Trump highlights strike as part of anti-drug push
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that American forces struck a boat allegedly linked to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua cartel, killing 11 people in the southern Caribbean. The operation unfolded in international waters, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Rubio described the target as a narcotics vessel that had left Venezuela, framing the mission as part of Washington’s broader campaign against organized crime in the region.
Trump outlines rationale
On Truth Social, Trump said: “At my orders, US forces carried out a kinetic operation against identified Tren de Aragua narcoterrorists in SOUTHCOM’s jurisdiction. This cartel, operating under Nicolás Maduro, is behind killings, trafficking, and violence across the Americas.”
He added a warning to smugglers: “Anyone considering shipping drugs into the United States should think twice.”
The State Department formally listed Tren de Aragua as both a foreign terrorist organization and a global terror network earlier this year.
Rubio says more action coming
Before departing for visits to Mexico and Ecuador, Rubio said counter-narcotics missions would continue. “We will keep confronting the cartels that are fueling deaths on American streets,” he said. Asked about legal justification, Rubio declined to provide details, but stressed that the president had already designated the groups as terrorist entities.
Later in the day, Trump told reporters that US forces had “just taken down a drug vessel,” hinting at further strikes ahead.
Stronger US presence offshore
A senior Pentagon official confirmed the strike as a “precision operation” but did not elaborate further. Reports have indicated that more than 4,000 Marines and sailors are currently deployed across the Caribbean and Latin America, enhancing Washington’s ability to act directly against cartel networks.
Defense analyst Tom Karako of the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that such actions may not always be disclosed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if similar strikes had taken place without public acknowledgment,” he said.
Maduro lashes out
Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro condemned the strike, calling it “criminal and violent.” He said his government was prepared for “maximum readiness” in response to Washington’s pressure campaign.
The Trump administration has previously offered a $50 million bounty on Maduro, accusing him of overseeing cartel-driven trafficking operations.
The strike marks a notable escalation in US strategy—treating cartels as terrorist threats and authorizing direct military force against their operations.
