President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States could soon expand its anti-narcotics campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific to include direct land strikes on drug operations allegedly tied to Venezuela.
The move signals a sharp escalation in the administration’s counter-cartel strategy.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump touted what he described as unprecedented success in disrupting maritime trafficking routes.
He said Venezuela-linked drug movements by sea had dropped by 92%, attributing the decline to stepped-up U.S. interdiction efforts.
“We’re knocking out drugs at levels that nobody’s ever seen before,” Trump said, adding:
“We knocked out 96% of the drugs coming in by water.”
He then hinted at the administration’s next move:
“It’s going to be starting on land pretty soon.”
Trump did not elaborate on the timing or targets of any future operations, but his remarks align with a broader military buildup already underway.
Since September, U.S. forces have increased their presence across the region and conducted more than 20 strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels, resulting in scores of fatalities.
Trump has repeatedly argued that these operations have saved “tens of thousands of Americans” by preventing narcotics from ever reaching U.S. shores.
The prospect of American land operations has heightened tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has vehemently denied any ties between his government and narcotrafficking organizations.
Maduro has long accused Washington of using anti-drug policy as a pretext to pressure or even remove his regime.
The clash intensified further this week when U.S. authorities seized the Skipper, an oil tanker operating near Venezuela’s coast and reportedly transporting crude linked to both Venezuela and Iran.
Caracas condemned the seizure as “blatant theft” and “criminal naval piracy,” accusing the U.S. of escalating hostilities under the guise of sanctions enforcement.
Russia has now stepped directly into the dispute, offering public backing to Maduro.
According to the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin “expressed solidarity with the people of Venezuela and reaffirmed his support for the Maduro government’s resolve to defend national interests and sovereignty against foreign pressure.”
Moscow also reaffirmed a strategic partnership treaty signed earlier this year, underscoring its continued support for the regime.
With Trump signaling the potential for U.S. strikes on Venezuelan territory and Maduro leaning more heavily on Russia for protection, the geopolitical stakes surrounding the administration’s anti-cartel campaign are rising sharply and fast.
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