President Donald Trump has said that the United States carried out a strike on a Venezuelan facility allegedly linked to drug trafficking. If confirmed, the action would represent a significant escalation in Washington’s military pressure on Venezuela as part of its broader counternarcotics strategy.
Remarks Made in Radio Interview
In a brief interview with a New York radio station, Trump said the US had recently “knocked out” what he described as a large plant or facility where boats involved in drug trafficking were prepared. He indicated that the operation occurred two nights earlier and suggested it targeted infrastructure rather than vessels at sea.
Trump did not provide specific details about the location, the forces involved, or the nature of the strike.
Lack of Official Confirmation
The White House did not immediately confirm the president’s comments, and the reported strike has not been independently verified. When questioned by reporters later at Mar-a-Lago, Trump referenced a major explosion in a dock area but declined to directly state whether the US military conducted the attack.
When asked if the strike was the only US action inside Venezuela, Trump chose not to respond.
Rising Military Pressure on Venezuela
The remarks come after months of intensified US military pressure against Venezuela. This has included repeated strikes on boats in international waters that the administration claims were transporting narcotics, although officials have not publicly released evidence to support those assertions.
If a land-based strike did occur, it would mark the first known instance of US military action on Venezuelan territory tied to current counternarcotics operations.
Broader Policy Context
In recent months, Trump has acknowledged authorizing covert actions involving Venezuela and ordered measures such as the blockade of sanctioned oil tankers. US forces have also seized at least one tanker off Venezuela’s coast.
Trump has repeatedly accused the Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro, of facilitating drug trafficking and sending criminals to the United States. These claims have been made without publicly presented evidence.
Conclusion
Trump’s statement about a US strike on a Venezuelan drug facility adds new uncertainty to an already tense relationship between the two countries. Without official confirmation or further details, the claim raises questions about the scope of US military actions and the risk of further escalation in the region.
