Trump ordered Venezuela land strikes days in advance, claim sources
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump authorised land strikes on targets inside Venezuela several days before the military operation was carried out, giving the Pentagon a clear “green light” well ahead of the action, according to two US officials who spoke to CBS News.
🚨BREAKING via @CBSNews: President Trump ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela including military facilities, U.S. officials said, as the administration early Saturday ratcheted up its campaign against the regime of President Nicolás Maduro. via @JimLaPorta and me
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 3, 2026
The officials said the approval was not last-minute and that senior military and administration officials had been discussing the timing of the operation days earlier, including the possibility of conducting the strikes on Christmas Day.
Those plans were ultimately postponed as US airstrikes against ISIS targets in Nigeria took operational priority.
Anonymous officials on scheduling of Venezuela strikes
According to the officials cited by CBS News on condition of anonymity, Trump’s authorisation allowed the Pentagon to prepare and finalise plans for land strikes inside Venezuelan territory.
The discussions reportedly involved multiple timing options, with Christmas Day initially considered before being ruled out.
The officials said competing military priorities, including ongoing operations in Africa, influenced the final scheduling of the Venezuela mission.
The advance authorisation, they added, meant the Pentagon had flexibility in executing the strikes once operational conditions aligned, including intelligence assessments and regional considerations.
Strikes targeted military facilities inside Venezuela
🚨🇻🇪🇺🇸 U.S. HELICOPTERS POUND VENEZUELA'S MILITARY HQ IN CARACAS
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 3, 2026
U.S. helicopters are now actively striking the Fuerte Tiuna military complex in Caracas.
The site, which houses Venezuela’s Ministry of Defense, is under sustained aerial assault.
Explosions, fire, and ongoing… https://t.co/5nWGiMq7R3 pic.twitter.com/E6YmizbtSA
Several reports suggest that the strikes approved by Trump hit multiple sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities.
The action marked a significant escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, repeatedly accusing it of corruption, repression, and undermining democratic institutions.
US officials said the operation was aimed at regime-linked targets, though details about the scale of damage, casualties, or specific facilities hit have not been publicly disclosed.
The Pentagon has so far not released an official after-action statement outlining the scope or outcome of the strikes.
