President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. military forces carried out a precision strike against a Venezuelan drug vessel tied to the cartel Tren de Aragua, killing 11 people. The operation took place in international waters in the southern Caribbean.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump just released the video of the U.S. military STRIKING a drug boat from Venezuela heading to America carrying ELEVEN Tren de Aragua narcoterrorists, who were kiIIed in the strike
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 2, 2025
TRUMP: “Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces… pic.twitter.com/axQAWxjJhm
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the mission as part of a broader campaign against narcoterrorists, calling Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization controlled by Nicolás Maduro. The group has been linked to drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and violence across the Western Hemisphere.
Trump said the strike was a warning to cartels attempting to flood American streets with drugs. “Please let this serve as notice… BEWARE,” he posted on Truth Social.
The action highlights the administration’s escalated military approach to Latin American cartels. The U.S. has deployed thousands of Marines and sailors to the region, despite sharp criticism from Maduro’s regime.
