President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that U.S. forces destroyed a narco-terrorist vessel in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. The military strike, the fourth of its kind since August, killed six suspected traffickers tied to a designated terrorist organization. No American personnel were injured in the operation.
According to President Trump, the U.S. Department of War acted under standing orders from the commander-in-chief, targeting a vessel engaged in narcotics trafficking along a known drug cartel route in the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility. Trump stated, “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks, and was transiting along a known DTO route.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth authorized the lethal strike, consistent with Trump’s August directive to use military force against specified Latin American drug cartels. That order followed the U.S. State Department’s designation of Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The criminal enterprise is reportedly linked to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and senior military officials.
The vessel, believed to be affiliated with the Venezuelan-based Tren de Aragua group, was reportedly loaded with narcotics. Secretary Hegseth reiterated that the administration remains committed to ending the flow of drugs from South America to the U.S. “These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over,” he said.
This latest strike represents a sharp continuation of the Trump administration’s maritime counter-narcotics campaign. In recent months, three other strikes have been confirmed, each targeting cartel-affiliated boats in the region. The White House has emphasized that all attacks occurred in international waters and posed no risk to U.S. troops.
However, the escalation has drawn criticism from both domestic lawmakers and foreign governments. Members of Congress have raised constitutional concerns over the president’s unilateral use of military force without additional congressional authorization. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s government condemned the attacks as violations of international law, accusing the U.S. of using anti-drug efforts to disguise attempts at regime change.
Despite growing international tension, President Trump has doubled down on his commitment to dismantling drug cartels through military pressure. Earlier this year, he declared that Nicolás Maduro is not recognized as Venezuela’s president, but instead as the head of a criminal narco-terrorist regime.
With four successful operations now confirmed, the administration appears determined to carry out its campaign against narco-terrorism in the Western Hemisphere using force when necessary.
