Trump Gave Venezuelan President Maduro Stern Ultimatum -Leave Now Or Else

According to a report by New York Post on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, President Donald Trump reportedly issued a stark ultimatum to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amid escalating tensions between the United States and the South American nation. According to the Miami Herald, Trump demanded that Maduro step down and leave Venezuela immediately, rejecting the dictator’s requests for amnesty and military control.

The ultimatum followed a high-stakes phone call between the two leaders during the week of November 16. Sources cited by the Herald said Maduro sought assurances that he could maintain command over Venezuela’s armed forces if he agreed to pave the way for free elections. He also requested global amnesty for himself and his allies to shield them from prosecution. Trump swiftly rejected both proposals, reportedly offering Maduro and his immediate family a single choice: depart Venezuela without delay or face unspecified consequences.

The conversation quickly collapsed, with Trump’s team signaling that Venezuela’s future could be directly influenced by the U.S. military. The New York Times reported that the call explored the conditions of Maduro’s potential surrender, which included safe passage out of the country for him, his wife, and his son.

Following the failed negotiations, Trump escalated pressure on Caracas. He ordered the closure of Venezuelan airspace and positioned the USS Gerald R. Ford, America’s largest aircraft carrier, off the country’s coast. In addition, a Marine Expeditionary Unit, capable of amphibious operations, was deployed to the region.

U.S. officials have emphasized that the buildup is linked to the fight against drug trafficking. “We have a war that’s coming through fentanyl, through opioids, through cocaine,” Senator Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) told Fox News Sunday. He added that drug-related deaths from Venezuela-linked shipments killed around 100,000 Americans last year, which he described as double the U.S. losses in eight years of the Vietnam War.

After the breakdown in talks, Trump warned that the U.S. would soon take action against drug-trafficking networks “by land” if Maduro failed to comply. His announcement regarding the closure of Venezuelan airspace further fueled fears of a potential military confrontation in the 28-million-strong nation.

While Trump acknowledged the call to reporters, he refrained from detailing its outcome, stating only: “I wouldn’t say it went well or badly.” U.S. authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, with Caracas facing mounting political and economic pressure from Washington.

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