US President Donald Trump has downplayed the possibility of a US war with Venezuela, but has hinted that Nicolás Maduro's days in power are limited.
In an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, Trump was asked if the US was preparing for war against Venezuela. "I don't think so. I don't believe it's going to happen. But they've treated us very badly," he said.
The statements come as the US has launched a crackdown on suspected drug trafficking vehicles in the Caribbean, which, according to the Trump administration, aims to stop the flow of narcotics towards American territory.
Trump denied claims that the operations were aimed at overthrowing Maduro, saying they were “for a lot of things.” According to CBS News, at least 64 people have been killed in US strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean since early September.
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago, Florida, residence, Trump said: "Every ship that is destroyed prevents 25,000 drug deaths and saves families across the country."
When asked if the US was planning ground strikes, he did not rule out the possibility: “I wouldn’t say I would… I’m not going to tell you what I would do with Venezuela – whether I would or not.”
On the other hand, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused Washington of "fabricating a new war," while Colombian President Gustavo Petro has described the American campaign as an attempt "to dominate Latin America."
Trump added that the US government "will not allow" the entry of people from different countries of the world: "They come from Congo, from everywhere... But especially from Venezuela - there are gangs. Tren de Aragua is the most savage in the world," he said.
Asked about nuclear tests, Trump confirmed that he wants the US to resume nuclear weapons testing to “keep up with Russia and China.” “Yes, we will test nuclear weapons, like other countries do,” he declared.
Although Russia and China have not conducted tests since 1990 and 1996, Trump claimed that they “don’t make it public.” “I don’t want to be the only country that doesn’t test,” he added.
Meanwhile, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright denied the possibility of a full nuclear explosion, explaining that the tests would be "non-critical", only to verify the functioning of weapons components.
In the interview, Trump also spoke about the US government shutdown, which has left millions of citizens without essential services. He blamed Democrats, calling them "crazy" and "losers," but said he believes they "will give up and vote to end the shutdown."
It was Trump's first interview with CBS after suing the network's parent company, Paramount, over a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris that he said was "rigged in favor of Democrats."
Paramount agreed to pay $16 million as a settlement, but the funds will go to Trump's presidential library, not directly to him.
Trump last appeared on 60 Minutes in 2020, when he walked out of an interview with journalist Lesley Stahl, accusing the network of biased questions. He declined to be interviewed during the 2024 election campaign.
