The deliberations came as the US has stepped up pressure on Venezuela through strikes on "drug boats" and a significant military build-up in the Caribbean under "Operation Southern Spear." The Pentagon has deployed more than a dozen warships and around 15,000 troops to the region.
The United States on Wednesday (local time) struck an alleged drug vessel, an eighth such attack by the US, on the Pacific side of South America, according to Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, as reported by CBS News.
Trump said 11 people were killed in the strike conducted in "international waters." Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the "lethal strike" as taking place in the "southern Caribbean" targeting "a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela."