• President gathers top national security officials for closed-door Oval Office session.
• Administration has killed over 80 people in strikes on alleged drug boats since September.
• Congressional committees launch inquiries into reported follow-up strike on survivors.

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — President Donald Trump is set to gather his top national security officials in the Oval Office on Monday evening for a closed-door discussion on next steps regarding Venezuela. The Trump Venezuela meeting comes as the administration intensifies its pressure campaign with military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean.

Cabinet Officials Expected to Attend

Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that senior figures including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller are expected at the 5 p.m. session. The meeting signals the administration’s continued focus on Venezuela policy amid growing regional tensions.

Military Buildup in the Caribbean

The United States has amassed more than a dozen warships and approximately 15,000 troops in the region as part of what the Pentagon has branded Operation Southern Spear. Since September, at least 83 people have been killed in 21 strikes on vessels the administration alleges were transporting narcotics. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest, recently arrived in Caribbean waters.

“Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict.”

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The administration has maintained this position despite growing scrutiny. Over the weekend, Trump issued a directive on social media warning airlines, pilots, and criminal networks to consider Venezuelan airspace “closed in its entirety.” He told reporters not to read too much into the announcement but indicated last week that land operations against Venezuelan drug traffickers would begin “very soon.”

Congressional Concerns Mount

Lawmakers from both parties have expressed alarm over reports of a follow-up strike that allegedly killed survivors on an alleged drug vessel on September 2. The Senate Armed Services Committee and House Armed Services Committee announced bipartisan inquiries into the reported “double-tap” strike.

People briefed on the incident expressed concern it could violate the law of armed conflict, which prohibits executing enemy combatants who are out of the fight. The United Kingdom has reportedly stopped sharing intelligence with the United States about suspected drug vessels because of concerns about the legality of the strikes.

Administration Defends Operations

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The White House maintains its Caribbean operations comply fully with the law of armed conflict and are necessary to combat narcoterrorism. The State Department recently designated Cartel de los Soles, which the administration claims is headed by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization.

Will Monday’s meeting signal an escalation or de-escalation in U.S.-Venezuela tensions?

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