Military Commander Overseeing Pressure Campaign On Venezuela Reportedly Raised Concern About Mission Before Stepping Down

Southern Command (Southcom) head Alvin Holsey had raised concerns about the pressure campaign on Venezuela's authoritarian regime, particularly strikes against alleged drug boats, before stepping down from his post, according to a new report.

Citing anonymous sources, The New York Times detailed that Admiral Alvin Holsey had raised concerns about the mission in general and particularly the strikes against alleged drug boats, which U.S. forces have conducted at least six times.

The outlet noted that neither Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth nor Holsey made reference to any tension up the chain of command, officials at the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill said there were indeed tensions.

Rep. Adam Smith, the senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said that "prior to Trump," he couldn't think of a "combatant commander who left his or her post early, ever." Holsey left his post less than a year into a typically three-year job.

The development comes as the U.S. continues to ramp up pressure on Venezuela. On Thursday, the Washington Post reported that a Special Operations aviation unit has flown less than a 100 miles from Venezuela, yet another message to Caracas.

The outlet detailed that the helicopters conducted training exercises, which could lead to expanded operations against the Venezuelan regime, including inside the country. Visuals circulating on social media appear to show MH-6 Little Bird attack helicopters and MH-60 Black Hawks, the outlet added.

The aircraft are likely operated by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the Post. They usually fly missions for commandos like Navy SEALs, Green Berets and Delta force.

A U.S. official said the helicopters were conducting training flights and should not be taken as evidence of drills for a land assault into Venezuela.

However, report came a day after President Donald Trump confirmed he authorized the CIA to conduct lethal operations inside Venezuela, with officials telling The New York Times that the ultimate goal is removing authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro from power.

Moreover, the Miami Herald reported on Thursday that the Trump administration rejected an offer by the Venezuelan regime to oust Maduro and undergo a transition.

"The 'Cartel Lite' was not a viable option," a source told the Miami Herald, noting that top officials would remain in power after the ouster of Maduro.