Trump added that the U.S. military was prepared to strike Venezuela again if the government in Caracas does not comply with U.S demands.
“We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so. So we were prepared to do a second wave if we need to do so,” he added.
After reporters asked whether the United States’ running Venezuela will involve military personnel on the ground, Trump said, “We’re not afraid of boots on the ground.”
“We don’t mind saying it, but we’re going to make sure that that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain,” he added.
Trump’s remarks were delivered at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where he was flanked by some of his top advisers — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Asked later Saturday whether he was prepared to have troops on the ground in Venezuela, Hegseth told CBS News that Trump would “set the terms, and ultimately, he’ll decide what the iterations are of that.”
“We’re going to control what happens next. Because of this brave decision, President Trump has shown American leadership, and he’ll be able to dictate where we go next,” he said.
