U.S. ‘Hit’ Shore Facility as Drug Boat Campaign Escalates, Trump Says
President Donald Trump has indicated that the United States has “hit” a dock facility along a shoreline as part of a broader pressure campaign tied to drug trafficking, though U.S. officials have provided few details about the alleged operation. The comments come amid an expanding U.S. effort aimed at disrupting what the administration describes as maritime drug smuggling routes connected to South America.
Trump initially appeared to confirm a strike during an impromptu radio interview on Friday. When questioned by reporters on Monday about reports of “an explosion in Venezuela,” he said the United States struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up.” Speaking during a meeting in Florida with Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump described the incident in detail, saying, “There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs. They load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. There’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”
The remarks suggest a potential expansion of U.S. actions from maritime interdictions to strikes closer to shore. The effort is part of what the Trump administration has described as a campaign against boats allegedly smuggling drugs bound for the United States. Until now, known military actions have largely occurred in international waters in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, making any shore-based strike a notable shift.
Trump declined to specify whether the U.S. military or the CIA carried out the most recent strike or to identify the location. He also did not confirm that the incident occurred in Venezuela. “I know exactly who it was, but I don’t want to say who it was. But you know it was along the shore,” Trump said when pressed by reporters.
The president first referenced the strike during a Friday call to radio host John Catsimatidis on WABC radio, where he discussed ongoing U.S. strikes against alleged drug-carrying boats. According to the information cited during that conversation, the attacks have killed at least 105 people in 29 known strikes since early September. During the interview, Trump said, “I don’t know if you read or saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from. Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So, we hit them very hard.” No additional details were provided in that interview.
Historically, the Pentagon or Pete Hegseth has publicly announced each boat strike, often through posts on X from official U.S. military accounts. As of Monday, however, there had been no public announcement confirming a strike on a shore-based facility. The Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to requests for clarification. The press office of Venezuela’s government also did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding Trump’s statements.
For months, Trump has suggested that land strikes in South America could occur, mentioning Venezuela or possibly another country. In recent weeks, he has said that the United States would move beyond targeting boats and would strike on land “soon.” In October, Trump confirmed that he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, though the agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment following his latest remarks.
In addition to the strikes, the United States has increased its military presence in the region by deploying warships, building up forces, seizing two oil tankers, and pursuing a third. The Trump administration has stated that it considers itself in “armed conflict” with drug cartels and that these actions are intended to stop the flow of narcotics into the United States.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has said that the true objective of U.S. military operations is to force him from power. Adding to the public discussion, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said in an interview with Vanity Fair published this month that Trump “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro ‘cries uncle.’”
U.S. ‘Hit’ Shore Facility as Drug Boat Campaign Escalates, Trump Says
The comments from Trump underscore the uncertainty surrounding the scope and location of recent U.S. actions tied to drug interdiction efforts. While the administration has framed the campaign as a response to narcotics trafficking, the lack of official confirmation and details has left questions about how far U.S. operations have expanded and what impact they may have on regional dynamics.
