Donald Trump expresses skepticism about the US going to war with Venezuela but suggests Nicolás Maduro's presidency may not last long, amidst ongoing US strikes in the Caribbean.

In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump downplayed the likelihood of the United States engaging in military conflict with Venezuela. Speaking to CBS' 60 Minutes, he expressed doubt about an impending war, stating, "I doubt it. I don't think so. But they've been treating us very badly."

These remarks come amid continued American military operations targeting alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean. The Trump administration has justified these actions as essential measures to curb the flow of narcotics into the United States.

Despite speculation that these moves might be aimed at dislodging Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro-a longstanding adversary-Trump dismissed such interpretations, insisting that the operations address "many things." Since early September, U.S. strikes have reportedly resulted in at least 64 casualties across both the Caribbean and eastern Pacific regions.

Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump highlighted the stakes involved: "Every single boat that you see that's shot down kills 25,000 on drugs and destroys families all over our country." When pressed on potential ground offensives against Venezuela, he remained evasive: "I wouldn't be inclined to say that I would do that... I'm not gonna tell you what I'm gonna do with Venezuela if I was gonna do it or if I wasn't going to do it."

The situation has sparked criticism from regional leaders like Colombia's President Gustavo Petro who accuses Washington of leveraging these actions for dominance in Latin America. Meanwhile, Maduro claims that the U.S. is attempting to "fabricate a new war."

Addressing broader immigration concerns, Trump stated his government's commitment to preventing unchecked migration from countries worldwide-notably highlighting Venezuela-and specifically mentioned issues related to criminal groups such as the Tren de Aragua gang.

This marks Trump's first interaction with CBS following a legal dispute with its parent company Paramount over perceived media bias during a 2024 interview involving then Vice-President Kamala Harris. Although Paramount settled by allocating $16 million towards Trump's future presidential library without issuing an apology or direct compensation.

Trump's previous appearance on '60 Minutes' concluded abruptly when he walked out of a discussion citing biased questioning; he chose not to engage further during subsequent election cycles. This latest conversation underscores persistent geopolitical tensions and domestic controversies linked closely under Akhbrna News coverage.