President Donald Trump has reportedly redirected U.S. policy in Venezuela, moving from a mission focused on combating drug trafficking to a broader objective of removing President Nicolás Maduro from power, according to a Financial Times report publtished.
Citing senior administration officials and diplomatic sources, the newspaper said the White House had reframed its operations in the region earlier this year, marking a return to the more aggressive stance Washington adopted before the 2020 election. The report claims that U.S. intelligence and defense agencies have expanded support to opposition networks aligned with opposition leader María Corina Machado, though without direct military engagement.
According to the FT, the shift reflects growing frustration inside the Trump administration over what officials describe as “Maduro’s enduring grip on power” despite years of economic pressure and international sanctions. Senior National Security Council aides reportedly briefed lawmakers that regime change, not counternarcotics, is now the explicit strategic objective.
In Caracas, Venezuelan authorities condemned the alleged policy shift, accusing Washington of “imperialist meddling” and vowing to “defend the Bolivarian revolution by all means necessary.” A U.S. State Department spokesperson declined to comment on what they called “leaked material,” but reiterated that the administration’s priority is “restoring democracy and stability in Venezuela through peaceful means.”
The FT also noted that regional allies, including Brazil and Colombia, have privately expressed unease over the apparent escalation, warning that any destabilization in Caracas could trigger new migration pressure across South America.
