Trump Hints At Possible Action Against Venezuela As Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump signaled Sunday that the U.S. may take further action against Venezuela amid rising tensions with Nicolás Maduro’s regime, leaving open the possibility of military strikes.

Speaking to reporters in Morristown, New Jersey, Trump was asked directly whether he might order a strike on the Latin American nation. His response was short but pointed: “We’ll see what happens.”

“Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs. It’s not acceptable,” Trump said.

The comments come weeks after a U.S. Navy strike in the southern Caribbean destroyed a Venezuelan drug-smuggling boat linked to the Tren de Aragua (TdA) cartel, killing nearly a dozen suspected narco-terrorists. Since then, the administration has increased the Navy’s presence in the region.

Trump told reporters that the number of vessels has already dropped significantly: “There’s certainly not a lot of boats out there. There’s been very little boat traffic.”

When asked about the risks of escalation with Maduro, Trump dismissed the Venezuelan leader’s warnings. “What’s illegal are the drugs on the boat, and the drugs that are being sent into our country and the fact that 300 million people died last year from drugs that’s what’s illegal.”

Venezuela has become a hotbed for criminal activity, with TdA joining notorious groups like the Sinaloa Cartel in trafficking drugs into the U.S. In February, the Trump administration officially designated these organizations as foreign terrorist groups, giving Washington greater authority to combat them.

Trump also linked Venezuela’s criminal networks directly to the crisis at America’s southern border: “A lot of drugs are coming out of Venezuela. A lot of Tren de Aragua. They’re trying to get out, but we’re stopping them successfully at the border in Venezuela.”

Maduro’s government, already crippled by sanctions and international isolation, has accused the U.S. of violating its sovereignty. Over the weekend, Venezuela’s foreign minister claimed U.S. Navy personnel boarded a tuna boat with nine fishermen in its waters, further inflaming tensions.

For Trump, however, the focus remains squarely on protecting Americans from drugs and organized crime whether that means naval interdictions or something more. His repeated “we’ll see what happens” suggests that military escalation remains firmly on the table.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for more updates on Trump’s foreign policy.