Trump Halts Venezuela Talks, Eyes Military Options

US President Donald Trump has ordered a halt to efforts to reach a diplomatic agreement with Venezuela, which, according to American officials, could pave the way for a possible military escalation against drug traffickers or the government of Nicolás Maduro.

The negotiations, which were being conducted by the president's special envoy and executive director of the Kennedy Center, Richard Grenell, were interrupted by Trump's direct instruction. During a meeting with high-ranking military officials on Thursday, Trump called Grenell and ordered him to cease all diplomatic contacts, including negotiations with President Maduro.

According to officials, President Trump is frustrated that Maduro is not complying with American demands to voluntarily hand over power and continues to deny the involvement of Venezuelan authorities in drug trafficking. The US administration has developed several military escalation scenarios, which could include actions to remove Maduro from power. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio has called Maduro an "illegitimate" leader, repeatedly mentioning the criminal case brought against him in the US on drug trafficking charges. Rubio has described Maduro as a "fugitive from American justice," and the US has increased the reward for information on his whereabouts to $50 million.

According to a White House official, Trump is prepared to use "all elements of American power" to prevent drugs from entering the US.

In parallel with the cessation of diplomacy, the administration has informed Congress that the US is in an official "armed conflict" with drug cartels, viewing them as terrorist organizations and their drug-transporting members as "unlawful combatants." This, according to some officials, could be a signal that the US plans to expand military operations.

In recent months, despite Grenell's negotiations, the US military has for the fourth time struck a boat in international waters near Venezuela, which, according to an official statement, was transporting drugs. According to a statement by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, four people were killed as a result of the strike.

Grenell was trying to broker a deal that would avoid a wider conflict and give American companies access to Venezuelan oil. However, Rubio and his allies believe that Grenell's efforts were futile and caused confusion. Supporters of diplomacy fear that expanding the anti-drug campaign and attempts to remove Maduro from power could draw the US into a large-scale war, which Trump had promised to avoid.