Baba UmarWashington DC — US President Donald Trump and top national security officials — including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine — will discuss next steps on Venezuela in an Oval Office meeting, White House has confirmed.
"I will confirm that the president will be meeting with his national security team on this subject and on many matters," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a briefing on Monday.
The meeting comes after Trump confirmed on Sunday he held a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro but declined to give details, saying it did not go "well or badly."
Leavitt addressing recent US military strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean defended the administration's decision to authorise a second strike on a vessel from Venezuela on September 2, which reportedly killed 11 people after an initial attack left survivors.
She emphasised the strikes' legality and alignment with US interests, saying, "The strike conducted on September 2 was conducted in self-defence to protect Americans and vital United States interests. The strike was conducted in international waters and in accordance with the law of armed conflict."
Hegseth authorised an admiral to carry out the attack, which Leavitt described as "well within legal right to do so."
Admiral Frank Bradley "worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated," Leavitt told journalists.
Legality of strikes
Last week, US media reported that the strike on September 2 left two people alive, who were then killed in a subsequent attack carried out to fulfill an order from Hegseth.
This follows a broader US campaign, with 21 known strikes on suspected drug boats in the region, resulting in over 80 deaths overall.
Leavitt framed these actions as part of efforts to combat Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's alleged role in drug trafficking that endangers American lives.
She noted a US military buildup in the Caribbean as part of intensified pressure on Maduro's government. She indicated "many options on the table" for future actions, tying into the upcoming national security meeting.
The US has stationed the world's biggest aircraft and a battery of other military hardware to the Caribbean, insisting they are there for counter-narcotics operations.
Venezuela's Maduro, however, accuses the US of using drug trafficking as a guise to topple his government in Caracas.
In response to bipartisan questions about the strikes' legality given the US has not declared a war with Venezuela, Leavitt said, "There have also been 13 bipartisan briefings to Congress on the Venezuelan strikes. There have been a number of document reviews for members of Congress to review the classified DOJ Office of Legal Counsel opinion and other related documents."
Leavitt did not elaborate on the evening's Oval Office meeting but indicated "many options on the table" while contrasting the Trump administration's approach with prior policies, stating Trump "opposes the values of the Biden administration" in handling related drug trafficking cases.
The White House official maintained ambiguity regarding potential military action in Venezuela, without ruling out deploying US troops.
"There's options at the president's disposal that are on the table, and I'll let him speak on those," Leavitt said.
