Politics
WATCH: Trump Drops the F-Bomb While Ripping Apart Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela
President Donald Trump didn’t mince words this Friday when asked about Venezuela’s embattled socialist leader Nicolás Maduro. Speaking to reporters following a White House briefing, Trump delivered one of the most unfiltered moments of his political career.
“He has offered everything. He’s offered everything. You’re right. You know why? Because he doesn’t want to f*** around with the United States,” Trump said, cutting off a reporter’s question about Maduro’s recent message offering mediation. The off-the-cuff remark immediately went viral online, reinforcing Trump’s reputation as the world leader who speaks plainly — and the one adversaries fear crossing.
The exchange came just days after Trump confirmed that he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations targeting Maduro’s regime — a dramatic escalation in the ongoing standoff between Washington and Caracas. The Trump administration has ordered U.S. Special Operations forces to carry out at least six strikes against boats off Venezuela’s coast over the past month, alleging the vessels were being used to transport narcotics. The move marks a sharp escalation in pressure on the nation’s authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, accompanied by an increase in troop presence and visible aerial maneuvers in the region.
“We are certainly looking at land now,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday, “because we’ve got the sea very well under control.”
WATCH:
Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have been simmering for years, but they’ve reached new heights under Trump’s renewed presidency. Maduro, who rose to power in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chávez, has faced widespread accusations of election fraud, human rights abuses, and deep ties to international drug cartels.
The U.S. government has long refused to recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president, instead labeling him a “narco-terrorist” and offering tens of millions in rewards for his capture. The Justice Department’s 2020 indictment accused Maduro and senior officials of using Venezuela’s military and intelligence networks to smuggle cocaine into the United States — charges the regime denies.
Under Trump’s direction, the United States has tightened sanctions, expanded naval interdiction operations in the Caribbean, and authorized a series of air and sea strikes on vessels suspected of carrying Venezuelan drugs. Six such operations have been conducted since August, resulting in dozens of deaths and multiple arrests at sea.
Facing growing isolation, collapsing oil revenue, and U.S. military pressure off his shores, Maduro recently attempted to de-escalate tensions. In a recorded message delivered in English, the Venezuelan leader reportedly offered to “mediate” with the U.S. and share access to Venezuela’s “natural resources.”
Trump’s blunt response — complete with the “F-bomb” — left little doubt about where he stands. “He’s offered everything,” Trump said. “He doesn’t want to mess with us.”
Behind the scenes, reports suggest that Maduro’s government floated a three-year “transition plan” that would allow him to step down gradually in favor of his vice president, Delcy Rodríguez. But U.S. officials rejected the idea, dismissing it as a stalling tactic by a regime clinging to power.
The Trump administration’s message is clear: Maduro’s time is up. By pairing economic sanctions with covert operations and direct military interdictions, the White House is betting that relentless pressure will fracture Venezuela’s ruling elite and force a leadership change.
Meanwhile, Maduro’s allies — including Russia, Cuba, and Iran — have condemned U.S. actions as “imperialist aggression.” Venezuela has appealed to the United Nations Security Council, accusing the U.S. of violating international law with “illegal strikes” and “acts of war.”
But Trump has shown no sign of backing down.
