President Donald Trump said U.S. military forces destroyed a strategic facility linked to drug trafficking in Venezuela in an operation carried out just days before Christmas, marking a significant escalation in his administration’s campaign against narcotics networks operating in the region.
Speaking Friday on a podcast, Trump stated that the operation took place on December 24 and targeted what he described as a “large plant” used by criminal organizations to dispatch ships loaded with drugs bound for the United States. According to the president, the site functioned as a logistical hub for maritime trafficking routes and was protected by the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
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Donald Trump asserts that the US destroyed facilities linked to drug trafficking in Venezuela
Trump said the destruction of the facility dealt a “very hard blow” to drug trafficking operations in Venezuela. Arguing that its size and strategic importance made it a critical node in the illicit trade. He didn’t provide specific details about the type of strike used or the extent of damage, nor did he mention whether there were casualties during the operation.
The president defended the decision to carry out military actions on Venezuelan soil. He said the operations were necessary to protect American lives.
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“These operations save thousands of Americans,” Trump said, arguing that preventing drugs from reaching U.S. shores directly reduces the number of overdose deaths nationwide.
He framed the strike as part of a broader effort to combat what he has repeatedly described as a national security threat posed by international drug trafficking organizations.
In recent months, Trump intensified his rhetoric and actions against drug trafficking networks linked to Venezuela. Earlier operations, he said, took place in international waters off the Venezuelan coast, where U.S. forces targeted vessels allegedly carrying narcotics. According to the president, those actions included the bombing of suspected drug boats, resulting in multiple deaths.
Trump has cited these operations as evidence of the effectiveness of his strategy, claiming they have significantly reduced the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. “Trafficking has gone down,” he said, adding that the results demonstrate the success of a more aggressive approach.
The statements are likely to heighten tensions between Washington and Caracas, which have remained strained for years amid U.S. sanctions and accusations that elements of the Venezuelan government are complicit in drug trafficking. Venezuelan authorities have consistently denied such claims.
While Trump offered no independent verification of the operation’s impact, his comments underscore a continued reliance on military force as a central tool in his administration’s fight against international drug trafficking, particularly in Latin America.
