The Trump administration has deployed 11 warships and roughly 15,000 naval personnel to the Caribbean as tensions escalate with Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela. The buildup, paired with the controversial and arguably extrajudicial killings of alleged drug smugglers, has raised legitimate questions about the prospect of American military intervention.

While avoiding foreign entanglements was one of President Donald Trump’s core campaign themes, the current force posture in the Caribbean—most notably the presence of the USS Gerald R. Ford supercarrier—suggests preparations for potential action. If that action were to occur, and US troops were sent into Venezuela against the wishes of the government in Caracas, what might US military operations actually look like?

Any intervention would center on coercing or potentially removing

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