What is Trump's endgame with Venezuela? [View all]

[herding cats]

He's blowing up their boats, when they're most definitely not a huge exporter of drugs to the USA, let alone via maritime means.

Apparently he's planning, or at least insinuating, the CIA is involved in "covert" mission which will enable them to carry out lethal operations in Venezuela.

Now he's saying boots on the ground there is a possibility?!

Venezuela escalation: President Trump said he was considering expanding his military operations in the Caribbean to include ground strikes in Venezuela, which would be a significant escalation of the campaign that has so far targeted vessels at sea. The Trump administration has said, without evidence, that those strikes had hit boats transporting drugs for cartels. “We are certainly looking at land now, because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” he said.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10/15/us/trump-shutdown-news?unlocked_article_code=1.t08.nMyi.tIdbY6haaaPd&smid=url-share

I'm hoping somone can explain to me what the hell all this lunacy is about? Beyond just regime change there I mean. Is this meant as a slight to one of their allies or is there some other archaic 1950's level stupidity going on here?