Pentagon says no U.S. troops in Venezuela though large force remains nearby

On Jan. 4, 2026, Defense Department officials said there were no U.S. military personnel in Venezuela, a day after President Trump declared the United States planned to "run" the country for an unspecified period. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said a force of 15,000 troops on land in nearby countries and about a dozen warships in the Caribbean "remain in the region at a high state of readiness, prepared to project power, defend themselves, and our interests in the region." The comments came after a commando raid that captured Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s president.

President Trump suggested there could be a "second wave" of military action if the United States encountered resistance, saying "We're not afraid of boots on the ground." He also pointed to officials standing behind him when asked who would be running Venezuela, naming General Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to the news conference.

Pentagon officials said they had no ready response about how long the sizable force would remain; the buildup has been described as the largest naval buildup in the region since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. The military presence had been used to target speedboats the administration has said were trafficking drugs "without evidence," and the operations have included attacks on 35 boats that the report said killed at least 115 people since early September, actions that some legal specialists called illegal.

Key Topics

World, President Trump, Nicolás Maduro, Dan Caine, Delta Force, Venezuela