Trump Boasts ‘No Boats Left’ as US Navy Strikes Another Drug Vessel Off Venezuela Coast

US President Donald Trump has said American forces carried out another strike against a vessel allegedly carrying illegal drugs off the coast of Venezuela, as he signalled that military operations could expand to land-based drug trafficking routes. Speaking on Sunday at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, alongside the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, Trump said: “In recent weeks, the Navy has supported our mission to blow the cartel terrorists the hell out of the water… we did another one last night. Now we just can’t find any.” He added that because traffickers were avoiding maritime routes, the United States would have to begin focusing on drugs being transported by land. “They’re not coming in by sea anymore, so now we’ll have to start looking about the land because they’ll be forced to go by land,” he said. The President told the assembled sailors that US operations were having a major impact. “We’re stopping drugs at a level that nobody’s ever seen. We’re so good at it that there are no boats. In fact, even fishing boats – nobody wants to go into the water anymore. Sorry to tell you that. We just can’t find any,” he said, chuckling.Also Read: Trump’s War on Drug Cartels Escalates as US Strikes Another Boat Off Venezuela Coast According to US officials, the strikes have so far killed at least 21 people and destroyed four boats accused of carrying illegal drugs. Video released by the Pentagon from a previous strike showed a small open speedboat engulfed in smoke and flames. The White House has said that these actions are intended to prevent drugs from reaching the United States, with Trump boasting that the policy is working and suggesting that operations could expand to land routes in response to traffickers’ changing behaviour. “Let me tell you right now, that’s not going to work out well for them either,” he said. It was not immediately clear whether the strike Trump referred to on Saturday night is the same as the attack reported on Friday by the Pentagon, which killed four unidentified individuals described as “narco-terrorists.” While the administration has defended the strikes, the use of lethal force against individuals in foreign or international waters who have not been intercepted or questioned has drawn criticism. Many Democrats and legal experts have questioned the legality of such operations, raising concerns about potential violations of international law. The operations come amid heightened US focus on the region, as the Trump administration seeks to disrupt drug trafficking networks in Latin America. However, the recent statements by Mr Trump signal an intention to broaden military efforts beyond maritime targets and onto land-based routes, reflecting an escalated approach to the issue. The strikes and the president’s remarks have sparked debate over the scope and legality of US military involvement in combating the flow of narcotics from Venezuela, while underlining the administration’s insistence that it is taking unprecedented action to protect US borders.