On Wednesday, November 5th, President Trump attended a business event in Miami where he once again issued a strong warning to the Maduro regime, vowing to continue combating drug trafficking vessels from Venezuela.
At the American Business Forum, the President stated, “We are fighting the terrorists of the drug trafficking groups. We are eliminating them – they are connected to the Maduro regime in Venezuela and other forces.”
President Trump has previously ordered attacks on drug trafficking vessels from Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, claiming that these organizations are smuggling drugs into the United States. However, there are concerns from some about whether the President has the authority to use military force instead of law enforcement agencies to combat drug smuggling, and if the White House may expand the scope of operations from the high seas to land targets.
Defending these actions on Wednesday, Trump mentioned that each drug ship reaching the shores of the United States “would kill 25,000 Americans.”
“We save 25,000 lives with every ship we sink,” Trump added. “This issue must be viewed in this way.”
When asked last week if there would be a ground attack on Venezuela, the President gave a clear denial.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted on social media that the US military struck another vessel in the international waters of the eastern Pacific on Tuesday, resulting in two fatalities but no casualties among US personnel.
“We will locate and destroy all vessels attempting to smuggle drugs into the United States, poisoning our citizens,” he stated.
The drug trafficking group “Cartel of the Suns,” led by Maduro and senior members of his regime, consists of military personnel. US officials estimate that this group exports approximately 500 tons of cocaine to Europe and America annually.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2024 alone, cocaine led to the deaths of 22,000 Americans.
In August, the US began assembling a large force in the southern Caribbean near the northern region of Venezuela, forming a joint task force including three destroyers with air defense, anti-submarine, and missile defense capabilities, and an amphibious task force of around 4,500 troops. Operations included P-8 reconnaissance planes conducting patrols, as well as remote reconnaissance flights to trace drug trafficking routes.
In September, the US further strengthened its deployment, sending 10 F-35B fighter jets to the Ceiba Air Base in Puerto Rico and arming MQ-9 “Reaper” drones at Rafael Hernández Airport.
In October, Hegseth ordered the aircraft carrier “Gerald Ford” and its strike group to enter the Caribbean Sea. The strike group consists of the cruiser “Normandy” and destroyers “Thomas Hudner,” “Lamarche,” “Karnes,” and “Roosevelt.”
US officials stated that these weapons can precisely target drug-related laboratories, clandestine airstrips, vehicles, or vessels.
So far, US forces have primarily conducted maritime operations. As of this week, the US military has intercepted and struck drug trafficking vessels from Venezuela, killing a total of 63 drug traffickers.