In a recent interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes, U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the possibility of a military conflict with Venezuela, asserting that President Nicolás Maduro’s tenure may soon conclude. When questioned about the likelihood of war, Trump responded, “I doubt it. I don’t think so,” though he criticized Venezuela for treating the U.S. “very badly.” Despite these remarks, the U.S. has significantly increased its military presence in the Caribbean Sea over the past two months, citing efforts to combat drug trafficking. Operations have targeted suspected smuggling vessels, resulting in at least 64 fatalities since early September, according to CBS News. Trump defended these actions, stating that each intercepted boat prevents thousands of drug-related deaths. “Every single boat that’s shot down kills 25,000 on drugs and destroys families across our country,” he claimed. Venezuela, however, accuses the U.S. of using the anti-drug campaign as a pretext for regime change, aiming to oust Maduro. Trump dismissed these allegations, emphasizing that the operations address “many things.” This interview marked Trump’s first appearance on 60 Minutes since 2020, when he walked out of an interview with Lesley Stahl, accusing CBS of bias. He later sued Paramount, CBS’s parent company, over a 2024 election segment featuring then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The edited 28-minute interview aired on CBS, with the extended version and transcript available online.