OAN Staff Cory Hawkins
11:45 AM – Wednesday, December 24, 2025
The United States has deployed large amounts of troops and special operations aircraft to the Caribbean this week as President Donald Trump aims to take military action against Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro.
A new report revealed that 10 CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft touched down in the region on Monday night after taking off from Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico. The Cannon Air Force base houses the 27th Special Operations Wing and Special Operations Aviation Regiment, who are trained to conduct deep infiltration missions.
C-17 cargo aircraft from Fort Campbell Army and Fort Stewart landed in Puerto Rico the same day, according to flight tracking data. Military personnel and large amounts of equipment have been delivered on planes, although the type of troops that were transported remain unknown.
Trump stated that the U.S. military buildup is “a massive armada, the biggest we’ve ever had” during a press conference.
“We have a massive armada formed, the biggest we’ve ever had, and by far the biggest we’ve ever had in South America,” he said Monday. “Soon we will be starting the same program on land.”
It has been reported that at least 11 ships and 15,000 troops have been deployed in the vicinity of the South American country.
Trump has remained silent about his endgame in the region, but warned Maduro will face consequences if he “plays tough.” The president urged the leader to step down.
“If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’ll ever be able to play tough,” Trump told reporters.
The American justice system has kept a sharp eye on 62-year-old Maduro since March 2020 when he was indicted in the Southern District of New York on a litany of charges related to drug trafficking.
The charges included narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
The first Trump administration offered a $15 million reward for the capture of Maduro. The Biden administration raised the price to $25 million, and the new Trump administration doubled it to $50 million in August.
Maduro has served as president of Venezuela since 2013 and has been accused of consolidating power in executive agencies while attempting to undermine the authority of the elected National Assembly.
95 people have been killed during the Trump administration’s drone strike campaign against Venezuelan boats.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below
