President Donald Trump has said the United States is preparing new actions against alleged drug trafficking networks in Venezuela, indicating that operations on land could begin “very soon.”
Speaking to U.S. service members on Thursday, Trump praised recent efforts “to deter Venezuelan drug traffickers,” including strikes on boats allegedly carrying narcotics and a major U.S. military build-up in the Caribbean.
He suggested these moves could soon expand beyond maritime operations. Trump said his campaign had disrupted drug smuggling routes at sea, “and we’ll be starting to stop them by land also,” adding: “the land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.”
Why It Matters
Trump’s remarks deepen uncertainty about his plans for the U.S. military in the region, where more than a dozen warships and around 15,000 troops have been deployed as part of “Operation Southern Spear.” U.S. forces have carried out at least 21 strikes on suspected drug-running boats since September, killing at least 83 people, according to Reuters.
Earlier this month, CNN reported that Trump administration officials had told lawmakers the U.S. was not planning strikes inside Venezuela. Trump’s latest comments, however, point toward the possibility of more direct action on Venezuelan territory.
Key Background
On Thursday, Trump said the U.S. was preparing new measures targeting alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking networks and praised U.S. troops for their recent role in curbing the narcotics trade.
“You probably noticed that people aren’t wanting to be delivering (drugs) by sea, and we’ll be starting to stop them by land also,” he said. “We warn them: stop sending poison to our country.”
In October, CNN reported that the Trump administration had produced a classified legal opinion justifying lethal strikes against suspected drug traffickers.
However, according to CNN, U.S. lawmakers were also told this month that the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel had concluded there was no legal basis for strikes inside Venezuela or other territories.
The latest rhetoric comes just days after the U.S. State Department officially designated the Venezuela-based Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro is accused by Washington of leading the group.
The U.S. has said the cartel is “responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe.”
Caracas denies that Maduro or other political, judicial or military figures control the Cartel de los Soles.
Reaction in Washington
Senator Cory Booker wrote on X on Wednesday: “Invading Venezuela will do nothing to protect the United States and directly puts American lives at risk. We must stand up now and stop President Trump from dragging us into war with Venezuela.”
What Comes Next
Trump’s latest comments will likely fuel speculation about whether the U.S. intends to escalate its pressure on Maduro’s government beyond the current maritime operations and sanctions.
Maduro, for his part, said this week that Venezuelans “must be ready to defend every inch of of this blessed land from imperialist threat or aggression.”
