(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump denied reports that he has decided to strike Venezuela amid rising tension.
There are reports that the Trump administration has developed a list of possible airstrike targets inside Venezuela, including military facilities allegedly used to smuggle drugs.
The move comes after the U.S. has repeatedly conducted strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific. The strikes have raised questions about legality, with some Democratic lawmakers who were briefed on the subject saying the Defense Department does not know exactly who it has killed.
Those strikes were conducted in international waters, and strikes within Venezuela would be a significant escalation.
The administration has also moved warships and a carrier group closer to Venezuela, with the president saying earlier in the month that he has also authorized covert CIA actions in the country.
Trump has said the strikes are part of his efforts to combat drug trafficking and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. However, there are fears the goal is regime change and the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Officials have called Venezuela a hotbed of terrorist activity and suggested Maduro is involved in drug trafficking efforts, something he has denied.
Trump has said he does not need to consult Congress to conduct strikes against drug traffickers but would notify lawmakers ahead of strikes.
Congress has the sole power to declare war, but Trump said he would not seek a declaration and voiced his opinion that no lawmakers would disagree with his plans.
As tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela have risen, the Washington Post reported Maduro has reached out to Russia, China and Iran seeking assistance and military equipment.
Venezuela and Russia have long-standing ties, but with the war in Ukraine continuing to drag on, Moscow may not have the capacity to offer much assistance.
It’s not clear how any of the leaders have responded to such pleas.