Trump deploys troops and special ops aircraft to Caribbean as U.S. moves closer to war with Venezuela | 23 Dec 2025 | The United States deployed large amounts of troops and special operations aircraft to the Caribbean this week as tensions continue to escalate between Donald Trump and Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. The fleet includes no fewer than ten CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, C-17 cargo aircraft, as well as troops and other equipment which all arrived Monday, according to The Wall Street Journal. The troops could potentially be special operations as well, as the bases the aircraft came from house special ops units, though it is not yet clear what types of troops were being sent. Trump has called the US buildup in the region “a massive armada, the biggest we’ve ever had” in a press conference Monday. He added: “Soon, we will be starting the same program on land.” At least 11 ships and 15,000 troops have already been deployed in the vicinity of the South American country.