Early September 2025 – The Trump administration launches lethal strikes on suspected drug‑smuggling vessels in international waters off Venezuela and Colombia, killing more than 80 people and marking the start of a new maritime campaign against narcotics networks [1].

Sept 2, 2025 – A first missile strike hits a drug‑trafficking boat and a follow‑up “double‑tap” strike later that day kills two survivors, prompting allegations of a war‑crime order to leave “no survivors” [1][5][11].

Nov 23, 2025 – Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro rallies supporters in Caracas, declaring he rejects U.S. pressure and will not accept “peace of slaves or colonies,” underscoring his defiance amid escalating U.S. actions [5].

Nov 29, 2025 – President Trump posts on Truth Social that Venezuelan airspace is “closed in its entirety,” warning of imminent attacks on drug‑cartel targets and raising fears of broader escalation [5][12][14].

Dec 1, 2025 – Trump convenes an Oval Office meeting with cabinet and national‑security officials to plan the next steps on Venezuela, while the Pentagon’s “Operation Southern Spear” positions more than a dozen warships and 15,000 troops in the Caribbean [8].

Dec 1, 2025 – Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announces he will file a bipartisan resolution to block any U.S. troops in Venezuela if Trump orders strikes, calling Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “so obviously insecure” [12].

Dec 1, 2025 – Senator Angus King labels the alleged second strike a “stone‑cold war crime” and urges a vigorous congressional investigation into the chain of command [6][1].

Dec 2, 2025 – In a Cabinet briefing, Trump declares that U.S. strikes inside Venezuela will begin “soon” and asserts that he and Hegseth had no knowledge of the alleged second drug‑boat strike, a claim echoed by the administration’s spokesperson [3][4][14].

Dec 2, 2025 – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirms he watched the September 2 strike live, says he did not approve the second attack, and attributes the decision to a commander on the scene [3][4].

Dec 2, 2025 – U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and former son‑in‑law Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, while Putin accuses European leaders of blocking a U.S.‑proposed peace plan for Ukraine [4].

Dec 2, 2025 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky describes the diplomatic environment as “one of the most challenging and yet optimistic moments,” noting a revised 20‑point peace plan under discussion [4].

Dec 2, 2025 – Putin warns that Russia is “ready” to engage in conflict if European nations choose to fight, emphasizing that Russia does not seek war but will respond if hostilities begin [4].

Dec 3, 2025 – A Venezuelan state‑run cartoon ridicules Trump’s foreign‑policy approach; Trump reiterates that Venezuelan airspace is “shuttered” and hints that land operations will commence “soon” [10].

Dec 3, 2025 – Former Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano calls for a war‑crime prosecution of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for allegedly ordering the second strike that killed survivors of the September 2 boat attack [11].

Dec 19, 2025 – Secretary of State Marco Rubio states the Caribbean boat strikes required no congressional approval, outlines a sequence of pressure steps—including a seized oil tanker and a blockade of Venezuelan tankers—and asserts the actions are lawful under national‑security powers [9].

Jan 3, 2026 – Trump orders a large‑scale strike inside Venezuela, captures President Nicolás Maduro for prosecution, and proceeds without congressional authorization, sparking intense debate over the president’s constitutional authority to conduct land operations abroad [2].

Jan 3, 2026 – Administration officials privately tell Congress they lack a legal justification for the land attack, while public statements shift and offer inconsistent legal rationales, highlighting internal disagreement on the operation’s legality [2].

Jan 3, 2026 – A 1989 memo by former Attorney General William P. Barr is cited to argue that a president has inherent authority to seize foreign individuals, a precedent used to defend the Maduro arrest and drawing criticism for violating international law [2].

Jan 3, 2026 – Analysts compare the Maduro operation to the 1989 Panama invasion, noting the focus on removing a leader rather than waging a full‑scale war and emphasizing Venezuela’s oil wealth as a strategic factor [2].