Trump's Venezuela Revelation: Former President Confirms CIA Authorization for Operations

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has made a significant and candid admission, confirming that he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct operations in Venezuela during his time in office. The revelation came during an interview with Fox News host Bret Baier, where Trump, when pressed on the matter, stated definitively, "I authorized it," adding, "They did what they had to do." This explicit confirmation sheds new light on the covert efforts undertaken by his administration to influence the political landscape in the South American nation.

Trump’s statement, while short, carries considerable weight, suggesting a direct presidential order behind intelligence activities aimed at a sovereign country.

It aligns with his administration's publicly aggressive stance against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which Washington deemed illegitimate. Throughout his presidency, Trump consistently advocated for a change in leadership in Caracas, recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's interim president and imposing stringent sanctions on Maduro's regime and its associates.

The former president’s admission echoes previous hints and discussions about robust U.S.

intervention in Venezuela. In 2020, Trump himself had publicly mused about the possibility of a military blockade or even an invasion of Venezuela, though those more overt suggestions were later somewhat walked back or framed as hypotheticals. This latest confirmation, however, points to concrete, albeit clandestine, actions being taken under his directive, extending beyond mere diplomatic pressure or economic sanctions.

The political climate in Venezuela during Trump’s presidency was marked by profound instability, economic crisis, and widespread protests.

The U.S. administration actively supported the opposition, hoping to accelerate a democratic transition. While the specifics of the CIA operations remain undisclosed, such authorizations typically involve intelligence gathering, supporting opposition groups, and potentially destabilizing the incumbent government through various means short of direct military intervention.

Trump's "they did what they had to do" comment further implies a range of activities undertaken to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives.

This confirmation by a former president about authorizing covert CIA operations in another country is a rare and notable occurrence. It underscores the high-stakes geopolitical maneuvering that characterized the Trump administration's foreign policy and provides an important piece of the puzzle regarding the true extent of U.S.

involvement in Venezuela's tumultuous recent history. The long-term implications of such revelations for international relations and the U.S.'s role in Latin America are yet to be fully understood, but it undeniably marks a significant moment in the ongoing narrative of U.S.-Venezuela relations.