President Donald Trump has renewed accusations that Venezuela is targeting the United States by sending gang members and drugs to the country and announced Monday that the U.S. military conducted a second strike against a Venezuelan boat “transporting illegal narcotics.”
Trump said the strike was against “extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists.” He confirmed it occurred in international waters.
“These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests,” he said in a post online.
Trump confirmed that three “terrorists” were killed in the strike and no U.S. forces were harmed.
The strike comes just a day after he raised the possibility that the U.S. could strike the country and more boats while speaking with reporters on Sunday.
Trump was asked about the possibility of striking Venezuela as concerns rise about a weakening relationship with him and President Nicolás Maduro.
“We’ll see what happens,” Trump said about the likelihood of a strike.
“Look, Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs,” he said. “It’s not acceptable.”
In recent weeks, the U.S. military has been increasing its presence and efforts against drug cartels in the Caribbean Sea. The U.S. has deployed several warships, and earlier this month, Trump declared that the military’s “kinetic” strike on a “drug vessel” took out 11 “terrorists.”
The strike hit a boat carrying members of the Tren De Aragua gang from Venezuela, which has been a target of the Trump administration’s deportation efforts. The Associated Press reported that national security officials acknowledged the boat was struck after it had already changed course and was heading back to shore.
Trump shared the news of the strike online and said it occurred while the gang members were in international waters “transporting illegal narcotics” and on their way to the United States.
“Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!” he said.
On Sunday, reporters also asked the president if he has plans to launch more strikes on Venezuelan boats. He similarly said, “We’ll see what happens.”
“There’s certainly not a lot of boats out there,” Trump added. “There’s been very little boat traffic.”
That response came from the president just hours before he posted the news of the second strike stemming from his orders.
Trump’s increased pressure on Maduro has escalated tensions between the two countries. Venezuelan officials over the weekend accused the U.S. of seizing a fishing boat “illegally and hostilely” for several hours, CBS News reported.
It comes as the Trump administration ramps up its efforts to arrest Maduro, accusing him of being responsible for trafficking drugs into the U.S. for over a decade. The State Department and Department of Justice in August announced an increased offer of up to $50 million under its Narcotics Rewards Program for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.
The announcement from the State and Justice departments noted Maduro’s 2024 election, and how the U.S. has refused to recognize him as the winner and president. The administration accused Maduro of strangling democracy and grasping for power.
Trump said he wasn’t seeking a regime change in Venezuela but was focused on the fact that Maduro’s election was “a very strange election to put it mildly.” Other administration officials have signaled that more strikes could be coming after the military moved several warships and thousands of soldiers to areas near Venezuela.
In return, Maduro has called on citizens to enlist in militias to support security forces in case the United States carries out a ground incursion, which has not been confirmed by the administration.
