President Donald Trump said the U.S. has conducted a military strike that killed 11 people on a drug boat connected to a Venezuelan cartel. The president claimed the boat had connections to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Deadly boat attack
Trump said the gang and the boat were operating under the control of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States,” Trump said.
The president added that no Americans were harmed in the operation.
“Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE! Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!!!!!!!!!” Trump said.
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
His post came with a video of the strike but no confirmed evidence the men were drug traffickers.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also commented on the attack.
“Today the U.S. military conducted a lethal strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization,” Rubio said on X.
Focus on cartels
It’s the latest in the Trump administration’s escalation against Central and South American cartels.
The U.S. recently deployed destroyers near Venezuela. Maduro condemned that move and claimed the Trump administration isn’t focused on cartels, but rather a regime change in his country.
Maduro said his country is prepared to respond and ordered the mobilization of millions of militia members.
The U.S. has also offered a $50 million reward for Maduro’s arrest. Meanwhile, the U.S. is reportedly preparing attacks against Mexican cartels inside Mexico.
