White House Meeting on Venezuela Kicks Off High‑Stakes Week for Trump

The White House convened a high-level meeting Monday evening to refine its strategy on Venezuela as President Trump prepares for a busy week of Cabinet business and international engagements. Officials confirmed that Cabinet members and senior national security leaders attended to discuss possible next steps amid rising tensions in the region.

Trump acknowledged over the weekend that he spoke by phone with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in late November. The disclosure comes as the administration has stepped up operations targeting suspected drug trafficking networks in Latin American waters.

In recent days the president warned pilots, traffickers and smugglers to "consider" the airspace above and around Venezuela closed, though he later urged reporters not to "read anything into it" when asked whether an airstrike was imminent.

Controversy over September strikes

Lawmakers and the public scrutiny intensified after a report alleged that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered that no survivors remain following an attack on a suspected drug boat in September, prompting what was described as a follow-on strike. Hegseth has denied that characterization, calling the report "fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that a second strike occurred and defended the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, Adm. Frank Bradley, saying he acted within legal authority.

"On September 2nd, Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes," Leavitt said. "Admiral 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 also rejected claims that Hegseth ordered the deliberate killing of everyone aboard the vessel and reiterated the administration's position that it has authority to act against "narco-terrorists" who threaten the United States.

House Armed Services Committee leaders from both parties — Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.) — said the committee is pursuing bipartisan oversight to obtain a full accounting of follow-on strikes on boats alleged to be ferrying narcotics in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area.

The administration says it has carried out more than 20 strikes against suspected drug boats in Latin American waters and has increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean to curb the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.

Other items on the week's agenda

Beyond the Venezuela discussion, President Trump will preside over a Cabinet meeting Tuesday and is expected to announce details for a new tax-advantaged savings and investment vehicle known as "Trump Accounts," created by his July legislative package. Officials provided no immediate additional details.

The president will also host the presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to sign a recently reached peace and economic agreement intended to help end conflict in eastern Congo involving government forces and armed groups, including the M23 rebel faction.

Later in the week, Trump is scheduled to attend the FIFA World Cup final draw at the Kennedy Center, ahead of the 2026 tournament to be held in Mexico, Canada and the United States. The White House will also open public tours of its 2025 Christmas decorations, which reflect First Lady Melania Trump's theme, "Home Is Where the Heart Is." Decorations include hundreds of trees and thousands of decorative elements across the residence.

As oversight inquiries continue and the administration defends its authorities, the White House meeting on Venezuela signals that decisions on posture and potential actions in the region remain active and under close review by national security officials and legislators alike.