The United States has struck more than a dozen boats off the coast of Venezuela over the last two months, killing more than 60 people.

The Trump administration says it’s targeting narco-traffickers. But critics at home and abroad have decried the attacks and challenged their legal basis. Meanwhile, President Trump has overseen a buildup of force in the region.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg National Security Reporter Nick Wadhams, Bloomberg Economics Defense Lead Becca Wasser and host David Gura take stock of the concentration of American military force in the Caribbean. They break down why President Trump is taking aim at Venezuela right now — and discuss what could happen next. 

Read more: Nobel Peace Prize Winner: US Escalation Is ‘Only Way’ to Free Venezuela

The United States has struck more than a dozen boats off the coast of Venezuela over the last two months, killing more than 60 people. The Trump administration says it&rsquo;s targeting narco-traffickers. But critics at home and abroad have decried the attacks and challenged their legal basis. Meanwhile, President Trump has overseen a buildup of force in the region. On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg National Security Reporter Nick Wadhams, Bloomberg Economics Defense Lead Becca Wasser and host David Gura take stock of the concentration of American military force in the Caribbean. They break down why President Trump is taking aim at Venezuela right now &mdash; and discuss what could happen next. Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-maria-corina-machado-weekend-interview/">Nobel Peace Prize Winner: US Escalation Is &lsquo;Only Way&rsquo; to Free Venezuela</a>

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

 What’s Trump’s Venezuela Endgame?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/27a6339b-8443-44d0-88c2-b38e0164d694/transcript

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