President Donald Trump dismissed the idea of going to war with Venezuela, but indicated that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro might be on borrowed time.
During a Sunday interview on 60 Minutes, Trump discussed a series of issues, with Venezuela being an important topic.
Host Norah O’Donnell asked whether the United States might go to war with Venezuela over the issue of drug trafficking, citing recent strikes on boats coming from the region that were alleged to have been shipping illicit drugs to the United States.
“I doubt it. I don’t think so,” Trump said. He also did not confirm whether the White House planned to carry out land strikes against drug cartels in Venezuela. He also slammed Maduro for sending dangerous criminals to the United States.
"They've been treating us very badly, not only on drugs. They've dumped hundreds of thousands of people into a country that… we didn't want – people from prisons. They emptied their prisons into our country,” Trump said. “They also, if you take a look, they emptied their mental institutions and their insane asylum into the United States of America because Joe Biden was the worst president in the history of our country."
The president also stated that US military actions in the region were not necessarily about regime change. Instead, he said “many things” motivated the U.S.’s current approach to the Venezuelan regime. O’Donnell asked whether Trump believes Maduro’s days as leader of the nation were numbered. “I would say yeah, I think so, yeah,” Trump replied.
Trump consistently affirmed that the likelihood of the U.S. going to war with Venezuela was low. When O’Donnell pressed him on the matter, he said, "I'm not saying it's true or untrue... I wouldn't be inclined to say that I would do that. Because I don't talk to a reporter about whether or not I'm going to strike."
Earlier news reports suggested the White House is considering land strikes in Venezuela — but not a full-on assault involving soldiers.
When 60 Minutes asks President Trump if the U.S. is going to war against Venezuela, he replies: “I don't think so. But they've been treating us very badly.”
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 3, 2025
He adds that he believes Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's days are numbered. https://t.co/nsjOTo5OuP pic.twitter.com/TCdGjZLx4Z
🚨 CBS: Are Maduro's days as Venezuela president numbered?
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 3, 2025
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I would say yeah.
CBS: And are you doing land strikes on Venezuela?
TRUMP: I don't tell you that. I'm not saying it's true, or untrue. I don't talk to a reporter about if I'm gonna strike!
🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/IzO4dyMQ9W
The White House has authorized several military strikes against boats in the Caribbean and Pacific to curb the flow of dangerous drugs into the United States. So far, about 64 people have been killed in these strikes, according to CNN.
Democrats have criticized the airstrikes, arguing the president needs congressional approval to carry out these operations. The Trump adminsitration counters by saying these moves are necessary to prevent cartels from smuggling drugs into the country.
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