations to avoid Venezuelan airspace — though he later downplayed the warning, saying it should not be overinterpreted.
Trump said he spoke by phone with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but declined to reveal details of the conversation. Last week, the U.S. formally designated Maduro and several allies as members of a foreign terrorist organization, a move that could expand Washington’s military options.
Criticism From Within the GOP Over Pardon of Former Honduran President
Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Maria Salazar voiced concern about Trump’s decision to pardon former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, erasing his U.S. drug-trafficking conviction. Salazar said the decision sends a conflicting message at a time when the administration is escalating operations against Maduro’s government.
“I would have never done that,” she told CNN.
Leavitt defended the pardon, arguing the conviction stemmed from “over-prosecution” under the previous administration and insisting Trump remains committed to combating narcotics at the U.S. border.