President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a direct conversation with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro even as the U.S. continues hammering drug-smuggling vessels linked to the socialist regime, according to a new report. The move suggests Trump may pursue a dual-track strategy — maintaining overwhelming military pressure while exploring diplomatic leverage — to deal with what the administration now officially labels a foreign terrorist organization.
The State Department on Monday formally designated the Cartel de Los Soles — the criminal network allegedly run by Maduro and other top socialist officials — as an FTO. Trump has repeatedly referred to Maduro as a “narcoterrorist,” and officials say that term reflects the president’s thinking.
According to senior administration sources, Trump has told advisers he wants to speak directly with Maduro. But the White House made clear that such outreach does not represent any softening toward the socialist strongman.
“No one is planning to go in and shoot him or snatch him — at this point,” one official said. “I wouldn’t say never, but that’s not the plan right now. In the meantime, we’re going to blow up boats shipping drugs. We’re going to stop the drug trafficking.”
The U.S. has conducted 21 military strikes against suspected narco-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean since Trump took office, killing at least 83 individuals tied to the drug network. The mission — Operation Southern Spear — is publicly described as a counter-narcotics campaign, but insiders say it’s also meant to turn up the heat on Maduro’s collapsing regime.
“We have covert operations, but it’s not designed to kill Maduro. It’s designed to stop narcotrafficking,” a White House official said. “If Maduro leaves, we would not shed a tear.”
For now, the potential Trump–Maduro call remains in “planning stages.” The administration has not finalized talking points or objectives for a conversation, but officials stress that Maduro’s long history of deception remains front and center.
“The diplomats tell us that Maduro will say, ‘Trust me. I’ll have new elections in three years. You can come and have all the oil. I’ll stop sending it to Russia,’” one senior official said. “He has said many things like that over many years and he never keeps his promise. So the diplomats tell us we should be suspicious.”
The Trump administration has been clear that the Venezuelan dictator cannot be trusted and that any outreach will be firmly rooted in American strategic interests — from destroying drug routes, to pressuring Caracas economically, to cutting off Chinese and Russian influence in the region.
Trump’s approach appears to be a combination of overwhelming force and strategic communication — forcing Maduro to the table not through concessions, but through pressure he can no longer ignore.
One official summarized the administration’s posture simply:
“Maduro is a narcoterrorist. Always lead with that word if you want to represent the president’s thinking.”
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