Trump Signals Talks with Maduro Amid Caribbean Military Surge

President Donald Trump indicated openness to direct talks with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Sunday, even as the United States intensified its military presence in the Caribbean amid accusations of drug trafficking ties to the Venezuelan government.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy's most advanced aircraft carrier, arrived in the Caribbean Sea that day as part of Operation Southern Spear, a U.S. initiative targeting what officials describe as narcoterrorist networks. The deployment includes nearly a dozen Navy ships, roughly 12,000 sailors and Marines, fighter jets, and a nuclear-powered submarine. It marks the largest U.S. military presence in the region in 35 years. Speaking to reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, before returning to Washington, Trump said, "We may be having some discussions with Maduro... They would like to talk." He offered no further details but emphasized that pressure on the Venezuelan regime would continue.

The operation stems from U.S. allegations that Maduro's government facilitates drug smuggling into the United States, including through the Cartel de los Soles, which officials claim is led by high-ranking Venezuelan figures. Secretary of...