Washington D.C. – President Donald Trump stated he does not currently intend to authorize military strikes within Venezuela, responding to reports of potential operations targeting facilities allegedly used for drug smuggling. Speaking to reporters en route to Florida, Trump said, “No, that’s not true,” though he did not definitively rule out future action.
The clarification follows reports from the Miami herald and Wall Street Journal citing sources indicating a possible imminent US strike in Venezuela aimed at military installations linked to drug trafficking. US secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed the Miami Herald’s reporting as a “made-up story.”
Trump’s statement comes amid increasingly assertive rhetoric regarding the fight against drug cartels.He has previously stated, “I think we’ll just kill people who bring drugs into our country,” and alluded to potential land operations without specifically mentioning Venezuela. He also confirmed authorizing covert operations by the CIA in Venezuela.
The US military has recently intercepted vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific suspected of drug trafficking, resulting in reported casualties. The Trump management has linked these incidents to Venezuela, drawing criticism for a lack of clear legal justification for its actions, prompting calls for restraint from the United Nations.
According to US media reports, the administration views the situation as an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, classifying suspected smugglers as “unlawful combatants.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently directed the deployment of the world’s largest aircraft carrier to the region.
