Trump 2.0 OCT 16, 2025
WATCH: Trump Unleashes CIA on Venezuela: 'They Dumped Their Prisons on Us'
On October 15, 2025, President Donald Trump publicly confirmed authorizing covert CIA operations inside Venezuela during a White House press conference.
This rare disclosure—typically classified—marks a significant escalation in U.S. pressure against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's regime. The move comes amid ongoing U.S. sanctions, a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, and Trump's repeated claims of Venezuelan migrants overwhelming U.S. borders.
When pressed by CBS News correspondent Ed O'Keefe—"Why did you authorize the CIA to go into Venezuela?"—Trump responded:
He elaborated that Venezuela had released "thousands and thousands of prisoners" and individuals from "mental institutions" and "insane asylums," echoing unsubstantiated campaign rhetoric from 2024. Trump framed this as retaliation for alleged Venezuelan destabilization efforts, though evidence linking mass prisoner releases directly to border crossings remains anecdotal, often tied to the Tren de Aragua gang.
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"I authorized it for two reasons, really. Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America...they came in through the border. They came in because we had an open border... And the other thing are drugs. We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela."
He elaborated that Venezuela had released "thousands and thousands of prisoners" and individuals from "mental institutions" and "insane asylums," echoing unsubstantiated campaign rhetoric from 2024. Trump framed this as retaliation for alleged Venezuelan destabilization efforts, though evidence linking mass prisoner releases directly to border crossings remains anecdotal, often tied to the Tren de Aragua gang.
Photo/Video - Use according to Section 27 A of the law
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