President Trump confirmed Wednesday that he has authorized the CIA to go into Venezuela and conduct covert operations.

Asked by CBS News senior White House correspondent Ed O'Keefe why he did so, the president said he had two reasons: First, "they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America" and "allowed thousands and thousands of prisoners" and "people from mental institutions, insane asylums" into the U.S. Trump has frequently alleged — without citing evidence — that other countries are deliberately sending people from prisons and mental institutions to the southern border.

He also cited the "drugs coming in from Venezuela."

"A lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in from the sea. You get to see that," he told reporters at the White House in what seemed to be a reference

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