Trump's major announcement today "related to the Department of Defense"
The U.S. military carried out what officials described as “a lethal strike” on a suspected Venezuelan drug vessel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday, escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.
President Donald Trump previewed the strike earlier in the day during remarks at the White House, telling reporters the U.S. had “just, over the last few minutes, literally shot out … a drug-carrying boat.” He added, “And there’s more where that came from. We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country. We took it out.”
Rubio later gave more detail in a post on social media, writing that the strike had taken place in the southern Caribbean against a boat operated by a “designated narco-terrorist organization” that had departed Venezuela. The type of vessel targeted has not been specified, nor has it been confirmed whether the action occurred in Venezuelan territorial waters.
Analysts warn the location of the strike is key. “If this strike took place in Venezuelan waters, I think that will trigger a massive escalation from the Venezuelan side. However, from what I’ve heard … this took place in international waters, and that suggests that ultimately this is about drug interdiction,” said Geoff Ramsey of the Atlantic Council’s Latin America Centre. He noted that cocaine traffickers frequently use high-speed boats through the region, making it a “target-rich environment.”
Even so, the episode adds to concern about a possible military clash between Venezuelan and U.S. forces. Last month, Trump sent warships and marines to the Caribbean as part of an operation his allies framed as both anti-narcotics enforcement and a move to weaken Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Officially, the naval buildup is tied to efforts against Latin American drug cartels, including Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles, which U.S. officials allege Maduro oversees.
Washington has further increased the pressure, offering a $50 million reward for Maduro’s capture—double the bounty once placed on Osama bin Laden. In July, Trump also signed a classified directive authorizing the use of military force against cartels designated as terrorist groups, including the Venezuelan network.
Trump allies have celebrated these steps as evidence the White House is serious about ending Maduro’s rule. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn recently warned Maduro that his “days are seriously numbered” and suggested he flee to Moscow.
Maduro, meanwhile, has accused the U.S. of preparing a regime-change operation, warning that hardliners in Washington are pushing Trump toward “a terrible war” that could destabilize the entire region.