President Trump announced a “second” military strike against an alleged drug-trafficking boat from Venezuela, citing three fatalities. “This morning, on my orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” Trump stated. He claimed the operation targeted confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela in international waters transporting illegal narcotics “a deadly weapon poisoning Americans” en route to the U.S.
Trump emphasized the threat posed by “extremely violent drug trafficking cartels” to U.S. national security, asserting the strike killed three male terrorists while sparing U.S. forces. “If you are transporting drugs that can kill Americans, we are hunting you,” he warned. He described the cartels’ activities as having caused “devastating consequences on American communities for decades,” adding, “NO LONGER.”
Footage of the strike was shared by Trump, who noted it marked the second attack on an alleged drug vessel this month. A prior U.S. strike against a Venezuelan-registered boat earlier in September drew criticism from lawmakers across party lines over legal justifications. Democrats demanded transparency, with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) condemning the White House for classifying law enforcement actions as counterterrorism to justify lethal force. Republican Sen. Rand Paul also criticized the operation, targeting Vice President JD Vance for endorsing the strike.
When questioned about proof of the boat’s occupants being narcoterrorists, Trump claimed evidence included “big bags of cocaine and fentanyl” scattered in the ocean and recorded footage of the vessel’s movement. He praised the military’s caution, stating, “We’re very careful.” Trump previously reported 11 deaths in a similar strike earlier this month, alleging the targeted boat carried “massive amounts of drugs” operated by members of the South American gang Tren de Aragua. Venezuela’s interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, denied any crew members were affiliated with the group or drug trafficking.
A source familiar with the matter stated the vessel had altered course toward shore before the strike, a detail reported by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. U.S. naval forces currently deploy eight ships in the region, seven in the Caribbean and one in the Pacific.
